Almost each meal I prepare dinner nowadays comes in at below half-hour. A facet impact of my impatience possibly, but more likely it’s the fact of being considered one of a couple of operating parents. Dinner is a quick, put up-paintings circle of relatives meal, or something cookable inside the time it takes the opposite to do bathtime. Kids or not, we’re all quick on time to store and cook. The potato traybake packs in plenty of flavour for the time it takes to prepare, thanks to the short romesco. The different is a spring favorite and an ideal way to make a meal of seasonal asparagus, though it’d be good with broccoli too. Now, I’d higher get on with dinner.
Herby polenta with asparagus and a poached egg
You can blend up the herbs you operate right here; thyme or rosemary might work in preference to oregano, but you’ll want a bit much less – and be sure to chop it finely. Polenta packet instructions range, so test the cooking time on yours and modify consequently.
Prep 10 min
Cook 15 min
Serves 4
125g barely salted butter, plus 50g for frying the sage
eight sage leaves
200g instant polenta
75g freshly grated parmesan or pecorino (I use a vegetarian one)
2 sprigs oregano, leaves picked and more or less chopped
1 small bunch parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped
1 small bunch basil, picked and shredded
200g asparagus, woody ends snapped off
Olive oil, to drizzle
4 eggs
Bring litres of water to a boil in a massive pan. Heat a small frying pan over a medium warmness and, once hot, upload 50g butter, then fry the sage leaves until crisp. Tip the leaves and butter right into a bowl.
Remove the huge pan from the heat and slowly pour within the polenta, whisking all the time, in order that no lumps shape. Return to the warmth and cook dinner gently, stirring, for 8 minutes (see word above on timing).
Add the parmesan (for delivered flavour, reduce off the rind and upload this, too), the rest of the butter, plenty of seasoning and extra just-boiled water in case you assume it desires loosening (remember it’ll thicken a bit because it sits). Stir gently until combined, then upload the oregano, parsley and basil, stir once more, and maintain heat over a low heat.
Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil, upload the asparagus and cook dinner for one minute. Remove with tongs, installed a bowl, season with salt and drizzle with olive oil.
Reduce the heat, crack an egg into a tumbler, tip the egg in and slowly decrease it into the water to cowl. Repeat with the rest of the eggs. Cook for 3 and a half minutes, or till the white is company but the yolk nonetheless smooth.
While the eggs are cooking, spoon the cooked polenta (fending off the rind) directly to warm plates and pinnacle with the asparagus. When the eggs are cooked, scoop them out, drain properly, then area carefully on pinnacle of the polenta. Spoon over the crisp sage and butter, and serve.
500g child new potatoes, massive ones halved
2 huge leeks, halved and sliced into 2cm pieces
1 x 400g tin chickpeas, tired
2 garlic cloves, bashed
4 sprigs sparkling oregano or thyme, leaves picked
Zest of ½ orange
Olive oil, to drizzle
Salt and black pepper
1 small bunch parsley, roughly chopped
For the romesco
50g ground almonds
25g hazelnuts
1 thick slice of stale sourdough or desirable white bread, torn into chunks
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
150g jarred roasted red peppers, tired
1 tbsp sherry or red-wine vinegar
four tbsp olive oil
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/ 390F/ gasoline 6. Toss the potatoes, leeks and chickpeas with the garlic, oregano or thyme, orange zest, olive oil and plenty of salt and pepper to your largest roasting tray – you may need to spread them on trays so the vegetables have enough area to crisp. Roast for 20 mins.
Meanwhile, start at the romesco: in the equal oven, toast the nuts and bread on a baking tray for roughly six to seven mins, till they may be a little coloured.
Whizz the nuts and bread with the smoked paprika in a meals processor, till you’ve got a hard crumb. Add the peppers, vinegar, oil and a tablespoon of water, then season and blitz once more, till you have a slightly textured but silky sauce.
Once the greens have had their 20 mins, take them out of the oven and toss them with 1/2 the romesco. Return them to the oven for a in addition 5 mins, or till golden and starting to crisp. Serve with extra romesco, if you like, and sprinkle with parsley leaves.
