SHEET-PAN DISHES FIT FOR A FEAST

Gradually developing layers of flavour — searing, sautéing, simmering and skimming — fighting any urge to rush or take shortcuts, undoubtedly leads to rewards.

But the time and energy it takes isn’t always at our disposal. And thankfully, as Diana Henry illustrates in her 12th cookbook, From the Oven to the Table (Mitchell Beazley, 2019), exceptional eating doesn’t necessitate extraordinary effort. In the hands of the London, England-based author, sheet-pan and one-pot meals are far from utilitarian.

Using her favourite cooking method — roasting — Henry relies on the oven’s dry heat to create dishes that range from simple to special. (Perfectly suited to the holidays, these recipes are an example of the latter.)

While roasting (or pot-roasting, as in a handful of the recipes in the book) isn’t difficult, Henry explains, it does require following specific instructions — especially relating to the size of vessel, volume of liquid and placement of ingredients — and a well-stocked kitchen.

“You have to think about big flavours,” she says. “You have to have a good pantry. I think you need miso, you need soy sauce, you need fish sauce, you need preserved lemons because you’re not really doing anything very complicated.”

Recipes were designed to be easily constructed yet immensely inviting. Meals that can be assembled and left to their own devices as they roast are as welcome on weeknights as they are on weekends or special occasions.

Spending less time cooking and more time gathering at the table offers an opportunity to connect.

“The food isn’t overwrought — this is not fine dining. It’s food that you dig in and you say, ‘Oh my God this is delicious,’ and then you forget about it because that’s not the important thing. The important thing is that you’re all talking,” she says.

“So much happens just over having to pass gravy and sauce and bread and those things. Tables are wonderful because you have to look at each other.”

Recipes excerpted from From the Oven to the Table by Diana Henry. First published in Great Britain in 2019 by Mitchell Beazley, a division of Octopus Publishing Group Ltd. Used with permission from the publisher.