Never having been one to have much patience when I'm done with the day (at work, in hospital, whatever the day throws at me) I like to have a bank of quick, healthy dinner options up my sleeve and this is one of them. When I lived on my own I used to make this a lot and somehow I got out of the habit... I am officially back in the habit now! My favourite thing about this recipe is that is is quick, you can make it with any fresh veg you have lying around and you can use almost any meat you choose. It's also easy to serve with any carb based side you choose - potatoes, rice. cous cous, bread - it's easily pleased.
This is so easy to make that I feel a little shame in trying to impart the knowledge upon you, but let me try. First ensure that you have some meat, I prefer white fish (pollock is my favourite, but I also love coley - how right on am I?) or chicken. Then raid the fridge for whatever veggies you have that need using up, in this photo I have used cherry tomatoes, leeks, tiny little onions and mushrooms - all lovely, local and seasonal except the cheery tomatoes!
Turn the oven on to 200 deg C and let it heat up. Meanwhile take a baking tray per person (it makes them easier to man handle) and put on it a sheet of baking foil that looks like it will happily make a kind of foil pastie shape around your ingredients. On to this place your veggies making sure they are heaped more to the middle so that when you add your meat it's not touching the foil. If it is touching the foil nothing bad will happen but it might get a bit stuck. If the fillets of meat are particularly thick then butterfly them by running a knife down the middle to make them spread their wings - this will make them cook quicker. Place the meat on top, then scatter over some herbs of your choice (I have used dried mixed herbs here, but as soon as spring comes along and my herb castle in the garden us usable again I will be lemon-balming this up!) add a glug of olive oil and if you fancy it some white wine.
Now comes the fun part. Pull the foil up to make your pastie shape but don't compress it too much - there needs to be space in there for steam to build up and circulate and put it in the oven.
Leave it happily in the oven for around 30 minutes or until the meat is cooked through Please be very careful when you open the parcel as scalds are no fun and slow down the cooking process no end! This half an hour gives you time to sort out our carbohydrate side, put your comfy clothes on, take your make up off (if you are so inclined) and make sure that there is some suitable 'no brain required' music or TV available to enjoy too.
Then it is ready. The oil means that no sauce is required and as all of your veggies are in there you don't need to mess about with any other sides unless you're so inclined. This is also something to keep in mind for BBQ season as it works just as well on a closed BBQ (i.e. with the hood of the gril down to keep the heat in) as it does in the oven - just skip the oven trays. The you have the perfect excuse to serve it with corn on the cob!
And there we are. This is very loosely based on an idea from a Jamie Olive book (I'm guessing The Naked Chef as it's the one of his books I've had the longest and I am sure I used to make this for Mum and Dad when I lived at home - so about ten years ago) but is is very open to experimentation so the notion that anyone could take credit for it is beyond me. Anyway! Enjoy it, adapt it and let me know what combinations you put in yours! The only thing I'd say is essential is onion, and be sure that if you've got any root veggies going in there that you cut them relatively small so they cook quickly. I predict our next one will be more leeks, onions, carrots and maybe some fennel. Delicious!
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