More Rocket Science … and thrift!

Remember in Rocket Science and Light Bulbs! I suggested baking potatoes and grating cheese – here's where both come into their own for a weekend treat. If you can't run to Gruyere cheese and ham hock you can use Mature Cheddar and bacon bits instead - it will still be scrumdiddlyumptious!

I'm sure you've heard of a Croque Monsieur – it's a baked, or more popularly, fried sandwich which forms a crispy crust but an oozing filling in the middle. Croque literally means “crunch” from the verb “croquer” - “to bite”. This is a “toastie” done right. No need for a big piece of kit that gets used once a year and takes up cupboard space - oh no!

There are heaps of different variations of the croque. My most recent gives you a short cut too if you're pressed for time. I assembled the sandwiches in the morning, ready to be completed in the evening.

Croque with hock

for 4 sandwiches

8 slices of medium wholemeal bread

4 tsps Dijon mustard

75g each of Gruyere and mature cheddar cheese, grated

1x90g pouch of cooked ham hock

1 medium onion, preferably sweet or mild flavour,

finely sliced and left raw

60g unsalted butter

Spread ½ tsp of mustard over each slice of bread. Spread the cheese onto 4 slices of bread followed by the onions and ham hock. Sandwich together with the other 4 slices of bread.

At this stage place your stack of croques on a large sheet of foil, wrap tightly and fridge.

When you're ready to roll! Heat half the butter gently in a frying pan until foaming – you'll get two sandwiches in your frying pan – fry for 1-2 minutes on each side and then pop the croques onto a baking sheet and into the oven whilst you repeat using the remaining butter and two sandwiches.

You may think the onion would be harsh to the palate but I assure you it isn't, provided you use either a sweet or mild variety. The sharpness of the onion cuts through the richness of the cheese.

I should say too that I divided the 90g of ham hock between three of the croques, the fourth without the hock is for me – wrapped separately. It's no hassle to serve with or without!

Alternatively if your household is split and some like onion, some don't - here's an option - leave it out and serve :

Balsamic Onion Jam

I love Balsamic Vinegar and so the following recipe ticked all the boxes. It's great too for anything cheese or ham related for that matter like a Ploughman's Lunch or a cheese & “jam” doorstep sandwich with fresh bread, much better than Branston Pickle in my humble opinion.

Here it is :

Balsamic Onion Jam

4 medium brown onions, finely diced

4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

4 tbsp soft dark brown sugar

1 garlic clove, finely chopped (optional)

1 tbsp unsalted butter – 15g-30g

as a guide my “tablespoon” was exactly that -

from the cutlery drawer

the large frying pan measures 29cms/11” in diameter

and is non-stick

Using a large frying pan, cook the onions in the butter over a medium/high heat, stirring constantly for 5-8 minutes until they are opaque. Add the vinegar and sugar. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until the onions are cooked down to a jam-like consistency for 20-25 minutes. Do not cover the pan at any stage.

The recipe will give you 300g of jam.

Cool and place in a sealed container or a jar with a tightly fitting lid and keep in the fridge.

Balsamic Onion Jam – the photo guide

the onions, finely diced

cooked in the butter for 5-8 minutes

until they are opaque

simmered gently – for the first 10 minutes

you can see there's liquid at the edges

simmered for the final 10 minutes now

the liquid has disappeared and the consistency

is jam-like and darker in colour

here it is – in all its glory!

Then there's a relish option … I like a relish that's finely cut, not large pieces that are difficult to “sit” on top of a biscuit with cheese or on top of a generous slice of good bread and butter, cheese and topped!

Bazzin' beetroot relish

300g vac pack of organic cooked beetroot

drained and cut into small cubes

1 sharp eating apple, peeled, cored and cut

into small cubes

1 medium onion, finely chopped

75g soft dark brown sugar

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and black pepper

Don't forget to use gloves when prepping your beetroot!

Mix well and place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan – 16cms in diameter. Simmer on a low heat, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until all the liquid has been absorbed.

Take the pan off the heat and allow to cool. Box up and fridge until ready to use.

Finally the wedges

Using the cooked baked spuds from your stash cut your wedges into similar sizes and place on a large baking tray, drizzle with rapeseed oil and pop into a pre-heated oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6 – 15 minutes then shake and repeat. The more wedges you have the longer it will take for them to be crispy and brown. Tip into a bowl and sprinkle with a seasoning of your choice – Chinese 5 Spice, Chilli Flakes, or Classic Paprika & Onion, to name but three. Shake again and serve.

All you need to do is synchronise – place the wedges in the oven for the first 15 minutes and then finish off the croques during the remaining 15 minutes.

Yum!

Rocket Science and Light Bulbs - Part 3: Next on the thrift list

Here's a dish using your baked jackets spuds. This is originally a side dish but has morphed into a stand-alone veggie meal by adding a selection of other stuff – cauliflower and chick peas to name but two!

Bombay Aloo – aka Bombay Potatoes

2 large jacket spuds from your stash, peeled if you prefer

OR

500g of cooked potatoes – I use Charlottes – whatever you use it should be a waxy potato that holds its shape, so any new potato will be just the job

1 medium onion, finely diced

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

250g passata

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp caster sugar

1 tsp ginger paste or 1” fresh, grated.

2 cloves of roasted garlic or 2 cloves of fresh, crushed

1 tsp each of ground cumin, coriander, garam masala and curry powder. Use a curry powder that best suits your palate and how much heat you like – mild, medium or hot

1 tsp salt or to taste

Use a medium size saucepan (21cms/8”).

Your potatoes should be cut to approximately 6-12 cms/¼” to ½” pieces.

Fry the onions in the oil until soft – 3-4 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, spices and salt. Fry so that the spices are released. Add the potatoes and the tomato paste, fry gently so that the potatoes absorb the flavours and the paste cooks too – 3-4 minutes.

Add the passata and sugar and cook on a gentle heat for 10 minutes**. Taste the Bombay Aloo, adjust salt and sugar to personal taste. Cool, box and fridge. The longer you leave this dish the better it will be. It freezes well.

As a guide this recipe will give you 690g of scrumptious Bombay Aloo.

You can add a can of chick peas, drained and rinsed or tiny florets of cauliflower with the passata and sugar marked ** above - or anything that takes your fancy!

Here's a photo guide of the original Bombay Aloo :

the beginning

the middle

the end

in an individual pot, ready to roll!

It's a win win – you use up any potatoes and produce a dish that will go down a storm – an added bonus - if you cook it on purpose it doesn't break the bank – I love it when an economical plan comes together especially when it tastes so good!

P.s. Have you ever wondered how they make the “onion salad” served with the poppadoms? I know that it varies from restaurant to restaurant but, many moons ago I was given a recipe which, to this day I've never committed to paper.

Here goes :

2 medium onions, finely chopped -

weight 150g per onion approximately

salt and black pepper

2 tbsp fresh orange juice

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp tomato paste

pinch of chill powder

Place the onions in a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Place the salad in sealed airtight containers and store in a cool place.

The secret to this salad is that you should not serve it for at least a day, preferably two after making it. It's important that the orange and lemon juice and the tomato paste are allowed to “mature” - leaving it to infuse takes away any harshness from the onion and the tomato paste.

This is a perfect accompaniment for any curry.

Here it is :

If you are a lover of all things spicy then this onion salad is excellent with cold meats or, best of all, with a strong mature cheddar cheese.

Enjoy!

Rocket Science and Light Bulbs - Part 2: Thrift

A “Tickle Tray” because quite simply it tickles the taste buds!

This recipe is ideal for the leftover bits and bats you've got from the roast, stashed in the fridge, with a little imagination thrown in and it doesn't require a massive amount of prep!

It's inspired cooking “all in one” tray, a dive-in dish.

A Tickle Tray

You'll need a large baking tray which will be greased with either rapeseed or olive oil* – measuring 43x31 cms.

Serves 4-6 depending on size of appetites

2 chicken breasts stripped into large pieces from the slow cooker

250ml of the strained stock

Leftover roast potatoes and carrots from the roast cut

into large dice

OR

2 large cooked jacket spuds from your stash – peeled and cubed

OR

1kg cooked Charlotte potatoes, peeled and cut

into large dice – prep ahead then bag and fridge

250g diced chorizo – I buy it ready diced

OR

bacon bits from your boxed stash

2 medium red onions, sliced – prep, bag and fridge

mini sweet peppers, de-seeded and sliced -

prep, bag and fridge – 150g -

orange, yellow and red

6 cherry tomatoes – or small bunches x however

many servings required

50g black olives, pitted and sliced – optional

easy to obtain in jars

A sprinkle of sweet paprika or sumac - optional

**100g each of Panko breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese to

garnish

OR

grated Mature Cheddar Cheese from your boxed stash

if you can't run to Parmesan

salt and black pepper

Bread of your choice to serve, with bowls of

balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil for extra dipping

Method and assembly – be creative!

Grease your baking tray.

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

Using a large frying pan stir fry the chorizo, onions and peppers on a medium heat for 2/3 minutes, add the stock and then add the potatoes – set aside.

Scatter the chicken onto the tray and then the chorizo, onions, peppers and potatoes over the top. Cover evenly with the stock. Nestle the bunches of tomatoes on the top and scatter the black olives. Season with salt and black pepper, sprinkle with sweet paprika or sumac, complete the dish with Panko and Parmesan.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Serve straight to the table – make sure you have a heat proof surface and non slip proof mats to stop the tray moving around.

Serve with any good fresh bread of your choice – Italian would make the most sense with the bowls of balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil mixed together for extra dipping.

You'll notice that I've not mentioned additional garlic or herbs in the recipe – they are already there – in the slow cooked chicken and therefore in the strained stock but if you'd like to add more of either, go for it – I'd use garlic paste and either oregano or garlic Italian seasoning.

I love pulling ingredients out of the fridge, ready to assemble and go – in addition to which minimal fuss, maximum flavour and one tray to actually wash up.

That's what I call thrift … next on the thrift list!

*Rapeseed oil is a light alternative to other cooking oils, it's low in saturated fat, so healthy! It can be used cold in a dressing or dip or heated and used in shallow and deep frying so the best of both worlds!

Olive oil has a range of health benefits too. By its nature it is a stronger flavour and can be used in a similar way to rapeseed oil but if you're not keen on olives then it's a no! You can sauté with it and so it is useful in cooking as well as salad dressings and mayonnaise.

It's purely a matter of personal taste.

**Panko aka Japanese breadcrumbs, they are coarser than ordinary breadcrumbs and so give a crunchier taste. If you can't afford ready-made Panko crumbs you can make your own :

2 slices of day-old white bread, crusts removed,

if you prefer

tear the bread into pieces and drop into a food

processors fitted with a blade. Blitz in bursts

until you have a large crumb

to dry the crumb, tear the bread and dry it out in a

low oven first, then process it as above

Rocket Science and Light Bulbs! Part 1

In 2019 I published an e-book - “Splitting Atoms and Grating Cheese” or life's too short to faff around - at the time I didn't realise how useful it would be! It was a combination of making the most of your time and in turn saving you money and waste.

I asked the questions :

How do you shop and cook now?

How many times each week do you visit a supermarket?

How much food and therefore money do you waste each week?

Now more than ever it's time to take stock and consider.

Rocket Science and light bulbs

If there's two things I'm passionate about it's food and people – you can't beat good food and good company, preferably together. If I can help you save time with the former so that you can spend it with the latter then my work here may not be done but it's a start!

You could deliberately cook more than you'll use so that you create your own home cooked ready meals to freeze, so, when you're suffering from the Revolving Door Syndrome - everyone coming and going at different times - you're able to pull meals out of the freezer.

In our house we've one meat eater and one vegetarian. As the cook, I never prepare one portion of any dish – I always make extra of at least one element. If you're cooking pasta and making extra, you're halfway to the next meal. Run with that idea – why not cook off the rest of the carrots and potatoes and bag for later. What this habit generates is the ability when you are planning your week to draw on the contents of your fridge or freezer. The little bits and bats can save you time and money!

Think about creating a store cupboard of staples. Dried pasta, stock cubes/pots, oils – for me, rapeseed and vegetable are the best for general use. Keep a stock of microwave boxes and foil containers with lids in various (small to medium) sizes – both ideal for freezing individual meals. Check out the cheap shops for the best deals. If you're going to freeze liquids, i.e. stock, soups etc., Wilko's sell resealable pour & store bags especially for liquids – a really good product, very strong and inexpensive.

Create an emergency freezer store cupboard. Buy bags of frozen cauliflower cheese – enhance by adding extra grated cheese. Gruyere and parmesan also work well either on their own or mixed – you could add breadcrumbs too and bacon bits it makes an ordinary cauliflower cheese yummy!

Whilst we haven't been talking about rocket science I hope that you may have had a light bulb moment!

Here's an idea or two.

If you're cooking think ahead, if your oven is turned on then fill it! For example wrap six large baking potatoes in foil and bake. Bake for and hour and a half and then test – you want your paring knife to move firmly through the potatoes. Remove and set aside to cool, bearing in mind they will continue cooking because they are insulated by the foil.

Line a baking sheet with foil and cover with bacon of your choice. Bake for 15 minutes, turn and repeat – it will be crisp. Let the bacon cool and break into small pieces, box and fridge. That few moments you took whilst the oven was on and threw the bacon in might not seem much but for the next time you're making a salad or toastie you will not regret it!

Grate cheese, box it and fridge – taking the minute or two to grate the cheese saves washing the grater 19 times and gives you easy access to flavour. Buying the block vs. ready grated is more economical and can soon add up.

Check out the meal deals.

Liberation!

I find slow-cooking liberating – not a word that immediately springs to mind where cooking is concerned – there'll be no bra burning!

It might sound a touch dramatic but to illustrate how much time, effort and money you'll save - I give you, the slow-cooked whole chicken.

This is the simplest and most efficient way of cooking :

I mentioned checking out bargains and deals – you'll usually find a chicken. A recent trip around a couple of supermarkets showed that a whole chicken is comparable if not cheaper to a prepared pack of four chicken breasts. What you get for your money pays dividends if you put a little time in yourself. Rocket science it ain't but if you want to make the most of your good deal with a chicken then let the slow cooker take the strain and do the cooking for you - that's two massive ticks!

Slow Cook a Whole Chicken

1 chicken – between 1.5kg – 1.75kg

1 chicken stock pot

2 tsps of garlic paste or 1 garlic stock pot

generous sprinkle of oregano or garlic

Italian seasoning

Alternatively use two whole star anise in the cavity

and omit the herbs

Place your chicken in the slow cooker and mix the stock pot with the garlic paste and spread over the chicken. Either - sprinkle with the herbs or add the whole star anise to the cavity. Switch your slow cooker to the low setting and leave it for 8 hours.

Strain the stock and freeze the resultant liquid gold, strip the chicken, keeping aside what you need and then bag and freeze the remainder.

One thing is for sure, slow cooking a whole chicken means you get the best value and you'll use every morsel – it's the perfect emergency food!

Here's how far it stretches :

an “instant” mid week roast and leftovers too

If you're serving four as a main then you'll get sufficient

chicken left to use for a soup

If you're serving two as a main then you'll get sufficient

chicken left to make a pie filling or shredded chicken

in pasta and a sauce using the stock

If you'd like another chicken idea check out the “takeaway” options for the weekend.

Slow cooking a whole chicken, I had a “takeaway” chicken idea for the weekend. If there are four in your household then you might want to consider slow cooking a whole chicken just for this purpose, lets be honest, it doesn't take a great deal of effort, nor break the bank either. I'd recommend too that you use the star anise option in the cavity, the flavour of the stock is divine. You'll also produce lots of moist chicken which shreds very easily, it almost melts before your eyes.

A chicken sandwich for the soul if you will - some delicious bread and when I say delicious bread I mean a loaf (or may be two) that can be sliced into doorsteps. Interested?

Who likes what?

It wouldn't be a sandwich without the extras, here are my

suggestions and it is not an exhaustive list!

Avocado, sliced or mashed to suit, with lemon

juice

Crispy bacon – and bits are better!

Good quality mayo

Beef tomatoes, sliced thinly

Beetroot relish or slices if you prefer

Any salad item you love – spring onions, shredded

iceberg lettuce

capers, cornichons

A slaw of your choice – here's an Asian

recipe that will compliment your anise infused

shredded chicken

Asian Coleslaw

110g white cabbage, finely sliced – approximately

one third of a medium size cabbage

1 carrot – peeled and sliced with a

julienne peeler

1 spring onion – 15g finely sliced

if you want to create a basic slaw stash then

double the amounts given above

3-4 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp caster sugar

Half tbsp rice wine

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp peanut butter

Half tsp chilli powder

4 tbsp fresh coriander

Combine all the above ingredients except the fresh coriander.

Marinade for at least an hour – 2-3 is better still!

Just before serving strain off the excess liquid, stir in the coriander and serve!

A happy afterthought transforms a good meal into a great meal!

More ideas to follow, stay tuned.

Editor’s August Pick #4: What to cook in hot weather – the final curry photos

Editor's note: We'll round off this week's selection with a photo of the butter chicken to show just how daft my thought process was. Also for consideration is a recipe for raita which even if you don't need some kind of tempering for the spice, deliciously adds to the flavours of any curry. Curry without some kind of yoghurt dip would be like a poppadom without chutney!

What to cook in hot weather – the final curry photos

and the remaining bits and pieces.

I realise I'm always going on about raita – it's so easy to make and delicious with any spicy food. I mentioned it as recently as June but just for speed here it is again.

Raita

Take half a large pot of plain yogurt - 250g. Add one teaspoon of ready-made mint sauce and stir well. Add salt and black pepper. If you'd like to add finely diced cucumber feel free but add it as you serve so it remains crisp.

Another culinary marriage made in heaven – the fast and economical way.

I don't make mango chutney, simply because as of yet I can't do better than my favourite - Sharwood's Green Label.

You can buy good quality ready-made naan breads but if you want to make your own I'd choose Garlic Roti which was mentioned in Bread for the New Year in July.

There are heaps of ideas on the Indian label – from Bombay Aloo to Koftas – food for thought – sorry!

Okey dokey just before we complete the hot weather ideas here are a couple of photos :

Butter Chicken – I'd make more

than you need – it's great to pull from the

freezer for a ready-made supper!

Veggie Rendang – just one word – yum!

Neither the Butter Chicken nor the Veggie Rendang are complicated and long-winded whichever route you decide to take – there's fastish and fast!

Editor’s August Pick #3: What to cook in hot weather – then there's the Rendang

Editor's note: I love juxtapositions, and curry during a hot summer is one of those incongruous ideas that shows two "wrongs" can sometimes make a right. Spice on a hot day? Yes please! Not to mention curry is one of the best ways to use up leftover veg as MiamMiam says - I don't eat spinach in anything other than curry. Give it a try any time and you won't be disappointed.

What to cook in hot weather – then there's the Rendang

I've said already that this is a favourite of mine – what I also love about this curry is that it's quick and easy – ideal too for using leftover veggies. I always cook more potatoes than I need and at this time of year it's new potatoes. You can add whatever you've got – cauliflower, peppers, broccoli, anything goes.

Here's the recipe I use :

Rendang Sauce

100 ml coconut cream

50ml water

3 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp curry powder

(I used mild – use medium or hot to suit personal taste)

1 tbsp kecap manis

(also known as sweet soy sauce)

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat and

serve. Can be made ahead and re-heated.

I doubled the recipe.

You don't have to make the Butter Chicken sauce or the Rendang either – you can cheat and buy ready-made products or, in the case of the Rendang, there's very little time difference.

I added :

500g of cooked new potatoes, cut into cubes

1 large onion, finely diced

1 roasted garlic clove (optional)

glug of rapeseed oil]

a couple of handfuls of frozen petit pois,

boxed and allowed to defrost

Editor’s August Pick #2: What to cook in hot weather - Butter Chicken

Editor's note: Butter chicken is something that I'd often heard of but avoided - it sounded odd somehow - curiosity got the better of me when I saw this post. Obviously my culinary IQ would be quicker to count to than to crack an egg but still thought I'd share that tidbit! There may be someone (I hope!) out there like me that had just glossed over what's involved and would like reassurance that it's a delicious sounding meal full of flavour and isn't just Lurpak and chicken!

What to cook in hot weather - Butter Chicken method and other choices

The simplest recipes are the best and this is no exception.

Butter Chicken Method

Put the tomato paste in a clear measuring jug. Add water slowly, mixing as you go, to make up 8fl oz (225ml) of tomato sauce.

Add the ginger, cream, garam masala, salt, sugar, green chilli, cayenne, green coriander, lemon juice and ground roasted cumin seeds. Mix well. At this stage you can box and fridge until the finishing touch below completing the sauce.

**Heat the butter in a wide sauté pan or a large frying pan. When the butter has melted, add all the ingredients in the measuring jug. Bring to a simmer and cook on a medium heat for a minute, mixing in the butter as you do so.

Now you're ready to add your chicken.

Once again you have chicken choices. I slow cooked chicken breast ahead – one per person plus an extra two for good luck, and then froze. All that remained was to pull it all together and finish off on the day – not forgetting to defrost the chicken in the fridge overnight.

Madhur Jaffrey has another suggestion and that is to add tandoori chicken.

That suggestion gave me an idea for a spot of fusion – of culinary minds that is.

Dipna Anand is co-owner of “Brilliant” restaurant in London. The tandoori chicken is taken from a larger Tandoori Chicken Tikka Salad recipe from Dipna. This is an hommage to Madhur Jaffrey and Dipna Anand. It also proves that recipes that are 40 years old work just as well with “now”!