Weeknight Menu: Make These Meals In Minutes | John & Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen | S2 E7 | Full Episode

Title / Presenters

Weeknight Menu: Make These Meals In Minutes — John & Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen Presenters: John & Lisa

Recipes covered

• Sausage & sourdough bake (one‑pot)
• Spaghetti carbonara (quick family version) with mozzarella & lemon‑basil side
• One‑tray roast root vegetable salad
• Strawberry frangipane “jalou” (puff‑pastry shutter tart)

Ingredients

Sausage & sourdough bake

• Sausages (any kind; mix of thick and thin okay)
• New potatoes — par‑boiled (optional)
• Onions (use red onion; cut into quarters with root left on)
• Sourdough or leftover/stale bread torn into chunks (edges especially good)
• Stock (carton/pouch or reconstituted stock cube)
• 2 cloves garlic
• Oil, salt, pepper
• Fresh parsley (chopped) to finish
• Optional: sweet potatoes (substitute or add), frozen peas (add 5 minutes before end)

Spaghetti carbonara (family/quick version)

• Spaghetti (dried)
• Bacon/pancetta or pre‑cut guanciale/bacon (streaky or pre‑cut pancetta)
• 2 egg yolks (kept whole)
• A spoonful of crème fraîche (optional “cheat” to help hold sauce)
• Grated Parmesan (lots — to taste)
• Fresh parsley (chopped)
• Ground black pepper
• Salt
• Pasta cooking water (reserved; hot water at ~100°C)

Mozzarella & basil side

• Ball of fresh mozzarella (in water)
• Fresh basil (shredded)
• Lemon zest (or a little lemon)
• Salt, pepper, good olive oil (for dressing; do not cook with it)

One‑tray roast root vegetable salad

• Mixed root veg: butternut squash, carrots, parsnips, potatoes (chunked large), onions (quartered, root on), peppers (seeds removed, chunky)
• Beetroot (roasted separately in foil)
• Garlic cloves, thyme, rosemary
• Vegetable oil (use veg oil for coating — not olive oil for roasting)
• Salt, pepper
• Toasted pine nuts and pumpkin seeds (to scatter)
• Good olive oil (small drizzle to finish)
• Small drizzle balsamic vinegar (a little while hot)
• Feta (crumbled) or watercress as finishing options
• Optional: salmon to place on top and cook at the end

Strawberry frangipane jalou (puff pastry shutter tart)

• Frangipane: equal weights (by weight) of butter, sugar, ground almonds, and eggs
  • Example: 1 egg ≈ 50 g → use 50 g butter, 50 g sugar, 50 g ground almonds for that egg
  • Optional tiny almond extract
• Puff pastry (divided into two parts for base and top)
• Beaten egg (egg wash)
• Strawberries (sliced/trimmed so they are similar height)
• Icing sugar to dust on top
• Optional: custard instead of frangipane

Equipment & preparation notes

• Oven temperatures and timings:
  • Sausage & sourdough bake: about 200°C. Initial roast ~20 minutes, then after adding bread/stock return 10–15 minutes (demo total ~25–35 minutes).
  • Roast root veg: 200–220°C for 40–45 minutes (very hot oven).
  • Puff‑pastry frangipane jalou: 200–220°C for ~25 minutes (adjust per oven).
• Frying pan/skillet for sausages and for cooking bacon.
• Large roasting tray for vegetables.
• Foil parcel for beetroot.
• Mixing bowls, whisk, grater (Parmesan), knife and board, tongs/spatula, small tart tin or baking tray for frangipane.
• Toast pan for pine nuts & pumpkin seeds.
• Keep pasta water reserved and transfer spaghetti straight from pot into bacon pan.

Step‑by‑step methods and technique cues

1) Sausage & sourdough bake (one‑pot)

1. Par‑boil new potatoes first (optional).
2. Brown sausages in a pan with a little oil; season with salt & pepper.
3. Add quartered onions (leave root on) and 2 cloves garlic; cook briefly.
4. Transfer sausages, potatoes, onions to an ovenproof tray and roast in a hot oven (~200°C) for about 20–25 minutes.
5. Tear or cut sourdough into chunks and scatter over the top. Patch with stock so the bread soaks some but the top remains crisp.
6. Return to oven for 10–15 minutes until bread is crisp on top and soaked below (total oven time roughly 30–35 minutes).
7. Finish with chopped parsley. Optional: stir through frozen peas 5 minutes before end for color.

Technique cues:

• Leaving onion roots intact helps the quarters hold shape.
• Top bread crisps while the bottom soaks the stock and becomes flavorful.
• You can prep ahead and finish from the fridge.
• Sweet potato can substitute some or all new potatoes.

2) Spaghetti carbonara (fast family version)

1. Fry bacon/pancetta over low heat so fat renders slowly; crack black pepper into the pan while frying.
2. Cook dried spaghetti in salted water until done. Do not drain — reserve hot pasta water.
3. Turn off heat under the bacon pan.
4. Transfer spaghetti straight from the pot into the bacon pan with some reserved pasta water so fat and water coat the pasta.
5. In a bowl keep 2 egg yolks whole; add a spoonful of crème fraîche if using.
6. Add large handfuls of grated Parmesan and chopped parsley to the pasta off the heat.
7. Pour the egg yolks (with crème fraîche) over the pasta and toss vigorously off heat so the residual heat cooks the yolks into a glossy sauce. Use pasta water to loosen and make creamy as needed.
8. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan and cracked black pepper.

Common mistakes / tips:

• Do NOT add yolks to a pan on high heat — they will scramble. Use residual heat.
• Don’t discard pasta water; it prevents a dry carbonara.
• Bacon should render fat and have small crispy bits but not be over‑crisp.
• The residual heat should cook the yolks gently; stop just before fully set.

Mozzarella & basil side

• Open mozzarella, break the center.
• Shred basil and scatter over the cheese.
• Add lemon zest, salt, pepper, and a drizzle of good olive oil. Do not cook with the finished olive oil.
• Serve fresh as a summery contrast to carbonara.

3) One‑tray roast root vegetable salad

1. Prepare vegetables in large chunky pieces (butternut chunked, carrots, parsnips, potatoes halved, onions quartered root on, peppers chunky).
2. For beetroot: place whole beetroot with thyme, garlic, salt & pepper and a tiny splash of water into a tight foil parcel; seal well to prevent color bleeding.
3. Toss the other veg in a bowl with vegetable oil (not olive oil), salt, pepper and herbs; coat evenly.
4. Spread out on a large roasting tray and do not disturb while roasting.
5. Roast in a hot oven (200–220°C) for 40–45 minutes (include the foil beetroot parcel in the oven).
6. Remove the beetroot parcel, slice or scatter beetroot over the roasted veg.
7. Finish with a small drizzle of good olive oil, a tiny splash of balsamic while hot, toasted pine nuts & pumpkin seeds, and crumble feta or add watercress. Optional: place salmon on top near the end to cook through.

Technique cues:

• Keep veg chunky so they roast and crisp rather than fall apart.
• Don’t stir during roasting to allow crisp edges.
• Toast nuts/seeds separately and scatter at the end for crunch.
• Veg can be prepped ahead or frozen pre‑cut for convenience.

4) Strawberry frangipane jalou (puff pastry shutter tart)

1. Make frangipane: cream equal weights of butter, sugar, ground almonds and eggs together. Optional tiny almond extract.
   • Example: for 1 egg (~50 g) use 50 g butter, 50 g sugar, 50 g ground almonds.
2. Divide puff pastry into two pieces (one slightly larger for the top). Lay base pastry and spread the frangipane (or custard) layer.
3. Trim strawberries so they are similar height and arrange sliced strawberries over the frangipane.
4. Cut strips in the top pastry to make “shutters” (jalousie), stretch and place over the fruit so the opening resembles shutters.
5. Egg wash the rim and dust icing sugar across the top.
6. Bake at 200–220°C for about 25 minutes (adjust for oven). Look for a biscuit‑like aroma; if it still smells of cream cheese, it needs longer.
7. Serve warm so the strawberries are jammy and the frangipane is fragrant.

Notes:

• Frangipane can be baked alone in small tins (without pastry base) but watch consistency — it can “melt” if too loose.

Chef tips & pitfalls

• Keep onion roots on when cutting so quarters stay intact.
• Par‑boil new potatoes to speed the sausage bake.
• Roast beetroot in foil to prevent color bleeding and shorten cooking time.
• Use vegetable oil (not olive oil) to coat veg for roasting; finish with a little good olive oil for flavor.
• Do not stir veg while roasting — leaving them undisturbed helps crisping.
• Reserve pasta water for carbonara to achieve a silky sauce.
• Turn off heat before adding egg yolks to pasta to avoid scrambling; use residual heat instead.
• Start bacon on low so fat renders; add pepper while frying to “wake” its flavor.
• A spoonful of crème fraîche in carbonara helps the sauce hold longer (non‑traditional cheat).
• Freeze ground almonds to keep them fresh if storing long term.
• For puff pastry, bake until it smells biscuit‑like (not of cream cheese) to ensure it’s cooked through.

Serving / plating suggestions

• Sausage bake: serve as a rustic one‑pot, finish with chopped parsley and optional peas.
• Carbonara: serve immediately with extra Parmesan; pair with the mozzarella/lemon‑basil side for contrast.
• Roast veg salad: scatter beetroot on top, crumble feta, sprinkle seeds and drizzle olive oil and a tiny balsamic; serve warm or cold — good for entertaining.
• Strawberry jalou: serve warm so the strawberries become jammy and the frangipane releases almond aroma.

Variations

• Sausage bake: use sweet potato instead of new potato; any leftover bread works; add frozen peas for greens.
• Carbonara: traditionalists omit crème fraîche; use pancetta or guanciale where available; adjust amount of crispy bacon bits.
• Roast veg: add salmon on top near the end; swap feta for watercress or other cheeses; mix any veg you have.
• Frangipane jalou: replace frangipane with custard; bake frangipane in tins without a pastry base for a different texture.

Sources / Presenters

John & Lisa — John & Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen (video: Weeknight Menu: Make These Meals In Minutes | S2 E7). No other external sources referenced.