EACH WEEK, WE ask a home cook about the dishes they’ve been whipping up of late. The kind of food you don’t need a recipe for, from quick snacks to empty-the-fridge dinners.
This week, qualified chef Nicola Halloran (@thewonkyspatula) shared with us five dishes that never let her down. A fitness enthusiast, Nicola says her cooking style is “simple, fuss-free and delicious.”
“I love trying different styles of food and flavours, but for me the best food you can have is with good company,” she says.
From one-tray dinners to a thrown-together curry, below are five of Nicola’s all-time favourite dishes -most of which you’ll find recipes for on her blog.
1. Simple salmon and noodles: I absolutely adore salmon as it’s so versatile and quick to prepare. My favourite way to cook it is in my George Foreman grill – it cooks in four minutes flat! Avocado, lemon juice, coriander and chipotle sauce make the noodles zingy and delicious. My noodles here were homemade courgette ones made using a spiralizer, but you can of course sub in regular ones.
2. Asian-inspired salmon tray bake: Another salmon dinner! Tray bakes are my go-to midweek. This one is super simple and only takes ten minutes to throw together. All you need is baby potatoes, half a head of broccoli, two salmon darnes, olive oil, Asian spice mix and some salt and pepper.
3. Sort-of satay sauce: This coconut curry is one of my signature dishes. The idea for it came from a friend’s failed attempt at my chicken satay! We rescued it with a tin of coconut milk and from there the idea was born.
4. Prawn and avocado bites: These prawn and avocado bites are the perfect snack. I absolutely love guac and prawns, the addition of cucumber makes for the perfect vessel! They also work great with smoked salmon or bacon too. If you’re looking to add more carbs, you can sub out the cucumber for sweet potato.
5. Avocado pork burgers: I love burgers and I love avocado so these are a total match made in heaven for me! Pork mince can often be overlooked, but I love using it to make meatballs, these burgers and even in pasta sauces.
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