The fast fix ...fishfingers

This “fast fix” has been passed on many times over the years. If you are lover of salt and vinegar on fishfingers it makes them perfect for spreading on a submarine roll. The first step is the fishfingers are microwaved. See Guidance Notes below. Quick, easy and another candidate for a late night snack.

Easy to make in minutes and easier still on the budget!

The ultimate fishfinger sub

1 x submarine roll

tartare sauce or mayo

tomato ketchup

4 fishfingers

Salt and vinegar

2 x cheese slices

Assembly

Spread one half of the sub with tartare sauce or mayo and the other with ketchup.

Microwave the fishfingers, break them up, add salt and vinegar. Place on the bottom of the submarine roll, add two cheese slices, complete the sub by adding the top half – ensure you are armed with kitchen roll – devour.

Guidance Notes

You can buy fishfingers as cheaply as £1 for 10 – total

weight 250g i.e. 25g per fishfinger. There are larger

ones out there

A microwave container – without the lid – is ideal

for cooking

Based on 4 x 25g fishfingers microwave on medium

for 1 minute, then turn, repeat and then a final 1 minute

total cooking time of 3 minutes

If your fishfingers are larger then adjust your timing

accordingly at 1 minute intervals and test with a fork

to see that the fish is white and cooked thoroughly

I did try and warn you that this would not be pretty from our point of view – what we have to grasp is that this is life but not as we know it!

The submarine slob …

… with meatballs and tomato sauce

It's no coincidence that these recipes are repeated. Their usefulness knows no bounds. Check out “Hooked on cooking – the main event” for both recipes.

I appreciate that this might be rather long winded for your newly installed fledgling to want to produce but it would hit the mark for you to make at home and deliver, frozen.

The meatballs and tomato sauce are the most flexible ingredients – to explain myself :

Bag and freeze a batch of meatballs -

don't overload the bags – it's better to pull

out two smaller bags if needed than to waste

them

Do exactly the same with the tomato sauce in

small pots or sauce bags

Add a packet of spaghetti or pasta of choice

to your “staples suitable for a small space” list

I have two ideas, one for a late night snack, the other for a speedy meal.

Create a superior sub. Take a submarine roll and toast lightly then spread with the defrosted tomato sauce. Add defrosted meatballs to suit the appetite. Garnish with grated mozzarella, ordinary cheddar cheese or cheese slices as the budget allows. I'm assuming for the sake of this exercise that the ingredients are in the freezer in Halls. If preferred they can be warmed through – if they are taken straight from the freezer and defrosted thoroughly they'll be warm in any event.

Create a meal – defrost the meatballs and tomato sauce. Place both in a saucepan and heat through thoroughly whilst cooking pasta of choice. Sprinkle with grated cheese.

Easy and economical for a “batch cook” and a delivery of home cooked food when the funds are beginning to run out.

Versatile me thinks!

What goes with …

… the Cheat's Chilli?

Who doesn't like a “toasted” sandwich? This “scaled down” version is the perfect accompaniment for the chilli.

Croque Soldiers

4 slices of medium sliced wholemeal bread

2 tsp Dijon mustard

**75g (3oz) Gruyere cheese (grated)

2 slices of ham

30g (1½oz) unsalted butter

Spread ½ tsp of mustard over each slice of bread.

Spread half the cheese on two slices of bread followed by the ham, remaining cheese on top. Sandwich together with the other two slices of bread.

Cut into thick soldiers – 4 per two slices of bread – in half and half again.

Heat the butter in a frying pan until foaming – fry your soldiers for 1-2 minutes on each side so that the cheese melts.

If you are making heaps of soldiers you can pop them in a pre-heated oven on a baking sheet – 180fan/200c/Gas 6 for a minute or two but it's my experience that using pieces of kitchen equipment that can be avoided is preferable – too much like hard work and complicated!!

Can't think of a downside to this “side suggestion”.

**I appreciate that Gruyere is expensive – mature cheddar cheese is just as good.

Cheat's Chilli

More ideas for speedy suppers that won't break the student bank and useful additions to any repertoire – this recipe definitely qualifies since it only takes 20 minutes.

Cheat's Chilli

650g minced beef (minced steak if the

budget will allow)

glug of rapeseed oil

*½ tsp each of cumin, coriander

and cinnamon

*500g carton of passata

*1 can of red kidney beans

60ml sweet chilli sauce

l large onion, finely chopped

1 Knorr garlic flavour pot

*¼ tsp chilli powder

Only piece of kit required – a large frying pan.

Heat the rapeseed oil, add the onion and garlic and soften on a moderate heat for 2/3 minutes. Add the cumin, coriander, cinnamon and chilli and cook to allow the spices to release their umph!

Add the minced beef and break up and mix thoroughly to ensure that the mince is browned. Add the passata and the sweet chilli sauce, mix again, finally add the beans – bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally .

Variations

Add 50g of dark chocolate broken into small

pieces and drop into simmering chilli to enrich

Use spiced mixed beans instead of red

kidney beans

Add 150g of diced chorizo (reduce the amount of minced

beef to 500g). Fry off the chorizo first until it begins

to crisp and set aside - the rapeseed oil is not necessary since

you're making use of the oil released from the chorizo – continue

with the recipe adding the onion, garlic and spices

as above, add the chorizo back when the mince is

browned

Add a topping of sour cream

If this doesn't disappear it'll be a miracle. If by some chance there are any leftovers, freeze portions in the microwave boxes.

P.s. Those ingredients marked * can be added to your “staples suitable for small space” list!

What comes next …

… suggestions for “staples suitable for a small space” - stuff that won't deteriorate and doesn't necessarily need a fridge so won't come to any harm stashed in a small box in the bottom of a wardrobe.

The magic of a chicken – this recipe is why I suggested investing in a 3.5L slow cooker – it's the perfect size for a whole one.

Slow cooked whole chicken

1.5kg chicken

1 chicken stock pot/cube

generous sprinkle of mixed herbs or

garlic Italian seasoning

2 tsps of garlic paste

Place your chicken in the slow cooker and, if you are using a stock pot, mix the garlic and stock together and spread over the chicken. Sprinkle with herbs. Switch your slow cooker on low and leave it for 8 hours.

The resultant juices give you approximately half a pint (300ml) of stock – or in this case dunking juices.

My serving suggestion is to leave the cooked chicken where it is in the slow cooker – definitely rustic – it can either be broken up with fingers or slice the breast if you must – tear and share bread to dunk into the juices. As a contender for an easy “green” side there's the outdated iceberg wedge with a dressing or dip of your choice – you don't have to make the dressing/dip – blue cheese or Thousand Island are probably the most popular. If the iceberg wedge is too much, Little Gem lettuces are the ideal size for “cups” to fill with pieces of chicken.

I know I don't need to point out that you can pick up a whole chicken for around £3 if you shop smart.

You can now begin your “staples suitable for a small space” list with :

Knorr seasoning paste – garlic flavour pots

Knorr chicken stock pots

Garlic Italian seasoning or mixed herbs

It will get easier.

University or bust …

… or is it starve!

I have it on good authority that living in Halls and being responsible for what you eat produces all sorts of weird and wonderful stuff.

Now I don't want you to lose sleep but here's a glimpse of real life “a la Halls”.

“I was well stocked with food drops that would shame the Army. Defrosting some pre-portioned chilli or a piece of steak was amazing and possible easier that a pizza to heat through and far tastier. But there were days after the food had run out and instead of heading to the supermarket for some fresh stuff it was either pasta, beans and cheese or the ever popular angel delight and crisps. In my defence the supermarket was 6 miles away due the amazing (lack of) planning of the Halls of Residence and the only shop could charge what they wanted for “Happy” bread. Happy seemed to be a euphemism for white flour, a lack of taste and a shelf life that rivals any of the ageing rockers still refusing to leave the stage!

Eggs were quite popular, as were beans.

There were some interesting meals, I cooked a lot of chicken in tomato soup as some kind of shortcut to a sauce base, add mixed herbs and job done.

Lots of cheese was melted onto bread, meat and bagels and there was the incident with the microwave and ketchup – results in green smoke – don't ask.”

My overwhelming memory is making shed loads of individual sticky toffee puddings. The boy had no idea that they contained dates!

Sleep well!

Tranklements

Not a word you come across every day of the week. This wonderful word is synonymous with the North and Central England – in this particular use of the word it means small possessions – bits and pieces, paraphernalia etc.

If your fledgling is self catering in this first year and in Halls, I implore you resist the urge to buy every piece of kitchen kit known to man when in reality most are worse than useless and, more to the point, there's limited space. Choose carefully.

If I had to chuck my hat into the ring to suggest an “up there” candidate for piece of kit of the year/decade no prizes for guessing the answer – a slow cooker. They fit the bill on all counts, they don't take up too much space, they are economical with electricity, they are the easiest piece of kit to use and probably most importantly, aren't difficult to keep clean.

There are many different sizes to suit everyone – I'd suggest the 3.5L – described as a family size – I'll explain why later. Ensure that it has a “low” setting option. Cost wise there's not much difference and there are loads of deals out there.

Geography matters – it may be that your fledgling is accessible i.e. you can drop off food parcels from time to time – if memory serves me correctly – it gives a whole new meaning to “ready meals” - free ones! To this end may I suggest that the pieces of kit that don't fall into this category are a large supply of containers – foil with lids (14x12cms) and ditto for the microwave (17x11cms) and in both locations for parents and child.

Even if you may only see your fledgling intermittently you may want to supplement food to make sure they aren't fading away – that sudden realisation that he or she has to feed themselves is definitely a shock to the system. I know that some fledglings are better equipped than others but I thought it would do no harm to give you a few ideas that might appeal. From both sides of the fence that is, food parcel delivery or easy peasy DIY slow cooker stuff et al.

It has not escaped my notice …

...that the 2016 University year begins in late September – this varies from Uni to Uni but the first term is definitely the hardest – I'm not sure whether it's harder for the student being on their own full-time for the first time (and by that literally having to fend for oneself) or, probably more to the point, for the Parents left behind, bereft – not for nothing is it known as empty nest syndrome!

These days there are so many options regarding accommodation from sharing a twin room to a one bedroom flat and all points in between. There's a variety to suit budgets – some catered some self-catering. Indeed some Uni's offer a meal plan – can't help thinking that it's just putting off the evil day when you've gotta look after yourself.

I suppose there are those out there who have sufficient funds and no intention of ever cooking but there must be a considerable number of students who don't have or can't afford that luxury.

Is your child about to fly the nest? Many first year students (or fledglings) spend the first year in Halls of Residence (Halls) – it's regarded as a rite of passage – part of this transition relates to the making of new friends and sharing space - like a large kitchen for communal eating as well as cooking.

There's more than one way of looking at this – for a young person leaving home embarking on a new chapter it's massive – there are so many emotions to cope with – settling in to Halls and making new friends – food is the ultimate ice breaker – everyone needs to eat so what better way to get to know people.

Made up main …

… the end result

There is very little prep required for the Made up main but there is one thing you need to do ahead of the game and that is fry off the diced chorizo so that it surrenders all that delicious oil – it only takes a few minutes – just long enough so that it begins to crisp. Remove the chorizo, box and set aside in the fridge when cooled. Leave the oil in the pan, covered, ready for when you want to cook and serve.

Other than getting yourself organised, pulling ingredients from the freezer and frying off the chorizo this meal is brought together, cooking time, in minutes. If you look at the method for the Orzotto – heat the chorizo oil, ready to rock and roll, just before you add the lemon juice and frozen peas.

Add the scallops to the chorizo oil – remember the clock system, begin at midnight and add your scallops like a clock face – when you get back to midnight, turn them. Add your asparagus tips and prawns and toss around for 2/3 minutes.

Serve with garlic bread, sliced into “soldiers” (add to your Can't fail staples list).

Just in case you think I make this stuff up – here's a couple of photos of the finished product.

Well that was a baptism of fire – just goes to show what you can do when you have to think outside the box.

They did love it by the way.

Tickety Boo!

The ultimate …

... “fly by the seat of your pants” test

I have two ideas for the last evening meal – do I make a “mixed grill” style meal including ingredients I know that my friends love and indeed miss, like English sausages and bacon with everything thrown in, or, do I really wing it and produce a meal including elements I know they love but definitely would not figure on the traditional “English” cooking scale at all.

I did what any host should do – I gave them the choice, here's the result :

Orzotto

Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped finely

260g orzo pasta (in your pantry)

500ml chicken stock (or vegetable) (pantry)

juice of 1 lemon

200g frozen petit pois (freezer)

2 tbsp fresh pesto (pantry or fridge)

bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped

extra pesto and slices of lemon to serve

salt and black pepper

Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat and fry the onion for 2/3 minutes. Stir in orzo and cook for 1-2 minutes and then add the stock all at once. Simmer and stir occasionally for 7/8 minutes until nearly cooked. Stir in the lemon juice and the frozen peas. Simmer for 2/3 minutes until the peas are cooked then add the pesto and the parsley. Season to taste and serve with extra pesto and a squeeze of lemon.

Do yourself a favour – do all the mise en place ahead, it doesn't take long and you won't regret it.

Made up main

to serve with the Orzotto

150g scallops (approximately 1 dozen)

if they are thick slice them in half

250g diced chorizo

350g cooked, peeled prawns, defrosted if frozen

and drained

100g fine asparagus tips, snapped so the wood is

removed, trim to ensure they are all the same size

Read on for the end result.

Post toast it's on to the roast

or rather my version of it. I said in What's in the fridge? the whole chicken was going in the slow cooker as part of a roast.

I also suggested, check what you've got in your fridge and freezer. This slow cooking/freezing malarkey really works. I had a container of sauce supreme in my freezer – aka posh gravy, which I placed in the fridge overnight to defrost. I made my normal roasties (á la Nigella – tossed in semolina) they never fail. Since the oven will be on for the roasties I will fill it so there will be carrots cut into similar sized batons, roasted in lemon, butter and black pepper.

So, for your roast, I meant what I said – easy prep, easy cook :

Serves 4

Chicken in slow cooker as per recipe on the blog -

it's going to take eight hours so time it so that you'll

be ready to serve it all at the same time

Pre-heat your oven 200c/180fan/Gas 6 when you

are ready to cook

Peel and parboil potatoes – as many as you want – in my

house a large tray full! Sprinkle with 1 tbsp of semolina and shake

to coat them – can be done ahead – place in hot rapeseed oil -

these will take one hour to roast, turn every 20 minutes

Peel 5/6 medium carrots and cut into batons

can be done ahead - place prepped carrots in a

food bag and fridge until you're ready.

Place the batons on foil on a baking sheet -

add 2 x 20g of unsalted butter, a couple of glugs of

lemon juice and black pepper – wrap tightly.

These will take 40 minutes – shake carefully after 20 minutes.

Grate parmesan for cauliflower cheese - **see below

A quick scan through the pantry also produced a box of sage and onion stuffing mix. Take a medium onion, finely chopped and softened in a large knob of unsalted butter then add to the stuffing mix with a glug or two of boiling water. Can I also point out that chestnuts are not just for Christmas. I always have vac packs in my pantry – add 150g, finely chopped to the stuffing mix.

I always cook my stuffing in a cake liner in a loaf tin.

**Cauliflower cheese. Since the object of this exercise is you haven't a clue what you or your guests are doing and when, there is nothing wrong with using a bag of frozen cauliflower cheese - tip into a foil tray and sprinkle with 75g of grated parmesan. It will take 40 minutes. You can make it from scratch if you wish but do so in the knowledge that you may finish up with a fresh cauliflower that you may not use. No waste at all if it's in the freezer.

The final flourish is the sauce supreme and is the only saucepan on your hob – note to self – do not be tempted to microwave the sauce – it will split. It may be a little too thick, if it is, whilst heating gently add either a drop of chicken stock or if feeling indulgent double cream.

To the roast purists a sauce supreme wouldn't cut it as gravy – my kitchen, my roast.

They loved all of it but the stand outs were the roasted carrots and the “gravy”. The chicken was moist and tender and the best bit is you get to save all that beautiful stock to freeze in readiness for your next sauce supreme.

Minimum fuss, maximum flavour.

A toast to toast!

Who doesn't love toast?

It would appear that toast is not just any old breakfast item.

Who'd have thought it evokes such a reaction! Twice in the last week toast has figured in completely different conversations.

Most of us would probably agree it's high up on the list of comfort food or midnight snack and probably the fastest too, whether it's with cheese on (toaster bags are a brilliant piece of kit for a lazy toasted cheese sandwich) or whether with a preserve of your choice. I have a Grandson who always has his with lemon curd.

Anyway, I would always have said toast is toast is toast – apparently not, as my Dil (Daughter in law for the uninitiated) pointed out to me recently. Cheryl overheard her daughter Alyce talking with friends saying, quite emphatically, “my Grandma makes the best toast”. “There has to be something you do differently” - not that I'm aware of …

Then as you know my friends arrived from France. The first morning it's “would anyone like toast?”. The best part of a whole loaf later, together with a certain famous Danish butter … perhaps there is something going on here …. it's simple enough - serve hot and a production line with enough butter on so that you have to lick your fingers, don't be shy about the amount of butter or guilty – this is a treat – not an every day occurrence.

That set me thinking – is there an art form – some don't like it hot, may be some like it toasted and then the butter on after it's left to cool – not my personal favourite I have to say.

I think I've done toast a dis-service – we take it for granted. I realised this when it was pointed out that whilst the French are fab at baguettes et al they are not so hot on sliced bread for toast – put good toasting bread together with a good quality butter and you've cracked it. Note to self – completely misjudged the bread order.

Post toast it's on to the roast!

What's in the fridge?

Start at the beginning – check the contents of your fridge and also your pantry/food cupboards to see what's already there – you never know when inspiration might strike!

In my case 2 x buttermilk in the fridge – yippee – 2 x soda bread and into the freezer. I've already mentioned a possible paté from the smoked mackerel so a nice lunch combination with leftover honey roasted beetroot.

This is definitely taking shape.

Back to the list making, 3 stops along the way :

Butcher – bacon, sausages, fillet tail – breakfast or posher mixed grill

M&S for meal deal -

whole chickens are usually part of the deal so that

hopefully takes care of the Sunday roast

Supermarket – the remaining bits and

pieces – note to self, check mixers for drinks

and ice bags (they take up less space than trays)

Fresh eggs

Thinking ahead … any leftovers from Saturday night – Charlottes can be bagged and fridged. By the way I'm slow cooking two medium sized gammon joints. One to serve and the remaining one is for the freezer – no waste.

I've decided that for Sunday's supper the whole chicken will go in the slow cooker. It will be served with a sauce supreme, roast potatoes, carrots roasted in lemon and butter and cauliflower cheese. Easy prep, easy cook!

I've now filled every available food space in the house - fridged and frozen - packed to the rafters – in theory I shouldn't need to shop for another month!

That's all I can do for now - the rest is in the lap of the Gods – keep your fingers crossed!

I need to consider …

… how to go about this task and since I not sure what meals I'm going to be serving then the best thing I can do, as well as plan Saturday evening's meal, is to plan Sunday's too since even if I don't serve it on the day it will keep for the next – I think I am beginning to feel better.

The next job is to make a list of “can't fail staples” and from that the shopping list begins.

Can't fail staples

Whole chicken – for the slow cooker -

it can then be frozen if not

served

Vac pack beetroots – or fresh to roast if you've

time. The upside of the vac packs is that they have

a long life so will not be wasted

Puff pastry sheet – for savoury pastries as an

appetiser or a lid for a pie – make sure there's a

good date so you can keep in the fridge until required

or freeze it if not

Pizza base – to make a Stromboli – same applies

as with the puff pastry

Smoked Mackerel – turn into paté or

make a warm salad – freeze if not required

Here's what I served on Saturday night :

Slow cooked gammon joint

Roasted Charlotte potatoes in their skins

Honey roasted beetroot

Coleslaw

Pudding

Roasted rhubarb

Strawberries

Vanilla ice cream

The method in the madness is that the gammon takes care of itself. The Charlotte potatoes will roast, as will the beetroot, when my visitors arrive. The rhubarb can be roasted the day before and the strawberries hulled on the day.

I suppose it doesn't do any harm to be well and truly out of your comfort zone – be assured I am definitely out of mine!

Revolving doors!

August is known as the “silly season” and in this house it has not disappointed!

By “revolving doors” I mean a steady stream of visitors. Not that I'm complaining you understand – it's never a problem for me to feed people. It is definitely more challenging however when the details are, shall we say, a little sketchy i.e. will arrive on Saturday, probably teatime and we are leaving on Wednesday, probably lunchtime.

As for the grey areas in between, your guess is as good as mine and indeed for my visitors too since they are at the mercy of the family they intend to visit – you get the picture.

From a catering point of view it's not the easiest, especially when you're like me – only happy when you've a list and a meal plan! I like to cook ahead if I can, if only so that I can spend time with my guests and not resemble a wet lettuce/piece of chewed string/jibbering idiot – not necessarily in that order!

This is the sort of situation that stops me sleeping, I jest not.

The only meal I know for certain is Saturday evening so I suppose it's as good a place as any to begin.

I need to consider, my friends are coming from France and there are certain foods that they really miss from England and cannot get, except for a king's ransom.

I need to consider a meal that can be prepped ahead and will in effect cook itself since on arrival I know they'll be tired and want a well earned drink (or two).

I need to consider how to plan my shopping list for three full days (we're out for breakfast on day four – I think I'll be ready for it!).

I need to consider what to cook.

I can feel the need already for a libation of my choice, complete with straw and retreat to a darkened room!

I need to consider …

Bring on the brisket!

When anyone mentions brisket I can't help but think of it rolled and shoved unceremoniously in a pot roast – not my favourite.

So, I asked Mr. Potter (my friend and butcher) if I could have a piece of brisket before it was rolled – I sure can. I am now on a mission.

I have a cunning plan - I'll just cross everything and hope it works.

Slow cooked brisket

1 flat piece of brisket – size to suit your needs – cut it in half

if it's too large for the slow cooker

2 tbsp Worcester sauce

½ tsp chilli

pinch of cayenne

250ml tomato ketchup

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tsps lemon juice

1 garlic clove, crushed or 1 tsp garlic paste

125ml maple syrup

Place the brisket in a slow cooker – low setting. Place the remaining ingredients in a bowl and mix, by hand, until well blended.

Pour over the brisket and cook for 6 hours. Lift out the brisket and slice thinly, cover with the sauce. You can serve immediately. You can if you wish place the sliced brisket and sauce into a foil tray, cover and fridge. When you want to serve place it in a pre-heated oven 200c/180fan/Gas 6 for 15/20 minutes with the foil removed.

My designated tasters last week were Tim & Cheryl who came for a day out with Dad. I have to mention here that no matter whether it's -10 degrees or, in this case, the hottest day of the year, roast potatoes are compulsory.

Despite the warm weather the brisket et al was duly served … baited breath.

It went something like, ****** **** that's gorgeous – tastes like roast beef but with a kick ….”

All gone!

A note or three :

I can confirm that this brisket freezes very well as does the sauce so if you can afford a large piece of brisket it's worth it.

Freeze the brisket in a piece – it won't dry out.

You don't have to serve it with roast potatoes, whatever takes your fancy – rice – noodles – pasta like orzo - they'll all work.

If you're curious to see what it looks like :