Cookery book club - June - Mexican Food Made Easy (Thomasina Miers) and Thirty Minute Meals (Jamie Oliver)

[Curioustiger]

Come join the Mumsnet cookery bookclub! Each month we choose two cookery books - one popular, like Nigella / Jamie / Delia, so you probably already have it / can borrow it and one a bit more unusual. We cook a minimum of two recipes each - you choose the recipe, they just have to be ones you have never cooked before- which works out at four new recipes each month.Then we chat about them!

For May, our books were:

• Jerusalem by Ottolenghi
• Kitchen Diaries

And we posted here

For June our books are:

• Mexican Food Made Easy by Thomasina Miers
• Thirty Minute Meals by Jamie Oliver

For July our books will be:

• Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall Veg Every Day
• Madhur Jaffrey Ultimate Curry Bible

We will always try to pick at least one book with recipes available on the Internet, and local libraries are great for cookbooks if you can order in advance. We pick books three months ahead so will be choosing August's books this month.

OK, I'm sending some chipotles to ScienceRocks tomorrow, anyone else want some while I'm at the post office?

I have another 200g, which will make one batch of the en adobo, for the first taker :)

I made JO's beef hash and the beans last night.

It was ok. A bit dry, the timings were out. Would maybe make it again.

What's happening next month book wise then?

HUEVOS I would love the chilies if they're still going?

I made Jamie's oozy mushroom Risotto last night, it was ok. The spinach salad was really tasty, it uses both balsamic vinegar and lemon juice in the dressing which I would never think of doing myself. I didn't use pine nuts though, and didn't do the cheesecake dessert..

Tonight we are having the Chicken dim sum from Jamie's 15 minute meals, does anyone have that book?

I have Jamie's 15 mins. Some of the recipes are quite nice. We made the chicken Laksa recently which was yummy. I must admit to being put off a little by the photos - everything looks so brown and unappealing.

Are you making the coconut buns Leonardo? Left us know how they turn out. I fancied them but then read a few negative comments and made something else

Leonardo, they are yours!

Just PM me your name and address and I'll post them out tomorrow :)

Thanks Huevos! I've sent the PM.

catwithflowers yes, that Laksa is yummy, especially the chicken. I am making the buns, I have made this meal a few times and no way does it take only 15 minutes. I use an electric steamer. The buns are nice although need more seasoning than stated in the recipe and they stick to the paper cases like glue. I'm not sure how authentic they are, a Chinese chef might curse them! But like most of JO's 30 minute and 15 minute meals, this is bursting with many different flavours, something that really appeals to DH and I.

Welcome strawberry.

I've run out of patience with the library and ordered TM. Bad

I've just realised I have loads of JO books but I don't really like them.

The odd recipe here and there are ok but I want a cookbook where I want to, and can, cook 3/4 of it. < wails>

Leonardo I may give it a go then . I think I have nearly all of JO's books and do like lots of the recipes. I think the only one I haven't cooked from is the America one which I was given as a present but doesn't appeal at all.

I did recently make the Trapani style rigatoni in 30 Min Meals (p40) and it was really lovely and will definitely make again. I also make his salsa verde loads to go with fish of meat (p170)

Cat, a good place to start with jamie Oliver's America is the green chilli recipe. I serve it with lettuce wraps and yogurt. Fab!

I make the coconut buns quite a lot - we often put some filling in, a bit of teriyaki sauce with prawns or leftover pork works well.

The timescale side of Jamie's books doesn't bother me, I like both books because they are good for getting me out of a rut- there are some very clever ideas, and with a bit of tweaking or time most if the recipes work. My kids adore the pickled cucumber salad and it's so easy.

I'm the same with JO, have loads of his books but have cooked very little from them. Think I have enough to put him on the list for the next 12 months at least this thread is making me actually cook from my books, rather than drooling over them, then gazing lovingly at the stacks in my bookcase and piles on the floor. I may end up culling a few in the end though.

Thanks Science. Will go and have a look now!

Not sure re next months books, think we are waiting for Tigerto give us a definitive list but looking like HFW Veg book and either/or Madhur's Jaffreys Curry Bible/Hairy Bikers Curries. Am wondering if there will be a mass passing on of the Veg book to the Charity shops after the reviews up thread

I made the tortilla soup today- I agree with the others, it was delicious. I made the accompaniments suggested, and each added something to the overall flavour. It was lovely. Even the avocado and I'm not usually a fan.

My house stinks after deep frying the tortilla though. I will invest in some tortilla chips for tomorrows leftovers.

I did modify my method, in that I added the chipotle at the end, after blitzing. This allowed me to separate DC portion before spicing it up. They loved it, but obviously it's just tomato soup for them.

I'm either making summer tacos or Jamie cheat pizza tonight, I will report back.

Panta It felt like I was a lone voice of decent on the very popular Hugh's Veg Everyday thread - so I wouldn't worry about it, most people will probably love it. I intend to cook some side dishes from it. I am always after that elusive recipe that sounds ridiculously simple but the flavours are mind blowing - it's always worth a go. Hugh probably has more experience putting together side dishes to go with meat than veggie mains.

I was veggie for 25 years and I was constantly amazed by how easily pleased meat eaters were, when it came to cliched veggie food.

Cat I have JO's America too, bought after I was inspired by Man vs Food . Plenty in there I like, especially the Gumbo. science do you think that the green chili would work with Turkey Mince?

The JO book I don't really click with is Great Britain.

I sort of hope I won't like HFW veg as its a big book and I could buy 2 new ones in its place if I get rid. I also have 3 good things which I haven't used either. Porridge and crackling? Really?

I love some of JO's recipes but they are few and far between. When you compare some of his books to Jerusalem or Kitchen Diaries, his come up a bit flat. I know its unfair to compare them to Jerusalem.

Saying that I love his fish pie, can't remember the book though. Also steak, Guinness and cheese pie and a chicken dish from Jamie's Dinners and a curry from one of the Naked Chef books.

Am going to try his sausage rolls and mackerel pâté this week instead of a proper meal.

kneedeep the sausage rolls and pâté are really nice, I recommend you give the salad a go too its an odd combo but tastes really good.

leonardo after reading that you were having the coconut buns from jo 15 minute meals I have made the same! Been meaning to make this for ages and you reminded me. I had half a tin of coconut milk in the fridge which needed to be used up and had all the other ingredients. Was very impressed although I didn't steam the chicken I stir fried it then added mushrooms, red chilli and spring onion then the sauce. I steamed green beans and edamame beans and then just added these at the end. Took about 12 minutes start to finish although kitchen does look like a bomb site! I made a cucumber salad to go with it but used my own recipe as don't have the book so was cooking from memory after flicking through it in the bookshop!

leonardo I too struggle to click with the jo Great Britain!

I made the cheats pizza tonight- nothing to write home about, but very.fast, very easy, and open to creative thinking. The dough, and the fry and grill method will be adopted for quick pizza in this house. DC love it, dh loved it, and I am suitably impressed that it was done in 20 mins. I didn'tmake the salads as he suggested, as DC wouldn't eat it and I don't like tomatoes. It went well with a watercress, rocket and parma ham salad though.

I will mention that to serve four adults you'd need more than this makes. Unless my family are particularly greedy .

Red rice this evening was an absolute success. Yummy noises and requests for more from everyone. Will try them with the green rice next week I think.

Am doing the JO chicken pie next. Anyone else done this?

Green- it and the.peas that go with it are my favourite recipe in the book.