Is it only me who finds washing up far less of a chore in someone else’s kitchen? Maybe it’s because someone else’s washing-up liquid smells sharply of Sicilian lemons rather than of mint, like mine does. Maybe it’s because, since it’s their washing-up liquid, I’m much more flamboyant as I squirt it in the sink, creating more bubbles than an Ibiza foam party. Maybe it’s because, at someone else’s house, you can just do the easy bits – the plates, the cutlery – and leave the stubborn stuff to soak for someone else to deal with later.

Or maybe you’re a little sad like me and enjoy figuring out where, in this alien kitchen, everything that’s in the sink will live once it’s clean – taking bets with yourself that the cutlery is in the top drawer and the pots go in the corner cupboard by the stove. (This is the cupboard in which you can never reach the colander because it’s fallen into the deepest darkest nook, where the spiders and the kitchen cupboard monster lives. You don’t believe in kitchen cupboard monsters? Well, if they don’t eat the saucepan lids, where have they all disappeared to?)

The point is that washing up in your own kitchen is a tedious occupation, and recipes that minimise the time you spend at the sink are far less common than they should be. That’s why I’m a fan of the tray bake – the meal where everything you need is cooked in one pan in the oven (although sometimes you might want to fry a few things in the pan on the stovetop first). For this – and I know it’s obvious, but I need to say it – you’ll need an oven pan that can be used in the oven and on the stovetop with direct heat. Heavy metal roasting trays are great for this.

Tray bakes are largely set-and-forget dishes where the oven does most of the work for you, and their popularity in delicious.com.au searches has increased by 235 per cent year-on-year, potentially linked to the return-to-office trend and the normalcy of time becoming tighter again. That’s why the May 2023 issue of delicious. magazine is packed with new and clever one-pan wonders, and that’s also why this seems like the perfect cue for me to detail the world’s best tray bakes – that aren’t lasagne.

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SAUSAGE, FENNEL AND FLAGEOLET BEAN TRAY BAKE

You’ll find this heartiest of approachable tray bakes at deliciousmagazine.co.uk. Use a heavy metal roasting pan and brown some pancetta and sausages first, then deglaze the pan with white wine before adding the fennel, beans, stock and fresh thyme to all cook together to a glorious, golden roast-y conclusion. 

STICKY MARMALADE CHICKEN WITH ’NDUJA HARICOT BEAN

Haricot or white beans cooked with ’nduja, a spicy Calabrian sausage paste, provide your carb-y element, but to make this dish truly one tray, cook the beans in your roasting tray, then reserve to add in the last 10 minutes of cooking. Roast the chook thighs and, after 15 minutes, add the marmalade and Dijon mustard. The recipe’s whipped tarragon ricotta requires another bowl to mix, but it’s worth it. This one can also be found at deliciousmagazine.co.uk.

THAI GREEN CURRY FISH TRAY BAKE

My deconstructed curry recipe – which you’ll find here – has all the joy of a Thai green curry but without the risk of the fish being overcooked. Roast the eggplant in the tray first and then reserve to fold through at the end.

TRAY-BAKED SALMON WITH BEANS

Silvia Colloca’s recipe (pictured) promises perfectly cooked salmon on a bed of braised leeks and cannellini beans with capers and olives for pep. It’s another five-star, tray-bake recipe here.

GREEK LAMB TRAY BAKE

This is an inspired idea by my friend and talented cook Jen Clarke, who roasts the lamb and then cooks the risoni (rice-shaped pasta) with tomatoes and the roasting juices in the pan while the lamb finishes. It takes about four hours but is super easy as the oven does 90 per cent of the work. Feta, olives and a gremolata made with fresh lemon juice and oregano cut through and complement the richness of the lamb-y risoni.

Picking the best recipes out of all the tray bakes on the delicious. websites – including all of the dishes above – is quite a feat. While I’ve largely resisted spruiking my own tray-bake work here, my simple French cassoulet, my Indian aloo gobi spiced potato and cauliflower tray bake, or my pumpkin, potato and peanut Thai red curry bake are all winners.

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