Barack and Michelle Obama have been in London for less than a day, but the American press is reporting The President's visit as a "love fest" with Gordon Brown (pic: The First Couple and The Browns at 10 Downing Street)...Meantime, there have been thirty-five arrests of anti G20 protesters as of this writing, and at least one bank break in. Security is heavy and tight. Things are far happier in the political food arena:Ob Fo is delighted to present the menu for Jamie Oliver's G20 working dinner, which Barack and Michelle will attend this evening at British prime Minister Gordon Brown's house at 10 Downing Street, along with other world leaders. The menu just showed up simultaneously from Peter Berry, Jamie's very nice press fellow, and Ob Fo correspondent Fran Acheson of the BBC, who has been apparently lobbying Mr. Berry for details. Jamie is calling the dinner "The Best of Britain," and it highlights organic and sustainable foods from around the British Isles. Jamie writes:
This is a great chance for us to show people what the Fifteen Foundation is all about and I hope we make a brilliant impression on all those world leaders. Britain has such amazing produce and I think the menu we’ve put together really shows the ingredients off. I’m very proud of it.
Most of the meal prep has been done at Fifteen London, the terrific London restaurant Jamie runs as part of the Fifteen Foundation, his non
-profit culinary training school for underprivileged and at-risk youth. Graduates have gone on to work in high-profile London restaurants, and Jamie has an eight-member team working on this evening's meal (Jamie with his G20 team, in pic). As noted in an earlier post, vegetarian and other special options are being provided for dignitaries with dietary restrictions. Fran has provided excellent local links for the sources Jamie is using, which are in the menu below, and there's also a recipe for the dessert. Much thanks to both Fran and Peter! *For updates on the dinner prep, Jamie is tweeting at @jamie_oliver, and he's also put up pix here, at his moblog. London time is eight hours ahead, so as of this writing the dinner prep is well along. Check it out!
The Jamie Oliver Best of Britain G20 Dinner Menu
Starters Organic farmed Salmon from Shetland
Foraged samphire and sea kale
Herb Garden Salad
Broad Beans from Secrett’s Farms in Sussex, Surrey and Kent
Wild garlic-scented Irish soda bread, freshly baked using Gloucestershire-based Shipton Mill organic flour; the garlic is from Elwy Valley in Wales
Vegetarian option:
Childwickbury Goat Cheese with Roasted Shallots in place of the Salmon, and no Mayo served
Entree
Slow roasted shoulder of Lamb from the Elwy Valley in North Wales
Jersey Royal Potatoes
First of the season Asparagus from the Wye valley
Foraged wild St. George Mushrooms
Mint sauce and gravy
Vegetarian option:
Lovage and Potato Dumplings instead of the Lamb
*A selection of fresh breads will be served, baked by London bakery The Flour Station, with home-made butter freshly churned at Fifteen London, using organic cream from Ivy Farm in Somerset and smoked sea salt from Halen Môn in Wales.
Dessert
Hot Bakewell Tart
Home-made Custard
The Bakewell Tart will be created with home-made jams. The fresh custard is being made with free-range eggs from the Duchy of Cornwall farms, the fantastic organic farming and environmental project overseen by Charles, Prince of Wales. Read all about it here.
Jamie's Hot Bakewell Tart
IngredientsPastry:
200g plain flour
100g butter
1/2 tsp salt
A couple of tbsp of cold water
Filling:
3 heaped tbsps of raspberry jam
100g castor sugar
100g icing sugar
120g ground almonds
50g semolina
2 med eggs
3 heaped tbsp slivered almonds
A few drops of almond essence
Method
1. Mix together the flour, butter and salt. Rub between your fingers till the mixture resembles large breadcrumbs.
2. Add the water, continue mixing, then knead into a ball. Place in the fridge for 1 hour.
3. Grease a flan/tart tin (approx 22cm). Preheat oven to 200C.
4. Roll out the pasty thinly and transfer to the tin. Trim the edges.
5. Mix together the almonds, semolina and both sugars.
6. Whisk the eggs with the almond essence and add to the almond mixture, stirring well.
7. Spread the raspberry jam over the pastry base.
8. Pour in the almond mixture and spread evenly.
9. Sprinkle with the slivered almonds then bake at 200C for approx 25-30 mins, till firm.
10. Allow to cool completely then sprinkle with a little icing sugar.
*Tart pic from Peter Berry, from the dinner...the "G20 Pud"
*Fran is a foodie, and was one of those lovely international Obama supporters during Election Season, and even had a Brit recipe in an American Obama fundraising cookery book. Her morning e mail says it all: ...the most wonderful spring morning in London - duck-egg blue skies and blazing sun. Obama weather! Fantastic looking menu, I think. Really pleased Jamie's using sea veg - very trendy here at the mo. All best from sunny London, waiting for the French to start sulking...
*Related: The Ob Fo Oliver festival: Part I is here; Part II is here, Part III is here.
*Halen Môn also provides the sea salt to Fran's Chocolates in Seattle, Washington, to make Bam's fave sweet: Fran's Smoked Sea Salt Caramels in Milk Chocolate.
