Tom Kitchin: ‘My wife and I work incredibly hard, but cooking at home remains an important focus’

The temptation to reach for ready meals can be strong but I really recommend that you think twice before going for what might seem like the easy option. I want to get across how simple, quick and satisfying home-cooking can be. You don’t need to be an expert either. Dishes can be whipped up in no time and are much healthier and more satisfying than a ready-made meal. Preparing a meal entirely from scratch is genuinely one of the best money-saving tips when it comes to eating.

I find that one-pan wonders are a real comfort. Not only can they be quickly assembled and cooked, you can create wonderful flavours by combining all the ingredients and letting them infuse together. You can also save on washing up afterwards – a bonus for all busy students, I’m sure.

Students often get a bad reputation when it comes to diet – the cliché is that all they eat are takeaways and beans on toast. However, studying is one of those times when you should be eating all the right, fresh foods. Late nights, stress, skipping meals and quick, unhealthy hunger fixes can all play havoc with your ability to concentrate and get the most from your day. Try opting for some brain-boosting foods such as oily fish, tomatoes, wholegrain and broccoli to make meal times even more beneficial.

One-pot cooking can also be a good way to bulk up meaty dishes or use up leftover meat or fish. Just add lots of vegetables and pulses. Not only is it cost-effective but it also adds depth and flavour to a meal as well as a health boost. These types of dishes are nothing new either. In the past, families would cook on a big stove in the middle of their living space, combining all the ingredients in one big pot and leaving it to simmer, ready to feed the whole family.

You can adapt these recipes to suit your own tastes and use whatever you have in the cupboard, meaning you can save time and money. Another key to successful one-pot cookery is to stock up on a few essentials that can help make sure your dishes are full of flavour, such as a good selection of herbs and spices, stock, garlic and seeds such as fennel and caraway. With just a little planning you can prepare and cook a delicious meal in just half an hour.

My wife Michaela and I work incredibly hard running our business, but cooking at home remains a hugely important focus for us. One of our favourite family dishes is a sausage and butterbean casserole. It’s my ultimate fast-food supper – perfect for adults and children. This recipe calls for ingredients we usually have in the fridge so it’s really quick and ideal when you don’t have a lot of time.

It’s the perfect recipe for making in large quantities, so you can just place the dish on the table and everyone can help themselves. You can then use any leftovers for lunches or dinners the next day too. Add any type of beans or pulses you like, or even use a variety for your own twist on the dish, as well as choosing any kind of good-quality sausages.

Whether you’re a student looking to save time and money, a parent trying to please the whole family or even just cooking for one, these recipes offer the perfect solution.

Chicken and broccoli bake

Serves four

4 free-range boneless chicken breasts (about 150g each), skinned

700ml water

1 onion, peeled and quartered

1 carrot, peeled and sliced

bouquet garni

5 black peppercorns

1 head broccoli, cut into florets

50g butter

50g plain flour

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tbsp curry powder

1 tbsp crème fraîche

100g cheddar cheese, grated

squeeze of lemon juice

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

50g fresh white breadcrumbs (ideally a day old)

1-2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley,  roughly chopped

Method

Heat the oven to 180°C/gas  mark 4. Have the chicken breasts ready at room temperature.

Bring the water to the boil in a wide pan. Add the onion, carrot, bouquet garni and peppercorns and simmer for ten minutes.

Add the chicken breasts, making sure there is enough water to cover them. Lower the heat and poach gently for ten or 12 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Using a slotted spoon, lift out the chicken and vegetables on to a plate and set aside. Measure 600ml stock and reserve.

In another pan of boiling salted water, blanch the broccoli for three to four minutes. Then drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the butter  in a heavy-based saucepan, stir  in the flour and cook for a couple  of minutes. Now add the cumin and curry powder and cook,  stirring frequently, for another  two minutes. Gradually stir in  the reserved stock and bring to  the boil, stirring.

Let the sauce simmer, stirring often, for four minutes, then remove from the heat. Stir in the crème fraîche and cheddar. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Tear or cut the chicken into pieces. Scatter the reserved onion and carrot into a buttered, shallow ovenproof dish. Add the chicken and broccoli florets.

Pour the cheese sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and crunchy.

Scatter the chopped parsley over the top of the bake and then serve.

Sausage and ButterBean Casserole

Serves four

6 good-quality sausages

4 slices bacon, cut into strips

1 white onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tsp herbes de Provence

2 x 400g tinned butter  beans, rinsed

1 tin chopped tomatoes

200ml chicken stock

For the breadcrumbs

250g breadcrumbs

50g parsley

50g tarragon

50g chervil

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Heat a heavy-bottomed pan, add some oil and brown off the sausages. Add the bacon and cook for a further three or four minutes.

Add the onions, garlic and herbes de Provence and cook until soft. Cover with butter beans, tinned tomatoes, chicken stock and season well.

Meanwhile, blitz the breadcrumbs in the blender with the herbs, then sprinkle over the casserole

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes and then serve.

• Find more one-pot wonders in Kitchin Suppers, £20, Quadrille

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