The considered meals buying after the excesses of the festive season and when the climate is gloomy can really feel a little bit of an ordeal, so, fortunately, a rummage round my kitchen cabinets normally supplies a fast, frugal dinner. Tinned meals aren’t only for onerous instances, although – they are often magnificent. Cans of fish are prized in Spain and Portugal for good cause, tinned tomatoes guarantee you might have good-quality ones readily available all 12 months spherical, legumes and pulses are handy and versatile, and condensed milk is a necessary for thus many puddings. So mud down that may opener: there’s treasure in your pantry.
Anchovy cacio e pepe with fried capers
The anchovies right here bolster the traditional pasta dish with a deeply savoury, saline flavour.
Prep 5 min
Cook dinner 15 min
Serves 2 as a fundamental, or 4 as a starter
200g dried spaghetti
Salt
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp capers, rinsed and patted dry
50g butter
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp pul biber, or a pinch of chilli flakes
30g anchovies in oil, drained
Zest of 1 lemon plus the juice of ½ lemon
100g grated pecorino romano, plus further for serving
2 tbsp freshly floor pepper
Cook dinner the spaghetti in properly salted water in keeping with the packet directions, then drain and reserve the cooking water. Return the drained spaghetti to the cooking pot, then cowl to maintain it heat.
Whereas the pasta is cooking, put the oil in a frying panon a medium warmth, then add the capers and fry for 5 minutes, till golden brown and crisp. Scoop out the capers and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
Flip down the warmth beneath the pan, add the butter, garlic, chilli, anchovies and lemon zest, and prepare dinner, stirring, for about 5 minutes, till the garlic is simply turning golden; use the again of a picket spoon to interrupt up the anchovies. Add 250ml of the reserved pasta cooking water to the pan and produce to a simmer on a medium warmth. Add the cooked spaghetti and lemon juice, toss vigorously to coat, then take off the warmth and add the cheese and pepper a little bit at a time, tossing all of the whereas with tongs till the combination emulsifies right into a shiny sauce.
Serve sprinkled with the fried capers and additional cheese.
Chickpea chaat nachos
The right movie-night nibble for many who take snacking critically. Be happy to swap the nachos for poppadoms or pitta chips.
Prep 15 min
Cook dinner 25 min
Serves 4
200g good-quality tortilla chips
For the chickpeas
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 black cardamom pod, bashed
1 pink onion, peeled and sliced
2cm piece recent ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 massive garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
1 inexperienced chilli, stalk discarded, flesh finely chopped
¾ tsp floor cinnamon
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp tamarind paste
1 heaped tbsp smooth brown sugar
1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained
Sea salt and black pepper
75g cheddar
1 handful picked coriander leaves, to complete
A pinch of chaat masala, to complete
For the tomato and tamarind salsa
2 tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped
1 small carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 small Persian cucumber, roughly chopped
1 handful recent coriander leaves, roughly chopped
1 tsp toasted cumin seeds, coarsely floor
1 tsp chaat masala1 tsp smooth brown sugar or jaggery
2 tbsp tamarind paste
To make the salsa, put the whole lot in a blender, blitz to a rough salsa, then season to style. Refrigerate till required.
Put the oil in a pan on a medium warmth, add the cumin and the cardamom pod and, after they crackle, add the onion and fry till smooth and translucent. Add the ginger, garlic and chilli, fry till fragrant then sprinkle within the cinnamon and fry for just a few seconds. Stir within the tomato puree, tamarind, sugar and 50ml water and prepare dinner for 5 minutes extra. Tip within the drained chickpeas, stir to coat, prepare dinner for one more 5 minutes, then take off the warmth, season to style and go away to chill.
Once you’re able to serve, activate the grill to excessive. Unfold the tortilla chips on a baking tray in a single layer, spoon the chickpea combine and salsa evenly excessive, then sprinkle over the cheese. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes, till the cheese is effervescent, end with the picked coriander and a sprinkling of chaat masala, and serve without delay.
No-churn Vietnamese espresso chocolate ripple ice-cream
Luscious and wealthy, condensed milk is helpful for the whole lot from fudge to banoffee pie. Right here it offers espresso ice-cream a velvety texture with no ice-cream machine required.
Prep 5 min
Cook dinner 10 min
Freeze 5 hr+
Serves 6
1 x 397g tin condensed milk
3 tbsp on the spot espresso powder
1 tsp floor cinnamon
¼ tsp floor cardamom
284ml double cream
50g darkish chocolate
In a big bowl, beat the condensed milk, espresso powder, cinnamon and cardamom till properly mixed. In a second bowl, frivolously whip the cream till it holds its form, then fold this into the espresso combination.
Soften the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of boiling water, ensuring the water doesn’t contact the underside of the bowl, stir till easy, then put aside to chill barely.
Switch the milk and cream combination to a bathtub, drizzle over the cooled melted chocolate, and use the tip of a knife or a skewer to swirl it into the ice-cream combine and create a ripple impact. Cowl and freeze for not less than 5 hours, till agency. Take out of the freezer and put within the fridge about half-hour earlier than serving, to melt.
