Midweek meals: Five quick dinners for all the family to enjoy

These delicious dishes are ready in under an hour — perfect for the back-to-school rush

Fill some bellies this week with these tasty options

Fish & Chips Tray Bake

recipe by:Caitriona Redmond 

A healthier version of the chip shop classic

Servings

5

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 45 mins

Total Time

 55 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Irish

Ingredients

• 7 medium potatoes, peeled

• 4 tbsp sunflower oil

• 2 cloves garlic

• 2 green peppers

• 1 large handful of fresh green herbs of your choice (I used chives and parsley)

• 300g white fish chunks (a packet of fish mix is absolutely fine)

• 200g fresh tomatoes to serve

Method

1. Preheat a fan oven to 180°C. Line a large baking tray with tin foil (to save on the washing up).

2. Chop the potatoes into small cubes about 2cm in diameter. There's no need to be too precise, this just helps the spuds to cook quicker and get crunchy on the outside. Dry off the potato cubes with a bit of kitchen paper or a clean tea towel before pouring 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil on the baking tray and tossing cubed potatoes in the oil until they are completely covered. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, turn the potato cubes over halfway through cooking.

3. I use a mini-chopper for the next part, but if you have a knife you'll need to finely chop the garlic, peppers and green herbs together. If you have a mini-chopper, lash the lot into the jug and blend with the sunflower oil. Ensure that your fish has no skin left on it and then toss the fish chunks in the green paste you've made in the chopper.

4. Remove the roasted potato cubes from the oven and sprinkle the fish chunks evenly on top. Return to the oven for 15 minutes.

5. Serve with some fresh chopped tomatoes and a herb salad if you like, although tomato relish would go just as well.

 

Salmon quiche

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

For a comforting lunch, try this smooth quiche with a buttery pastry base and a deliciously fluffy filling with a hint of mustard

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 French

Ingredients

• For the pastry:

• 225g plain flour

• 1 pinch of salt

• 150g cold butter cubed

• 1 egg, mixed with cold water until together they measure 25ml

• For the filling:

• 30g flour

• 30g butter

• 210ml milk

• 200g cooked salmon, flaked or you can use tined salmon

• zest of 2 lemons

• 1 tsp smooth Dijon mustard

• small handful of baby spinach, chopped

• 2 eggs, separated

Method

1. To make the pastry, mix your flour and salt and start to rub in the cubes of butter. You do not want to handle the mixture too much as the resulting pastry will not be as crisp. Rub the butter quickly until it forms what looks like rough breadcrumbs.

2. Add your egg and water mix and bring this together with your hand as quickly as you can. Put the pastry on a sheet of baking parchment and wrap it up. Place it in the fridge for at least an hour before using it.

3. Grease and flour a size loose base tart case, of about 9 inches. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

4. On a lightly floured surface, roll your pastry so that there is a circle bigger than the tart case. Press it slightly with your hand into the case, but do not force it. Bake your case blind, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool slightly in the tin. Trim the edges if needed.

5. Make a white sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan and adding the flour.

6. Stir until the mixture forms a smooth paste, cook while stirring continually for about two minutes, start adding the milk slowly, beating vigorously until all of the milk is added and a smooth paste is formed.

7. Flake the fish and add it into the sauce with the lemon zest, mustard, egg yolks and spinach and mix them all well.

8. Whisk your egg whites until very stiff and fold them into the sauce.

9. Pour your mixture into your waiting pastry case and bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the filling has risen and is a golden colour on top.

 

Butternut and bean stew

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

Brimming with flavours and textures, this meat-free dinner contains protein and vitamin B from the beans and sweet, nutty flavour from the squash

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 35 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

• 4 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• ½ chilli, finely chopped

• thumb of fresh ginger, grated

• 2 cardamom pods

• 1 tbsp cumin seeds

• 1 tbsp turmeric

• 1 star anise

• 1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded, diced

• 1 aubergine, diced

• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp honey

• 1 tin of mixed beans

• handful of coriander leaves

• 4 tbsp flaked almonds

• 4 tbsp Greek yoghurt

Method

1. Melt the coconut oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, chilli, and ginger and cook for about five minutes.

2. Stir frequently and add a splash of water if the pan gets dry. Stir in the spices and cook for two minutes.

3. Add the butternut and aubergine and cook for two minutes, stirring frequently.

4. Add the tomatoes, soy sauce, and honey and stir well.

5. Cover the pan and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. When the vegetables are tender, stir in the beans and heat through.

7. Divide the stew between warmed serving bowls. Sprinkle over the coriander and flaked almonds. Top with a dollop of Greek yoghurt and serve. 

 

Chicken and coconut laksa

Delicate rice noodles and chicken breast strips combine in a rich, creamy and garlicky laska for two

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 25 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Asian

Ingredients

• 60g rice noodles

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

• 1cm piece ginger, peeled and chopped finely

• 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped finely

• 1 spring onion, chopped finely

• 1 tsp fish sauce

• juice of 1 lime

• 1 tsp granulated sugar

• 400ml can coconut milk

• 200ml chicken or vegetable stock (optional)

• 1 chicken breast, cut into strips handful of bean sprouts (optional) handful coriander leaves lime wedge

Method

1. Place your rice noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Cover the bowl with a plate and leave for 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan or wok, and when hot add your garlic, ginger, chilli and spring onion. Cook on a medium heat for 1–2 minutes. You don’t want them to colour but rather just start to smell fragrant. Add the fish sauce, lime juice and sugar and stir well.

3. Reduce the heat and add the coconut milk. Follow with the chicken, allowing it to slowly poach in the coconut milk for 5–7 minutes until it is tender. Finally add the bean sprouts and cooked rice noodles. Serve sprinkled with coriander and with a wedge of lime.
   This recipe is from Tiffany Goodall's First Flat Cook Book, published by Quadrille Publishing

 

Almond crusted chicken strips 

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

These chicken strips are packed full of flavour and crispness from the almond crust. If you have time to marinate the chicken please do but they will be lovely either way. A top recipe tip is to make extra for lunch tomorrow!

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Side

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp soy sauce

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp honey

• 3 tbsp mixed dried herbs

• pinch of salt

• 4 free-range chicken fillets, cut into strips

• 120g ground almonds

Method

1. Mix the soy sauce, olive oil, honey dried herbs and salt in a big bowl.

2. Add the chicken and use your hands to mix the marinade into the meat.

3. If time allows, cover and leave in the fridge for at least 1 hour. If not don’t worry!

4. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

5. Spread the almonds out on a plate. Roll each chicken strip in the almonds. Place the coated chicken on an ovenproof dish.

6. Bake for about 25 minutes, until each chicken strip is cooked through.