Flavours of America

BY JAN BILTON

Jamie Oliver has given new meaning to good food with his promotion of a delicious, healthy cooking style.

Jamie Oliver – what you see is what you get when you interview him. Down-to-earth, friendly, helpful. Home cooks and chefs worldwide have embraced his simple, delicious recipes, which he presents with flair. His promotion of healthy cooking has changed many cooks' perceptions of "good food".

Oliver's career has blossomed since I first interviewed him nine years ago.

His 100-plus staff in his building complex in London's Islington area are involved in recipe testing, food styling, the Jamie Magazine design and production, and public relations.

Oliver's homeware collection is growing, and there are more than 980 women party-selling the products.

On the home front, he and wife Jools have recently added the third flower to their collection of little girls – Poppy, 7, Daisy, 6, and Petal, 7 months.

"Daisy," he says, "loves to cook. She tries to copy everything I do and wants to be a chef. Cooking for kids is so visual."

More than 380 students have graduated from Fifteen, the restaurant school Oliver established in London to help students from disadvantaged backgrounds train to become chefs.

"Not all are chefs. One has ended up running a chain of delicatessens. However, one I rescued from a jail term is now working in a top restaurant in New York."

His latest venture showcases American food in his TV series Jamie's American Road Trip and the Jamie's America cookbook. "One of the best ways to get to know people when travelling is to get under the skin of new wave immigrants and experience their real food."

The six one-hour episodes cover food in 10 American states and will screen in 140 countries in the near future. The accompanying book is a collection of epic dishes, some of which, Oliver says, "needed to be tweaked slightly to not only make them easier to prepare, but healthier to suit today's lifestyle".

Jamie's America is different. It's not just the diverse recipes (there are no junk or super-sized portions), it's the quirky design, photography, and background information that combine to make this an inspiring book for the home cook. "I feel this book is turbo-charged," Oliver says.

I'll leave you to discover Oliver's recipes. Here are some of my own American-inspired creations.

RUM JERK LAMB

Florida is home to numerous Jamaican eateries. The preparation of jerk – meat marinated in hot spices, dark rum and onions, then grilled or barbecued – supposedly originated with runaway slaves, who used the mixture to preserve wild meats without refrigeration.

2 racks of lamb, about 8 cutlets each

Jerk mixture:

2 Tbsp olive oil

4 each: spring onions, garlic cloves, small bay leaves

1 large onion, diced

1-4 small chillies, seeded and diced

1/2 tsp each: dried thyme, ground allspice

Pinch of ground cloves, freshly ground salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup each: dark rum, lime juice

Trim the racks of lamb, if necessary. Using the tip of a sharp knife, make small slits in the meat.

To prepare the jerk mixture, heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Chop the spring onions, crush the garlic and add to the pan with the bay leaves, onion, chillies, thyme and spices. Saute, stirring often, until the mixture turns golden (about 5 minutes). Add the rum and lime juice. Simmer until the liquid evaporates. Cool.

Rub the marinade over the lamb. Place in a plastic bag and refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight, turning the meat occasionally. Grill or barbecue (preferably over mesquite chips) for about four minutes on each side for medium rare. Rest for three to four minutes before carving. Serves 4.

CHICKEN & SAUSAGE GUMBO

Gumbo is a popular example of southern United States cuisine. The variations may tend to look alike but no two taste alike. A simple version.

3 mild chorizo sausages

3 Tbsp canola oil

1kg skinned and boned chicken thighs

4 cups chicken stock or water

1/4 cup flour

1 cup each: chopped onion, celery, green pepper (capsicum)

2 each: garlic cloves (crushed), bay leaves

1 tsp each: thyme leaves, Tabasco sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the sausages into 1cm rounds. Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a large, heavy saucepan. Saute the sausages until lightly coloured. Remove with a slotted spoon. Add the chicken and cook until lightly golden, turning occasionally. Add the stock and cook until the chicken is tender (about 30 minutes).

Remove and cool the chicken slightly, leaving the liquid in the pan. Chop the chicken into 3cm pieces.

Pour the remaining oil into a frying pan. Mix in the flour, stirring constantly until the "roux" turns dark brown. Add the onion, celery, green pepper and garlic. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add to the liquid in the saucepan, together with the bay leaves, thyme, Tabasco and salt and pepper. Bring to the boil. Simmer uncovered for about 45 minutes.

Add the chicken and the sausage and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve on cooked rice. Great topped with chopped spring onions. Serves 6.

PUMPKIN PIE ICE CREAM

Adapted from the filling of a traditional American pumpkin pie.

250g peeled and seeded pumpkin (crown preferably)

2 cups cream, lightly whipped

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp each: salt, ground cloves

3 Tbsps coffee liqueur (optional)

Bake or steam the pumpkin, then puree or mash. Lightly whip the cream. Fold the cold pumpkin into the cream with the other ingredients.

Place in an ice cream maker and freeze as per the directions. Alternatively, pour into a suitable container and freeze until almost solid. Beat well, then freeze until solid.

Hold at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Great served with roasted pears. Serves about 6.

HAWAIIAN BAKED CHICKEN

After spending several months in Hawaii early in my career, this dish became a favourite. Adapted for today's healthy eating style.

750g chicken portions

1/4 cup flour

Salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp canola oil

Sauce:

3/4 cup orange juice

2 Tbsp lemon juice

4 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp each: cornflour, soy sauce

1-2 cups fresh pineapple or papaya cubes

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Cut the chicken into serving-sized portions, if necessary. Place in a plastic bag with the flour and salt and pepper. Shake to coat the chicken evenly.

Brush a baking pan with oil. Place the chicken in the pan, leaving plenty of space between each piece. Bake for about 40 minutes or until cooked and golden and crisp on the outside.

Meanwhile, combine the fruit juices, brown sugar, cornflour and soy sauce in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat when clear and thick and add the fruit. Pour over the chicken. Serves 4 to 6.

- © Fairfax NZ News