Veggie or not – orzotto photo-guide

Here they are :

Onions and orzo

Stock and wine added

it glistens – just like the real thing!

Add the Parmesan – creamier - even better

Add the parsley – better still

How good does it look?

Stand by for the miso roasted mushrooms!

It's Wednesday evening …

… veggie or not, here I come!

Tonight it's orzotto with miso roasted mushrooms.

If you've not come across orzo before let me enlighten you, orzo is a pasta and it looks exactly like rice. If you're a lover of risotto but haven't the time or the inclination to make it when you come home from a hard day at work, orzotto is the answer.

Orzotto

Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped finely

260g orzo pasta

425ml chicken stock (or vegetable)

75ml dry white wine

2 tbsps lemon juice

200g frozen petit pois

2 tbsp fresh pesto

bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped

75g parmesan cheese, grated

black pepper

extra grated parmesan to serve

Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat and fry the onion for 2/3 minutes. Add the dry white wine and cook for 2 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 a minute and then add the parmesan cheese and continue to simmer for 2 minutes until the peas are cooked then add the pesto and the parsley.

Season to taste with black pepper and serve with an extra sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

If you want to omit the wine increase the stock to 500ml.

It's up to you what you do

If you want to weigh your ingredients ahead I can only tell you that it doesn't take long at all and the pleasure you'll get when it takes you 15 minutes to cook and you're ready to serve is not to be sniffed at. The choice – as they say – is yours!

Photo-guide up next.

Faff free foto guide … the Kedgeree

Here's the usual step by step guide :

I am my own worst critic … I loved it. The smoked fish and the sweetness in the curry sauce is a perfect combination.

Lunch box anyone?

I've passed this box to a friend – I hate waste!

Will let you know the verdict.

Some like it with a drizzle …

… some don't. I'm a drizzle kinda gal. There's definitely moisture in the Kedgeree but, as a hat tipping to its Indian roots, I thought I'd add a sauce which is admittedly Malaysian - hey it's near enough next door - what's 2,000 miles or so these days.

It's all about balance and personal taste. You'll notice that there's no salt and black pepper included in the Kedgeree recipe – for a reason – there's salt in the fish and the curry and coriander provide the spice hit, add black pepper to your own taste. The rice and the egg balance the saltiness of the fish – now for the sweet hit.

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 and

serve.

It's up to you what you do

You can make the sauce ahead and re-heat.

This is my solution for those who like a sauce and another for your “really useful” quick and easy sauce recipe repertoire – blimey try saying that when you've had a cup of gin!

It's Tuesday evening …

… and Kedgeree as promised :

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

I'm using frozen mixed vegetable rice, microwaved – it took 8 minutes – whenever you've time – set aside cool, cover and fridge ready for use later.

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

Cook your smoked haddock – use fresh if you can get it – or frozen - whichever you find most convenient. Bake in the oven straight from the freezer at 170fan/190c/Gas 5 for 30 minutes or poach for 15 minutes in a medium saucepan, covered with equal amounts of milk and water. Set aside to cool and then box and fridge until ready to use. Break the fish into small chunks and fold into the rice.

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

Serve with freshly baked French bread.

It's up to you what you do

I cooked the rice and fridged

I cooked the fish and fridged

I chopped and bagged the onion

I hard-boiled the eggs

as additional Sunday “I'm in the kitchen anyway” tasks

If there's one thing that drives me mad it's fantasy timings given in recipes. To back up my mouth I set my timer. 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.

Faff free food in 10 minutes - hold that thought ...

The aim of this game …

… is to give you fast, home-cooked suppers after a hard day at work. You'll know exactly what's for supper, no stress or panic shopping on your way home – more time for you. The added bonus is that at the end of the week you'll have little or no food waste – no scary bits lingering in the bottom of your fridge – just think of the dosh you'll save!

You have control here – the more stuff you prep and cook ahead the less likely you are to inhale a packet of biscuits. After the holidays you are addicted to sugar, fat or salt or all three. You need to wean yourself off the overload – by being organised and planning ahead you'll look forward to your supper and not have any room left for snacking!

At the end of each of the following recipes there's a list of elements that can be made ahead – it's up to you what you do in addition to the four tasks given for Sunday.

Kedgeree – the fastest ever, coming next and the best example I can give you of saving time, dosh and little or no waste!

It's Monday evening …Chicken, chorizo and pear salad

… and time to use some of that chicken breast you slow cooked yesterday. A warm, welcoming salad.

Chicken, chorizo and pear salad

1 pear, sliced, cored and divided

into 10

1 knob of unsalted butter (20/25g)

100g diced chorizo, or smoked bacon bits

if you prefer

150g sliced chicken breast – smoked if you like

35g chestnuts or walnuts – chopped

chopped flat leaf parsley to garnish

Use a type of pear that's suitable for cooking – Bosc and Anjou are perfect – they hold their form, don't use Comice – they'll disintegrate. Using a large frying pan melt the butter and add the slices of pear sauté for 2 minutes, turn and repeat so that the slices have colour. Set aside on a baking tray and place in a warm oven.

Add the diced chorizo to the frying pan and sauté until coloured. Add the sliced chicken breast, the nuts and the pears and turn gently so that all the ingredients are properly warmed and coated with the chorizo juices and the butter.

Here's a photo-guide :

Supper in ten minutes!