quick simple grub you cook

boyfalldown said:
Stirring is complicated in your world? Blimey ;)
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Stirring isnt but standing there for 30 minutes, not ideal for "easy" preparation. You want put it on, set the timer, wander off to watch the One show, come back and serve it up. Job done.
 
This is a good recipe from bbcgoodfood. My version:
  • Make the noodles as per the packet.
  • Boil some eggs.
  • Make the stock (go very easy on the five spice, i use a quarter this recipe suggests). I would also suggest getting some good quality chicken stock from the butchers if you can. If you can get hold of some galangal, try that instead of the ginger. The stock is where you can play around with the taste a lot, e.g. replace the 5 spice with a squirt of lemon and lime etc. try some thai fish sauce, some green or red curry paste,
  • Choose your own veg: sugar snap peas, baby sweetcorn, runner beans, mange toute, green cabbage, mushrooms, beansprouts, pak choi, broccoli, finely chopped carrot, peas, cavil nero, kale, peppers, cauliflower
  • Cook the veg very slightly (boil / steam / fry). Lots of the above veg are fine raw.
  • Quickly fry some cooked chicken breast, or any meat you have, in sesame oil (optional)
  • For the topping use finely chopped spring onions and sesame seeds. No real need for the seaweed paper.
  • Put the noodles in your bowl, followed by the veg and meat, then the stock, then the eggs, then the garnish. Maybe add some fresh herbs, coriander or parsley or basil will go well.
You can batch cook the stock and freeze in small portions. Doing this means you can cook this meal from scratch in about 15 minutes, and is the type of meal you can use to clear out the odds and ends left in your salad and vegetable drawers.

Japanese Ramen Noodle Soup | BBC Good Food
Japanese Ramen Noodle Soup
Ingredients
For the stock:
  • 3 cups of chicken stock
  • 2 cups water
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 4 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp worsterchire sauce
  • 1/2 tsp chinese five spice
  • dash of chilli powder
  • 1 tsp white sugar
  • 2 slices of ginger
For the topping:
  • 375g ramen noodles
  • 400g sliced cooked pork or chicken breast (marinate in soy sauce and garlic)
  • 100g baby english spinach leaves
  • 4tbsp corn kernels
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
For the garnish:
  • 1 sheet of sliced nori seaweed paper (5cm by 1/2cm each)
  • sprinkle of sesame seeds
  • sliced green spring onions (shallots)
Method
  1. Slice and fry the pork or chicken in a frypan with 1 clove of chopped garlic, soy sauce and sesame oil. Put into a bowl and reserve.
  2. In the pot of boiling water, cook the ramen noodles for 5min then strain.
  3. In a stockpot or large saucepan, place the chicken stock, 4 pieces of halved garlic cloves, soy sauce, worsterchire, ginger, five spice and chilli powder together and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer for 5 min. Taste the stock and adjust to your liking. If it is too salty add some sugar, add more soy if you prefer it saltier.
  4. Divide the noodles into 4 soup bowls. Arrange the pork on top of the noodles, along with the spinach, half egg, and 1tbsp corn kernels each.
  5. Bring the stock to boil once again, then take it off and divide the stock in the soup bowls.
  6. Sprinkly the nori shavings (1/4 sheet each), spring onions and sesame on top of each soup bowl. Allow the spinach to slightly wilt before serving.
From http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/722637/japanese-ramen-noodle-soup
 
one other favourite snack, sliced avocado, mozzarella and tomatoes, add some balsamic and olive oil dressing and cover with lots of basil. More of a summer snack though.....
 
I nominate a Tuna dish that really is quick and easy and can be rustled up mostly from the pantry

2 tins tuna steaks or chunks.
1 tin of sweetcorn or other veg (mushroom, pepper, celery) to taste.
1 small carton of creme fraiche or single cream.
Tbsp plain flour
Tbsp olive oil etc
500ml chicken stock
Black pepper and dried parsley to taste.

Heat the veg in oil for a minute or two before adding flour to pan and stirring through veg. Add stock and cook over a moderately high hob for 5 minutes. Add pepper and parsley etc. Add the tuna to the pan and heat through before adding the creme fraiche and heating.

Serve with boiled rice.

Highly recommended, it serves 2/3 in my house.
 
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SaintSLR said:
Have you considered a slow cooker, throw everything in, leave it on for the day, then serve when ready! Plenty of choices of packet mixes for adding in. Max prep time probably 15/20 mins (depending on how complex you want to get!!)
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:agree:

Minimum prep and endless possibilities.

It also creates lovely aromas throughout the day (y)
 
Another favourite is this simple chicken & veg soup.
Quite a long cooking time, but minimal prep and you can basically walk away and leave it to do its own thing once it's simmering. I tend to make it the night before ready for the following day.

To feed two (increase quantities as required)

2 chicken breast portions on the bone
2 sticks of celery finely sliced
2 large carrots diced
1 leek finely sliced
1 handful frozen peas
1 handful frozen sweetcorn
1 sprig fresh rosemary
salt & pepper

Stage1 (if preparing the night before)
Place chicken breasts (whole) into a large pan, add celery, carrots and rosemary.
Fill pan with enough water so chicken breasts are completely covered.
Add a pinch of salt and a good dose of black pepper.
Bring water to the boil then turn down to a simmer and leave for 3 hours.

Turn off.
Remove the chicken breasts onto a chopping board and shred - removing the chicken from the bone.
Use a piece of kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil on top of the broth and skim off any scummy bits if required.
Remove the Rosemary and discard.
Return the shredded chicken to the pan (which should still contain the broth, carrots and celery) stir and leave to cool before refrigerating ready for the next day.

Stage2
The next day, return to the hob and heat gently
Throw in the peas, sweetcorn and leek
Continue to simmer for 7-8 minutes (making sure the chicken is heated all the way through) before serving with fresh crusty bread
Stir occasionally while simmering and taste to adjust seasoning as required

As a variation I sometimes add a handful of noodles or pasta during stage 2 - especially for a winter meal.
 
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@SarahLee

That's sounds lovely. Another one I'll be giving a go. Ta!
 
I agree with comments about slow cooker - I use a modern electric one nowadays but remember from my days in the Scouts (many, many years ago) using a hay box. At breakfast a stew pot would be brought to the boil with all the stew ingredients in and them the pot was placed in a wooden box lined with hay. Lid firmly in place we went off for the day. On our return the stew was cooked and piping hot. Simple.

I also do a lot of stir fry. I tend to use Ken Hom's recipes and cook all from scratch. Cooking is fast but preparation takes a while. This can be short cut by buying ready made sauces.

Another favourite is Asian Fish en Papillote, which has the added benefit of no dirty pan - my recipe uses salmon with julienne of courgettes, spring onion and carrot, lime zest, garlic slices and ginger but you can vary the ingredients. This is placed in baking paper and a mixture of lime juice, sesame oil (1 tsp) and Thai fish (2 tsp) sauce poured over. 13 mins in the oven at 200c and you have a feast. I normally serve it with rice.
 
Another in favour of the slow cooker, come evening time it feels you haven't had to cook

A big must in winter and a fav with us is stew and dumplings:D
 
Jacket spud in the oven and then cook sausages (chopped with scissors into meatballs), onion, peppers and garlic on low heat on hob (deep pan) then use one of those packet casserole sachets but instead of slow cooker add with water and put in with sausage mix and let slowly cook so it thickens.

Spoon on top of jackets, very little work and winter warmer
 
Linguini with Cavolo Nero and Chickpeas.

Serves 2 people with healthy appetites as a main dish (around 800kcals), 4 as the pasta course in a more typical italian meal...

180g dry lingini
300g of Cavolo Nero (Black Kale)
1 large tin of Cooked Chickpeas
1 Medium Red Chilli
2 Cloves Garlic
2-3 Anchovies (optional)
Olive Oil
Parmesan or Grana Padano Cheese (to taste)


Put a Large pan on for the Pasta, and salt the water (it should actually taste close to seawater). Bring to the boil. While it's boiling, strip the central vein from the Cavolo Nero retaining the leaves. When the water boils throw the leaves in the pasta water to blanch for 2 minutes max.
As the leaves are blanching, put a tablespoon of oil in a cold saute pan (or big frying pan - it's going to need to be large enough to contain the sauce and the cooked pasta....), Slice the garlic and add to the oil (and anchovies if used) , turn on a gentle heat under the garlic. Chop the red chilli into small dice (add the seeds if you're into a bit more warmth, otherwise scrape out and discard. Add to the garlic infused oil and gently warm through.

Remove the Cavaolo Nero from the water, drain thoroughly and set aside, adding the dry Linguini to the water and stirring until it's all submerged and cooking away nicely. Five minutes from when the linguini is due to be cooked, add the drained/rinsed chickpeas to the pasta pan.

Shred the Cavalo Nero, add to the garlic, oil and chilli and gently sautee the greens until the pasta is just al-dente. Take the Pasta Pan off the heat, reserve a mug of the cooking liquor, then drain the pasta and chickpeas and throw into the saute pan with the cavalo nero etc. Turn up the heat on the saute pan, and stir to mix. Grate the cheese of choice into the pan, where it will melt. Add enough of the reserved cooking liquor to make just enough "sauce" from the oil/cheese mixture

Serve with a little more Cheese grated over the top

20 minutes start to finish providing you boil the water in a kettle, everything cooked in 2 pans, and none of the goodness from any of the veggies cooking wasted.
 
viv1969 said:
@SarahLee

That's sounds lovely. Another one I'll be giving a go. Ta!
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Cg_Girl said:
Yep same here! :D
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(y) I can't remember where I got the recipe from - TBH I think it's one of those that started life in a cook-book and that I've tweaked and adapted myself over time.

I can say that it's definitely yummy though!
 
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468378 - 45 minutes later whatever you fancied arrives!!!
 
Nod said:
468378 - 45 minutes later whatever you fancied arrives!!!
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Yeah. ..hopefully with the mouse poo and dog hair removed.
 
A proper recipe, none of this arty farty healthy food stuff ...

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
a small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts (high). The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
 
I love my dyslexia, I read the thread title as "quick grab your cock" lol
 
POAH said:
I love my dyslexia, I read the thread title as "quick grab your cock" lol
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I shouldn't laugh but I did and still am.. I am forever reading titles wrong :D :D
 
Easy Pasta Carbonara...

Boil Pasta, and fry some bacon in a pan. In a bowel mix grated Parmesan and 2 egg yolks and black pepper plus some lemon zest, with a splash of milk. Keep some water from the pasta at the end of cooking. Drain pasta and add the cheese mixture and stir, add some water to and stir to make a sauce, best to make it a bit wet as it thickens as it stands. Add bacon, and possibly basil.

I like to make food from scratch if possible.
 
Personally I find Jamie Oliver books to be great for this sort of thing.
 
What about a quick vegetarian option or two......my mother is coming to stay for a few days and she only eats rabbit food
 
archangel said:
What about a quick vegetarian option or two......my mother is coming to stay for a few days and she only eats rabbit food
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Vegetarian paella - don't forget to leave the chorizo out but add more paprika to compromise for lack of chorizo. Mixed peppers and aubergine are great in paella but need to grill aubergine first.

Plenty of recipes online - one here.
 
archangel said:
What about a quick vegetarian option or two......my mother is coming to stay for a few days and she only eats rabbit food
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See ramen soup recipe above, tasty without the chicken. Or you can easily add quorn or better, fried tofu (you will need to squeeze the water out of the tofu before frying)
 
POAH said:
I love my dyslexia, I read the thread title as "quick grab your cock" lol
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I don't see that being any worse than people going on about "Pulling their pork" in the other thread
TBH. :D

There are some really great recipes worth trying in here. (y)
 
Tonight we're having a variation on a Delia fried rice recipe which I call Chicken Delia!!

You need as much cooked chicken as you fancy (also would work with prawns or even cooked slices of sausage, salami etc), a few bits of chopped bacon or ham, some cooked peas (use frozen ones), a few sliced mushrooms, a chopped onion, and some cooked rice (a pouch of microwave type rice works well) and a couple of finely chopped spring onions including the green bits.

It's all in the prep, but once you've assembled the ingredients, use a large frying pan or wok, fry the bacon and onion in a little oil, add the mushrooms and keep turning gently until softened, add the chicken then the peas and finally the rice. Turn gently till it's all cooked nicely together. Takes about 10 minutes to cook.

Turn off the heat and add the chopped spring onion and - if it needs seasoning - a sprinkle of soy sauce. Yum.
 
Quicksnapper said:
Tonight we're having a variation on a Delia fried rice recipe which I call Chicken Delia!!

You need as much cooked chicken as you fancy (also would work with prawns or even cooked slices of sausage, salami etc), a few bits of chopped bacon or ham, some cooked peas (use frozen ones), a few sliced mushrooms, a chopped onion, and some cooked rice (a pouch of microwave type rice works well) and a couple of finely chopped spring onions including the green bits.

It's all in the prep, but once you've assembled the ingredients, use a large frying pan or wok, fry the bacon and onion in a little oil, add the mushrooms and keep turning gently until softened, add the chicken then the peas and finally the rice. Turn gently till it's all cooked nicely together. Takes about 10 minutes to cook.

Turn off the heat and add the chopped spring onion and - if it needs seasoning - a sprinkle of soy sauce. Yum.
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One ingredient I always try to add to fried rice is ginger, fresh or pureed in a jar - tastes lovely. Also use groundnut oil to fry.

MMM, shame I have already had tea!
 
cambsno said:
Easy Pasta Carbonara...

Boil Pasta, and fry some bacon in a pan. In a bowel mix grated Parmesan and 2 egg yolks and black pepper plus some lemon zest, with a splash of milk. Keep some water from the pasta at the end of cooking. Drain pasta and add the cheese mixture and stir, add some water to and stir to make a sauce, best to make it a bit wet as it thickens as it stands. Add bacon, and possibly basil.

I like to make food from scratch if possible.
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Carbonara is definitely a belter for a quick meal. A few tweaks I'd suggest...

Make sure you boil the pasta in properly salted water. Meanwhile, fry off the bacon/lardons and when nearly ready turn down the heat and add two garlic cloves, finely chopped (don't add too early otherwise it will burn - yuck). Also don't mix the grated parmesan with the egg (two whole eggs for 2-3 people I'd suggest) until later as the high salt content in the cheese starts to "cook" the egg. NO MILK OR CREAM PLEASE! Sorry to shout on that bit ;) Def some freshly milled black pepper and I personally like a good grating of nutmeg in mine, but I'm a philistine like that. I do also deglaze the bacon/garlic pan with a splash of dry white wine which I then pretty much completely boil off. Once you've drained the pasta (keeping a few spoonfuls of pasta water to add back in as cambsno says), chuck everything together back into the pasta pot with the spag and mix fairly vigorously until well combined and the "sauce" starts to thicken a bit. I find the whole eggs mix better if you've given the a bit of a quick beating with a fork first. I also prefer the texture of a good linguine (touch more bite) than conventional spaghetti...
 
A vegetable frittata or something like is something I like to do, a good assortment of veg cooked to your liking in a frying pan, then add a generous omlette mixture and finish off under the grill. Sausages go great in these too, even hot dog sausages (big thick ones) go very nicely with an omelette mixture.
 
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