There is another serving of Nigella’s easy dishes on offer as she rustles up more of her favourite recipes that promise to help with the wind down at the end of a long day. This time, the focus is on ensuring a cosy and comforting vibe. Breakfast is a tray of cheering chai muffins – light, luscious and dairy-free. For a low-key lunch, there are Nigella’s Asian-flavoured short ribs – a perfect make-ahead, meltingly tender beef stew.
And friends are in for an informal supper with Nigella’s fish tacos. Inspired by her visits to Tacoria’s on America’s west coast, Nigella’s homemade, oven-baked version involves a bit of DIY at the table, ensuring a laid-back atmosphere for guests and host alike.
Nigella’s easy dishes:
1. Fish tacos
I am a broad church: when I’m not craving a bowl of food that delivers the same soothing taste from mouthful to mouthful, I like the sort of meal that involves a table full of bits and pieces. I certainly think this latter way of eating is one of the most relaxing ways of sitting around a table with friends. These fish tacos are a case in point, and rest assured that the actual preparation is much more low-effort than you might think.
2. Salted chocolate tart
I have always avoided making chocolate tarts because I have never really felt that the pastry served the chocolate, or was worth the effort. This is my simple solution: make a base out of chocolate biscuits. And the filling is just as easy to make, too. I never lie about how effortless something is to make, but no one will believe me on this one.
3. Chai muffins
Taking tea in muffin form seems ideal for breakfast, and the warm spices of chai bring scented richness without heft. I’ve made these dairy-free, but if you want to, you can easily use semi-skimmed milk in place of the almond milk. I want to make it as easy as possible for you to make these, as this is a particularly splendid specimen of muffin.