The Illustrated Quick Cook: Easy Entertaining, After-Work Recipes, Cheap Eats

548 Pages·2009·133.45 MB·English

by  Heather Whinney

Quick
Rushed off your feet and wondering how to cook a healthy and THe IllusTRaTed
Q
delicious meal after work? Need to impress friends for dinner,
but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen? Heather Whinney,
a working mother and culinary writer, knows the challenges
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u
H
and is here to help. With more than 700 recipes, The Illustrated
e
I cook
Quick Cook has all the answers. o l
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is
Fantastic recipes, many ready in under 30 minutes. T
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oca
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More than 1,000 photographs of finished dishes, e
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quick techniques, and step-by-step master recipes. kk
For everyday family meals and express
entertaining, here’s how to make great food—fast.
time-saving tips • after-work recipes • cheap eats

Discover more at
www.dk.com
Useful information
All recipes have been tested on a gas cooktop or in a conventional electric oven. If using a convection oven, reduce
the temperature by 25ºF. If in doubt about the accuracy of your oven, invest in an oven thermometer.
Measurements
There are many variables in cooking, from intensity of the heat to type of pan used, so certain recipes may take less
time or longer. All recipes have been tested, and the cooking times given are as accurate as possible, but learn to rely
on your instincts for doneness, and check as you go.
• Use the measurements stated, especially when baking.
• When using measuring spoons, the recipes refer to a level spoon, unless otherwise stated.
• When measuring liquids, use a clear, plastic measuring cup, and take the measurement looking at it from eye level.
• Never mix metric and imperial.

Conversion charts
Linear measUres
1⁄8in (3mm) 1in (2.5cm) 4in (10cm) 8in (20cm) 12in (30cm)
1⁄4in (5mm) 2in (5cm) 5in (12cm) 9in (23cm) 18in (46cm)
1⁄2in (1cm) 21⁄2in (6cm) 6in (15cm) 10in (25cm) 20in (50cm)
3⁄4 in (2cm) 3in (7.5cm) 7in (18cm) 11in (28cm) 24in (61cm)
30in (77cm)
Weights
1⁄4 oz (10g) 3oz (85g) 9oz (250g) 1lb 10oz(750g) 41⁄2lb (2kg)
1⁄2 oz (15g) 31⁄2oz (100g) 10oz (300g) 13⁄4lb (800g) 5lb (2.25kg)
3⁄4 oz (20g) 4oz (115g) 12oz (350g) 2lb (900g) 51⁄2lb (2.5kg)
scant 1oz (25g) 41⁄2oz (125g) 14oz (400g) 21⁄4lb (1kg) 6lb (2.7kg)
1oz (30g) 5oz (140g) 1lb (450g) 21⁄2lb (1.1kg) 61⁄2lb (3kg)
11⁄2oz (45g) 51⁄2oz (150g) 1lb 2oz (500g) 23⁄4lb (1.25kg)
13⁄4oz (50g) 6oz (175g) 11⁄4lb (550g) 3lb (1.35kg)
2oz (60g) 7oz (200g) 1lb 5oz (600g) 3lb 3oz (1.5kg)
21⁄2oz (75g) 8oz (225g) 11⁄2lb (675g) 4lb (1.8kg)
VoLUme measUres
1 tsp 21⁄2fl oz (75ml) 8fl oz (240ml) 16fl oz (500ml) 21⁄2 pints (1.4 liters)
2 tsp 3fl oz (90ml) 9fl oz (265ml) 1 pint (600ml) 23⁄4 pints (1.5 liters)
1 tbsp (which is 31⁄2fl oz (100ml) 10fl oz (300ml) 11⁄4 pints (750ml) 3 pints (1.7 liters)
equivalent to 3 tsp) 4fl oz (120ml) 12fl oz (350ml) 11⁄2 pints (900ml) 31⁄2 pints (2 liters)
2 tbsp 5fl oz (150ml) 14fl oz (400ml) 13⁄4 pints (1 liter) 51⁄4 pints (3 liters)
3 tbsp 7fl oz (200ml) 15fl oz (450ml) 2 pints (1.2 liters)
4 tbsp or 2fl oz (60ml)
US_Endpapers.indd 2 08/06/2009 11:59
Quick
the illustrated
cook
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Quick
the illustrated
cook
Editor-in-Chief Heather Whinney
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London, new york, meLbourne,
munich, and deLhi
written by heather whinney
Additional recipe contributors
Guy mirabella
kate Titford
Photography william reavell,
william Shaw, Jon whitaker
Project Editor Laura nickoll
Art Editor anne Fisher
Managing Editor dawn henderson
Managing Art Editor christine keilty
Senior Jacket Creative nicola Powling
Production Editor ben marcus
US Editor rebecca warren
Production Controller alice holloway
CTS Sonia charbonnier
Dorling Kindersley (India)
Editor alicia ingty
Designer neha ahuja
Design Manager romi chakraborty
Editorial Manager Glenda Fernandes
DTP Designer Tarun Sharma
DTP Coordinator balwant Singh
Head of Publishing aparna Sharma
First american edition, 2009
Published in the united States by
dk Publishing
375 hudson Street
new york, ny 10014
09 10 11 10 9 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
cd301—october 2009
copyright © 2009 dorling kindersley Ltd.
all rights reserved.
without limiting the rights under copyright
reserved above, no part of this publication
may be reproduced, stored in or introduced
into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in
any form, or by any means (electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise), without the prior written
permission of both the copyright owner
and the above publisher of this book.

Published in Great britain by
dorling kindersley Limited
a catalog record for this book is available
from the Library of congress.
iSbn 978–0–7566–5577–8
dk books are available at special discounts
when purchased in bulk for sales
promotions, premiums, fund-raising, or
educational use. For details, contact:
dk Publishing Special markets,
375 hudson Street, new york, ny 10014
or [email protected].
Printed in china by Toppan
discover more at
www.dk.com
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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 6
USEFUL INFORMATION 8
RECIPE CHOOSERS 10
TECHNIQUE CHOOSER 30
EVERYDAY 32 FOOD FOR FRIENDS 282
No Cook 34 Menu Planners 284
Speedy Suppers 54 No-Fuss Finger Food and Dips 310
Everyday Chicken 100 Tapas-Style 328
10 Ways With... 122 Simple Starters 348
Faster Pasta 156 Big-Pot Gatherings 368
Pizzas, Quesadillas, and Crêpes 178 All-in-One Roasts 400
Easy Tarts and Pies 196 Barbecue 428
Get the Most from your Roast 216 No-Cook Desserts 456
Batch and Freeze 246 Freeze-Ahead Desserts 474
Store Cupboard 268 Indulgent Desserts 490
Cakes and Bakes 504
INDEX 528
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 544
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INTRODUCTION
My obsession started many years ago—cookbooks by the side of bed, and stacked
high on bulging shelves. I constantly daydreamed about the next meal, and the need
to be stirring a big pot of something on the stovetop. I’m not sure if this constitutes
being a “foodie” or whether it just means I am plain greedy! However, it certainly filled
me with enough enthusiasm, 20 years ago, to embark upon a career in food.
n
o
I have always enjoyed cooking from scratch. Making something to eat just seems a more
I
t
natural process than opening a package of food that someone else has made, and waiting
c
u
for the microwave to “ping.” That said, I have never enjoyed cooking complicated or time-
d
o consuming meals, so I am certainly not about to start writing about them. All my culinary
r
t training has come from bringing up two children and being a home economist, not a chef,
n
so complicated techniques and long ingredient lists are not really my thing. I love eating
I
at restaurants, but consider myself a home cook. If I were to describe my cooking,
I would say it is “no frills.” My food is simple but hearty, and the recipes in the book
reflect this.
I worked for many years on women’s magazines as a food editor, which has given me
precious insight into what people really want from recipes. Above all, they want simple
and straightforward steps, and familiar ingredients. Confident and adventerous cooks
want new ideas and inspiration, and beginners want clear and concise recipes to boost
their confidence in the kitchen. This book is for the inexperienced cook to learn from,
and the experienced cook to learn more from, and for both to enjoy!
This book was an ambitious undertaking, as it had to be many things—practical
and inspirational, simple but instructive, easy yet creative, and, most importantly,
full of quick meals. It certainly delivers this, and more. It guides you effortlessly through
hundreds of recipes that are easy to make, and all take 30 minutes or less of your full
attention. Using familiar ingredients, it covers all the bases, from Speedy Suppers—meals
you can cook when you come home from work—to All-in-One Roasts, perfect for the
weekend cook. For those of us who don’t like the heat of the kitchen, the No Cook chapter
has delicious flavors running through it, and for those of you who crave sugar, Cakes
and Bakes and Indulgent Desserts will more than satisfy your sweet tooth.
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The Everyday section has hundreds of recipes to feed the family, and for entertaining, there
is the second section, Food for Friends. I hope you will dip in and out of chapters in both
sections, and mix and match—the Recipe Choosers at the start will help you choose, as will
the Menu Planners. Each chapter is full of time-saving tips and shortcuts, all of which aim
to minimize stress and time in the kitchen.
I
n
Making time to cook isn’t all about time spent in the kitchen. It’s also about shopping and t
r
planning. The way we shop affects the way we eat, and the secret is in the planning. This
o
d
can simply be a scribbled note of meals for the week, and a budget in mind.
u
c
t
I have learned the art of efficient shopping over the years. Making the right choice at the I
o
butcher’s, farmers’ market, and supermarket all helps to ease the pressure of providing n
meals from scratch every day. Buying organic vegetables and good-quality fish and meat
might be expensive, but you can cancel out this extra cost by shopping seasonally, and
buying cheaper (often tastier) cuts of meat. In my experience, an hour spent at the market
on a Saturday morning is far more enjoyable and useful than a late night dash at the
grocery store. That said, supermarket food and stored goods are invaluable for busy people,
so keep your pantry well stocked at all times. You can then concentrate on buying fresh
foods, which make up the main ingredients of most of the recipes in this book. If your fridge
is bare, however, a well-stocked cupboard can be a lifesaver. The Store Cupboard chapter
makes good use of all those packages, cans, and jars, offering meal solutions for when there
simply isn’t time to shop.
I hope this book becomes a trusty and reliable resource in your kitchen—one that you will
turn to again and again, whether to check the quantities for a crêpe, whip up a quick supper,
or revisit a favorite chocolate cake. With over 700 foolproof tried-and-tested recipes, this
book is a brilliant selection of quick and easy meals that cater to any palate and any
occasion. Most importantly, it’s the food that my family, friends, and I really love to eat!
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Useful Information
UsefUl InformatIon
These guidelines are here to help you in the kitchen, with measurements, ingredient information, and
equipment tips, and to introduce you to symbols that accompany every recipe in the book. All recipes
have been tested on a gas cooktop or in a conventional electric oven. If using a convection oven, reduce
the temperature by 25ºF. If in doubt about the accuracy of your oven, invest in an oven thermometer.
Linear measures
⅛in (3mm) 1in (2.5cm) 4in (10cm) 8in (20cm) 12in (30cm)
¼in (5mm) 2in (5cm) 5in (12cm) 9in (23cm) 18in (46cm)
½in (1cm) 2½in (6cm) 6in (15cm) 10in (25cm) 20in (50cm)
¾in (2cm) 3in (7.5cm) 7in (18cm) 11in (28cm) 24in (61cm)
o 30in (77cm)
f
n
i Weights

l
u
¼oz (10g) 3oz (85g) 9oz (250g) 1lb 10oz (750g) 4½lb (2kg)
f
e ½oz (15g) 3½oz (100g) 10oz (300g) 1¾lb (800g) 5lb (2.25kg)
s
u ¾oz (20g) 4oz (115g) 12oz (350g) 2lb (900g) 5½lb (2.5kg)
scant 1oz (25g) 4½oz (125g) 14oz (400g) 2¼lb (1kg) 6lb (2.7kg)
1oz (30g) 5oz (140g) 1lb (450g) 2½lb (1.1kg) 6½lb (3kg)
1½oz (45g) 5½oz (150g) 1lb 2oz (500g) 2¾lb (1.25kg)
1¾oz (50g) 6oz (175g) 1¼lb (550g) 3lb (1.35kg)
2oz (60g) 7oz (200g) 1lb 5oz (600g) 3lb 3oz (1.5kg)
2½oz (75g) 8oz (225g) 1½lb (675g) 4lb (1.8kg)
Volume measures
1 tsp 2½fl oz (75ml) 8fl oz (240ml) 16fl oz (500ml) 2½ pints (1.4 litres)
2 tsp 3fl oz (90ml) 8fl oz (250ml) 1 pint (600ml) 2¾ pints (1.5 litres)
1 tbsp (which is 3½fl oz (100ml) 10fl oz (300ml) 1¼ pints (750ml) 3 pints (1.7 litres)
equivalent to 3 tsp) 4fl oz (120ml) 12fl oz (360ml) 1½ pints (900ml) 3½ pints (2 litres)
2 tbsp 5fl oz (150ml) 14fl oz (400ml) 1¾ pints (1 litre) 5¼ pints (3 litres)
3 tbsp 7fl oz (200ml) 15fl oz (450ml) 2 pints (1.2 litres)
4 tbsp or 2fl oz (60ml)
Oven temperatures
250°F (130°C) 375°F (190°C) 250°F—very cool oven
275°F (140°C) 400°F (200°C) 275°F–300°F—very low oven
300° F (150°C) 425°F (220°C) 325°F—low oven
325°F (160°C) 450°F (230°C) 350°F–375°F—moderate oven
350°F (180°C) 475°F (240°C) 400°F–425°F—hot oven
450°F–475°F—very hot oven
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