It’s OK to cheat in the kitchen. And in case you needed more than just my word for it, Delia Smith made a TV series showing us How to Cheat at Cooking, so it must be OK!

I am an advocate of cooking from scratch and, for the most part, this is exactly what I do, but sometimes I like to make use of quick and easy kitchen hacks.

These are some of my favourite cheat ingredients:

A jar of roasted peppers

They can be expensive depending on the brand, but Asda and Lidl both do some really good (and larger) jars at very reasonable prices. Far cheaper than it would cost me to roast and preserve the same number of peppers as there are in a jar. There are always peppers in my fridge ready to throw into lunches and dinners. Especially good to have to hand when fresh veg supplies are running low.

A jar of curry paste

I use Patak’s pastes (not sauces) when I’m being lazy. Good for marinades and as the base for a curry sauce. They last well in the fridge once opened. You’ll find them in my roast cauliflower and chickpea curry and my paneer and mushroom tikka recipes on my website. The madras is my favourite and I regularly use this for a simple Friday night chicken and lentil curry – just add chicken, tinned tomatoes, lentils, water then creamed coconut at the end for a not particularly authentic but hugely comforting meal.

Pastry

Even chefs don’t always make their own puff and filo pastry. Very few home cooks would have the time or the energy. Shop bought pastry is a life-saver that can be kept in the freezer for when the need arises. I don’t often buy shortcrust pastry as I haven’t found one that’s as delicious as home made. During lockdown I’ve mastered my shortcrust so I don’t think I’ll be buying it again!

Concentrated stock

This featured in my star ingredient post not long ago. Great for convenience when I haven’t got any stock left in the freezer or for when I don’t want much liquid in my dishes. ⁠They have a strong flavour and add a good colour to a dish, as well as being versatile. They can be diluted to be as strong or as weak as you like, you can use them as seasoning, without any water, and to rub on for example some chicken with herbs and spices for extra flavour before cooking.

Fish fingers

Sometimes you can’t beat a fish finger sandwich and they’re so handy to have in the freezer for adults and children alike. They also make for the perfect cheat fish tacos. My favourites are the Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference chunky ones – more fish, less salty breadcrumb. I do make my own when there’s time at the weekends and they are infinitely better than shop bought but I’m not going to apologise for having shop bought in my freezer at all times.