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EasyMeals
Rachel Allen
Over 180 delicious recipes to get
you through your busy life
TEXT ONLY EBOOK EDITION
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Introduction
Store Cupboard
Hearty lentil and onion soup
Artichoke salad
Haricot bean and tuna salad
Perfect mushrooms on toast
Spiced baked eggs
Spiced beans and corn salsa toppings for baked potatoes
Thai chickpea and mushroom curry
Tarka dahl
Poached eggs with bacon lentils
Instant dips
Huevos rancheros
Smoked salmon and chive fish cakes
Spaghetti with anchovies, garlic and chilli
Fusilli with tuna, capers and cream
Tinned-tomato pasta
Tagliatelle with bacon, peas and mint
Chicken and bacon pilaf
Bacon and potato gratin
Baked mushroom risotto
Tomato and rosemary risotto with meatballs
Spiced lamb pittas
Lamb meatballs
Chocolate, toffee and peanut squares
Easy lemon cake
Orange torte
Orange and almond cake
Gluten-free chocolate and orange polenta cake
Chocolate mousse
Oreo chocolate fudge sundae
Toffee peanut sundae
Chocolate marshmallow biscuit cake
Fruit sundae with strawberry coulis
Raspberry coconut pudding
Coconut and cardamom pannacotta
Vanilla buttercream squares
Ginger squares with lime frosting
Fast and Fabulous
Parsnip soup with porcini oil
Speedy chicken noodle soup
Five-minute pea soup
Chickpea and aubergine salad
Fattoush
Spicy prawns with feta and watermelon
Roasted vegetable couscous
Zac’s omelette wraps
Zac’s omelette wraps (cont.)
Mushroom and Gruyère tart
Tomato and goat’s cheese tart
Piadine
Piadine (cont.)
Quesadillas
Fusilli with courgettes and lemon
Spiced prawns, tomatoes and chickpeas
Quick prawn korma
Battered prawn stir-fry
Thai mussels
Scallops mornay
Thai steamed fish
Chicken stir-fry
Chicken paillard with creamy cucumber and courgettes
Chicken skewers with carrot and apple salad
Pan-fried chicken with mango salsa
Chicken noodle stir-fry
Pan-fried duck breasts with redcurrant jelly sauce
Lamb chops with parsley and mint sauce
Pork stir-fry
Pork chops with sage and apple
Garam masala pork with yoghurt
Maple black pepper pork chops
Seared beef salad
Stir-fried steak with kale
Spiced apples and pears
Baked peaches with honey and pecans
Coconut macaroon meringue
Banoffee pancakes
Quick blueberry trifles
Chocolate mascarpone mousse
Baked white chocolate vanilla custards
Quick fruit brûlée
Five Ingredients or Less
Sweet potato and Gruyère tortilla
Penne with smoked trout
Conchiglie with spinach, blue cheese and pine nuts
Penne with broad beans and asparagus
Fusilli with fried onions and olives
Fish baked with potatoes
Fish en papillote, three ways
Fish en papillote
Mackerel with chorizo
Fennel baked fish
Spicy squid salad
Salmon with capers and dill
Spanish mussels
Very fast red prawn curry
Yoghurt masala fish
Sesame-crusted chicken
Chicken livers with onions
Chicken, parsnip and potato bake
Tarragon chicken
Spiced fried chicken
Rack of lamb
Sumac lamb chops
Honey mustard pork chops
Fried potatoes with cabbage and chorizo
Flavoured butters for steak
Apple fool
Hot buttered plum pudding
Lemon posset
Cardamom and orange semifreddo
Yoghurt, apricot and pistachio pots
Chocolate zabaglione
Rhubarb and ginger meringues
Chocolate mousse cake
Strawberry and nectarine tart
Pear and cinnamon tart
Chocolate and banana tart
One Pot
Minestrone
Carrot, ginger and coconut soup
Red lentil soup
Cauliflower soup
Smoked sausage, bean and root vegetable soup
Asparagus and goat’s cheese risotto
Kale and bean stew
Mediterranean pasta
Fish stew
Fish chowder
Easy paella
Spring vegetable roast chicken
Chicken open-pot roast
Chicken and chorizo with rice
Chicken and couscous tagine
Chicken biryani
Pot-roast duck legs with onions and root vegetables
Lamb and chickpea tagine
Leg of lamb with roasted vegetables
Lamb shanks with potatoes and pearl barley
Lamb and sweet potato curry
Slow-roast shoulder of pork
Spanish pork stew
Sausage and lentil stew
Provençal beef stew
Beef pie
Beef and red wine hot pot
Caramel rice pudding
Cinnamon baked apples
Spiced plums in red wine
Pear, almond and chocolate crumble
Chocolate croissant bread and butter pudding
No Cook
Beetroot gazpacho
White gazpacho
Fennel and pink grapefruit with feta
Fennel and mango salad
Parma ham and nectarine salad
Pear and blue cheese salad
Mashed chickpeas on toast
Artichoke purée on toast
Chicken with basil mayonnaise on toast
Mixed root remoulade with ham
Thai crab toast
Spiced chicken open sandwich
Ceviche
Smoked salmon and avocado on rye toast
Japanese-style salmon tartare
Smoked mackerel, apple and fennel salad
Sardines on toast with basil and rocket
Oranges with honey, pistachios and mint
Quick banana ice cream
Little banoffee pots
Amaretto tiramisu
St Clement’s syllabub
Melon with vodka, orange and mint
Strawberries with amaretti
Messes
Fuss-free Extras and Sides
Roasted sweet potatoes
Roasted new potatoes
Perfect mashed potatoes
Sautéed potatoes
New potato salad
Paprika potato wedges
Fried kale
Root vegetable mash
Red cabbage coleslaw
Buttered cabbage
Roasted cauliflower with gremolata
Green beans with anchovies and toasted almonds
Sautéed courgettes
Broccoli and oyster sauce
Sticky roast carrots in maple syrup
Two ways with lentils
Plain boiled rice
Brown pilaf rice
Couscous
Brown scones with treacle and sesame seeds
Poppy seed scones
Quick red pepper and pesto focaccia
Shortbread biscuits
Acknowledgements
Copyright
About the Publisher
Introduction
It seems like we all lead such hectic lifestyles these days. Even though I love to cook, often I just don’t have the time to make complicated food. I’d love to spend six hours cooking an elaborate meal, but sometimes it just isn’t realistic. I think that’s true for a lot of people. Our lives are so busy now it can be difficult to set aside time to cook. That said, I don’t think it’s always the case that the more time you take over a meal the better it is. Truly great food can often be made in minutes and only using four or five ingredients.
It’s not just time though; I often want fuss-free food for other reasons. Some days, for instance, I might cook a one-pot dish that bubbles away in the oven as I get on with other things. The other advantage of one-pot cooking is that with everything ready at the same time I don’t have to coordinate various different side dishes. There are other times when I can’t get to the shops so I need to make something using only ingredients that I already have at home. It is always so satisfying to be able to make good food using only things I can find in my cupboards, fridge or freezer, which means being able to use specific ingredients cleverly as well as knowing what things it’s worth stocking up on.
This book is about times like these, when you want to cook a great meal but don’t want lots of complex steps either in the preparation or in the actual cooking. That’s why you'll find a chapter with recipes that use only five ingredients or fewer. I’ve also included a whole chapter for when you don’t feel like turning on the oven at all. The recipes are unapologetically simple and straightforward – most are very quick from start to finish – yet they never compromise on flavour. A hectic lifestyle doesn’t have to mean reaching for a sugary snack or ordering a takeaway. It’s perfectly possible to cook wholesome food without too much time or fuss. This book shows you how to do just that – make food that is quick and simple yet always delicious.
PS. The oven temperatures in this book are for a conventional oven, but if I am using a fan oven then I usually reduce the temperature by 10 per cent.
Store Cupboard
We all have times when we need to create a meal using only what we have in the cupboard, fridge or freezer. To prepare for those times when you can’t get to the shops, it’s worth stocking up on basic ingredients with a long shelf-life. Tinned tomatoes and beans as well as dried pulses and pasta are perfect for such occasions. The recipes in this chapter also include meats such as bacon and leftover roast chicken, which I often have in my fridge. My freezer is usually full of things such as minced lamb or beef and, of course, peas. I sometimes keep a few long-life and versatile luxury foods too, such as dried porcini mushrooms or artichoke hearts preserved in oil.
It’s not just savoury dishes that you can make with what you have on your shelves. Dry ingredients such as nuts, dried fruit and chocolate – both powdered and solid – make the store cupboard a treasure trove for baking and desserts.
Hearty lentil and onion soup
This is a rustic take on classic French onion soup. The lentils make it substantial and nutritious as well as bringing their own unique earthy flavour. The croutons are the perfect finishing touch, though you can make the soup without them if you prefer.
Serves 4 (v, if using vegetable stock)
PREPARATION TIME
10 minutes
COOKING TIME
1 hour
4 tbsp olive oil
6 onions (about 900g/2lb in total), peeled and finely sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
150g (5oz) Puy lentils
3 tsp finely chopped rosemary leaves
1 litre (1¾ pints) chicken or vegetable stock
For the Gruyère croutons
4 slices of white bread
75g–100g (3–3½oz) Gruyère cheese, grated
* Pour the olive oil into a large saucepan on a medium heat and, when nearly hot, add the onions. Season with salt and pepper and cook, uncovered, for 25–30 minutes, stirring regularly and scraping the bottom of the pan to dislodge the caramelised pieces and mix them in, until the onions are a deep golden brown.
* Add the lentils, rosemary and stock. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat, cover with a lid and simmer for about 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
* Shortly before the soup is ready, preheat the grill to high to make the croutons (if using).
* Toast the bread on both sides, then cover each slice with a thick layer of grated cheese. Place back under the grill and toast until bubbling and melted.
* Season the finished soup with salt and pepper to taste and divide between bowls to serve. Place a whole crouton on top of each bowl of soup and add a grinding of black pepper. (If the slices of bread are too large, you may want to cut them into squares before serving.)
Rachel’s tip
I always like to cook using extra virgin olive oil as I think it provides a divine depth of flavour. Throughout these recipes I've just called for olive oil but I recommend using extra virgin if you can, especially when used in a dressing.
Artichoke salad
Artichoke hearts in a tin or jar are one of the more luxurious preserved foods. Combined with semi-sun-dried tomatoes and preserved roasted red peppers, this is a really wonderful dish.
Serves 4
PREPARATION TIME
5 minutes
125g (4½oz) preserved artichoke hearts (from a jar or tin), cut into bite-sized pieces
75g (3oz) preserved roasted red peppers (from a jar or tin), cut into 2cm (¾in) dice
50g (2oz) semi-sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
½ red onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp pesto
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* Simply mix everything together in a big bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Haricot bean and tuna salad
The intense flavours of sun-dried tomatoes and pesto can transform a tin of tuna into something really special. You can make this 2–3 hours ahead – store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Serves 4–6
PREPARATION TIME
5 minutes
4 tbsp chopped sun-dried tomatoes
2 x 400g tins of haricot beans, drained and rinsed
4 small spring onions, trimmed and sliced at an angle
120ml (4½fl oz) olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp pesto
2 x 185g tins of tuna, drained and broken into chunks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients apart from the tuna, then carefully stir in the tuna, keeping it in chunks. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Perfect mushrooms on toast
I generally have a few mushrooms in my fridge – they are quick to cook and this is a great way of serving them. The anchovies dissolve in the butter, imparting a lovely depth of flavour to this dish.
Serves 4
PREPARATION TIME
10 minutes
COOKING TIME
20 minutes
110g (4oz) butter
12 tinned anchovies, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
800g (1¾lb) mushrooms, sliced
4 tsp chopped thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 slices of bread
25g (1oz) butter
100ml (3½fl oz) single or regular cream
* Melt the butter in a large frying pan on a medium heat and, when foaming, add the anchovies and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes or until the anchovies have disintegrated and the garlic is lightly browned.
* Add the mushrooms and thyme, season with salt and pepper and reduce the heat to medium–low. Stir well, then cook, stirring occasionally, for 10–15 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft and browned.
* Meanwhile, toast the bread and butter it, then place on plates.
* Stir the cream into the mushrooms, increasing the heat to allow it to bubble for 1–2 minutes, then taste for seasoning and serve on the buttered toast.
Spiced baked eggs
Here’s a slightly different way of serving eggs, and one that’s incredibly easy, too. As the eggs cook gently in the oven, they take on the flavour of the spices and the silkiness of the cream. They’re perfect with toast.
Serves 4 (v)
PREPARATION TIME
5 minutes
COOKING TIME
8–12 minutes
2 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp smoked paprika
Good pinch of cayenne pepper
4 eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp single or regular cream
To serve
4 slices of bread
25g (1oz) butter
Four 100ml (3½fl oz) ramekins
* Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas mark 6.
* In a small bowl, mix together the spices. Break each egg into a separate ramekin and sprinkle half the spice mixture over each egg. Season with salt and pepper, then add a tablespoon of cream to each dish.
* Place in the oven and cook for 8–12 minutes or until the white is just set and the yolk is still ever so slightly soft.
* Just before the eggs are ready, toast the bread and butter it, then remove the eggs from the oven and serve with the buttered toast.
Variation
Baked eggs with smoked mackerel: Divide 1 fillet of flaked smoked mackerel between the ramekins before adding the eggs, then proceed as above but omitting the spices.
Spiced beans and corn salsa toppings for baked potatoes
These toppings are a fabulous way of dressing up baked potatoes.They are also great with nachos or tortilla chips.
Each recipe serves 4 (v)
PREPARATION TIME
10 minutes each
COOKING TIME
15 minutes for the spiced beans topping
Spiced beans topping
2 tsp each coriander and cumin seeds
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 onions, peeled and chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 x 400g tins of pinto, kidney or black beans
1 x 200g tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tsp caster sugar
* Toast and grind the coriander and cumin seeds. Place the seeds in a small frying pan on a high heat and cook, tossing frequently, for about 1 minute or until they are browned. Grind them into a powder with a pestle and mortar or place them in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush them, then set aside.
* Pour the sunflower oil into a large frying pan on a medium heat. When hot, add the onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and stir occasionally for 10 minutes or until the onions are soft and lightly browned.
* Stir in the ground spices and the cayenne pepper and cook for 1 minute. Drain and rinse the beans and then stir them in. Season with salt and pepper and use your spoon to mash a few of the beans. Next, stir in the tomatoes and the sugar, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook for 3 minutes or until the mixture is heated through. Taste for seasoning.
* Serve with baked potatoes and some crème fraîche or natural yoghurt, if you like.
Corn salsa topping
1 x 200g tin of sweetcorn
½ red onion, peeled and finely chopped
½ red or green chilli, deseeded and chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp olive oil
* Drain and rinse the sweetcorn, then mix all the ingredients together and season to taste.
* Serve with baked potatoes, and some crème fraîche or natural yoghurt if you like.
Thai chickpea and mushroom curry
Green curry paste is an incredibly useful ingredient to have in your store cupboard – creating in an instant that subtle and complex balance of flavours that Thai food is all about. This delicious vegetable curry is substantial enough to serve on its own or with rice. To make it vegetarian, look for mock fish sauce, which is made from soy beans and often seaweed, or you can use soy sauce instead.
Serves 4
PREPARATION TIME
10 minutes
COOKING TIME
20 minutes
1 tbsp sunflower oil
250g (9oz) mushrooms, quartered
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1–2 tbsp Thai green curry paste
1 tbsp soft dark brown sugar
1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk
1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
150g (5oz) potatoes, peeled and cut into 2–3cm (¾–1¼in) chunks
1 tbsp fish sauce (nam pla) or soy sauce for a vegetarian alternative
Juice of ½ lime
Chopped coriander, to serve (optional)
* Pour the sunflower oil into a large saucepan on a medium–high heat and, when hot, add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook for 8–10 minutes or until the mushrooms are golden.
* Stir in the curry paste and sugar, then stir in the coconut milk. Season with salt and add the chickpeas and potatoes.
* Bring to a simmer and cook for 8–10 minutes or until the potatoes are soft, then stir in the fish sauce or soy sauce and lime juice. Serve immediately with a sprinkling of fresh coriander (if using).
Tarka dahl
Dahl is a traditional and simple Indian dish made from lentils. Red lentils are such a useful ingredient to have in your store cupboard. They are full of nutrients, easy to cook and have a glorious nutty flavour that can be enhanced by different spices.
Serves 4–6 (v)
PREPARATION TIME
5 minutes
COOKING TIME
15 minutes
400g (14oz) red lentils
8 slices of peeled root ginger 5mm (¼in) thick
1 bay leaf
50g (2oz) butter
10 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
4 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* Place the lentils in a saucepan, along with the ginger, bay leaf and 1.5 litres (2½ pints) water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10–15 minutes, skimming off and discarding any foam that rises to the surface, until the lentils are soft.
* While the lentils are cooking, melt the butter in a small frying pan on a medium–high heat. When the butter starts to foam, add the garlic, cumin and chilli flakes and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes or until the garlic is lightly browned.
* Serve the cooked lentils on a bed of boiled rice with the garlic butter poured over the top and seasoned with salt and pepper.