Hill Catherine - The weekend cookbook: breakfats, lunch and dinner at home or away

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Michael Joseph is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com.

First published 2012

Copyright Catherine Hill, 2012

The moral right of the author has been asserted

Photographs copyright Tim Winter

Design by Nathan Burton

All rights reserved

ISBN: 978-0-241-96160-5

MICHAEL JOSEPH

an imprint of

Penguin Books

For my wonderful husband and two beautiful children.
This is all for you...

Whilst this book was originally written with a weekend away in mind, it is equally valuable as a cookbook for recipes to be enjoyed at home when friends and family come to stay. I hope that it will become an invaluable book for those times when you fancy a weekend of cooking with loved ones and need some inspirational ideas for hassle-free eating.

I reckon the world is pretty much divided into two kinds of people: those who have a weekend away and rarely venture into the kitchen other than to make a brew or a bit of toast and maybe hunt out the bottle opener. And then there are those who love to cook...

I undeniably fall into the latter category and, Im happy to say, so do most of my friends and family. Im not for one minute suggesting Im a slave to the kitchen, but I really couldnt imagine a weekend away without great food making an appearance at every opportunity.

As for most people, my perfect weekend away would probably include fish and chips on the beach (and Im prepared to do this whatever the weather) or a stonking lunch in a snuggly bar with a pint of local beer. But when the opportunity arises, I will always head to the kitchen and cook something glorious for everyone to share.

My approach to food, whether cooked at home or on holiday, is the same as its always been: simple, relaxed, delicious and without any pretence. In other words, Im a family cook. I truly believe that the food should suit the mood and do its best to enhance a weekend and it should in no way stop you from having lots of fun.

The trick to getting the balance right for a great weekend away lies in planning ahead (more about that later), sharing the workload and choosing the right food for that particular occasion. Theres no point in really going to town on a Friday evening, your first night away in a strange house and an even stranger kitchen. Friday night is all about taking it easy, warming something through that youve made ahead and brought with you. Or why not throw something together from scratch that requires minimal ingredients or do something that might involve a little help from eager friends?

In contrast, Saturday night is the time for getting a bit clever in the kitchen. Youll hopefully have had time to relax and take stock, so doing something that bit posher or trickier might just tickle your fancy.

Whilst all of the chapters are arranged chronologically, from Friday through to Sunday, feel free to dip in and out as the mood takes you. All of the recipes unless otherwise stated serve four. I could have written them to serve six but I always think its easier to do half again for six people, double them up for eight or halve them if youre lucky enough to have a romantic getaway!

Children will love some of these dishes but you know what your kids will and wont go for. No matter what, I always end up packing Weetabix, endless amounts of cheese for toasties, fresh pasta for instant suppers plus a few emergency fish fingers, if only to ensure a bit of peace and normality during the weekend.

Can I just say at this point that youre dealing with a woman who learned the art of efficient food packing and planning the hard way? I spent the first few weeks of a six-month bike tour of New Zealand carrying endless bottles of soy, spices and sauces, packs of noodles, cans of coconut milk and various dried sausages, not to mention the large bottle of fake tan I managed to hide in my husbands pack for several weeks! Needless to say, I very quickly worked out how to carry just the essentials and nothing more. Below is a list of ingredients, tools and tricks that Ive discovered through trial and error (via a lot of self-catering trips!) that will hopefully help to make your weekend away that little bit easier.

Make these foods your holiday friends...

Ready-made gnocchi

Its a real rib-sticker that tastes just great with big gutsy sauces and rags. Just remember to pile on the flavour and season well as it soaks it up like a sponge. Most varieties cook in minutes and one 500g pack will easily serve four hungry adults.

Great-quality pasta

If youre going to choose dried, its worth investing in a quality brand. I honestly dont think you can beat DeCecco. It costs a little bit more than most pastas, but if youre going to the effort of cooking a really great sauce, why would you pour it over second-rate, flabby pasta? Try it and see what you think.

Ready-made pasta sauces

There are loads out there and its simply just a question of tasting your way around them and finding your favourites. Once youve made your choice, you can promote them from the simple task of coating pasta and use them elsewhere... As toppings for pizza; with a dash of white wine as the base for a cheats fish stew; or add a splodge to pep up home-made chilli (especially good if youve been heavy-handed with the spices!).

Olives

Good for soaking up one glass of wine too many, but also great finely chopped and turned into a coarse, garlicky home-made tapenade. I use it under the skin of whole roast chickens, stirred into salad dressings for extra oomph or just spread thickly on hot toast.

Oven chips

OK, not the most glamorous of ingredients, but there are some pretty good ones out there now. You know the kids will love them, theyre great for padding out a main-course salad if everyone suddenly comes over all ravenous, plus they make the perfect edible ice pack for transporting your food. Whats not to love?

Halloumi

I love this stuff and it travels really well. Its great on a barbie, wonderful with salads, yummy with couscous and it makes a pretty good fake paneer cheese should you suddenly feel the need to make a veggie curry.

Chorizo

The whole dried sausages are just perfect if youre travelling long distances as they dont need a jot of refrigeration. Theyre completely addictive sliced and dry-fried until crisp. Try them in stews, scattered over salads or serve as a near-instant savoury snack.

Lemons and limes

These highly transportable fruit add instant flavour to fish dishes, pasta, salads and anything full of spices. And can you imagine a G&T or Mojito without them?

Herbs

Go for pots of herbs if you need a bit of longevity. Otherwise buy fresh and give them a good dunk in cold water before placing in food bags. When you seal the bags, make sure you keep a little air in them to cushion them for the journey.