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 # 28: Japanese Cucumber Salad with Ginger, Cilantro, Mint and Rice Wine Vinegar Dressing

By Jamie Oliver:
• 3 young cucumbers, finely sliced
• Cilantro
• Fresh mint
Vinegar Dressing
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 large thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 1 stick of lemon grass, outer leaves removed, inner ones finely chopped
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper and a little soy sauce
Mix everything together in a bowl and season to taste.

By Andrew Fernandez:

The cucumber seeds got in my way. Jamie does talk about a specific type of cucumber that is about a third the size of normal cucumber. I think that might be key. I broke my mandolin with this dish. I'm glad I can not head out and get a good one! The thin slices are key for this dish. An idea from the book was to use a potato peeler. Hmm... Refreshing salad!

Recipe #9: Barbequed Leg of Lamb with Thai Green Spices

By Jamie Oliver:

for the marinade:
• 10 kaffir lime leaves, torn
• 2 thumb-sized pieces of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 sticks of lemon grass, trimmed and roughly chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled
a bunch of fresh coriander, leaves picked• 2 green chillies, roughly chopped
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• juice of 2 limes

for the lamb:
• 1 x 2-2.5kg leg of lamb, butterflied (ask your butcher to do this for you)
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
• 1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and chopped
optional: juice of 1 lime

By Andrew Fernandez:

Kafir lime leaves are not easily attainable in Michigan. I had to go to four different stores before finding these leaves. Where did I find it? Pacific Rim Food.

It's probably the signature flavour and aroma for all Thai cooking. At $3.00 a pack of 40 leaves, I wasn't complaining. The green paste was interesting and not quite appet

izing to look at, but nevertheless, the taste was very remarkable.

I do have to stop using coconut milk as I am beginning to see the extra weight I'm putting on.