Lazy Cooking

Practical, quick and easy cooking can be done successfully, it refers to Laziness for Some.  Any cooking process is daunting if you are tired, but wanting to have beautiful home cooking, you can always find away.  One-Pot cooking is enjoyable, simply place all the ingredients in a pot and cook slowly over some time. Roast meat with garnishes, do what the roast cooking takes. Add all unpeeled vegetables but washed, bake-roast until they are cooked.  Rest it as you would, and make the gravy.  It works all the time, let the oven does the job.

The Lazy Roast Shoulder Pork

Succulent shoulder roast I did with ease!
This cooking method is shared, especially to my daughters.

It looks grand and tall, the standing shoulder pork with crispy crackling surrounded by roasted brown rustic onion, and sweet potatoes, I could not help to bake unpeeled potatoes on the other baking tin. They were not the best but acceptable.

I will tell you girls how I did it, it's so simple.

The gravy was delicious, no need straining but the dots of the fennel seeds dressed the dish.  I don't complain about that. And forget about apple sauce simply add whole mini apples in the baking dish at the same time with the other vegetables.

The ingredients what you need to have, and also the temperature and the time to cook the roast.
2 kg shoulder pork, cut and score the rind
(rub this join with oil, salt, and fennel seeds)
Place the meat in a roasting dish
Put in the oven, set the oven to 220 degrees C, and cook for 22 minutes
After twenty-two minutes, lower the oven to 175 degrees C and continue cooking for 79 minutes. (total cooking).  At the last 33 minutes of cooking, add in the sweet potato, onions and the apples.
1 large sweet potato
2 large whole onions
3 small whole apples
So simple, isn't' girls!.  You could easily do this for practical reasons.  And serving is the best bit, because what you need to do, simply slice the meat, add the gravy.  Garnish with vegetables and the apple. No Fuss!!!  Of course, don't forget the 'crackling.

a strip of pork crackling

The gravy!, I almost forgot to tell you.  Let the meat resting in the roasting dish together with the vegetables and the apples.  After 25 minutes rest, move the meat and the lot and put them on a carving plate.  Strain a little of the fat/oil from the roasting dish, add in half cup of water and mix, add in 1 tablespoon level of plain flour, mix together.  Place the dish over the heat to cook to make the gravy. Keep on stirring until the mixture is bubbly, thick and smooth.
Now, you have it.  People may say, it's rustic cooking, or country cooking style, whatever, but the result was divine and delicious.

To Serve

pork crackling

Never omit the crackling for serving roast pork.  This lazy cooking dish, surprisingly enough the meat was tender and juicy.

Lazy Cooking

Succulent Shoulder Pork with Garnishes.

The fennel seeds gave the distinctive flavour, so perfect for the pork, it was so delicious often I only use white pepper which goes very well with the meat too.
Trust your instinct that is the key!  I love the look of the nakedness of the food, so honest, there is nothing to hide.  And yet the dish represents the love for the family.

You may say, where is the greens mum, we need fresh green vegetables.  Well, we did one; indeed, I cooked young wild weeds of the backyard garden, no it is not dandelions but smooth sow thistle.  I found them growing everywhere in the backyard.  The rains help them to grow beautifully, the leaves were large and clean. I picked, boiled them and dressed in olive oil.  Served after the roast and enjoy it with a little extra olive oil (salt and freshly ground black pepper could be added, if you wish)

Cooking Smooth Sow Thistle in a Large Pot

Definitely,  we did not miss the greens.  It is not everyone favourite, particularly if you don't like the bitter taste.  A tip for you: it is the time to gather wild weeds, get the dandelions to add to a fresh salad. You know me so well, love all herbs and wild weeds.  Beautiful fresh greens and very healthy.

Serving the greens:

All the very best to you girls, if you are brave enough to cook the dish for your family the way I did, please give me a call for questions.

Another lazy cooking I did was a lazy lasagna. Modest two layers lasagna.  It's a layer of penne with white sauce, and the other layer was cooked cauliflowers with cheese sauce.  Bake in a moderately hot oven for 55 minutes.  It's easy to prepare and easy to eat.  No meat, it is a celebration of the cauliflower which is in season. I was so popular at that dinner time.

You know what, the children-the grandkids may love it too.  And the best thing about the dish is freezes very well, it is a bonus.

Cooking Should Be Easy!
A confession from a mother to her three daughters.


Until Next Post
Susy