YUMMY EASY QUICK

Matt Preston, Pan Macmillian, R399 Rating:

Time, or the lack of it, is the big selling feature with newly published cookbooks

Preston (flamboyant co-host of MasterChef Australia) features 127 dinners which, he claims, take 30 minutes or less to prepare. Hah, hah, as I discovered when we invited friends over for a quick dinner. Many glasses of wine later, the nibbles were looking as tired as they were. But as they ravenously polished off the chicken, they said it was worth the wait. Or perhaps they were being polite.

To speed up the process I fagged spiralising the sweet potato and baked it in chunks in the oven, and I skipped grilling the pineapple for the salsa. It’s a chatty kind of book with lots of hints and tips. Yummy, yes, but quick? No, Mr Preston.

PAIR WITH Nico van der Merwe Nicolas White 2013

A blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon that reveals a complex mouthfeel and long fruity finish. These refreshing fruit flavours and added sweetness balance out the spiciness of this dish. Approx. R132