One-pan winners

BY JAN BILTON

I'm a great fan of one-pan meals during the holiday season. They're quick and easy to prepare and washing up is a breeze. It doesn't matter whether you're camping or caravaning, unwinding at the bach or relaxing at home, one pan is all you need to make gourmet meals the easy way.

Some of my favourites include Tex-Mex chillis, curries, risottos and pilafs, stir-fries and tacos. Just add a crisp salad or a platter of sliced raw vegetables, and some crusty bread, chapattis, croissants or taco chips to round out the meal.

Roasts and veges cooked in an electric frypan are simple and many casserole recipes can be converted for use in the electric frying pan. Just avoid the temptation of lifting the lid too often.

Make the most of slow-cooker meals over summer – they're tasty and economical on fuel.

Try this popular Country Chicken:

Rub a whole (trussed) chicken with one tablespoon of paprika combined with two tablespoons of flour. Place two chopped carrots and two chopped parsnips or some diced pumpkin on the base of the slow cooker. Add half a cup of chicken stock.

Place the chicken on top. Then sprinkle with half a teaspoon each of dried thyme, rosemary, sage and basil. Cover with four to six wedges of cabbage.

Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for six to seven hours.

Happy holidays!

MUSSELS & CHORIZO STEAMED IN SAUVIGNON BLANC

Scrub the mussels before cooking and remove the beards.

1 Tbsp olive oil

70g smoked chorizo, thinly sliced

3 shallots, diced

1/2 cup oil-packed sundried tomatoes, drained and julienned

3 each: garlic cloves, crushed; thyme sprigs

20-24 Greenshell mussels in their shells

1 cup sauvignon blanc

1/2 cup cream

flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan large enough to hold the mussels in a double layer.

Saute the chorizo, until lightly browned. Remove to one side. Add the shallots and cook, until softened. Add the tomatoes, garlic, thyme and mussels. Cover.

Once the mussels start to open after 2-3 minutes, add the wine. Cover and cook, shaking the pan occasionally. Remove the mussels to a warm bowl as they open. Discard any that do not open.

Add the chorizo and cream to the liquid in the saucepan. Simmer until slightly reduced. Season. Pour over the mussels and serve.

Great accompanied by crusty bread and a crisp salad. Serves 2.

PITA LAMB

400g lean minced lamb

2 Tbsp yoghurt

1/2 tsp each: ground cinnamon, paprika

pinch each: salt, cayenne pepper

1 onion, sliced

2 tomatoes, sliced

1/4 cup chopped mint

freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 pita breads, halved

Combine the mince with the yoghurt and spices. Form into 4 patties. Cook in a frying pan or under a hot grill for about 4 minutes each side.

Meanwhile, combine the onion, tomatoes, mint and pepper. Spoon into the halved pita pockets and top with the lamb patties. Serves 4.

SMOKED FISH WITH NOODLES

The egg noodles are Italian-style, not the oriental variety. Canned salmon could replace the smoked fish.

1 onion, diced

2 Tbsp each: canola oil, flour

1 tsp ground cumin

3 cups chicken or fish stock

150g medium-width egg noodles

1/2 cup sour cream

2 cups frozen peas

375g skinned and boned smoked fish, flaked

2 each: tomatoes, spring onions, chopped

Saute the onion in the oil in a heavy saucepan, until tender but not brown.

Stir in the flour and cumin. Cook for 30 seconds. Gradually stir in the stock, cooking until slightly thickened.

Break the noodles in half and add. Simmer until tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the sour cream and peas and simmer gently for a few minutes, then add the smoked fish, tomatoes and half the spring onions. Heat through. Serve garnished with the remaining spring onion. Serves 4.

PEPPERY PILAFF

2 Tbsp rice bran oil

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic,crushed

1 cup long-grain white rice

2 1/2 cups good chicken stock

1 each: red, green peppers (capsicums), seeded and diced

1 cup whole kernel corn

1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken or ham

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup each: chopped fresh herbs, chopped pistachio nuts

Heat the oil in an electric or heavy, non-stick frying pan. Add the onion and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the garlic and rice and stir to coat in oil.

Add the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook, until the rice is almost tender, about 12 minutes.

Add the peppers, corn and chicken or ham. Cover and cook until almost all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 5 minutes. Season.

Sprinkle with the herbs and nuts and serve. Serves 4.

Copyright Jan Bilton

- The Marlborough Express