fry-ups

Frying (sautéing) is a great way of cooking things really quickly. Use the minimum of oil, butter or margarine and always drain chips (fries) or other crisp-fried foods on kitchen paper (paper towels) to remove any excess oil before serving.

the great british fry-up

for breakfast or brunch

serves 4

storecupboard ingredients

shopping list

extra equipment

1 Turn on the oven at the lowest setting and put a large serving platter and plates in to warm.

2 Wipe the mushrooms to remove any soil. Place in a small saucepan with 4 tbsp water and a little salt and pepper. Bring to the boil over a high heat. Turn the heat down low, cover with a lid and leave to cook for 5 minutes.

3 While the mushrooms are cooking, empty the beans or tomatoes into a medium saucepan and put over a low heat to heat through, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.

4 Heat a frying pan, add the sausages and dry-fry over a fairly high heat until they are brown all over, turning frequently with a fish slice or tongs. Transfer to the large platter in the oven. If you are cooking black pudding, put a little oil in the frying pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Wipe out the pan before continuing with the rest of the cooking.

5 Add the bacon to the pan and cook until its fat is turning golden, turning over once. Transfer to the large platter in the oven.

6 Cut the bread slices into halves. Pour enough oil into the frying pan to cover the base. Heat until your hand feels hot when held 5 cm/2 in above it. Add the bread and fry (sauté) until brown underneath. Turn over with the fish slice and brown the other sides. Lift out of the pan, drain on kitchen paper (paper towels), then transfer to the large platter in the oven.

7 Heat a little more oil in the pan. Break the eggs into a cup, one at a time, and then gently slide into the hot oil. Cook the eggs until the whites are set and bubbling. Spoon a little of the hot oil over the yolks, if liked, to set the tops.

8 Carefully lift the eggs out of the pan on to the warmed plates with a fish slice. Divide the remaining fried ingredients between the plates and add the beans or tomatoes and mushrooms. Serve straight away with ketchup or brown table sauce.

leftovers fry-up

with vegetables and crusty bread

serves 4

storecupboard ingredients

shopping list

extra equipment

1 Peel and chop the onion.

2 Peel and dice the potatoes.

3 Cut the cooked meat into small pieces and roughly chop up the cooked vegetables.

4 Melt a large knob of butter or margarine in a frying pan and fry (sauté) the onion and potato over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5 Turn on the oven at the lowest setting and put plates in to warm.

6 Add the meat and cooked vegetables, the baked beans and 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce to the frying pan. Stir well and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue cooking and stirring for 5 minutes until piping hot.

7 Spoon the mixture on to the warm plates and serve with crusty bread.

top tip!

american red flannel hash

with crisp salad

serves 4

storecupboard ingredients

shopping list

extra equipment

1 Peel and dice the potatoes. Dice the beetroot in the same way.

2 Peel and finely chop the onion.

3 Cut the bacon into small pieces. Open the can of corned beef and mash the meat.

4 Chop a small handful of parsley (see Top Tip).

5 Heat about 3 tbsp oil in a large frying pan. Add the potatoes and onion and fry (sauté) over a fairly high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until almost cooked.

6 Add the bacon and cook for a further 1 minute.

7 Add the corned beef, beetroot, parsley and 2 tbsp milk and season with salt and pepper. Stir well, then press down with a fish slice to flatten. Cook over a high heat for 10 minutes until crisp and brown underneath.

8 Meanwhile, turn on the oven at the lowest setting and put a large serving platter and plates in to warm. Break up as much of the curly endive as you like into sprigs, wash and pat dry on kitchen paper (paper towels). Slice the tomatoes.

9 Put the large, warmed platter over the hash, then turn it over on to the platter, browned side up. Cut into wedges and serve with the curly endive and sliced tomatoes.

top tip!

nutty chicken stir-fry

with vegetables and noodles

serves 4

storecupboard ingredients

shopping list

extra equipment

1 Boil the kettle.

2 Put the chicken stock cube in a measuring jug and add 300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups boiling water. Stir until the cube dissolves.

3 Put two slabs of the noodles in a saucepan and cover with boiling water from the kettle. Put over a high heat until the water boils again. Cover with a lid, turn off the heat and leave for 5 minutes.

4 Put the colander in the sink. Pour in the noodles, then put the colander on top of the saucepan to finish draining.

5 Meanwhile, cut the root ends off the leeks and about 2.5 cm/1 in of the green tops. Peel off the tough outer layer. Cut the leeks into fairly thin round slices and rinse in a bowl of cold water. Swirl around a few times, then lift them out and dry on kitchen paper (paper towels).

6 Cut both ends off the carrots, peel with a knife or potato peeler and grate on the coarse side of the grater.

7 Heat 2 tbsp oil in the frying pan. Add the chicken, leeks and carrots and fry (sauté), stirring with the fish slice for 5 minutes.

8 Open the can of beansprouts and drain off the liquid. Add the beansprouts to the pan with a small handful of walnut pieces and the stock. Let the mixture bubble for 3 minutes.

9 Meanwhile, turn on the oven at the lowest setting and put plates in to warm. Mix 1 tbsp cornflour with 1 tbsp soy sauce in a small bowl until smooth. Stir into the chicken mixture and continue stirring until the mixture thickens.

10 Add the noodles and keep turning the mixture over carefully until everything is mixed and piping hot. Spoon on to the warm plates and serve.

top tip!

spicy ginger stir-fry

with broccoli and beansprouts

serves 4

storecupboard ingredients

shopping list

extra equipment

1 Peel the carrots, cut off both ends, then cut each carrot into three pieces. Cut each piece into matchstick-sized strips.

2 Cut the half cucumber into strips the same size as the carrots.

3 Cut the root ends off the spring onions. Cut off the damaged part of the green tops. Pull off the outer, tough layer of each onion. Cut the onions into 5 cm/2 in lengths.

4 Cut the pepper in half, pull out the stalk, core and seeds, then cut the pepper into thin strips.

5 Cut the broccoli into tiny florets, discarding the thick, central stalk.

6 Cut any cooked meat you are using into small thin strips. Turn on the oven at the lowest setting and put plates in to warm.

7 Heat 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan or wok until it feels hot when you hold your hand about 5 cm/2 in above the surface. Add the carrots and onions and cook for 1 minute, stirring and turning in the oil. Add a good handful of peas, the cucumber, pepper and broccoli and stir-fry in the same way for a further 2 minutes. Add the beansprouts and stir-fry for 1 minute.

8 Add a good pinch of ginger, a small squeeze of garlic purée, a very good shake of soy sauce and a small splash of sherry. Stir-fry for 1 minute, then taste the liquid and sweeten with a sprinkling of sugar. Add your chosen meat, prawns or pulses and more soy sauce, if you like. Continue cooking and stirring for about 3 minutes until piping hot, then serve on the warm plates.

top tip!

chunky cheeseburgers

and chips

serves 4

storecupboard ingredients

shopping list

extra equipment

1 Prepare the chips (fries).

2 To make breadcrumbs, grate the bread slices on the coarse side of the grater or tear into pieces and chop until crumbly in a food processor.

3 Place in a large bowl with the minced meat. Add 1 tsp dried onion granules and 1 tsp dried mixed herbs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly with your hands.

4 Break the egg into a cup and stir briskly with a fork to mix the yolk and white together.

5 Pour into the meat mixture and mix well with your hands. Shape into four round burgers.

6 Cook the chips in a large frying pan.

7 While they are cooking, heat 2 tbsp oil in another frying pan, add the burgers and fry (sauté) for 6 minutes, then carefully turn over with a fish slice and fry the other sides for a further 6 minutes until they are brown and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper (paper towels).

8 Turn on the oven at the lowest setting and put plates in to warm. Drain the chips.

9 Preheat the grill (broiler). Split the rolls and place the bases on the grill (broiler) rack. Add a burger to each, top with a little ketchup, a couple of slices of dill pickle and a thin slice of Cheddar or a cheese slice. Put under the grill for 1–2 minutes until the cheese melts. Top with the lids of the rolls and transfer to the warm plates with the chips.

sweet and sour pork

with plain white rice

serves 4

storecupboard ingredients

shopping list

extra equipment

1 Cook the rice.

2 While the rice is cooking, prepare the rest of the dish. Cut the cucumber into small dice. Dice the tomatoes in the same way.

3 Put 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan and heat until your hand feels hot when held 5 cm/2 in above it. Add the pork steaks and cook for a further 15 minutes until cooked through, turning once after 8 minutes.

4 Drain the rice. Turn the oven on at the lowest setting and put plates in to warm.

5 Lift the cooked pork out of the pan with a fish slice and place on a plate.

6 Empty the pineapple into the frying pan. Add 2 tbsp tomato ketchup and 1 tbsp soy sauce. Stir in the cucumber and tomato.

7 Mix 2 tsp cornflour with 1 tbsp vinegar in a cup and stir into the pan until it has thickened. Return the meat to the pan, turn over in the sauce and cook for 2 minutes.

8 Spoon the rice on to the warmed plates, top with the pork and sauce and serve.

spanish tortilla

with sweet pepper salad

serves 4

storecupboard ingredients

shopping list

extra equipment

1 Chop one onion and slice the other.

2 Scrub the potatoes or peel, if liked, then cut them into thin slices.

3 Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a medium frying pan over a moderate heat. Add the chopped onion and the potatoes and fry (sauté) for about 5 minutes, stirring, until the potatoes and onions are transparent. If they begin to turn brown, turn down the heat.

4 Break the eggs into a medium bowl. Whisk until they are blended. Whisk in 4 tbsp milk and some salt and pepper. Rinse the whisk.

5 Pour the egg mixture into the pan and allow to cook slowly over a gentle heat until the egg is beginning to set. Lift the mixture gently at the sides with a fish slice as it sets to allow the runny egg to flow into the pan. When the mixture is almost set, cover the pan with a saucepan lid or foil and continue to cook until it has set completely.

6 Meanwhile, put plates and a serving platter to warm in the oven at the lowest setting. Cut the peppers into halves lengthways and pull out the cores, stalk and seeds. Place on a board and cut into thin strips.

7 Wash the lettuce, pat dry on kitchen paper (paper towels) and tear into shreds. Place in the salad bowl and scatter the pepper strips over. Separate the sliced onion into rings and scatter over.

8 Put 3 tbsp olive oil in a small bowl with 1tbsp red wine vinegar, a sprinkling of salt and pepper, 1 tsp caster sugar and ½ tsp dried oregano. Whisk with the rinsed balloon whisk until blended. Pour slowly all over the salad but don’t toss it.

9 When the tortilla is completely set, loosen the base with the fish slice. Hold a serving platter over the frying pan, then invert so the brown side of the tortilla is uppermost on the platter.

10 Serve, cut into wedges, with the salad and crusty bread.

top tip!

traditional british fish and chips

with peas and tartare sauce

serves 4

storecupboard ingredients

shopping list

extra equipment

1 Prepare the chips but do not cook them yet.

2 Cut the fish into four equal pieces. Pull out any visible bones and lay the fish on a plate. Mix 2 tbsp plain flour with a little salt and pepper. Use to coat the fish thoroughly on both sides.

3 Measure 75 g/3 oz/¾ cup plain flour and put in the mixing bowl. Add a pinch of salt and 1 tbsp oil.

4 Separate the egg.

5 Whisk the egg white with the balloon whisk or electric beater until fluffy and stiff. You should be able to turn the bowl upside down without the white falling out.

6 Measure 120 ml/4 fl oz/½ cup warm (not hot) water from the kettle. Gradually whisk into the flour mixture to make a smooth and thick batter. Spoon the egg white on top of the batter and gently stir into it with a metal spoon.

7 Heat 2.5 cm/1 in of oil in one frying pan for the chips. Heat a second frying pan with 1 cm/½ in oil for the fish. When hot, slide the chips into the deeper oil. Dip the pieces of fish, one at a time, into the batter until coated and put in the shallower hot oil. Cook for about 4 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy.

8 While the fish and chips are cooking, turn on the oven at the lowest setting and put plates in to warm.

9 Boil 1 cm/½ in water in a saucepan. Add one handful of frozen peas per person and a pinch of salt. Cover with a lid and boil rapidly for 5 minutes. Drain in a colander in the sink.

10 When the fish and chips are brown all over, lift them out of their pans, and drain on plenty of kitchen paper (paper towels).

11 Transfer the fish, chips and peas on to the warm plates. Cut the lemon into four wedges and put one on each plate to garnish. Serve with tartare sauce or tomato ketchup.

top tip!

trout with almonds

with baby new potatoes and mangetout

serves 4

storecupboard ingredients

shopping list

extra equipment

1 Prepare the baby new potatoes and boil them over a moderate heat.

2 Cut the stalks off the mangetout and place in a colander. Stand the colander over the pan of simmering potatoes, cover with a saucepan lid and cook for about 6 minutes until they are cooked to your liking, then remove from the pan.

3 While the vegetables are cooking, rinse the fish inside and out with cold running water, then pat dry with kitchen paper (paper towels). Sprinkle on both sides with flour and a little salt and pepper.

4 Put a good knob of butter or margarine in a frying pan and about 2 tbsp sunflower oil. Heat over a moderate heat until sizzling. Add the fish and cook for 6 minutes.

5 Meanwhile, chop a small handful of parsley. Turn on the oven at the lowest setting and put plates in to warm.

6 Turn the fish over with a fish slice and a fork to guide them, scatter a small handful of flaked almonds over and fry (sauté) for a further 6 minutes until cooked through. Drain the potatoes.

7 Carefully lift the fish on to the warm plates. Pour any buttery juices over and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve with the new potatoes and mangetout.

top tip!

flashy piquant steaks

with sauté potatoes and broccoli

serves 4

storecupboard ingredients

shopping list

extra equipment

1 Lay the steaks in a shallow dish and sprinkle all over with lemon juice. Leave to stand while preparing the potatoes.

2 Dice the potatoes.

3 Finely chop the onion.

4 Chop the parsley.

5 Heat 5 mm/¼ in sunflower or olive oil in a frying pan. Add the diced potatoes and fry (sauté) until golden brown, turning over occasionally with the fish slice.

6 While the potatoes are cooking, turn on the oven at the lowest setting and put in plates and a shallow dish for the sauté potatoes to warm. Put a saucepan containing 2.5 cm/1 in water and a good pinch of salt on the hob over a high heat.

7 Melt a knob of butter in the other frying pan over a fairly high heat. Add the steaks and fry for 3 minutes on each side until browned and cooked through. Lift out of the pan and keep warm in the oven.

8 While the steaks are cooking, cut the broccoli into separate little florets. Rinse with cold water. Add to the pan of boiling water, cover with a lid and cook for about 4 minutes until just tender. Drain in the colander in the sink.

9 Lift the sauté potatoes out of the pan with a fish slice and drain on kitchen paper (paper towels) in the warmed serving dish, slide off the kitchen paper and keep warm in the oven.

10 Add the chopped onion to the frying pan the steaks were in and fry for 1 minute. Add about 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce and the parsley. Wait until it bubbles rapidly.

11 Put a steak on each of the warmed plates. Spoon the sauce over, add the sauté potatoes and broccoli and serve.

herb-coated turkey escalopes

with mashed potatoes and green beans

serves 4

storecupboard ingredients

shopping list

extra equipment

1 Prepare the potatoes and put them on to boil.

2 Cut all the ends off the beans, place in a colander over the saucepan of potatoes, cover with the saucepan lid and steam over the potatoes.

3 Put the turkey breast steaks one at a time between sheets of clingfilm (plastic wrap) or in a plastic bag and beat with a rolling pin or meat mallet until flattened out.

4 Empty the stuffing mix into a shallow dish. Break the egg into another and stir well with a fork to mix thoroughly.

5 Dip the turkey steaks in the egg to cover both sides, letting the excess drain off back into the dish. Then dip in the stuffing until both sides are completely coated, again shaking any excess back into the dish.

6 Turn on the oven at the lowest setting and put in the plates and two serving dishes to warm.

7 Heat enough oil to cover the base of a frying pan. When it feels hot when you hold your hand about 5 cm/2 in above the surface, add the turkey escalopes and fry (sauté) for about 3–4 minutes until golden brown underneath. Carefully turn them over with a fish slice and a fork and cook the other sides. Drain on kitchen paper (paper towels) and place in the oven to keep warm.

8 While the turkey steaks are cooking, check the beans and potatoes. When they are cooked, transfer the beans to a serving dish and keep warm. Put the colander in the sink and tip in the potatoes to drain. Return the potatoes to the saucepan and add a good knob of butter or margarine and a splash of milk. Mash with a potato masher, adding a little more milk, if liked. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon into a serving dish and keep warm.

9 Cut the lemon into wedges. Transfer the turkey escalopes to the warm plates and garnish with lemon wedges. Serve with the mashed potatoes and beans.

top tip!

french fried chicken

with green bean salad

serves 4

storecupboard ingredients

shopping list

extra equipment

1 Wash and dry the potatoes on kitchen paper (paper towels) but do not peel them. Heat a knob of butter and a little olive oil in a frying pan. Add the potatoes and fry (sauté), stirring occasionally, over a moderate heat, for about 10 minutes until browned all over.

2 At the same time, melt a knob of butter and a little oil in another frying pan. Fry the chicken portions on all sides over a fairly high heat until browned.

3 Wipe the mushrooms and cut into quarters if large. Add to the chicken with the potato pieces. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover tightly with a lid or foil, turn down the heat and cook gently for 40 minutes until the chicken and potatoes are tender.

4 Meanwhile, cut the ends off the beans. Heat about 2.5 cm/1 in water in a saucepan with a pinch of salt. Add the beans, cover and boil for 4 minutes until almost tender but still slightly crunchy. Drain in a colander in the sink, rinse thoroughly with cold water, drain again and put in a shallow serving dish.

5 Finely chop the onion. Scatter over the beans. Trickle a little olive oil and vinegar over the surface and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover in clingfilm (plastic wrap) and chill until ready to serve.

6 Finely chop a handful of parsley.

7 Turn on the oven at the lowest setting and put in plates and a large serving platter to warm.

8 Dot the chicken with tiny blobs of garlic purée. Sprinkle with half the parsley, re-cover and cook for a further 5 minutes.

9 Transfer the chicken, potatoes and mushrooms to the serving platter and keep warm. Crumble the stock cube into the juices left in the pan and add about 150 ml/¼ pt/2⁄3 cup water. Bring to the boil, stirring all the time and boil rapidly for 1 minute. Spoon over the chicken, sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve hot with the green bean salad.

top tip!