Good Food for Lazy Days

Three go-to recipes, five game-changing condiments, and a fresh summer salad for your next picnic.

Photo by Chris Lawton on Unsplash

I cook almost every day of the week, but as the days get warmer, the amount of time I want to spend in the kitchen dramatically decreases. Gone is the desire to while away a couple of hours chopping, frying and simmering at the stove while listening to music or a podcast. From now until September, I want meals that are relatively easy to throw together, feel lighter to eat, and work well outdoors. So this week, I’m sharing some ideas to help you do the same.

First, a few brilliant recipes from some of my favourite food writers that I’ve cooked this week and that come together in minutes. Then, a short primer on my go-to condiments (the secret to creating great meals quickly), and finally, a new recipe from me: a zesty lime and coriander-dressed white bean, tomato and feta salad – the perfect dish to take to a picnic or BBQ. Enjoy!

In the last week, I’ve cooked three recipes that I know I’ll be cooking again and again this summer…

First off, Meera Sodha’s Soy Sauce, Sake and Sesame Oil-Braised Aubergines – a dish so good I ate it warm for dinner and then cold for breakfast the next morning. I often batch cook roasted vegetables once a week so I can throw them into salads, soups, curries or use them as a side. I already had some roasted aubergine for this, so it took just 15 minutes to make (including cooking the rice). I added silken tofu for an extra protein hit and it was perfect.

Anna Jones’ Pasta al Limone is another winner, where the pasta and its sauce are cooked in one pot and the whole thing comes together also in about 15 minutes. The buttery, lemony, Parmesan and garlic-infused sauce manages to be both creamy and light and is incredibly comforting.

Finally, Jamie Oliver’s Tender and Crisp Chicken Legs with Sweet Tomatoes is a recipe I’ve been making for nearly 20 years and it never disappoints. You simply throw the ingredients together in a roasting tin and let the oven do the work. I often add a can of rinsed and drained cannellini beans for the last 10 minutes of cooking and serve it with a green salad.

Condiments Are King

I’m a sucker for a good condiment and rely on them to pull together fridge-raid meals where I throw in whatever veggies and protein I have (and hope for the best). In no particular order, here are a few condiments I can’t live without:

Rose Harissa by Belazu – This spicy, sweet and deeply aromatic paste carries heady notes of paprika, red chilli peppers and rose. It’s my go-to with scrambled eggs, makes a great marinade for chicken or halloumi, and is excellent stirred through a bowl of cooked beans. The rose is subtle not overpowering, adding just a gentle fragrance.

Mazzah Mango Chutney – I know what you’re thinking: mango chutney hardly screams “food connoisseur,” but stay with me. This brand, founded by two Afghani sisters in the USA, makes the most incredible mango chutney I’ve ever eaten. It’s a magical blend of ripe mangoes, cardamom and chilli. Since discovering it on a recent trip to NYC, I now use it almost daily – in cheddar sandwiches, on fish tacos, as a relish for chicken burgers. It’s amazing.

Lao Gan Ma Preserved Black Beans in Chilli Oil – After Middle Eastern food, East Asian is probably the cuisine I eat the most. A stir-fry is my go-to when I’m short on time and this Chinese fermented black bean condiment is one I return to most often. It’s really good spooned through a vegetable and tempeh fried rice, or added to a quick fried medley of rice noodles, with ginger, prawns and some wilted greens.

Cholula Chipotle Hot Sauce – I’ll be honest, I’ve never really understood the Sriracha craze as I can’t bear sweet hot sauces. This is what I use instead. We usually have two types of hot sauce on the go in my house as my husband prefers West Indian ones, but I’m a sucker for the smoky Mexican varieties. Cholula is the one I reach for the most.

Patak’s Mixed Pickle – The OG achar we ate growing up, Patak’s is an institution for good reason. Their lime pickle is decent, the mango one okay, but for me, the Mixed Pickle is best combining limes, mangoes, carrots and chillies. We eat this every week with moong daal, rice and yoghurt which, dear readers, it’s my ultimate comfort food.

To round things off this week, here’s a quick, no-fuss White Bean, Feta and Tomato Salad that’s become a staple in my kitchen