Delicious UK - (05)May 2020

WORDSK ATYSALTERRECIPESANDFOODST YLINGJENBEDLOE

PHOTOGRAPHSTOBY SCOTT ST YLINGOLIVIA WARDLE

ALL IN ONE

(roasting) TIN

CROWDPLEASERS

Whatever’shappeningintheworldrightnow,westillneedtogetdinner

onthetable.Ifyouneedspeedymeals,youmightbethinkingofthehob

rather than the roasting tin – but it could be time to think again

E

venbeforecircumstances

madeit a necessity,we

werea nationofquick-

dinnerdabblers.First,the

ready-mealyears(salesarenow

slightlyindecline).Latterly,the

stir-frycraze,15-minutemeals

andrecipekits.Yet,whatif the

easiestdinnersaren’ttheones

thattaketheleasttimetocook?

Meettheroasting-tindinner:the

cook’snewsecretweapon.

Theroastingtinisn’tjusta

vesselforSunday’schicken.It’s

gainingpopularityasa niftytool

forweeknightmeals.Thetrend

tookoffin 2017 withTheRoasting

TinbyRukminiIyer.Thatbook

anda subsequentserieshavesold

250,000copiestodate(afifth

book,TheRoastingTinAround

theWorld, is justout).“Iwas

surprisedanddelightedit caught

onsostrongly,”saysIyer.

“Ithoughtit wasa goodidea,

asit’stheidealwaytocookafter

a busy day, without multiple

choppingboards,potsandpanic.

Luckily,lotsofreadersagreed...”

Roasting-tinmealsfeature

grains,meat,fish,veg(notjust

roots),eggs,firmcheeses,tofu

andotheringredientstypically

cookedonthehob.Afterprep,

you’refreeuntilthetimerpings.

“They’rethemosthassle-free

dinnersyoucanmake,”saysfood

writerDianaHenry.Fellow

foodwriterSueQuinnagrees:

“It’stheperfectsolutionfor

time-poorhomecooks:less

hands-ontime,lesswashingup

andgloriouslyflavourfulfood.”

IntheUS,thesametrendis

knownas‘sheet-pandinners’

asourAmericanfriendsprefer

a shallowtray(sheetpan).US

foodwriterYasminFahr,author

ofKeepingIt Simple, makesthe

case:“Sheetpansarebetterfor

mosteverydaycookingneeds

thana high-walledtin.They’re

lessexpensiveandtakeupless

storage space.” Sheet-pan

dinnersaretypicallyfinished

withherbsandchillies,yogurt,

nutsordrizzlesoftahinior

chermoula.Thecoloursand

textures,plusthefactthat

everythingis inonepan,make

it easytogeta goodphoto:

a recipeforsocialmediasuccess.

Therearea fewprinciplesto

bearinmind.“Puteachelement

inattherighttime,assome

vegetablecomponentscook

morequicklythanothers,”says

DianaHenry.“Throwindelicate

vegetables,likeasparagusorpak

choi,attheend,”saysIyer.

Youneedtogetthequantities

right.“Layeverythingina single

layersothecomponentsroast

andgogolden.Youdon’twant

themtosweat,”saysHenry.

“Somerootveg– notablycarrots

• benefitfromparboiling,too.”
  Followa fewrecipesand,once
  you’vemasteredtheformat,
  you’llbecomingupwith your
  own masterpieces.→

44 deliciousmagazine.co.uk