On those days when you are down to what you can identify at the bottom of the fridge – a forlorn can of something you can’t remember buying and your last coin for the supermarket trolley – there’s nothing for it but to improvise. Here are a few ideas that should convince you that all is not lost. Just add a little imagination.
YOUR INGREDIENTS
• Put everything you have on the work surface.
• Pick the item that will be the main ingredient. Worst-case scenario, this has to be what you have the most of. This could be meat, poultry or fish; vegetables or fruit; or perhaps a ready-made soup or meal.
• Now choose anything you have to fill you up – bread, rice, noodles, couscous.
• If you are lucky, you may have some supporting ingredients – anything that you think could go with your main item.
• Finally, look at what you have to brighten up or flavour your meal – spices, herbs, oil, a stock cube or a bottle of tomato sauce.
Once you’ve reached this point, your imagination should kick in and you will see that the situation is not as hopeless as you might have thought. Let’s look at a few examples to give you some more ideas. This assumes you are cooking in a microwave but you could cook them on the hob instead. They’d all benefit from a little sprinkling of salt and pepper.
FISH ’N’ DIPS
You have A day-old slice of bread, a leftover fish finger, some olive oil and mayonnaise, and a sachet of tomato ketchup.
What you can do with it Cut the bread into fingers and quarter the fish finger into 4 chunks or strips. Put a little oil on a plate, toss the bread and fish in it until coated, then microwave for 2 minutes until heated through. Mix together equal quantities of mayonnaise and tomato ketchup to make a dip for the hot, crispy croûtons and fish.
SPEEDY CARBONARA
You have A handful of spaghetti or noodles, a clove of garlic, slice of ham and the tail end of a pot of cream. If you have a knob of butter, that’s a bonus.
What you can do with it Cook the spaghetti in a bowl of water for about 8 minutes until just tender. Drain well. Chop the garlic and put it in a large mug with the butter, if you have it, or with a drop of water, and microwave for 1 minute. Chop the ham and drop it into the cream pot, then scrape it all into the mug with the butter and garlic and add the spaghetti. Stir everything together and microwave for 1–2 minutes to heat through.
CHICKEN SOUP WITH PARMESAN CROÛTE
You have A dull-looking packet of chicken soup, a spring onion, a hard lump of Parmesan cheese and a slice of yesterday’s garlic bread.
What you can do with it Make up the chicken soup with water in a large mug or bowl and microwave for 2 minutes. Trim and chop the spring onion and add it to the soup, then continue to microwave for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do this in 40-second bursts if you are using a mug. Grate the Parmesan finely and sprinkle on top of the bread, then brown under a hot grill. When the soup is ready, float the bread on top. Leave to stand for a couple of minutes to allow the soup to soak into the bread.
SAUSAGE AND POTATO SURPRISE
You have A potato, an onion, a little stock, a sausage and an egg.
What you can do with it Peel and grate the potato and onion and mix together, then spoon loosely into a large mug. Pour in ½ cup of stock and microwave for 5 minutes, in short bursts if necessary, until tender. Drain off any excess stock. Cut the sausage into chunks and put in a separate mug, then microwave for about 4 minutes until cooked. Gently press the potato and onion down over the sausages to give a flat surface, then break the egg on top, pierce the yolk with a cocktail stick and microwave for 2 minutes until cooked.
MEDITERRANEAN SALAD
You have The end of a packet of couscous, half a pepper, a slightly soft apple and a few olives.
What you can do with it Put the couscous in a large mug and just cover with boiling water. Stir occasionally until the water has been absorbed and the couscous is soft; drain off any excess. Meanwhile, trim and chop the pepper, apple and olives. Stir them into the couscous and serve.
And if all else fails, take that final £1 and see how many fresh and nutritious vegetables you can get from the supermarket.