rock the kitchen*
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ell, this is awkward. A grocery cupboard rapidly dwindling to reveal bagged and tinned odds and ends tucked away at the back, that we swore we’d get round to using. An occasional trip to the shops (thank you supermarket frontliners), where stock levels are irregular, often yielding more odds and ends. Plus, a precarious balancing act between light, nutritious home cooking and an overwhelming desire to eat mountains of comforting lasagna twice a day. OK, maybe it’s just me. No doubt about it, we need to plan and cook differently under these peculiar circumstances, to satisfy the body, mind and wallet. The key is to reframe your pantry as the ultimate mystery box – and the winning strategy is simplicity. Let’s look at dry goods. Pasta is often at its absolute best when stirred through with a simple pesto and seasoned to perfection. An all-time Italian classic is Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino – chopped garlic and red chilli flakes or fresh chilli, gently cooked in good quality olive oil, mixed through and served with black pepper, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and lashings of Parmesan cheese. If you have the dregs of different pasta shapes, toss them all together in an oozy tuna mac ‘n’ cheese. Bada bing, bada boom. South American-style beans and rice is a killer side to a simple lemony
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Keep it
SIMPLE
THE ULTIMATE MYSTERY BOX CHALLENGE – FOOD GURU ANT ELLIS UNLOCKS SIMPLE COOKING FOR COMPLICATED TIMES
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