Ideas for a no-cook GCSE Food Tech practical task

[rococopops]

my son (year 10) has been asked for his GCSE food tech practical lesson on Monday to make something that doesn’t require an oven or a hob, that will take roughly 1 hour 45 minutes to make. I am drawing a complete blank for this. Can anyone help me at all?

cous cous salad

can he have a kettle and use hot water?

Does it have to be one dish?
cheesecake is a good no bake dessert but it won’t take 1hr 45

Sushi is mostly assembly too, as long as the rice is pre cooked. You could do a fair few varieties.

Sushi if he cooks the rice at home first and takes it with him?
He could faff around with fancy presentation to try and make the task last 1h45

I can't think of much that doesn't need cooking but would take that long 🤔

Salad with a dressing

fresh fruit smoothie

savoury kebabs - use cooked meats, veg pieces

fruit kebabs

none of these would take the time though

Some kind of frozen dessert if he’s got access to a freezer? Maybe not if school.

to be honest most of my cooking tends in the other direction - short and sweet.

gazpacho soup?

Ceviche? (Kinfe skills and marinating
Vietnamese rice paper rolls (prep of veg, rolling skill, making a dipping sauce)
Trifle

Requires melted butter for the base, I was going to suggest this but for that! Topping made with cream, Philly cheese and condensed milk with lemon juice whisked together, add to biscuit base and set in the fridge

Summer rolls? Could serve with a coleslaw made with home made mayo if he needs a higher level skill?

Does he have access to a microwave?

Strawberry ice cream. Double cream, sugar, lemon juice and strawberries. Wash, husk and chop up strawberries. Mix cream, sugar and lemon juice until sugar has dissolved, add strawberries and freeze. (Turn freezer up to hard freeze - should be ready to blitz ice crystals in 90 mins).

What about some crab or tuna tostadas? Make a nice marinade for the seafood, a nice guacamole, some salsa etc?

Or a tiramisu? (Can't do one without alcohol) Takes about an hour of you hand whisk it and let it set in the fridge. You could faff making individual portions and take time arranging the sponge fingers

No bake cheesecake with fruit on top ( ie strawberries with a light drizzle of sugar )

smoked mackerel pate

avocado and prawn cocktail

Mexican Three-Bean Salad with a homemade lime vinaigrette

The later two demonstrate he can make sources and dressings
The fish dish show he can fillet fish ( if he can )

The key to a top mark is to think about what skills are involved

Lebanese Taboulé salad
Houmous
Labneh with zaa'tar
Greek salad
Carrot sticks, cucumber etc for dipping

I’d go for a cheese cake if he has access to a microwave and a fridge , it’s easy to make and can be very impressive if he decorates it beautifully . There’s also a salad if he makes his own dressing .

Tiramisu - if he can make coffee there he can do that, if not take it in a flask. Soak ladies finger biscuits and line dish. Whisk 2 egg yolks and 30g sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 500g mascarpone. Whisk 2 egg whites and 30g sugar to stiff peaks. Fold into the mascapone mix until fully incorporated. Pour over the base (it should be quite thick). Sprinkle cocoa powder over the top and put in the fridge for as long as possible.

I use a balloon whisk to do the egg yolks by hand and use the Kenwood or an electric whisk to do the whites. It's an Italian recipe (no cream and no alcohol.)

That is such a random challenge. Does he have access to a kettle/ hot water. He could do a cheesecake and then fill up the time making chocolate truffles to decorate.

If not I’d probably do something like salmon tartar which involves lots of chopping things into small cubes. Stick it in a mould and set in fridge and make a couple of pretty salads/ coleslaw to serve with it.

Summer rolls, theres lots of prep involved in them and he can do a variety of flavors even maybe a sweet version along with dipping sauces.

He could do that thing where you roast a chicken by slapping it!
Seriously though that’s a long time to not cook something isn’t it.

Honestly I know this is a child’s challenge but I can probably make a seven course tasting menu with an hour and 45 minutes. I’d be inclined to do one dish and spend the rest of the time playing Call of ZDuty or whatever is a modern game.

He could make something with a microwave or air fryer? Or it has to be raw?
You can microwave salmon fillets in butter and lemon and herbs for about 2 mins, checking every 30 secs with a lid on. Then serve that with cooked lentils in the microwave with stock and salad stuff like beetroot, carrots, onions, peppers, greens etc. maybe some feta in there?

He could make two dishes in that time. Is he allowed to bring in some ready prepared ingredients? What about a Caesar salad? He would get extra marks for making the dressing. Or make humous with crudités and bring in ready made falafel.

Second dish could be a sweet dish. He could make a no bake chocolate cake (although would make that first so it has time to set) He can melt the chocolate in the microwave or boil a kettle for the bain-marie. Individual cheesecakes would work with a loose crumb base or if nuts are allowed in the food room he could bind the crumbs with peanut or almond butter. Lemon mousse would also be nice.

He could make something with a microwave or air fryer? Or it has to be raw?
You can microwave salmon fillets in butter and lemon and herbs for about 2 mins, checking every 30 secs with a lid on. Then serve that with cooked lentils in the microwave with stock and salad stuff like beetroot, carrots, onions, peppers, greens etc. maybe some feta in there?

The Vietnamese rice paper spring rolls are fiddly enough to take up the time but maybe a bit too fiddly, skills wise.

A fish tartare of some sort would look good too. I almost suggested a classic steak tartare but there is absolutely no point to that dish without a pile of lovely, lovely chips.

If he can use a kettle, then loads of things open up and with a microwave then easy peasy.

What a rotten challenge though. The only other way to pad out the time is if he can make some kind of sauce/dressing/pesto thing or quick pickled vegetable garnish.

I'm tempted to just say. "Make a sandwich" in the manner of Educating Rita's answer to how to manage the staging difficulties of Peer Gynt, "Do it on the radio."

I suppose a sandwich in the form of doing a Scandinavian style smorgesbord or a lot of different bruschetta with innovative toppings? The bruschetta should be crispy though.

Banh Mi?

That's not as stupid as it sounds if he makes his own mayonnaise and pickled carrot.