Chapter X – more puds!

One of my favourite additions to the standard vanilla ice cream is to add salted caramel sauce. Some may say it might be a step too far and they may be right, however I think it's personal choice and after all, it is meant to be a treat!

The fast option - use a jar of salted caramel sauce (260g) – easily available at most large supermarkets – fold into the mixture to give a marbled effect.

The “fastish” option. If you'd like to make your own salted caramel sauce here's my recipe :

Salted Caramel Sauce

110g/4oz unsalted butter

225g/8oz soft dark brown sugar

275ml/10 fl oz double cream (or whipping cream)

1½ tsp salt

Heat together the butter and sugar. When dissolved add the salt and whisk in the cream.

Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring.

One batch of the recipe produces approximately 539g of the sauce and you can portion and freeze for convenience. Yippee – more for another time!

If you don't like salt in your caramel sauce, then here's the alternative :

Sticky Toffee Sauce

4oz unsalted butter

8oz soft brown sugar

2oz chopped stem ginger (optional)

10 fl oz double cream (or whipping cream)

Heat together the butter, sugar and ginger. When dissolved add the cream.

Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring.

The stem ginger in this recipe is optional but it makes a good addition when serving the sauce as an accompaniment to nursery puddings and ice cream.

One batch of the recipe produces approximately 539g of the sauce, or, over two portions to fold through ice cream. It can be frozen for convenience. A shop bought sauce is usually 260g per jar. I think you'll find that making your own sauce it is less sweet and really enhances the vanilla ice cream.

Meringue kisses are neat piece of kit!

If you want to have a go and make your own here's my basic meringue recipe :

4 fl oz egg whites – from large eggs

225g/8oz caster sugar

As is always my mantra, get yourself sorted before you start whisking.

Your oven should be pre-heated 90fan/110c/Gas ¼ – very cool/very slow.

Cut your parchment to size for two baking sheets measuring 30x30 cms.

You'll need a large, squeaky clean mixing bowl, a plain nozzle and a piping bag. If you want to be sure you've got a squeaky clean bowl then wipe it with a drop of lemon juice and let is dry before use.

Whisk your eggs whites until they are stiff – the old fashioned way of testing whether they are stiff enough is to tip the bowl upside down over your head – if the mixture doesn't move it's ready! Add half the caster sugar and whisk again until stiff. Fold in the remaining sugar. Your mixture is now ready for the piping bag.

The great thing about disposable piping bags is that you can cut them to size. The end of the bag is snipped to fit your nozzle. Fold the bag over your hand – it enables you to have a steady hold on your bag. Spoon the mixture into the bag until two thirds full and gently ease the mixture towards the nozzle expelling any air. Twist the top of the bag and hold and then use your other hand to steady the nozzle end.

Place a tiny blob of mixture in each corner of your baking trays and “glue” your parchment to the tray.

Holding the nozzle approximately 4cms above the tray squeeze the bag gently and then tilt the bag away in an upward direction so that you create a little kiss curl – hence “kisses”!

Bake for 45 minutes.

Peel the kisses gently from the parchment.

Note to self – you could use your oven at the end of cooking your Sunday roast so it makes the best use of all that otherwise wasted energy!

This recipe will give you approximately 40 kisses. You can store them in strong ziploc type bags or in tins lined with parchment with well fitting lids. Store in a cool, dry place – NOT in the fridge and they'll keep for 2 weeks – if they last that long!

It's your made ahead “store cupboard” element.

However, you have options – you can cheat and buy tubs of ready-made meringue kisses. The quality of the ready-made varies, some are better than others, some are powdery and overly sweet, some not so but disintegrate as soon as you look at them – a slight exaggeration may be! You may find them more convenient and the shelf life will be longer.

Then there's the sprinkles.

My favourite home-made sprinkle is praline – used largely for adding to and flavouring cream, ice cream, butter cream or whatever takes your fancy. You can use it in large pieces or shards or blitzed into a coarse powder. It keeps well so long as you transfer it into an air-tight jar. Should the mood take you it can even be blitzed into a paste.

Praline

75g/3oz almonds, unblanched

75g/3oz caster sugar

Place the sugar into a frying pan (I used a pan measuring 28cms/11” in diameter) and then the almonds on top. Heat the sugar and almonds on as low a heat as possible. Resist the urge to prod/stir/mess with! Patience is eventually rewarded the sugar begins to melt and when the almonds begin to “pop”, and your sugar is a good colour - turn it out onto a non-stick sheet (or oiled slab if you want to be posh). The melting of the sugar takes approximately 20 minutes.

Leave the praline sheet where it is until it is well and truly set. You can then break it up and blitz into a coarse powder or as you wish. It's stating the obvious I know – you'll get 150g/6oz of praline.

Please note that when blitzing you will need ear plugs and warn anyone nearby that isn't totally deaf they soon will be – it's worth the noise – the result - tiny bits of twinkling toffee – the ultimate sprinkle.

If you want a speedier suggestion, crushed Amaretti biscuits do the trick – delicious almond intensity.

All the suggestions made have a “shelf” life be it in the store cupboard or the freezer and can be mixed and matched with fruit that is plentiful and in season.

More pud ideas ...

Chapter IX – ideas for Puds!

It is possible to be imaginative and economical with puds (or desserts if you prefer). The best place to start is what fruit is in season? Apples! By creating different bits and pieces and keeping each bit and piece separate you've got more flexibility and so much more choice.

Turn a glut of apples into treasure trove

The most time consuming element of this recipe is peeling and quartering the apples but it's well worth it for the wonderful, yummy result!

Toffee Apples

but not as you think of them

6-8 large Cox's apples, peeled, quartered and each

quarter sliced into 4

115g/4oz unsalted butter

125g/4½oz soft dark brown sugar

1 medium orange, zest and juice

Place the apples, butter, soft dark brown sugar, orange zest and juice into a large frying pan and cook for 10 minutes until tender.

The recipe given will give you 1.5k/3.3lbs of toffee apples. I box up in smaller quantities – it's more economical and so no waste - you can pull out whatever you need. It's whatever suits you.

The world really is your lobster with the toffee apples :

You can serve hot or cold over ice cream or custard

You can use as a base for crumble

You can serve on top of waffles with ice cream or cream

You can serve as a filling in a crepé

Here's what they look like :

I'm so sorry you can't smell the apples.

Less is definitely more – treacly sugar, fragrant and zesty oranges and the richness of the butter – finally the hero - Cox apples.

Crumble topping

This is a new version of crumble. Crumble is personal, some like it soggy, others not.

For those who don't like that uncooked line of crumble you always seem to get when baking straight on top of the fruit, then this is for you.

Baked separately, it adds another element to a pud – it freezes well too.

Serves 6-8

depending on portion size!

120g cold unsalted butter, cubed

120g plain flour

60g caster sugar

60g demerara sugar

Pre-heat the oven to 180fan/200c/Gas 6.

Using a large mixing bowl, add the flour and butter and rub in until you have fine breadcrumbs, then add the sugar and combine. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the baking sheet and leave to cool. Box and fridge when cool.

Here it is :

A buttery, biscuity crumble and no uncooked

layer in the middle!

Assembly is easy peasy - sprinkle on top of your warmed toffee apples when you want a sweet hit.

Crunch!

It would be rude not to include an ice cream and so here's the old faithful :

Vanilla ice cream

Prep – 5 minutes

Total time – 5 minutes

plus freezing at least 6-8 hours

or until firm

Gives you 1.6 litres of ice cream is equal

to 18 scoops

1 x 397g tin sweetened condensed milk

1 x 600ml double cream

2tsp vanilla bean paste

1. Put the condensed milk, cream and vanilla into a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand whisk until the mixture is quite thick and stiff, like pipeable whipped cream.**

2. Spoon the mixture into a lidded freezer-proof container and free for at least 6-8 hours or until firm.

** My variation – take a jar of salted caramel sauce (260g) – easily available at most large supermarkets – fold into the mixture to give a marbled effect.

There's more ...

Chapter VIII – Economy Drive - the mushroom version

Here's a delicious veggie burger and even if you're not a veggie you'll love it – provided of course you're a fan of mushrooms!

Here it is :

Miso Mushroom Burger et al

Serves 4

4 Brioche buns

Aioli

Spiced coated Halloumi

Miso roasted portabello mushrooms

First up the miso marinade, which needs to be prepped ahead to enable the flavours to infuse and do their thing!

Miso marinade

Serves 4

4 x Portabello mushrooms, peeled and stalks trimmed

3 tbsps miso paste

2 tsps soy sauce

2 tbsps mirin

1 tbsp dark soft brown sugar

Mix the ingredients thoroughly into a paste. Box and set aside. Add the marinade to the mushrooms an hour before roasting to give it time to infuse, use one large strong plastic food bag or divide between two.

In case you're not familiar with miso paste, I used brown rice miso - it is available in most large supermarkets.

Just so you know what you're looking for :

Clearspring Brown Rice Miso Paste – 300g

It's expensive but if you shop around you'll find offers

Ocado has it reduced from £4.40 to £3.52

Sainsbury's Miso Paste Inspired to Cook – 100g

£1.40

Per 100g (at £4.40) it equates to£1.47

If you want to continue prepping ahead you can make the Aioli, the coating for the Halloumi, and slicing the cheese too. Nothing major but every little helps and saves precious time.

Aioli and Halloumi

I think of Aioli as posh mayo – really it's a sauce made of garlic and olive oil. There are many variations of the sauce – the current French-Provencal version is probably closer to a mayonnaise but originally both the French and Catalan recipes don't contain egg yolks and have more garlic.

Aioli

Serves 6

2 large cloves of roasted garlic

2 egg yolks

½ tsp of Dijon mustard

½ tsp salt

60ml/2½ fl oz extra virgin olive oil

180g/6½oz rapeseed (Canola) oil

2 tbsp water

freshly ground black pepper

Blend the roasted garlic, egg yolks, mustard, salt and 2 tbsps of water in a food processor. Keep the motor running and add the olive oil, then the rapeseed oil – slowly. The sauce will emulsify to a thick, pale consistency similar to mayo. Taste for seasoning. Box and fridge, ready to use.

Spiced Halloumi

Serves 4

225g/8oz Halloumi sliced into 4 pieces

45g/2oz plain flour mix with

1 tbsp of seasoning of your choice

Rapeseed oil for shallow frying

The 225g pack will give you four portions, sliced lengthways – 8x7cms/3x3½ inches approximately. Open the pack and discard the liquid, pat the cheese dry with kitchen roll and then slice into four. Pat each slice dry, then box and fridge ready for cooking.

The seasoning for the Halloumi is your choice – a shop bought version is fine. If you'd like to try your hand at making your own check out “Halloumi – seasoning and dips to go with” for inspiration.

You'll never think of it as squeaky cheese again!

When you're ready to cook, pre-heat your oven 150fan/170c/Gas 3.

Place your marinaded mushrooms into a foil tray and roast for 15-20 minutes.

10 minutes in to your mushrooms roasting time, heat the oil for the halloumi in a frying pan (29cms/11” diameter) using enough oil to cover the base – the pan is the perfect size for the four slices. Coat each slice of cheese both sides. Test your oil with a small piece of bread – it will sizzle when it's ready. Fry each slice for 2 minutes then turn and repeat. Keep the halloumi warm, wrapped in foil, whilst you're plating up.

Nearly there - assembly :

Split your brioche buns and either warm in

the oven for a couple of minutes or toast lightly

Drizzle aioli on the bottom of the bun and add your

slice of coated and fried halloumi

Top with your miso roasted mushroom, add

another generous drizzle of aioli, enough so that

it oozes out – if you don't get it on your fingers and

down your chin, add more – complete with the brioche “hat”

This is it :

Ta dah!

Dare I say decadent?

Chapter VII – Economy Drive … a batch of burgers

It's Friday evening … and I'd like to point out the obvious – you're exhausted. The ideal solution is to take the burgers from your treasure chest that you made when you had 15 minutes to spare earlier in the week – genius. All you have to do is remember - best leave yourself a note to take them out the night before and fridge!

If you prefer burgers to meatballs then this is the recipe for you – it's the same recipe as I used for the meatballs – versatility is the key.

Burgers

Makes 5 x 100g/4oz burgers

500g minced beef

or Quorn mince

*salt and black pepper

*garlic – either 2 tsps of paste or 2 cloves, crushed

*mixed herbs or garlic italian seasoning – a generous sprinkle

*half a tsp of chilli or smoked paprika

*heaped tbsp of tomato paste

*1 egg

sprinkle of plain flour plus extra to flour

a tray for shaping the burgers

gloves or damp hands!

Rapeseed or vegetable oil for shallow frying

Place the mince in a large mixing bowl then add the remaining ingredients marked *, mix well. At this point your mixture may be too wet. If it is, sprinkle a little plain flour over the mixture and fold in gently.

The easiest way of making uniform burgers is to weigh whatever amount you wish – in this case 100g/4 oz and then shape using gloves or damp hands. The least messy way is to place an amount of minced beef onto a sheet of cling film and add or subtract to the correct weight required. You can then use the cling film to bring the burger into a ball and then transfer to the floured tray, pat it down and form into a circle. Heat the oil gently and seal the burgers on both sides.

At this point you have a choice, you can continue to cook the burgers in the pan on a low heat turning regularly for 15 minutes and then serve or if you're cooking ahead, cool, cover and fridge in an oven-proof dish and pop into a pre-heated oven on 170fan/190c/Gas 5 for 20 minutes when required.

It's up to you what you do

The burgers don't take long to prep and seal, ready to freeze or to cook and serve immediately. If you are freezing a batch seal them in the pan then transfer onto sheets of kitchen roll to cool then bag and freeze as you wish – they are an excellent addition to your treasure chest!

Serve with whatever floats your boat – in a brioche bun, lightly toasted, with a cheese slice, loaded with avocado, onion, slaw and/or mayo and loads of salady stuff on the side.

Hmm, or is it Steak Haché?

Steak Haché, as you may have gathered is French – it's a posh burger without the bun and uses high quality ground beef - as fresh as you can get. I used Aberdeen Angus 5% fat minced steak for my burgers and was delighted with the result. If you're serving to people who say they don't like burgers then call it steak haché and they'll never know!

I digress - back to your cooking stash and the jacket potatoes and grated cheese. Slicing cooked jacket potatoes into wedge shapes and placing on a baking sheet and then sprinkling with grated cheese isn't too taxing.

Your burgers and your wedges need 20 minutes although if you like your wedges crispier then pop them in for 10 minutes and then add the burgers for 20 – don't forget to set your timer. You can reduce the cooking time if you like your burger/haché medium – it depends on the size of burger. As a guide if you pan fry for 3-4 minutes each side you'll get slightly pink.

Whilst you're waiting slice an onion – a sweet variety or Spanish is good too, slice a beef tomato and place on top of the onion and add a generous drizzle of Balsamic glaze – salt and black pepper to suit.

Here are the photos :

my bowl of ingredients – it looks

positively artistic!

on the plate

To answer my question, I think it's both – the purists may scoff but I don't care.

Enjoy your supper!

Chapter V Economy Drive – Koftas

How about koftas? These Indian meatballs are a real hit. As you'd expect from me they can be made ahead and frozen. These little beauties are versatile!

Koftas - makes 25/30 ish

500g of minced lamb

or Quorn mince

*salt and black pepper

*2 cloves of garlic, crushed or 2 tsps of paste

*1 tsp of ground cumin

*1 tsp of ground coriander

*pinch of garam masala

*pinch of chilli powder

1 heaped tbsp of tomato paste

1 egg

sprinkle of plain flour

kitchen gloves or damp hands

Rapeseed oil for shallow frying

a foil tray 23cms x 23cms

Place the mince in a large mixing bowl then add the ingredients marked * and mix well. Add the tomato paste and the egg and combine. If you find the mixture too wet, then sprinkle a little plain flour into the mixture and fold in gently.

Using either gloves or damp hands your mixture should aim to be the size of a walnut (or 1 heaped teaspoon). Roll the mixture between your hands and when you've 8 or so heat the oil in a large frying pan. Seal the koftas on a low heat and carefully shake the pan to turn them – use tongs if you are accident prone!

At this stage you can continue to cook the koftas in the pan or you can transfer to an oven-proof dish and pop into a pre-heated oven 160fan/180c/Gas 4 for 15 minutes.

Alternatively let the koftas cool once sealed, transfer to freezer bags and freeze until required. Defrost and then place in a foil tray and warm in a pre-heated oven as above for 15 minutes.

Easy peasy and really tasty … the photo guide

Use a foil tray with 2 tbsp plain flour – it enables you to roll around the koftas to coat with flour without having to “assist” them.

If you would prefer a larger version then use a dessert spoon of mixture, treated in exactly the same way, like these :

Here's an idea – serve the koftas with the Bombay Aloo – both dishes can be frozen, in fact the flavours are enhanced by freezing. An excellent choice for a mid-week supper! A tip – freeze the koftas in amounts that suit you – and again the same with the Aloo in small containers, you can always take out more if you need it!

Fancy a sandwich - how about a kofta sub?

If you want a something different to tempt the tastebuds take a bag of koftas out of the freezer – defrost in the fridge.

Make a batch of Rendang Sauce.

Take four submarine rolls, spread liberally with mango chutney whilst your koftas and sauce are warming – how many koftas you use is a matter of appetite! Place the koftas on top of the mango and drizzle the Rendang Sauce on top. If you've got the onion salad too this will sit nicely to complete the sub.

Ta dah!

Note:

You can freeze Quorn mince once it has been cooked – make sure your meal is cold before freezing – use within a month. For use, defrost fully in the fridge and cook within 24 hours ensuring it's piping hot.

Chapter VI Economy Drive – Meatballs and an LSG tomato sauce

Hmm, what to do with meatballs and a “lip smackingly good” tomato sauce!

You could create a pizza with tomato sauce as a base and load with meatballs and whatever else takes your fancy – don't forget to treat yourself to a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan as well as the traditional mozzarella.

You could go the obvious route of spaghetti (as a guide 75g of dry spaghetti per person) - tomato sauce and meatballs – traditional is good!

One thing is certain your sauce and meatballs give you flexible working week supper ideas and the cherry on top of the cake – all you have to do is pull the sauce and the meatballs from your treasure chest.

Here goes :

Tomato Sauce

500g passata

1 medium onion, chopped finely

2 cloves of roasted garlic or crushed fresh garlic

1 tbsp of rapeseed oil

knob of butter – 25g

1 tbsp of tomato paste

250g of vegetable stock

a generous sprinkle of oregano

black pepper to taste

1 tsp caster sugar

1 tsp of salt, to taste

Melt the oil and butter in a medium size saucepan (21cms/8” in diameter), add the onion and soften gently – 4-5 minutes, then add the garlic. Add the oregano and black pepper. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes. It's important that you cook the paste – if you don't it will be bitter and taste horrible! Add the passata, stock and then the sugar. The sugar is meant to balance out the acidity that one sometimes gets with tomatoes. Simmer the sauce for 30 minutes. The sauce will reduce and thicken. Taste the sauce before you add any salt – it's a matter of personal taste. The flavours in your sauce will develop and so will benefit from being made a couple of days ahead and fridged.

The sauce freezes well, bear in mind the size of portions – whatever suits you – smaller is more practical, you can always take out two – no waste.

You'll get 670g of sauce from the recipe.

Here are the sauce photos :

Onions, garlic and spices in the pan with tomato paste

The sauce at the beginning of the cook

Check out the depth of colour at the end

What's not to love!

The recipe that follows is easy and makes really tasty meatballs. As a rough guide 450g of minced meat will give you 24 meatballs.

Meatballs

450g minced beef, pork, turkey

or Quorn mince

*salt and black pepper

*garlic – either 2 tsps of paste or 2 cloves, crushed

*mixed herbs or garlic Italian seasoning – a generous sprinkle

*half a tsp of chilli

*heaped tbsp of tomato paste

*1 egg

sprinkle of plain flour

Rapeseed or vegetable oil for shallow frying

Place the mince in a large mixing bowl then add the remaining ingredients marked *, mix well. At this point your mixture may be too wet. If it is, sprinkle a little plain flour over the mixture and fold in gently.

Use a teaspoon as a measure and heaped with mixture, roll it between your hands and set aside on a board. When the meatballs are ready, heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry on a low heat, gently and carefully shaking the pan to ensure they are evenly coloured – use tongs if you are accident prone! Seal the meatballs in batches - 8 at a time and then transfer to an oven-proof dish or foil tray ready for later – cool, cover and fridge.

When you are ready for supper later in the day place the dish or tray containing the meatballs in a pre-heated oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6 and complete the cooking for 20 minutes – this time will vary depending on the sizes of the meatball – ensure that they are properly cooked – cut a larger one in half to be sure.

For the ultimate slob, why not a sub sandwich with the tomato sauce, meatballs then add veggies and cheese of your choice.

If you opt for the pizza route and don't want to make your own Asda make a ready rolled pizza dough for £1.20.

You have all the elements to make your own choices – enjoy!

Note:

You can freeze Quorn mince once it has been cooked – make sure your meal is cold before freezing – use within a month. For use, defrost fully in the fridge and cook within 24 hours ensuring it's piping hot.

Chapter IV – The Gorengs!

Nasi Goreng is Indonesian and began life as a breakfast dish using up leftover rice from the previous evening but has evolved into a popular street food choice, right up to being served in posh restaurants. It can be spicy or not depending on your taste and vegetarian or not. There's Mie Goreng too using noodles instead of rice.

What follows is a series of variations on this original recipe, all of which qualify as candidates for “dive in” dishes.

Whichever variation of The Gorengs you choose the principle is the same – it's the perfect vehicle for using leftovers and adding treats like prawns and ham hock. It's quick and easy to produce and so satisfying to place a large wok full of deliciousness on the table with additional sides – more chopped cashews, bowls of soy, kecap manis, a heap of small thin wraps and a stack of Little Gem lettuce cups.

The easiest way to show the “zhuzh” is to give the original recipe and underline the alternative ingredients.

Here goes :

Nasi Goreng

Serves 4-6

3 eggs

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp oil

4 tbsp vegetable oil

2 onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed or garlic paste

half tsp chilli powder – instead of using chilli

powder use ½ tsp of sambal paste *

8oz (225g) cooked rice – instead of using plain rice, use bags

of frozen rice with added veggies *

6oz (175g) cooked chicken or turkey meat, diced

6oz (175g) peeled prawns, defrosted if frozen

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tsp soft light brown sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

instead of using soy, sugar and lemon juice use

60ml of soy sauce and 120ml of Kecap Manis *

6oz (175g) cooked wafer ham, thinly sliced

instead of using cooked wafer ham use cooked

shredded ham hock *

black pepper

Beat the egg lightly with the 1 tbsp water. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or frying pan. Pour in the egg and cook until set underneath, flip it and repeat. Slide the omelette out of the pan on to a board, roll up into a cigar shape and slice into strips – set aside.

Add the vegetable oil to the wok and heat gently. Add the onions, garlic and chilli powder* and fry until lightly browned. Add the rice* and cook for a few seconds then stir in the chicken and prawns. Cook for 2/3 minutes.

Mix the soy sauce, sugar and lemon juice* together, then stir thoroughly into the rice mixture. Stir in the ham* then season to taste with pepper. Spoon the mixture into a serving bowl and garnish with the omelette strips.

Optional sides :

Add a dish of chopped honey roasted cashews

Add bowls of soy and Kecap Manis for extra drizzle

Add a stack of small thin wraps – small wraps are easier

to control for little fingers

Add a stack of Little Gem lettuce cups – ideal for

filling with the Nasi and devouring – you'll save on

cutlery too!

a perfect “dive in dish”

Here's an alternative “fish” Nasi recipe :

Nasi but not

4 tbsp vegetable oil

2 onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed or garlic paste

half tsp chilli powder or sambal paste

8oz (225g) cooked rice

6oz (175g) cooked salmon fillet, flaked

6oz (175g) smoked salmon, finely sliced

6oz (175g) peeled prawns, defrosted if frozen

120ml Kecap Manis (sweet soy sauce)

60ml dark soy sauce

4-6 hard boiled eggs, quartered

black pepper

Serves 4-6

Add the vegetable oil to a wok and heat gently. Add the onions, garlic and chilli powder and fry until lightly browned. Add the rice and cook for a few seconds then stir in the salmon and prawns.

Mix the kecap manis and soy sauce together, stir into the rice mixture, then season to taste with pepper.

Add the eggs, folding in gently, serve immediately, straight from the wok.

You can adjust the amounts of fish/seafood to your own personal taste – bearing in mind that you have two elements to replace from the original recipe – chicken and ham – 175g each plus 175g of prawns. You are adding hard boiled eggs and although these are a garnish they are definitely an integral part of the dish since the sauce is quite punchy and the fish quite salty so they play an important part in the balance.

Once again though, make it your own – adjust to suit yourself, if you want more prawns then adjust the amount of salmon accordingly. The great thing about this recipe is that it is a “leftovers” dish i.e. everything in it, apart from the onion, garlic and chilli and the sauce, is already cooked.

It's quite “kedgeree-esque” in that both contain fish and boiled eggs and both started life as breakfast dishes – now you have a choice – Asian or Indian!

On the other hand you may prefer noodles – hold that thought - here is Mie Goreng - the noodle version of the Nasi Goreng.

Mie Goreng

Serves 4-6

3 eggs

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp oil

1 onion, finely sliced

Drop of rapeseed or vegetable oil

3 cloves of garlic, crushed or tsps of paste

2 carrots, finely sliced (you could use cooked leftovers)

2 spring onions, finely sliced

Pinch of ground ginger

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1 red chilli, seeded removed and finely diced

1 tsp sambal paste

250g medium egg noodles, cooked

30ml dark soy sauce

60ml kecap manis

100g beansprouts

350g cooked prawns, defrosted

100g chopped roasted peanuts to garnish (optional)

Beat the egg lightly with the 1 tbsp water. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or frying pan. Pour in the egg and cook until set underneath, flip it and repeat. Slide the omelette out of the pan on to a board, roll up into a cigar shape and slice into strips – set aside.

Heat a large wok or frying pan and add a drop of oil. Add the onion and stir fry for 2 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger and carrots and fry for a further 2 minutes. Add a drop of water to prevent drying out.

Add the sambal paste, coriander and cumin and fry for 20/30 seconds – again you can add a drop of water if required. Add the cooked noodles, spring onions, beansprouts and prawns – turning until warmed through. Add the dark soy sauce and the kecap manis and repeat.

Serve straight from wok or spoon into individual bowls and garnish with the omelette strips and peanuts.

Serving suggestions

For a vegetarian version, substitute with 300g of shredded Chinese cabbage – aka bok choy or pak choi. Sweet baby peppers – red, yellow and orange – would work well too, de-seeded and finely sliced.

You could add sliced water chestnuts and bamboo shoots.

You could serve the Rendang Sauce with any of The Gorengs.

Anything goes – whatever leftover veggies or cooked chicken or meat – finely dice and make it your own!

Coming up … more ideas for the Economy Drive!

Chapter III of the cheap and cheerful - Asian

This is the perfect supper since you can make the curry sauce ahead which takes no time at all. You also have “prep ahead” options with the Kedgeree too.

Here's my version, together with a Rendang curry sauce. It's not compulsory to serve the curry sauce, it's personal choice – I prefer a little “sauce” with my dishes and it seemed the perfect symmetry to serve a curry sauce since they are both Asian in origin.

Kedgeree – the fastest ever

Serves 4

500g rice

400g smoked haddock

50g unsalted butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp coriander

4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut in half

half a lemon, cut into 4 wedges

small bunch of coriander, chopped for garnish

Cook your smoked haddock – use fresh if you can get it – or frozen which takes 30 minutes to cook. Break the fish into small pieces.

I'm using frozen mixed vegetable rice, microwave it – only 8 minutes – timed to cook when the fish is ready.

Melt the butter in a large frying pan and add the onion, curry powder and coriander. Fry gently until soft. Add the rice and fish, fold thoroughly.

Place the eggs on top, then add the coriander and lemon wedges.

Serve with hot French bread – using part baked bread works well – you can pop it into the oven whilst your cooking the Kedgeree.

Rendang Sauce

100 ml coconut cream

50ml water

3 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp curry powder

(I used mild)

1 tbsp kecap manis

(also known as sweet soy sauce)

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat for 3-4

minutes and serve. Can be made ahead and re-heated.

If you like to prep ahead :

cook the rice, cool and fridge

bake the fish, cool and fridge

chop and bag the onion

hard-boil the eggs – cool, peel, box and fridge

You don't have to prep ahead - except for hard boiling the eggs - it's whatever suits you – either way is quick and produces a mid-week supper faster than the speed of light – that may be a slight exaggeration!

If there's one thing that drives me mad it's fantasy timings given in recipes and so to back up my mouth I set my timer, based on all the elements prepped ahead. The bread took 10 minutes to bake - whilst it did its thing, using a large frying pan, I melted the butter, added the onion, curry powder and coriander and cooked for 2 minutes until the onion was softened and the spices “cooked” to release their deliciousness. I added the cooked rice, fish and finished with the eggs.

All that's left to do is warm the curry sauce!

Here's the usual step by step guide :

The smoked fish and the sweetness in the curry sauce is a perfect combination.

Lunch box anyone?

Shopping hints and tips

Asda seems to be the best value £3.75 for 400g of smoked haddock. I've also found on my travels an alternative store cupboard staple Steamed Pilau Rice from Aldi 280g for 79p – here's a photo – it's not in the freezer – it's in the aisle just up from the fresh fruit and vegetables!

You need 500g of rice for the recipe - a little more won't hurt!

Next up – the Gorengs!