by Jamie Oliver
a few sprigs of fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, bay, tarragon, fennel, marjoram
1 teaspoon spices, such as mustard seeds, cardamom, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, dried chilli, saffron
optional: fragrant ingredients, such as garlic, fresh chilli, turmeric, ginger, horseradish
This is a brilliant general pickle that gives you a structure to rely on, but also some flexibility with vegetables, spices and flavourings, to allow your creativity to come out – tweak to perfection as you experiment with new combinations.
Tip the water, vinegar and 30g of sea salt into a large pan and bring to a simmer. Select the vegetable(s) you’d like to use, then wash and prep to an agreeable bite-size. Add to the pan with your chosen herb and spice combination, and any additional fragrant ingredients, to taste (if using), then bring to the boil and poach until half cooked (there’s no need to poach salad veg, such as cucumber, first), to keep a good crunch. Decant the veg and liquor into a sterilized jar and secure the lid – good to eat after a day or two, and if all is sterilized well (see below), they’ll be good for 3 months unopened and kept in a dark place. Once opened, leave in the fridge and use within a week or two. If you choose not to sterilize, they’ll keep happily in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
How to sterilize: simply boil the jar, lid and any utensils used to fill the jar for 15 minutes, making sure not to use any unsterile items until after you’ve sealed the jar.
SUPERCHARGED BABA GANOUSH
SMOKY AUBERGINE, TAHINI, FETA, LETTUCE CUPS & POMEGRANATE
SERVES 10 | 50 MINUTES
3 large aubergines (400g each)
3 tablespoons tahini
1 lemon
¼ of a clove of garlic
extra virgin olive oil
40g feta cheese
1 teaspoon rose harissa
1 bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley (30g)
1 teaspoon runny honey
4 mixed-colour chicory
2 baby gem lettuce
½ a pomegranate
Grill the aubergines on a griddle, under the grill (prick them first!), over a gas flame or on a barbecue for 25 minutes, or until blackened all over and soft inside. Meanwhile, put the tahini (or use peanut or almond butter) into a bowl, finely grate in the lemon zest and squeeze in the juice. Peel and finely grate in the garlic, muddle in 2 tablespoons of oil and crumble in most of the feta.
Halve the aubergines and scoop the soft flesh into the bowl, discarding the blackened skins. Add the harissa and beat together to the consistency you like. Finely chop the parsley (stalks and all) and stir into the bowl with the honey. Taste and season to perfection with sea salt and black pepper.
Trim the chicory and lettuce, click the leaves apart and arrange on a platter, placing the baba ganoush in the centre. Hold the pomegranate half cut side down, bash the back of it with a spoon so all the seeds tumble out, then scatter over the platter, and crumble over the remaining feta.
Nice with a glass of chilled rosé.
Halved or quartered grapes also work well instead of pomegranate, if you prefer.
SPEEDY DOUGH BALLS
SMOKIN’ SWEET PEPPER & CHILLI RIPPLED CREAM CHEESE DIP
SERVES 4–6 | 20 MINUTES
250g self-raising flour
olive oil
1 × 250g jar of roasted peppers in brine
1 fresh red chilli
½ teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
100g light cream cheese
Place the flour and a good pinch of sea salt in a bowl, make a well in the middle, then mix in around 150ml of water and bring together to form a dough. Knead vigorously for a few minutes, then roll out into a long sausage, roughly 2cm thick. Chop into 2cm nuggets, toss in 2 tablespoons of oil, then rest for 5 minutes. Place in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat for around 10 minutes, or until golden and cooked through, turning occasionally.
Place the peppers (juices and all), chilli and paprika in a food processor and blitz until smooth. Beat the cream cheese in a bowl, then fold and swirl through a quarter of the pepper sauce. Tip the rest back into the jar and save in the fridge for future meals (amazing used to flavour rice or couscous).
Serve the dough balls topped with the dip – delicious with a glass of chilled rosé.
Sometimes I flavour the dough with a little crumbled cheese and chopped herbs.
CRUNCHY SUMMER ROLLS
CRISP GRATED VEG, APPLE, CHILLI & MINT, PEANUT DIP
SERVES 4 (MAKES 8) | 30 MINUTES
100g vermicelli rice noodles
sesame oil
3 teaspoons low-salt soy sauce
3 carrots
1 bunch of radishes
1 eating apple
2 limes
1 fresh red chilli
1 mixed bunch of fresh mint and coriander (30g)
1 punnet of cress
8 rice paper wrappers
2 heaped tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, then drain and refresh under cold running water. Drizzle over 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 teaspoon of soy sauce. Scrub the carrots and coarsely grate with the radishes and apple, and squeeze over the juice of ½ a lime. Finely slice the chilli, pick the herb leaves and snip the cress. Dip one of the rice paper wrappers into a shallow bowl of warm water, then drain and lay out flat. Lay a few herb leaves across the middle, top with carrot, radish, apple and noodles, and scatter over a few slices of chilli and a pinch of cress. Fold the edge nearest to you over the filling, tightly roll it away from you, tucking in the sides as you go and pressing lightly to seal, then repeat.
For the peanut dip, mix the peanut butter and 2 teaspoons of soy with the juice of 1 lime, gradually loosening with a few teaspoons of water to a good dipping consistency. Slice the summer rolls into bite-sized pieces, and serve with the peanut sauce for dunking and lime wedges for squeezing over.
Delicious with a chilled glass of dry white wine.
Feel free to embellish these with grilled oyster mushrooms, roasted cauliflower florets or chunks of silken tofu, if you like.
EXCITING CRUDITÉS
TAHINI YOGHURT DIP, SPRING ONION & CHILLI PICKLE, BEETROOT PICKLE
SERVES 6 | 20 MINUTES
2 spring onions
1 fresh green chilli
white wine vinegar
1 small beetroot
600g crunchy veg, such as fennel, celery, radishes, peppers, mixed-colour beetroots, carrots, cucumber, mooli, cauliflower, green beans
1 lemon
3 tablespoons tahini
1 clove of garlic
250g natural yoghurt
extra virgin olive oil
2 sprigs of fresh mint
Trim the spring onions and chilli, then chop as finely as you can and place in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon of vinegar and a good pinch of sea salt. Peel and very finely grate the beetroot, scrape into another bowl, then mix in 1 tablespoon of vinegar and a good pinch of salt. Leave aside to lightly pickle.
Trim and prep the crunchy veg as necessary, then slice to an agreeable bite-size and place on a serving plate. Squeeze over half the lemon juice, season with salt, and toss to coat. Loosen the tahini with 1 tablespoon of boiling water and the remaining lemon juice. Peel and finely grate in the garlic, then whisk in the yoghurt and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil. Dot the pickles on to the yoghurt dip, pick over the mint leaves, and serve the veg alongside for dunking.
The enjoyment of having crunchy raw veg is hugely amplified by a squeeze of citrus – why not try lime, blood orange or grapefruit juice next time.
GNARLY BLACK BEAN TACOS
COTTAGE CHEESE, SMOKY CHIPOTLE TABASCO & SPRING ONIONS
SERVES 4 | 10 MINUTES
1 × 400g tin of black beans
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
2 small corn tortillas
2 tablespoons cottage cheese
chipotle Tabasco sauce
2 spring onions
Drain the beans, then mash in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat with the cumin, vinegar and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Fry for a few minutes to get a bit of colour, tossing regularly, then separate into two small piles and squash a tortilla on top of each (don’t worry if they don’t quite fit into the pan – they can overlap a little and still work beautifully!). Push down to flatten and stick the bean mixture to the tortilla, then squash and cook until hot through.
Carefully turn out on to a board, top with bombs of cottage cheese and a few shakes of Tabasco, to taste, then finely slice and sprinkle over the spring onions, and clank up into quarters. Serve with an ice-cold beer, and relax.
Feel free to use different types of beans, and swap out cottage cheese for Cheddar, if you prefer – it’s all good!
CRISPY MOROCCAN CARROTS
ORANGE & THYME SYRUP, TAHINI & HARISSA RIPPLED YOGHURT
SERVES 6 | 50 MINUTES PLUS COOLING
12 baby carrots
3 oranges
3 fresh bay leaves
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
4 sheets of filo pastry
olive oil
runny honey
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon tahini
2 teaspoons rose harissa
6 tablespoons natural yoghurt
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6. Scrub the carrots, then cook in a pan of fast-boiling salted water for 10 minutes, or until just tender, then drain. Finely grate half the orange zest into the empty pan and squeeze in all the juice. Place on a medium heat, add the bay, thyme and a good pinch of sea salt, then cook until syrupy, folding the carrots back into the glaze to coat. Leave to cool.
One by one, lay out the filo sheets, rub with oil, then cut lengthways into 3 strips. Place a carrot at the bottom of each and roll up like a cigar, squeezing lightly to seal (don’t worry about being too neat). Repeat with the remaining carrots and filo, placing them on a baking tray as you go. Brush each lightly with oil, then roast for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden and crisp, drizzling with a little honey and scattering with the sesame seeds for the last 5 minutes.
Stack the carrots on a board, scattering over any sesame seeds left on the tray, then swirl the tahini and harissa through the yoghurt and serve alongside.
People love this as a nibble, starter or side, and are always surprised if you use different coloured heritage carrots – pink, purple, yellow … whatever you like!
HINTS & TIPS
LET’S CHAT CHEESE
DAIRY & PLANT-BASED MILKS
KNOWING YOUR FATS
VIBRANT VINEGARS
MAXIMIZING FLAVOUR
TERRIFIC TOPPERS
HELPFUL KITCHEN NOTES
LET’S CHAT CHEESE
The world of veggie cheese is getting bigger all the time, with more and more cheesemakers embracing and experimenting with vegetarian coagulants. There’s no category of cheese that is exclusively veggie – if in doubt, speak to your local cheesemonger for more information, or simply check the back of the pack before you buy. And if you’re struggling to find enough choice, speak to your local supermarket to encourage them to stock some veggie alternatives.
You’ll see that I’ve used a whole range of cheeses in this book and haven’t specified using veggie. There are lots of fantastic vegetarian alternatives out there now, so if you don’t want to use cheese made with animal rennet, please do swap in a suitable alternative. To source amazing British cheeses, check out Neal’s Yard Dairy, who distribute all over the world.
For all the vegans out there, it’s very hard to mimic the flavour and texture of cheese, but there are brands doing a great job right now, and the market is moving very quickly, so watch this space. And for the non-veggies, you’ve probably got more choice than ever.
A NOTE ON PARMESAN
Parmesan cheese, and anything containing it, such as shop-bought pestos, will include animal rennet. Whenever I’ve used these ingredients, or any other non-vegetarian ingredients, I have clearly flagged them in green on the relevant pages, after the method. To make these recipes fully vegetarian, look out for these notes and swap to the suggested alternatives. Also, if you want to follow a strict vegetarian diet, remember to check all packaging to ensure you’re buying veggie-friendly ingredients across the board.
HERE ARE SOME WORLD-CLASS CHEESES YOU MUST LOOK OUT FOR, THAT JUST HAPPEN TO BE VEGGIE
Appleby’s Cheshire Cotherstone
Applewood Riseley
Beenleigh Blue Sinodun Hill
Black Bomber Spa Blue
Blacksticks Blue Spenwood
Brunswick Blue Stinking Bishop
Cardo Ticklemore
Cashel Blue Waterloo
Cornish Yarg Wigmore
DAIRY & PLANT-BASED MILKS
It’s really good that we have the choice of so many different milks – whether dairy or plant-based – these days. But it’s important to remember that dairy milk packs a real nutrition punch, and that plant-based milk drinks aren’t as clear cut, so it’s often necessary to fill the gaps.
Personally, I choose organic dairy milk, and yoghurt and cheeses that come from it – it’s a great-value trade-up. But here are some thoughts:
Plant-based drinks can be made from many different plants, including soya, almonds, coconuts, oats and rice – and a broad selection is increasingly available in UK supermarkets. Depending on how they’re made, these drinks can be a good source of some nutrients. However, some almond milks are predominantly made of water (up to 80%), with some containing as little as 2% almonds. So while they can form part of a nutritious diet, drinking them as a direct replacement for cow’s milk can increase the risk of missing out on some key nutrients – choose fortified, unsweetened versions to reduce the risk of deficiency.
In the UK, cow’s milk provides protein, calcium, iodine and some B vitamins. Calcium is important for healthy teeth, strong bones and muscle function, and B vitamins help keep our nervous system healthy, maintain a healthy immune system and convert the food we eat into energy. Iodine is essential for making thyroid hormones, needed for metabolism, growth and the development of babies’ brains during gestation and early life.
PLANT-BASED CHOICES
There are many quick and easy switches that can be made to make a dish completely plant-based, particularly when it comes to dairy.
Fortified, unsweetened plant-based drinks are an easy switch to replace animal milk.
Plant-based yoghurts are also now widely available – soy being the most popular – and can be used instead of natural yoghurt for those avoiding dairy. Again, try to choose unsweetened versions. These yoghurts are a great lower-fat alternative to mayonnaise.
Soy and dairy-free spreads can be used in place of butter; just check the ingredients lists to make sure that the product is free of ‘trans’ or ‘hydrogenated’ fats.
Dairy-free cheeses are also now available.
For more information on following a vegan diet, visit jamieoliver.com/nutrition-guidance/ or seek the advice of a registered nutritionist or dietician.
KNOWING YOUR FATS
It goes without saying that our fat consumption needs to be kept in check, but a healthy diet does require the right fats, so choose unsaturated sources when you can, such as olive and liquid vegetable oils, nuts, seeds and avocados (this also includes omega-3-rich oily fish).
WHAT ARE THE HEALTHIEST OILS?
The polyunsaturated fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6 are the two essential fatty acids that we need to get from our diets, because our body cannot make them. These are found in nut and seed oils (rapeseed, walnut, linseed, avocado and sunflower oil) – I’ve mostly used olive and extra virgin olive oil on the recipe pages, but feel free to swap these into your cooking.
Different oils have different fatty-acid compositions and therefore different health benefits; however, most oils are high in a combination of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. When these fats rep
lace saturated fats in our diet, they reduce and maintain healthy cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease. Some oils can boast more specific health claims, like olive oil, whose polyphenols have been proven to have protective properties. Similarly, avocado and sunflower oil are high in vitamin E, which we need for cell protection.
COCONUT OIL – WHAT’S THE DEAL?
I’m not anti coconut oil, but the fictitious health benefits associated with it, and therefore its overuse, are of concern. Coconut oil has a higher proportion of saturated fatty acids than any other plant-based oil, and is very low in essential fatty acids. My advice is to use it in moderation and only in dishes where it adds appropriate flavour.
BUTTER
Butter can be great for adding flavour in certain dishes, however, it should be used in moderation. I personally try to choose butter made from grass-fed cow’s milk.
VEGAN ALTERNATIVES TO BUTTER
When it comes to margarines available on the market, just make sure to avoid any products made with trans fats – these could be labelled as ‘hydrogenated’ or ‘partially hydrogenated’ fats – which can be harmful to the body and are best avoided.
One of the clever little tricks I use to mimic butter is to take quality cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil and pop it into the fridge or freezer to solidify – it’ll give you a naturally spreadable, healthier and delicious non-dairy alternative to butter.