by Jamie Oliver
CRACKER RAVIOLI
SPINACH PASTA, SWEET SQUASH, CHESTNUTS, SAGE, & RICOTTA
I’ve always thought of ravioli as the ultimate edible present—something made with love and wrapped up like a Christmas cracker. The Italians would call this caramelle because it looks like a giant sweet, but I like to think of it as crackers!
SERVES 6
OR 12 AS A STARTER
3 HOURS
FILLING
1 butternut squash (2½ lbs)
8 oz ricotta cheese
½ teaspoon dried red chili flakes
1 whole nutmeg, for grating olive oil
7 oz vac-packed chestnuts
½ a bunch of fresh sage (½ oz)
¾ oz Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
PASTA
1 × Royal pasta dough (see here)
2½ oz baby spinach
semolina, for dusting
BUTTER SAUCE
½ cup unsalted butter
4 clementines
TO SERVE
1¾ oz skin-on almonds
Preheat the oven to 350°F. To make your filling, wash the squash, carefully cut it in half lengthways and remove the seeds, then chop into eight big chunks and place in a large roasting pan. Add the whole ricotta, sprinkle over the chili flakes and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then finely grate over half the nutmeg. Drizzle with oil and gently toss together. Roast for 1 hour. Crumble up the chestnuts, pick the sage leaves, toss both in a little oil, then sprinkle into the pan. Roast for another 15 minutes, or until the squash is tender and golden, and the ricotta is gnarly-looking. Finely grate the Parmesan into the pan, season and mash it all together, as chunky or smooth as you like. Leave to cool completely.
Make the pasta dough in a food processor (see here), blitzing the spinach and egg yolks together before adding the dry ingredients. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and pop into the fridge for 30 minutes.
Divide the pasta in half, saving one half for another day. Cut the remaining piece in two (wrapping one piece back up momentarily), and roll out into sheets that are just [[IMG-96]] inch thick—use a pasta machine, or do it by hand with a rolling pin. Cut into rectangles 6 × 5 inches. Spoon 2 tablespoons of filling along the length of each one, near the bottom edge, leaving ¾ inch at either end. Brush the exposed pasta with a damp brush, then roll up and pinch in the sides to seal and create cracker shapes. Repeat with the remaining pasta and filling to make 24 crackers in total. Transfer to semolina-dusted parchment paper as you go.
For the sauce, melt the butter in a large frying pan, then, once foamy and starting to darken, squeeze in the clementine juice and swirl to create a creamy butter sauce. Season with pepper and keep warm over a very low heat until needed.
Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water for 3 to 4 minutes, transferring it to the buttery sauce when cooked, with a splash of cooking water. Work in batches (the first will happily sit in the sauce while you cook the rest). Finish with a grating of nutmeg and Parmesan, and a scattering of toasted, crushed almonds.
ROASTED CELERIAC
WINTER HERBS, BUTTER, GARLIC, & CREAMY TRUFFLED MUSHROOM SAUCE
Big, brave, and bold in flavor, this amazing veggie main is ridiculously simple to make. So much of the flavor is gained by leaving the celeriac skin on, packing it tightly with butter, garlic, and herbs, then slow-roasting it like a joint of meat.
SERVES 6
3 HOURS 10 MINUTES
CELERIAC
1 large celeriac with roots (2½ lbs)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bunch of mixed fresh woody herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, sage, bay (1 oz)
4 cloves of garlic
1 whole nutmeg, for grating
SAUCE
1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic olive oil
1½ lbs mixed mushrooms
¼ of a veg bouillon cube
2⁄3 cup heavy cream
1 heaping teaspoon English mustard
3½ oz vac-packed chestnuts
truffle oil
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Take pride in scrubbing the celeriac clean. Tear off a double layer of wide aluminum foil and place the celeriac in the middle, root-side up. Evenly rub with the butter (this looks like a lot of butter, but you’ll remove most of it for use another day once it’s done its job here), season with sea salt and black pepper, then pick and press on all the herb leaves. Squash the unpeeled cloves of garlic and scatter over, then finely grate over half the nutmeg. Pull the sides of the foil up really tightly around the celeriac and wrap up to seal. Place in an ovenproof dish and roast for around 3 hours, or until tender.
Meanwhile, for the sauce, cover the porcini with boiling kettle water in a little bowl. Peel and finely slice the onion and garlic and fry in a large frying pan on a medium-low heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 10 minutes, or until softened, stirring occasionally. Finely slice the porcini (reserving the liquor), along with the fresh mushrooms, and pile into your pan. Cook for 30 minutes, or until golden, stirring occasionally. Crumble in the bouillon cube, then pour in ¾ cup + 5 teaspoons of boiling water and the soaking liquor (leaving the gritty bits behind). Simmer and reduce until the liquid has nearly gone, then stir in the cream and mustard, crumble in the chestnuts, and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Taste and season to perfection with salt, pepper, and just a few drips of truffle oil, then remove from the heat, simply warming through when needed.
For the last 10 minutes of roasting, carefully open up the foil and baste the celeriac every 2 minutes with the melted butter to give it extra color. Remove the celeriac to a board, pouring the butter into a jam jar to use another day. Carve up the celeriac and serve with the sauce and all the usual trimmings.
PARTY SQUASH SOUP
MASSAMAN STYLE WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS, CHICKPEAS, TOFU, & RICE
This brilliant, hearty soup will go down a treat at any time of year, but a warming, spicy bowlful is particularly comforting right now. It’s big on flavor and texture, and perfect when you’ve got a bunch of mates coming over.
SERVES 8–10
1 HOUR 45 MINUTES
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
5 cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cloves of garlic
2-inch piece of fresh gingerroot
3 fresh red chiles
2 stalks of lemongrass
½ a bunch of fresh cilantro (½ oz)
2 limes
vegetable oil
1 butternut squash (2½ lbs)
4 onions
2 tablespoons chunky peanut butter
2 tablespoons tamarind paste
2 tablespoons tomato paste
optional: 1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 × 19-oz can of chickpeas
11⁄3 cups basmati rice
1 × 14-oz can of light coconut milk
8 cups veg stock
12 oz firm silken tofu
For the paste, put the fennel and coriander seeds, the cloves, and cinnamon into a dry pan and toast on a medium heat until smelling amazing, then tip into a food processor. Peel the garlic and ginger, destalk 2 chiles, bash the lemongrass and remove the tough outer layer, then add it all to the processor with most of the cilantro leaves and all of the stalks (reserve the rest of the leaves in a cup of cold water for later). Finely grate in the zest of 1 lime and squeeze in the juice, add a splash of water and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, then blitz into a paste, stopping halfway to scrape down the sides and help it along, if needed.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wash the squash, then carefully cut it in half lengthways, remove the seeds, and chop into ½-inch slices. Peel the onions, cut into quarters, then break those apart into petals. In a large ovenproof casserole pan, toss the squash and onions in the paste really well. Roast for 1 hour.
Transfer the pan to a medium heat on the stove. Stir in the peanut butter, tama
rind paste, tomato paste, fish sauce (if using), chickpeas (juice and all), rice, coconut milk, and stock. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the rice is just cooked through. You can mash some of it up with a potato masher for a creamier texture, or loosen with a little water if you like, though it is intended to be a lovely, thick soup.
Taste and season to perfection with sea salt, black pepper, and lime juice—a touch of liquid honey can be nice, too, if you’ve got it. Cube up and stir in the tofu, then divide between your cups or bowls. If you’re serving this at a party, simply leave it ticking away on the lowest heat, loosening with a little water when necessary. Place a stack of cups alongside it so guests can serve themselves. Serve with a sprinkling of sliced fresh chile, if you like, and the remaining cilantro leaves.
VOL AU VENT
CREAMY GARLIC MUSHROOMS & GRUYÈRE
Beautiful and comforting, this is a super-simple veggie main, and you could even make smaller ones to enjoy as a starter. The recipe is solid but, of course, the more exciting your mushrooms, the better the finished dish will be.
SERVES 4
45 MINUTES
all-purpose flour, for dusting
13 oz all-butter puff pastry (cold)
1 large egg
2 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
2 lbs mixed mushrooms, such as shiitake, oyster, chestnut, enoki
olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
2⁄3 cup white wine
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
¼ cup heavy cream
1 bunch of fresh Italian parsley (1 oz)
½ oz Gruyère cheese
truffle oil
Preheat the oven to 350°F. On a clean flour-dusted surface, roll out the pastry until just under ¼ inch thick. Cut out four 5-inch rounds. Brush with beaten egg and evenly scatter over the sesame seeds, then transfer to a flour-dusted baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden and puffed up.
Meanwhile, randomly slice, chop, and tear up the mushrooms, placing them in a large frying pan on a medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil as you go. Peel, finely slice, and add the garlic, then cook for 30 minutes, or until soft and golden, stirring occasionally. Add the wine and let it bubble away, then add the mustard and cream for 2 minutes while you pick and finely chop the parsley leaves. Stir most of the parsley into the pan, remove from the heat, finely grate and stir in the cheese, then taste and season to perfection with sea salt, black pepper, and just a few drips of truffle oil to add a subtle depth of flavor.
To serve, slice or pry apart the pastry circles like you see in the picture, then pile the creamy mushroom filling inside and sprinkle over the remaining parsley.
* * *
MIX IT UP
Feel free to add a little chopped spinach or chard to the mix when you add the wine, to get your veg count up.
* * *
EGGPLANT CURRY
BOMBAY MIX, FLUFFY RICE, MANGO CHUTNEY, & PAPPADAMS
Don’t go thinking this is a dish just for our veggie friends—guys, this curry is supremely delicious, and if you’re not a certified eggplant lover yet, I believe this is the dish to convert you. Soft, spiced and totally irresistible.
SERVES 4
1 HOUR 10 MINUTES
2 eggplants
2 cloves of garlic
2-inch piece of fresh gingerroot
2 fresh red chiles
½ a bunch of fresh cilantro (½ oz)
vegetable oil
2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds
2 level teaspoons ground turmeric
2 tablespoons unsweetened desiccated coconut
2 red onions
2 tablespoons mango chutney
7 oz ripe cherry tomatoes
1 × 14-oz can of light coconut milk
1½ cups basmati rice
4 uncooked pappadams
1¾ oz Bombay snack mix
¼ cup plain yogurt
Halve the eggplants lengthways, place flesh-side down in a colander over a pan of simmering water, cover with a lid, and steam for 30 minutes, or until soft.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Peel the garlic and ginger, then finely chop with the chiles and cilantro stalks (reserving the leaves). Place a large ovenproof casserole pan on a low heat with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, the mustard and fenugreek seeds, and the turmeric. Stir for 1 minute, then add the garlic, ginger, chiles, cilantro stalks, and desiccated coconut. Peel the onions, cut into quarters, and break those apart into petals, scattering them into the pan and adding an extra splash of oil, if needed. Cook for 15 minutes, or until soft and sticky, stirring occasionally. Stir in the mango chutney, then season to perfection.
Turn the heat up to high. Push the onion mixture to one side, then place the eggplants cut-side down in the pan for 5 minutes. Scatter in the tomatoes, pour over the coconut milk, then transfer to the oven for 30 minutes, or until nice and gnarly. Taste and tweak the seasoning, if needed. Meanwhile, cook the rice in a pan of boiling salted water according to the package instructions, then drain. One-by-one, puff up the dry pappadams in the microwave for around 30 seconds each.
Divide up the rice, then place half an eggplant proudly in each bowl, spooning over the sauce. Scatter with Bombay mix and cilantro leaves, and serve with the pappadams, more mango chutney, if you like, and a cooling dollop of yogurt.
The wonderful world of
POTATOES
BEST ROAST POTATOES
CRISPY, FLUFFY, SQUASHED SPUDS WITH GOOSE FAT, GARLIC, & SAGE
Simple as roast potatoes are, there’s a handful of tiny, but important, details—picked up throughout my cooking career—that when combined give you this ultimate recipe, which I believe creates the perfect roast potato. What a luxury.
SERVES 10 AS A SIDE
2 HOURS
5 lbs medium Yukon Gold potatoes
¼ cup goose fat (see here) or unsalted butter
olive oil
1 bulb of garlic
½ a bunch of fresh sage (½ oz)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Peel the potatoes, keeping them whole, and ideally all about the same size (3 inches). Parboil them in a pan of boiling salted water for 15 minutes—this will ensure that the insides become really fluffy. Drain in a colander and leave to steam dry for 2 minutes—this will help the fat to stick to the potatoes. Give the colander a few light shakes to chuff up the edges of the potatoes, giving you maximum surface area for a crispy exterior as they roast.
Place the goose fat or butter and 1 tablespoon of oil in your largest roasting pan. Tip in the potatoes, add a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then toss to coat, and spread out in one fairly snug, even layer but with small gaps between them. Squash the garlic bulb, then lightly crush each unpeeled clove and add to the pan—this gives you sweet, caramelized garlic and adds a gentle perfume to the potatoes. Roast for 1 hour, or until the potatoes are crisp and golden all over.
Remove the pan from the oven. We’re nearly there, but we’ve got one last application of love and care, which is the game-changer. Gently half-squash each potato with a slotted spatula or masher so they kind of push into each other and fill the pan. Pick the sage leaves and—importantly—toss with a little oil (this will transmit the flavor and make them deliciously crisp). Sprinkle the sage over the potatoes and roast for a further 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and amazing. Heaven—you could even serve these on their own in a restaurant, they’re so good.
* * *
GET AHEAD
Parboil your potatoes and dress them with the fat, garlic, and seasoning a day in advance. Simply cover and keep in a cool place until you’re ready to roast.
* * *
HASSELBACKS
TURKEY DRIPPING, BLUE CHEESE, & CRUSHED HAZELNUT CRUMB
These sexy little beauties are super-fun to make, look amazing, loads of people will never have seen or enjoyed them before, and the flavor combination here just cooks into the potatoes so, so well. People
. Will. Talk. About. These.
SERVES 10 AS A SIDE
1 HOUR 15 MINUTES
5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes (choose the smallest ones)
½ a bunch of fresh thyme (½ oz)
¼ cup turkey dripping or olive oil
1¾ oz stale bread
1½ oz hazelnuts
3½ oz blue cheese
Preheat the oven to 350°F. The fun and unique part of this side dish is that you need to slice multiple times through the potatoes, but—importantly—without going all the way through, giving you a kind of concertina-style potato. This looks beautiful but also makes them wonderfully absorbent of flavor and amplifies their crispiness. Try to choose small potatoes, give them a wash, and if you have any larger ones, cut them in half and use the flat side as a base.
To make this process as simple as possible, place a potato on a board between the handles of two wooden spoons, so that when you slice down into the potato the spoons stop the blade from going all the way through. Carefully slice at just under ¼-inch intervals all the way along. Repeat with all the potatoes, placing them in a large roasting pan as you go. Pick half the thyme leaves into a pestle and mortar and pound with the turkey dripping or oil. Spoon over the potatoes, making sure the fat gets down into the cuts you’ve made, then season with sea salt and black pepper. Roast for 1 hour, or until the potatoes are golden and tender.