Jamie's America
Jamie Oliver
Michael Joseph
NZ$75.00

This title, Jamie's 10th cookbook I note from my kitchen bookshelf, (have I got them all? I hope so), was published in September last year but I have held off featuring it on my blog until the TV series of the same name appeared on NZ television. TVNZ are finally screening it on TV 1 at 7.30pm on Saturday evening, there have been three episodes so far and what great televison it is. I reckon it is the best he has yet done. Totally compelling. Each episode is set in a different city, so far we have had New York, New Orleans and LA.

Although Jamie has a worldwide following the biggest sales of his titles are unsurprisingly made in the UK. It has been reported in the trade press there that Jamie's America is the least successful of all his titles and I guess that is not surprising given the subject matter. I guess the Brits prefer to read him writing and presenting British food. Mind you one should keep "least successful" in perspective, I gather UK sales exceed 100,000 copies, a best-seller in most authors' language!

As well as being a visually stunning journey Jamie's America is a practical cookbook, with each chapter focusing on the food and recipes of a different state. Embracing a wealth of new ideas, people and ingredients, Jamie discovers real American food.
And that food is as varied as the landscapes presented in 120 brand new recipes, and Jamie's profusely illustrated diary narrative running alongside, this is a celebratory cookbook of a country with a wide food heritage, amazingly wide actually.
If you are a Jamie Oliver fan like me then this is a title you must add to your cookbook library.

I have permission from the publishers to present the following recipe from the book, a dish I can warmly recommend although those in the southern hemisphere may care to wait until the weather is a little cooler as it is a hot dish with a pleasant bite to it.

SOUTHERN SAUSAGE STEW

In the UK we love our bangers and mash, don’t we, and you’ll find that this dish is fairly similar but with rice and Louisiana gravy. It pushes similar buttons, and it has the added advantage of extra spices, and it also reminds me of a kinda Italian peperonata. But, let’s be honest, beautiful sausages in a lovely stew are a winning combo in any country. In the spirit of Cajun cooking, this is a simple one-pan dish, perfect whether you’re at home or cooking outdoors. Give this a try and you’ll love it.

Serves 6
olive oil
good-quality sausages (about 2 or 3 per person)
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
1 green pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
1 yellow pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
2 sticks of celery, trimmed and roughly chopped, yellow leaves reserved
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1–2 fresh red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
10 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked
1 heaped teaspoon paprika
1 heaped teaspoon cayenne pepper
2–3 heaped tablespoons plain flour
1 tablespoon white wine or cider vinegar
750ml chicken stock, preferably organic
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
cooked long-grain rice, to serve
3 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
a small bunch of fresh curly parsley, roughly chopped

Put a splash of olive oil in a pan and let it get hot. Add your sausages and let them cook away so they brown nicely on all sides. Once golden and crisp, take them out of the pan
and put them on a plate to rest.

Depending on your sausages, there may be a lot of fat left behind in the pan. You only want to keep about 4 tablespoons of it in the pan, so carefully pour any extra away. If you don’t have enough, just add a splash more olive oil.
Add your onion, peppers and celery to the fat and fry on a medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Stir in your garlic, chilli, thyme and spices and fry for another minute or two. Stir in your flour and vinegar, and after a couple of minutes add your browned sausages, chicken stock and tinned tomatoes, using a wooden spoon to break them up a little.
Season with a nice big pinch of salt and pepper, stir, then bring to the boil and let it tick away for 15 minutes or so until you have a thick and delicious gravy.

Serve with a hearty spoonful of rice on the side and sprinkle over some sliced spring onion, chopped parsley and any reserved celery leaves. Really tasty stuff!

PS: I’ve also stirred chopped up pieces of cooked chicken, quail and smoky bacon through this with great results!

Wine suggestion:
Argentinian red – a Malbec from Mendoza

Thanks Jamie, and congratulations on another cracker of a book, and superb tv show. This NZ fan is mightily impressed by both.



Footnote:
Prominent NZ recipe developer and food writer Jan Bilton interviewed Jamie about "Jamie's America, (photo right shows Jamie & Jan). To read what Jan has to say visit her wonderful foodie website.