by Jamie Oliver
Meanwhile, tear the bread into a baking dish, add the hazelnuts, and toast in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool, then tip into a food processor, strip in most of the remaining thyme leaves, add a pinch of sea salt and black pepper and half the cheese, and pulse into coarse crumbs.
When the hour is up, sprinkle the crumbs over the potatoes, then finely crumble a little bit of the remaining blue cheese onto each one. Dress the rest of the thyme sprigs with a tiny bit of oil and sprinkle randomly on top. Return to the oven for a final 10 minutes, or until the cheese starts to melt, then serve.
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GET AHEAD
You can cook these in advance up to the point where they’re roasted and sprinkled with the toppings, then just finish them off when you’re ready, ensuring that they’re hot and crisp before serving.
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POTATO AL FORNO
COMFORTING CREAMY FENNEL, ONIONS, GARLIC, & PARMESAN
This is one of my favorite side dishes and, frankly, it’s so good I sometimes just have it for lunch with a big fresh salad to provide a bit of contrast. It’s easy to put together, and always delivers big on flavor, whatever you serve it with.
SERVES 8–10 AS A SIDE
1 HOUR 50 MINUTES
2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
2 onions
2 bulbs of fennel, with herby fronds attached
2½ cups whole milk
12⁄3 cups heavy cream
6 anchovy fillets in oil
8 cloves of garlic
½ a bunch of fresh rosemary (½ oz)
6 fresh bay leaves
1 whole nutmeg, for grating
1¾ oz Parmesan cheese
Peel the potatoes and onions and trim the fennel bulbs, reserving any herby fennel tops for later. Finely slice the potatoes, onions, and fennel just under ¼ inch thick, with patient knife skills or, ideally, on a mandolin (use the guard!).
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pour the milk and cream into a pan. Tear in the anchovies, crush in the unpeeled garlic through a garlic crusher, add the rosemary sprigs and bay leaves, and finely grate in half the nutmeg. Bring to a light boil on a medium heat, then immediately turn the heat off and leave to infuse for a few minutes. Fish out and discard the herbs, finely grate and whisk in most of the Parmesan, then taste and season to perfection.
In a 12- × 10-inch baking dish, layer up the slices of potato, onion, and fennel. Pour over the cream mixture and finely grate over the remaining Parmesan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 45 minutes, or until tender and nicely golden. Remove from the oven, tear and scatter over any reserved fennel tops, and serve.
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MIX IT UP
Feel free to swap out the fennel and hero other seasonal veg in this recipe, such as slices of celery root or tender celery heart.
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CHAMP PIE
LEEKS, WATERCRESS, CHEDDAR, & SUPER-CRISPY POTATO SKINS
Champ is a classic Irish potato dish. I’ve evolved that wonderful recipe here to utilize the potato skins, too. They get super-crisp and savoury, and once filled with the creamy smashed potatoes and baked are absolutely amazing.
SERVES 10 AS A SIDE
2 HOURS 15 MINUTES
10 large Yukon Gold potatoes (8 oz each)
6 medium leeks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
olive oil
2 fresh bay leaves
1 bunch of fresh thyme (1 oz)
¾ cup + 5 teaspoons reduced-fat (2%) milk
3½ oz watercress
5 oz mature Cheddar cheese
1 whole nutmeg, for grating
3 large eggs
½ cup bread crumbs
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Scrub the potatoes clean, then place them in a large roasting pan and prick each one a few times with a fork. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until golden and crisp, but still fluffy in the middle. Leave until cool enough to handle, then halve, scoop the insides into a bowl, and mash well, putting the skins aside for later.
Meanwhile, wash, trim, and finely slice the leeks. Place a large pan on a medium heat with the butter, 1 tablespoon of oil, and the bay, then strip in half the thyme leaves. Stir for 1 minute, then add the leeks. Stir and cook for 5 minutes, or until just softened, then pour in the milk. Pick in the watercress, then simmer gently on a low heat for 10 minutes, to infuse all the flavors. Turn the heat off, fish out and discard the bay leaves. Add the mashed spuds, grate over half the cheese, finely grate over half the nutmeg, beat and add the eggs, mix, and season to perfection.
Toss the reserved potato skins with 1 tablespoon of oil, most of the remaining thyme leaves, and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Reserving 2 potato skins for later, tear and squash the rest of the skins into a 8-inch loose-bottomed cake pan, crispy-side out, overlapping them as you go and sitting them up the sides of the pan, too—think pastry case. Don’t worry if they feel a bit wobbly—start packing the champ into the center, compacting it as you go, and spreading it out to the sides. Work fairly gently but firmly, and this will help keep the potato skins in place. Keep going, packing, spreading, and piling it up until all the mash is in.
Roughly slice up the remaining two potato skins, then toss with the bread crumbs, and the remaining grated cheese and thyme. Scatter this mixture over the top of the pie. Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Leave to sit for 5 minutes, then release from the pan. Delicious served with salad and Branston pickle.
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GET AHEAD
Make this the day before and keep cool right up until the point where you’re ready to bake it.
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TUSCAN POTATOES
GARLIC, ROSEMARY, & LEMON
These tasty potatoes are a brilliant alternative to the classic roast potato or chip. Super-crispy on the outside, fluffy in the middle, and perfumed with garlic, rosemary, and lemon, they’re simple and just utterly gorgeous.
SERVES 10 AS A SIDE
1 HOUR 30 MINUTES
5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
extra virgin olive oil
½ oz lardo or unsalted butter
4 cloves of garlic
1 lemon
½ a bunch of fresh rosemary (½ oz)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Peel the potatoes, chop them into 1¼-inch chunks and parboil in a large pan of boiling salted water for 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and leave to steam dry, then tip into a large roasting pan. Season from a height with sea salt and black pepper, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil, add the lardo or butter, and toss together well to dress the potatoes nice and evenly. Roast for 35 minutes, or until lightly golden.
Meanwhile, peel and finely slice the garlic, peel the lemon zest into strips, and pick the rosemary leaves. When the time’s up, scatter the garlic, lemon zest, and rosemary all over the potatoes, drizzle everything with 2 more tablespoons of oil, toss together, and roast for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until beautifully golden and crisp. Simple as that.
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MIX IT UP
Other veg will work a treat here, too. Feel free to chuck parsnips, carrots, celery root, or sweet potatoes into the mix, chopping them the same size as the spuds.
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BAKED MASH
CRUSHED YUKON GOLDS & OOZY RED LEICESTER CHEESE
This delicious mash can be made in advance to make your life easier when you’re cooking for big parties. In doing so, you’ll only enhance that crispy-edged, oozy, mashed potato heaven with yummy bombs of Red Leicester. Amazing.
SERVES 10 AS A SIDE
1 HOUR 10 MINUTES
5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
½ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
¾ cup + 5 teaspoons reduced-fat (2%) milk
1 whole nutmeg, for grating
7 oz Red Leicester cheese
olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Peel the potatoes, cutting up any larger ones so they’re all a similar size,
then cook in a large pan of boiling salted water for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain in a colander and leave to steam dry, then return to the pan and mash well. Mix in ¼ cup of butter and the milk, finely grate in half the nutmeg, then taste and season to absolute perfection.
Get yourself an appropriately sized dish and lightly grease it with a little of the remaining butter. Coarsely grate in enough cheese so you can pat it all around the dish. Spoon in the mash, randomly adding little bombs of the remaining cheese as you go, which will melt as it bakes, giving your lucky guests a nice surprise! Dot over the remaining butter, drizzle lightly with oil, then cook right away, or pop into the fridge ready to bake later. Bake for 35 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
BALSAMIC POTATOES
SWEET RED ONIONS, THYME, GARLIC, ARUGULA, & A LITTLE FAITH
These spuds really are a phenomenon. They look dark and gnarly, and they’re beautiful yet kind of charmingly ugly at the same time. The volume of balsamic used here requires you to have faith. Trust me—incredible things will happen.
SERVES 10 AS A SIDE
2 HOURS 20 MINUTES
5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
extra virgin olive oil
4 red onions
4 cloves of garlic
¾ cup + 5 teaspoons cheap balsamic vinegar
¼ cup unsalted butter
½ a bunch of fresh thyme (½ oz)
1¼ oz arugula
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Peel the potatoes, cut them into even-sized chunky wedges, and parboil in a large pan of boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Drain in a colander, leave to steam dry completely, then divide the wedges between two large roasting pans. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of oil into each pan, and season with sea salt and black pepper. Toss together and spread out into a single layer. Roast for 45 minutes, or until lightly golden, tossing gently halfway.
Meanwhile, peel and slice the onions and garlic. When the time’s up on the potatoes, scatter over the onions and garlic, then pour over the balsamic. Roast for 50 minutes to 1 hour, using a slotted spatula to carefully turn the potatoes in all the sticky balsamic yumminess a few times during cooking, and adding the butter and thyme leaves to the party for the last 10 minutes. In the spirit of this bonkers but genius dish, if you’re in any doubt when you turn them that it’s doing the right thing, just be brave and add an extra drizzle of balsamic, then return to the oven until gnarly and roasted. Serve on a platter sprinkled with the arugula.
This is amazing served as a side dish with any roasted or grilled meat, but is also brilliant as part of a Boxing Day buffet spread with cold cuts of meat. I’ve even enjoyed it as a lovely lunch with a big old salad. Delicious.
MY POMMES ANNA
FINELY SLICED POTATOES, ROSEMARY, THYME, & HORSERADISH
This is my take on the classic French potato cake—it’s beautiful, elegant, and I’ve fired it up with the hum of delicious fresh horseradish and some herbs. For an extra-special finish, take a bit of time and care layering up your potatoes.
SERVES 8–10 AS A SIDE
1 HOUR 40 MINUTES
31⁄3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
½ a bunch of fresh rosemary (½ oz)
½ a bunch of fresh thyme (½ oz)
½ cup unsalted butter
1 fresh horseradish root, for grating (or 3 teaspoons jarred grated horseradish)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Peel the potatoes and finely slice 1⁄8 inch thick, ideally on a mandolin (use the guard!), or with patient knife skills. Pick and finely chop the rosemary leaves, and strip the thyme leaves into a little pile.
Melt the butter in a small pan, then generously brush it all over the inside of a 10-inch non-stick ovenproof frying pan. Take a bit of pride in beautifully arranging enough potato slices in the pan to cover the base, slightly overlapping them as you go. Brush with butter, sprinkle with a little rosemary, thyme, sea salt, and black pepper, then finely grate over some horseradish. Keep repeating the layers in this fashion until you’ve used up all the potatoes, keeping the last layer simple with just a coating of butter. Place on the stove over a medium heat for 10 minutes to start crisping up the base, jiggling the pan occasionally, then transfer to the oven. Roast for 30 minutes, then remove from the oven and use the flat base of a smaller pan to carefully press and compact it all down. Return to the oven for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.
When done, slide out or bang upside down onto a board or platter—both sides are so beautiful I can’t pick my favorite way to serve it! Slice up and enjoy.
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GET AHEAD
Assemble up to the point when you place it on the stove, then cover and keep in the fridge until you’re ready to cook, or simply make it in advance and reheat.
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Scrumptious
VEGETABLES
CREAMED SPINACH
WITH A CHEDDAR & OAT CRUMBLE TOPPING
This is a massive favorite at my restaurant Barbecoa, and it’s hard to resist. Frozen spinach is not only cheap and convenient, it seems to work much better than fresh in this dish. A savoury crumble topping takes it to the next level.
SERVES 10 AS A SIDE
1 HOUR 20 MINUTES
2 onions
2 cloves of garlic
olive oil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 whole nutmeg, for grating
2 lbs frozen chopped spinach
½ cup unsalted butter (cold)
3½ oz Cheddar cheese
2⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup crème fraîche
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic, then place in a large frying pan on a low heat with 2 tablespoons of oil and the oregano. Finely grate in half the nutmeg and fry gently for 10 minutes, or until soft but not colored, stirring regularly. Add the spinach, turn the heat up to medium and cook down for 15 to 20 minutes, or until any liquid has evaporated.
Meanwhile, roughly chop the cold butter, grate the cheese, and place in a food processor with the flour, oats, and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Pulse into a nice crumble texture, then remove to a plate.
Put the cooked spinach mixture into the processor (there’s no need to clean it), then add the crème fraîche and blitz for 1 minute. Taste and season to perfection, then tip evenly into a baking dish (12 × 8 inches). Sprinkle over the crumble and bake for around 45 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.
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GET AHEAD
Put this together a few days in advance, then simply keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake it.
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LOVE YOUR LEFTOVERS
On the rare occasion that you have leftovers of this dish, it’s amazing dotted on pizza, or blobbed into an omelet or frittata.
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ROASTED PARSNIPS
SQUASHED WITH BAY, THYME, GARLIC, HONEY, & GROUND ALMONDS
These are the most insanely delicious parsnips. Squashing them creates the crispiest outsides and helps them to absorb all these wonderful flavors, while still maintaining super-fluffy middles. For the best results, don’t peel them.
SERVES 10 AS A SIDE
1 HOUR 20 MINUTES
3 lbs medium parsnips
extra virgin olive oil
4 fresh bay leaves
1 clove of garlic
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons liquid honey
1 bunch of fresh thyme (1 oz)
2 heaping tablespoons ground almonds
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Scrub the parsnips clean, then blanch them whole in a large pan of boiling salted water for 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and leave to steam dry. Place in a single layer in a large roasting pan, drizzle with 3 tablespoons of oil, and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Toss together, then roast for 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, to make a game-changing bay glaze, rip away the bay leaf stalks,
then bash the leaves hard with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper in a pestle and mortar until you have a paste. Peel the garlic and bash in until combined, then muddle in 1 tablespoon of oil, the vinegar, and honey.
Take the pan out of the oven, turn the parsnips over, then use a slotted spatula to press them all down so they almost squash into each other and completely fill out the pan. Use the thyme bunch as a brush to generously coat the parsnips with half the glaze, then separate and scatter over the thyme sprigs, along with the almonds. Return to the oven for another 30 minutes, or until really golden and crispy. To serve, loosen the edges with a slotted spatula, confidently bang the parsnips out onto a platter or board in one bold action, then drizzle with the remaining glaze.
* * *
GET AHEAD
You can cook these in advance and simply reheat, or cook the parsnips for the first 40 minutes and make the bay glaze, then cool, cover, and pop them into the fridge until you’re ready to finish cooking.
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RED ONION GRATIN
GARLIC, THYME, WHITE WINE, CRÈME FRAÎCHE, GRUYÈRE, & PARMESAN
It’s such a pleasure to celebrate sweet, tender red onions as vegetables in their own right and as the heroes of this dish. Serve up this gratin and it’s bound to be the talk of the table, due to its ballsy flavor and incredible sweetness.
SERVES 6 AS A SIDE
1 HOUR 30 MINUTES
4 large red onions (7 oz each)
olive oil
4 cloves of garlic
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
