Quick cooking

Although I like to take my time with cooking and really enjoy making things like risotto, there's definitely a place in everyone's life for quick cooking.  I enjoyed this Guardian article on quick cooking.  I think it's absolutely right that quick versions of dishes that should take a while to make are rarely good.  As I discussed in a previous post, risotto is definitely one of those - those versions of risotto that claim to be quicker and easier but just as tasty are just not worth it.

My go-to quick recipes are:

• Shak and rice - since making shak is pretty instinctive for me, I can do this on autopilot and, if I use vegetables that are quick cooking, I can produce it in under 15 mins.
• Thick omelette with vegetables - tortilla/frittata/whatever you want to call it - nutritious and great for using up whatever vegetables/odd bits of cheese/herbs you have left over.  Fry vegetables till cooked, add eggs, salt and pepper, when mostly cooked, add cheese and finish under the grill to melt the cheese.
• Filled pasta and pesto - very very quick (about 10 mins) and easy
• Welsh rarebit style - bread spread with mustard, topped with mature cheddar, toasted under the grill
• Quesadillas - acquire tortillas, fill with cheese (and anything else you fancy - e.g. mushrooms, refried beans) and fry on both sides - takes perhaps 15 mins in total.

But, mostly, I'm not that into quick cooking - not that everything that I cook takes hours but I really don't mind spending half an hour in the kitchen.  Almost especially if it's been a long day, it's nice to focus my mind on something different.