I'm a keen cook but I can't be a***ed with...

[oddman]

Enjoying and contributing to the Satisfaction and Extra Effort and TV chefs thread, I wondered about the flip side. What recipes and process you've abandoned or never bothered to learn?

I anticipate pastry might be top of the list and this takes you to the heart of the home cooks dilemma. Being known as a keen cook and cooking for guests and especially if serving pastry, invites the most passive aggressive question in the culinary universe. 'Mmmmm delicious. Did you make it yourself?'

If you're a Nigella, you will toss your head, fix your interlocutor in the eye and say 'Do you think I'm mad ?'

If you're a Nigel you will cringe, stare at your shoes and say 'I knew you were going to ask that'.

I'm a Nigel and don't mind pottering in the kitchen in the same way as the OH potters in the garden and many here will potter and tinker in their sheds and garages. So making puff pastry or other faffy time consuming prep isn't a big deal.

What I have more or less eliminated from my repertoire is starters. I'm perfectly happy to serve informal linear meals like summer salads, tapas type stuff, barbecues, curries etc. where things blend into each other a bit, there isn't that much last minute panic and presentation isn't a big deal. What I have got more or less rid of is the formal first course. It came as a revelation one Christmas when, even though I'd simplified it to soup I was still unable to spend time at the table because of the demands of the kitchen. I know that there are loads of simple starter recipes and even some flashy ones that are really easy to prepare but if the second course requires attention then you'll be distracted or away from the table. I have been known to ruin an atmosphere with a Ramsay style tantrum. Fine on TV but not in your own home. It would also lead to a doubling of the wines opened which is a bit dangerous.

Now that I CBA with starters kitchen life is a lot easier. Over to you.

Edited by oddman on Friday 22 November 09:09

[Antony Moxey]

Well I guess if pro chefs on the TV are constantly telling us that shop bought pastry is just as good as home made stuff it does seem like there’s little point in going to all that effort. Of course, annoyingly, my lad’s girlfriend is a fully qualified time served pastry chef so watching her at work is as fascinating as it is frustrating as she makes it all look so easy and effortless. Plus of course what she comes up with always tastes delicious!

[Bonefish Blues]

Most of the time I use the wet sachet curry packets as a base and adulterate them to make home curries more quickly. There, I've said it. Less cba, more the lack of a couple of hours to make favourite recipes.

[Ranger 6]

It's knowing what hacks and shortcuts can be done to ease the process. So making things ahead, pastes and other off the shelf things that would take ages and ingredients that you may not have in the cupboard.

Not CBA - more 'work smarter, not harder'.

[Skodillac]

Baking. Cakes, breads and all that. Just no. Faff faff faff with extra bloody faff and flour everywhere. No no no no no.

[nikaiyo2]

Skodillac said:

Baking. Cakes, breads and all that. Just no. Faff faff faff with extra bloody faff and flour everywhere. No no no no no.

Ahh no, home made cakes are so much better than most shop bought as is small batch baked bread compared to "supermarket."

Condimenty things is where I draw the line, Pesto? nah the stuff in jar is better. Pickled jalapenos, WTF was I thinking? All that effort when the ones from the shop are better and cheaper.

[Skodillac]

nikaiyo2 said:

Skodillac said:

Baking. Cakes, breads and all that. Just no. Faff faff faff with extra bloody faff and flour everywhere. No no no no no.

Ahh no, home made cakes are so much better than most shop bought as is small batch baked bread compared to "supermarket."

Condimenty things is where I draw the line, Pesto? nah the stuff in jar is better. Pickled jalapenos, WTF was I thinking? All that effort when the ones from the shop are better and cheaper.

I leave the baking to the Mrs and daughter

[sherman]

Only thing I draw the line at is puff pastry. For the amount of things I use it for(pie lids) its not worth learning.
Most other things I will at least try to make myself if I have the time.

[Super Sonic]

Fried eggs.

[xx99xx]

For me, if the time taken to prepare (and clear up) is disproportionate to the time taken to consume (factoring in some multiplier for enjoyment/tastiness and number of people being served) then it's just not worth the hassle.

e.g. I would not spend an hour preparing something for myself but an hour which serves 6 people is more acceptable.

[BoRED S2upid]

Skodillac said:

Baking. Cakes, breads and all that. Just no. Faff faff faff with extra bloody faff and flour everywhere. No no no no no.

Banana bread meet Skodillac.

[shakotan]

Super Sonic said:

Fried eggs.

I mean, in terms of simplicity, they are surely one of the easiest things to cook. Probably only beaten to the punch by a boiled egg.

[sherman]

xx99xx said:

For me, if the time taken to prepare (and clear up) is disproportionate to the time taken to consume (factoring in some multiplier for enjoyment/tastiness and number of people being served) then it's just not worth the hassle.

e.g. I would not spend an hour preparing something for myself but an hour which serves 6 people is more acceptable.

Never heard of batch cooking then.
Prep a big quantity of something tasty that takes time.
Portion it up so you dont have the mess for the next several portions
Freeze the portions
Then you can heat back up in the microwave or oven and have something tasty and interesting with little to no additional prep.

[dontlookdown]

I make the easy pastries myself, they are nicer. Short crust, rough puff. When I have time. The bought sheets of puff pastry are great for a quick tart for supper though.

Generally avoid cooking anything with too many stages. If it looks like more than an hour's prep then that is v much special occasions only for me.

[CKY]

Super Sonic said:

Fried eggs.

No luck buying them eggs then?

[Jimjimhim]

shakotan said:

Super Sonic said:

Fried eggs.

I mean, in terms of simplicity, they are surely one of the easiest things to cook. Probably only beaten to the punch by a boiled egg.

Yep, very easy and quick to do.

[Skodillac]

Jimjimhim said:

shakotan said:

Super Sonic said:

Fried eggs.

I mean, in terms of simplicity, they are surely one of the easiest things to cook. Probably only beaten to the punch by a boiled egg.

Yep, very easy and quick to do.

Unless you seem to have a seemingly congenital inability to break an egg without breaking the yolk. I'm so heavy handed, I reckon my success rate is only 50%. As with baking, I get the missus to make me fried or poached eggs.

[isaldiri]

sherman said:

Only thing I draw the line at is puff pastry. For the amount of things I use it for(pie lids) its not worth learning.
Most other things I will at least try to make myself if I have the time.

^ this. and attempting to make croissants. Just not doable (at least for me)....

[some bloke]

Sort of along these lines - a few years ago I reached that age where blokes start growing chillis. I bought seeds, pots, potting mix etc and planted them, then waited. 3-4 months later I had a good few hot chillis growing and I enjoyed the process. Then one day I was in an Asian supermarket and saw a bag of dried chilies the size of a harry potter paperback for £1.00. I reckon to get a 40th of the amount I had spent £30 quid or more.

Also, Hollandaise. A jar from the supermarket is so much better and easier than anything I can make.

[Jimjimhim]

Skodillac said:

Jimjimhim said:

shakotan said:

Super Sonic said:

Fried eggs.

I mean, in terms of simplicity, they are surely one of the easiest things to cook. Probably only beaten to the punch by a boiled egg.

Yep, very easy and quick to do.

Unless you seem to have a seemingly congenital inability to break an egg without breaking the yolk. I'm so heavy handed, I reckon my success rate is only 50%. As with baking, I get the missus to make me fried or poached eggs.

Use both hands if you struggle.