Mary Berry’s stress-free recipes to rescue your weeknight dinners this festive season

At this time of year, when the calendar becomes a blur of festive parties, last-minute shopping and frantic planning, it’s easy to let everyday dinners fall by the wayside. But dinner doesn’t have to be another stress point, especially when you’ve got Dame Mary Berry in your corner.

With her trademark warmth and no-nonsense approach, Britain’s beloved cook has delivered Mary’s Foolproof Dinners – a book designed to make mealtimes effortless without sacrificing flavour.

Take her fast quiche, for example. It’s the sort of dish that feels like cheating in the best way – a tortilla wrap masquerading as a pastry crust, holding together a creamy, cheesy filling that’s ready in a flash.

Or the chimichurri pork, which offers maximum wow-factor with minimal effort thanks to a zippy Latin American herb sauce that transforms a humble fillet into something you’d serve with pride.

And for dessert? The upside-down apricot and Cointreau pudding is a showstopper that looks as though you’ve slaved over caramel, sponge and glossy fruit for hours, when in truth Berry’s straightforward instructions make it all but foolproof.

Whether you’re cooking for the family, hosting friends or simply trying to reclaim a bit of sanity in the kitchen, this book is your seasonal salvation. Berry’s here to remind us that even in the busiest of times, dinner can still be a joy.

Fast quiche

“What a cheat this is!” says Berry. “Supper in the evening, kids popping in, don’t know what to make . . . here we go! The word tortilla is Spanish and fajita is Mexican, but to me it’s called a wrap! Buy large ones so they fit up the sides of the tin.”

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing

1 large tortilla wrap

1 large onion, finely chopped

150g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

75g mature Cheddar, grated

2 eggs, beaten

200ml pouring double cream

2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. You will need a 20cm (8in) loose-bottomed sandwich tin, brushed with oil. Place a heavy baking sheet in the oven to get hot.

2. Lay the wrap inside the sandwich tin to cover the base and to go halfway up the sides. Press firmly to the sides of the tin.

3. To make the filling, place the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry for a few minutes, then cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes until soft. Add the mushrooms and fry for a few minutes. Drain off any liquid.

4. Spoon the onion and mushrooms into the wrap-lined tin and spread evenly. Sprinkle half the cheese over the top.

5. Beat the eggs and cream together in a small bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and add the remaining cheese and the parsley to the egg mixture. Pour over the mushroom filling. Place the tin on the hot baking sheet in the preheated oven and cook for about 25 minutes, until set and lightly golden.

6. Leave for stand for 5 minutes, then serve hot in wedges with a dressed tomato salad

Tip: Best made and served. Not suitable for freezing.

Chimichurri pork

“Chimichurri is a wonderful, aromatic sauce from Latin America,” says Berry. “It isn’t cooked and will keep for up to a week in the fridge. It is delicious with this pork fillet but also works well stirred through pasta. The sauce can be made in a food processor, if liked, but keep it chunky. The flavours will infuse and become more pungent over time.”

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 large pork fillet (about 350g), trimmed

For the marinade:

2 tbsp olive oil

Juice of ½ lemon

2 garlic cloves, finely grated

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp chilli flakes

For the chimichurri:

3 tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander

1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley

1 banana shallot, finely chopped

Juice of ½ lemon

1 large garlic clove, finely grated

½ tsp chilli flakes

8 tbsp olive oil

Method:

1. Put all the marinade ingredients into a large bowl, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well. Add the pork to the marinade and turn to coat. Leave to marinate for 1 hour, or longer if you have time.

2. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.

3. Place a frying pan over a high heat until hot. Add the pork fillet and fry until brown on all sides. Transfer to a small roasting tin and roast in the preheated oven for about 18 minutes, or until just cooked through. Cover with foil and set aside to rest.

4. Measure the sauce ingredients into a small jug or bowl. Season well and mix to combine.

5. Carve the pork into slices and serve with the sauce on the side.

Tip: Pork can be marinated up to a day ahead. The raw pork can be frozen in the marinade.

Upside-down apricot and Cointreau pudding

“Great for family gatherings, serve this with crème fraîche for a wonderful treat. The apricot season is very short in the UK, so we use tinned for this recipe, but de-stoned fresh apricots would be delicious, too,” Berry says. “The topping does not work as well in a non-stick pan, so it is best to use stainless-steel.”

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

Butter, melted, or sunflower oil

2 × 400g tins apricot halves in syrup, drained well and lightly dried on kitchen paper

For the topping:

125g (4½oz) granulated sugar

75g (3oz) butter

2 tbsp Cointreau

For the sponge:

115g (4oz) self-raising flour

115g (4oz) baking spread, straight from the fridge

115g (4oz) caster sugar

2 eggs

Finely grated zest of 1 small orange

1 tbsp Cointreau

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. You will need a deep, fixed-base 20cm (8in) cake tin. (There’s no need to line the base.)

2. To make the topping, measure the granulated sugar and 4 tablespoons of water into a stainless-steel pan. Stir over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Stop stirring and bring up to the boil. Boil until the sugar turns a deep caramel colour. Quickly remove from the heat and add knobs of the butter and the Cointreau. Stir, then pour into the base of the cake tin.

3. Brush the sides of the tin with the melted butter or oil. Arrange the apricot halves on top of the caramel, whichever way up you prefer. Place any extra apricots in a neat layer over the top.

4. Measure the sponge ingredients into a bowl. Whisk for 1½-2 minutes with an electric whisk, until light and fluffy. Spoon on top of the apricots and level the surface. Bake in the preheated oven for about 50–55 minutes, until lightly golden and the sponge is coming away from the sides of the tin.

5. Leave to stand for about 30 minutes, then loosen the sides and put a plate on top. Carefully turn the cake upside down and remove the tin.

6. Spoon any loose caramel sauce over the top and serve warm in wedges.

Tip: Can be made up to 12 hours ahead and gently warmed to serve. Freezes well.

Recipes from ‘Mary’s Foolproof Dinners’ by Mary Berry (BBC Books, £28).