The combination of school holidays, children with serious appetites, a surprisingly super warm Sydney Spring day and a newborn who was due to feed at around our dinner time, meant that this evening’s meal had to be very, very manageable. 

I came up with a variety of dishes that were prepared with a minimum of fuss, but still had maximum tastebud appeal for all members of my family. My Speedy Veal Scaloppine, with Blanched Greens and Citrus Dressing, Tomato Caper Sauce and Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley Steamed Rice, ticked all the boxes. 

The trick is to be ORGANISED and to cook the dishes in a particular order so that they are ready at pretty much the same time. I have listed the recipes in the order in which you should start to prepare them. Dinner was on the table within 45 minutes from the time I pulled out the chopping board, and this included all the time spent dicing, marinating and cooking. Not bad considering I had made enough to feed eight people. Of course if you are cooking for a smaller group, the preparation time will be far less. Just remember to reduce the ingredients accordingly. 


Speedy Veal Scaloppine to serve 8 people

Ingredients
1.5 kg veal
2 cloves garlic crushed
Juice from 2 lemons
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped mixed fresh herbs (I used a combination of oregano, basil, rosemary)
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Lay out the veal in a single layer in a large shallow dish. 

Combine all of the remaining ingredients in a jug and pour evenly over the veal. 

Cover with plastic wrap and leave on the bench to allow the flavours to infuse. If you are not intending to cook this until later, then refrigerate immediately. 

When all the other dishes are ready, heat up your barbecue to high and quickly cook the veal for no more than 1 minute on each side. Remove from the heat, arrange on a platter and eat while still warm. 


Tomato Caper Sauce this will make 500 ml
This is lovely drizzled over the rice as an accompaniment to the veal. 

Ingredients
Olive oil
1 small onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic crushed
1 tablespoon capers, rinse to remove the excess salt
1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
sea salt to taste
4 very red tomatoes (I used vine ripened)

Heat up the olive oil and add all of the ingredients with the exception of the tomatoes. Sauté over a medium heat for 5 minutes. 

Add the diced tomatoes, stir to combine and cover with a lid. Bring to the boil, then immediately turn the heat to LOW and simmer for 30 minutes. When ready puree with a hand held blender then serve alongside the other dishes. 

Blanched Greens and Citrus Dressing to serve 8 people

Ingredients
500 g long green stringless French beans 
2 bunches broccolini
juice of 1 small lemon
juice of 1 small orange
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Blanch the vegetables in a large pot of rapidly boiling water for 4 minutes. Drain in a colander and place in a large serving bowl. 

Combine all the other ingredients, pour over the veggies and toss gently to combine. 

Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley Steamed Rice to serve 8 people
This dish is designed to be made using a rice cooker which makes preparation and cleaning up very easy and very quick. If you don’t have a rice cooker then use the stove top absorption method as outlined on the back of the packet of rice. 

Ingredients
4 cups long grain rice
4 cups water
30 g unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Put the rice, water and butter into your rice cooker and press ON. When ready, transfer the rice to a serving bowl, add the flat leaf parsley and toss through with a fork fluffy up the rice at the same time.