Rolling Kitchen

Cook What the Market Offers 2 creamy orzo bowls · Active 15 min · Total 30 min Skills: Easy Orzo gives a creamy, risotto-like finish without asking you to stir a pan of rice for half an hour. The small pasta cooks in measured stock, with asparagus and peas added near the end. It is a good use for a modest market bunch of asparagus and the last handful of peas from a small freezer. Jump to ingredients Use the stalks as well as the tips Trim away woody asparagus ends, then cut the tender stalks into short pieces. Keep the tips separate because they soften faster. Thick stems can be peeled near their base if the outer skin is tough. This keeps the pieces pleasant to eat without throwing away the entire lower half of the bunch. Creaminess without a cream carton Orzo releases starch as it simmers, and a little Parmesan finishes the sauce. Stir regularly enough to prevent the small grains sticking, especially around the edge of a compact burner. Keep some hot water nearby so you can loosen ...

Cook What the Market Offers 2 warm couscous bowls · Active 20 min · Total 30 min Skills: Confident beginner A firm ripe peach can bring sweetness and a little char to a quick chicken supper. Red onion softens in the same skillet while couscous hydrates in a covered bowl. The result is warm rather than saucy, with lemon and parsley keeping the fruit from making the whole dish taste like dessert. Jump to ingredients Choose fruit that can hold a slice A very soft peach is better eaten fresh than pushed around a hot skillet. Choose fruit that yields slightly but still slices cleanly, and leave the skin on to hold the wedges together. Brown them briefly and remove them before cooking the chicken. They need color, not a long simmer. Nectarines work by the same method. Keep the couscous loose Ordinary couscous hydrates quickly in a covered heatproof bowl; pearl couscous needs a different cooking method. Fluff the grains with a fork before adding the pan juices. Cutting the chicken into even ...

Cook What the Market Offers 2 vegetable main-course portions · Active 20 min · Total 1 hr 10 min Skills: Easy Potatoes, thoroughly boiled green beans and pesto make a substantial vegetable skillet. The fresh beans need at least 30 minutes at a full boil before the skillet finish. Add the thin potato slices during the last part of that boil so one saucepan can handle both vegetables, then drain and move to the skillet for golden edges. Allow the full stated time for the boiling stage and skillet finish when planning this market-vegetable meal. Jump to ingredients Beans start first, potatoes join later Start timing the green beans only after their water returns to a full boil. They need at least 30 minutes of boiling under the precaution used here. Slice waxy potatoes about a quarter-inch thick and add them after the beans have boiled 18 minutes. Return to the boil and cook for another 12–15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the beans have received at least 30 minutes of actual...

Cook What the Market Offers 2 generous pasta bowls · Active 15 min · Total 40 min Skills: Easy Small aubergine cubes soften in a tomato sauce while short pasta cooks in the same covered pan. This is useful when a full pot of boiling water would fill both the stove and the washing-up bowl. The liquid is measured for the pasta, with a small reserve available because lids and burner sizes vary. Jump to ingredients Small cubes make the difference Aubergine needs time and moisture to become tender. Cut it into half-inch cubes so the centers soften before the pasta finishes. Browning adds flavor, but this is not a recipe that depends on frying every surface in a deep layer of oil. A splash of water after the first browning helps release the cooked bits and starts softening the vegetable. Read the pan, not just the clock Short pasta shapes do not all absorb water at the same rate. Begin with the measured hot water, keep the pan at a gentle simmer and stir every few minutes so nothing sticks ...

Cook What the Market Offers 2 pasta bowls · Active 15 min · Total 30 min Skills: Easy A pair of zucchini can become a complete pasta sauce without a blender or a large collection of ingredients. Cook thin half-moons until some are golden and others soft, then let lemon, mint and starchy pasta water bring them together. The vegetables should remain visible rather than disappearing into a puree. Jump to ingredients Give the zucchini a head start A crowded small skillet steams vegetables before it browns them. Pat the sliced zucchini dry, use the widest compact pan you have and leave it alone for the first few minutes. A little uneven browning is useful here. It gives the sauce a savory base while softer pieces help coat the linguine. If your pan is smaller than 10 inches, cook the zucchini in two batches instead of increasing the heat. A sauce made at the last minute Reserve pasta water before draining: the starch in that water is what helps oil, cheese and lemon cling to the noodles. A...

Cupboard to Table 3 soft rice-and-lentil bowls · Active 15 min · Total 1 hr 30 min Skills: Easy Red lentils soften into tomato rice, making a gently spiced one-pot meal with a spoonable texture. This is not a dry pilaf: the lentils break down and bind the grains. Measured stock and a close-fitting lid keep the rice from drying before it is tender. Jump to ingredients Rinse both dry ingredients Rinse rice and lentils separately in a fine sieve until the runoff is less cloudy. Start the red lentils in the measured stock and cook them fully soft before adding the acidic tomatoes or the dry rice. The onion and spices start the flavor. Use standard long-grain white rice; brown rice would need a different liquid quantity and schedule. Stir less, check carefully Keep the lentils at a gentle simmer for their full packet cooking time and confirm they have no hard centers before adding tomato. The second covered stage cooks the rice. Keep the heat low and check the grains rather than repeatedly...

Cupboard to Table 2 crisp folded wraps · Active 15 min · Total 21 min Skills: Easy Sardines, lemon and chili make a bold filling for tortillas toasted until crisp. Mash the fish lightly with parsley and a little mayonnaise so the filling stays inside. Unlike a cold sandwich wrap, this one is folded into a flat half-moon that browns in a skillet. Jump to ingredients Keep the filling compact Drain sardines well and break them with a fork. Their small bones are usually soft and edible; mash them thoroughly or remove any pieces you prefer not to eat. Lemon zest gives citrus flavor without a large volume of juice. Too much liquid makes the tortilla leak and slows browning. Moderate heat crisps the wrapper Spread filling over half each tortilla, leaving a clear border, then fold. A lightly oiled pan over medium heat gives the interior time to warm while the outside crisps. Turn with a broad spatula and press gently, not hard enough to squeeze out fish. Eat promptly. For a later meal, store ...