Boredom leads to an idea and to teenagers

“Anyone who likes to eat, can soon learn to cook well." Jane Grigson

I get bored. Frequently. Always have and am currently going through one of those phases. And so yesterday whilst out for my walk I pondered on various ways to brighten up my life. My thoughts turned, for some unknown reason really, to how I could get my teenage grandchildren, and by osmosis as it were, my semi-reluctant son and almost daughter-in-law as well, to cook something. I - and I think all of us - so enjoyed the Zoom cooking lessons that we had during COVID lockdown which gave me an idea.

COVID lockdown had so many good things coming out of it didn't it? As well as the awful of course. I'm reminded of it all when I walk and come across decaying teddy bears on garden fences, and little collections of toys at the foot of trees. I imagine it's a little bit like those who remember the WW2 Blitz in London. The best and the worst of us as humanity. So how could I parlay that group cooking experience - which is not really a valid approach any more - into something different but still with the same aim? To get them almost enthusiastic about cooking.

Recently - and I think I mentioned it in passing - I noted that someone on a website had set up a regular date with friends whereby she sent out a recipe, they all cooked it and sent in photos and shared the experience. Could I do this with the grandchildre I wondered? And so when I got home, still enthused, I sent out an email to them all, suggesting something along those lines, but with a rather more flexible timeline. As soon as I had sent it I, of course, thought - "how stupid. They won't be interested, and I'll just make them feel obliged." Well I have had two replies - one from one son who is enthusiastic and says at least one of his sons is. Is he really I wonder? And also one from my older granddaughter who gave a qualified yes - 'once a month perhaps'.

So today I have been looking for a suitable recipe. Strike while the iron is hot and all that. I was going to suggest that they take it in turns and cook something individually, but I see the replies include a sort of all-inclusive 'they' - so I'm just going to say whoever wants to. So what is a suitable recipe, and what do I have to bear in mind?

"it needs to be fun or competitive or delicious or set to a banging Spotify playlist to keep them engaged - preferably all of the above!" says the author of the Marmalade and Me website. Well I have no control over the Spotify play yes, but yes, my son did say that it would be a kind of Bake Off - which I think is a TV cooking competition. Well competition was not what I was looking for, but if it helps, why not?

Today though I have been focussing on the 'delicious'. Plus easy - easy to make, with ingredients easy to find. Delicious - yes - but sort of different delicious. Something that doesn't require fancy equipment. Fast - certainly - half an hour tops for preparation, although possibly quick preparation and long cooking is OK. Something that doesn't require a lot of side dishes to bulk it out. And last of all - vegetarian options - swapping meat for cheese or beans for example - for my vegetarian granddaughter.

I have now compiled a shortlist, which of course, features Nigel in a big way. Well he is the master of the 'not really a recipe' that produces something fabulous. Some of them I have cooked myself some I have not, but mean to. Feel free to comment on this list by the way, or make other suggestions. And apologies for yet another list of recipes. Let's do Nigel first. Beginning with what he calls possibly his favourite fast-food recipe ever, which alas is not online, although variations are and for which I therefore have no picture.

"In a small saucepan, warm together 6 tablespoons of mirin, 2 tablespoons of shiro miso and a little oil. Toss the boned chicken thighs in the mixture, making sure they are well coated, then cook under an overhead grill, basting regularly till the skin is golden."

And that's it. Too simple really. This is supposed to be a learning exercise as well as fun. So here are his other slightly more complicated recipes.

Chicken with marsala and crème fraïche

I have made this. It's divine, and not very difficult at all. Fry your chicken, make your sauce by putting things in the pan and mixing them up, return the chicken and voilà - more or less perfection. But will they have marsala, and would they want to buy some? Probably not. Vegetarian option? Halloumi? Pumpkin? Nigel has a few mild variations on this but not a vegetarian one. Well not that I've found.

Sausage balls and mustard sauce Meatballs made from the insides of sausages, and a very simple creamy mustard sauce. You could serve it with pasta - or rice. With a salad, or beans. Vegetarian options? Well I guess there are fake meat sausages. I'm told she likes fake meat, but her mother, I suspect, as well as I, is not a fan.

Paprika, mustard chicken goujons - I've made these too - basically just fried chicken but in a paprika mustard coating. And they were surprisingly tasty. I guess you could serve them in pita bread with some kind of salad or pickle. What about the vegetarian? Halloumi surely would work?

Pasta with spicy sausage, basil and mustard - This recipe has a video to help out on the Food and Wine website and lots of people seem to have made it. Food and Wine in fact, apparently voted it as their best recipe in 2002 - well that's what one blogger said. Food and Wine made it with rigatoni, Nigel with orecchiette. Vegetarian? Fake sausage? Cheese? Mushrooms?

Then there's Jamie Oliver - another who tries very hard to get people who don't cook to cook.

Speedy salsa spaghetti - This is a variation on the classic pasta with salsa fredda - fresh sauce - i.e. uncooked tomatoes and things. Maybe it's a bit summery. They could be encouraged to play around with what goes into the salsa however. It's a method you are learning here. One-pot pasta al limone - Too simple, utterly delicious, but is it nutritious? No problem with the vegetarian though. And finally, not from Jamie himself but from Mallika Basu who is cooking Indian dishes for him - Quick chicken korma. Well we all love a curry don't we? You need a small blender for this, and I'm not sure that this exists in my older son's son's two homes. I would have to check. Jamie has videos to help though.

Then there is of course Ottlenghi, but I didn't really have the time to fully research his offerings. However there is this Middle-Eastern mac 'n' cheese with za'atar pesto which I suspect is really a Noor Murad recipe and there is a video as well. I list it because I have made this and it is indeed utterly delicious and pretty simple. The sauce is made in situ as it were. It would teach them to make za'atar and also how to make crispy fried onions. So it's a big contender I think. Vegetarian as well.

After Ottolenghi a couple of 'outsiders'. There are, of course, more but I ran out of time.

Pork stroganoff with three mustards from Delia Smith. This is one of my go to recipes when I don't have time to cook anything more complicated. I make it every couple of months or so. It's quick, and utterly delicious and easily served with rice. I would make it tonight, because I have to do something with some pork steaks, but I don't have any mushrooms. And there's the rub with this recipe because I don't think my grandchildren like mushrooms. Also a bit of a problem for the vegetarian. So maybe not this time. When I'm feeling braver.

And last but not least - a recommendation from my foodie friend Monika - Chicken, tomatoes, tarragon from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall in his Easy book - which used to be called 3 Ingredients. There is so little to do with this recipe - just cook the chicken with the tomatoes in the oven and later some of the tarragon. Put in the rest right at the end. Too easy? I think they have to work at it just a little bit?

So what shall it be? Currently I think I'm leaning towards Nigel's sausage balls, or sausage and mustard pasta - or Ottolenghi's mac 'n' cheese. Decisions, decisions. I could ask them, but I really think I have to make the decision here. Mmm.

YEARS GONE BY

May 6

2024 - Chicken butter cream - the real deal?

2023 - Tasters

2022 - A Stephanie for the street library

2021 - Singapore crabs

2020 - Deleted

2019 - Nothing

2018 - Nothing

2017 - Nothing