Midweek meals: Five comforting dishes ready in 40 minutes or less

Comfort food perfect for an autumn evening

As the weather starts to change, here are five recipes you can try out this week.

Creamy chicken pasta

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

Quick and easy this is comforting and delicious

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 2 chicken fillets, cubed

• 4 tbsp crushed pistachios

• ½ red chilli, finely chopped

• 180ml cream

• 100g pasta

• 2 tbsp Parmesan

• a handful of mint leaves, chopped

• 2 tbsp sunflower or pumpkin seeds

• salt and pepper

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat.

2. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes.

3. Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes.

4. Add the pistachios and chilli, and cook for 5 minutes.

5. Stir in the cream, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the instructions on the pack.

7. Drain the pasta and tip it into the pan with the cream sauce.

8. Add the parmesan, mint, and seeds and stir well to coat the pasta.

9. Season to taste and divide the pasta between warmed serving bowls.

Easiest ever tomato soup

This easy soup can be cooked in ten minutes and is best served with toasted cheese sandwiches cut into triangles

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 2 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 12 mins

Course

 Starter

Cuisine

 American

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp butter

• 1 tsp olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 680ml bottle passata

• 1-litre chicken stock

• 1 bunch basil, chopped

• 1 heaped tbsp crème fraîche

Method

1. In a heavy-based saucepan heat the butter and oil over a low heat and stir in the garlic, cooking for a minute or two until fragrant. 

2. Stir in the passata, chicken stock and full bunch of basil and bring to a simmer. Cook for 8 minutes and season with salt and pepper. 

3. Stir in the crème fraîche before serving in cups or mugs. 

Bubble and Squeak

A brilliant way to use up leftovers.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 7 mins

Total Time

 17 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp sunflower/rapeseed oil

• 1 small knob of butter for flavour

• leftover mashed potatoes

• 4 fresh eggs

• 2 large handfuls of fresh tomatoes

• salt & pepper to taste

Method

1. Take a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan and place it on medium heat. Pour in the sunflower oil and once warm, add the knob of butter. If the frying pan smokes, it is too hot.

2. Shape the leftover mash into patties using your hands. Gently slide the patties into the butter/oil mixture and leave to sizzle until they begin to caramelise on the bottom. This should take about 7 minutes or so.

3. Crack the eggs into the spaces in the frying pan around the patties and keep the pan on heat until the white of the egg is cooked through, but the yolk is still runny.

4. Remove the frying pan from the heat and place it on a heat-proof mat in the middle of the table, Chop fresh tomatoes into the centre and allow the family to help themselves to what they like (with a little bit of help for the smaller family members).

Pasta & Meatballs

A simple, delicious and cost-effective meal

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 40 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Italian

Ingredients

• 360g Meatballs

• 2 onions, chopped

• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced

• 1 tin chopped tomatoes

• 1 tin chickpeas

• 300g dried pasta

Method

1. Preheat your (fan) oven to 180°C. Put the meatballs into an oven-proof dish and bake in the oven for 25 minutes.

2. In the meantime, put a large saucepan on medium heat. Pour in vegetable oil, then add the onion and cook until it begins to turn pale and soften, add the chopped and sliced carrots then stir.

3. Pour in the tinned tomatoes, add a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper, and then allow the sauce to come to a simmer. Cover and leave simmering while the meatballs continue to cook.

4. Once the meatballs have cooked, carefully spoon them into the sauce that is still bubbling. Pour in the drained chickpeas and stir.

5. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet. Once cooked, serve the pasta and meatballs.

Spaghetti Carbonara

recipe by:Colm O'Gorman

Made in the traditional way, using eggs and parmesan cheese, this is a delicious dish

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 125g pancetta or unsmoked streaky bacon

• 1 small onion

• 2 cloves of garlic

• 100g fresh grated parmesan cheese

• A little olive oil

• 4 large egg yolks

• 350-400g of dried spaghetti or linguine

Method

1. Put a large pan of water on to boil, add just a little salt. Be careful not to oversalt the water as you will be using some of it later in the sauce. A little less than a teaspoon is plenty. Finely chop the onion and garlic. Chop the pancetta or streaky bacon.

2. Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and add the chopped bacon. Fry until the bacon is crisp and golden, this will take about five minutes.

3. While the bacon is cooking add the pasta to the pan of boiling water and bring it back to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan and cook for ten minutes or until the pasta is done but still has a little bite.

4. Remove the cooked bacon from the pan and set aside.

5. Add the onions and garlic to the frying pan and sauté until soft, about another five minutes. While the garlic and onion are cooking, whisk the egg yolks in a medium sized bowl with some fresh ground black pepper. Add the grated parmesan to the eggs and mix it to combine. When the pasta has about three minutes left to go, take a ladle of the cooking water from the pasta, and add that to the egg and cheese mixture. Whisk it to combine it well. Put the cooked bacon back in the pan with the sauteed garlic and onion and warm it through for a moment.

6. When the pasta is cooked, drain it, reserving just a little more of the cooking water in case you need it to thin the sauce, and pop it back in the pan.

7. Do not return the pan to the heat, instead finish the dish off the heat or you will scramble the eggs when you add the sauce. Add the bacon, onion and garlic to the pasta and pour over the egg and cheese.

8. Using a large fork or tongs, lift up the pasta and mix it with the sauce so that everything is well combined and coated in sauce. The sauce will thicken nicely, but not scramble, this will only take a minute or two. If you think the sauce is a little thick, add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking water and mix that through.

9. And that is it, you are ready to serve. Divide the pasta between four plates or pasta bowls and top it with lots of parmesan cheese shavings. Have it with some garlic bread and a fresh green salad if you fancy it. A wonderful, tasty dinner in twenty to thirty minutes that the whole family will love.