*munch*

[venta]

Quite often I find myself in the situation of only having around half an hour to cook and eat my tea when I get in from work. So, realistically, I want to be able to cook whatever-it-is in 15 minutes or under.

I'm not really a huge fan of microwave meals - they're usually insubstantial and/or tasteless. I have no objection to instant-style things so long as they're nice (a current stand-by is Ainsley Harriott's instant cous-cous mix... the Moroccan one in particular. Takes around five minutes, and makes a reasonable snack meal).

However. I'd rather cook stuff. Quickly. And (here comes the crunch) I want to use moderately non-perishable ingredients, because I'm never together enough to have worked out what/where/with whom I'm eating in time to have done the requisite shopping. Our house is usually reasonably well off for standard vegetables so they're OK, but fresh meat/fish is right out. Tinned stuff is OK. So is dried. Things which live in jars full of olive oil and pretend to be fresh are very much approved of :)

So, last night was a mushroom and artichoke heart omelette. Took under 10 minutes to cook, and was made from things which were hanging about in the cupboard/fridge.

Anyone got any suggestions ?

Comments

[smiorgan.livejournal.com]

If you have a freezer, then you can keep pieces of fish or chicken breast around. Try flash fried salmon with a cajun seasoning and lime juice.

Eggs are also very nice and quick, particularly poached ones as they keep a defined shape but aren't hard or greasy. Remember to add a dash of malt vinegar to the boiling water.

Couple of very nice combo recipes:

1: steam cous cous; boil puy lentils, add tomatos from a can, anchovies if you like, worcester sauce, tabasco and anything else; cook a couple of poached eggs. Serve with the cous cous on the bottom, the lentil mixture on top and the eggs in the middle.

2: Fry a chopped onion and some bacon/lardons/pancetta. Add garlic and herbs if you like. Pour on 1/4 bottle of wine (keep cheap screw top wine or party dregs for this purpose) in and allow to simmer a bit, then add a bit of cornflour to thicken the mixture. Meanwhile put toast in the toaster and poach some eggs. Serve the wine/bacon/onion sauce in a bowl, with the eggs in the middle. When the toast pops, rub with garlic for instant bruschetta and serve the lot. Eat with a spoon, slurping noisily to irritate housemates (optional). Burgundian recipe. Makes a nice starter.

[venta.livejournal.com]

If you have a freezer, then you can keep pieces of fish or chicken breast around.

This is one thing which repeatedly confuses me. I'm capable of freezing things but never remember to take them out of the freeser with sufficient time to defrost.

Apart from risking nasty food poisoning defrosting stuff in the microwave, it completely destroys the texture of the food...

How does anyone else get round this ?

Poached eggs is something worth bearing in mind. I always forget I like eggs.

[venta.livejournal.com]

2 sounds great. I'm presuming you mean red wine?