Sunday 1 May 2011

A Double Dose of Jamie for Easter

I had promised in a tweet earlier this week that I would share a couple of Jamie Oliver recipes that I made over Easter weekend, so here the are.

The first is an omelette that I made for my family the morning before Easter Sunday. Predominantly eggs, it's low carb, low fat, and high protein. The hint of rosemary on the palette is present is every bite of the omelette, while the tartness of parsley salad on the side perfectly balances the savory eggs. I added a sprinkling of goat cheese to the omelette for the last minute of cooking time too, just because I love cheese.

The second recipe I prepared for Easter dinner itself. We had a large family dinner and I was asked to bring a potato dish, so this was the one I chose. Wow, what a great choice. It pairs perfectly with the sweetness of an Easter ham. I'll definitely be making this one again.

Potato and Chorizo Omelette with a Kinda Parsley Salad
"This omelette is a cross between a Spanish tortilla and an Italian frittata. It’s Spanish because of the chorizo and potato, but a little Italian too because I like to finish it off in the oven instead of on the hob, so it puffs up like a soufflĂ©. It has all the things I love in it –potatoes, sausage and eggs."

Ingredients
4 small waxy potatoes, scrubbed and cut into chunks
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 large free-range or organic eggs
2 x 60g good-quality Spanish chorizo sausages, cut into 1cm thick slices
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves picked
2 shallots, peeled and very finely sliced
juice of 1 lemon
extra virgin olive oil
a bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked

Directions
"Preheat your oven to full whack, or get your grill nice and hot. Put the potatoes into a saucepan of boiling salted water and simmer them until cooked, then drain in a colander and leave them to steam dry. Beat the eggs with a fork in a large mixing bowl, season well with salt and pepper, and put to one side.

Heat a 20cm non-stick, ovenproof frying pan. Add the chorizo slices and the potato chunks. The chorizo will start to sizzle, releasing all its tasty oils and spices. After a couple of minutes, when everything’s lightly golden and crisp, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and put to one side. Sprinkle the rosemary leaves into the hot fat. As soon as they hit the pan, they’ll start to crisp up. Pour the beaten eggs on top immediately, adding the potatoes and chorizo and spreading everything out evenly. Place the whole pan in the preheated oven or under the grill until the omelette is golden brown on top and just cooked through in the middle.

While the omelette is cooking, put the shallots into a bowl with the lemon juice, some salt and pepper and a glug of extra virgin olive oil. Toss and pinch the shallots with your fingertips to soften them slightly, then mix in the parsley leaves. Serve a little on top of the omelette and tuck in!"

Balsamic-Baked Onions and Potatoes
(From Jamie Oliver, via Food Network)



"This dish has attitude - it uses a lot of balsamic vinegar but, trust me, it works really well! The onions and potatoes are baked in the vinegar, making them crispy, dark, sticky and sweet. I've chosen to serve them with roasted pork, but beef or lamb works just as well. I prefer red onions for their color and sweetness.”

Ingredients
3 1/2 pounds medium-sized waxy potatoes (all purpose), peeled and quartered lengthwise
Olive oil
7 ounces butter, cubed
1 bunch fresh rosemary, leaves picked and chopped
1 whole bulb garlic, quartered or smashed
5 medium red onions, peeled and quartered
1 1/2 cups cheap balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
"Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put the potatoes into a pan of boiling, salted water and cook for around 8 minutes, then drain and return to the pan. Chuff them up a bit by shaking the pan. Get another roasting pan, into which you can fit the potatoes in 1 layer, and heat it on the stove. When hot, pour a glug of olive oil into it and add the butter, rosemary and garlic. Add the potatoes and toss them in all the flavors. Add the onions and all the balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes on the burner to reduce the balsamic vinegar a little. Place the pan on the top shelf and cook for around 50 minutes, until the potatoes and onions are dark, sticky and crispy - removing the pan to toss the onions and potato halfway through."

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