Delia's How to Cheat at Cooking

Delia's How to Cheat at Cooking

No time to cook?

Instead of reaching for a ready meal, reach for Delia's How To Cheat book which shows you how to use store cupboard and fresh ingredients together to make a meal in minutes.

NOTE: Delia's How to Cheat at Cooking was published in 2008; therefore you may have difficulty finding the exact named shop ingredients that were available then. We have kept these recipes on the site, as we know many people have successfully adapted them to what is currently available.

The Delia Online Cookery School: Don’t cheat on good knives! Find out how to keep them nice and sharp in our video. Just click the image to play.

Summer Trifle with Raspberries

This is a moveable feast, because any combination can be used - all strawberries, or strawberries and raspb...

This is a moveable feast, because any combination can be used - all strawberries, or strawberries and raspberries mixed, or even a few redcurrants would be a great add...

Asian Steak Sandwiches

No not bread sarnies. These are slices of sticky, fragrant marinated steak, served wrapped in lettuce le...

No not bread sarnies. These are slices of sticky, fragrant marinated steak, served wrapped in lettuce leaves. NOTE: This recipe is from the book Delia's Ho...

Banana Bread Pudding with Toffee Sauce

This is a lightened-up version of the old English classic that used leftover bread. Cheats just need to ...

This is a lightened-up version of the old English classic that used leftover bread. Cheats just need to grab some dried breadcrumbs and throw it all together. Serve...

35 minutes - 45 minutes

Bangers with Onions and Mustard Mash

Everyone loves banger and mash and now we don't have to peel, boil or mash the potatoes it's great to enjoy...

Everyone loves banger and mash and now we don't have to peel, boil or mash the potatoes it's great to enjoy it a bit more often. NOTE: This recipe is from the book ...

Black Bean and Jalapeno Dip with Potato Wedges

Another little off-the-shelf gem for nibbles or a starter, or even for a few people to share a quick lunch....

Another little off-the-shelf gem for nibbles or a starter, or even for a few people to share a quick lunch. NOTE: This recipe is from the book Delia's How to Cheat ...

Boeuf Bourguignon Easy

Such a cheat this one! In darkest winter, not only is this version better than having no boeuf Bourguign...

Such a cheat this one! In darkest winter, not only is this version better than having no boeuf Bourguignon at all but it also more than holds its own against the re...

Calamares Fritos (Fried Baby Squid)

These are so simple – they take seconds to cook and are good served with Tracklements’ Chilli Jam. I buy...

These are so simple – they take seconds to cook and are good served with Tracklements’ Chilli Jam. I buy mine ready-prepared (still frozen from the fish counter at ...

Caribbean Chicken with Salsa

A dead simple recipe this, with a wonderfully exotic combination of textures and flavours. Perfect for s...

A dead simple recipe this, with a wonderfully exotic combination of textures and flavours. Perfect for serving to friends. NOTE: This recipe is from the book Del...

40 minutes - 45 minutes

Cauliflower Cheese and Broccoli Soup

A lovely fresh-tasting soup this. You can choose the cheese here – basically whatever you have: Roquefor...

A lovely fresh-tasting soup this. You can choose the cheese here – basically whatever you have: Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Cheddar – but this one’s made with Parmesan s...

Cheats' Creme Caramel

Ok then, no more sticky moments and saucepans coated in hard toffee. You can, and will, achieve a light,...

Ok then, no more sticky moments and saucepans coated in hard toffee. You can, and will, achieve a light, creamy caramel with the utmost of ease - because someone el...

Chocolate Ricotta Mousse

Not technically a mousse as such, I confess, but every bit as good without the fiddle and fuss. NOTE: Th...

Not technically a mousse as such, I confess, but every bit as good without the fiddle and fuss. NOTE: This recipe is from the book Delia's How to Cheat at Cooking, ...

Chocolate Tartlets

We’ve sometimes made this in one large M&S tart case – the choice is yours. Either way, these are ve...

We’ve sometimes made this in one large M&S tart case – the choice is yours. Either way, these are very pretty, with a wonderfully glossy surface, but you could ...

Cincinnati 5-ways Chilli

My friend Matt Gocher, who gave me the original non-cheat recipe, is positively one of the country’s leadin...

My friend Matt Gocher, who gave me the original non-cheat recipe, is positively one of the country’s leading chilli experts. Here, the chilli is cooked very slowly ...

Coffee Ricotta Mousse

A variation on the Chocolate Ricotta Mousse recipe, see below, here given quite a dark, adult coffee flavou...

A variation on the Chocolate Ricotta Mousse recipe, see below, here given quite a dark, adult coffee flavour. NOTE: This recipe is from the book Delia's How to Chea...

Creole Prawns

As Creole cooking only ever uses green peppers (and the colour’s nice), I’ve included a fresh pepper here. ...

As Creole cooking only ever uses green peppers (and the colour’s nice), I’ve included a fresh pepper here. Otherwise, the equivalent amount from a jar of roasted pe...

Easy as Apple Pie

If you are one of those people who can never resist a slice of real home-made apple pie with a freshly bake...

If you are one of those people who can never resist a slice of real home-made apple pie with a freshly baked, very crisp, melt-in-the-mouth crust and a pile of fluffy,...

30 minutes - 40 minutes

Fast Fruit Brûlée

Now that fruits are blast-frozen and can be stashed away in the freezer, you can make a sublime fast fruit ...

Now that fruits are blast-frozen and can be stashed away in the freezer, you can make a sublime fast fruit brûlée or pop them under the grill sprinkled with liqueur an...

7 minutes - 20 minutes

Festoni with Sausage

Festoni, are squares of pasta with crinkly edges and are ideal for the layering needed in this recipe. I...

Festoni, are squares of pasta with crinkly edges and are ideal for the layering needed in this recipe. Instead of ordinary chipolatas I used Pinney’s smoked chipola...

Gambas De Queso with Majorcan Tomato Bread

You may remember the tapas from last summer’s recipe collection. They are well worth revisiting and make...

You may remember the tapas from last summer’s recipe collection. They are well worth revisiting and make a perfect summer starter for two. The preparation is quite ...

Gnocchi with Spinach

If speed is of the essence, I cannot think of a quicker way to feed four veggies more handsomely. ...

If speed is of the essence, I cannot think of a quicker way to feed four veggies more handsomely. Vegetarians might like to know that a vegetarian parmesan-st...

Good Old Shepherd's Pie

You won’t believe this one until you try it - nothing short of sensational, I would say. Everybody loves...

You won’t believe this one until you try it - nothing short of sensational, I would say. Everybody loves shepherd’s pie, but few have the time to make it… until now...

35 minutes - 40 minutes

Greek Lamb with Lemon and Garlic

How something so simple can taste so good may be difficult to understand, but it does! NOTE: This recipe...

How something so simple can taste so good may be difficult to understand, but it does! NOTE: This recipe is from the book Delia's How to Cheat at Cooking, which was...

Grilled Cornish Mackerel with Salsa Verde

Packs of frozen Cornish mackerels fillets are an absolute godsend, as you can pull them out however many po...

Packs of frozen Cornish mackerels fillets are an absolute godsend, as you can pull them out however many portions you may need. They cook splendidly from froz...

Half-time Tapas

Whether you're watching the football or not, this is a real winner: prawns with melting cheese, partnered w...

Whether you're watching the football or not, this is a real winner: prawns with melting cheese, partnered with wonderful Majorcan pamboli or tomato bread which you can...

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