Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook

5 Reviews For This Product

1. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   05

   by MichelleS September 10, 2023

   Product delivered well within the expected date and product quality was very good & well packaged. Very pleased A+

2. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   05

   by KM September 27, 2023

   I’ve been waiting yeeeeaaaaaarrs for me ole mucker, Jamie, to release a Christmas recipe book! No longer will I have to retrieve forgotten online links to his Christmas YouTube videos each year in order to refresh my memory of the superb festive food this boy conjures up! Hurrahhhh!!!

   This book is a long awaited publication of 17 years of the geezer’s Yuletide treats for ardent followers such as myself. For me, Jamie Oliver never fails to deliver. He is the God I didn’t believe existed until he appeared on our screens back in 1999 (although as a 19 year old at the time, it was the ‘naked’ bit that caught my attention). I have bought every book release since and I can genuinely tell you that his recipes are straightforward, the ingredients are always accessible and the dishes never fail to impress whoever I’m cooking for which has given me the confidence year after year to improve my own home cooking, a passion now that I have a young family of hungry boys!

   OK, enough about me (????), now back to the subject …

   Beyond the rather over indulgent (not the nice kind) smoke-up-arse-blowing happy cringey Oliver family and ‘mates’ photos peppered between the pages [Jamie – nobody gives a mucker’s flying fig ‘mate’?? Less of it please! – Ed] therein lies an extensive bible of traditional and truly inspiring recipes which you will no doubt take with you on many Christmasses (and beyond) to come … Here goes!

   It all begins with a dedication to a goat (nanny?) and aside from the introductory ‘pep talk’ pages at the outset of the book (advice about planning and preparation, checking your equipment, etc), there are a further 14 dedicated sections. The ones you’d expect:

   ‘Smart starters’

   ????Prawn Cocktail
   ????Beef Carpaccio
   ????Roasted Apple & Squash Soup
   ????Seafood Smorgasbord (Fab word! Always reminds me of my old quirky schoolmaster!)
   ????Smoked Salmon Pate (luxury style which includes salmon caviar, no less)
   ????Beetroot Carpaccio
   ????Silky Pate (chicken liver)
   ????Gravadlax (which I used to, until recently I’m ashamed to say, pronounce gra-va-lar! Pretentious madam that I am!! Egg on my face! Gra-vad-LAX just seems WRONG! ????)
   ????Pork Terrine

   ‘The main event’

   ????Roast Goose
   ????Roast Beef
   ????Jerk Ham
   ????Porchetta (stuffed pork loin – sounds amazing!)
   ????The Turkey (an extended sub-section on prepping and cooking the turkey, and how to carve it once cooked)
   ????Turkey Wellington
   ????Roast Chicken (with your choice of flavoured butter, recipes for which follow …)
   ????Flavoured Butters (Green / Mediterranean / Curry (yes – you read it right!) / Sage & Onion)
   ????Roast Duck
   ????Roast Venison
   ????Meatloaf
   ????Rack of Lamb

   A brief interlude on the art of delegation. Slightly unnecessary padding?

   ????Salmon En Croute
   ????Fish Pie
   ????Fish Curry
   ????Salt Crust Salmon (been wanting to try cooking fish using this method for years!)

   ‘Spectacular festive puddings’

   ????Christmas Pudding
   ????Retro Trifle
   ????Chocolate Pots
   ????Pavlova
   ????Apple Pie
   ????Tiramisu
   ????Winter Bombe
   ????Bread & Butter Pudding
   ????Icelandic Rice Pudding
   ????Pannacotta
   ????Banoffee Alaska
   ????Arctic Roll
   ????Frangipane Tart (which I’m pleased to say is not a reference to a British gymnast with loose morals)
   ????Monte Branco
   ????Granita (with celery! ????)
   ????Apple Carpaccio
   ????Christmas Sundaes

   What’s extra fabulous is the inclusion of extensive sections solely dedicated to each of the separate elements of the traditional Christmas dinner:

   ‘The wonderful world of potatoes’

   ????Best Roast Potatoes (perfect every time!)
   ????Hasselbacks
   ????Potato Al Forno
   ????Champ Pie (a take on an Irish classic that I’ve been brought up on by my fabulous Irish mother)
   ????Tuscan Potatoes
   ????Baked Mash
   ????Balsamic Potatoes
   ????My Pommes Anna (French potato cake)

   ‘Scrumptious vegetables’

   ????Creamed Spinach
   ????Roasted Parsnips
   ????Red Onion Gratin
   ????Glazed Carrots
   ????Brussels Sprouts (with 4 subsections: Squashed Brussels / Brussels in a Hustle / Mustard Brussels Tops / Braised Brussels)

   Short interlude on foraging.

   ????Clapshot (don’t ask)
   ????Roasted Beets
   ????Cauliflower Cheese
   ????Red Cabbage
   ????Pumpkin Purée

   ‘Gravy, sauces and all the trimmings’

   ????Dark Bone Gravy
   ????Get-Ahead Gravy
   ????Vegan Gravy
   ????Baked Bread Sauce
   ????Cranberry Sauce
   ????Horseradish Sauce
   ????Mint Sauce
   ????Pigs in Blankets (with millions of combinations!!!)
   ????Meat Stuffing
   ????Veggie Stuffing
   ????Yorkshire Puds (matey boy’s “pillows of joy” which I totally ‘get’! They’re lush!)

   ‘Perfect drinks’ (NOW we’re talkin’!)

   ????White Russian
   ????Hot Buttered Rum
   ????Fish House Punch (eww, really?)
   ????Manhattan
   ????Pink Pepper Negroni
   ????Winter Old Fashioned (think he’s missed a word off the end?)
   ????Rob Roy
   ????Hot Toddy (my Irish dad always made this for us when we were younger and fell sick – made being ill worthwhile! Don’t tell Social Services!)
   ????Festive Bellini
   ????Party Prosecco
   ????Frozen Grapes and Grappa

   Short interlude on clever drink presentation! Marvellous!!!

   Short interlude on home made crackers that even Jacob would be proud of. Cheers buddy.

   The icing on the cake is the inclusion of what some may deem superfluous stuff, but is in fact an incredibly handy-to-know section for hosting the days before and after the “main event”:

   ‘Incredible leftovers’

   ????Turkey Risotto
   ????Toad in the Hole
   ????Carbonara Cake
   ????Thai Green Curry
   ????Turkey Pie
   ????Turkey Falafel
   ????Kedgeree (my faaaaaaaavourite! The Naked God took me to heaven with this!)
   ????Royal Pasta Dough (keen to try this one. Fresh pasta is ridiculously overpriced, don’t you think?)
   ????Winter Ragu
   ????Cannelloni
   ????Lasagne
   ????Bubble & Squeak
   ????Chilli Con Carne
   ????Turkey Sloppy Joes (burgers, essentially. Not the most appetising of titles)
   ????Pea Soup
   ????Turkey Stew
   ????Turkey Chowder
   ????Banh Mi (turkey pate with a fancy baguette)

   ‘Afternoon tea and sweet treats’

   ????Chocolate Log
   ????My Victoria Sponge (so the rest of the book is plagiarised then?! ????)
   ????My Christmas Cake (eh? Again?!)
   ????Classic Mince Pies
   ????Filo Mince Pies
   ????Mince Pie Strudels
   ????The Jaffa Cake
   ????Churros (doughnuts)
   ????Cannoli Brandy Snaps
   ????Billionaire’s Shortbread
   ????Badass Brownies (not sure the words ‘bad’ and ‘ass’ are appropriate when describing chocolate brownies … just sayin’)
   ????Cupcakes (unfortunately not “kick-ass”, “bad ass” or indeed “my …” [No! Not my ass! It’s a reference to the ‘My’ recipe ownership mentioned above. Tut-tut!]
   ????Amalfi Cake
   ????Gingerbread

   ‘Cute edible gifts’

   ????Fudge
   ????Truffles
   ????Biscotti
   ????Florentines

   Short interlude on gift presentation. Ta for that Jim Bob.

   ????Rocky Road
   ????Honeycomb
   ????Hot Chocolate
   ????Lemon Curd
   ????Chilli Sauce
   ????Piccalilli
   ????Pear Pickle

   ‘Super fantastic salads’

   ????Spinach & Bacon Salad
   ????Crispy Camembert Parcels
   ????Winter Slaw
   ????Roasted Carrot & Avo Salad
   ????Retro Layered Salad
   ????Waldorf Salad
   ????Pork & Rice Salad
   ????Warm Crispy Duck Salad (with ‘gnarly’ toasts, no less ????)
   ????Fifteen Christmas Salad (grammar pedant’s delight?)

   ‘Dips, bites and handheld nipples (oops, naughty autocorrect, it’s nibbles)’

   ????Baked Camembert
   ????Taramasalata (something I enjoyed as a kid before discovering it was made with fish eggs)
   ????Sausage Roll Mania (4 subdivided sections: Sweet Squash & Cheddar / Garlic, Mushroom & Thyme / Sausage, Sage & Mustard / Bold Black Pudding)
   ????Smoked Salmon Blinis
   ????Welsh Rarebit

   Short interlude on hosting a party. A tad patronising.

   ????Quesadillas
   ????Samosa Cigars
   ????Baked Buns
   ????Four Party Dips (subsections include Spanish Stylee (sic) [give it a rest sunshine – Ed] / Guacamole / Creamy Blue Cheese / Silky Houmous)

   Short interlude on edible decorations.

   ????Perfect Popcorn (as opposed to the imperfect stuff, I’m guessing)
   ????The Cheeseboard (advice on choosing cheese, presentation, etiquette, suitable drinks, etc)

   My mum will be pleased to know that there is a great chapter focusing on the vegetarian and vegan diets (unlike myself, she lacks in the boobage and can actually hug the average tree, although don’t quote me on this as I have no empirical evidence to date):

   ‘Veggie & vegan plates’

   ????Nut Roast (no vegetarian menu is complete without a nut roast!)
   ????Cheese Pie
   ????Baked Squash
   ????Vegan M’hanncha (Moroccan for ‘snake’! Don’t panic, it’s a reference to the shape – a filled roll)
   ????Cracker Ravioli (seriously?)
   ????Roasted Celeriac
   ????Party Squash Soup
   ????Vol Au Vents (that great 80’s classic!)
   ????Aubergine Curry

   *NB: There are many other vegetarian and vegan dishes peppered throughout the book under other sections, such as Vegan Gravy and Veggie Stuffing recipes in the ‘sauces’ section, Bubble & Squeak under ‘leftovers’, etc …*

   And finally … Invaluable advice so as not to poison your guests …

   ‘Guide to roasting meat’

   An in-depth guide on roasting beef, pork, lamb, birds … Followed by a rather dull (almost pompous) few paragraphs on nutrition and what-not. Yawwwwn.

   Now I genuinely hope I’ve given you a great insight into this latest offering from ‘the boy’ Jamie, but to be honest I had rather naively undercalculated the time it would take for me to spill out all of this idle chat, so it’s time for me to, err … Get a life ????.

   Happy Christmas folks! xxx

3. 

   Rated 3 out of 5

   05

   by Laura October 27, 2023

   Poor condition

4. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   05

   by Laura November 9, 2023

   Lovely book easy to follow. Good recipes

5. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   05

   by KM November 12, 2023

   So the go-to Christmas book in our house has for years been Nigella’s Christmas; but this book from Jamie is a festive treat for the eyes (yes photos on every recipe again – thank you Jamie!), as well as for the mouth (the recipes we have tried so far have been spot on).

   The variety of recipes in the book is excellent, with many that are not just for the festive season (unlike Nigella’s Christmas book).

   So to begin with a summary, if you like the sound of the recipes (I have posted a FULL RECIPE LIST at the end of my review), you will LOVE this book. And if still unsure there are some of the recipes available on Jamie’s website to try before you buy, with images too.

   And now for those that want it… here’s a bit more detail…

   As stated first impression of the book were great, with every recipe having the following info:

   Photo (very nice festive photos too)
   Intro
   Serving size
   Timing (v important for me when browsing)
   Nutritional information per serving: calories, fat, sat fat, protein, carbs, sugars, salt and fibre
   Ingredients list (listed in metric)
   Detailed method – leaving nothing to doubt

   I have uploaded a couple of images so you can get an idea of some typical pages.

   The book is split into the following sections:

   Smart Starters
   The Main Event
   Veggie and Vegan Plates
   The Wonderful World of Potatoes
   Scrumptious Vegetables
   Gravy, Sauces and all the trimmings
   Incredible Leftovers
   Spectacular Festive Puddings
   Afternoon Tea and Sweet Treats
   Cute Edible Gifts
   Super Fantastic Salads
   Dips, Bits and Handheld Nibbles
   Perfect Drinks
   Guide to Roasting Meat

   As stated before, there is a huge variety of recipes so I am sure I will be cooking from this book throughout the year or dipping into it for inspiration even in the summer months as some of the salads look very tasty indeed.

   My only minor criticism is that I have noticed a couple of duplicated recipes (such as the Christmas Bomb), but to be honest there are so many other recipes in the book that I still feel very glad to have this book as an addition to my rapidly growing recipe book collection.

   So all in all Jamie has done it again for me, a high quality book with a fantastic range of recipes that are accessible. Would make for an excellent Christmas gift for any JO fan. Fantastic.

   *******************
   FULL RECIPE LIST
   *******************

   SMART STARTERS
   *******************
   PRAWN COCKTAIL
   BEEF CARPACCIO
   ROASTED APPLE & SQUASH SOUP
   SEAFOOD SMÖRGÅSBORD
   SMOKED SALMON PATE
   BEETROOT CARPACCIO
   SILKY PATE
   GRAVADLAX
   PORK TERRINE

   THE MAIN EVENT
   *******************
   ROAST GOOSE
   ROAST BEEF
   JERK HAM
   PORCHETTA
   PREPPING THE TURKEY
   COOKING THE TURKEY
   TURKEY WELLINGTON
   ROAST CHICKEN
   FLAVOURED BUTTERS
   ROAST DUCK
   ROAST VENISON
   MEATLOAF
   RACK OF LAMB
   SALMON EN CROÜTE
   FISH PIE
   FISH CURRY
   SALT CRUST SALMON

   VEGGIE & VEGAN PLATES
   *******************
   NUT ROAST
   CHEESE PIE
   BAKED SQUASH
   VEGAN M’HAVNCHA
   CRACKER RAVIOLI
   ROASTED CELERIAC
   PARTY SQUASH SOUP
   VOL AU VENT
   AUBERGINE CURRY

   THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF POTATOES
   *******************
   BEST ROAST POTATOES
   HASSELBACKS
   POTATO AL FORNO
   CHAMP PIE
   TUSCAN POTATOES
   BAKED MASH
   BALSAMIC
   POTATOES
   MY POMMES ANNA

   SCRUMPTIOUS VEGETABLES
   *******************
   CREAMED SPINACH
   ROASTED PARSNIPS
   RED ONION GRATIN
   GLAZED CARROTS
   BRUSSELS SPROUTS
   SQUASHED BRUSSELS
   MUSTARD BRUSSELS TOPS
   BRUSSELS IN A HUSTLE
   BRAISED BRUSSELS
   CLAPSHOT ROASTED BEETS
   CAULIFLOWER CHEESE RED
   CABBAGE PUMPKIN PURÉE
   GRAVY, SAUCES & ALL THE TRIMMINGS
   DARK BONE GRAVY
   GET-AHEAD GRAVY
   VEGAN GRAVY
   BAKED BREAD SAUCE
   CRANBERRY SAUCE
   HORSERADISH SAUCE
   MINT SAUCE
   PIGS IN BLANKETS
   MEAT STUFFING
   VEGGIE STUFFING
   YORKSHIRE PUDS

   INCREDIBLE LEFTOVERS
   *******************
   TURKEY RISOTTO
   TOAD IN THE HOLE
   CARBONARA CAKE
   THAI GREEN CURRY
   TURKEY PIE
   TURKEY FALAFEL
   KEDGEREE
   ROYAL PASTA DOUGH
   WINTER RAGÜ
   CANNELLONI
   LASAGNE
   BUBBLE & SQUEAK
   CHILLI CON CARNE
   TURKEY SLOPPY JOES
   PEA SOUP
   TURKEY STEW
   TURKEY CHOWDER
   BAHN MI

   SPECTACULAR FESTIVE PUDDINGS
   *******************
   CHRISTMAS PUDDING
   RETRO TRIFLE
   CHOCOLATE POTS
   PAVLOVA
   APPLE PIE
   TIRAMISÜ
   WINTER BOMBE
   BREAD & BUTTER PUDDING
   ICELANDIC RICE PUDDING
   PANNACOTTA
   BANOFFEE
   ARCTIC ROLL
   FRANGIPANE TART
   MONTE BIANCO
   GRANITA
   APPLE CARPACCIO
   CHRISTMAS SUNDAES

   AFTERNOON TEA & SWEET TREATS
   *******************
   CHOCOLATE LOG
   MY VICTORIA SPONGE
   MY CHRISTMAS CAKE
   CLASSIC MINCE PIES
   FILO MINCE PIES
   MINCE PIE STRUDELS
   THE JAFFA CAKE
   CHURROS CANNOLI
   BRANDY SNAPS BILLIONAIRE’S
   SHORTBREAD
   BADASS BROWNIES
   CUPCAKES
   AMALFI CAKE
   GINGERBREAD

   CUTE EDIBLE GIFTS
   *******************
   FUDGE
   TRUFFLES
   BISCOTTI
   FLORENTINES
   ROCKY ROAD
   HONEYCOMB
   HOT CHOCOLATE
   LEMON CURD
   CHILLI SAUCE
   PICCALILLI
   PEAR PICKLE

   SUPER-FANTASTIC SALADS
   *******************
   SPINACH & BACON SALAD
   CRISPY CAMEMBERT PARCELS
   WINTER SLAW
   ROASTED CARROT & AVO SALAD
   RETRO LAYERED SALAD
   WALDORF SALAD
   PORK & RICE SALAD
   WARM CRISPY DUCK SALAD
   FIFTEEN CHRISTMAS SALAD

   DIPS, BITES & HANDHELD NIBBLES
   *******************
   BAKED CAMEMBERT
   TARAMASALATA
   SAUSAGE ROLL
   MANIA
   SMOKED SALMON BLINIS
   WELSH RAREBIT
   QUESADILLAS
   SAMOSA CIGARS
   BAKED BUNS
   FOUR PARTY DIPS
   PERFECT POPCORN

   PERFECT DRINKS
   *******************
   WHITE RUSSIAN
   HOT BUTTERED RUM
   FISH HOUSE
   PUNCH MANHATTAN
   PINK PEPPER
   NEGRONI
   WINTER OLD FASHIONED
   ROB ROY
   HOT TODDY
   FESTIVE BELLINI
   PARTY PROSECCO
   FROZEN GRAPES & GRAPPA