The Naked Chef

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Amazon.co.jp

   家でレストランと同じ料理を作ることは難しい。時間もスペースも道具も足りないし、凝った食材も使いにくい。そこでプロが作るようなおいしい料理を限られた条件の中で作るために書かれたのが本書。

   著者ジェイミー・オリヴァーは、1975年生まれ。8歳で料理を作りはじめ、ロンドンの有名レストラン「リバーカフェ」で修業を積んだ。22歳でBBC（イギリス国営放送）の料理番組のホストを務め、国民的スターに。その番組から生まれたのが本書。全英40万部のベストセラーとなった。1999年には、ブレア首相の公式行事の昼食も担当している。

   本書の魅力は、「料理の専門用語を並べ立てない」「出来映えに関係のない複雑で時間のかかる手順を省いた」わかりやすい説明と美しい写真。料理はもちろん、食材店やマーケットの写真も豊富で、活気あるロンドンの今を感じることができる。

   自宅で簡単に作れるイタリアン・テイストのレシピ（スープ、サラダ、パスタ、シーフード、肉料理、リゾットとクスクス、パン・デザートなど）約150点は、「トマトと赤ピーマンとバジルのスープ」「ポテトサラダとサルサ・ヴェルデ」「松の実とフレッシュハーブのイワシ巻き」など、すぐにでも作ってみたくなるものばかり。ほかにも、知っておくと役に立つ調味料やハーブ、調理用品の説明も充実。

   まだ25歳のオリヴァー君は単なるアイドルかと思いきや、料理人としての気概を感じさせる本格派。更なる成長が楽しみな天才シェフの誕生だ。（松本肇子）

Product Description

Stop making reservations, and start cooking dinner! Jamie Oliver introduces us to his concept of -naked+ food, and shares his simple, feisty, and delicious recipes that combine bold flavors with fresh ingredients. Oliver+s cookbooks appeal to anyone who wants to prepare fantastic meals but doesn+t want to spend all night cooking.The Naked Chef, filled with more than 120 fuss-free recipes and with full-color photographs throughout, proves that even kitchen novices can make perfect foolproof roast chicken, homemade ravioli, five-star risotto, and a chocofreak+s dream chocolate tart. The Naked Chef is an international bestseller, and has sold more than 200,000 copies in hardcover in the U.S.

Amazon.com Review

There are a few British television chefs, such as Delia Smith and Nigel Slater, who know exactly what viewers want. They cook food that is simple to prepare but looks and tastes delicious. That's probably the reason why the BBC appointed Jamie Oliver as the presenter of its series The Naked Chef (which airs on the Television Food Network in the U.S.). A working chef at London's celebrated River Café, Oliver cooks simpler versions of the fare you would find on the restaurant's menu. It's basically modern Italian food using ingredients that can be found by almost anyone who is reasonably interested in food shopping. Like the television show, the book is titled The Naked Chef. In Oliver's words, this sums up the idea: "It's basically stripping back to the bare essentials." He applies this to all his recipes--from salads to roasts, desserts to pastas. He doesn't use culinary jargon or time-consuming processes. In the book you'll find suggestions for ingredients to keep in your larder (pantry) and herbs to grow on your windowsill. Recipes include Warm Salad of Radicchio; Gem and Pancetta; and Beetroot Tagliatelle with Pesto, Mussels, and White Wine. There are also tips on how to cook live lobsters, how to make gravy, preparing dry beans for cooking, and how to make the perfect roast chicken. Several photographs accompany some of the recipes, with step-by-step instructions. Oliver's recipes for bread are particularly good--a tribute to his training at Carluccio's, the Covent Garden deli. This is the perfect book for anyone who doesn't want to spend much more than a half-hour preparing meals and is not willing to compromise on innovation or taste. --Dale Kneen, Amazon.co.uk