Eight quick dinners to celebrate the change of season

The changes of season are fascinating moments in which you have to wear more layers than an onion so as not to freeze from the cold or die of heat, while our body and brain drag themselves at low levels trying to face these changes that come without warning. But they also have things that are very pleasant, such as the moment in which the first spring foods appear in greengrocers and greengrocers -which we already missed- while the finalists for winter are still in top form. We take advantage of this fortunate circumstance to cook eight delicious, simple and quick unique dishes, designed to deal with the most complicated meal of the day -dinner, in case anyone still doubts it- which of course can also be served as lunch; in many cases perfect for tupperware (if this is the case, do not hesitate and prepare twice as much).

Lentils with chard and cod

It can be prepared in a stew or dry version, almost like a stir-fry, so it can be used both when it cools down and you feel like a spoon dish or for a sunny midday. For two servings, cut the stalks from a handful of Swiss chard and put them with a splash of water in a bowl covered with a plate or a silicone container in the microwave, and program three minutes at maximum power. Meanwhile, cut the leaves into strips -horizontally- and sauté them in a casserole with half of an onion in strips and a couple of sliced ​​garlic cloves. When they have lost strength and the garlic and onion have a little color, add the drained precooked stalks. Give them turns for a couple of minutes and, if you have it, add a little concentrated or fried tomato. Finish off with a large jar of drained lentils and about 250 grams of desalted or fresh cod crumbs: cook everything together for another five minutes to mix the flavors (if you want it to be soupy, add the lentil ruling liquid and add a splash more than water). Don’t have lentils or cod? You can use any other cooked legume or prepare red lentils, although they will take about 15 minutes longer. Instead of the cod, you can opt for salmon, prawns, hake, hard-boiled eggs and even a can of mussels, added off the heat so that they do not overcook (the marinade can be added beforehand to integrate the flavour).

Couscous with asparagus, pickles and hard-boiled egg

Cook one or two eggs per person in boiling water over low heat for seven to eight minutes: when ready, cool, peel and separate the yolk from the white. Meanwhile, mix the same volume of hot water with a little salt and oil as couscous (half the 300 ml cup of coffee with milk that we all have at home makes a generous portion). You can also use bulgur, as in the photo, or white or brown rice; the latter freezes very well, I recommend always having single doses in the freezer to make dishes like this in two kicks. While it swells, cook between eight and 12 asparagus per person on the grill, and prepare a vinaigrette with oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, chopped pickles to taste and the yolk smashed with a fork. Hollow out the couscous with a fork, put it on a plate and finish with the asparagus, the chopped white and the vinaigrette. Don’t have fresh green asparagus on hand?: let the couscous cool a little more and do it with canned asparagus in salad mode: you can add radishes, cherry tomatoes, zucchini…

Steamed potatoes and endive sautéed with anchovies and parsley oil

A light dish, easy to prepare and very tasty, perfect for those days when you don’t feel like eating a large quantity for dinner but you do want something that awakens your palate and gives meaning to existence. Peel one medium or large potato per person, cut it into slices and put it in a covered bowl in the microwave with a tablespoon of water (you can use a silicone container, cook it in boiling water or prepare several whole ones -it’s always good to have boiled potatoes- and peel it and cut it later). Prepare a parsley oil by grinding parsley with oil and a little garlic; you can also just chop it by hand and mix. Put a little of this oil in a frying pan and add three handfuls of chopped endive, we can mix the lightest part with the greenest; in fact it is an ideal use recipe for those tougher leaves. Serve the escarole over the potato and finish off with three or four chopped anchovy fillets, a little more of the raw oil, a few drops of vinegar and if you like, black olives. Do you want a little more protein? Use the parsley oil to sauté some peeled prawns or prawns or some salmon cubes and serve them on top instead of the anchovies.

Trinxat sweet potato and spinach with paprika tofunese

For years in the restaurant Rasoterra they made a spring and summer trinxat with spinach instead of cabbage which I liked too much to eat alone there so I ended up making different versions at home. This is finished off with a powerfully flavored tofunese -yes, that can exist- to add creaminess to each bite. Start by cooking one sweet potato per person (about 200 grams with skin and everything). You can steam them as we tell you in this recipe, whole, sliced ​​and microwave at maximum power for four or five minutes or even roast if you have to turn on the oven for something: when it’s soft, it’s ready. Meanwhile, prepare a tofunese with vinegar instead of lemon, paprika to taste and if you want a pinch of garlic. Brown one or two cloves of garlic per person in a pan with a little oil and salt, and add 200 grams of spinach per serving (if it can be fresh, if not, thawed). When they have lost volume and water, add the sweet potatoes and mix everything well, stirring to integrate: it is time to season with salt and pepper. You can shape the trinxat as if it were an omelette, French or serve it by the spoonful: cover with tofunese to taste to give it a creamy touch and to dine. For the meat version: change the tofunese for sausage, bacon, ham, etc.

Scrambled peas with sausage, mint and croutons

I think I’ve already counted it 24 times, but here’s one more for whoever can help: in my freezer there’s never a shortage of one or two bags of fine frozen peas, which are prepared in a very short time, are fresh and tasty on any dish -always They don’t overcook – and they save you the labor of peeling them. We start this dish by dicing about 100-80 grams per serving of butifarra to taste: white, black, perol or even black pudding or chorizo, in this case in less quantity because they have a more powerful flavor. Put in a frying pan and brown ¼ of the chopped onion with its own fat (if they are very lean you can add a drizzle of oil). When it starts to colour, add about 250-300 grams of defrosted peas, cover and let everything cook together for about five minutes. Taste and decide if they are ready or if you want more done, and also see if the peas have released too much water and we need to cook a couple more minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add some chopped mint leaves in the last minute of cooking. Does it seem too simple to you? A spoonful of croutons on top just before serving will give it an interesting crunch.

Stir-fried with chicken, mushrooms, noodles, soy sauce and nuts

All the amounts and proportions of these dishes depend on how hungry you are: more than a recipe we are giving you a technique for a stir-fry. Cook up some Asian noodles – they serve from the vermicelli of rice, even those of buckwheat, those of fine wheat that are sold in any supermarket or those that you prefer- according to the manufacturer’s instructions. While the water is heating up, cut a few mushrooms and a little onion into strips and sauté in a pan over a cheerful heat with a little mild-flavored oil. When they start to have color, add one or two chicken thighs in strips and finish sautéing everything together. Add the well-drained cooked noodles, soy to taste, if you want a little vinegar or lime, sesame, cilantro and some spice. Finish off with some chopped dry fruit. You don’t have -or don’t want to eat- noodles: If you have a spiralizer you can make them with carrots, beets or zucchini.

Vegetable soup with angel hair and express meatballs

Cool night and desire for soup? Start this dish by taking a look at the vegetables that orbit your fridge or freezer: you will need about 150 or 200 grams per serving, depending on how hungry you are. We can use pumpkin, onion, pepper, carrot, zucchini or mushrooms, but also green beans, peas and even broad beans (ideally two or three types, it is a perfect recipe to dispose of those remains or halves that remain after cooking other dishes). . If you are going to use vegetables that improve when grilled, cut them into cubes and give them a couple or three minutes over medium heat until they are lightly browned; If you don’t need an iron, start from here. Add about 350 ml of broth per person and bring to a boil over low heat for four or five minutes with the vegetables. In the meantime, prepare the express meatballs with good-quality chicken, pork or beef sausages: remove the casing from a couple of sausages per serving and shape them into balls (if you’re lazy, cut them directly and that’s it). After four minutes, add the pasta and balls and cook for another three minutes, or the time indicated by the manufacturer. You can serve with grated cheese or lemon. Right today you don’t have vegetables?: try to have a package of dehydrated julienne soup on hand, in situations like this it will serve you for soups, stews, stews and more.

Avocado salad, green leaves and sardines in oil

The only difficulty for this salad to turn out well is that the avocado is just right, because with its meat and a little lemon juice we will get the creamy paste that will act as mayonnaise. For two people, cook two eggs over low heat for seven minutes and cool well. In the meantime, mash or smash a ripe avocado with a fork with a little lemon, salt, pepper and any seasonings you like (a bit of heat works well). Mix one or two cans of drained sardines in oil -depending on how hungry you are- with the avocado, the chopped egg and some chopped gherkins. Serve on a generous bed of lettuce, sprouts, arugula, etc. seasoned to taste. Finish off with strips of onion or chives. It can be eaten as is, on toast or in a sandwich. Even faster version: make the boiled egg in the microwave. Break an egg into a cup with two fingers of water and give it to maximum power between 1.5 and 2 minutes (in mine at 900 W it is ready in about 80 seconds). Take out with a spoon and you already have an almost hard-boiled egg, and peeled.