In Lorraine’s Fast, Fresh and Easy Food episode 5, Lorraine Pascale takes viewers on a delightful culinary journey, focusing on dishes that are not only elegant but also simple to prepare. This episode is all about creating impressive, gourmet meals that are perfect for entertaining guests or indulging in a special night at home, without the need to spend endless hours in the kitchen.
Lorraine begins by crafting delicate pancetta and parmesan puffs, a savory treat that’s as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate. These light, airy puffs are infused with the rich flavors of pancetta and parmesan, offering a perfect balance of saltiness and umami. They’re ideal as an appetizer or a sophisticated snack, setting the tone for the meal to come. With just a few ingredients and minimal prep time, these puffs are a testament to how simplicity can lead to extraordinary results.
Next on the menu is a comforting yet refined French onion and sage soup. Lorraine elevates this classic dish with the addition of fresh sage, bringing an aromatic depth to the rich, caramelized onions that form the heart of the soup. The process is straightforward, yet the result is a bowl of soup that’s bursting with layers of flavor. Lorraine guides viewers through each step, from slowly caramelizing the onions to achieving the perfect balance of sweet and savory, ensuring that even novice cooks can replicate this dish with confidence. The soup is topped with a slice of crusty bread and a generous layer of melted cheese, creating a hearty, satisfying dish that’s perfect for a cozy evening.
For the main course, Lorraine prepares maple-glazed lamb chops, a dish that beautifully marries the natural sweetness of maple syrup with the savory richness of lamb. The glaze is simple yet impactful, with just the right amount of sweetness to complement the tender, juicy meat. Lorraine shows how to achieve a perfect sear on the lamb chops, locking in the flavors while keeping the meat succulent. The result is a dish that looks and tastes like it took hours to prepare, but in reality, comes together in a flash. This recipe is a perfect example of Lorraine’s philosophy: you don’t need to be a professional chef or spend all day in the kitchen to create restaurant-quality food at home.
Throughout the episode, Lorraine emphasizes the importance of using fresh, high-quality ingredients to enhance the natural flavors of each dish. She encourages viewers to experiment with flavors and textures, offering tips and tricks to make the cooking process more enjoyable and less intimidating. Her approach is relaxed and accessible, making it easy for anyone to follow along and create these stunning dishes in their own kitchen.
In addition to the recipes, Lorraine shares her passion for food and cooking, offering insights into her culinary techniques and the inspiration behind each dish. Her enthusiasm is infectious, making this episode not just a cooking lesson, but a celebration of the joys of home cooking. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or simply looking to treat yourself to something special, Lorraine’s recipes are sure to impress without overwhelming you with complexity.
This episode of Lorraine’s Fast, Fresh, and Easy Food is a perfect blend of elegance and ease, showcasing how you can create gourmet dishes that are both delicious and simple to prepare. Lorraine’s clear instructions and expert tips ensure that even the most novice cook can achieve impressive results. So, whether you’re an experienced home cook or just starting out, this episode offers plenty of inspiration and practical advice to help you create memorable meals with minimal effort.
Lorraine Pascale creates amazing food, completely from scratch, in super quick time.
Lorraine’s Fast, Fresh and Easy Food episode 5 recipes:
Maple and balsamic glazed lamb chops with couscous
These flavour combos are not a reinvention of the wheel, but a simple seductive supper none-the-less. I have to do away with knives and forks for these little lamb chops and with messy fingers gnaw off the meat, right down to the bone.
Pancetta and parmesan puffs
I know, I have done it again. Pancetta. It’s that porky, tasty yumminess, that I love so very much. Now these cheesy numbers are made from choux pastry which for me is the easiest pastry on the block. A positive word of warning: these are incredibly moreish. A just cooked bowl of them with disappear in literally minutes.
Quick canapé crostini
These really easy canapés have saved the day, not only when people drop by my house unannounced but also when I fancy a quick snack myself of an evening. It is great to get creative with these, see what it is your cupboard and fridge and experiment with what works.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
- Trim the ends of the baguette and cut it into diagonal slices about 2cm/1in thick. Place on a large baking sheet, drizzle with oil and bake for 7-8 minutes.
- For the tomato, basil and mint variation, roughly chop the tomatoes and place in a small bowl. Drizzle a little oil over, rip up the basil and mint leaves and add them along with salt, pepper and sugar to taste. Toss everything together.
- For the white bean variation, put the cannellini beans in a small bowl, add a good drizzle of oil, seasoning and then mash roughly with a fork. Cut the slices of prosciutto in half.
- Finally, for the goats’ cheese variation, mash the goats’ cheese with a fork in a small bowl and season, to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cut the figs into eight pieces.
- Remove the crostini from the oven. They should be just crisp. Cut the garlic clove in half and rub the cut edge all over their tops.
- Now to assemble, simply spoon the tomato mixture onto eight of the crostini.
- Arrange the rocket on eight more and dollop the mashed cannellini beans on top. Lightly scrunch the prosciutto up and arrange on top of each one.
- Finally, spread the goats’ cheese over the remaining eight crostini, arrange a couple of pieces of fig on top of each, scatter the mint leaves over and drizzle with a little balsamic and honey.
- Arrange the crostini on a large serving platter or cake stand and serve.
