Quick Fixes

In a perfect world, we’d all cook every night, spending hours slaving over the stove to create dishes that would excite even the most leaden of palates. But after a long, dreary day at work, the last thing you usually want to do is slice a dozen carrots, brown meat and skim broth. You want to eat, and fast. I’d be a liar if I didn’t admit to the odd (or not so odd) takeaway, as well as wrapping hastily torn chunks of cheese in pre-sliced white bread. Or eating ham by the fistful, straight from the packet. These are the quickest fixes of all, though they tend not to endear one to one’s better half. The recipes in this section are a touch more civilised; they’re all about ease and speed. Some may take longer than 30 minutes to marinate and cook, but none need more than 15 minutes (and that’s 15 amateur minutes, not 15 of Marcus Wareing’s or Jason Atherton’s minutes) to prepare. And compared to the ghastly ready meal, these dishes will thrill and delight.