Category Archives: Mains

Tomato Beef Casserole

Beef, Mains

Ingredients

  • 600-800g casserole/stewing beef, diced
  • 1 onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 celery sticks
  • Optional: throw in any other veg you like
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1.5tbsp tomato puree
  • 1.5tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1tsp English mustard
  • 1/2 vegetable stock cube
  • 100ml red wine
  • 400ml passata

Method

  • Preheat your oven to 150C/130 Fan
  • Heat olive oil in a large casserole dish on a medium-high heat.
  • Add the onion and brown
  • Add the garlic, carrots, celery and bay leaves and soften for 10-15 minutes.
  • Add the purée and stir through
  • Add the balsamic vinegar and stir through
  • Add the wine and wait for it to mostly cook away
  • Add the half stock cube
  • Add the beef and stir til coated
  • Add the passata.
  • Stir until it simmers
  • Add any potatoes/squash now if using (I usually cut them into big chunks)
  • Transfer to the oven and cook for at least 4 hours
  • Turn the oven up to 200C/180C Fan and remove the lid. Cook for 20 minutes to thicken up the sauce
  • Make your dumplings! These are cooked with the lid on.
  • When the dumplings are cooked, remove the lid for the last 5 minutes so they go crispy on top.

Indian Summer – Mamaji’s Chicken

Chicken, Mains

Chef’s Tip: Try Indian Summer Rice as the perfect side dish.

Ingredients

  • 8 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 600-800g diced chicken
  • 2 large white onions
  • 300g tomatoes (chopped)
  • 4 whole dry red chillies
  • 1tsp fennel seeds
  • 75g garlic-ginger paste
  • 1tsp turmeric
  • 1tsp red chilli powder
  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1tsp salt
  • 100g cashew nuts OR 50g ground almonds
  • 1/4 bunch fresh coriander

Method

  • Place oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat.
  • To test the heat of the oil, drop a few fennel seeds in. They should float and sizzle but not too quickly.
  • When hot add fennel seeds and dry red chillies.
  • Add the onions straight away and brown for about 30mins. They should be soft and starting to brown. 
  • If you find that the oil is bubbling away, turn it down at touch.
  • Add the garlic/ginger paste and stir.
  • Add the turmeric, chilli powder and coriander powder which should make a nice paste. Cook for a few minutes while stirring.
  • Add tomatoes and salt.
  • Turn the heat down and simmer with a lid on until the mixture thickens (around 10-15mins).
  • At this point you can use a stick blender or masher to create your desired consistency.
  • Add the chicken and stir. Cook with the lid on for at least 30mins. Keep stirring it and making sure it’s still simmering away.
  • At this point, you can just leave it simmering for another 15-30mins as the chicken will become nice and soft.
  • If using cashews: Wash the cashew nuts and mix in a blender with about 100-150ml water, until it becomes a nice thick paste. It shouldn’t be too liquidy.
  • If using ground almonds: simply add water to 50g ground almonds until it becomes a nice paste. It shouldn’t be too liquidy but make sure all the almonds are mixed in.
  • Add this to the curry and stir in.
  • Add the chopped coriander right before dishing up.

 

Lasagne

Beef, Mains, Pasta and Rice

Ingredients

Method

  • Make your bolognese
  • Make your white sauce
  • Add a layer of meat to your dish, followed by lasagne, then a layer of white sauce and a sprinkle of parmesan
  • Repeat meat, pasta, white sauce, parmesan until you get to the top which should be parmesan.
  • Cover with a double layer of foil and cook for the required time of the lasagne sheets (usually dry for around 30mins and fresh for 20mins).
  • Take the dish out of the oven, cover the top with mozzarella and cook until cheese is melted and browning on top.

Meat Sauce for Lasagne

Beef, Mains

Serves 6-8 for bolognese or lasagne. Scale down the mince to 500g for 2-4 person bolognese, and based on your preference you can change to 1 tin of tomatoes.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 750g lean beef mince
  • 100ml red wine
  • 1 medium-large onion, finely sliced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced or finely chopped
  • 1/2 a stick of celery, diced small
  • 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 2 tins of plum tomatoes
  • 1 200g tube of tomato puree
  • Dash of Worcestershire sauce
  • Dry basil
  • Dry oregano
  • Garlic granules (optional)
  • Salt and pepper
  • Olive oil

Method

  • Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large pan on a medium-high heat.
  • Add the mince and use a whisk to break it up and remove any chunks. Season the mince with salt and pepper.
  • Cook the mince until all of the liquid has evaporated and the meat is starting to brown/stick to the pan (don’t worry, it will come off). This will take your bolognese to another level of flavour.
  • Add the red wine and cook for about a minute to release the alcohol, then add the onion, garlic, celery and rosemary.
  • Cook for another 5mins or so to soften the onions then add the tomatoes. Break them up with a spoon/masher/knife if you want smaller chunks.
  • Take one of the tins and fill it 2/3 with water, and add that to your sauce.
  • Add about 2/3 of the puree (you might need to add a bit more later), a dash of Worcestershire sauce, and a good sprinkle of basil and oregano – I’d say around a tablespoon of each.
  • Re-season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Turn down to simmer with a lid on for 30mins

Roast Beef in Red Wine Gravy

Beef, Mains

Chef’s Tip: You will need to increase/decrease the amounts based on the size of the beef joint you buy.

Ingredients

  • Beef brisket (at least 450g)
  • Gravy granules
  • 100ml red wine
  • 1/2 pint water
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 onion

Method

  • Take the string off the beef and lay it in a deep oven dish
  • Chop the onion and slice each garlic clove in half. Put these around the beef in the dish.
  • Pour the wine over the beef
  • Sprinkle a generous amount of gravy granules on and around the beef
  • Add the water.
  • Cover with foil and cook on 130 for a 2.5-3hrs

Sexy Time Steak

Beef, Mains

Chef’s tip: A great side dish is sweet potato wedges, broccoli and grilled tomato.

Ingredients

  • 2 fat steaks – rib eye/sirloin
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • Fresh rosemary
  • Butter

Equipment

  • Griddle pan
  • Oven dish
  • Space in the freezer for a rack

Method

  • 12-24hrs before you want to eat, take the steaks out of their packaging and place them on a plate. Cover one side with sea salt and leave in the fridge uncovered.
  • 90mins before you want to eat, take the steaks out of the fridge, wash them and dry them until they are as dry as possible.
  • Chop your garlic clove in half and rub each side of the steaks with it. Also sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Place the steaks on a raised surface like a grill rack and put the steaks in the freezer for 45mins.
  • At this point heat the oven to 90C and put your oven dish in it with a little bit of oil in the bottom
  • After 35mins, turn your hob on full whack and put the griddle pan on (and open the window – it’s going to get smokey!)
  • Put a tsp of butter in the griddle pan and take the steaks out of the freezer when they’ve had their 45mins.
  • Sear each steak for 1 minute on each side.
  • Lay sticks of rosemary in your oven dish and place the steaks on top
  • Cook in the middle of the oven for 30-35mins for medium steak.

 

Sczechuan Beef

Beef, Mains

Chef’s Tip: This is delicious with brown rice and some broccoli. You don’t have to stick to the exact recipe when it comes to the vegetables. Feel free to add whatever you want – some people enjoy bean sprouts, carrots, green beans. It’s flexible and up to you.

Ingredients

  • 400-500g frying beef
  • 1.5-2cm knob of ginger chopped into small strips
  • 2 cloves of garlic chopped into small strips
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1 red pepper, sliced
  • 2 spring onions, chopped small
  • 0.5-1 red chilli, chopped
  • 3 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1tsp cornflour mixed with some water
  • 2tsp red wine
  • Chinese five spice
  • 1tsp brown sugar

Method

  • Put a non-stick frying pan or wok on a relatively high heat with a tablespoon of sunflower or vegetable oil.
  • Cook the beef until it’s almost all brown but still with bits of pink. This will product a load of liquid, so at this point drain it in a colander and leave to one side.
  • Clean the pan and put back on the heat with another tablespoon of oil.
  • Add the ginger and garlic, and stir for a minute until just before the garlic starts to brown.
  • Add the onion and pepper and cook until soft.
  • Add the chilli and stir it in.
  • Re-add the beef to the pan and sprinkle with the five spice (no set amount, but not too much as it’s quite strong).
  • Add 2tbsp of the soy sauce and stir for a couple of minutes
  • Add the wine and stir for a few minutes
  • Add the cornflour mix until the mixture has thickened as you like it
  • Add the spring onions and sugar. Stir.
  • Add the final tbsp of soy sauce, turn the heat to a medium-low heat and cover the pan with a lid for 5-10mins to simmer.

 

Creamy Chicken Pasta

Chicken, Mains, Pasta and Rice

This is sort of my twist on a carbonara. It’s creamy and delicious 🙂

Serves: 2 people

Ingredients

  • 1 large chicken breast (or 2 small)
  • 1 onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • Half a red chilli (or half a teaspoon of chilli powder) – this is optional to add a bit of spice but you can leave it out
  • 2 slices of smoked bacon
  • 100ml white wine – drink the rest of the bottle with the food 😉
  • 200ml cream (single or double, whichever your prefer)
  • 200g spaghetti
  • Parmesan to serve

Optional Extras

  • Try adding some red or green pesto after the cream.
  • Try adding a squidge of tomato puree before the cream.
  • Try adding a handful of spinach just before the cream.

Method

  • Get a large frying pan on a medium heat with some olive oil.
  • Get everything prepped so that you’re ready to get cooking. Chop your onion, mince or chop your garlic, chop the chilli into tiny pieces, slice the bacon into small strips and dice your chicken.
  • Add the onion to the pan and cook until soft and starting to brown.
  • Add the garlic and chilli to cook for 1 minute. Don’t let the garlic brown.
  • Add the bacon and stir until it’s cooked.
  • Now add your chicken with a good sprinkle of salt and pepper and stir it around.
  • At this point, put a pan of water on to boil for spaghetti if you’re using dried. Cook as you normally would while doing the rest.
  • Once the chicken is almost cooked through, add the wine and turn the heat down a bit so it can simmer for 5-10mins. This will allow the alcohol to cook away and leave you with the flavour.
  • If you are using fresh pasta, get it going now.
  • Now turn the pan down to a low heat and add your cream. Make sure you don’t add the cream until the pan has cooled down a bit or it will go lumpy.
  • Drain your pasta and add it to the pan. You can turn the heat off at this point as it will stay hot enough.
  • Serve and sprinkle with parmesan 🙂

Hungarian Goulash

Beef, Mains

Serves: 2-4 people
Prep time: 30mins
Cooking time: 2hrs 30mins

Chef’s tip: This is delicious with gnocchi, dumplings or pasta.

Ingredients

  • 600-650g stewing/casserole/slow cook beef, diced into small chunks
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 2 medium carrots, sliced
  • 2 sticks of celery, sliced or in chunks
  • 1 red pepper, in 2cm square chunks
  • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 2.5tbsp sweet paprika (Hungarian if you can get it)
  • 1.5tbsp caraway seeds, crushed
  • 40g tomato puree
  • 2-3 bay leaves
  • 1 litre of good beef stock
  • Sea salt
  • Ground black pepper

Method

  • Get everything diced/sliced/chopped etc so it’s all ready to go.
  • Get a large casserole pot or large saucepan on a medium heat, add a little oil and then add the onion, carrots, celery, pepper and garlic. Cook these gently for about 10 minutes until softened.
  • Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, brown the meat for a couple of minutes and set aside.
  • Once the veg is soft and started to brown, add the meat, paprika, caraway seeds, puree and bay leaves.
  • Stir it all in and then cover with the beef stock.
  • Stir well, cover the pan with a lid and simmer for at least 2 hours.

 

Sweet Glazed Gammon

Christmas, Mains, Pork

Serves: 4 people
Prep time: 15mins
Cooking time: 2hrs 30mins

Chef’s Tip: Delicious when served with log stem broccoli and my Perfect Roast Potatoes

Ingredients for the Meat

  • 1.3-5kg Gammon joint (unsmoked or smoked, it’s your preference)
  • 1 large or two small carrots
  • 1 onion or 1 leek
  • 2 sticks of celery
  • Handful of peppercorns
  • 4 bay leaves
  • Choose your Glaze (simply multiply the measurements up or down if you need more/less)

Honey Glaze

  • 65ml water
  • 65ml orange juice (smooth)
  • 65ml honey
  • 65g muscovado sugar (soft brown sugar)

Treacle Glaze

  • 65g light muscovado sugar
  • 65ml treacle
  • 65ml golden syrup
  • 65ml water

Method

  • Place the gammon in a large pan of cold water that just covers the joint. Roughly chop the veg, and add along with peppercorns and bay leaves and bring to the boil. Then reduce the heat to a low simmer and cover for the cooking time for your joint. (25min per 500g, plus 20min).
  • Periodically skim the froth off the top if necessary.
  • Remove the meat pan from the heat and let it stand for 20-30mins to absorb the flavours
  • Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas Mark 4
  • At this point, you can make your glaze. Simply add all of the ingredients to a pan and bring to a fast simmer/almost boil. Simmer it until the glaze resting time is up.
  • Take the meat out of the pan and place it in a roasting dish with a little bit of the liquid to stop it from sticking.
  • If your gammon join has skin and a fat layer on it, use a knife to remove it.
  • Brush glaze all over the joint and then pour two thirds of the rest all over it (save some for serving).
  • Cook in the oven for 30mins, re-brushing with the glaze every 10mins.
  • You might want to cook it for a bit longer if the glaze isn’t quite sticky enough 🙂