If I have to cook...

Ingredients 1 1/2 cups brown rice 2 1/3 cups water 2 teaspoons unsalted butter or vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon salt Instructions 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spread rice in an 8-inch square baking dish. 2.  Bring water and butter or oil to a boil, either in a saucepan or in the microwave.  Keep an eye on it and take it off heat immediately after it starts boiling.  Immediately stir in salt and pour water over rice in baking dish.  Cover baking dish tightly with 2 layers of foil, or heavy-duty foil.  Transfer baking dish to oven and bake rice until tender, about 1 hour. 3.  Remove baking dish from oven and uncover.  Fluff rice with fork, then cover dish with kitchen towel and let rice stand for 5 minutes.  uncover and let rice stand 5 minutes longer.  Serve immediately.

3oz young asparagus, trimmed 3oz baby carrots, trimmed 2oz shelled broad beans 2oz sugar snap peas 2oz unsalted butter 2 shallots, peeled and chopped 3oz courgettes, diced 7 fl oz double cream salt and pepper 4 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese 1lb fresh pasta sprig of basil cut the asparagus into short lengths. blanch in lightly salted boiling water for 2 min. drain and refresh in cold water, then drain again. slice baby carrots in half. cook in lightly salted boiling water for 2-3 min or until almost tender. drain and refresh in cold water, then drain again. blanch the broad beans for 3 min and the sugar snap peas for 1 min. refresh in cold water and drain. melt the unsalted butter in a large pan and gently sauce the shallots for 5 min. add the courgettes and salute for a further 1 min. add all the drained, refreshed vegetables to the double cream and cook gently, stirring, for 5-8 min or until the cream has reduced slightly. meanwhile cook the pasta in plenty o...