Win a Copy of 'Eat: The Little Book of Fast Food'

[Photographs: Jonathan Lovekin]

Dirty secret: a lot of times I don't feel like making dinner. By the time I get my kid to bed and wrap up some work, it's usually late evening, and I'm bone-tired and starving. As much as I love cooking and eating well, and in spite of the glut of amazing cookbooks at my disposal, the siren song of cheese and crackers has been known to win me over. If you can relate, but you feel you can muster a just a bit of oomph at the end of a long day for a proper meal, Nigel Slater has got something for you. His newest cookbook, Eat: The Little Book of Fast Food, released in the U.K. last year and landing on U.S. shelves tomorrow, is brimming with ideas to guide you to a quick but nourishing meal in around half an hour.

Crab balls from Eat.

Slater, who is debatably England's top celebrity chef, insists that he isn't a chef at all. He's "a cook who writes," as he puts it, and his focus has always been on delivering uncomplicated, unfussy food that invites all inclinations and skill-levels into the kitchen. He's been a food columnist for The Observer for 20 years, has written best-selling and award-winning cookbooks, has hosted a number of BBC shows, and has had his touted memoir, Toast, turned into a feature film. He's a household name in the U.K. and is well on his way to becoming one here. This book—touted in the British press as 2013's cookbook of the year—will help.

It's a stout, cloth-bound tome with utility in mind. Slater gives us over 600 recipes written in a style that was inspired by the necessary concision of Twitter: a short paragraph of method, with the ingredient list imbedded within in bold print (as well as essential ingredients, without their amounts or preparation, listed under the title of each recipe, for quick reference). Every recipe has a photograph, and many have interesting variations and/or tips on the facing page. It has a very fresh feel to it; there's something simple and modern about the format that is appealingly easy to use.

Lentil bolognaise from Eat

Slater's first book, Real Fast Food, was published 21 years ago, and he felt it seemed somewhat dated. Eat is his way of revisiting and refreshing the same idea, and it's full of global flavors and intriguing combinations that can still fill an empty belly on the quick. The recipes are generally a breeze to prepare, though some require hands-off cooking that adds up to more than 30 minutes. There are light, summery recipes, like a Crab, Melon, and Basil Salad, and hearty, warming ones, like Slow-Cooked Beef Pie with Celery Root Rösti Crust. My experience with the recipes leads me to see them as inspirational guides, which adapt well to personalization. Maybe I wanted some acidity or a little heat, but the bones were all there.

Spiced Sesame Lamb with Cucumber and Yogurt from Eat

This week, we'll begin with the super-easy, fragrant Crab Balls, pan-fried rounds of crabmeat flavored with cilantro, mirin, and a hot chili. Then we'll try his vegetarian Lentil Bolognaise—gently sweet, slightly tangy, and wonderfully satisfying. Later in the week, when we're too tired for even that much work, we'll give you sticky and delicious Marmalade Chicken, which is literally just chicken legs coated in a mixture of marmalade and mustard and thrown in the oven. And finally, we'll end the week with big-flavor-bang for your buck, Spiced Sesame Lamb with Cucumber and Yogurt.

Thanks to our ever-generous friends at Ten Speed Press, we have 5 copies of Eat to give away this week. Just share your favorite quick meal in the comments below.