Quick, easy, tasty
Discussion
Get two chicken breasts, trim them and flatten them out, pour over some olive oil, salt and pepper, lemon juice and garlic. Switch the grill onto hot and put them to one side.
While the grill heats up put some more garlic in a pan with olive oil, chilli and finely chopped anchovies, put it on a low heat to infuse.
Put some spagetti on to boil.
Put the chicken under the grill for five or six minutes each side.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and pour over the olive oil, anchovies and chilli, then throw in a wad of torn rocket leaves and wait until they wilt. Pour in more oil if it looks a bit dry.
Serve it up with a bit of parmesan and more fresh rocket.
I'll take pics next time I make it and post them up.
While the grill heats up put some more garlic in a pan with olive oil, chilli and finely chopped anchovies, put it on a low heat to infuse.
Put some spagetti on to boil.
Put the chicken under the grill for five or six minutes each side.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and pour over the olive oil, anchovies and chilli, then throw in a wad of torn rocket leaves and wait until they wilt. Pour in more oil if it looks a bit dry.
Serve it up with a bit of parmesan and more fresh rocket.
I'll take pics next time I make it and post them up.
Courgette carbonara
Put a pan of water on to boil.
Get a courgette and chop it into smallish chunks (leave the skin on but take the really fluffy stuff from the middle out). Chop some smoked bacon rashers up into small bits. If you have no bacon, I sometimes use chorizo. If you have no courgette, never mind. This isn't going to be very authentically Italian anyway.
When the water is boiling, put the pasta in the pan to cook.
Now in a jug add one egg yolk per person, about 90ml of double cream per person, and a good handful of freshly grated parmesan. Keep a bit of the parmesan to one side. Mix it all together, then grind in a lot of pepper. It's called carbonara for a reason - the abundant use of pepper makes it look black, like flakes of coal.
When the pasta is done (al dente), drain it, don't put the pan back on the hob but add the courgette/bacon/chorizo into the pan and QUICKLY stir in the creamy parmesan mix, so that the heat from the pasta cooks the egg. Put on warmed plates, and sprinkle over the rest of the parmesan and grind over some more pepper. Serve with a green salad so you feel slightly less guilty.
Put a pan of water on to boil.
Get a courgette and chop it into smallish chunks (leave the skin on but take the really fluffy stuff from the middle out). Chop some smoked bacon rashers up into small bits. If you have no bacon, I sometimes use chorizo. If you have no courgette, never mind. This isn't going to be very authentically Italian anyway.
When the water is boiling, put the pasta in the pan to cook.
Now in a jug add one egg yolk per person, about 90ml of double cream per person, and a good handful of freshly grated parmesan. Keep a bit of the parmesan to one side. Mix it all together, then grind in a lot of pepper. It's called carbonara for a reason - the abundant use of pepper makes it look black, like flakes of coal.
When the pasta is done (al dente), drain it, don't put the pan back on the hob but add the courgette/bacon/chorizo into the pan and QUICKLY stir in the creamy parmesan mix, so that the heat from the pasta cooks the egg. Put on warmed plates, and sprinkle over the rest of the parmesan and grind over some more pepper. Serve with a green salad so you feel slightly less guilty.
paulmurr said:
Get two chicken breasts, trim them and flatten them out, pour over some olive oil, salt and pepper, lemon juice and garlic. Switch the grill onto hot and put them to one side.
While the grill heats up put some more garlic in a pan with olive oil, chilli and finely chopped anchovies, put it on a low heat to infuse.
Put some spagetti on to boil.
Put the chicken under the grill for five or six minutes each side.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and pour over the olive oil, anchovies and chilli, then throw in a wad of torn rocket leaves and wait until they wilt. Pour in more oil if it looks a bit dry.
Serve it up with a bit of parmesan and more fresh rocket.
I'll take pics next time I make it and post them up.
That sounds great, I'm going to try it. While the grill heats up put some more garlic in a pan with olive oil, chilli and finely chopped anchovies, put it on a low heat to infuse.
Put some spagetti on to boil.
Put the chicken under the grill for five or six minutes each side.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and pour over the olive oil, anchovies and chilli, then throw in a wad of torn rocket leaves and wait until they wilt. Pour in more oil if it looks a bit dry.
Serve it up with a bit of parmesan and more fresh rocket.
I'll take pics next time I make it and post them up.
Piperade:
Slice 2 onions, 2 peppers and fry in a glug of olive oil with 2 cloves crushed garlic until slightly softened.
Add a tin of tomatoes, s&p, a sprinkling of paprika, a pinch of sugar, any herbs you fancy, perhaps a dried chilli, and give it another 10 minutes on a low heat.
Crack in 4 eggs and stir gently until these are just cooked.
Eat as is with crusty bread, or top with frazzled chorizo / bacon / serrano ham.
Slice 2 onions, 2 peppers and fry in a glug of olive oil with 2 cloves crushed garlic until slightly softened.
Add a tin of tomatoes, s&p, a sprinkling of paprika, a pinch of sugar, any herbs you fancy, perhaps a dried chilli, and give it another 10 minutes on a low heat.
Crack in 4 eggs and stir gently until these are just cooked.
Eat as is with crusty bread, or top with frazzled chorizo / bacon / serrano ham.
paulmurr said:
I can't take full credit for it, I stole most of the idea from that big lipped, mockney twonk Oliver.
Also, forgot to add that you need lemon in the pasta as well as the chicken.
The recipe I posted is mainly a Jamie O one as well. Also, forgot to add that you need lemon in the pasta as well as the chicken.
Whatever you think of him as a person (and I like him), you can't deny his recipes work well and taste good most of the time.Friday night man dinner when the woman is out:
Chips:
Big potatoes, wash don't peel, cut into chip type shapes (or smaller squares if you want).
Bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika or herbs if you want. Squish em about so they all get a coating, stick in oven at about 190-200.
Chicken thighs. Put random things on - either:
Peri peri sauce
Jerk sauce
olive oil, salt, pepper
olive oil, paprika
Chuck in oven for about 30 minutes, (can go in the same tray as the the chips that have been on for 10 minutes).
Optional, stick baked beans in an ovenproof dish (best done with a wet bit of greaseproof paper covering, but can also just use lid). Splash of wocester or tabasco or just black pepper to taste).
Go away for 30 minutes and drink beer, watch telly, w*nk, play computer games. Up to you (except the beer bit is fairly mandatory).
Sit on sofa, dinner on lap, eat it like a caveman. Fart teh evening away until she comes home to clear the smog, or you fall asleep on the sofa holding a beer.
Weekday get on with stuff quicky
Cut random set of veg (pots, sweet pots, carrots, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, parsnip, courgette etc) into about 1 inch cubes. Dump in an oven pan, olive oil, salt, pepper, herbs and squish around make sure they are all covered. 40-50 minutes stirring them about once. Go do other things. Serve over cous-cous (takes 5 mins)
Weekday quick
Oil in, heat. Chopped leeks in, do for 5 mins. Chopped bacon in. Pasta into salted boiling water at the same time. After 5 mins add creme fraiche to warm through. ONce pasta cooked (8-10mins) drain and pour into mix. Add a raw egg and mix about if you wish. Done.
+
Many connotations of onion, bacon, mushrooms, chillis, chorizo as found in fridge with tin of toms. Can cook it while pasta is doing, done in under 10 mins.
Chips:
Big potatoes, wash don't peel, cut into chip type shapes (or smaller squares if you want).
Bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika or herbs if you want. Squish em about so they all get a coating, stick in oven at about 190-200.
Chicken thighs. Put random things on - either:
Peri peri sauce
Jerk sauce
olive oil, salt, pepper
olive oil, paprika
Chuck in oven for about 30 minutes, (can go in the same tray as the the chips that have been on for 10 minutes).
Optional, stick baked beans in an ovenproof dish (best done with a wet bit of greaseproof paper covering, but can also just use lid). Splash of wocester or tabasco or just black pepper to taste).
Go away for 30 minutes and drink beer, watch telly, w*nk, play computer games. Up to you (except the beer bit is fairly mandatory).
Sit on sofa, dinner on lap, eat it like a caveman. Fart teh evening away until she comes home to clear the smog, or you fall asleep on the sofa holding a beer.
Weekday get on with stuff quicky
Cut random set of veg (pots, sweet pots, carrots, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, parsnip, courgette etc) into about 1 inch cubes. Dump in an oven pan, olive oil, salt, pepper, herbs and squish around make sure they are all covered. 40-50 minutes stirring them about once. Go do other things. Serve over cous-cous (takes 5 mins)
Weekday quick
Oil in, heat. Chopped leeks in, do for 5 mins. Chopped bacon in. Pasta into salted boiling water at the same time. After 5 mins add creme fraiche to warm through. ONce pasta cooked (8-10mins) drain and pour into mix. Add a raw egg and mix about if you wish. Done.
+
Many connotations of onion, bacon, mushrooms, chillis, chorizo as found in fridge with tin of toms. Can cook it while pasta is doing, done in under 10 mins.
Sausages - get however many sausages you want, bung them in the oven at 200c until crisp on the outside.
Cous-cous - five minutes before the sausages are done, add boiling water to the cous-cous in a ratio of 1.5:1
Veg - red onions, peppers, etc etc. Chop whilst sausages are cooking into edible chunks.
Feta cheese - for sprinkling
Hot sauce - Nando's/Encona/whatever else
To make the plate - once the cous-cous is done, fluff with a fork and add the veg. Chop sausages into chunks and add these too. Add a good glug of hot sauce and mix til all is covered. Sprinkle feta over the top.
Cous-cous - five minutes before the sausages are done, add boiling water to the cous-cous in a ratio of 1.5:1
Veg - red onions, peppers, etc etc. Chop whilst sausages are cooking into edible chunks.
Feta cheese - for sprinkling
Hot sauce - Nando's/Encona/whatever else
To make the plate - once the cous-cous is done, fluff with a fork and add the veg. Chop sausages into chunks and add these too. Add a good glug of hot sauce and mix til all is covered. Sprinkle feta over the top.
Another fridge / freezer standby which looks as though you went to a lot of effort (when you didn't):
Defrost frozen puff pastry and roll out into a rectangle. (A wine bottle will do if you don't have a rolling pin.)
Scatter with crumbled feta (or goat) cheese, cherry tomatoes, torn basil leaves, s&p, drizzle with olive oil and sling it into a hot oven for 10 minutes or until the pastry is cooked. Serve with a rocket salad.
Variations on this could include peppers, olives, anchovies, blue cheese, Serrano ham, roasted onions, mushrooms, chorizo...
Defrost frozen puff pastry and roll out into a rectangle. (A wine bottle will do if you don't have a rolling pin.)
Scatter with crumbled feta (or goat) cheese, cherry tomatoes, torn basil leaves, s&p, drizzle with olive oil and sling it into a hot oven for 10 minutes or until the pastry is cooked. Serve with a rocket salad.
Variations on this could include peppers, olives, anchovies, blue cheese, Serrano ham, roasted onions, mushrooms, chorizo...
Mobile Chicane said:
Another fridge / freezer standby which looks as though you went to a lot of effort (when you didn't):
Defrost frozen puff pastry and roll out into a rectangle. (A wine bottle will do if you don't have a rolling pin.)
Scatter with crumbled feta (or goat) cheese, cherry tomatoes, torn basil leaves, s&p, drizzle with olive oil and sling it into a hot oven for 10 minutes or until the pastry is cooked. Serve with a rocket salad.
Variations on this could include peppers, olives, anchovies, blue cheese, Serrano ham, roasted onions, mushrooms, chorizo...
MC you should be married by now!Defrost frozen puff pastry and roll out into a rectangle. (A wine bottle will do if you don't have a rolling pin.)
Scatter with crumbled feta (or goat) cheese, cherry tomatoes, torn basil leaves, s&p, drizzle with olive oil and sling it into a hot oven for 10 minutes or until the pastry is cooked. Serve with a rocket salad.
Variations on this could include peppers, olives, anchovies, blue cheese, Serrano ham, roasted onions, mushrooms, chorizo...
Shaw Tarse said:
Mobile Chicane said:
Another fridge / freezer standby which looks as though you went to a lot of effort (when you didn't):
Defrost frozen puff pastry and roll out into a rectangle. (A wine bottle will do if you don't have a rolling pin.)
Scatter with crumbled feta (or goat) cheese, cherry tomatoes, torn basil leaves, s&p, drizzle with olive oil and sling it into a hot oven for 10 minutes or until the pastry is cooked. Serve with a rocket salad.
Variations on this could include peppers, olives, anchovies, blue cheese, Serrano ham, roasted onions, mushrooms, chorizo...
MC you should be married by now!Defrost frozen puff pastry and roll out into a rectangle. (A wine bottle will do if you don't have a rolling pin.)
Scatter with crumbled feta (or goat) cheese, cherry tomatoes, torn basil leaves, s&p, drizzle with olive oil and sling it into a hot oven for 10 minutes or until the pastry is cooked. Serve with a rocket salad.
Variations on this could include peppers, olives, anchovies, blue cheese, Serrano ham, roasted onions, mushrooms, chorizo...
Mobile Chicane said:
Another fridge / freezer standby which looks as though you went to a lot of effort (when you didn't):
Defrost frozen puff pastry and roll out into a rectangle. (A wine bottle will do if you don't have a rolling pin.)
Scatter with crumbled feta (or goat) cheese, cherry tomatoes, torn basil leaves, s&p, drizzle with olive oil and sling it into a hot oven for 10 minutes or until the pastry is cooked. Serve with a rocket salad.
Variations on this could include peppers, olives, anchovies, blue cheese, Serrano ham, roasted onions, mushrooms, chorizo...
Gave this a shot - never really played with pre made pastry before.Defrost frozen puff pastry and roll out into a rectangle. (A wine bottle will do if you don't have a rolling pin.)
Scatter with crumbled feta (or goat) cheese, cherry tomatoes, torn basil leaves, s&p, drizzle with olive oil and sling it into a hot oven for 10 minutes or until the pastry is cooked. Serve with a rocket salad.
Variations on this could include peppers, olives, anchovies, blue cheese, Serrano ham, roasted onions, mushrooms, chorizo...
Rolled out pastry.
Made an almost pizza sauce in a pan consisting of diced Pomodorino tomatoes (zingy), black pudding crumbled in, onion, garlic, teeny bit of pasata so that the tomatoes didn't need to be reduced down too much and loose texture. Sauce kept very thick.
Sauce down as a base and add chunks of goats cheese and diced chorizo, drizzle of olive oil.
Thanks for the pointer MC - was lovely with a big glass of red and some spinach. Such an easy hearty meal for winter, will go on the list now!
Glad you liked it.
Another recent discovery for the time-pressed: 'Sargona' brand chopped tomatoes from Lidl.
The juice in these is so thick and tomatoey it doesn't need any reducing. Fry off some garlic, add a few herbs / a dried chilli and you've a pasta sauce right there.
Only 41p a can too.
Another recent discovery for the time-pressed: 'Sargona' brand chopped tomatoes from Lidl.
The juice in these is so thick and tomatoey it doesn't need any reducing. Fry off some garlic, add a few herbs / a dried chilli and you've a pasta sauce right there.
Only 41p a can too.
my new favourite after work recipe does take about an hour and a half but the prep is simple and takes less than 5 mins, so plenty of time for the ps3 as its cooking.
in a roasting tray - peel & slice large onion in to about 8 chunks and scatter across the tray then add 4 or 5 cloves of garlic slightly crushed, handful of cherry tomatoes, handful of small potatoes (charlottes i use) and some thyme. On top of this I put a few seasoned chicken legs and thighs and then a generous splash of olive oil.
wack it in a preheated oven (200c) for an hour to hour and a half - longer you cook it for the more the meat falls of the bone and the potatoes just crush under your fork. Serve with some crusty or garlic bread to mop up the sauce.
in a roasting tray - peel & slice large onion in to about 8 chunks and scatter across the tray then add 4 or 5 cloves of garlic slightly crushed, handful of cherry tomatoes, handful of small potatoes (charlottes i use) and some thyme. On top of this I put a few seasoned chicken legs and thighs and then a generous splash of olive oil.
wack it in a preheated oven (200c) for an hour to hour and a half - longer you cook it for the more the meat falls of the bone and the potatoes just crush under your fork. Serve with some crusty or garlic bread to mop up the sauce.
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