Putting together a quick dinner for your family doesn't have to mean hours in the kitchen or opening packets of ready-made meals. It's possible to be creative AND quick and still provide healthy suppers for one, two or the whole tribe.
Several factors will help you speed up in the kitchen. Make sure you have all the necessary ingredients and equipment within easy reach. Read through the recipe first, assembling everything on the counter top and hob. You don't want to be fumbling in the back of a cupboard for an essential tool or ingredient midway through. Start with a tidy kitchen and clear away utensils from the work-space once you've finished with them. Preheat the oven or grill as soon as you walk into the kitchen - they can be heating up while you prepare everything else.
There are a few common and very simple techniques that can also make things go faster. If preparing lots of vegetables, keep a bowl for peelings, seeds and skins and anything else that needs to be discarded. It will save numerous trips to the bin. Once food is prepared, keep in small bowls or on plates, ready to be added quickly once you start cooking. When peeling an onion, cut it in half from root to top first, then peel off the skin. This is much faster than peeling it whole. If chopping, make cuts lengthways, keeping the root end intact, then turn and cut crossways into small pieces. If slicing, simply start at the top end and cut back to the root, making half moon slices. Whole garlic cloves can be quickly crushed with the back of a large knife and the skin easily pulled away. If cooking meat, make sure the pieces are all roughly the same size so they cook quickly and evenly. Pans of water always come to the boil more quickly if covered with a lid. The follwoing recipes serve four.
Recipes
Beef Stroganoff with Buttered Noodles
A simpler version of the Russian classic, this uses the more economical cut of rump steak instead of fillet. The smaller the slices, the more tender it will seem - so use a sharp knife to slice the beef really thinly. You can also use ready-sliced stir-fry beef to save even more time. This makes a good amount of sauce to coat the pasta.
Cooking Time: 35-40 minutes
450g rump steak
1 onion
250g button mushrooms
2 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
ground black pepper
1 x 295g can beef consommé
284ml tub soured cream
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
300g tagliatelle
50g butter
Put a large pan of salted water on to boil for the pasta. Slice the beef in very thin strips and peel and slice the onion. Cook the pasta, keeping an eye on it while you cook the Stroganoff.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok and when very hot, add the beef. Fry for about 20 seconds without stirring or chiselling the meat off the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion and season with plenty of ground black pepper. Fry for 5 minutes then stir in the mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes. Pour in the consommé and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the soured cream mixed with the mustard and simmer another 5 minutes. Check for seasoning (you may not need to add salt due to the saltiness of the consommé and mustard).
When the pasta is done, drain and toss in the butter. Divide the pasta and serve it in in large, shallow bowls, with the beef and sauce ladled over the top.
Moroccan-style Beef with Flat Bread
This dish uses the spicy flavours of North Africa and would traditionally be served with flat bread. Tortilla wraps are a quick and easy accompaniment.
Cooking time: 35 minutes
75g pine nuts
1 tbsp oil
1 onion
1 red chilli
1 clove garlic
500g minced steak
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp all spice
salt and black pepper
1 x 200g tin tomatoes
4 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
1/2 a head iceberg lettuce
1/2 a cucumber
200ml Greek yoghurt or sour cream
Heat a large frying pan or wok over a medium high heat and dry fry the pine nuts until golden, for about 5 minutes. Keeping an eye on them, chop the onion, red chilli and garlic. Remove the pine nuts when toasted and set aside.
Heat the oil and fry the onion until it begins to colour - about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chilli and fry for another minute. Add the meat and cook until well-browned, then add the spices and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomatoes, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for a further 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, shred the lettuce and chop the cucumber. Heat the tortillas either in a warm oven, by dry-frying them in a large frying pan or pop them briefly into the microwave. When ready to serve, stir in the toasted pine nuts and chopped coriander. Pile the meat onto the tortillas and top with the lettuce, cucumber and yoghurt or sour cream.
Pesto Chicken with Roasted Vegetables
This all-in-one dish combines Mediterranean flavours and the convenience of ready-made pesto.
Cooking time: 35-40 minutes
900g new potatoes, cleaned
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 medium courgettes
2 red onions
1 red or yellow pepper
salt and black pepper
4 x boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 tbsp good quality basil pesto
Preheat the oven to 220C. Chop the potatoes into 2cm chunks, keeping the skin on. Place them in a large roasting tin and drizzle over the olive oil. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes to give them a head start.
Chop the courgettes into 2cm rounds, peel and roughly chop the onions and deseed and roughly chop the pepper. When the potatoes are beginning to soften and turn golden, remove the roasting tin, scrape them if they are sticking to the bottom and carefully lay the chicken breast among the potatoes. Spoon a tablespoonful of pesto on each breast. Pile the rest of the vegetables around the tin and season with salt and pepper. Return to the oven and cook for a further 20-25 minutes, regularly checking the chicken for doneness. Serve with a green salad.
Green Chicken Curry with Thai Jasmine Rice
Thai green curry paste gives you all the exotic flavours of Asia in one handy jar.
Cooking time: 30 minutes
4 x chicken breasts
1 clove garlic
8 spring onions
200g mangetout
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp Thai green curry paste
400ml tin coconut milk
3 tbsp freshly chopped coriander
350g Thai Jasmine rice, to serve
Put the rice on to cook according to packet instructions.
Chop the chicken breasts into 3cm pieces and slice the garlic and spring onions. Trim the mange tout and chop them on the diagonal. (Do this with a large knife in bunches instead of individually.) Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok and fry the garlic slices for a few seconds, then add the chicken and stir fry for one minute. Add the mangetout, spring onions and curry paste and stir fry for another minute. Pour in the coconut milk, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir the coriander in to the curry and serve with the rice.
Pork Schnitzel with Quick Fried Potatoes
Escalopes are thin pieces of meat which give the added bonus of cooking quickly. Schnitzel is the German word for cutlet. Simple and comforting, this recipe is a variation on the classic Wiener Schnitzel, which uses veal.
Cooking time: 45 minutes
900g potatoes
1 onion
4-6 tbsp oil
30g butter
8-12 pork escalopes, depending on size
1 large egg
75g dried breadcrumbs
salt and black pepper
1 lemon
Put a large pan of water on to boil, or use a steamer. Peel the potatoes, cut into 2cm chunks and boil or steam until done but still firm, about 15 minutes. Lay the pork on a plate. Crack the egg into a wide, shallow bowl and beat lightly. Place the breadcrumbs in another bowl and season with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon into four wedges and peel and chop the onion.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan, add the butter and fry the onion for 5 minutes. Drain the potatoes and allow the water to steam off them, then add to the onions, season with salt and pepper and fry on a medium high heat for 10 minutes until golden.
While the potatoes are cooking, dip the escalope in the egg then in the breadcrumbs. Transfer the potatoes to a serving dish, scraping up any bits from the bottom and keep them warm.
Heat 2 more tablespoons of oil in the same frying pan and begin frying the escalope (you will probably need to do this in batches). Keep them warm with the potatoes while you fry the rest.
Serve the schnitzel with a lemon wedge, the fried potatoes and a fresh green salad.
Sausage Casserole with Spring Cabbage and Beans
Use good quality sausages for this: pork, beef or venison or ones flavoured with leek, apple, bacon or spices. You could even use vegetarian ones if you like.
Cooking time: 30 minutes
8 good quality sausages
1 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion
2 stalks celery
2 cloves of garlic
1 head of pointed spring cabbage
200g tin tomatoes
300ml chicken or vegetable stock
salt and pepper
400g tin cannelloni or flageolet beans
4 tbsp flat leaf parsley
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the sausages until nicely browned on all sides, for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, roughly chop the onion and celery, crush the garlic and shred the cabbage. Add the vegetables to the pan and fry for a minute or two then add the garlic, tomatoes and stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
Drain and rinse the beans and stir in to the casserole. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Add the chopped parsley just before serving.
Turkey Steaks with Lemon, Parsley and Sage
This is a welcome change from chicken breasts, but you can substitute them with steamed baby new potatoes or tagliatelle pasta.
Cooking time: 30 minutes
4 turkey steaks or chicken breasts
salt and black pepper
2 tbsp sunflower oil
30g unsalted butter
300ml (one tub) chicken stock
1 lemon
4 tbsp flat leaf parsley
8 fresh sage leaves
Put the baby new potatoes on to steam or bring a pan of water to boil for the pasta. Place the turkey steaks or chicken breasts on a board, cover with a piece of cling film and gently pound them with the side of a rolling pin to flatten them to thin escalopes. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the butter. When it starts to sizzle, cook the steaks over a medium high heat for 2 minutes each side until nicely golden, then transfer to a plate. Pour the stock into the pan and bring to the boil and reduce by about half. Chop the parsley and sage.
Return the turkey to the pan and squeeze in the juice of the lemon. Simmer for 5 minutes, taste for seasoning and add the fresh herbs. Serve with the potatoes or pasta and spoon over the sauce.
Goujons are simply strips of fish. These flavours come from the state of Louisiana. Use any white fish for this dish such as cod, haddock, halibut or John Dory.
Cooking time: 25 minutes
800g white fish such as cod or haddock, skinned
2 lemons
3 tbsp cornmeal (polenta)
3 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tsp crushed chillies
1 tsp salt
4-6 tbsp vegetable oil
Cut the fish into goujons, strips about 3cm x 8cm / 1 1/4 x 3 inches and place in a bowl. Squeeze over the juice from one of the lemons. Cut the other lemon into wedges. In a wide, shallow bowl, mix the cornmeal, flour, fennel, oregano, thyme, chillies and salt.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Toss the goujons in the cornmeal mixture until well-coated. When the oil is hot, fry the fish over a high heat until golden; you may have to do this in batches, adding more oil as necessary. Transfer them to a plate covered with a layer of kitchen paper. Keep them warm while you fry the rest.
Serve with oven chips and a green salad.
Salmon Teriyaki with Pak Choi and Chinese Noodles
For a fast marinade and sauce, use a bottle of teriyaki sauce to create a mixed oriental dinner in minutes.
Cooking time: 25 minutes
4 x salmon fillets, skinned with any small bones removed
125ml teriyaki sauce
2 cloves of garlic
4 heads of pak choi
1 x 250g packet Chinese noodles
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp oil
Place the salmon in a shallow dish, pour over the teriyaki sauce and leave to marinade for 10 minutes, turning once.
Peel and slice the garlic and shred the pak choi. Bring a pot of water to the boil and cook the noodles according to packet instructions, drain and drizzle over the sesame oil. Set aside and keep warm.
Meanwhile, heat one tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan to medium high. Using a fish slice and reserving the marinade, lift out the salmon and fry for 3-4 minutes, depending on thickness. Carefully turn over and fry another 2-3 minutes or until just done in the centre. Remove to a plate and keep warm.
In the same pan, heat the rest of the oil and stir-fry the pak choi for about one minute until just beginning to wilt. Pour over the reserved teriyaki marinade and let boil for 20 seconds or so. Place the noodles on plates, then the pak choi and top with the salmon fillets, drizzling over any marinade.
Ready made packets of fresh pasta filled with cheeses, herbs or vegetables, are the perfect base for a vegetarian supper. Use tortellini, ravioli, medaglione or any 'pocket pasta' with filling of your choice. Serve with salad and crusty bread.
Cooking time: 25 minutes
500g packet of filled pasta
150g fine green beans
3 medium courgettes
1 large clove of garlic
75g Parmesan
150g baby carrots
150g asparagus tips
2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp soured cream or crème fraiche
Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Trim the green beans, slice the courgettes into 1cm slices and finely chop the garlic. Grate the Parmesan.
Heat the oil in a medium-sized frying pan and fry the courgettes over a high heat for 5 minutes, adding the garlic half-way through. Both should be a nice golden colour.
When the water boils, add the green beans and carrots, bring back to the boil and cook for one minute. Add the asparagus tips and the pasta and boil for 3-4 minutes.
Drain the pasta and vegetables in a colander, reserving 4 tablespoons of the cooking water. Return to the pan and add the courgettes and garlic. Mix the cooking water with the soured cream or crème fraiche and fold through the pasta. Sprinkle with the grated Parmesan and serve.