Do ever find yourself trying to figure out what to cook for dinner at about 5 pm? Me too. It’s late. I’m out of ideas. I’m in the grocery store, and I don’t have a shopping list. I am hungry, my husband is probably even hungrier. I want something good. but most of all, I want something easy and quick. I am desperate for a last minute meal.
For moments like this, I downloaded the “jamie oliver 20 minute meals” app on my phone. You can scroll through several easy, quick recipes in a plethora of categories, including: Delicious soups, Easy pasta, Simple risottos, Fast fish, Quick curries, Gorgeous puds (meaning puddings, which I guess is the English way of referring to desserts). A few of the recipes for great last minute meals include: Leek and potato soup with taleggio, Rigatoni arrabiatta, Garlic prawns & veg on herby lentils, Chicken tikka masala, Grilled fruit and lime creme fraiche. Sound good? I think so too.
After you click on a recipe that sounds good, the app provides a shopping list, along with any equipment you will need. Finally, you get step-by-step directions of what to do when you return home. If any of the steps seem tricky, you can view quick videos that provide additional how-to assistance.
My favorite last minute meal on this app is Jamie’s “My Favorite Prawn Linguini.” It’s ridiculously easy and it never ceases to knock our socks off, and my husband would be happy to eat pasta every night of the week.
Give it a try. Let me know what you think.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 2 Servings (pretty big) | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 15 minutes |
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This dish is enough on its own, but add a simple salad and warm Italian bread, and you will have a quick and easy feast.
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- 7 ounces king prawns raw and peeled
- 9 ounces dried linguini
- 1 small bunch fresh basil
- 1 or 2 cloves garlic
- 1 medium fresh red chili I don't always add this, and it is still wonderful.
- 9 ounces cherry tomatoes Garden or store bought are fine.
- extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt
- fresh ground black pepper
- Fill a pot for your pasta and get it boiling. Preheat the oven to the lowest setting and place your plates in to warm. (My grandmother used to warm her plates, which is never something I think about anymore, but this is a nice reminder, as pasta cools so quickly.)
- Peel and slice the garlic. Halve, deseed and finely slice the chili. Pick the basil leaves from the stalks and put to one side. Finely chop the basil stalks. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
- Cook your linguini in boiling salted water according to the instructions. Stir it occasionally to make sure none of the pasta is sticking together.
- Put a good sized (but not huge) frying pan on a medium heat.
- Add a splash of olive oil to the hot frying pan and add the garlic, chili, basil stalks and prawns. Fry together for a minute or two, stirring.
- Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan with a few pinches of salt and pepper. Turn the heat up to high and keep stirring so nothing sticks.
- After the prawns are pink and cooked through (3 - 5 minutes), turn the heat off and drizzle over a splash of the olive oil.
- When the linguini is cooked, scoop out a cupful of the hot water to keep, then drain in a colander.
- Add the pasta to the frying pan. Toss everything together, and if the sauce is a bit thick, add a little of your reserved cooking water to thin it out slightly. (This is the genius trick to many pasta dishes that I never knew, but it makes all the difference.)
- Have a taste then season with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cover with a lid or tin foil to keep warm.
- Get your warmed plates out of the oven then use tongs to divide the linguini between them. Scatter your basil leaves over the top. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and enjoy.
Let me know if you try this, or any of the other recipes on the Jamie Oliver 20 Minute Meal app, I'd love to know what you think.
XO
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