Jamie Oliver has had a busy few months, with the launch of his best-selling book, 5 Ingredients Mediterranean, and its television series. He also celebrated 20 years working for French cookware manufacturer Tefal.
When Brodee Cooke, the Editorial Director of taste.com.au, caught up with Jamie recently to discuss all his news, she took this opportunity to discover his top secrets for how we can all power up our cooking and kitchens.
Secret 1: Limit your recipe ingredients
He says that a “long shopping list is not what people are looking for right now, especially in the middle of the week.” He also adds that “ean, mean shopping lists help people make dinner quickly.” Jamie admits to being “bullied” by his wife, Jools, into writing 5 Ingredients Mediterranean, his best-selling latest cookbook.
She had cooked every recipe in the original Five Ingredients – Quick & Easy Recipes – twice. It was all that her friends were talking about at school. “thought, “I’d better do the right things”” says Jamie. He admits to being a difficult parent in today’s world, something he is well-versed in, having five children.
Secret 2: Stock a clever pantry
Jamie says that a well-stocked kitchen pantry can help you limit the ingredients in your recipes. He admits that his kitchen is like a mad professor’s
Jamie recommends that the average person not be in a rush and collect what they like gradually. The pantry is, by its nature, full of nonperishables. It is not perishable so it won’t go bad. You don’t have to spend your entire budget on something that you can’t afford to buy right away.
Jamie compares the kitchen with a wardrobe and the pantry to accessories. He says that the pantry is similar to your handbag, watch,h, and tie. You can use it to enhance your daily.
Jamie has also revealed the four pantry essentials he believes are most important.
Dried or canned pulses
Jamie says that we all need to consume more lentils, beans, and peas. He points out how the Mediterranean countries use their pulses in a variety of ways.
Spices
Jamie says that spices are amazing. They are among the most nutrient-dense foods available. He says that if you have a spice “library,” you can create wonderful flavors like “hat small handful of fennel seed you crush while cooking a piece or fish.”
He says that a good pantry can “take your chicken to a vacation every day.”
Wet condiments
JJamie’spantry obsession is vinegar. Along with sauces and glazes that add instant texture and flavor, it is his “most geeky thing.”
“I believe vinegar is one of the most underrated condiments in the kitchen, or at least in the pantry.”””” No one talks about vinegar,” he says. He points out the wide variety of vinegar, from red wine vinegar to champagne vinegar to beer vinegar.
“the acidity of vinegar can be a joy to use.””” “Dding great vinegar to salad dressings takes them to another level,” he says. He encourages others to do the same. Last month, I put some blackberries in red wine vinegar. Even a tiny bit of vinegar in an old, sluggish stew… Slam!
Flavor bombs
Pastes and other mixes are another type of pantry item that Jamie wouldn’t be without. They pack a punch despite their small size. He says that pastes and mixes can add more flavor than seven or eight ingredients.
Secret 3: Choose quality over quantity
Jamie says that kitchen equipment is similar to the pantry. He says that you ddon’tnecessarily need to buy a lot, but the equipment must be reliable. It’s about investing in quality equipment.
Jamie OOliver’sbasic kitchen essentials:
Good cutting board: “with a towel underneath to prevent it from moving.”
Quality knives are essential. “you need a lot – just one nice little paring and carving knife.”
Little bowls: “tack them together to make marinades and dressings.”
Secret 4: JJamie’s #1 kitchen essential
Favorite “it” Jamie believes that a good pan must have two essential features: It must be nonstick so it can be used on high heat. It should also have a thick base to distribute heat evenly. Jamie points out the importance of TTefal’s “chemosignals”– the red dot with a checkered pattern in the middle of the pans. The thermal signaler will turn bright red as the pan heats, which indicates that the temperature is perfect for cooking. Jamie says, “love this feature.” He points out that it helps to reduce the anxiety many people feel when they are cooking fish or chicken.
One of his greatest pleasures in working for Tefal over the past 20 years has been being able to contribute to the industrial design of pots. It’s about ergonomics and ease of use, whether it focuses on materials like copper, stainless steel,l or hard anodized surfaces.
Secret 5: Favorite pan revealed
Jamie Oliver has a lot of pans. What’s his favorite pan?
Jamie says that people always have trouble deciding which pan to use. The pan I use the most is called a casserole, but it does so much more. You can cook in it by boiling, frying, slow cooking, or pan roasting. It can be used on the stovetop, in the oven, in the fridge or freezer, or even brought straight to the dinner table.
What is the ultimate wonder pan?
It’s Jamie Oliver’s Classic Induction Hard-Anodised All-In-One Pan, a pan that’s somewhere between a frying pan and a saucepan. The glass lid allows you to monitor the cooking process.
Jamie says, “It is easy to say, but if you choose the cheaper pan, then it will be thinner with hot spots, bends, and kinks. A quality pan is essential to cooking consistently great fish or steak. It makes a huge difference.”
