LICKETY-SPLIT MAIN COURSES

Although I absolutely adore spending time in my kitchen concocting new recipes, I am aware that most people prefer to prepare food for their families as quickly as possible, so they can get out of the kitchen and have time for all the other things they’d rather be doing. Looking at all the mouthwatering pictures of food on Instagram and in glossy magazines, which come with complicated instructions explaining how to achieve such impressive results, in addition to all the popular cooking shows on TV, you might get the impression that everyone loves spending hours at a time in the kitchen.

But the truth is, most people just want to prepare tasty food for their loved ones and get on with their day.

This week’s column is dedicated to all of the hardworking people who deserve to be able to serve delicious meals to their families without having to work too hard.

Many times, I’ve tried to explain how wonderful it is to express one’s creativity in the kitchen and prepare tasty dishes that make the whole house smell good.

That’s why I chose this week three no-fail main dishes and one salad that are all easy, quick and delicious. None of them requires any special skills or complicated techniques. All you need to do is follow the simple instructions, and voila!

The recipes I chose to feature this week look amazing, and no one will ever guess that they were so easy to make. At first glance, they might appear complicated, but once you read them through, you’ll see how easy they actually are.

The first dish is filet of salmon, which can be prepared in two different ways. You’re welcome to choose which method you prefer.

The second recipe is for chicken with pepper and pineapple, which, combined, give this chicken dish a delightful sweet-and-sour flavor.

In the third dish, roast beef with prunes and apricots, the innate sweetness of the fruit lends the meat a tasty flavor that will undoubtedly put a big smile on everyone’s face.

The fourth and last recipe is for a refreshing salad that includes two types of lettuce, spinach and cucumbers. Some of the more unusual ingredients – cashews, pomegranate seeds (when they’re in season) and cherry tomatoes – make this perfect to serve alongside any of the three main dishes mentioned above.

In short, you don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen in order to prepare a wonderful, healthy and delicious meal for your family. But who knows? Maybe after you see how successfully these dishes come out, you’ll be inspired to learn how to prepare even more fun dishes in the future.

ROAST BEEF WITH PRUNES AND APRICOTS Makes 6-8 servings.

1.5 kg. beef shoulder, cut into cubes Salt, to taste

4-5 Tbsp. oil

3 onions, chopped coarsely Black pepper

3 garlic cloves, crushed

5 Tbsp. soy sauce

10 pitted prunes

10 dried apricots

8 parsley stalks, chopped

2 Tbsp. chicken soup powder without preservatives Pinch of cloves or ginger

Pinch of cinnamon

Add the chunks of meat to a large pot and cover with water. Add a little salt and cook, covered, for 90 minutes until meat has softened.

Heat the oil in a separate large pot. Add the onion, spices, salt and pepper and stir. Add the garlic and soy. Mix, then add the meat, as well as the water it was cooked in. Stir and add 1 cup of water, if needed, so that the meat is covered.

Rinse the prunes and apricots and then add them to the pot. Add the parsley and mix again. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add the soup powder, cloves and cinnamon. Mix well. Continue cooking, covered, over a low flame for 30 minutes.

Serve hot with white rice or couscous.

Level of difficulty: Medium. Time: 2 hours.

Status: Meat.

LETTUCE SALAD

1 red lettuce, torn into pieces

1 green lettuce, torn into pieces

300 gr. spinach leaves, rinsed, cleaned and torn into

pieces

2 cucumbers, sliced

200 gr. cherry tomatoes, halved

½ cup roasted cashew nuts

20 fresh basil leaves

Seeds from ½ pomegranate or ½ cup unsweetened

cranberries

Salad dressing:

5 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. honey

½ tsp. mustard (preferably Dijon) 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar 1 tsp. canola oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Place all the lettuce, spinach, cucumbers and tomatoes in a bowl. Add the cashews, basil and pomegranate seeds.

Next, add all the salad dressing ingredients to a glass jar, close and shake well. Just before serving, shake dressing well and pour over salad.

Level of difficulty: Easy. Time: 15 minutes. Status: Parve.

HERB-ROASTED SALMON FILET

Below are two great ways to prepare salmon. Makes 6-8 servings.

1 entire filet of salmon (½ a fish) Salt and pepper

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

2 Tbsp. olive oil

Method A: Salmon with rosemary 2-3 sprigs of rosemary

Method B: Salmon with garlic ½ tsp. garlic powder

Method A:

Preheat the oven to 180°. Cover the baking pan with aluminum foil and place a sheet of baking paper on top of it.

Place the filet of salmon in the middle of the baking paper with the skin facing down. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Place the sprigs of rosemary on top and then secure the foil on top of the fish.

Bake for 40 minutes, then remove from the oven. Carefully remove the foil and cut fish into serving-size pieces.

Method B:

Place the salmon filet on an oven pan. Sprinkle it with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice.

Roast salmon for 20 minutes on each side, then lower the temperature to 180° and continue cooking for another 15 minutes.

Serve hot.

Level of difficulty: Easy. Time: 60 minutes. Status: Parve.

CHICKEN WITH PEPPER AND PINEAPPLE Makes 6-8 servings.

2 small chickens (2.5 kg. each), cut into pieces 1 tsp. Tabasco sauce

Juice from ½ a lemon

1 Tbsp. oil

2 tsp. salt

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 can (450 gr.) cubed pineapple pieces

Mix together the Tabasco, lemon juice, oil, salt and garlic in a bowl, then rub mixture on the chicken pieces. Place them in a fireproof dish and cover with aluminum foil. Put the dish in the fridge to marinate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 180°. Place the pineapple pieces around and between the chicken pieces and then cover with baking paper and then aluminum foil. Bake for 50 minutes. Remove the baking paper and foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the chicken turns golden brown.

Serve with pasta, lentils or rice.

Level of difficulty: Easy. Time: 2 hours.

Status: Meat.