Okay, if you saw my last post about Jamie's 15-Minute Meals, you will remember that I did my meal in 23 minutes and left the kitchen in a complete state.
My husband today beat my time by a whole minute and managed to fill the dishwasher and put everything away as he went along. Oh dear! I have to admit he is so much more the domestic goddess than I.
Steve chose to make Chorizo Carbonara and Catalan Market Salad. He was impressed with the recipe and really felt that it was a more complex meal than you would expect for the time it took to prepare. He thought the 15 minutes was ambitious but actually he was closer to 15 minutes than 30 and he had managed to clean up after himself as he went along.
The boys and I enjoyed the meal and we feel sure we would make this again.
A few more meals from this book coming up. I am very pleased with it, actually, and think it will be fairly well used. I do need to beat Steve next time, though. Or maybe just tell him that as he is better at it than me, he should carry on and cook all our meals.
Have you ever considered renting Steve out? Does he like to travel and cook for complete strangers? Our dishwasher is working now and I can help with the tidying up...
ReplyDeleteYou can have him. ;)
DeleteNow, there's a challenge! I'm a terribly messy cook - I think my OH would also have managed to clear everything too, left to his own devices rather than as my sous chef (ha!). It's a funny old thing isn't it - I like the recipes in 30 minute meals but it's the style of writing them down that puts me off - I know it's not particulalrly difficult to extract what you need just to make one part of the meal but sometimes I think I'd have preferred it like that (altho obv. that's not the point). May be when I take 30 minute meals back to the library I'll ask them to order 15 minute ones :-)
ReplyDeleteThere is only the main part and an accompaniment like a salad in this one unlike the 30min one where you have desserts and things so it is easier to pull out just the bit you want. I know exactly what you mean, though.
ReplyDeleteI'm not convinced... even after reading your initial review i'm afraid I err on the side of caution... it's not like I have buckets of time on my hand either but it seems such a challenge to get it on the table... pasta does look very good though and Steve is more than welcome to come and show me his speedy skills anytime!
ReplyDeleteSteve didn't time himself getting all the ingredients out and pans ready, etc. and it is still just a pasta dish and salad so I don't think the time is unreasonable. I do like the recipes though and I am picking up some shortcuts. I made his veg chilli yesterday and we had the leftovers tonight. Loads done in the processor and that is something I don't usually use for such basic things so I think I am finding useful shortcuts that I will embrace.
DeleteOK, so it's pasta and salad but I'm still impressed. I can't get a takeaway that quickly and it looks very tasty. There might be something in this. I'm thinking of writing Phil's 2 minute meals, but currently I'm stuck at 'first open the packet of crisps..'
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed at the time combined with the putting everything away as he went along aspect. Especially for the first time cooking something new. The first time always takes me ages longer than it should.
ReplyDeleteI think there are more of the meals in the 30MM that appeal to me, but as Sally said, it's difficult/time consuming to pull out the instructions for just the bit you want - I never want to make everything in the meal. I'm looking forward to seeing what else you've made!
A beautiful meal! Even the wine looks perfect! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm a new Cake Slice Bakers member, and a new blogger- drop by and say hi! :)
Joy (Yesterfood)