Jamie Oliver is no stranger to foodies around the world. The (now) celebrity chef burst onto television screens way back in 1999 with his first television series The Naked Chef.
Since then, the maverick culinary icon has simply gone from strength to strength – from writing a multitude of cookbooks to opening a string of restaurants and even championing healthy meals in schools in the UK.
Along the way, he has also filmed a lot of cooking shows, from Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution to Jamie’s 15 Minute Meals.
In his latest six-episode cooking show Jamie Oliver: Together, Oliver highlights the sort of food that draws people together for all sorts of occasions and is based on his best-selling cookbook of the same name.
“I mean, the word Together just conjures up so much feeling now, doesn’t it? It’s what we’ve all missed and longed for, to be with our family, friends and community again after all the events over the past year.
“My new show is a real celebration of great food that you can share with your loved ones. But it’s about more than food – it’s about spending time together and ultimately, about making memories. I see my job here to make it as easy as possible for you to get ahead, plan and cook up extraordinary food, in such a way that you can enjoy maximum time with your guests,” he says.
Each episode focuses on achievable meals for different occasions, from curry nights to picnics, family meals and more.
On the show, there is plenty to whet the appetite, from a sublime tangerine cake to the perfect steak, garlic-roasted tomatoes, chocolate semi-freddo and a slow-roasted shoulder of lamb, among a slew of nirvanic comfort food.
“Across the series you’ll see me cook a range of different meals, from summer celebration feasts to curry night. Some meals have lots of lovely elements, some are more about a couple of showstoppers and a few supporting actors, but with each one I’ll walk you through the prep step-by-step, showing you how I get stuff ready for my friends and family, so you can recreate it for you and yours,” he says.
Ultimately, Oliver says that the Covid-19 pandemic and the ensuing chaos that trailed its wake, has also resulted in people across the world learning to appreciate their loved ones in brand new ways. And one of the significant ways people show their love is through food – something that family man Oliver understands only too well.
“I think being stuck at home, which a lot of people have been, has made us question what’s really important. I know for a lot of people, myself included, slowing down a bit has been a good thing. It’s encouraged us to embrace the little things in life that bring us pleasure, and I know food has brought a lot of people great joy. It’s been a great reminder that sitting around the table to eat together is a very special thing,” he says.
Jamie Oliver: Together airs on BBC Lifestyle on Tuesdays at 7:25pm, on UnifiTV channel 512 and BBC Player | Astro channel 717.
JAM JAR PRAWN COCKTAILS
Serves 6
1 clove garlic
4 rashers higher welfare smoked pancetta
100g breadcrumbs
3 tbsp free-range mayonnaise
3 tbsp natural yoghurt
3 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 lemon
Worcestershire sauce
Tabasco sauce
2 little gem lettuces
1 cucumber
200g ripe cherry tomatoes
1 punnet of cress
1 ripe avocado
100g cooked brown shrimp, from sustainable sources
200g cooked peeled prawns, from sustainable sources
cayenne pepper
ON THE DAY Peel the garlic and finely chop with the pancetta, then place in a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Add the breadcrumbs and fry until crunchy and golden, tossing regularly. Leave to cool.
For the sauce, whisk up the mayo, yoghurt, ketchup, half the lemon juice and a dash each of Worcestershire and Tabasco sauce, then season to perfection, tasting and tweaking.
Finely shred the lettuces. Halve the cucumber lengthways and scrape out the seeds with a teaspoon, then chop into 1cm dice. Quarter the cherry tomatoes. Snip the cress. Halve and destone the avocado, squeeze the flesh into a blender with the remaining lemon juice and blitz until smooth, loosening with a splash of water, if needed, then season to perfection.
Line up six clean wide-necked jam jars or glasses ready to fill. Divide the lettuce between them, followed by the cucumber and tomatoes, gently pressing down as you build the layers. Spoon in the cool, crispy pancetta crumbs, top with the cress, then sprinkle in the
shrimp and prawns. Drizzle in the sauce and add a pinch of cayenne to each. Spoon over the blitzed avo, cover and you’re done.
TANGERINE DREAM CAKE
Serves 16
250g soft unsalted butter
250g runny honey
250g self-raising flour
200g ground almonds
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
6 large free-range eggs
4 tangerines
100g icing sugar
optional: natural yoghurt, to serve
ON THE DAY Preheat the oven to 180ºC and generously grease a 2-litre non-stick bundt tin with butter. Place the remaining butter in a food processor with the honey, flour, almonds, vanilla paste and a pinch of sea salt. Crack in the eggs, finely grate in the tangerine zest (reserving some for garnish) and blitz until smooth. Pour the mixture into
the bundt tin, scraping it out of the processor with a spatula, then jiggle the tin to level it out. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave for a few minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, then squeeze and stir in enough tangerine juice to make a thick drizzle. Pour or spoon over the cool cake, easing some drips down the sides in an arty way, then sprinkle over the reserved zest. Peel the remaining tangerines and slice into rounds, to serve on the side. A spoonful of yoghurt also pairs with it very nicely, if you like.
CLASSIC CAKE
Don’t worry if you don’t have a bundt tin, a 25cm cake tin lined with greaseproof paper will work just as well.
Together by Jamie Oliver is published by Penguin Random House © Jamie Oliver Enterprises Limited (2021 Together). Photography: Levon Biss.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Get 20% OFF The Star Digital Access
Cancel anytime. Ad-free. Unlimited access with perks.
