Jamie Oliver serves up simple, thrifty and super-tasty Mediterranean meals using just five ingredients in his latest book

By William On Aug 25, 2023

ISLAND SALAD: STICKY PEACHES, HALLOUMI WEB & DEPOSITED CUCUMBER

Every time I visited the Greek islands I was inspired by delicious fresh and fruity halloumi salads, so I’ve had a lot of fun here making little webs of golden, crispy halloumi that are so delicious to eat.

SERVES 2

TOTAL 15 MINUTES

1 cucumber
2 pittas
1 can of 415 g sliced
peaches in juice
120 g mixed lettuce leaves
60 g halloumi cheese

Peel the cucumber lengthwise into long ribbons, discard the seedy core and place in a bowl with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, 1 tablespoon each of red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.

Toast the pittas, cut into strips and arrange around the edges of two plates.

Place a large non-stick skillet over high heat. Drain the peaches, chop coarsely (reserving the juice), add to the pan with a good splash of the reserved juice and season with pepper.

Heat through for a few minutes while mixing the lettuce leaves with the cucumber and place on a plate.

Myrtia Moschofilero Assyrtiko Dry Rosé 2022 (12.5%) £10, M&S

Place the peaches in a bowl, give the pan a quick wipe with a paper towel, then use the fine side of a grater to grate half of the halloumi over the surface of the pan (like a lace doily).

Let it cook on the stove for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown on one side, then tip it directly over one of the plates, using a spatula to remove it from the pan if necessary.

Repeat with the remaining halloumi for the second plate. Spoon the peaches on top and put them in right away.

Jamie says: From your pantry, you should already have: olive oil, extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, sea salt and black pepper.

Olly Smith’s wine pairing: Wonderful with salad

Myrtia Moschofilero Assyrtiko Dry Rosé 2022 (12.5%) £10, M&S

Blessed with soaring citrus flair, this Greek rosé is an absolute peach wine that deserves a place in your basket all on its own — and goes well with island salad, too.

JUICY SOLD CHICKEN: FLUFFY COUSCOUS, EASY POMEGRANATE, CUCUMBER & MINT SALSA

A tribute to some of the flavors common on the Levantine coast, as well as speed and excitement: just a kiss of pomegranate juice gives you gnarled, caramelized chicken with the juiciest inside.

SERVES 4

TOTAL 20 MINUTES

1 bunch of mint (30 g)
300 grams whole wheat couscous
1 large ripe pomegranate
1 cucumber
4 x 150g skinless chicken breasts, free range

Tear off the top half of the mint, chop finely and place in a bowl. Place the stems in another bowl with the couscous, cover with boiling water from the kettle, season with sea salt and cover.

Let hydrate. Cut the pomegranate in half and, holding one half cut-side down in your fingers, hit the back of it with a spoon so that all the seeds fall into the mint bowl, then repeat with the other half.

Cut the cucumber into ½ cm cubes and place in the bowl with 2 tablespoons each of extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar. Toss well and season to perfection.

Place a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Score the chicken breasts lengthwise at 1cm intervals, about halfway down.

Rub with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt and black pepper, then squeeze out the juice of a few pomegranate seeds (picked from the salsa).

Cook for 8 minutes, or until tender and cooked through, turning frequently. Remove the mint stalks from the couscous, fluff it up with a fork, mix in half of the salsa and divide between plates.

Slice the chicken and arrange on top, with the remaining salsa and mint leaves. Finish with extra virgin olive oil if desired.

Olly’s Wine Pairing: Chicken Cracking

Best Passerina 2022 (13%) £7, Tesco

Excellent value off the beaten track from Italy here. This wine is a clean, punchy white with huge character for the price tag – and so is the Juicy Charred Chicken with accompanying fruity salad.

Olly’s Wine Pairing: Medically Inspired Magic

Piccini Histrio Organic Anfora Toscana Bianco 2022 (13%) £11.99 or £9.99 in a Mix Six, Majestic

A divinely lemony blend of vermentino and malvasia, this is an excitingly elegant wine with just the right concentration for Mediterranean dishes.

Pictured left: Finest Passerina 2022 (13%) £7, Tesco. Pictured right: Piccini Histrio Organic Anfora Toscana Bianco 2022 (13%) £11.99 or £9.99 in a Mix Six, Majestic

FILLED FOLDED FLAT BREAD: MEDITERRANEAN VEGETABLES, FRESH MINT, PISTACHIO & SPICY FETA

Inspired by the Turkish flatbreads called pide, this is my stripped down phrase that still packs a flavor punch and gives you a portable lunch or dinner that you can enjoy hot or cold.

SERVES 4

TOTAL 1 HOUR

700 g frozen, grilled Mediterranean vegetables
400 g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
1 bunch of mint (30 g)
30 g shelled unsalted pistachios
100 g feta cheese

Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas mark 7. Place the frozen vegetables in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook for 15 minutes, or until super soft and sweet, stirring frequently.

Meanwhile, place the flour in a bowl with a small pinch of sea salt and gradually add 275 ml of water, mixing with a fork. Place the mixture on a floured surface and knead for a few minutes until smooth, then cover and let rest.

When the time for the vegetables is almost up, pick the mint leaves and chop them coarsely. Puree or chop the pistachios finely and mix half of them with most of the mint leaves into the vegetables.

Crumble in half the feta and season to taste. Divide the dough into 4 pieces and then roll them out to about 12 x 16 cm. Spoon a quarter of the filling into the center of each piece of dough, then pinch the shortest corners together (as shown in the picture).

Transfer to an oiled baking sheet and break remaining feta on top. Brush the dough with olive oil and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Sprinkle with remaining mint leaves and pistachios and serve.

Olly’s wine pairing: fantastic with flatbreads

2022 Corbières Rosé Château Ollieux Romanis (12%) £10.95, thewinesociety.com

As thrilling as a Star Wars space chase (Jamie is a huge fan), this rosé is a galaxy of peachy freshness with laser-like silkiness. Launch it from your glass and circle around the Stuffed Folded Flatbread.

Olly’s wine pairing: Vibrant with vegetables

2017 Mas Miralda Cava Extra Special (12%) £7.50, Asda

This sparkling Spanish cava will tickle your taste buds and have a fizzy flavor that echoes the flavors of the Mediterranean vegetables from Jamie’s Stuffed Folded Flatbread recipe.

Pictured from left to right: Corbières Rosé Château Ollieux Romanis 2022 (12%) £10.95, thewinesociety.com and Extra Special Mas Miralda Cava 2017 (12%) £7.50, Asda

LEMON CURD TART: CITRUS WORLD PASTRY & FRESH RASPBERRIES

Many delicious desserts in the Mediterranean celebrate the richness of citrus. I embellished this lemon tart by rolling and flavoring the dough to create a great texture, as the Portuguese and French do so well.

SERVES 6

TOTAL 30 MINUTES

120 g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
320 g sheet of ready-made puff pastry (cold)
5 lemons (total 120 ml juice)
4 large eggs, free range
150 g raspberries

Preheat the oven to 210°C/convection 190°C/gas 6½. Dust a clean work surface with icing sugar, roll out the puff pastry and discard the paper. Dust the dough with icing sugar and finely grate the zest of 2 lemons, then roll up tightly and cut into 1 cm slices.

2022 Canti Liberty Asti (8%) £9, Sainsbury’s

Rub a 24 cm ovenproof non-stick frying pan with olive oil, divide the discs of dough over the sides and bottom and press them together to form a single piece of dough. Bake on the bottom of the oven for 20 minutes, or until light golden brown.

Meanwhile, grate the zest of the remaining lemons into a large heatproof bowl and squeeze out all the juice (you will need 1/2 cup). Whisk in the icing sugar and eggs and place the bowl over a pan of boiling water over medium heat.

Beat continuously for about 10 minutes, or until thick, then remove from heat.

Pour the lemon curd into the dough pan and let it sit under a hot grill for a few minutes (cover the edges of the dough with aluminum foil if it starts to darken too much). Serve at room temperature, with a few fresh raspberries scattered on top and the rest on the side.

Olly’s wine pairing: Delicious with lemon

2022 Canti Liberty Asti (8%) £9, Sainsbury’s

Italian bubbles are some of the best and this sweet, frothy fizz is a sizzling elderflower lemon sorbet explosion. Super fun, light on the booze and just fantastic with the spicy Lemon Curd Tart.

Enjoy 30 Percent Off: Jamie’s 5 Ingredients – Mediterranean by Jamie Oliver is published by Penguin Michael Joseph on 31 August © Jamie Oliver Enterprises Limited (2023 5 Ingredients Mediterranean), £28.
Go to the mailshop to order a copy for €19.60. co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937. Free UK delivery on orders over £25. Promotional price valid until 9th September 2023.
Jamie Cook’s The Mediterranean will air on Channel 4 in September.