Cookbook junkies - recommend me your favourite recipes in....

[HarrogateMum]

I am a cookbook junkie and have piles and piles of the things on my shelves...some obscure ones but mainly the bog standard celeb chef ones. When I buy them I spend hours poring over them planning what to cook from them and end up probably only doing 1 or 2 recipes from each as I have so bloody many!

I need to use them more so wondered if anyone could recommend me their fave recipes from a particular chef and a particular book so I can try some new stuff. I thought I'd pick Jamie Oliver first and see if anyone replies!

For me my tried and tested ones are:
The Naked Chef - meatball recipe

Return of - the fantastic fish pie, the roast chicken and the proscuitto wrapped fillet of beef.

Happy Days with - magnificient roasted monkfish

Cook with - the roasted white fish wrapped in bacon.

At home - the crispy chicken thighs with squashed new potatoes and tomatoes.

Dinners - chicken and sweet leek pie with flaky pastry.

I've never made anything out of Jamie's Italy and have yet to try anything from America, so recommend me some stuff! (Please)

yes it is - well the recipe is for 10 to 12 and as me and DH have big appetites and I knew if I overcatered I would freeze some so I did a third of the recipe....he said 3 dried chillies but I only had flaked crushed chillies so just used a sprinkle of those, and he then said 3 to 4 fresh chillies so I used half a red one and half a green one...didnt think it would be so hot! Maybe it will mellow as it cooks....we shall see! I will report back tomorrow!

I have also done his Fiery Dan Dan Noodles from that book and that was delicious. Had never thought of doing minced beef as part of a stir fry.

have all the books

my fave by far - done nearly a third of the recipes in it - and they are all brill -

Sarah Raven's Garden cookbook

like the idea of a section for rec on MN

brilliant thread - any way it can be made sticky? - whatever that means! it's like the best ever what shall i have for supper thread.

Naked chef - butternut squash stuffed pasta with sage butter also good - can't remember others now - but plenty to try from here. YUM

as a book i recommend MASSIVELY bookS FOR cooks best of 12&3 - it's a best of best of ifswim and everyone is a winner. in fact i think it is the only cookbook i have actually made allmost everything from.

Ministry of Food - got this for Christmas and have made loads

• cherry tomato pasta
• minced beef and onion pie
• salmon stir fry
• broccoli and pesto pasta

Also the seven hour lamb (or is it five hour?) from Dinners, chicken and sweet leek pie, chicken and noodles (from the meals for one section of Dinners)

Great idea HM.

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aw thanks all....I've found it v.useful already and have looked at recipes that I would have passed by beforehand!

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chilli update - Jamie's America chilli was delicious and last night I made the sweetcorn salsa from the same book that he does with fish but I accompanied it with some Cajun chicken - another spicy winner!

Jamies America -

Tried the huevos ranchos(sp?) sat morning, and that was big hit with everyone.

Made the fried chicken yesterday. This is a bit of a faff, took couple of hours to fry it all off. Best thing to do, is cook it in advance, then heat it in the oven when you want to eat it, it crisps up lovely and you can be sure it is cooked right through. It is delicious!! I've still got enough in the fridge for anotehr meal.

One of my fav books is a bit older, Madhur Jaffery's curry bible. Everythign I have tried in there is delicious. Would especiallly recommend the dania chicken recipe.

From indian food made easy -
bengali fish stew

I must try the Jamie chilli one, also really want to try the gumbo, waiting for the next visit from the fish stall for some giant crab claws!

Chops - long time no see! Will try the Bengali fish stew...sounds yum!