This recipe first appeared in Chef's Tips in the September 2018 issue of Culinaire Magazine courtesy Chef Nigel Webber.
Even for a chef, it’s tough to pull a meal out of your hat when you have a ravenous rug rat hanging off each arm. But it is easy to pull one out of a well-stocked pantry. NAIT Chef Instructor Nigel Webber says he always has grains like quinoa and brown rice on hand, as well as ingredients like canned pumpkin for an expedited squash soup.
“I hate to say it as a chef, but I also keep some of those very basic, pantry-type sauces like spicy Thai sauce around,” he says. “In the 30-minute realm of things you want quality, but need to substitute a few ingredients here and there to allow for that speed.”
If you’re making a grain bowl or stir-fry for dinner, you can save a lot of time by cooking grains and chopping vegetables the night before. With your prep steps out of the way, Webber says all you need to do is add a protein to the mix. He recommends something easy to fry or grill, like boneless chicken thighs, or super speedy seafood like prawns, which only take a few minutes to cook.
For every fancy dish, there’s a 30-minute version. Try making Webber’s bourguignon-inspired meatballs!
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