jamie oliver – St GEORGIA & Boo

rustic bruschetta jamie style

in true Jamie style i haven’t included exact measurements in this recipe. It’s about fresh flavours and finding the balance that’s right for you. If you like it tangy add extra balsamic, if you want to balance it out a little add a touch more maple syrup, or you can substitute it for sugar. Be generous with your olive oil, and over all your dressing, its vital to have left overs to mop up from the board with the garlic toasts.

rustic bruschetta

ingredients: 6 slices of sourdough pagnotta or ciabatta bread, extra virgin olive oil,1 clove garlic, bunch of basil, vine ripe Roma tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, sea salt

method: heat a grill pan on high heat, lightly drizzle bread with olive oil and toast the bread both sides. When cooked and while still hot rub the toast with the clove of garlic on one side, then put a side. On a large board roughly chop tomatoes and basil, while still on the board, drizzle over the maple syrup, olive oil and balsamic vinegar and sea salt to taste. Mix with fingers while still on the board, top a few slices of the toast with the mix and slice and arrange rest of the bread on the side of the board. Place a few forks down and serve Jamie style.

day after curry…Jamie style

day after curry…Jamie style.

day after curry…Jamie style

Jamie oliver is eminent for creating the most flavoursome dishes from left overs. We had slow roasted beef for Christmas lunch and an amazing curry with flat bread with the left overs, the next night.

For the curry

ingredients: left over meat or chicken, 2 potatoes,1 onion diced,1/2 cup green peas, 2 heaped tablespoons of curry powder, 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds,3/4 litre chicken stock, chilli (optional) season to taste

method: pull apart the meat or chicken, dice the potatoes in 1cm pieces, dice the onion and add all the ingredients and the curry powder, chilli, and enough chicken stock to cover to the targine. Stir around cover with the lid and cook in the oven at 175°C for 2 1/2 hours or until the liquid has reduced and the curry has come together. Serve with flat bread.

flat bread

ingredients:1 cup plain flour,1 cup natural yoghurt,pinch of salt,1 teaspoon baking powder,extra flour for rolling,olive oil for cooking, sea salt for seasoning

method: combine all ingredients into a bowl and bring together to form a dough. Then turn the dough out onto a clean surface lightly dusted with flour and knead into a ball. Cut small handfuls of the dough and then shape into a small round disk, lightly flour rolling-pin then roll out the dough into a thin consistency. Layer the dough between sheets of baking paper while you continue rolling out the remaining mixture. Heat a heavy base flat pan with a little olive oil, cook the dough one sheet at a time, adding a little extra drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt, cook both sides to a light golden brown. Once cooked set aside, and continue cooking the remaining bread.

roasted pumpkin and pearl barley salad

ROAST PUMPKIN AND PEARL BARLEY SALAD

ingredients

1cup pearl barley pre soaked,1/4 kent pumpkin,4 cloves garlic,olive oil,mix of baby spinach and wild rocket, handful of cherry tomatoes,1/2 sliced spanish onion,1/4tsp turmeric powder,1/2tsp Dijon mustard,1 tsp mustard seeds,4Tbl natural yoghurt,2tsp honey,sea salt and cracked pepper

method

Pre soak the pearl barley for a few hours or over night. preheat the oven to 200°C. In a baking tray add the chopped pumpkin, a splash of olive oil, generously salt and drizzle over one of the teaspoons of honey. Roast for 1/2 hour or until soft and aromatic. When pumpkin is cooked, drain the barley and heat a pan with another splash of olive oil. on a medium heat gently sauté the barley and add the garlic cloves keep stirring to avoid the barley from sticking for 10 minutes, then add the pumpkin.Lower the heat and start to prepare the dressing. In true Jamie style i like using a small jar with a lid to mix the dressing and if there happens to be left overs it can be easily stored in the fridge for later use. Add the yoghurt,2tablespoons of olive oil,turmeric,mustard and honey then replace the lid on the jar and shake, open and lightly season to taste. Then a large bowl roughly toss the salad greens together then add the pumpkin, barley mix and finish with the dressing.

butter cookies and words

cooking with toddlers is always going to be anything but methodical. Before pursuit it is absolutely necessary to let go of any concept that the process is going to run smoothly and without fuss or mess for that matter. It almost needs to be seen as organised chaos with the idea that anything could happen and that there may not even be any consumable produce from the event. What is important to remember is, that all of the learning lies within the experience. For us it’s all about the sensory play, our boo thrives on the touch and taste of soft dough and at the moment any activity that encourages his participation, cooperation and patients is welcomed.

BUTTER COOKIES

ingredients:125g softened butter,100g caster sugar,1 free-range egg,200 g plain flour,1tsp vanilla extract,1/4tsp baking powder,sprinkles,extra flour for dusting

method: Beat butter and sugar in a kitchen mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat well, then add the flour and baking powder and mix until a ball of dough forms. At this stage is good to roll dough into a ball and wrap in cling film and put into the fridge to chill for an hour, however this step is completely unacceptable to my toddlers so we always skip it and go straight to here, on a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to 1/2cm thick with cookie cutters cut out shapes and gently press into the sprinkles and lay onto baking tray lined with baking paper. If dough is extra soft from skipping the chilling step, you can, with lightly floured hands roll teaspoons of the mixture and then press them into the sprinkles. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 180°C or until the edges are slightly browned.

recipe adapted from JamieOliver.com Lemon Butter Biscuits