Lockdown Cooking Tips

This piece was originally written for Town & Country.

We are spending more time at home than ever before and for most us that means more time in our kitchens. Now more than ever is the perfect time to celebrate dining in at home. I’ve shared my top tips for cooking during the lockdown period below. 

Make the most of dining in.

It’s all too easy to grab cutlery from the drawer and quickly dish up supper into a bowl but if you can, try to set some time aside for supper. Perhaps once a week set the table properly, use candles, a tablecloth and your favourite crockery. Just putting that bit of effort in elevates the evening and gives you a sense of arriving somewhere new… even if it just the kitchen table.

Get creative with your spice cupboard.

We often reserve spices for curries and spicy dishes. In fact a lot of the spices that lurk at the back of the cupboard offer fragrance rather than heat. Toast whole spices such as cumin seeds, coriander seeds and fennel seeds in a dry frying pan over a gentle heat until they begin to smell aromatic and slightly pop. Add them to salads, cooked vegetable dishes and sprinkle them onto soups. I love to stir them into melted butter with a crushed garlic clove and drizzle over fish and meat or bread.

You can find my simple flat bread with a spiced garlic and mint butter recipe here.

Make stock.

With more time in the kitchen now is the perfect time to make stock. Keep hold of your vegetable peelings until you have at least a cereal bowl full. Place into a saucepan, cover with water and simmer slowly for 1-2 hours. Use for risottos, broth and noodle dishes, soups and stews. Or keep it in the freezer and save it for later. 

Experiment with different pulses

Lentils get a bad reputation for being bland but they needn’t be. There are many varieties which offer different textures and tastes. Experiment with different curries, dahls or even falafels. Lentils have a good shelf life and last a while so are a good ingredient to have in the cupboard. Try this comforting coconut and peanut mung dal. 

Freeze your herbs

Herbs are a great way to add a bit of flavour and flair to a dish but they often don’t last long. To make the most of your herbs roughly chop them and push them into the empty cube containers of an ice cube tray. Top with olive oil, freeze and just pop one out as and when you need them. Another trick is to make pesto (use your herb stems too) and freeze.

Invest in flavour boosting store cupboard staples.

Certain ingredients can add a real boost of flavour and make all the difference to a meal. These are my favourites. All of them have a strong shelf life and a little of each goes a long way meaning you can use them time and time again.

-       Miso paste: Go for brown, red or white. Use it for marinades and spoon into soups for an umami hit. Or whisk together with peanut butter, sesame oil (if you have it), crushed garlic and grated ginger as a dressing. Delicious in salads, slaws, stirred through rice or as a sauce to a stir fry.

-       Toasted sesame oil: Delicious drizzled over steamed vegetables with a few toasted nuts or seeds if you have them. It makes for a delicious sauce mixed up as detailed above or keep it simple and whisk it together with a little tamari or soy sauce for an Asian inspired dressing.

-       Harissa: Now available to buy at all supermarkets harissa is a rich spiced paste made from chillis, peppers and spices. Spoon into tomato sauces, dressings or directly over vegetables, fish and meat for an deep chilli flavour. My favourite harissa is from Belazu who also deliver a wonderful range of grains, nuts, pestos and oils. Note: They will deliver direct and are well stocked too if you’re struggling to get an order slot on Ocado.

-       Parmesan: Delicious grated over pasta but also shaved into salads or over cooked veg. A good quality parmesan goes a long way and can make all the difference to a meal. For a store cupboard canapé try adding a slice to a cracker with a slice of apple and some drizzled honey. Note: Keep your parmesan rinds and toss them into a stock or a soup for added flavour.

Go for whole fruit and vegetables where you can

We’ve been warped into believing that our vegetables must be trimmed, peeled and plucked to perfection but the reality is that most fruit and vegetables, like us, were designed to be different. Choosing whole fruit and vegetables offers you more to cook with too. Beetroot stems are delicious sautéed with olive oil and garlic, carrot tops make a great pesto and broccoli stalk is delicious when roasted. More often than not you’ll also be saving money as ‘ready prepared’ tends to cost more.

Be flexible with sell by dates and avoid waste where you can.  

Instead go by site, smell and taste. Often yogurt, milk and butter last far longer than the printed date. Give it a sniff and unless it smells sour it’s good to use. A good test to check if eggs are ok is to place them into a bowl of water. If they sink they are good to eat. If they float you may want to chuck them.