Layer flavour, blend spices, get creative with your broiler. Here are the best ways to put dinner on the table in 30 minutes flat.
Layer flavour, blend spices, get creative with your broiler. Here are the best ways to put dinner on the table in 30 minutes flat.
REINVENT THE ONE-DISH DINNER
Shakshuka, traditionally eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce, comes together as a rich blend of flavours as well as textures in a single pan, and offers tons of ways to play. this version is packed with greens. more ideas:
SHAKSHUKA MARGARITA
Poach eggs in tomato sauce, top with fresh mozzarella, and bake in the oven. add fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil, and serve with toasted sourdough.
SPANAKOPITA SHAKSHUKA
Saute two large bags of spinach with smashed garlic, olive oil, and fresh dill until wilted. Stir in lemon zest. create wells in the spinach mixture, crack eggs into them, and bake. garnish with crumbled feta and greek yogurt. Serve with lemon wedges and pita.
HUEVOS RANCHEROS SHAKSHUKA
Heat salsa in a skillet, then stir in a can of rinsed and drained black beans and a cup of thawed frozen corn. create wells in the mixture, crack eggs into them, and bake. top with cottage cheese and fresh cilantro, and serve with tortillas.
GO CURRY IN A HURRY
Streamline prepping (and slash your ingredient list) with pre-made curry pastes. They’re packed with every spice you’ll need to build a dish that’s dynamic and full-bodied in almost no time. You’ve got a bunch of different styles to work with, including Indian, Thai, and Moroccan. And no need to stick to established recipes when there are a million ways to put the seasonings to great use.
STIR HARISSA PASTE
into yogurt or hummus; toss it with pasta; rub it onto vegetables or meats before roasting; try it in place of tomato sauce on pizza.
USE VINDALOO PASTE
to coat chickpeas before pan- frying; toss it with sweet potato cubes for roasting; mix into ground meat for spiced burgers or meatballs.
WHISK THAI CURRY PASTE
into a sesame oil and rice vinegar dressing; add to natural peanut butter and thin with water for a grain bowl sauce.
ADD TIKKA MASALA PASTE
to the cooking water to flavour rice; rub it onto chicken thighs before coating with coconut flakes and broiling; stir into yogurt as sauce for a kebab wrap.
THIN MASSAMAN PASTE
with water and lime juice for a dip for cooked meat; thin it with orange juice for salad dressing.
SPREAD KORMA PASTE
on salmon before broiling for indian fish tacos; mix it into mashed potatoes.
LAYER YOUR FLAVOURS
If you roast meat and vegetables on separate sheet pans, you miss an opportunity for deeper, more indulgent-tasting dishes. Instead, overlap your ingredients on a single pan and let their juices meld into a complex, rich dish.
SALMON AND VEGGIES
Bottom layer: thinly sliced leeks or onions, grape tomatoes, garlic, and Swiss chard seasoned with olive oil, salt, and lemon juice.
Top layer: Skinless salmon fillets seasoned with salt and pepper. Bake at 210 deg c for about 15 minutes.
CHICKEN WITH CHORIZO AND BEANS
Bottom layer: toss canned white beans with cubed chorizo, torn kale, a splash of sherry vinegar, and olive oil.
Top layer: thinly pounded chicken breasts coated with tapenade. Bake at 210 deg c for 12 to 15 minutes or until cooked through. top with fresh parsley and serve.
MEATBALLS WITH SWEET POTATO AND ZUCCHINI
Bottom layer: thinly sliced sweet potato and zucchini tossed with harissa paste and olive oil.
Middle layer: thin slices of sweet onion.
Top layer: meatballs (mix ground beef with a handful of oats, a spoonful of orange marmalade, and a pinch each of cumin and salt). Bake at 230 deg c for 12 to 15 minutes or until cooked through. to serve, drizzle with a mix of yogurt and lemon juice, and scatter mint on top.
CRANK UP THE MOST UNDERUSED OVEN SETTING
The broiler delivers high, direct heat – much like a grill – so you can make a nicely toasted meal in 10 minutes tops.
BROILED CAULIFLOWER STEAKS WITH RAISINS, FETA, WALNUTS, OLIVES, AND PESTO
Brush thick slices of cauliflower with olive oil and broil for 5 minutes; flip and broil for another 5 minutes or until golden brown. add raisins, crumbled feta, walnuts, olives, and a squeeze of lemon, and broil about 30 seconds more. top with a big dollop of pesto.
BROILED MOROCCAN HALIBUT WITH SHREDDED BRUSSELS SPROUTS, CARROT, AND MINT
Rub halibut fillets with a moroccan spice blend and place on a baking sheet next to shredded brussels sprouts. Broil for 5 to 8 minutes or until halibut is cooked though. toss cooked sprouts with grated carrot, fresh mint, pomegranate seeds, toasted almonds, and lemon-infused olive oil.
BROILED PORK CHOPS, APPLES, AND SHALLOTS WITH KALE
Rub pork chops with grainy mustard and place on a baking sheet next to quartered and seeded apples, halved shallots, and kale seasoned with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Broil for 4 minutes, flip chops, and broil for an additional 4 to 6 minutes or until pork is cooked through.
PHOTOS CHARLES MASTERS
FOOD STYLING JAMIE KIMM
PROP STYLING SARAH CAVE/EH MANAGEMENT
