Food that’s not worth the effort

[BarrelOfOtters]

Crab…picked yourself
Unfilleted fish
globe artichoke all that finiking for some little bites

Ant?? Any...although who knows roast ants may make it a bit more interesting.

Homemade pasta and pastry. Don't waste your time.

Not worth the effort to cook: most bread and cakes. I have neither the organizational skills to mix things up and let them rise however long in advance, nor the artistry to make something that looks as good as shop bought. I have one basic yoghurt cake/muffin recipe and make either naan or soda bread.

Not worth the effort to eat: baguette sandwiches.

Try adding a drizzle of runny honey to homemade pesto, it's game changing

I love making roast dinner. It's easy.
Roast the meat, roast all the vegetables together, make the gravy and chuck a couple of frozen Yorkshires in the hot oven for three minutes.

I also make our bread (in a breadmaker) and it's simple.

Lasagne is a faff, so I very rarely make it - even though I use the all in one bechamel recipe that is really quick and easy - even easier than a standard bechamel - it’s all the prepping of onions and celery, frying off the mince, making the ragu, grating the cheese, making the sauce, and then washing up all the pans and implements that puts me off.

In case anyone is interested, the all in one bechamel involves putting the milk, butter and flour into the pan cold, and gradually heating it up, whisking all the time until it thickens. If it doesn’t thicken, I just whisk in a bit more flour - culinary heathen that I am.

I know how to make a roast dinner and apparently it taste's "amazing" (so says my DP and my now adult DD), I just find them boring. They could take 10 minutes to make and that would still be too much time and effort.

Okay this sounds amazing. What sized can of condensed milk, please? And is double cream the same as heavy cream?

Mash potato...hate making my own. Peeling, chopping, boiling then mashing. So much faff. I buy the frozen stuff.

@Motorina Whipping cream is our best alternative to heavy cream.

I am amazed that anyone is making rissotto. I may be mentally scarred by it being the ONLY option if you didn't eat meat, all through the 80s/90s/early 00s in every restaurant in the country 😂

Then again, I can see how It's a great way to use up leftover just about anything.

Mince pies, pastry, custard and the worst of all, millionaires shortbread. Tried it once, had to bin the pan afterwards so never bothered again.

I feel exactly the same about risotto! If I never have to eat it again that will be soon enough for me.

Especially the mushroom variety (and I love mushrooms)

Can you take it out of the bag and put on the top of, say, a fish pie then put it in the oven and cook or does it have to be defrosted first.

I am having an eye op soon and want some easy meals for a couple of weeks and now stocking the freezer a little.

@ManyATrueWord thankyou.

Also easy for icecream. Equal quantities greek yoghurt, double cream, and jam of choice. Or lemon curd. Mix and freeze. Does not need repeated mixing. I impressed my ex's father no end with that. Mind, my ex turned out to be a twat, so...

Jamie Oliver’s “Stephen Fry’s Apple Pie”. That’s 4 hours + of my life I’ll never get back again.

Pastry from scratch obviously but chilling, baking blind, baking unblind, baking again with the filling. And don’t even start me on all the pissing about with the apple filling. Straining it FFS?!

It very much brought to mind that wonderful quote from Motherland, “Life’s too short to dick about with aubergines”- well add this fucker of an apple pie recipe to that sister.

Yes, when I make shepherds pie or fish pie, I take out the frozen bricks of mash and just lay them on top. Then I bake straight from frozen. Although I take out half way through and smooth the mash out a bit once it's defrosted during cooking process..if that makes sense

Need this recipe!

Charlie Bingham- Sainsbury or Waitrose

Thanks, yes it makes sense, on this weeks list.
I have used the fridge ready mashed but won't be able to get out to get that (my husband is disabled so I do all the shopping).
Thanks again.

I don't mind making a lasagne, but agree that it takes a while - tend to have an afternoon batch cooking when I have the house to myself and do the various stages between other things, and I make my own fish pie because I'm allergic to prawns so can't risk either shop bought or restaurant. I'm not sure purists would appreciate it though as I add chorizo and spinach to the filling - also always make enough to freeze so that it's worth the faff!!!

Only 20 minutes for arborio? I’m sorry, that’s not true. I love risotto and have made arborio many times. It takes ages.

Chop it into chunks with the skin. Chuck the seeds. Drizzle the chunks and toast until soft. The skin will be soft enough to eat.
If you don't want to eat it toasted blitz the roasted chunks with stock and a pinch of chilli.

How has no one said YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS?