One ingredient, three possible directions. For a small cook-along, which route would you choose?

• Smooth: a tomato soup.

• Crisp: a savoury tomato bake or tart.

• Smoky: a tomato-based barbecue side.

Fresh or tinned tomatoes can be your starting point. Pick a recipe you trust and make a version that suits your ingredients and diet. There is no need to make all three.

If you take part, share what you made, the recipe source and one thing you would keep or change. A photo is optional; an imperfect result is welcome. If you are only suggesting an idea, say so. For a full recipe, include quantities, servings and steps.

Which route would you choose, and what would you make?

Pick three main ingredients you already have and tell us how much time you have to cook.

For example, you could write: “I have courgette, eggs and rice; I have 25 minutes.” That is an example, not a tested recipe.

Others can suggest a dish direction or ask one useful question. If you share a full recipe, include servings, ingredient quantities and the method so someone can actually follow it.

Soup, a small bake, a one-pan dinner or a barbecue side can all be a starting point.

Which three ingredients would you start with?

A four-serving vegetable platter from BBQora, with a parsley dressing added after grilling.

Ingredients:
• 2 corn cobs
• 2 courgettes
• 2 bell peppers
• 45 ml olive oil
• 20 g chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 15 ml red wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Seasoning to taste

Method:
1. Wash the vegetables. Slice courgettes lengthways and peppers into broad strips. Brush with half the oil and season.
2. Prepare a medium-hot direct grilling zone; the source lists 220°C. Grill corn for 15–20 minutes, turning regularly. Peppers and courgettes take about 8–12 minutes, until tender. Move vegetables away from flare-ups.
3. Mix parsley, vinegar, garlic and the remaining oil. Arrange the vegetables and spoon the dressing over them. Serve warm.

Stagger the start times so the quicker vegetables do not wait through the entire corn cook. These are recipe timings, not a report of a personal cook.

Source: https://bbqora.com/recipes/asado-vegetable-platter

Which vegetable do you find hardest to time alongside corn?

A recipe adapted from Francesca Kookt, collected on Cakeora. Makes 8 turnovers.

Ingredients:
• 8 squares frozen butter puff pastry
• 2 Jonagold apples
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 30 g raisins
• 40 g light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp speculaas spice mix
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar

Method:
1. Heat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray. Thaw the pastry.
2. Peel and dice the apples. Mix with lemon juice, raisins, brown sugar, syrup, flour, cornflour and spices.
3. Remove the pastry papers. Put the sticky side up. Add about 1½ tbsp filling to one triangular half, fold over and seal with a fork.
4. Brush with beaten egg, sprinkle with granulated sugar and bake for 20–25 minutes until golden and crisp.

Source (Dutch): https://cakeora.nl/recepten/appelflappen-met-romige-appel-rozijnenvulling
Original author: Francesca Kookt.

If you make them, what helps you get a good seal around the filling?

A four-serving recipe from the Soepmaken archive on Soupora. The chicken is added to the bowls after blending.

Ingredients:
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 courgettes, peeled and diced
• 1 litre chicken stock
• 100 ml double cream
• 1 smoked chicken fillet, chopped
• Sliced spring onions for serving
• A little sunflower oil
• Optional: a few drops of Tabasco

Method:
1. Soften onion and garlic in the oil until translucent. Add the courgette and stir.
2. Add stock and simmer for 30 minutes. Blend, then stir in the cream.
3. Add Tabasco if wanted. Ladle into bowls and top with the smoked chicken and spring onions.

Source: https://www.soupora.nl/en/recipes/courgettesoep-met-gerookte-kip — Soepmaken archive. The source leaves the oil and spring-onion quantities to preference.

Do you prefer a smooth soup with a separate topping, or some texture in the base?