Jamie Oliver introduces the recipes by first saying we should all have these five basic ingredients on hand in our pantry: olive oil for cooking, extra virgin olive oil for dressing and finishing dishes, red wine vinegar as a good all-rounder when it comes to acidity and balancing marinades, sauces, and, of course, sea salt and black pepper for seasoning to perfection.
There are eleven recipe chapters covering just about everything. Not only does each recipe have a gorgeous photo, but under each photo of the completed dish are five small photos of what ingredients will be needed. I found that a nice touch. At a quick glance you know every ingredient needed before you even read the recipe. All nutritional information is included too.
I have many cookbooks labeled as quick and easy with few ingredients but many use too many convenience products with fillers and additives instead of fresh ingredients. This cookbook is just the opposite and much healthier, and perfect for beginner cooks as well as advanced cooks. Who would object to healthy beautiful meals with few ingredients and don’t take long to prepare? I’m in. Don’t get me wrong, I also love those dishes that simmer for hours and have the house filled with wonderful aromas for hours, but some days I need quick, easy, healthy, and delicious. I found many recipes that fit that bill in this wonderful cookbook. All the proteins are covered, along with pasta dishes, vegetables, soups, salads, sandwiches, and sweet things.
I love the convenience and quick-cooking of those lovely pork tenderloins that are one pound and under. They cook quickly and serve two perfectly. I made the “Creamy Mustardy Pork” that used a 10-ounce tenderloin, a package of mixed mushrooms, grainy mustard, crème fraiche, and some arugula. It was so incredibly good with a 2-ingredient sauce that would also be good on fish or chicken.
Is this gorgeous or what? It was great on its own but you can serve with some rice, if desired. As for that sauce, all it consists of is the grainy mustard stirred in the pan with the crème fraiche! You would never guess that’s all it is.
- 1 (10 ounce) pork tenderloin
- ½ pound mixed mushrooms
- 1 heaping Tablespoon grainy mustard
- 2 heaping Tablespoons crème fraiche
- 1-1/2 ounces arugula
- Slice the pork into 6 medallions, flattened slightly, and roughly slice the mushrooms. Place a large non-stick frying pan on a high heat. Add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, then the pork and mushrooms. Cook pork for 2 minutes per side, and stir the mushrooms until golden. The pork will be just cooked through. Remove just the mushrooms to a plate.
- Stir in the mustard and crème fraiche and cook with the pork for 1 minute, adding a splash of water if needed. Taste and season with sea salt and pepper. Divide between two plates, then scatter the mushrooms and arugula over the pork. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil if you like, and serve. Serves 2.
Yes, it is, indeed, gorgeous! I have to make this the next time our son comes for supper. He loves each of those ingredient. What a lovely meal.
Thanks for the informative review and the beautiful photography! I bet you spend more time preparing the post than the recipe.
That is very true, Denise. That recipe was so fast and easy, and it indeed took longer to write the post!