Easy Meals

With just a little fried onion and some stock you can transform boiled rice into a really tasty dish. The chicken and bacon makes this a substantial meal. If you have some fresh herbs, stir them in for extra flavour.

Serves 4–6

PREPARATION TIME

10 minutes

COOKING TIME

30–35 minutes

4 tbsp olive oil

300g (11oz) streaky bacon (in the piece or about 10 rashers), rind removed and cut into 2cm (¾in) dice

25g (1oz) butter

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

300g (11oz) basmati rice

800ml (1 pint 9fl oz) chicken stock

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

200g (7oz) frozen peas

300g (11oz) cooked chicken (or see tip (#ulink_99c00c0c-b416-5c99-84ab-d43e5186d932)), cut into bite-sized pieces

* Pour the olive oil into a large saucepan on a medium heat and, when hot, add the bacon and fry for 6–8 minutes or until the fat has rendered and the bacon is golden and crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside, retaining any oil left in the pan.

* Melt the butter in the saucepan with the bacon fat, then add the onion and cook for 6–8 minutes or until soft and lightly browned.

* Next, add the rice and stock, season with salt and pepper, then bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 14 minutes or until the rice is soft and fluffy. Stir in the peas, fried bacon and chicken and cook for a further minute, then taste for seasoning and serve.

Rachel’s tips

Butchers and some supermarkets will sell bacon ‘in the piece’. This is often better for cooking with than rashers, because rather than thin pieces you can get nice juicy chunks.

If you don’t have leftover cooked chicken, then just poach some in the stock – it hardly takes any time. Cut an uncooked skinless chicken breast into bite-sized pieces, bring the stock to the boil in a saucepan, then season with salt and pepper and add the chicken to the pan. Bring back up to the boil and poach for about 5 minutes or until the chicken is opaque all the way through. Remove the chicken, then use the stock to cook the rice as above, before stirring in the cooked chicken with the peas and bacon.

Bacon and potato gratin (#ulink_c2f6e405-f541-588f-9e3a-3978c5d5a81d)

A bubbling, golden crispy potato ‘lid’ hides more layers of soft and creamy potato beneath. This comforting dish is so simple to put together that it’s a great example of how just a few ingredients can combine to produce something really special.

Serves 6–8

PREPARATION TIME

15 minutes

COOKING TIME

1½ hours

2 tbsp olive oil

375g (13oz) bacon (in the piece or about 10 rashers), cut into 1–2cm (½–¾in) dice

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1 tbsp chopped thyme leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1kg (2lb 3oz) potatoes, peeled and cut into 5mm (¼in) thick slices

300ml (½ pint) single or regular cream

50g (2oz) Gruyère or Cheddar cheese, grated (optional)

2 litre (3½ pint) gratin or ovenproof dish

* Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas mark 6.

* Pour the olive oil into a frying pan on a medium heat and, when hot, add the bacon and fry for about 5 minutes or until crispy. Stir in the onion, garlic and thyme, season with salt and pepper (bearing in mind that the bacon is quite salty) and cook for a further 6–8 minutes or until the onion is soft and a little golden.

* Meanwhile, arrange half of the potato slices in the gratin or ovenproof dish, season with salt and pepper, then spread over the cooked bacon and onion. Arrange the remaining potatoes over the top and season again with salt and pepper.

* Pour over the cream. Add the grated cheese (if using) in a layer on top, then cover with foil and place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes, then remove the foil and return to the oven for a further 30–35 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy on top.

Baked mushroom risotto (#ulink_f4bc5bee-6905-5a54-93b9-93503d7213ea)

Dried porcini mushrooms are a magical food. Soaked in water they release an intense, almost beefy aroma. The soaking liquid then flavours the rice and enhances the taste of the other mushrooms in the recipe.

Serves 4–6

PREPARATION TIME

15 minutes, plus soaking

COOKING TIME

45 minutes

50g (2oz) dried porcini mushrooms