Baked mozzarella sticks swimming in vodka sauce.Katrina MeyninkKatrina Meynink raids the supermarket freezer aisle and transforms mozzarella sticks,spring rolls,fish fillets and chips into something magnificent.
When motivation is low and the need for speed is high,often the freezer aisle is our dinnertime holy grail. From fish fillets to beer-battered chips,frozen foods can provide a very necessary shortcut during the weekly grind. Here they have been elevated with the odd extra ingredient and some saucy goodness to make your next frozen dinner sing.
Baked mozzarella sticks with vodka sauce
Confession:until this feature was thrown my way,I had never eaten a mozzarella stick. I was curious,enthralled and appalled. Not because I am appalled by the freezer aisle,far from it,more that I really love to cook,so prefer the manual labour. But I was also pleasantly surprised. These are an excellent shortcut.
The bite of vodka sauce,as well as being a seriously luxurious dipping agent,is a great contrast to the crisp crunch of the crumb and a beautiful marriage of creamy sauce and creamy,oozing mozzarella.
INGREDIENTS
- 10 frozen mozzarella sticks
- basil leaves to scatter
Vodka sauce
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 shallots,finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves,finely diced
- ½ tbsp dried oregano
- 125ml tomato paste
- 60ml vodka
- 1 cup cream
The key to a good fish sanga is hands-down the crispy fish contrasting with the soft white bread. This is not the time for artful sourdoughs. It's the soft,crusts-trimmed variety that makes the fish sanga shine. A trip to the supermarket freezer aisle uncovered some pretty darn good at-home fish options. I've attempted to levitate them to pub level by adding harissa mayo,crisps and minty peas. The best bit is mixing up the fillings,adding different elements so people can help themselves – it's the club sandwich of the COVID age.
INGREDIENTS
- 16 white bread slices,crusts removed
- 8 frozen fish fillets in light batter (or regular fish fingers)
- ¼ cup Kewpie mayo,plus extra to serve
- 1 heaped tbsp harissa
- 2 tbsp finely sliced mint leaves
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 cups potato crisps
- 1 avocado,sliced
METHOD
- Preheat the oven according to cooking instructions on the fish packet. Line a baking tray with baking paper,spread the fish fillets evenly across,and pop in the oven to cook until crisp.
- While the fish is cooking,prepare the condiments. Add the Kewpie mayo and harissa to a bowl and mix with a fork. Set aside until ready to construct the sandwiches.
- Add the peas to a pot of boiling water for about 1½ minutes. Strain then add to a bowl with the chopped mint and use a fork to roughly mash – you still want some pea texture. Season with salt and pepper while still hot.
- Lay the bread slices on a flat surface and smear half of them with the harissa mayo. Top with some minty mushy peas.
- Once cooked,cut the fish fillets in half. Place two halves on each prepared sandwich base. Repeat with remaining fish fillets. Top with avocado slices and potato crisps then finish with another bread slice (mayo optional). Serve with additional harissa mayo and an icy cold beer and dream you are at the beach or at the pub.
Makes about 8
Photo:Katrina MeyninkSpring roll bowls
This recipe is very loosely based on the traditional Vietnamese noodle bowl,bun thit nuong cha gio,a vermicelli bowl with all manner of veg,spring rolls and nuoc cham. I went for a creamier lemongrass and hoisin dressing and also a hit of chilli oil,and I think you are going to love it. It's quick to prepare and if you go heavy on the vegetable quotient,mostly healthy. The key is getting that balance of sweet and sour,crunchy and chewy.
INGREDIENTS
Poutine with chicken,cheese and gravy.Katrina MeyninkChicken,chips and gravy meets poutine
I tried to buy cheese curds in an attempt to recreate the authentic poutine dream. Not easy. They do exist,so if you like the chase and have the time without the (immediate) need,seek them out. In the interests of supermarket ease,here the curds have been replaced with mozzarella,and there is stretch and there is squeak. I only used half a barbecue chook,it's an added surprise rather than the main event (use the remainder in these recipes). I also added a few dried porcini mushrooms to the gravy to"beef"up the flavour in record time. Omit them if you don't have any,it's a bonus rather than a must have.
INGREDIENTS
- 500g beer battered shoestring fries
- meat from ½ a barbecue chicken,coarsely torn into chunks
- 125g buffalo mozzarella ball,sliced