Pre-pre-drinks: meals before a big night out

“Cooking is as easy as ABC 123, just trust me…” says Food Editor, Katie


Fresher’s Week can be summed up in the image of vulnerable students vomiting on the pavement, throwing their fists in the air and yelling “FRESHERS!” If you don’t want to be that guy, eating a solid meal is essential before any night out (but especially during Fresher’s Week). A salad just won’t do, so here are a couple recipes that will line your stomach in preparation for excessive alcohol consumption.

 

If you’re trying to impress with your gourmet know-how, make fish tacos:

 

Maybe you’re looking to make a good first impression to your flatmates or you’re in self-catered halls and decided that one of the ladies/gents in your kitchen is the person you wish to marry, or maybe you just want to try out something fun. Whatever the reason, don’t be offended when your dining companions suggest you drop out of university to join Master Chef.

All you need to do is marinade a mild white fish (so not salmon or tuna) in lime juice, cayenne pepper, cumin, paprika and a pinch of salt (I would mix the dry spices together first to make sure the proportions are to your taste), and marinade for 20 minutes. Don’t let it sit for longer, or you’ll ruin the whole thing. Then cook in the oven until the fish looks opaque. Oven temperature and time will depend on which fish you’ve picked. When it’s done, put the fish onto tortillas (which you should warm in the oven for a bit), and top with whatever you want. Personally, I think homemade guacamole is the way to go, but if you’re already feeling a bit stretched, Tesco does sell guacamole and salsa.

 

If you’re an inexperienced (or just a plain horrible) cook, make pasta with pesto and fried eggs:

If you’ve never cooked before, buying a year’s supply of frozen pizza is looking like your only option. While pizza everyday doesn’t seem too bad, you might want to give this a try before you give up.

The first thing you need to do is cook the pasta according to the instructions on the bag (usually involves boiling water, dumping pasta in, etc.). See, cooking isn’t so bad! All you have to do is try the pasta to check when it is ready to make sure it isn’t too hard or chewy. Now for the fried eggs, you need to melt some butter into a warm skillet (enough to coat the bottom), and once it’s melted, crack an egg directly into the pan. Set a timer for 3 minutes and just let it cook on medium heat. After the 3 minutes are up, flip the egg (carefully, so as not to break the yoke), and let the other side cook for another three minutes. While you’re doing this, mix some pesto (you can buy a jar at Tesco next to the red sauce) with your pasta and serve onto a plate. Once your egg is done, just slide it on top and enjoy.

 

Image courtesy of wikicommons.com