Midweek Meals: Five dinners to cook this week ready in less than 30 minutes

Every week, we bring you five meals to suit all tastebuds - even the fussy eaters in your life 

What's for dinner tonight?

Baked haddock with breadcrumbs

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

Enjoy this cherry tomato, olive and breaded haddock supper for the whole family, ready in just half an hour

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 4 shallots, peeled and sliced

• 4 large potatoes, chopped 

• 400g cherry tomatoes

• 70g green olives, sliced

• 4 fillets of haddock

• 100g bread crumbs

Method

1. Toss the potatoes, garlic, and rosemary in olive oil and seasoning. Place on a roasting tray and into a medium oven, until the potatoes are golden on the outside and cooked through.

2. In a separate baking tray, toss the tomatoes, shallots and olives in oil and seasoning. Season the fish and place it on top. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and place into an oven heated to 180°C. Bake until the fish is cooked through, which will take about 15 minutes, depending on its thickness.

3. Serve with the potatoes on the side and with the juice from the roasting tray.

Old-fashioned meatballs in tomato sauce

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

This rich sauce can be used for may different things, it is often handy to make a double batch and use it in a vegetarian dish another night

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 40 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• dash of olive oil

• 1 onion finely chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 2 tins of tomatoes

• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

• 1 bunch of thyme, removed from the stalk

• 1 tsp honey

• bunch of basil, removed from the stalk

• 340g minced beef

• bunch of parsley, finely chopped

• 85g Parmesan, grated

• ½ tbsp tomato purée

• 25g breadcrumbs

• 1 egg

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and saute the onion until it turns translucent, add the garlic and stir fry for a minute then add the tomatoes, vinegar and thyme. Allow to bubble away over a low heat with a lid on for 20 minutes.

2. Add the honey and basil and taste and season. Allow to bubble away for another ten minutes or so.

3. In the meantime put the mince into a bowl and add the parsley, Parmesan, purée and breadcrumbs as well as some seasoning. Stir it all together then stir through the egg.

4. Roll about a soup spoon of the mixture into a ball and fry it in a pan of heated oil, turning them so that they cook through.

5. Spaghetti is the most typical pasta served with meatballs but any other shapes will do. You can either toss the meat balls in the sauce or spoon it over them.

Chicken with chorizo and arrabiata sauce

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

Arrabbiata means angry in Italian, this versatile sauce has a bit of a fiery kick to it and can be used over a few days or enjoyed here with spicy chorizo

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 45 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• dash of olive oil

• 2 onions, finely sliced

• 4 chicken legs on the bone

• 200g chorizo, sliced

• pasta for four

• For the sauce:

• generous dash of olive oil

• 6 garlic cloves

• 800g ripe tomatoes, chopped

• bunch of oregano, very finely chopped

• bunch of thyme, removed from the stalk, very finely chopped

• bunch of basil, very finely chopped

• 3 small red chilli peppers, finely chopped

• 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large pan and sauté the onions until they have completely softened. Add the chicken and brown the legs. Transfer everything to an ovenproof dish. Add the chorizo and spoon the sauce over the dish.

2. Place into an oven heated to 180°C for about 35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

3. To make the sauce, gently heat the oil in a large pan and sauté the garlic until it is about to change colour. Stir the chopped tomatoes into the pan.

4. Add six teaspoons of chopped oregano, two of thyme and six of finely chopped basil to the tomatoes.

5. Add the chilli and balsamic and allow to bubble away over a very low heat for 15 minutes.

6. Taste and season. Tomatoes vary in sweetness hugely. If you feel it needs a little sweetening add a teaspoon of honey.

7. Add the sauce to your chicken dish and serve with pasta. Sprinkle with shaved Parmesan cheese and some chopped basil and serve.

Tofu pad thai

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

Tofu is easy to cook, tasty and packed full of proteins, iron and calcium - a great alternative to meat and delicious with this rich pad thai with crunchy vegetables

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 30 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 40 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Thai

Ingredients

• For the tofu:

• 1 packet of organic tofu, drained and diced

• 2 tbsp cornstarch

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 packet rice noodles

• 2 limes, juiced

• 1 fresh red chilli, finely sliced

• 3 spring onions, finely sliced

• 1 red pepper, finely sliced

• 2 carrots, peeled and grated

• 1 packet mangetout, finely sliced

• a handful of peanuts, roughly chopped

• salt

• pepper

• For the Asian dressing:

• 50ml tamari or soy sauce

• 20ml olive oil

• 10ml sesame oil

• 1 tbsp honey

• handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped

• 1 tbsp peanut butter

Method

1. Cook noodles as per packet instructions. Rinse with cold water and set aside to drain.

2. To make the dressing blitz all the ingredients together in a small food processor.

3. In a bowl toss together the diced tofu, corn-starch, salt and pepper, making sure all the tofu has a light covering of the mix.

4. In a wok heat the olive oil and add in the tofu. Toss on a high heat until the tofu crisps up. Remove from wok and set aside.

5. In the same wok heat the dressing a little. Add the noodles, pepper, carrot, spring onion, chilli and mangetout. Toss for 5 minutes. Do not overcook just heat through enough for eating. The crunchier the raw vegetables remain the better!

6. Just before serving toss the tofu and peanuts through the noodles. Transfer to a large serving bowl and garnish with coriander and a drizzle of fresh lime juice.

Clíona O’Connor’s Halloumi burgers

“I don’t just cook to feed people - cooking and baking is a form of therapy for me.” Clíona O’Connor's Halloumi burgers are always a hit

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 2 mins

Total Time

 17 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• For the burgers:

• 250g Halloumi

• 4 tbsp plain flour

• 1 egg

• 100g panko breadcrumbs

• 4 brioche burger buns

• Gem lettuce

• 8 slices of gherkin

• For the honey mustard sauce:

• 2 tbsp honey

• 4 tbsp crème fraîche

• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1 garlic clove

• a few drops of lemon juice

Method

1. Mix the honey, crème fraîche and Dijon mustard in a bowl. Crush the garlic into it and mix.

2. Slice the Haloumi and set up flour, egg, and breadcrumbs in separate shallow dishes.

3. Coat the Halloumi slices in the flour, followed by the egg and then the breadcrumbs.

4. Cook in a preheated air fryer for five minutes or fry in olive oil for 2-3 mins on each side.

5. Assemble on a toasted brioche bun with the lettuce, gherkin and a generous helping of the honey mustard sauce. Enjoy straight away.

For more quick and easy meals, check out our Midweek Meals section on ieFood.