by Jamie Oliver
VIBRANT VINEGARS
Amazing vinegar can really transform a dish, and is often the unsung hero of any storecupboard. I enjoy flavouring my own vinegars, and would highly recommend buying large bottles of red or white wine vinegar, dividing them between smaller sterilized bottles (see page 252) and jazzing them up with all kinds of different flavours. Seal, label and pop on the shelf ready to use – brilliant in dressings and marinades, used to add magic to soups and stews, or decanted into a little spray bottle for spritzing on to anything roasted. Seriously tasty!
HERE ARE SOME OF MY FAVOURITE ADDITIONS
Berries – strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, cranberries
Stone fruit – cherries, plums, apricots, peaches, nectarines
Fresh herbs – mint, basil, chives, parsley, bay, rosemary, coriander, dill, tarragon, thyme (in the summer it’s quite romantic to cut flowering herbs and sink them into vinegar to capture the moment)
Honey or honeycomb
Fennel
Blends of toasted spices – cinnamon, cloves, star anise, allspice, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, peppercorns
Ginger or garlic
Fresh chillies (Scotch bonnets if you like things fiery!)
Strips of citrus zest
Rose petals
Vanilla pods
Elderflower
For super-quick results (quicker infusion), heat up a quarter of the vinegar with your chosen seasoning, then cool and add to the rest. Brilliantly simple.
MAXIMIZING FLAVOUR
& GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR INGREDIENTS
Flavour is subjective, but here are some of my favourite tips and tricks for really bolstering and getting the most out of your ingredients. These are the kinds of things I love to have ready and waiting in the fridge or cupboard, to add that extra special something and make my dishes really sing. I’m not expecting you to go out and buy all of these, but food is an adventure, so do consider picking up one new thing a week when doing your shopping.
SPICES are, by weight, some of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet and can really make or break a meal. I use spices throughout the book for adding oomph and flavour; and when you have more flavour you need less salt, so it’s a win-win. Don’t be afraid to experiment with a whole array – turmeric, saffron, paprika, cinnamon, fenugreek, cumin, fennel, mustard and coriander seeds and, of course, ground chilli, are some of my favourites.
FRESH HERBS are a joyful element of cooking and can really liven up your meals (not to mention their reputed nutritious qualities). Pick, chop, tear, pound, bash or muddle them together with quality extra virgin olive oil, and add to dishes for an extra layer of flavour, freshness, surprise and deliciousness. Fresh herbs really are a cook’s best friend.
DRIED HERBS are a wondrous thing. The delicate, light, zingy flavours associated with fresh herbs will have disappeared, but in return you’ll experience savoury, robust, comforting flavours, which when added to soups, stews, sauces, breads and pulses have the ability to elevate a dish to the next level. They’re super-convenient, too.
SALT is a brilliantly useful condiment that is both delightful and potentially harmful if used regularly to excess. The job of the mindful cook is to use this wonderful ingredient with respect, seasoning intelligently to bring the best out of your ingredients. Generally speaking, the easiest way to reduce your salt intake is to avoid processed fast foods and cook from scratch as often as you can. That way, you’ll know exactly how much salt has been added.
FLAVOURED SALT is a fun, clever way to have an array of preserved flavours just a pinch away. Simply whiz sea salt in a blender with your chosen flavours – herbs, chillies, citrus zest and juice, dried mushrooms and seaweed all brilliantly work well, to name just a few. Spread out on a tray to fully dry, then bash up and keep in sealed jars for future use. By default, creating a flavoured salt results in a slightly lower-salt seasoning. Happy days!
HARISSA, like any chilli paste or oil, brings a wonderful background warmth to a dish. Made with ground spices and dried herbs, sometimes with preserved lemons and rose water, it adds a ray of sunshine to all kinds of dishes. Look out for it.
PICKLES, CHUTNEYS & PRESERVES provide layers of flavour, depth, surprise and crunch. Whether you’re making a stir-fry, stew, tagine, curry or cheese toastie – just a little amount here and there can bring dishes to life in a fast and convenient way. To me, life without pickles is a little dull. And you can’t beat a jar of veg and fruit preserved at the optimal time.
CURRY PASTES – whether buying or making your own (they freeze well in ice cube trays), these are the most fantastic flavour bombs to have on hand. Made from a blend of herbs, spices and fragrant ingredients, there’s so much flavour in just one little spoonful.
SUN-DRIED TOMATOES are available everywhere these days. Whether you choose the paste, or the halved tomatoes in oil, they’ll bring dynamism and sunshine to your dishes.
MISO, which is quite trendy at the moment, is a fermented soy or rice product, and there’s a lot of fun to be had with it. Providing a deep umami flavour, it adds real oomph to noodle and rice dishes. Traditionally used in soups and broths, it can also be added to gravies and stews, or even tossed with veg before roasting. Enjoy experimenting.
SOY SAUCE OR TAMARI – who doesn’t love a swig? These fermented products are brilliant for adding deep umami seasoning to foods. Standard and low-salt versions are both brilliant – just remember to use in moderation to keep your salt intake in check.
NUTS & SEEDS can be very good for us, and a handful a day can have a real benefit because of the heart-healthy fats they contain. Brilliant crushed, crumbled, chopped or pounded into flour, they’re fantastic at perking up salads, stews and curries. Use raw for added creaminess, or toast for incredible texture and nuttiness. Have fun with your nuts; don’t be boring.
TAHINI is a sesame seed paste, essential in houmous. It’s really good in marinades and sauces, or in breakfasts and desserts, and is perfect for drizzling and dunking, too. Delicious!
DRIED MUSHROOMS are an absolute must for big beefy, meaty flavour. I use them all the time, often instead of stock cubes – you get a lovely dark colour and deep flavour. In Asian supermarkets you can sometimes pick up bigger bags at really great prices.
CAPERS & OLIVES are widely used around the Mediterranean. Just a small amount of these can really lift a dish, with pops of concentrated flavour. You can use them instead of salt to give you a really delicious floral savouriness. I always have some on hand, no matter what.
CRACKING CONDIMENTS, such as chilli, teriyaki, Worcestershire and HP sauce, as well as things like Marmite, peanut butter and mustard, are real gems – a swig, dash or spoonful can add an accent flavour to all kinds of dishes. Use with restraint, but enjoy when you do.
TERRIFIC TOPPERS
Take your dishes to the next level by topping with these easy-to-create flavour gems – they’re beyond simple to knock together but make all the difference.
FLAVOURED BREADCRUMBS
Simply frying breadcrumbs with a little oil, herbs and garlic can add an amazing flavour, texture and dynamic to all kinds of dishes, including salads, stews and pastas, to name just a few. And with bread being one of the most wasted foods, this simple flavour-boosting preservation technique is a bit of a double whammy. Straight-up stale breadcrumbs are delicious, too.
CITRUS
Invest in a fine grater – a few scrapings of zest can really lift a dish, and also make it look beautiful. A squeeze of juice is often all that’s needed to get those taste buds really dancing.
FRESH SALSAS
A good salsa, whether chunky or smooth, has the ability to add amazing colour, life, tang and seasoning to so many dishes. It’s a constant in my kitchen – fantastic for adding surprise and awakening the palate. My general principle is to use finely chopped herbs, ripe tomatoes and acidity – through the use of either vinegar or citrus – a little seasoning and possibly some fruit for added sweetness. Ad
just the consistency to suit the dish you’re embellishing.
RIPPLED YOGHURTS
I quite enjoy finishing dishes with refreshing yoghurt, rippled with contrasting flavour punches like spicy harissa, pestos, pastes, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, tahini, chutneys or pickles. Think of it as a yin-yang of deliciousness that matches with, and elevates, your dish.
FROZEN CHILLIES
Freeze on-the-turn chillies, then finely grate over dishes for a delicate kick. Great for making marinades, and for adding a hum to sauces and stews. Ginger can be treated in the same way.
TEMPERS
A really interesting way of adding a last-minute whack of flavour to dishes, a temper, in its simplest form, is made from lightly toasted spices, herbs and fragrant ingredients heated in a little oil. Typically, it’s spooned over curries, but I’ve also had incredible success using it with roasted veg, soups and salads. Use your imagination, and have a go.
PICKLES & CHUTNEYS
It may sound obvious, but pickles and chutneys make fantastic accompaniments. For me, things like piccalilli, mango or chilli pepper chutney are the tip of the iceberg, but every culture has its own expression – whether that’s super-fresh and zingy, or preserved and jarred to capture the best of the season. I’m always exploring, and love buying jars of things I don’t recognize to see if I like it, and if it will work well with dishes I cook regularly. Try to create opportunities to try new flavours – it’s exciting!
CHILLI SAUCE
I absolutely love chillies, and I know I’m not the only one. A dash or three of chilli sauce can really lift a dish – the question is, how much and what flavour? Everyone seems to be adding Sriracha to most things these days, which is super-tasty, but the key is to test out lots of different ones, until you hone in on your favourite flavours. I’ve even known people to collect chilli sauces like souvenirs – it’s a bit geeky, but I love it.
HELPFUL KITCHEN NOTES
STOCK Good-quality stock is a handy thing to have in the freezer. Now, I know you can easily buy decent organic stocks these days, but for truly cracking flavour (and not a lot of effort!), try making your own. Often, a lot of the ingredients that go into making a stock are by-products or waste anyway, so it’s a great way to make the most of your ingredients.
I frequently make a big batch of fresh stock, using a myriad of surplus vegetables, as well as peelings and trimmings I’ve saved, fresh herbs, and even the skins of roasted veg, such as celeriac, carrots and parsnips. Simply pop them into a container in the freezer until you’ve built up enough of a collection to be able to cook up your next batch of tasty stock.
To make stock from scratch, cover the veg and any saved trimmings with water, embellishing with your chosen herbs, peppercorns, unpeeled bashed garlic cloves, and maybe a splash of wine or some additional spices. A handful of dried mushrooms thrown into the mix will also earn you big flavour points, as will things like chilli, ginger, miso, tomato purée, tamari, vinegar, seaweed and soy, if you’re after more of a punchy vibe, depth of flavour or accent, where applicable. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for an hour or two until it tastes fantastic. Season to perfection with sea salt and black pepper, and sieve before using. To save for another day, leave to cool, then bag up in portions and freeze flat to minimize defrosting time. And don’t forget to label and date them for future reference.
CHOOSE QUALITY As is often the case in cooking, the success of the recipes comes down to the quality of the ingredients you use. Trade up where you can, buying the best produce you can find. To this end, remember that shopping in season always allows your food to be more nutritious, more delicious and more affordable. Ingredients that noticeably make a difference on the flavour front when you choose best-quality are: jarred beans and chickpeas, tinned plum tomatoes, curry pastes, stock (see above to make your own), oils (see pages 272–3) and vinegar (see page 274). These are ingredients that are used in abundance in cooking, and can often be commoditized, meaning that the norm becomes the lesser-quality cheaper version. But, by rediverting some of the money saved from not buying meat, you can enjoy extraordinary gains in flavour and texture by upgrading. Money well spent, I’d say.
DAIRY & EGGS With staple dairy products, like milk, yoghurt and butter, I couldn’t endorse the trade-up to organic more. It is more expensive, but we’re talking pennies, not pounds. Plus, every time you buy organic, you vote for a better food system. The same goes for eggs and anything containing egg, such as noodles and pasta – always choose free-range or organic.
ORGANIC IS THE NORM To this day, people are still debating organic production in comparison with what is now viewed as ‘normal’ farming. In my mind, organic is and should be the norm – this is the way we have farmed for millennia, as opposed to relying heavily on pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals, which have sadly become a big part of the modern farming industry. Organic produce is not an option for everyone, and that is absolutely fair enough, but if you can, supporting our British organic farmers is a wonderful thing to do. In doing so, I really believe that you’re voting for a better food system. I don’t buy 100% organic, but I do the very best I can, when I can – and that’s always been the way.
EQUIPMENT I’ve kept the equipment I’ve used in this book pretty simple – a set of saucepans and non-stick ovenproof frying pans, a griddle and a large casserole pan, chopping boards, some sturdy roasting trays, a couple of baking tins and a decent set of knives will see you through. If you want to save time, there are a few kitchen gadgets that will make your life a lot easier – things like a speed-peeler, a box grater and a pestle and mortar are all fantastic for creating great texture and boosting flavour, and a food processor or stick blender and a mandolin are always a bonus, especially if you’re short on time! Keep your kit in good nick, and your kitchen organized, and you’ll be ready to go.
A NOTE ON FREEZING Remember to let food cool before freezing, breaking it down into portions so it cools quicker and you can get it into the freezer within 2 hours. Make sure everything is well wrapped, and labelled up for future reference. Thaw in the fridge before use. Generally, if you’ve frozen cooked food, don’t freeze it again after you’ve reheated it.
A NOTE FROM JAMIE’S NUTRITION TEAM
Our job is to make sure that Jamie can be super-creative, while also ensuring that all his recipes meet the guidelines we set. Every book has a different brief, and Veg is a real celebration of veg-based recipes, focusing both on meals you can enjoy every day, and on more indulgent foods for weekends and special occasions. 70% of the recipes in this book fit into our healthy guidelines – some are complete meals, but there’ll be others that you’ll need to balance out with what’s lacking. For absolute clarity and so that you can make informed choices, we’ve presented the nutritional content for each dish on the recipe page itself, giving you an easy access point to understand how to fit these recipes into your week.
Food is fun, joyful and creative – it gives us energy and plays a crucial role in keeping our bodies healthy. Remember, a good, balanced diet and regular exercise are the keys to a healthier lifestyle. We don’t label foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, but encourage an understanding of the difference between nutritious foods for everyday consumption and those to be enjoyed occasionally.
For more info on our guidelines and how we analyse recipes, visit: jamieoliver.com/nutrition
Rozzie Batchelar, Senior Nutritionist, RNutr (food)
A BIT ABOUT BALANCE
Balance is key when it comes to eating well. Balance your plate right and keep your portion control in check, and you can be confident that you’re giving yourself a great start on the path to good health. It’s important to consume a variety of foods to ensure we get the nutrients our bodies need to stay healthy. This means eating from all the food groups: vegetables; fruit; wholegrain starchy carbohydrates; protein – this of course includes lean meat and fish, but in this book we’re going meat-free and heroing plant-based proteins (beans and pulses, nuts, seed
s) and eggs; and naturally low-fat dairy foods and a small amount of unsaturated fats. There’s a place for all kinds of food in our diet; it’s about how often and how much.
WHAT’S THE BALANCE?
The UK government’s Eatwell Guide shows us what a healthy balance of food looks like. Don’t worry about the exact percentages, but use the figures below to think about the proportion of each food group you consume across the day.
THE FIVE FOOD GROUPS (UK) PROPORTION*
Vegetables & fruit 39%
Starchy carbohydrates (bread, rice, potatoes, pasta) 37%
Protein (eggs, beans, other non-dairy sources – heroed in this book – as well as lean meat & fish) 12%
Dairy foods, milk & dairy alternatives 8%
Unsaturated fats (such as oils) 1%
AND DON’T FORGET TO DRINK PLENTY OF WATER, TOO
* Please note: the remaining 3% is made up of food to be enjoyed occasionally.
VEGETABLES & FRUIT
To live a good, healthy life, veg and fruit should sit right at the heart of your diet. Different-coloured vegetables and fruits come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, flavours and textures, and contain different vitamins and minerals, which each play a part in keeping our bodies healthy and optimal, so it’s important to try to eat a variety each day (see pages 291–2).