Lorraine Pascale - Lorraine Pascale’s Fast, Fresh and Easy Food

I am not at all embarrassed to say that on many occasions I have returned home to the waiting party laden with food that just needs a simple peeling back of the plastic and a slight turn of the oven dial, usually to 180°C. These ready-meals serve a purpose and I am thankful that they exist, but I wondered what if a book existed that was jam-packed full of dishes that were quick, simple, nutritious and above all super-tasty? I wrote this book for the many, many people out there who, like me and my family, face the same daily dilemma of ‘What on earth is for dinner?’

Thanks to the brilliant medium of Twitter, countless readers have told me that the important thing for the evening meal is that it is easy and quick to cook, using ingredients that don’t require a space shuttle flight to the outer reaches of the solar system to source. The main ingredients people seem to favour are chicken (breasts, not so much the thigh or the leg), lamb chops, pork chops, minced beef or lamb, and fish. So I’ve included an enormous range of dishes featuring these, along with other tasty fare such as duck and vegetarian grub. I don’t know if it is the Brit in me, but with my meal I like to eat some kind of a veg and/or a carb, but not any ordinary side dish – something a bit different that will leave (even with the quickest of meals) a lasting sensory memory on my tongue and in my mind.

Dishes such as the Italian Cacciatore get a gentle lift with the help of the mildly spiced harissa, a red chilli paste from North Africa. A simple Salmon en Croute is transformed by the use of papery filo in which to envelop it, and the accompanying potatoes are gently crushed with a pesto made from basil and curly kale. A Lamb Biryani, cooked in one pot and ready to eat in 25 minutes, is delicately spiced with the very-easy-to-find garam masala, cumin and chilli powder.

My current favourite are Lemoncello Jello Shots — lemon wedges scraped clean of their flesh and filled with a citrusy alcoholic (or not, if you so choose) jelly — that are so simple to make and yet so attention-getting when served, and of course super-yumbelicious to eat.

The goal of this book was to create something people would revisit time and time again. A cookbook that would be on that kitchen counter several times a week, for busy people who love good food and want to make something quick and easy, with tasty and accessible ingredients, to impress family and friends. And I wanted to provide an entire meal: main dish and side. So often when you know what you want to cook, it is challenging to figure out what to have with it. With this book, I have served up dishes with an accompaniment or two, making mealtimes much easier to plan. I also tried to make it as simple as possible so that everything is served up together, with a time plan for each recipe so you can sail through the instructions and end up with a delicious dish in super-fast time. I have put my heart and soul into this book and hope it helps you to serve up fast, fresh and delicious meals every day.

Lorraine

A few handy tips on the recipes

+ All preparation and cooking times are an estimate so check and taste things as they cook.

+ Always wash rice thoroughly before use.

+ I find it best to have all the ingredients and equipment out ready before you start cooking, so everything is easy to get when you need it.

+ These recipes have all been tested a minimum of four times, and they have been written so that everything is ready at the same time. So if you follow the method to the letter you will have quick and tasty meals ready in flash.

+ Some recipes have a start to finish time so you know roughly how long it will take from the moment you start cooking to when you finish.

+ Other recipes are split between preparation time and cooking/baking time. So the prep time is the hands on time and the rest of the time whilst the dish is in the oven is free time!

+ Some recipes are super-fast and others have an element to them which is faster than the usual way of prepping or cooking the dish.

+ The equipment list is not exhaustive but a guide to the main pieces of kitchen equipment you will need to prepare the dish. Everyday smaller utensils required are not included in the list.

+ If you have any cooking questions, please do Tweet me @lorrainepascale. I receive lots of Tweets and cannot guarantee to answer to every one, but I will do my best!

Canapés + cocktails

‘Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.’Plato

I would love to profess that friends drop by unexpectedly, so I have to rustle something up quickly for an impromptu feast, but the reality is that never really happens. What does tend to happen is that, in true Lorraine Pascale style, I am always rushing around, slightly disorganised and with the clock ticking away, having known for weeks that some people are coming round and always leaving it to the very last minute to get everything together! These simple canapés (and of course cocktails) are the perfect solution to this modern-day madness of rush, rush, rush. So easy to prepare and super-tasty too, with that ever-important ‘wow’ factor on the plate.

Canapés + cocktails

Quick-cook canapé crostini

Crispy, crunchy chicken strips with honey mustard dip

Pancetta & Parmesan puffs

Crunchy black pepper halloumi dip sticks with harissa hummus

Naughty, naughty nachos

Skinny dipping

Lemoncello jello shots

Watermelon jello shots

Strawberry & mint mojitos

Lovely limoncello

Quick-cook canapé crostini

These really easy canapés have saved the day, not only when (in the very rare event) people drop by my house unannounced, but also when I fancy a quick snack of an evening. It is great to get creative with these: see what is in your cupboard and fridge, throw some ingredients together and experiment! I have used the oven to crisp up the crostini, but they can be put in the toaster or under the grill to get the same effect. If you crisp them up first, they won’t need as much time to cook.

Time from start to finish: 20 minutes

Makes: 24

Equipment: Large baking sheet, 3 small bowls

Crostini bases

1 French baguette

Extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove

Tomato, basil & mint

2 large ripe tomatoes

Extra virgin olive oil

Small handful of fresh basil and mint leaves

Pinch of sugar (optional)

White bean, prosciutto & rocket

100g tinned cannellini beans

2 slices of prosciutto

Small handful of wild rocket

Goat’s cheese, figs & mint with balsamic drizzle

100g soft goat’s cheese

2 fresh figs

Small handful of small fresh mint leaves

Drizzle of balsamic vinegar

1 squidge of honey

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

+ Preheat the oven to 190°C, (fan 170°C), 375°F, Gas Mark 5.

+ Trim the ends off the baguette and cut it into 24 diagonal slices, about 2cm thick. Place on a large baking sheet, drizzle with oil and bake for 7–8 minutes.

+ In the meantime, prepare the toppings.