The Redundancy Cookbook

BEAT THE GLOOM

2011-01-26T18:40:00.000+00:00

There have been lots of nasty stories coming out in recent weeks about inflation and food prices. At such a dreary time of year, none of it makes for pleasant reading. All the more reason to shop clever. Here then are some tips, some old, some new, some painfully obvious but often ignored...

Make sure you have some core ingredients in at home. These basics, often bought in bulk will ensure that you always have something in, at decent price, even if it is very basic. Some pasta with tinned tomatoes, a handful of frozen vegetables, a tsp of salt and a sprinkling of herbs/spices will bat above their average in tight times.

Don't shop hungry. Seriously. This is rule #1. Or, 2, as I seem to have placed it. If you do a shop on an empty stomach you will buy like an idiot – sweet foods, too many carbs and too much food in general.

Other than a core shopping list – try not to use a shopping list for a weekly shop – it can lead you to wander straight past the bargains in pursuit of the foods on the list. Instead, head straight to the bargain bin and see if there are meals that can be built around what's there.

Lots of food in the bargain bin can be frozen. I regularly stock up on meat and fish when it is reduced to half price, freeze, and use as I choose over the next month or so.

Be a little bit more veggie. Meat is a great source of protein, but it this can come in many more ways that are cheaper and possibly even better for the environment. Pay a little more attention to your veg and you might even realise how tasty some of it is!

GOLDEN OLDIE - MULLED WINE

2010-12-12T17:02:00.000+00:00

Maybe remove orange, and spoon, before drinking!

It's a year old, but i think it's time to revisit this post - Mulled wine smells of Christmas and tastes great, afterall it has red wine and brandy in it!

Get out the biggest pan you have and click here

I'm off for a few weeks now, have a Merry Christmas and come back for some budget food tips in frugal January.

FACEWHAT?

2010-12-09T15:36:00.001+00:00

I'm no Luddite but it can take me a while to catch up sometimes. Apparently there is a website called Facebook. I hear it offers social networking opportunities and the chance to own a fake farm with phantom cows and fictitious tractors.

Now it also has a page dedicated to this site. Come and 'like' it here

TANGY MARROW MARMALADE

2010-12-08T11:13:00.001+00:00

Okay, before we begin, I accept that marrow isn't an obvious choice for a sweet preserve, so you'll have to trust me on this. If you like something zesty on your toast, this is as good as any topping.

This is really a hybrid, a marma-jam if you like a portmanteau. It's made like you would a jam, but has a fuller, tangier taste like a marmalade. I've used a marrow from my allotment, but you can find marrows in all proper supermarkets and greengrocers at a good price. Marrows and courgettes are pretty much identical and courgette could work in its place.

You can eat this as soon as it is cool, or save it for months and months!

THE INGREDIENTS:

1 big marrow (or some small ones) – 1kg worth

1 kg of jam sugar

A thumb of fresh ginger (or ½ tsp of ground – but fresh is much better for the texture, in my mind)

2 lemons or limes, or go crazy and have one of each

You'll also need some jars!

THE METHOD:

Peel the marrow and chop into small cubes – remove any large seeds

Peel and chop the ginger into very small cubes

Now peel the outer skin (or zest) of the lemons/lime and squeeze the juice into a bowl.

Add the marrow and juice to a large pan and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes.

Add the sugar, zest and ginger and stir for 5 mins. When the sugar has melted, bring to the boil and leave to simmer for about 15 minutes

By now it should be really syrupy – if so – get it jarred up! This website offers 3 good ways to tell if it has set

THE MAN WHO COOKS MORE THAN HIS WIFE...

2010-11-28T17:57:00.000+00:00

Hello to everyone who discovered this site via The Times newspaper. This is a blog offering recipes and tips for a life of hearty eating on a tight budget. Some shortcuts...

I live much of the time as a veggie, but when the price is right I do good things with prawns, sausages, chicken and the humble tin of tuna.

Making a proper curry is a taste-tingling way to pass a few hours, you can also kill time baking all kinds of bread.

And if you like sweet food, I make a mean flapjack, as well as my own Indian Summer Cake.

If you're after tips, I'd encourage you to grow your own, use your freezer and make the most of some free time.

Enjoy the blog and let me know how the recipes work out for you. I try to post here weekly so come back soon!

Oh, and the cover of the magazine is definitely me.

BUBBLE AND SQUEAK, WITH A TWEAK

2010-11-27T11:38:00.000+00:00

Oh my gosh it's cold... let's get some comfort food in the oven...

I love bubble and squeak, it's great winter food, a great use of leftovers and a dish you can really play with. This version is the most off-piste one I do, and one that really tingles my taste buds.

I already had some potatoes that had been part mashed with some curry spices mixed in but anywhere from totally mashed to freshly boiled will work, and they don't need to be pre-spiced!

This is a great way to combine ingredients from a number of meals that, on their own, are too insignificant to bother with. These could include cooked greens or curry or maybe leftovers from a roast dinner.

THE INGREDIENTS:

(Serves 2 as a small meal, or part of a bigger meal. Or 4 as a side dish)

All the vegetables here are optional, except the potato. Feel free to add whatever you think will work

The equivalent of one large potato, mashed/crushed
Half an onion/some spring onions
About 250g of cabbage
A handful of Brussels Sprouts
A large tomato
A few broccoli stalks
Some cooked carrots
100g cheese, grated
1 heaped tsp of paprika
A chilli pepper
50ml of chilli sauce/sweet chilli dip/ketchup etc. (I prefer sweet chilli sauce)

THE METHOD:

Turn the oven on to 200 degrees C

Assuming all the vegetables are raw, chop and fry them all in a pan with some oil for 5-10 minutes, along with the paprika. I recommend chopping the sprouts pretty fine if you use them.

In a large bowl mix the potato with the vegetables (including the cooked ones if you are using any), half the cheese and all the chilli sauce.

Spoon into a suitable oven-proof dish and sprinkle the remaining cheese across the top. Place in the oven for 20 minutes.

You can serve on its own, maybe with some relish, or, as a side to a grilled steak.

IT'S COLD OUTSIDE

2010-11-10T13:02:00.001+00:00

Well, it is here in London at least. The last few days have been rainy and windy, today it's pleasant out but cold enough to snap a finger off...

There is only one thing for it, some old favourites from the site - bread and soup!

Spicy Sweet Potato and Bean Soup - make a load, have it for dinner, and then lunch!

CINNAMON SWIRL PUMPKIN MUFFINS

2010-10-31T17:10:00.000+00:00

The third of my three dishes from one pumpkin. The previous two were Thai Green Curry and Pumpkin & Ginger Loaf. So far we've had dinner and dessert, this is the snack to bring into the office/job centre next week.

This makes 12 muffins, you'll therefore need a muffin tin that can fit these and some paper cases.

THE INGREDIENTS:

250g self raising flour
250g grated pumpkin
100g caster sugar
85g butter
200ml milk
1 egg
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt

Plus, for the swirl...
2 tbsp caster sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

THE METHOD:

First up, lets mix the swirl ingredients together and then put to one side. Lovely.

Heat the oven to 190 degrees C

Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl

Melt the butter in a pan, mix in the egg and milk. Then add the wet mix to the dry ingredients and stir into a batter – but not too vigorously, you don't want too much air getting in.

Add the cases to the tray and add a spoon of the batter to each.

Now sprinkle some of the swirly sugar mix on

Keep adding batter and sugar mix, finishing with a layer of batter.

Now gently stir a skewer or chop stick through the mix (this will give you the swirl effect)

Put in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes

Leave to cool. Eat!

PUMPKIN AND GINGER LOAF

2010-10-30T10:36:00.000+01:00

This is the 2nd of my three dishes from one pumpkin. Happy Halloween!

At this stage, I should credit my wife who has one hell of an appetite for a cake and has been the driving force behind this and the next treat.

This loaf is amazing. Possibly my favourite food of this kind. It is sweet and spicy with a smell that can lead to euphoria. Plus, as it contains loads of pumpkin, it counts to your 5 a day!

THE INGREDIENTS:

400g Self raising flour
300g pumpkin, grated
200g butter
100g honey
100g caster sugar (+ 2 extra tbsp for the topping)
1 large tbsp of ground ginger
1 large egg
¼ nutmeg, grated

THE METHOD:

Heat the oven to 175 degrees C

Grease a loaf tin

Melt the butter in a saucepan along with the honey

Add to a large bowl and mix in the egg and then the pumpkin

Now slowly add the rest of the ingredients, mixing and stirring all the way.

Add to the loaf tin and sprinkle the remaining sugar across the top

Bake for an hour and remove from the oven

By now the smell will have you losing your mind. Give it 5-10 minutes and then remove from the tin. Avoid temptation, leave it to cool. Now eat!

THAI GREEN CURRY WITH PUMPKIN

2010-10-29T16:15:00.000+01:00

This is the first of three dishes I have made from one pumpkin. You could of course replace the pumpkin with a Butternut squash, sweet potato or a meat of your choice – but this is seasonal!

I use some of my beloved chick peas in this recipe too, between these and the pumpkin, carnivores should still get their meaty fix.

THE INGREDIENTS:

The paste:

4 fresh chilli peppers
4 spring onions or ½ an onion
A handful of fresh coriander
A few generous splashes of soy sauce
A less generous dash of fish sauce
3 cloves of garlic
2 sticks of lemongrass
A thumb sized piece of ginger

The rest:

600g pumpkin
400g chickpeas (soaked or tinned)
1 lime
1 can (400ml) coconut milk
1 tsp mustard seeds
And, if you have some, some mange touts/ green beans
A dash of sesame or olive oil

THE METHOD:

Let's start with the paste, this is easy. Throw all the ingredients in a blender and mix into a paste. Told you it was easy.

Chop the pumpkin into cubes

Now heat some oil in a big pan with the mustard seeds. When they start to pop add the pumpkin

Stir for 2 minutes and add the paste. Stir a few minutes more, coating the pumpkin. Now add the coconut milk and chick peas, bring to the boil then turn down the heat and simmer.

Stir occasionally. The dish will be ready when the pumpkin starts to get tender, this should take 10-15 minutes.

(If you have mange touts, add these five minutes before the end)

Just before you serve, squeeze in the lime and stir through.

Serve, with rice, and another generous handful of chopped coriander.

ONE PUMPKIN – THREE DISHES

2010-10-28T21:23:00.001+01:00

Pumpkins are in season and millions are being bought this weekend. Strange then that few will actually be eaten. Don't get me wrong, I love a good Jack O'Lantern at Halloween, but pumpkins are really tasty and their yellow flesh should be enjoyed!

I have therefore picked up a pumpkin and over the next couple of days will demonstrate three things you can do with this fine squash.

Pumpkins are one of those great foods that can work in a sweet or savoury dish. The most common you'll see is a spicy pumpkin pie which is very tasty, but there are plenty of recipes for that out there so I have gone for one savoury meal and two sweet treats that you'll be less familiar with.

Finally – I should add that you can get several kilos of pumpkin for just a few quid – that's a lot of bang for your buck.

First recipe tomorrow, now think of something really scary. Close your eyes and think about it. Now look behind you.

THE PERILS OF THE SHOPPING LIST

2010-10-27T09:54:00.001+01:00

In the early days of this site I posted a shopping list. This list set out some core ingredients that you can ensure will see you through months of cooking. It's generally perceived as a pretty sensible thing to head off to the shops with a list, a plan for some forthcoming meals that will see you through until the next shop. I guess the thinking is that this careful planning will stop over-shopping, reduce trips to crowded supermarkets and prevent impulse buying. However, it's a myth, and with a handful of exceptions I couldn't disagree more. Here's why...

- A shopping list is limiting and expensive: Planning a meal intricately can lead to poor cost based decisions when you shop. If you have Brie and grape sandwiches in mind, and stick to this plan, you could miss out on half priced Camembert. If you planned a roast chicken, can you not be flexible enough to switch to pork? Just thinking that little more about the price and not the list will make you pay more attention to the cost

- It encourages you to buy out of season: You might decide you want strawberries when you're at home – but when you arrive they might be £2.50 for a small box, they might have travelled thousands of miles, and they might look far less appetising than the apples/pears/peaches etc.

- It's less fun. Shopping can actually be enjoyable. I'm not saying you should run around the store like an explorer, but piecing meals together based on what looks good, what's on offer and what you already had in mind can lead to creative meal choices

So what should you do?

There is not one way to shop economically. I like to go with some themes. For example, I'll head out knowing I'd like some meat, I'd like a spicy meal, something fishy and a few lunch based items. Leave it at that.

This is not to say that you don't need to take a list down with you from time time. There are some goods that seem to always be at the back of the mind, maybe honey, or tinned corn – you can visit a shop repeatedly and forget each time – making a note that you need to buy these items is a good thing. Beyond that though, be a little more creative.

There was also a report published recently stating that shopping with cash instead of paying on card leads to wiser spending. Makes sense to me.

I'd love to know what you think – how do you shop? Could you abandon the shopping list?

GREEN TOMATO CHUTNEY

2010-10-22T10:56:00.000+01:00

Like all good preserves, this makes excellent use of a surplus of fresh fruit and veg. Make it now and enjoy it in the middle of winter when it will finish off a good cheeseboard, go with a curry or make a hearty sandwich complete.

At this time of year, it is unlikely that any tomatoes that are still green will ripen (outdoors at least). Their sharpness however makes them perfect for pickling/chutney making. I've based the ingredients on 1.5 kilograms of tomatoes. I was just short of that amount so I added some ripened red and yellow tomatoes to top it up.

My dad makes this with a real kick, throwing many more chillis in. I'll leave that decision to you!

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 kilos of tomatoes
3 small/medium apples (I used 2 cox and 1 Norfolk royal)
3 cloves of garlic
300g shallots (better than onions)
150g currants/dried fruit
500ml malt/pickling vinegar
300g brown sugar
1 ½ chillis
2 teaspoons of ground ginger (or a large thumb of fresh – chopped very fine)

THE METHOD:

This is easy!

Chop your tomatoes, shallots, apples, chillis and garlic. Garlic and chillis should be chopped very fine.

Put all ingredients in a large pan

Bring to the boil

Let it simmer until the texture is just a tiny bit runnier than you'd like (as it cools it will thicken). You'll probably need at least an hour.

Pour the chutney into sterilised jars and seal, wait until it cools,and put to the back of a cupboard.

You can eat it fresh, but it ages very well – leave a few months for the best results

LIFE IS GOOD – APOLOGIES

2010-09-21T20:16:00.000+01:00

So, It's been a while. I should establish right away that I haven't given up, I've been very busy...

So the London Triathlon was one thing, but I've also been doing loads of work, and it's ace! I'm doing about 6 days a week at the moment, working part time for three different companies.

But - I haven't stopped cooking. It might take me a while, but bear with me, I am only half way through this project and will finish it.

There are plenty of recipes still due, and maybe the odd bit of shameless self-promotion (if the work continues) so please pop back soon!

CORN EXCHANGE

2010-07-26T19:09:00.000+01:00

In this era of mega-greenhouses (often so huge they are visible from space) growing once-seasonal fruit and vegetables all year round, it's interesting to see that lots of fruit and veg do generally fluctuate in price around the times of their traditionally harvest.

One such example is sweetcorn. You can buy it all year round in any supermarket, it's not cheap but neither is it in prohibitively expensive. It often comes packed in several layers of plastic and rarely comes with the husks. But hey, it's convenient.

In the next month keen shoppers will notice a different - the price is going to come down significantly and last until at least late September. Not that the supermarkets will make a big deal.

For example, a major supermarket may charge £1.99, (£1 per cob) this may soon become 'buy one get one half price' (66p per cob), eventually it will become 'BOGOF' (50p per cob) and then simply 99p for the pack of two (50p cob). Pay attention - eating seasonally can save you loads even if using a supermarket.

These price changes are echoed for all kinds of fruit and vegetables when they are in season (naturally) locally, from apples and berries to potatoes.

Alternatively you can go to a greengrocers. My local one managed to outdo all the stores, offering 3 for a pound by mid August and even 4 for a pound late season as they tried to flog the stuff.

My favourite way to cook it - on a barbecue - let it burn a little - melted butter and salt & pepper

GROW YOUR OWN, PT 5

2010-06-22T13:23:00.003+01:00

This stunning looking flower is called Borage. It is an edible flower and it tastes (and looks) great in a salad. It grows all year round and is one of the most attractive herbs you can add to a garden.

If you are lucky enough to find it in shops or restaurants in the UK, it's not cheap. In fact, the first time I ever tasted this it was the highlight of a salad served in the garage for the Ferrari F1 team (how things have changed!).

If you grow it in your garden, it costs just a couple of pounds for more seeds than you need. How good will you look when serving this up?

It's not too late (just) to get this (and many other summer vegetables) growing now.

Save money – buy some seeds or plug plants this summer.

GUILT FREE COMFORT EATING

2010-06-17T11:48:00.000+01:00

I finished my first triathlon of the season yesterday and have woken up feeling tired and hungry. Two breakfasts later, I am still hungry.

I guess I could eat fruit, but that's boring. What I need is some proper comfort food, although I don't want to undo yesterday's good work.

One solution is my flapjack recipe. But I'm sure you can do better than that! Any suggestions, please post them in the comments section and I'll have a go at the best ideas.

HONEY MUSTARD CHILLI CHICKEN (OR TURKEY, OR PORK)

2010-06-02T14:04:00.000+01:00

The 1st time I tried this, the meal picked itself – the ingredients were all I had in. I was lucky, they worked great. It doesn't take very long to prepare but pay attention – the trick is to get it neither too creamy or too dry – get it right and you'll have an indulgent and gently spicy dinner!

SERVES 2-3

THE INGREDIENTS:

300g Chicken/meat of your choosing
A handful of spring onions (or an onion)
250g Mushrooms
A pepper
50g lentils
1 heaped tablespoon of wholegrain mustard
1 teaspoon of dried chilli/a chilli pepper
1 tablespoon of honey
A few generous spoons of yoghurt or cream (less generous if cream!)
1 teaspoon cumin
Pinch of salt

Served with rice or new potatoes

THE METHOD:

Start by frying the meat and onions on a medium heat.

After 4 minutes, add chopped pepper, mushrooms, the cumin, chilli, mustard and honey – all together!

Stir well, 5 minutes later add the lentils, salt and 100ml of water. Think about putting the rice on.

Another 5 minutes later add the cream/yoghurt. Turn the heat down.

When the rice is done, serve!

TUNA SWEETCORN PIE

2010-05-26T10:35:00.001+01:00

There have been no posts for a few weeks as I have been fortunate enough to have lots of work on, but there will be lots of posts over the next few weeks...

This is a dish that my wife Laura usually cooks. I usually prefer a pie in the winter for their filling, warming properties, but this is light enough to enjoy in the summer too. It also tastes good cold.

THE INGREDIENTS:

1 tin of tuna
1 tin of sweetcorn
1 pack of ready made puff pastry (you need about 300g)

White sauce:
1 heaped table spoon of flour
¼ pint of milk
2 knobs of butter

sprinkling of herbs/spices
dash of salt and pepper

I Served with:

Chips/roast potatoes (cut the potato in chips shapes, spread a little oil over them and put in the oven for 35 minutes)
Broccoli

THE METHOD:

Put the oven on. If you are making chips to go with it, put these in now

Mix the tuna and sweetcorn in a bowl. Add some salt, pepper and maybe some paprika and mixed spices

In a pan add the flour and a few dashes of the milk. Mix into a roux. Put the heat on and add the butter and rest of the milk, stirring regularly. This is your white sauce.

When the white sauce has thickened, slowly add to the tuna mix – you want it to just coat the mix, don't let it get runny.

Grease a large baking tray. Place the pastry on it in a large square shape.

Add the mix in a tight pile in the middle

Fold in the four corners and pinch the sides closed

Brush milk over the pastry

Put it in the oven – it will take about 25 minutes.

Serve!

There are a few twists on this – you can fold into small pasty sized shapes or play with the fish/vegetable combinations. I will post a significant variation in a few months.

GROW YOUR OWN, PT 4

2010-05-11T15:05:00.000+01:00

So, if you've not yet started, there's still time this summer, but not much. Get thinking about what you want to grow.

I am going to plant my courgette and corn outside as soon as this cold spell finishes. It can't be that bad out there though as my strawberries have started flowering and the salad leaves have really come to life in recent weeks.

Excitingly, my 1st radish crop has already arrived. I'll get at least 3 of these over the summer, they are very easy to grow and the colours can make a salad, which is what I've made with them.

INDIAN SUMMER CAKE #2

2010-05-01T11:35:00.000+01:00

My Indian Summer Cakes are an indulgent way to get through fruit that needs eating. We bought a pineapple earlier in the week which is way too big to keep two people interested before it runs out, so I had some fruit in need of a new use. Also, after making the kipper pâté this week I had some leftover cottage cheese too, so threw a bit of that in (about 50g).

I used 50/50 white and brown sugar this time and, for a bit of decoration, sprinkled some porridge oats on top...

Well tasty.

Could maybe have done with another 2-3 minutes in the oven, but I was hungry. Enjoy...

KIPPER PÂTÉ - BUDGET POSH!

2010-04-28T14:33:00.001+01:00

This is a dish that can cost a fortune. In better times I have eaten pretty much this recipe with some very expensive fish. The pack of kippers I used for this cost just 77 pence, and I used budget brands for the cream, mustard and cottage cheese – but don't be fooled, this tastes like a real fancy treat and is beautiful served on home baked bread or toast.

Preparation time for this is minimal, and with the weather improving rapidly this is a great dish to bring to an early season picnic without appearing cheap!

The recipe requires a food mixer.

THE INGREDIENTS:

200g kippers
50ml double cream
50g cottage cheese
6 small spring onions (50g ish before chopping)
2 teaspoons of wholegrain mustard
½ teaspoon of paprika
The juice of ½ – 1 lemon, depending on how tangy you like it

THE METHOD:

Remove the skin and any large bones from the fish

Chop into large chunks and place in a food mixer

Chop the spring onions into very small rings and add, along with the rest of the ingredients

Mix for 30 seconds, stir and repeat.

Taste. It should taste light, tangy and a little smoky.

Place in the fridge where it will set a little, and get some bread ready

NOTE: this recipe works really well with many other types of smoked fish – salmon and mackerel in particular.

MAKE YOUR OWN YEAST

2010-04-20T17:26:00.001+01:00

Most breads I make (except Soda Bread) require yeast, and I usually buy my packs of yeast in the supermarket in little 7g sachets, but there are other options...

I recently read this article by Phil Daoust in The Guardian and am testing his method. More info soon.

Also, I hear largely conflicting reports about people being given free yeast in supermarkets that have an instore bakery. I tried this myself recently and was told they didn't do it there, but I hear other people who have had more luck. I'd be interested to hear your experiences.

Yeast isn't exactly expensive to buy, but if you look after the pennies then the meals look after themselves!

EDIT: Some great suggestions in the comments section below too...

ELECTION TIME!

2010-04-20T11:27:00.000+01:00

Sort of.

A cereal brand is running a popularity contest for food blogs. I have collected a massive 14 votes so far! If you like what happens here, please add your click!

I've linked to it on the right--->

CHEAPO RISOTTO

2010-04-15T14:25:00.000+01:00

I recently had a week where I was determined not to spend a penny on food. I had a near-full bag of frozen veg in the freezer, most of a kilo bag of onions and seemingly loads of carbs and pulses. I also had a little bit of left over wine. Cooking with alcohol is almost as good as drinking it, it makes me feel grown up, and a little naughty.

I decided a Risotto was the way to go but had no risotto rice. Not a problem, I had small amounts of basmatti rice, pilau rice and easy cook rice (whatever variety that is). These would do. The meal was a total result. I've done it a few times since, the version photographed includes my home-grown mushrooms and some cheddar.

If you are really low on ingredients, you can really get away with just rice, stock and/or salt, and some frozen veg for a filling meal on a tiny budget!

THE INGREDIENTS:

1 stock cube
A teaspoon of salt
A small glass of wine if you have some spare
1Tsp of Paprika
1 Tsp of Basil
1 Tsp of black pepper
1 Tsp of onion granules (optional)
½ tsp of oregano/mixed herbs etc.

A few handfuls of frozen vegetables
Some mushrooms if you have them
An onion

Any other fresh veg or meat you need to use

Plus, whatever cheese you have in. I have in the past used cheddar, Stilton, Danish blue and even some leerdammer that I'd bought a week before and needed eating. The point is, you don't need pricey parmasan. Use 50-150g of whatever you have, based on the strength of the cheese you have.

THE METHOD:

NOTE: some rice takes longer to cook than others, please factor this in to your method.

Fry an onion, in lots of hot butter, for 3 minutes. Add meat now if you have it.

Add all the stock cube, herbs and spices, mix and add the rice

When the rice is coated, (If you have it), add wine, a glass worth is enough

Add about a pint of water – and add more along with the way if the dish needs it.

Add the frozen veg

Bring to boil, put a lid on it, leave to simmer gently for 8ish minutes, checking and stirring (and adding water if needed) once or twice.

When dish is about 2 mins from being ready, which should be about now, add the cheese - grated or in small chunks depending on type of cheese.

Serve, maybe with some fresh basil leaves if you have any on the window sill.

If you like it spicy, add a bit of pepper sauce. Mmm...