Jun 10 2013

Cook With Jamie: Baked Lamb Shanks

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Apple

I’ve decided I don’t really know much about cooking. I read a lot about food and I “know” some stuff but do I REALLY know stuff?

I’ve worked in hospitality, in restaurants and cafes. So I have experience there.

And I have a passion. A passion to learn and create and experience food as all it can be.

But if you asked me what the perfect temperature is to cook an egg at for it to be perfectly soft boiled, I’d tell you that I don’t know and there are a lot of variables to take into account and a lot of different opinions on how to get the perfect soft boiled egg. Also I don’t really eat eggs that often. I could tell you a couple of opinions which I’ve read which then you can trial yourself and see what works best for you though.

And if you asked me a question regarding the best way to cook a steak, or the best potatoes to roast I would give the most accurate answer I know. But that doesn’t necessarily mean I’m correct. Doesn’t really mean I’m wrong either.

I guess what I’m trying to say is I have opinions and experiences with food and although I think that this way or that way might make the PERFECT such and such, I also believe that there is more then one way to make something perfect.

To the point though! These lamb shanks are perfect. Once again I’m blown away by a Jamie Oliver recipe. This one was really easy so any Tom, Dick or Harry could whip it up.

More importantly, it’s easy to tell when it’s done. When the meat is falling off – devour it!

You can find this recipe from Jamie Oliver’s Cook with Jamie book, or on his website here

I love any recipe that you can chuck in the oven and forget about until the timer goes off. Looking at the sky today, it seems like a very good day for lamb shanks! Mmmmm…warm….falling off the bone and melt in your mouth lamb shanks!

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Dec 31 2012

Cook With Jamie: Best Shortbread in the World

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Apple

Up until early 2012 I had never had shortbread before. Honest truth.

When all the other kids were sampling their grandmother’s homemade shortbread, you know the type – in the family for years and the recipe is a secret which will be handed down the generations. Well while this was happening in other households I was most likely eating some sort of junk food, nothing memorable.

24 years down the track and I’ve not only tried my first ever shortbread but I’ve cooked it too. So you’re probably thinking something along the lines of, ‘well she’s only had the one shortbread so how can she possibly know if its the best or not’

Good call. I like to share though and my Axey and his family enjoyed every last piece. I personally think its a beautiful recipe and so easy to make that I recommend everyone to chuck out the horrible store bought stuff you have leftover from Christmas and whip this batch up. You won’t regret it!

*As with all other posts relating to the Cook With Jamie cookbook, I have not posted the recipe. I fully support great recipes and wish to encourage people to buy the book.

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Oct 3 2012

Cook With Jamie: Honeycomb Cannelloni

Posted on October 3, 2012 by Apple

So a lot has happened since my last real post. I’ve been cooking a lot actually, unfortunately I went through a couple of weeks with the camera battery dead flat and remembering too late so I missed a few meals. I’ve resigned from my job, to move on to a new one which has all the ticks in the right boxes including greener grass. My last day at my old work is this Friday, so stress levels are a tad high! I’ve found the best cure is chocolate! lol.

Chocolate aside though, I’ve been cooking a lot from Jamie Oliver’s cookbook.

As the weeks go on I feel a bit more daring with the recipes from Jamie Oliver’s Cook With Jamie book. The image of this dish in his book is gorgeous, which is about the only scary thing about it! It’s such an easy recipe (easier if you actually stick to it and not do your own thing as I do) and it taste delicious!

I’ll be honest though…if I made it again I would omit the creme freiche and most of the anchovies, being that my partner and I are rather sensitive to dairy we prefer non-creamy dishes and the anchovies…well…I’ll be dead honest with you. I don’t really like the taste of them. I know, I know, I know its blasphemy! But in my defence I do add them to tomato dishes and other dishes to enhance the flavour…I just don’t like it when its a strong taste of it.

And as you may have noticed from the photos my dish has beef mince in it. Jamie Oliver’s recipe does not. His is actually a vegetarian dish which includes mushroom.

I’m a meat person. Its very very rare that I’ll cook something for dinner without any sort of meat or fish, I think its something that’s been drilled into me as a child.

Meat and veg, meat and veg, meat and veg.

There’s no mushrooms in mine either, the boy doesn’t like the texture of mushrooms and I like him to enjoy the food I cook for him so ergo no mushrooms!

I promise, other then that I followed the recipe. Do you have trouble following recipes to the tee as well?

I think Jamie Oliver would understand my changes, he seems to be one that believes in throwing in what you want and cooking from the heart.

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Aug 6 2012

Jamie Oliver’s Crunchy Raw Beetroot Salad with Feta & Pear

Posted on August 6, 2012 by Apple

As recipe 1 of my Cook With Jamie challenge, I’ve decided on something on the easier side.

As the plan was to have steak for dinner, I thought this salad would go perfect with it. This is the sort of salad that is delicious any time of the year, the feta melts in your mouth and gives the salad a nice creamy texture, paired with the fresh crunch of pear and beetroot drizzled with a nice citric zing.

Gotta give Jamie cudos, he knows his flavours! Pah as if any of us doubted that any way.

Quite nice and simple, finely cut beetroot and pear (or apple as stated in the book, I used a bit of both) tossed with a lemon olive oil dressing and topped with a crumble of feta. It doesn’t feel too summery so it was really enjoyable on a winter’s night.

As the first recipe is ticked off and we have a full belly with smiles on our faces, I think this is going to be a great adventure for the both of us.