The Book: 5 Ingredients — Quick & Easy Foodby Jamie Oliver, $40
The Promise:
In his latest cookbook, Jamie Oliver pledges thathisgenius five-ingredient combinations willdeliver maximum flavour forminimum fussin under30 minutes.You shouldn'tneed a ton of kitchen cred to pull off any of the dishes — the recipes are simple enough thatOliver recommendsthis as astarter cookbook forkids headingoffto university. I’m a pretty big fan of the British chef, but Ihave to wonder ifhis “glug-of-this” and “pinch-of-that” style will translate into weeknight meals that turn out as promised for an average home cook. And canfive-ingredient recipessustain an entire book's worth of interestingmeals?
First Impression:
Cracking open the book for the first time, it felt a little lacklustre. There’s a griddesign to the pages, with thefive ingredients shown on the left-hand side (next to the recipe) anda simple shot of the finished dish on the opposite page. The recipes do not have descriptions. Oliver saysthe book is presented in a way that helps people get down to business — and I will grudgingly admit that the simple layout, minimal copy and visual cues do give the recipes a very accessible, uncomplicated feel. Ina handy section called "The 5-Ingredient Pantry," Oliver outlines theitems he doesn't include in his ingredient count(olive oil, extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper)and reiterates his philosophy of buying quality basics.OK, I can live with that. I also like that the recipes are organizedbytheir main ingredient, such as pasta, pork, fishand veg (helpful if you spontaneously bought salmonon sale without a plan).
Advertisem*nt
Sample Recipes:
Rendang Beefand Cauli Rice, page 202
Sicilian Tuna Pasta, page 60
Creamy Mustard Chicken, page 116
Advertisem*nt
St. Clements Polenta Biscuits, page 300
Do The Recipes Actually Work?
I tried to testthese recipes under the circ*mstancesI felt Oliver intended them to be used for: rushed weeknight mealswhen I hadn’t quite figured out what I was going to make until a fewhours (ok, an hour) before I had to start cooking.
I also felt free to mix it up, following the recipes but playing it a little loose with using the exact ingredients.To me, this flexibility is part of Oliver’s style (andhis appeal), and is especially appreciated when you’reusing things you already have at homeor grabbing something from the nearest store.
My first crack at a Quick & Easy meal was the Rendang Beef and Cauli Rice. I read the recipe twice because I couldn’t believe its five ingredients were going to deliver a main and side. Two of those ingredients weremint and a spice mix, meaning the bulkof themeal was coming together from just ground beef, coconut milk and cauliflower. First challenge: I couldn'tfind rendang powder at my local grocer. Rendang beef is anIndonesian dishand the rending spice powder includes coriander, turmeric and chilli, so I substituted it fora curry powder I had on hand. Whatemerged was a flavourful beef dish with a tasty side of cauli rice in, yep, under 30 minutes.It'sa dish I look forward to returning to,rendang powder in hand.
Advertisem*nt
Next, I tackledthe Creamy Mustard Chicken, deciding to make itin advance for quick lunch reheats. The recipe relies onheat's magical effecton food to add texture and flavour — browning mushrooms so that they'regolden and nutty, sautéing the chicken in the pan and thenreducing the cream and grainymustard toa tasty,rich sauce.
By this point, I felt like making dinner was akin topulling a rabbit out of a hat — but with easy instructions. Not only were the results super tasty, the simplicity of the ingredients kept mykitchen tidy and theprep stress-free.
The final frontier waspasta, Jamie Oliver style. Like the other two dishes, the Sicilian Tuna Pasta relied on cooking techniques for extra oomph when ingredients were minimal. Capers were fried crisp and the infused olive oil they left behind was used to cook the tomatoes. Add aromatic oregano, tuna and pasta, then tuck in.
Advertisem*nt
For dessert, I chosethe St Clement's Polenta Biscuits. I was feeling a almost giddy at the simplicityafter recently making the multi-stepChocolate O Cookies from Yotam Ottolenghi’s SWEET. Success! The fresh lemon juice and zest really elevated this basic shortbread-style cookie to something a little special. I may not dream about them (like the Chocolate O's) but they are a greatgo-to for serving with tea and coffee.
The Verdict:
Oliver hastackled quick dinnersin other books (such as 15-Minute Meals), but bylimiting the ingredients to only five,he really makes you feel as thoughyou've got this. In fact, you've probably even got time to make dessert.
Sure,no recipe will be perfect the first time, but I was impressed that, even with a stumble or an ingredient substitution, all the dishes I prepared werepretty hard to mess up. As promised, Oliver made cooking from scratch as straightforwardas possible.
Advertisem*nt
This book isa hands-on way for beginners toget comfortable at the stove. Because you don't have to worry abouttoo much food prep, youcan focus on the cooking techniques: searing meat before slow-cooking, reducing a sauce or deglazing a pan.
Do keep in mind that some of the ingredients may mean a dash to a specialtyfood store —you might want toleave thoserecipesfor weekend entertaining (yes, these five-ingredient dishes wouldalso impressguests).
Who To Buy It For:
Friends and familywho are honing their kitchen skills
Yourself, if you want to feel like a weeknight superstar
Advertisem*nt
Where It Will Live:
In the kitchen,readyto jump to the rescueasyou create your last-minute grocery list.
GET CHATELAINE IN YOUR INBOX!
Subscribe to our newsletters for our very best stories, recipes, style and shopping tips, horoscopes and special offers.
