jamie oliver's valentine's day recipes.

For Starters: Creamy Mussels with Smokey Bacon & Cider 

Main Idea: Aubergine Lasagna 

Fancy Drinks: Strawberry Champagne 

Sweet Treat: Best Cherry & Chocolate Cheesecake

While in search of some Valentine's Day ideas revolving around food, I came across Jamie Oliver's Valentine's Day recipe page. You know all of them will be brilliant & I will keep you posted on what special treats I will be making this week. As Jamie suggests:

Light the scented candles, stick the Barry White album on the stereo and cook up one of these romantic dishes.

It doesn't get any more romantic than that right? Well, maybe it does, but it's a start.

happy eatings & cheers!

All images credited to David Loftus and J. Oliver's website. 

courgette gratin. {gluten-free & vegetarian}

4 September 2012

This homey, simple dish is from Jamie Oliver's book, Jamie Does..., in the section dedicated to French Pyrenees cooking. This gratin is a great way to use up the abundance of squash in the garden & overflowing  market bins. We ate this as a main dish, but it would be a lovely side to grilled fish or roasted chicken. 

courgette gratin.

serves 6

2 TBL duck fat (or butter & olive oil)
2 onions, finely sliced
3/4 cup basmati rice
3 courgettes, thinly sliced
2 cups chicken stock or vegetable (to keep it vegetarian)
sea salt & cracked pepper
4 heaped tbsp crème fraiche (or sour cream)
1/2- 3/4 cup grated Emmental or cheddar cheese

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees & grease a casserole dish.
2. Gently soften the onions in fat, adding a splash of water if it looks as if they are going to stick. This will take at least 15 minutes. Add rice and courgettes, mix well, then pour in the heated stock. Cook for five minutes. 
3. Take off the heat, stir in the crème fraiche and most of the cheese. Season to taste. 
4. Pour into dish (it will be quite sloppy). Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. Bake for 40 minutes, by which time the rice will have absorbed the liquid and the cheese will be golden.

happiness...

happy eatings & cheers!

sticky & gorgeous greek stew.

This lovely stew is based on the one in Jamie Oliver's Jamie Does...Greece. The whole section of the book is filled with lovely, flavorful recipes--Jamie is just amazing! This stew is great because there is hardly any prep time & the stew ticks away all afternoon on the back of the range--with a divine aroma making you really excited for dinner.

In Jamie's original recipe he uses pork, but I used chicken thighs. Everything else can basically come from your local market right now. Just ladle up a bowl & sit outside to enjoy the last of these lovely summer days. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I do. 

sticky & gorgeous greek stew. 

serves 6

olive oil

1.5 lbs. organic, free-range chicken thighs, bone in & skin on

1/2 cup dry red wine

1 TBL red wine vinegar

1. In a large pot, or a pan with high sides, add a glug of olive oil & put the range on medium heat. Add the chicken & brown on both sides, about 10 minutes.
2. Add wine & vinegar. Let liquid reduce about 2/3. Remove chicken & liquid from the pan & set aside.

1 onion, diced

2 carrots (or 4 small ones), washed & sliced

2 peppers, roughly chopped

1 tsp. dried oregano

sea salt & cracked pepper

1 TBL tomato paste

1. Turn the pot back on to medium heat & add more olive oil. Add onion, carrots, peppers & oregano to the pot & saute for about 10 minutes.  
2. Tip the chicken & liquid into the pot. Season, add tomato paste & add enough water to cover everything.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover & let the stew tick away for 2 hours. 

2/3 cup prunes, chopped

1 bunch of parsley, chopped

the juice of 1 lemon

1. Take the lid off the stew, remove the chicken bones & then add the prunes. Continue to cook for another 45 minutes. 
2. Add the parsley & lemon juice. Season if necessary. Serve with long-grain white rice or crusty bread. 

happy eatings & cheers!

aegean kakavia. {grain-free & dairy-free}

14 April 2012

The Aegean Kakavia (or beautiful fish stew) recipe is from Jamie Oliver's visit to Greece in Jamie Does... It is a simple luscious recipe. The simple ones usually are. Jamie said the fishermen make this at sea, using salt-water for stock. I used vegetable stock as suggested, but I have also used seafood stock (which comes out really nice too). As for the fish, I have used fresh haddock, hake & flounder...whatever is fresh, wild & sustainably sourced.

happy eatings & cheers!

savory & sweet. feta, spinach, & honey phyllo pastries. {vegetarian}

21 August 2011

This is my version of Greek spanikopita. It is less time consuming & is perfect for on the go (as I recently ate one while walking to work...). They work for breakfast or as a meal with a salad. The combination of the salty feta, earthy spinach & a hint of luscious honey--you can not go wrong, right?

Feta, Spinach & Honey Phyllo Pastries

This makes 8 pastries

• 12 sheets of phyllo sheets, de-frosted & covered with a damp cloth
• extra virgin olive oil

1. preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

• 8 oz feta cheese
• 1 package spinach, de-frosted & liquid squeezed out
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• sea salt & cracked pepper

1. combine ingredients in a bowl & set aside.
2. on a clean work surface, lay out a phyllo sheet, brush with olive oil & repeat with two more sheets (3 sheets all together). Cut the phyllo down the middle & add 2 heaping tablespoons to each side.
3. wrap the pastry like a little present & set on a lightly oil baking sheet.
4. repeat this process 3 more times...

• 2 TBL pine nuts, chopped
• honey, preferably local

1. add a bit of pine nuts onto each pastry.
2. bake until golden & flakey.
3. when done, drizzle with honey & enjoy!

happy eatings & cheers!

wild salmon with spicy avocado dip & flat breads. plus a bitter-sweet surprise.

20 May 2011

This was inspired by a recipe in Jamie Oliver's book, Jamie Does... His version is Moroccan inspired chicken kabobs. There is nothing that man can't cook. He's brilliant! I made our dinner with wild salmon; it was simple & scrumptious.

Salmon with Spicy Avocado Dip & Flat-Breads

serves 4

1 lb wild salmon fillet, bones & skin removed
4 Flat breads
Lemon wedges for serving

For the marinade:
A thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 tbsp hot paprika
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
3 tbsps olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper


For the avocado dip:
2 ripe avocados
1 tsp ground cumin
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and very finely chopped
1 fresh green or red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
A small bunch of fresh coriander, finely chopped
2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl with a good pinch of salt and pepper.

2. Add the salmon fillet until evenly coated, then cover the bowl & refrigerate for around 30 minutes .

3. Meanwhile, make your avocado dip. Halve your avocados, get rid of the stones & spoon the flesh into a bowl. Add all the other dip ingredients and a pinch of salt & pepper, & mash well with a masher; making it as smooth or rustic as you like. Set aside.

4. When you're ready to cook, get a griddle pan or frying pan on a medium heat. Once it's really hot, add your marinated salmon fillet & cook for five to seven minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked through.

5. While that's happening, warm your breads through in another hot dry pan for about 30 seconds per side.

6. Tear your breads in half &/or split them with a knife. Smear the avocado dip into the pockets and top with slices of salmon.

*Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

I also made more cookies. I know I am sick, but really they were for Jediah & the gang as they are road trippin' it out to Denver this week (unfair!).

Simple, Yet Classic Chocolate Chunk Cookies

makes 2 dozen

1 stick butter, softened
1/2c sugar
1/2c brown sugar
1 large organic free range egg, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup light spelt flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
2/3c walnuts, roughly chopped
1/2 bar of dark chocolate, roughly chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl & set aside.

3. Beat the butter & sugars until pale & fluffy. Slowly add egg & vanilla. Mix in the rest of the ingredients (but do not over mix).

4. With an ice cream scoop drop dough 2" apart & bake for 14 minutes or until the edges are golden. Let cool on a wire rack.

happy eatings & cheers!