Recipe # 35: Baked Peppers with Cherry Vine Tomatoes, Basil and Marjoram

By Jamie Oliver:

• 2 Peppers, red or yellow
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 20 cherry tomatoes
• 1 handful of fresh marjoram and basil
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
• Extra virgin olive oil

By Andrew Fernandez:
This was an easy appetizer. It got the rave with the "peeled" cherry tomatoes, but I promise, its easy when you prick and put them in boiling water for 30 seconds. They just peel off. The fresh marjoram makes all the difference and I still don't know why Jamie's picture looks better than mine?!?!?!

Recipe # 34: Aubergine and Mint Bruschette

By Jamie Oliver:

• 2 nice firm aubergines, the round purple Italian ones if possible, sliced lengthways 3mm/about ? inch thick
• extra virgin olive oil
• white wine or herb vinegar
• 2 sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and finely sliced
• a small handful of fresh mint, leaves picked and finely sliced
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and very finely sliced
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

By Andrew Fernandez:

First of all: Aubergine = Eggplant = Brinjal.

Is it still a Bruschette without the bread? Mint was refreshing in this dish with the white wine. Its a vastly different taste considering the experience I have had with aubergine is with heavy thick curry paste. Thinly sliced pieces will help make it easy to place them on the slices of bread... If I remembered them at the store!

Recipe # 33: Baked Mushrooms

By Jamie Oliver:

• 8 large flat mushrooms
• a bunch of spring onions, trimmed and sliced
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• a few sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked
• 250g Taleggio cheese, thinly sliced
• 2 thick slices of bread, made into breadcrumbs
• a small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 4 handfuls of rocket, washed and dried
• juice of 1 lemon
• extra virgin olive oil

By Andrew Fernandez:

What an easy tasting appetizer. Now there was a little of me that wanted to follow the actual recipe and actually use the sliced bread, however my memory at the store and skill of going down a grocery list wasn't quite functioning as great this day. Cheese was hard for me to use, considering how much I love cheese, but, I did. I am glad because the cheese pretty much held it together on top of the mushroom.

Recipe # 32: Wok-Cooked Fragrant Mussels

By Jamie Oliver:

• 4 1/2 best live mussels, debearded
• Olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 3 stalks of lemon grass, outer leaves removed, finely sliced
• 2 fresh chillies, red, green or both
• 3 tablespoons finely sliced fresh ginger
• 2 handfuls of fresh cilantro, pounded or finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 scallions, finely sliced
• Juice of 3 limes
• One 14-oz can of coconut milk

By Andrew Fernandez:

East meets West. I thought this was great. I had to re-do this dish because it tasted so good and I wasn't happy with my "fine slicing". The second time around, I just put it in the mini-chopper and it was lovely. My parents recently asked if I was coming across any good recipes and I had to tell them about this!

Just so you know, the lime and the coconut milk was a strange combination that tasted like heaven!

Recipe # 31: Southern Indian Vegetable Curry with Curry Leaves

By Jamie Oliver:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 2 fresh green chillies, deseeded and chopped
• a bunch of curry leaves
• 2 onions, peeled and shredded
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• a pinch of ground cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon chilli powder
• 6 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 aubergine, cubed
• 100ml coconut milk
• a handful of French beans
• a handful of peas
• a handful of okra, sliced
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

By Andrew Fernandez:

Yum! I think I am driven by spice! Now I know looking at the picture, it doesn't seem all quite vegetarian. I needed something to chew on that would fill me up! I added chicken... I had to figure out what Garam Masala was and with the web and wikipedia, that was easy. I also substituted french beans with long beans. Its only because I found it at the grocery store and I know it probably goes better with the curry than french beans. Long beans are crunchier!

Candid Camera Action In the Kitchen

Thanks to Joe for taking the picture. We did have a great night of food and Settlers of Catan. Sounds like another night of food and board games is coming soon!

Recipe # 30: Seared Scallops and Crispy Prosciutto with Roasted Tomatoes and Smashed White Beans

By Jamie Oliver:
• 4 large ripe plum tomatoes, quartered
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• a pinch of dried oregano
• olive oil
• 8 slices of prosciutto
• 1 small clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 1-2 small dried red chillies, crumbled, to taste
• 4-6 anchovy fillets, chopped
• one can 14-oz of cannellini beans of flageolet beans, drained
• extra virgin olive oil
• 12-16 scallops, trimmed with roe on or off to your preference
• 1 olive oil and lemon juice dressing
• a small handful of peppery greens (arugula or watercress)

By Andrew Fernandez:
Every time I use anchovy fillets, I remember just how good it makes everything taste. I had a hard time with finding the beans at the store. Cannellini = White Beans. Keep that in mind. The pasty sauce should have been more liquid.

Ever wondered what 80 bottles/cans (at $0.10/pc) return gets you in prosciutto? Eight slices. But so worth it! This dish reminds me of the bacon wrapped scallops, without all the deep frying!

And yes, I could have done a better job with plating the dish...