Is it cheating?
Discussion
Much like Big Al, I don't particularly enjoy the Dolmio, Chicken Tonight, Colemans, El Paso type sauces. However I appreciate that they can make the difference between people cooking something or ordering a takeaway, so they have their place. My main concern is that they're the equivalent of sprinkling the contents of a science lab over your meat and veg. My general rule when considering the ingredients of a dish; if it isn't easy to spell or pronounce, then it probably isn't that great to digest. (yes, over simplistic but still a reasonable heuristic)
Most things are easy
basic stuff is stock cube, tomato puree and or chopped, onions, seasoning
Optional extras garlic, mushrooms, sugar/honey, vinegar, wine
Most of it in cupboard and takes minutes to do
But I know what it's like to get home and want to spend 10 minutes preparing dinner instead of 20
basic stuff is stock cube, tomato puree and or chopped, onions, seasoning
Optional extras garlic, mushrooms, sugar/honey, vinegar, wine
Most of it in cupboard and takes minutes to do
But I know what it's like to get home and want to spend 10 minutes preparing dinner instead of 20
CommanderJameson said:
MitchT said:
I can whip-up a fabulous Bolognese in half-an-hour using half a bottle of Dolmio. If I make the sauce from scratch it takes two hours.
Blimey.I do my from-scratch bolognese in about 30 minutes end to end. And it's reet tasty, too.
Cotty said:
Packet sauces like Colmans casserole type stuff
I mean I am not rearing my own food or going out and hunting it, where do you draw the line . I still have to chop the meat, veg etc to go into the pot, it not like ordering a take away, there is some effort
All these consist of is seasonings. And salt.I mean I am not rearing my own food or going out and hunting it, where do you draw the line . I still have to chop the meat, veg etc to go into the pot, it not like ordering a take away, there is some effort
The quick, and healthy version, is chopped onion, optional garlick, cook slowly for a few mins - Add herbs - Fresh is good - and passata or creamed tomato.
I you're adding meat do it with the onions on a slightly higher heat
MitchT said:
I can whip-up a fabulous Bolognese in half-an-hour using half a bottle of Dolmio. If I make the sauce from scratch it takes two hours. Those of us who experience the injustice of having to go to work simply can't afford not to cheat!!!
You don't need the tomato overkill of a jar of Dolmio or the hassle of making a passata/tomato sauce from scratch when a couple of tins of good chopped tomatoes and a few herbs do the job perfectly and quickly IMO. "Are they cheating?"
Well it's dinner after work, not an exam, so IMO it doesn't matter. But on the basis that you're cooking regularly, I'd say they were expensive and unnecessary.
All there is in those packets is herbs, seasoning and thickening. For the packets you illustrate, you'd get a better result from a bit of flour (if necessary), a stock cube and a spoonful of mixed herbs.
Well it's dinner after work, not an exam, so IMO it doesn't matter. But on the basis that you're cooking regularly, I'd say they were expensive and unnecessary.
All there is in those packets is herbs, seasoning and thickening. For the packets you illustrate, you'd get a better result from a bit of flour (if necessary), a stock cube and a spoonful of mixed herbs.
Rude Girl said:
"Are they cheating?"
Well it's dinner after work, not an exam, so IMO it doesn't matter. But on the basis that you're cooking regularly, I'd say they were expensive and unnecessary.
All there is in those packets is herbs, seasoning and thickening. For the packets you illustrate, you'd get a better result from a bit of flour (if necessary), a stock cube and a spoonful of mixed herbs.
Yep, same principal but not quite as bad as 'pancake mix - just add milk and eggs'Well it's dinner after work, not an exam, so IMO it doesn't matter. But on the basis that you're cooking regularly, I'd say they were expensive and unnecessary.
All there is in those packets is herbs, seasoning and thickening. For the packets you illustrate, you'd get a better result from a bit of flour (if necessary), a stock cube and a spoonful of mixed herbs.
Plotloss said:
Rude Girl said:
"Are they cheating?"
Well it's dinner after work, not an exam, so IMO it doesn't matter. But on the basis that you're cooking regularly, I'd say they were expensive and unnecessary.
All there is in those packets is herbs, seasoning and thickening. For the packets you illustrate, you'd get a better result from a bit of flour (if necessary), a stock cube and a spoonful of mixed herbs.
Yep, same principal but not quite as bad as 'pancake mix - just add milk and eggs'Well it's dinner after work, not an exam, so IMO it doesn't matter. But on the basis that you're cooking regularly, I'd say they were expensive and unnecessary.
All there is in those packets is herbs, seasoning and thickening. For the packets you illustrate, you'd get a better result from a bit of flour (if necessary), a stock cube and a spoonful of mixed herbs.
We ventured into Tesco last week for the first time in ages. They had 'crumble mix' on the shelves!!! Presumably for those who can't combine three ingredients. No mention of butter on the packet either - bet it's delicious
Rude Girl said:
We ventured into Tesco last week for the first time in ages. They had 'crumble mix' on the shelves!!! Presumably for those who can't combine three ingredients. No mention of butter on the packet either - bet it's delicious
I dispair sometimes, I really do. The laziness of some people is just epic. I cannot fathom, for example, why someone would buy ready-grated cheese. I mean, all you have to do is buy some cheese, get the food processor out of the cupboard, find the grating disc thing, clean it, put it all together, plug it in, bung the cheese through the spout, empty it out into a bowl, wash up the machine and put it away. My wife uses this odd stainless steel rectangular device with various teeth cut into the sides. However I won't touch it as frankly the effort of pushing the cheese up and down the side of it makes me sweaty and tired.
miniman said:
My wife uses this odd stainless steel rectangular device with various teeth cut into the sides. However I won't touch it as frankly the effort of pushing the cheese up and down the side of it makes me sweaty and tired.
Get yourself some microplane graters. They are so fabby that you won't be able to stop yourself grating everything in the fridge!
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