One-pot or one-dish meals save on the washing up. They also contain all the ingredients for a complete meal, so it’s not necessary to make vegetables on the side.
With all the load shedding we are experiencing, I have adapted those recipes cooked in the oven to cooking on a gas hob.
I was thrilled to see that even pasta can be cooked with other ingredients, provided there is sufficient liquid in the recipe.
Make sure all your vegetables are cut to more or less the same size to ensure they cook evenly.
Add any fresh herbs just before serving to give the dish a fresh look.
CHICKEN & SAUSAGE CASSEROLE
Serves 4-6
6 chicken thighs
12 slices of pancettaor streaky bacon
2 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
1 red pepper, cutinto chunks
1 yellow pepper, cut into chunks
4-5 courgettes, cutinto chunks
45ml olive oil
10ml chopped garlic
sprigs of thyme
salt and pepper
300g cocktail pork sausages
380ml bought tomato and ricotta pasta sauce
Wrap each chicken thigh in two slices of pancetta.
Put onions, peppers and courgettes in an oven-proof casserole and add the olive oil, garlic and thyme. Add the sausages and toss to coat as well. Season well.
Put chicken thighs on top. Cover and roast at 180°C for 30 minutes.
Remove and take off the lid. Stir through the pasta sauce and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes until the chicken is golden brown.
Note: If using the stove top, brown the wrapped chicken breast and sausages first. Remove. Add the remaining ingredients, return the chicken and sausages and simmer until the chicken is cooked, 30-40 minutes.
MEXICAN BEAN CASSEROLE
Serves 6-8
15ml olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 courgettes, chopped
10ml ground cumin
10ml ground coriander
10ml paprika
10ml dried oregano
3ml dried chilli flakes
400g tin of corn kernels
400g tin of red kidney beans
400g tin of cannellini beans
400g tin of chickpeas
1 jar ready-made salsa
125ml vegetable stock
salt and pepper
1 bunch of spring onions, white parts sliced
nachos chips
250ml grated cheddar cheese
sour cream and chopped coriander, for serving
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Heat the oil in an ovenproof dish. Fry the onion and courgettes until tender, about5 minutes. Stir in the spices and fry until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add the corn, beans, chickpeas, salsa and stock and mix well. Cook for a few minutes. Taste for salt and pepper. Scatter with spring onions. Break the nachos over the top.
Top with cheese and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden.
Serve immediately with sour cream and coriander.
Note: To adapt this recipe for cooking on the stove top, cook the beans in a pot and serve the nachos, grated cheese and sour cream on the side.
LAMB MINCE BAKE
Serves 4
500g lamb mince
1 egg, lightly whisked
5ml crushed garlic
125ml chopped fresh coriander
125ml chopped fresh mint
100g feta, crumbled
salt and pepper
15ml olive oil
45ml tomato paste
250ml grated mozzarella
200g cherry tomatoes, halved
10ml dried oregano
extra chopped coriander,for garnish
Preheat oven to 200°C.
In a large bowl, combine the mince, egg, garlic, herbs and half the feta. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in an ovenproof heavy-based non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the mince mixture. Use a spatula to press to cover the base. Smooth the surface.
Spread lamb mixture with the tomato paste. Top with mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and the remaining feta. Sprinkle with dried oregano. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cooked through and golden.
Serve immediately sprinkled with chopped coriander.
Note: To adapt the recipe for the stove top, cover the pan with a lid and cook over a low heat on the hob until the meat is cooked through and the cheese is melted.
PORK CHOP CASSEROLE
Serves 4
4 large pork chops
60ml olive oil
5ml chopped garlic
15ml balsamic vinegar
30ml chopped thyme
2-3 potatoes, sliced
2 red onions, cutinto wedges
1 bulb of fennel, sliced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
salt and pepper
125ml chicken stock
Put the pork chops in a plastic bag. Combine 45ml of the olive oil, garlic, vinegar and thyme and pour over the chops. Massage well and leave to marinate for an hour.
Place the potatoes, onions, fennel, pepprs and remaining olive oil in an ovenproof casserole. Season well. Arrange the chops on top of the vegetables and pour over the stock.
Bake at 180°C for30-40 minutes, turning the chops over halfway through the cooking time. Remove and serve.
Note: To cook this on the hob, brown the chops first, remove them and then add the vegetables and stock to the pot. Return the chops and simmer until cooked.
BACON AND BROCCOLI PASTA
Serves 4-6
30ml olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
250g bacon bits
300g butternut, cubed
10ml chopped garlic
3-4 sprigs of thyme
250ml chicken stock
500ml cold water
250g bow-shaped pasta
salt and pepper
300g broccoli florets
250ml cream
80ml grated Parmesan cheese
Heat the oil in a pot. Fry the onion, bacon, butternut, garlic and thyme for 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the stock and water. Add the pasta and season well.
Return to the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the pasta is cooked.
Add the broccoli, cream and Parmesan and mix through. Return to the heat for another 5 minutes until the broccoli is cooked.
Serve with extra Parmesan.
Angela Day, The Star