Of course we should make our own chicken stock from the leftover bones of the Sunday roast or crack out the dusty pasta maker when our urge for fresh tagliatelle gets out of hand, but realistically these sorts of kitchen chores have been relegated to rainy day kitchen projects rather than everyday tasks for most home cooks. With a rise in the quality of convenience foods, perhaps now is one the best times to take a few shortcuts in cooking when required. I’ll be the first to admit that the guilt I once felt about using store-bought hummus or frozen pastry is gone. Needs must, and when push comes to shove I’d prefer to have dinner on the table than to be a sweaty mess, covered in flour, trying to roll out my own puff pastry. Of course there are times when quiet, calm and contemplative cooking is a much-needed joy in a busy world but when you come traipsing through the door, tired after a long day, you need a different approach.
I am always tempted by those packs of prepared fresh pasta dumplings filled with things like ricotta and spinach or wild mushrooms, or those perfect little gnocchi dumplings which would save me the hassle of boiling and cooling potatoes before transforming them into little pudgy, velvety clouds. The idea that dinner could be mere minutes away is tempting.
The soup I share with you today uses store-bought tortelloni to great effect to create a rather filling spring minestrone soup. The wonderful thing about a minestrone soup is that you can combine any jumble of fresh, in-season vegetables with pasta in a hearty broth and feel like you have created something clever. In this slightly pepped-up version, there is a little chopping and boiling but there is instant satisfaction in slipping those fresh pasta pockets into the soup to finish it off. An ideal soup for the season.
The butcher’s counter is a brilliant starting point for a quick supper fix. For the speedy steak tacos here, a few rib-eye steaks are the core ingredient. Within the recipe there are short cuts you can take, for example using shop-bought salsa or guacamole, but both of these can be made in a matter of minutes in the time it takes to cook and rest the steaks. And I have yet to find a brand of either that is better than what you can make yourself.
Spring minestrone drop soup
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
- 2 litres good quality chicken or vegetable stock, hot
- 150g frozen peas
- 100g asparagus, trimmed and roughly chopped
- 8 spring onions, trimmed and sliced in 5cm pieces
- ½ savoy cabbage, finely shredded
- 250g pack spinach & ricotta tortelloni
- Sea salt and ground black pepper
To serve:
Pesto
Basil leaves
Pecorino cheese
Extra virgin olive oil
Method
The real trick of this spring soup is the addition of store-bought tortelloni which gets dropped into the soup just before it's ready to serve. Seek out the best quality ones you can lay your hands on and feel free to mix up the choice of greens.
Place a medium pot over a medium high heat and add the oil. Once it is hot, saute the onion and celery for 4 minutes until just tender. Add in the stock and bring to a steady simmer.
Add in the peas, asparagus, spring onions and savoy cabbage. Allow to cook gently for 3-4 minutes before adding the tortelloni. Cook for a further 4 minutes until the pasta is cooked and season to taste.
Serve in deep bowls with a dollop of pesto, fresh basil leaves, shaved pecorino cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.
Quick-fix ribeye tacos
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 4 x 175g rib-eye steaks
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- For the chunky guacamole:
- 2 ripe avocados, peeled and chopped
- Juice of ½ lime
- A small handful coriander leaves, finely chopped
- A dash of Tabasco sauce
For the salsa:
- 250 grams cherry tomatoes, finely chopped
- 2 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and ground black pepper
To serve:
12 corn tortillas, warmed through
1/2 head white cabbage, finely shredded
Good handful of coriander leaves
Sour cream to serve
Method
The spice mixture used on the steaks in this recipe can be made in bulk and used to season chicken, fish, and vegetables roasted in the oven. The tomato salsa can be made in advance while the guacamole is best made while the steaks cook. Dinner in minutes.
For the guacamole, place the avocados in a small mixing bowl, squeeze with lime and using the back of a fork, mash until completely smooth. Stir through the coriander, Tabasco and season generously with sea salt. Set aside.
To make the salsa, mix together the ingredients in a serving bowl and set aside.
Trim the rib-eye steaks of any excess fat, then place in a non-metallic dish and add the oil and spices. Leave to marinate for 15-30 minutes at room temperature.
Grill, barbecue or pan-fry the steaks over a fierce heat for 3-4 minutes either side for medium rare, or to your liking. Remove from the pan, place on a plate, cover with tin foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes in a warm place before slicing into thin strips.
Serve the steak strips on a warmed tortilla with a generous dollop of guacamole, sour cream, some salsa, cabbage, coriander leaves and a good squeeze of lime.
