Iyer - Dinners in the Oven

FOR PARVATI, VIJAY & PADMINI

First published in the United States of America in 2018 by Chronicle Books LLC.
First published in the United Kingdom in 2017 by Penguin Random House UK.

Text copyright 2018 by Rukmini Iyer.
Photographs copyright 2018 by David Loftus.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

ISBN 9781452168715 (epub, mobi)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Names: Iyer, Rukmini, author.
Title: Dinner's in the oven / Rukmini Iyer.
Other titles: Roasting tin
Description: San Francisco : Chronicle Books, 2018. | First published in the United Kingdom in 2017 by Square Peg as: The roasting tin : deliciously simple one-dish dinners. | Includes index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017030648 | ISBN 9781452168593 (hc : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Roasting (Cooking) | One-dish meals. | LCGFT: Cookbooks.
Classification: LCC TX690 .I94 2018 | DDC 641.7/1dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017030648

Designed by Pene Parker
Prop styling by Pene Parker
Food styling by Rukmini Iyer

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INTRODUCTION

This is not a conventional cookbook in that once you've tried a few recipes and are happy with the principle (stick everything in a roasting pan, pop the pan in the oven, and serve), you can, and indeed should, use the infographics and charts in the chapter openers, transferring useful information like oven temperatures and cooking times, to create any number of your own recipes. In the mood for salmon with roasted red peppers, onions, and thyme rather than chicken? Swap them, and borrow the oven temperature and timings as needed. Got vine tomatoes staring at you reproachfully from the fruit bowl? Stick them in and let them get gloriously blistered with everything else.

Use roasting pans, baking dishes (glass, ceramic), or shallow casserole pansanything ovenproof will do. And for recipes that feed a crowd, like the smoky roast sausages and sweet potatoes , consider using the metal broiler pan that comes standard with most ovens.

The recipes in each chapter are organized by speedtoward the beginning of each you'll find recipes that roast in under 30 minutes, progressing to dishes that you can leave in the oven for an hour or so. A few, designed for lazy weekend lunches, will sit happily for three hours after minimal prep, like the harissa lamb .

are particularly good if you plan to induce lunchbox envy among your colleagues.

While the design of the recipes is to cook everything in the same pan, which, in the grains chapter, works particularly well with pearled barley, spelt, and couscous, if it is significantly quicker to put a pot of boiling water on for accompanying carbs (rice or pasta), then I have suggested that instead. The timings in the recipes are such that your oven-cooked main dish and low-effort side will be finished at the same timealways preferable.

The nicest thing about oven-made meals is that they are both versatile and forgiving. They require the barest minimum in terms of efforta little light chopping to start, then tasting and adjusting the salt or lemon juice at the end. Most importantly they leave you free to do something else while dinner looks after itselfhave a bath, help the children with their homework, or, my preferred option, flop on the sofa with a glass of wine, reading Nora Ephron on crisp potatoes and true love. (Ideally with crisp potatoes roasting in the oven.)

A well-stocked pantry allows you to transform staple fresh ingredientschicken, fish, vegetablesinto something different and interesting each time you put dinner in the oven. Have the following on hand:

QUICK-FIX FLAVOR ESSENTIALS

SHARP: Keep jars of Dijon mustard, olive tapenade, pesto, and harissa on standby in the fridge to dress even the simplest dish.

SWEET: Root vegetables, chicken, and sausages all benefit from the judicious use of sweetness, alongside other flavors. Try honey, maple syrup, or agavethey all combine well with mustard and spices.

SAVORY: You dont have to get fussy with the type of salt that you usethis book calls for flaked sea salt, but by all means use finely ground if you prefer.

CRUNCH

Texture is all-important for an oven-cooked meal, as it is for any dishkeep almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, and pine nuts in the fridge and panko breadcrumbs in the pantry to use as a quick topping for fish or vegetable dishes.

SPICES

These add instant interest and can be combined in endless variations. Keep the classicsground cumin, coriander, fennel seeds, and smoked paprikaalongside the now popular and readily available sumac, ras el hanout, and zaatar.

OIL

Olive oil, the key to successful roasting, will do for almost anything. Try toasted sesame for Asian dishes, or coconut oil if you are that way inclined. Lots of people arentits fine.

FRESH

You are always going to need onions and garlic, so keep them in the pantry, and have ginger in the fridge. Lemons and limes are essential standbys for sharpness and interest, either as zest or juiceyoull often find a squeeze of lemon juice a more effective seasoning than an extra pinch of salt.