Jamie Oliver webchat, Thursday 29 August, 2.45pm

[GeraldineMumsnet]

We're chuffed that Jamie Oliver is paying a return visit to Mumsnet this Thursday. His first MN webchat was back in 2010.

Jamie has a new book out, Save with Jamie: Shop Smart, Cook Clever, Waste Less (all subjects dear to MNers' hearts). It has 100 brand-new recipes designed to be accessible, reliable and, above all, affordable.

This is what Jamie says about his new book: "For years I have been telling people that if you look back through history, the best food in the world has always come from communities under massive financial pressure. But the proviso is that you MUST be able to cook! If you can't, and have no money, that is where the trouble starts. This is a cook book which, from start to finish has tasty recipes, all dedicated to great value, is a brilliant weapon to have on the shelf, and is relevant to every household. If you use this book the way it's intended, you should end up saving a wodge of cash from your wallet."

And to tie in with the book, he has a new six-part series on Channel 4 starting on Monday 2 Sept at 8pm.

Please post your question and join Jamie for a chat at 2.45pm on Thurs.

teWi a bit of black currant and apple squash is nice with blackberries, I use in in crumble

Jamie, I love Lebanese and Greek style food, but I'd be crap at making it at myself as I only do basic type cooking. How about a simple to follow book with middle Eastern recipes?

Ubik, skim off the fat.

BusketsCat, are you serious? Chicken stew with rice, duh.

Jamie, what about some of the other questions, on DV and 'lazy British workers'? Who cares if you like 1D.

@ILikeToMoveItMoveIt

Hi Jamie, since your 15 minute meals I have noticed a change in the ingredients that you have used - there is a lower fat content. Why is this? Is it what the masses want? Were you personally more aware, which then translated in your cooking?

15 min meals USP was I guess, fast exciting food that was all healthy, so tracking the calories, the nutrition, the balance etc. I wanted to have a safe reliable place that you guy would trust and let me do the hard work and thinking for you. Saying that, the last 5 years I've been working with a group of nutritionalist and we've started writing recipes with them, but it's not that we don't do anything delicious or indulgent. What we're doing is swapping out things and giving healthier options that can be both delicious and good for you. Definitely everyone I've worked with likes it, and most of my team around me are people of all ages, and as a group we think it's really clear to keep things really clear. So i'll continue to do this, I think. Thanks for the question!

@ubik

I have an emergency cooking question - I am a complete cooking numpty - I have boiled my roast chicken carcass with veg and stuff in an attempt to make stock. It is done. smells ok. But very greasy. lots of fat in it. is it supposed to be like that?

Please don't worry. Fat equals flavour. It will solidify and float. First job get some tongs or a masher and slowly smash up all the bones to get every last bit of flavour out of it.

The stock will be cloudy which is lovely. Pass through a sieve, allow it to cool down, put in fridge, fat will rise to the tope

Throw away if squeamish or remove, keep in a jam jar, it will last for weeks and next time you roast some potatoes or starts stew it will be the most amazing flavour bomb that will give you an extra 20% flavour for free.

at £1.38 per portion we could be living on smoked salmon and asparagus ffs.

That is a nice thing to do for LtEve's niece, Jamie.

Jamie, thank you, that is very much appreciated.

Oh thanks guys - i have tried to skim it while boiling but just seem to skim the stock rather than the fat. Will chill. Yes I am making my first batch of lentil soup with home made stock.

£1.32 average cost of a dinner or tea, £1.38 average if you include breakfast? What are the breakfasts in the book??

We haven't got any squash or juice Honey. Drinks don't make it onto our shopping list (budget ).

Chicken can be quite fatty, ubik. Just skim most of it off (though leave a little for flavour). A tip is to pull the lumps of fat out of its backside before you cook it.

Broken Sunglasses the point is Jamie said that ANYONE could use this book HE is the one who included all income groups by making that statement.
And im not pleased by the sweeping statements about young people either.
If it was older people being talked about people would say it was ageist Why is this any different.

Jamie - I think you've handled this webchat well and have just ordered your book.

Oh thats nice

I really don't think Jamie deserves this negative treatment. All the good things he has done to improve school meals etc and you lot keep banging on about one comment about a large screen tv.

For those going on about elderflower cordial, it's a bit late now but you can make it next spring and it will last you the year.

recipe

Jamie - I think it's brilliant that you have given every library in the country a copy of your book.

But I think the issue runs deeper, as a lot of the food poverty is within groups that have literacy issues. Surestart used to run cooking classes but I think the funding for those has stopped. Maybe you could do quick recipes in the advert breaks or demonstrate some basic cooking skills as part of a wider initiative?

Yes I'm serious I really cant cook, I can bake pastries, breads, cakes. But cooking just escapes me. Generally we have burnt rice dp had bought a rice cooker now though

Even though you didn't answer my question I think you have handled yourself well jamie

Butchers sometimes will give out ham bones for free and that makes an even better soup boiled up with lentils.

ditto sizzles the dog

sugar and water then for you

Yes but we need a big TV to watch the sainsbos adverts.