Five or fewer ingredients is all it takes to make a really delicious dish. It's true! That's good news for anyone who has to cook for a group of hungry people and doesn't want to spend a lot of time—or money—doing it. Whether it's a weekday family dinner or a Sunday brunch with friends, simplicity is key and these recipes will help streamline the cooking process for you.
The beauty of working with five or fewer ingredients is that you probably already have some of them in your kitchen, such as olive oil, butter, and maybe even phyllo dough. Rest assured that you will not have to stock up on rarely used ingredients, nor will you have to slave away in the kitchen. Instead, sit back and savor the food and the company.
Recipe tips:
- Prepared Foods Are Your Best Friends
Make the grocery store work for you. Purchasing foods that are
already prepped at the supermarket helps reduce the amount of work
required later on. Reach for the bakery's freshly made
baguettes or get a head start with store-bought cookie, phyllo, and
pizza doughs.
recipes to try:
Petits Pains au Chocolat
Truffled Taleggio and Mushroom Pizza
- Get a Fresh Start
When you're working with a very limited number of
ingredients, quality really matters. When possible, buy the
freshest in-season fruits and vegetables that you can find.
Consider using goods that are artisanal quality and organically
grown, many of which you can buy at the farmers' market. The
subtleties in flavor that might have once been masked by other
ingredients will now shine through.
recipes to try:
Fresh Figs with Goat Cheese and Peppered Honey
Watermelon and Feta Salad
- Cool it down
There are days when you just don't feel like cooking
anything, so always keep a bunch of no-cook recipes on hand. Some
of the tastiest—and easiest—foods to prepare are no-cook and can be
eaten as is,or with the help of the "cooking" acids in
citrus juice, as in
ceviches. These dishes are perfect when it's just too hot
to turn on the oven.
recipes to try:
Scandinavian Ceviche
Orange Fools
Five-Ingredient Recipes
- Creole-Style Oven Hash Browns
- Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Fresh Walnuts and Pecorino
- Spanish Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Manchego and Jamón Serrano
- Pork Chops with Mustard Crust
- Garlic-Roasted Chicken Breasts
- Orange Fools
- Glazed Apricot Twists
Four-Ingredient Recipes
- Petits Pains au Chocolat
- Colombian Arepas
- Truffled Taleggio and Mushroom Pizza
- Rack of Lamb and Cherry Tomatoes
- Spaghetti with Pecorino Romano and Black Pepper
- Fresh Figs with Goat Cheese and Peppered Honey
- Hazelnut Cookies
Three-Ingredient Recipes
- Jill's Flaky Cheese Rolls
- Watermelon and Feta Salad
- Minted Sugar Snap Peas
- Gratin Dauphinoise
- Zucchini Bisque with Snow Crab
- Chunky Lemon Applesauce
Two-Ingredient Recipes
Four Ingredient Recipe: Blue Cheese Crusted Tomatoes
Bon Appétit | July 2008
by Judith Fertig
Yield: Makes 6 servings
The flavors of two classic steakhouse menu items—blue cheese dressing and stewed tomatoes—are combined in one incredible, simple-to prepare grilled dish.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 medium tomatoes
- 3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 3 ounces)
Preparation
Prepare barbecue (high heat), leaving opposite side unlit if gas grill or without coals if charcoal grill. Mix breadcrumbs and olive oil in small bowl, mashing to coat. Cut top 1/4 from each tomato. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper. Top each with 1 tablespoon blue cheese. Sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture.
Arrange tomatoes (topping side up) on unlit side of grill. Cover grill and cook tomatoes until slightly soft and cheese melts, about 13 minutes. Serve immediately.
See More Epicurious Family-friendly Recipes and Tips:
- Quick and Healthy Breakfasts for the School Year
- Feeding a Family on $25 a Day—or Less
- Cooking with Kids and How to Create a Kid-Friendly Kitchen
by Esther Sung
