Stovetop recipes

Choosing a stovetop recipe

Compare the ingredients, cooking time and equipment below to find a dish that fits your plans. Each recipe includes quantities and a step-by-step method.

• Crêpes with Lemon and Sugar

  Preparation takes 19 minutes. Cooking takes 27 minutes. Allow 68 minutes in total. Makes 4 servings. Key ingredients: plain flour, fine salt, eggs, whole or semi-skimmed milk, whole or semi-skimmed milk. Equipment: 24 cm non-stick frying pan or crêpe pan with a flat base approximately 21–22 cm across, Small saucepan, Mixing bowl, at least 1.5 litres, Whisk, Scales and measuring jug, Thin heat-resistant spatula, Heat-resistant pastry brush, Citrus juicer, Plate and clean tea towel for holding cooked crêpes.

  Kitchen tip: Treat the first crêpe as a heat-and-portion check. If it is too thick, use slightly less batter or add the reserved milk only if the batter is genuinely thick.

• Beef tacos with charred tomato salsa

  Preparation takes 19 minutes. Cooking takes 37 minutes. Allow 50 minutes in total. Makes 4 servings. Key ingredients: raw beef mince, 10–15% fat, neutral oil, white onion, peeled weight, garlic for the beef, ground cumin. Equipment: Two hob rings, 28 cm frying pan for the beef, with a suitable lid, 28 cm cast-iron or heavy stainless-steel frying pan large enough to hold the tomato halves in one layer, Chopping board and sharp knife, Spatula, serving spoon and tongs, Bowl for browned beef, clean plate for charred vegetables and separate salsa bowl, Measuring jug and spoons, Digital food thermometer, Clean tea towel.

  Kitchen tip: If mince releases a puddle of liquid, let it evaporate before expecting browning. Brown in two 250 g batches rather than crowding the pan.

• Tarragon mustard chicken with white beans

  Preparation takes 11 minutes. Cooking takes 39 minutes. Allow 50 minutes in total. Makes 4 servings. Key ingredients: boneless, skinless chicken thighs, ideally 4 large pieces, fine salt, freshly ground black pepper, olive oil, olive oil. Equipment: Heavy-based 30 cm sauté pan with a lid, approximately 3 litres capacity, Tongs and a heatproof spoon, Measuring jug and kitchen scales, Colander, Chopping board and knife, Instant-read food thermometer, Separate plates for partially cooked and fully cooked chicken, Kitchen paper and a heatproof container for discarded fat.

  Kitchen tip: The schedule assumes one searing batch and unburnt pan residue. Two batches add about 8–9 minutes; cleaning a burnt pan or cooking thicker thighs to the safe endpoint also takes longer.

• Huevos rancheros with tomato-jalapeño salsa

  Preparation takes 10 minutes. Cooking takes 38 minutes. Allow 47 minutes in total. Makes 2 servings. Key ingredients: ripe tomatoes, raw weight, cored and cut into 8 mm dice, onion, peeled weight, finely chopped, fresh jalapeño, approximately 1 small chilli, stem removed and finely chopped; remove seeds and pale ribs for milder heat, garlic, finely chopped, neutral cooking oil: 5 ml for the salsa, 15 ml for the tortillas and 10 ml for the eggs. Equipment: 18–20 cm saucepan, at least 1 litre capacity, with a lid, 28 cm non-stick or well-seasoned frying pan with a lid, large enough for four eggs, Wire rack, Chopping board and knife, Measuring spoons and kitchen scales, Small cup for cracking eggs, Broad spatula, Two serving plates.

  Kitchen tip: The timeline allows a typical salsa reduction. Juicy tomatoes or thin tinned tomatoes can take longer: finish reducing before frying the tortillas.

• Pan-browned Albóndigas in Tomato Sauce

  Preparation takes 30 minutes. Cooking takes 66 minutes. Allow 80 minutes in total. Makes 4 servings. Key ingredients: raw beef mince, approximately 15% fat, raw pork mince, approximately 10–20% fat, soft white bread, weighed without hard crust, whole milk, egg, approximately 50 g without its shell. Equipment: 28–30 cm deep sauté pan with lid, approximately 3 litres, with a base large enough for 20 meatballs in one layer, 26–28 cm frying pan, Two hob rings, Mixing bowl, Digital scales and measuring jug, Knife, chopping board and fine grater, Flexible spatula and spoon or tongs, Digital food thermometer, Clean serving bowls and utensils.

  Kitchen tip: Mash the soaked bread thoroughly, mix only until combined and roll without compressing to avoid dense meatballs.

• Thai green curry with chicken

  Preparation takes 20 minutes. Cooking takes 34 minutes. Allow 54 minutes in total. Makes 4 servings. Key ingredients: raw boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat, raw Thai round aubergines or ordinary aubergine, full-fat coconut milk, ready-made Thai green curry paste, makrut lime leaves. Equipment: Wide 3-litre saucepan or sauté pan, approximately 24–26 cm across, 2-litre saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, Two hob rings, Digital food thermometer, Scales and measuring jug, Separate chopping boards for raw chicken and vegetables, Knife, sieve and heatproof spoon.

  Kitchen tip: The timeline allows a twelve-minute chicken simmer before checking. Continue cooking if the temperature or aubergine tenderness requires it; doneness takes priority over the clock.

• Lemony courgette pasta with ricotta and basil

  Preparation takes 15 minutes. Cooking takes 26 minutes. Allow 31 minutes in total. Makes 2 servings. Key ingredients: dried linguine, courgettes, ricotta suitable for vegetarians, olive oil, garlic. Equipment: 4-litre saucepan with lid, 28 cm deep frying pan, approximately 2.5–3 litres capacity, Chopping board and knife, Fine grater, Large heatproof bowl, Heatproof measuring jug, Colander, Tongs and wooden spoon, Measuring spoons, Two serving bowls.

  Kitchen tip: Packet pasta timings vary; shift the pasta start accordingly. Reserve the water and prepare the ricotta before the draining point, then drain promptly and transfer directly to the pan.

• Tamagoyaki in a Round Pan

  Preparation takes 7 minutes. Cooking takes 15 minutes. Allow 23 minutes in total. Makes 2 servings. Key ingredients: eggs, caster sugar, mirin, Japanese soy sauce (shoyu), water. Equipment: 20 cm nonstick frying pan with an undamaged surface and approximately 15–17 cm flat cooking base, Flexible, heat-resistant silicone spatula, Silicone pastry brush, Mixing bowl and fork or whisk, Measuring jug, Small dish for oil, Clean chopping board and knife, Thin-probe food thermometer, Fine sieve, optional.

  Kitchen tip: Use the specified small pan: a much larger cooking base spreads the egg too thinly to roll reliably.

• French onion soup

  Preparation takes 20 minutes. Cooking takes 100 minutes. Allow 120 minutes in total. Makes 4 servings. Key ingredients: yellow or brown onions, weighed before peeling, peeled and sliced about 3 mm (⅛ inch) thick, unsalted butter, olive oil, fine salt, divided, garlic, finely chopped. Equipment: Heavy-based 5-litre (about 5-quart) pot or Dutch oven, approximately 26 cm (10 inches) wide, Sharp knife and chopping board, Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, Measuring jug, measuring spoons and kitchen scales, Cheese grater, Baking tray, Four 600 ml (about 20 US fl oz) bowls explicitly rated for use under a grill/broiler, Oven with grill/broiler, Oven gloves, Ladle, Four heatproof serving plates.

  Kitchen tip: The 100-minute cooking estimate includes toasting the bread while the soup simmers. Onion caramelisation varies with moisture and heat, so prioritise a deep golden-brown colour over the clock.

• Spaghetti carbonara

  Preparation takes 10 minutes. Cooking takes 20 minutes. Allow 30 minutes in total. Makes 4 servings. Key ingredients: dried spaghetti, guanciale, weighed after removing the tough rind, cut into strips about 5 mm (¼ inch) thick, Pecorino Romano, very finely grated, divided, pasteurized whole eggs, pasteurized egg yolks. Equipment: 5–6 litre (5–6 US quart) pasta pot with lid, 28 cm (11 inch) frying pan, Large heatproof mixing bowl, at least 3 litres (3 US quarts), Medium mixing bowl, Small bowl for the cooked guanciale, Fine grater, Whisk, Tongs, Measuring spoons, Heatproof measuring jug, Colander.

  Kitchen tip: Heat the pasta water and render the guanciale at the same time, then whisk the eggs and cheese while the spaghetti cooks. The 30-minute timing is approximate and depends on your hob and pasta.

• Spring Pea and Artichoke Risotto with Lemon-Asparagus Tempeh

  Preparation takes 20 minutes. Cooking takes 30 minutes. Allow 50 minutes in total. Makes 4 servings. Key ingredients: arborio rice (about 1 ½ cups), vegetable broth, kept warm (4 cups), dry white wine (½ cup), large onion, finely chopped, garlic, minced. Equipment: large sauté pan or skillet, ladle, non-stick skillet, knife, cutting board, citrus zester or grater, mixing bowl, wooden spoon.

  Kitchen tip: Keep vegetable broth warm to maintain cooking temperature and ensure even absorption.