Smash hit

Turn the grill to high. Set a nonstick frying pan over a high heat. Add the oil to the pan, followed by the bacon, and fry briskly for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the diced onion and garlic. Fry for 5 minutes until soft and golden, then mix in the beans and season to taste.

As soon as the beans are hot, add the tomatoes and tip into a shallow gratin dish. Top with the sliced cheese and set under the preheated grill. As soon as the cheese is bubbling and golden, it is ready to eat.

SPICY CHINESE NOODLES

This recipe can be adapted to whatever you can find in the fridge or freezer. You could add bacon, prawns and peas, or peppers and bean sprouts.

Serves 2

125g fine Chinese egg noodles
2 knobs fresh ginger
1 clove garlic
6 spring onions
10 shiitake (or button) mushrooms, trimmed
½ cucumber
1 lettuce, such as romaine, trimmed
1 tsp cornflour
2 tbsp good soy sauce, such as Kikkoman
1 tbsp sake (or dry sherry)
2 tbsp sunflower oil
50g salted peanuts or cashews (optional)
¼ tsp dried chilli flakes (or to taste)

Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions — they normally take about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare all the ingredients before you start cooking: finely slice the ginger into strips; finely chop the garlic; slice the spring onions; rip (or slice) the mushrooms; and peel, halve and slice the cucumber. Trim and wash the lettuce and cut into 1cm-thick strips. Keep each ingredient separate.

To make the sauce, mix the cornflour with the soy sauce, honey, sake (or sherry) and 5 tbsp water.

Heat a wok or frying pan over a high heat. Add the sunflower oil and ginger. As soon as it begins to sizzle, add the peanuts and garlic. Briskly stir-fry while you slowly count to five, then add the chilli flakes. Stir-fry for another count of five, then add the vinegar and stand back as the kitchen fills with chilli fumes. Next, add the spring onions and mushrooms. Keep stirring: as soon as the mushrooms begin to look cooked, mix in the cucumber and lettuce.

Stir-fry for a few more seconds until the lettuce begins to wilt, then mix in the noodles and the sauce. Allow the liquid to bubble up and thicken, then serve.

CHEESE ON TOAST WITH HAM, MUSTARD AND ONION

Cheese on toast has to be one of the best instant meals known to the partygoer. It is worth keeping some really good emmenthal cheese in the fridge, and a good sourdough bread in the bread bin or freezer, if you know you are heading for a night on the town. This recipe has optional extras for when you feel like something more substantial.

Serves 2

1 small onion
4 tomatoes (optional)
Cold cooked chicken breast (optional)
4 slices bread (fresh or frozen)
Butter
Dijon mustard
6 slices lean ham
160g hard cheese, thinly sliced (emmenthal, if you have it)

Set the grill to high. While it’s heating up, slice the onion, tomatoes and chicken breast (if using). Lightly toast your bread. Then butter each slice, before spreading it with mustard and topping it with ham and onion. Add the chicken and tomato (if using). Then liberally cover with the sliced cheese.

Place under the grill and cook for about 4 minutes, until the cheese has melted and is bubbling with flecks of gold. Spice it up with a dash of whatever you’ve got in the cupboard — Tabasco, chilli sauce or, my favourite, capers.

YOUR BASIC ESSENTIALS

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