Simple eats for the business traveller

One of the most appealing things about staying in a serviced apartment is the opportunity to relax in spacious, comfortable surroundings after a hard day’s work (or sightseeing).  Throw in a delicious home cooked meal enjoyed in front of a flat-screen HD television, or listening to your favourite music and you really begin to appreciate the “home from home” comforts a serviced apartment offers. Of course some travellers prefer to order in a take-out or visit a nearby restaurant but for those who like to hunker down for the evening with home cooked fare we have come up with a few simple recipes which can easily be rustled up in our well-appointed kitchens. And to keep shopping trips to a minimum we have come up with recipes that use a minimal amount of ingredients:

Simple pea and bacon risotto for one

Ingredients

¼ onion
2 rashers streaky bacon, chopped
75g risotto rice
250ml vegetable stock
25g frozen peas

Method

Finely chop the onion. Heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil and a small knob of butter in a frying pan and add the onions. Fry until lightly browned then add the bacon and fry for approximately 5 minutes. Add the rice and stock and bring to the boil. Stir well, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is almost tender. Stir in the peas and cook for 3 minutes. Serve with freshly grated parmesan and black pepper.

Cheesy mushroom omelette

Ingredients

1 tbsp. olive oil
Button or chestnut mushrooms, sliced
25g grated cheddar cheese
Fresh parsley, chopped
2 eggs, beaten

Method

Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Fry the mushrooms over a high heat for 2 – 3 minutes until cooked. Remove from pan and mix in a bowl with the cheese and parsley. Add the eggs to the pan and swirl around to cover the base. Cook for one minute or until set.  Spoon the mushroom mix over half of the omelette. Use a spatula to fold the omelette, warm through and then serve.

Thai beef stir fry for one

Ingredients

¼ tbsp. vegetable oil
100g of beef cut into thin strips
¼ red chilli, deseeded and finally sliced
¼ tbsp. oyster sauce
Basil leaves

Method

Heat a frying pan until smoking hot. Pour in the oil and add the beef strips and chilli. Cook, stirring constantly, until the meat is lightly browned (approx. 3 mins) then add the oyster sauce. Cook until heated through and the sauce coats the meat. Stir in the basil leaves and serve with plain rice.

Tuna bake for one

Ingredients

50g cooked pasta
½ can of tuna
½ can of condensed cream of chicken soup
Grated cheddar cheese
25g fried onions

Method

Preheat oven to 180⁰C (gas mark 4). Combine the cooked pasta, tuna and soup. Mix well and top with the cheese. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with the friend onions and cook for a further five minutes. Serve immediately.