The Best Fish Baps

The Best Fish Baps, Mushy Peas & Tartare Sauce

Monday, 4th February 2013

The jury's out on this one and I'd definitely make a few changes if I cooked the meal again. It was good but all the other meals have felt somehow a little bit special and this one just didn't. I'm not sure why.  Perhaps because it's Monday and we're all a bit tired and grumpy after a busy weekend.

I was on my own doing this one. Son was doing homework, Daughter was fine-tuning a story for Radio 2's 500 Words competition and Husband wasn't home in time to be involved in any preparations.  I reckon it took around 20-25 minutes, all in (including feretting in the fridge for ingredients and in the cupboard for pans and food processor blades).

I didn't pan fry the fish - partly because I didn't fancy it, partly because we have an Aga and it's more efficient to cook in the oven rather than on the top. The flat fish fillets (plaice) that I used (as instructed by the great JO) were ... well ... flat. Too flat. I'd use normal chunky cod next time for a much 'meatier' fish burger. But perhaps we're greedy. 

Mushy peas were good (Husband and Son reported preferring 'normal' peas but Daughter, who doesn't like 'normal' peas, thought these very tasty). The sauce was also good but too runny - definitely need stodgier yoghurt than the Yeo Valley I used. Liked that it had lettuce in it though, and cornichons. 

OJ rating: 5/10 (although a good wedge of fish might bump that up a point or two).

Poached Fish

Poached Fish, Coddled Eggs & Tomato Loaf

Thursday, 30 January 2013

My favourite so far, this one.  By a country mile.  

Tasted delicious and was a bit different from our run-of-the-mill mid-week meals.  A great combo for the James family (although Son cried off - well, fell asleep on the sofa actually and we were too soft to wake him up).  No helpers tonight but no rush either, so still no clock watching. 

Think it too me around 40 minutes probably, but I didn't make it in the order suggested and I fiddled around doing other overdue chores at the same time, so wasn't operating at top speed.

We didn't use the bread recommended by Jamie (too disorganised/lazy to schlepp to the shops for fresh bread) so grabbed a part-baked baguette from the freezer instead.  It may have been better still if we'd had a  seeded loaf but we were pretty pleased with our results nonetheless.  Unanimous vote that the eggs and bread would make a great snack (brunch?) on their own.

OJ rating: 9.5/10 (Husband said it should get a 10).

Lamb Kofte

Lamb Kofte, Pitta and Greek Salad

Tuesday, 15 January 2013

Husband in Spain, Daughter been to a friend's for tea ... so this was an evening meal for Son and I; a second supper for Daughter. 

Meat-fiend Son loved it. Daughter and I were less keen, although salad and cous cous were great accompaniments. Our onion (grated into the salad along with cucumber) was killer-strength, so we could have done with a lot less. 

Slight error on the carb front, which saw me buying tortillas instead of pitta bread. Children assured me it didn't matter but pittas would definitely have been better!

Not sure I'd rush to repeat this recipe, although it was quick and it did fill a hole. Think it took around 20 minutes in total, maybe a little less. Hard to tell because Son and I made it with a homework interruption or two. 

OJ score: 5/10.  Son would have awarded a higher score, principally due to pleasingly high meat content on his plate.

Avo and Smoked Ham on Toast

Avocado on Toast

Avo and Smoked Ham

Monday, 14th January 2013

Building on yesterday's success (avo and smoked salmon), I knocked this up for lunch (one of the very, very many benefits of working from home). Good, but not as good as Sunday's.  I'd prefer it without the ham - the tomato, avo, Emmental, basil and lime juice were a strong enough combo for me.  

Made a satisfying snack which kept me going until cake time.

OJ score: 7/10 (8/10 without the ham).

Avo and Smoked Salmon on Toast

Avocado on Toast

Avo and Smoked Salmon

Sunday, 13 January 2013

Husband and I shared this for a Sunday snack.  It's yummy.  Could eat it (almost) every day.  Nothing else to say!

Except that this is, of course, definitely something that can be rustled up in less than 15 minutes. 


OJ score: 10/10.

Broccoli Pasta

Broccoli Pasta and Chopped Garden Salad

Thursday, 10 January 2013

Truly quick and delicious too.  This, surely, is what 15 Minute Meals is all about?  Although we're yet to nail the quarter of an hour target, this took us just 20 minutes. Son and I working together again, becoming quite a slick team now. Pleased to report Daughter joined in too this evening, taking charge of the salad and making a splendid job of it. An excellent mid week meal for the family, eaten and enjoyed by all. One of our favourite meals so far.

Way too much lemon in Jamie's recipe for our liking though - a quick squeeze would have been plenty for the children (or maybe just skip the zest?). Loved the sauce though and we even braved the anchovies - not something I'd have put in my pasta if not instructed to do so by Jamie (too small and fishy and way too salty for my liking normally) but now newly educated and would use them again. Salad was ace.

Would make a great supper for girlfriends too.

OJ score: 8/10 (if it had less lemon on board).

Purple Smoothie

Super Smoothies
Purple

Sunday, 6th January 2013

Husband nipped to the tip this morning (to get rid of the Christmas tree ... only he forgot to load it up, so it's still lying on the lawn), stopped by the supermarket and came home with Purple Super Smoothie ingredients.

"Delicious" was the verdict, even from Son whose diet doesn't usually embrace blueberries. Or pears. Or apple juice.  Result!

Son inspired to make his own smoothie (banana, blueberries, apple juice and orange juice). Watch your back, Mr Oliver.

OJ score for Purple Smoothie: 9/10
OJ score for Son's Smoothie: 10/10

Pasta Pesto

Pasta Pesto, Garlic & Rosemary Chicken

Sunday, 6th January 2013

Chicken again tonight.  Enthusiasm levels are high (for now), so am making the most of Son's urge to cook. Hoping culinary interest lasts through 2013 and beyond, but suspect it will be short-lived (like the promises of dog-walking prior to getting second dog). Not sure I can sustain this three-recipes-in-a-weekend pace anyway.

Impressively down to just 45 minutes tonight.  All done by Son - just a few tips needed about how to chop chilli and where to search for almonds in the full-to-the-brim larder.

This was the best yet, eaten by all without a murmur of complaint about spinach, chilli, nuts, frying or fennel.  Delicious ... and barely any left overs. Hoorah!  

Missed my roast. Maybe next Sunday?

OJ score: 8/10

Before ... and ... 

... after.

Happy Cow Burgers

Happy Cow Burgers, Old School Coleslaw & Corn on the Cob

Saturday, 5th January 2013

We clocked up a colossal 80 minutes for this one ... but perhaps we were feeling a bit weary after taking down the Christmas decorations.  We did adapt the recipe slightly though and we're still shaking down in the kitchen, Son and me, finding our roles (except mostly he seems to be doing the cooking and I seem to do the clearing up, which is fine by me ... so far).

Pleasingly everyone tried everything.  The corn got a big thumbs up and so did all the burger accompaniments.  Even the bean burgers met with approval from hard-core meat eaters, husband and son.  We did cheat though and we made some half bean/half beef burgers, which were judged to be even better than the full-on bean experience.  Coleslaw was good, bit too much onion for the family though.

Jamie O told us to fry the burgers in olive oil but we stuck ours in the Aga instead (thought Husband might object to more fried food after Friday's chicken).  

OJ score: 6/10

Golden Chicken

Golden Chicken, Braised Greens & Potato Gratin

Friday, 4th January 2013

And we're off ... 

It took me and my crack team of one (Son) around 40 minutes to make this, but we didn't get any of the pans out in advance and we definitely didn't rush.  Pretty reasonable, I reckon. Especially bearing in mind that there was plenty of chat and general bossing-each-other-around going on.

Would definitely make this again, especially the potato gratin and the veggies.

We don't usually pan fry food and husband commented that the meal was a bit rich. The rest of us disagreed. (Husband has had man flu so perhaps his judgement is also under par at the moment?)  Daughter (10) said it was a great family meal.  Not bad going considering it contained spinach, which has rarely (knowingly) passed their lips before.

We're cooking with an Aga.  I reckon it makes things easier - we can hold stuff that's cooked without it drying out and it takes the pressure off with the timings.  

Forgot to photograph the finished product before we started eating, but here's a snap shot of the potatoes (albeit a little depleted).  Yummy!

OJ score: 7/10

Our Mission ...

Tuesday, 1st January 2013

Our 2013 Mission ...

... is to cook all Jamie's 15 Minute Meals in a year.  There are around 120, so we will need to average around two a week. Doesn't sound too onerous (does it?).

Ready and raring to go in the starting line up, there's me, my 12 year old son and 10 year old daughter. Who'll prove to have the most staying power and still be participating come December 2013, I'm not sure.  Husband's sensibly not involving himself from the outset.

We're not doing it as a race against time. I'm not particularly interested in whether the recipes stack up against the clock and I'm certainly not expecting me and my eager (for now) assistants to knock them out in 15 minutes.

We just thought it would be novel to work our way through an entire cook book - and one that promises quick food seems like a good starting point.  I'm hoping it will prove a good way to get us all to eat things that we might not normally try.  Delicious meals, new flavours and all quick smart.  Sounds good. In theory.  We'll see.

Here goes ...