Cook once, eat twice has become Justine Schofield’s mantra in life since becoming a mother.

The freezer became central to this approach in the lead-up to the birth of her son, Louis, says the Australian cook and TV presenter.

In preparation for the now-toddler’s arrival, she cooked, organised and stored delicious batches of curries, sauces and dumplings in her freezer.

“The freezer’s ability to preserve food quality, save you money and offer convenience makes it a real unsung hero in the kitchen,” Schofield writes in her new cookbook, Cook Ahead.

The collection aims to show how batch-cooked freezer meals let families enjoy nutritious home-cooked dinners – and avoid takeaway – without having to cook from scratch every night.

Here, she shares four essential recipes that will save you time, effort and money.

Chicken schnitzel

Tender chicken encased in a crunchy coating, the beloved “schnitty” is a sure-fire dish to please everyone. Let’s face it, though, the process of crumbing can sometimes be a tedious task, and that’s why I love to double up on this recipe so I can freeze an uncooked batch for a later date. The best part is there is no thawing required, simply fry from frozen. My tip when cooking schnitzels from frozen is to ensure the pan is not too hot or they’ll become golden too fast on the outside before cooking through to the centre.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 chicken breast fillets
• 100g (⅔ cup) plain flour
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 tbsp milk of your choice
• salt flakes
• 400g panko breadcrumbs
• 25g (¼ cup) finely grated parmesan
• extra virgin olive oil (or vegetable oil), for shallow frying

METHOD

1. Working with one piece of chicken at a time and holding it flat with the palm of your hand, slice the fillet into thirds horizontally. Repeat with the other fillets, so you have 12 pieces in total.
2. Line up six chicken pieces on a long piece of baking paper. Cover with more baking paper and, using a meat mallet or rolling pin, lightly pound to flatten. Repeat this process with the remaining chicken.
3. Place the flour in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, beat the eggs and milk with a good pinch of salt. In a third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and parmesan.
4. Lightly dust each piece of chicken in the flour and dip in the egg wash.
   Drain slightly, then coat in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing on the crumbs so they stick.
5. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add a good splash of olive oil, so it covers the base of the pan. Fry the schnitzels, in batches, for 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and drain on a wire rack placed on a tray – this ensures the chicken stays crisp on the top and bottom.
6. Serve the schnitzels with mash (below), chips or ratatouille (below). They’re also great with onion gravy.

Makes 12

Freeze: Layer the uncooked crumbed chicken between pieces of baking paper and arrange in a snap-lock bag or airtight container. Doing this means the schnitzels won’t stick together, so when it comes to thawing, you can easily remove the required number. Seal, label and date. For optimum crispness, thaw and cook within 8 weeks.

Thaw: Thaw the crumbed chicken overnight in the fridge. After thawing, the crumbed coating may seem soft, but it will crisp up when fried.

Reheat: Fry the schnitzels as per the method above. Alternatively, cook from
frozen at 180C in the oven or air fryer for 12 to 15 minutes, turning halfway through.

Master bolognese

Bolognese is one of the all-time freezer faves and, like many of you, it’s on high rotation in my household. So, instead of starting from scratch every time, I make a big batch and freeze portions for a super-simple and cost-effective mid-week dinner.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 carrot, coarsely grated
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1kg beef and/or pork mince
• salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
• 125ml (½ cup) white wine (such as chardonnay) (optional)
• 750g passata
• 400g can crushed tomatoes
• 1 dried bay leaf

METHOD

1. Heat the olive oil in a flameproof casserole dish over medium heat and add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Stir to coat everything in the oil and cook, stirring regularly and allowing the vegetables to sweat, for 10 to 12 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and lightly caramelised.
2. Add the mince to the dish and cook, using a wooden spoon to break up the lumps, for 3 to 4 minutes or until the meat is browned. Season with salt and pepper and pour in the wine, if using. Bring to the boil and add the passata and crushed tomatoes, rinsing both the jar and the can out with a little water and adding that to the dish. Add the bay leaf, season again with salt and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover with the lid. Cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the bolognese is thick and rich. To make it extra rich, cook, uncovered, for a further 15 to 20 minutes. The bolognese is ready to be tossed through pasta.

Serves 4

Freeze: Portion the bolognese into airtight containers. Cool, seal, label and date. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw: Thaw the bolognese overnight in the fridge.

Reheat: Heat the thawed bolognese in a saucepan over low heat until piping
hot. Alternatively, microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring once or twice, until hot.

Mashed potato

I don’t think you’ll meet anyone who loves mashed spuds more than me. It’s my ultimate comfort food, and it’s so great with any stew, rissole, schnitzel or as is with lashings of chicken gravy. I couldn’t live without a batch in the freezer to enjoy as a speedy side on a busy weeknight.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 large desiree or royal blue potatoes, peeled and halved
• salt flakes
• 500ml (2 cups) full-cream milk
• 125g unsalted butter, cubed
• pinch of freshly ground white pepper (optional)

METHOD

1. Place the potato in a large saucepan and cover with plenty of cold water. Add a good pinch of salt, bring to the boil and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until a potato is tender when pierced with a skewer (pierce only one potato half: the more spuds you pierce the more waterlogged they’ll become). Drain the potato in a colander and let the steam dissipate for 5 minutes.
2. Heat up the milk in a saucepan or the microwave until hot.
3. Press the potato through a potato ricer (for a finer puree) or use a potato masher to smash the potatoes in the pan over very low heat. Using a wooden spoon, slowly incorporate the butter, giving the mash a good whip after each addition. Once all the butter is incorporated, add the hot milk in thirds, again whipping really well after each addition until a smooth, silky mash forms. Check the seasoning. I usually add more salt here and if you like pepper, add it now before serving.

Serves 4-6

Freeze: Portion the mash into airtight containers or snap lock bags. Cool, seal, label and date. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw: Thaw the mash overnight in the fridge.

Reheat: Combine the mash with a little extra milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat and whip until smooth and piping hot. Or microwave the mash on high for 3 minutes, giving it a stir every minute.

Ratatouille

Mum would make this French vegetable stew often for us growing up. She’d also make a big batch so some could be frozen for another meal later on. It’s super delicious as a side for a roast, particularly lamb. I also like to serve leftovers with fried eggs and crusty bread.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red or green capsicum, cut into 2cm pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 eggplant, cut into 2cm pieces
• 2 zucchini, cut into 2cm pieces
• 2 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 bouquet garni (1 dried bay leaf, 3 sprigs each of flat-leaf parsley and thyme tied together)
• salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add the onion, capsicum and garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the vegetables are softened.
2. Add the eggplant, zucchini, tomato and bouquet garni to the pan. Stir and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with the lid, reduce the heat to low and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the vegetables are soft and tender. Serve the ratatouille at once.

Serves 4

Freeze: Portion the ratatouille into airtight containers. Cool, seal, label and date. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw: Thaw the ratatouille for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.

Reheat: Heat the ratatouille in a saucepan over low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until piping hot. Alternatively, microwave the thawed ratatouille on high for 3 minutes, stirring regularly, until piping hot.

This is an edited extract from Cook Ahead by Justine Schofield, published by Plum, RRP $39.99, photography by Rob Palmer.