Jamie's 30 Minute Meals

I'm Too Busy . . . It's Too Expensive . . . I Don't Know How . . .

These are the three excuses I always hear when I ask people why they don't cook at home more often. But I know that with the right kit, some organization and solid recipes, these excuses don't stand up. Regardless of whether you're a brilliant cook or a complete beginner, this book does what it says on the tin. I honestly believe that if you embrace my 30-minute meals, they will change the way you cook, for ever.

The most revolutionary thing about the meals in this book is not that they can be cooked quickly (they can), and it's not that they use loads of clever shortcuts and tricks (they do), it's that I've written them in a completely unique way. I'm going to walk you through every step needed to create a whole meal, so in 30 minutes you will be putting beautiful main dishes, exciting sides and salads, lovely drinks and puddings on the table at the same time - all from one recipe! I've come up with 50 incredible meals for you: meaty ones, vegetarian meals, quick pastas and puddings, lovely curries and things you might never have thought achievable in half an hour.

I want this book to help skyrocket you to another level, where you can nourish yourself and your family, and cook quickly, with a real sense of style. I'm going to ask you to use your kitchen in a completely new way, but it's different, it's fun, and the results will blow you away.

You Do Have the Time

You may be the busiest person in the world, but you still need to eat. In just 20 to 30 minutes - about the same amount of time it takes to warm up a ready meal in the oven, watch something on TV or order and pick up a takeaway - I want to show you that you can have an amazing home-cooked spread on the table.

I recently realized that the way I was cooking during the week wasn't very efficient. Because I can cook, I often freestyle my meals and make things up as I go, but this has meant that although the food tasted great, my approach was slightly chaotic and I ended up spending more time in the kitchen, and more time washing up, when I could have been putting the kids to bed and reading them a story. So I started making a plan and approaching Monday to Thursday's meals methodically. I haven't looked back.

Of course at the weekends I slow the pace down and really take my time in the kitchen, but with the week being such a busy time, it helps to be organized when it comes to shopping and cooking so you can have more fun with your free time. Family time seems to come way down the priority list these days, so I hope learning how to get beautiful, quick meals on the table will help to bring more people back together at mealtimes.

It's Not Too Expensive

I didn't set out to make this a budget cookbook; there are meals in here to satisfy the foodiest of foodies! But, because I was curious, I costed these meals against their equivalents on the high street, and it turns out that most of them are actually cheaper to make from scratch than they are to buy from your local takeaway, restaurant or ready­meal supermarket aisle. Just think: you can sit down with your favourite people in your own home and enjoy a fantastic spread for less than you'd spend anywhere else; you'll know exactly what went into it and it will be better for you. Just brilliant!

I've also discovered loads of cool tips and tricks by cooking this way which I've included in the recipes -I hope that they will help you to become a faster, more intelligent cook, no matter what you're making. In the long run, this will also help to save you money because you'll be able to cook anything from scratch in no time at all.

I'm Going to Show You How

These recipes are carefully choreographed so that no single minute is wasted. I've taken care of all the awkward, difficult stuff like menu planning and timing for you; all you have to do is follow my instructions, move quickly and enjoy the ride. If at first you run a little over time and your kitchen is a bit messy, please don't worry - it's all part of the process and you will radically improve the more you make these meals. Remember, this is about cooking in a whole new way. Like riding a bike, learning to drive or making 'beautiful love', you might not always get things right first time around, but the benefits when you finally crack it are incredible!

There's no denying that this is an energetic workhorse of a book. These 50 meals are going to keep you busy and make you multi-task, but you'll soon get used to it, and even find it slightly addictive. I don't want you to freestyle your way through the recipes, swap in different elements (at least not at the beginning) or use ingredients and measurements other than the ones I've used here, because they've been tested by my food team, my gang in the office and even complete strangers, so I know they work. Of course there will be nights when you just want to curl up on the sofa with your missus (or mister) and have a simple bowl of pasta or salad, and if that's the case you can pick and choose your favourite elements from these meals as they are clearly laid out and easy to extract. But this book is all about cooking meals, so on those weeknights or busy weekends when everyone is together, remember that with less than half an hour of organized energy you can create something truly special.

In order to knock these meals out quickly, I want you to get into the '30-minute meals frame of mind', which is all about organizing your kitchen and your equipment. On the next few pages I've outlined everything you need to do to make this happen. This is important stuff and it's there to help you, so please read it all before starting any of the recipes. See it as a call to action, and get excited about it!

You'll find that I'm being direct and to the point throughout the book, but there's good reason for that. I want you to end up with two things we all crave: beautiful, tasty food that shocks you because it's so good, and more time to spend with the people you love. So go on, and have fun with it!

Jamie O xx