Category Archives: Mains

Steak Ciabatta Sandwich with Zingy Tomato Relish

Beef, Mains

Ingredients (serves 2)

For the sandwich

  • 1 large or two small ciabattas (I use bake at home and bake it at the beginning).
  • 2 fillet steaks, at least 2cm thick
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • Butter
  • 2tbsp mayonnaise
  • 2tsp whole grain mustard
  • Salt and pepper
  • Baby gem lettuce

For the relish

  • 1/2 a red onion, diced
  • 1/2 a red chilli, chopped
  • 200g mixed colour baby tomatoes, sliced in quarters
  • 1tsp of balsamic vinegar
  • A handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped

Method

  • Important steak prep: take your steaks out of the fridge and out of their packaging 30mins before starting to bring them to room temperature. Then drizzle with olive oil and season very generously with salt (not pepper!). Leave to rest.
  • We’ll make the chutney first, so get a large frying pan on a medium heat and heat some olive oil.
  • Add the onion and chilli and cook for 5mins until softened.
  • Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 6-8mins until the tomatoes have softened and collapsed.
  • Add the balsamic and stew slowly for another 6-8mins.
  • While it’s stewing, mix the mayonnaise and mustard in a small bowl or ramekin.
  • Remove from the  heat and stir in the fresh basil. Set aside.
  • Heat a pan that comfortably fits both steaks with space around them on a very high heat until the pan is smoking. Do not add oil.
  • Add the steaks to the pan, oil side down and then oil and salt the other side. Sear for 1 minute.
  • Turn the steaks over and set another 1 minute timer. After about 10 seconds, add a generous knob of butter, the garlic and thyme. Swirl around the pan and use a brush to cover the steaks in the flavour.
  • Take a second to heat your griddle pan on a medium-high heat while your timer is going.
  • Turn the steaks again for 30seconds-1 minute (continue brushing) and once more to the other side for 30seconds-1 minute. This will give you a medium-rare finish.
  • Leave the steaks to rest on a chopping board for 4-5mins, and while they rest, toast your ciabatta on the griddle.
  • To serve, spread a layer of the mayonnaise on the bottom of your ciabatta, then a layer of lettuce, followed by thinly sliced steak, and topped with the relish.

Croatian Pašticada (fruity beef stew)

Beef, Mains

Serves 4-6 people
Marinating time: 5hrs-overnight
Cooking time: 2-3hrs

Ingredients

  • 2kg beef joint (toprump/topside – doesn’t need to be an expensive cut)
  • 2tbsp olive oil
  • 250ml apple cider vinegar
  • 50g smoked bacon lardons
  • 3 medium onions, chopped in 8ths
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped roughly
  • 3 sticks of celery, sliced
  • 3 carrots, sliced
  • 750ml red dessert wine
  • 2 braeburn apples, chopped in 8ths
  • 8 prunes, chopped in half
  • 3 tomatoes, sliced OR 20g puree
  • 1 thyme sprig
  • 1 rosemary sprig
  • 2 bay leaves

Method

  • Cut slits in the beed and insert the lardons throughout.
  • Put it in a dish you can cover with a lid or clingfilm and pour over the oil and vinegar.
  • Leave to marinate for at least 5hrs but overnight if you can.
  • Remove the beef from the fridge 20mins before you cook it.
  • Heat a large casserole/soup pot on the hob on a high heat and brown the beef on all sides
  • Remove the meat, lower the heat and sauté the onions, garlic, carrots and celery until they start to soften
  • Return the meat to the dish and pour in the wine.
  • bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. Cook covered for an hour-90mins.
  • Add the apples, prunes, tomatoes and herbs. You can also add a splash of water at this point if you feel it needs.
  • Cover again and simmer for another hour.
  • Remove the meat, frut and veg and keep them warm on a serving dish, and let the sauce reduce to your liking.
  • While the sauce is thickening, cook your gnocchi or mashed potatoes.
  • Slice the beef and serve with some of the fruit and veg, your side dish and pour over the sauce.

Korean Style Chicken and Halloumi Burgers

Chicken

Makes 4 burgers

Ingredients

For the burgers

  • 4x skinless and boneless chicken thighs
  • Plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
  • 1 pack of halloumi cheese (cut 8 slices)
  • Sriracha mayo
  • 4x brioche buns

For the glaze

  • 4 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1.5 tbsp sugar

For the pickled cucumber side

  • 1/2 a cucumber, sliced thinly
  • 1/4 tsp rock salt
  • 1/4 tbsp sugar
  • 1/4 tbsp white vinegar

Method

  • Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan on a medium-high heat.
  • Open the chicken thighs out flat and coat them in the flour.
  • Add the chicken to the pan and watch it sizzle 🙂
  • While the chicken is cooking, make the glaze and pickled cucumber.
  • Glaze – add the ingredients to a pan and bring to a boil. Simmer for a few minutes then leave on a super low heat.
  • Cucumber – sprinkle over the salt and leave for 5mins to absorb. Mix in the sugar and vinegar and leave in a bowl for the flavour to develop.
  • Heat a medium sized non-stick pan on a medium-high heat and add the halloumi to the pan without any oil.
  • Flip the chicken once they’re half way cooked and crispy on one side.
  • Flip the halloumi and set aside once cooked on both sides.
  • Toast the buns and get ready to stack!
  • Add the chicken and spoon over some of the glaze.
  • Top with halloumi and the sriracha mayo.
  • Serve with pickled cucumber and your choice of salad/wedges/veg.

Swedish Meatballs with Creamy Gravy

Beef, Pork

Ingredients (serves 4 people)

For the meatballs:

  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 500-600g mince (beef, pork or a mix of both)
  • 75g breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 50ml milk or single cream
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • Salt and pepper

For the sauce:

  • 25g butter
  • 25g plain flour
  • 100ml white wine
  • 500ml beef stock
  • 100ml double cream
  • 2tsp soy sauce
  • 1tsp dijon mustard

Serve with creamy mash and lingonberry jam or redcurrant jelly

Method

  • Preheat oven to 200C/180C Fan
  • Add all the meatball ingredients to a large bowl or mixer and mix until combined.
  • Roll meatballs about the size of golf balls
  • Heat 1tbsp and 2tsp olive oil in a large pan on a medium heat and fry off the meatballs until browned.
  • Transfer to place on a baking tray. Cook for around 15-20 mins until cooked through
  • Once the balls are in the oven, get your mash going. Peel and boil your potatoes – 15mins should do it.
  • Now for the sauce. Add the butter to a large frying pan (make sure it will hold the meatballs later) and once it melts, add the flour. Mix together to make a roux and stir for a few minutes.
  • Add the white wine and whisk vigorously until it’s all incorporated.
  • Gradually add the beef stock, mixing along the way to avoid lumps.
  • Let the sauce thicken up on a low heat and then add the cream, soy sauce, dijon mustart, and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 5-10mins while you mash up your potatoes.

Filling for Butternut Squash Ravioli

Pasta and Rice

Makes enough to fill about 30-35 small ravioli

Ingredients

  • 350g peeled and chopped butternut squash (2cm cubes)
  • Olive oil
  • Sea salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1/2 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 15-20g pecorino/grana padano cheese
  • Ground nutmeg/ground cinnamon

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6
  • Place the butternut squash in a large bowl with about 2stp olive oil, season with salt and pepper, mix it up.
  • Tip the pieces onto a baking tray and roast in the oven for 18-20mins.
  • Meanwhile, add the onion slices to the bowl used to season the squash. Drizzle another teaspoon of olive oil and season to taste.
  • Once the butternut squash has had 20mins, sprinkle the onion slices over it and cook for another 10mins.
  • Leave it to cool for 5mins and then tip it into a high sided bowl. Blend it into a puree with a hand blender.
  • One completely cool, stir in the cheese and season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. I also like to add a dash of ground cinnamon.

Spaghetti Bolognese

Beef, Pasta and Rice

Serves 4-6 people.
Chef’s tip: Make this at least 3 hours before you plan on eating it. The flavours will develop the longer you leave it.

Ingredients

  • 500g beef mince (a bit less/more works just fine if you can’t get the exact weight)
  • 150ml red wine
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced or finely chopped
  • 1/2 a celery stick, diced super small
  • 2 tins of plum tomatoes (chopped tomatoes are also fine)
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1/2 beef stock cube (optional but delicious)
  • Dash of Worcestershire sauce
  • Dry basil
  • Dry oregano
  • Salt and pepper
  • Olive oil

Method

  • Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large frying 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 5-10mins or so to soften the onions
  • Add the puree and stir until it’s incorporated
  • 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 the half stock cube, 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 at least an hour, longer if possible and occasionally stirring it. Ideally you want time to be able to turn it off, let it cool and start it up again when you make your pasta.
  • Taste it every time you stir and see if you need to add any more seasoning.
  • When you put your water on to boil for the pasta (in salted water), add a pinch of sugar to the bolognese sauce to really bring it all together.
  • Serve with your choice of pasta and maybe some garlic bread 😉

Shepherd’s Pie

Lamb, Mains

Serves 2 people

Ingredients

  • 2tbsp olive oil
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • 500g lamb mince
  • 1 large onion, finely grated
  • 1 large carrot, finely grated
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
  • 1-2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • Handful of thyme sprigs, leaves picked
  • 1 sprig of rosemary, needles chopped
  • 250ml red wine
  • 300ml chicken stock
  • 1kg Desiree potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 2 egg yolks
  • Parmesan, for grating
  • Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

Method

  • Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan
  • Peel and chop the potatoes, put them in a large pan of salted cold water and get them boiling.
  • In the mean time, heat the oil in a large frying pan on a medium-high heat.
  • Season and fry the lamb until the liquid has mostly evaporated.
  • Stir in the onion, carrot and garlic for 1-2 mins.
  • Add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree and herbs, and cook for another 2mins.
  • Pour in the red wine and cook until it’s almost evaporated.
  • Check your potatoes and when they’re done, drain them. Let them sit in the colander to dry off.
  • Add the chicken stock, bring it to a gentle simmer and cook until it’s thickened up.
  • Mash up your potatoes, and stir in the 2 egg yolks.
  • Add a decent helping of grated parmesan and season with salt and pepper.
  • Transfer the sauce to a small oven dish, cover with the potatoes and then grate more parmesan on top.
  • Fluff the potatoes up with a fork and bake in the oven for around 20mins, or until golden and bubbling.

Slow Roast Pork Belly with Gravy

Mains, Pork

Ingredients

  • Sea salt
  • Olive oil
  • 1-1.5kg pork belly
  • 1tbsp fennel seeds
  • 1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, sliced
  • 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and bashed
  • 2-3 star anise
  • 4-5 cardamom pods
  • 3 bay leaves (ideally fresh)
  • 1 medium/large carrot, roughly chopped
  • 325ml white wine
  • 500-750ml chicken stock (depending on the size of your pan

Method

  • Preheat your oven to 180C (160C Fan – I never cook this on Fan because it doesn’t go crispy).
  • Score the skin of the pork diagonally both ways to create a diamond pattern. Don’t go too far through.
  • Rub the skin all over with sea salt. Be generous with this, get it in the cracks and really rub it in. This will help form a nice crispy crackling.
  • Heat some oil in a large roasting tray on the hob and add the fennel bulb and 3 garlic cloves. Cook for a few minutes to release the flavours.
  • Add half the fennel seeds, star anise and cardamom pods and cook for another few minutes
  • Add the bay leaves
  • Push these to one side and add the pork skin side down to the pan. Cook for at least 5mins to turn it golden brown
  • Turn the pork over, season the skin again with a bit of salt and sprinkle the remaining fennel seeds on top.
  • Pour in the wine around the pork, being careful not to get the skin wet and scrape the flavour from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine bubble to reduce and cook away the alcohol.
  • In the mean time add the carrot around the pork – this will add a nice sweetness to the gravy.
  • Add the chicken stock to come up to the fat layer just under the skin and bring it to a boil. It’s important to get it boiling before it goes in the oven.
  • Cook in the oven for 2.5 hours.
  • Remove the pork and set it aside to rest.
  • In the mean time, add the vegetables and juices from the tray to the hob on a medium heat, add a little flour until it starts to thicken up. If it’s too thick, add a splash of water or wine. You can get creative by adding a dash of cranberry sauce or some gravy granules, more wine etc. Just keep tasting it until you love it 🙂

Home Made Tikka Masala

Chicken, Mains

Serves 4-5 people

You will need

  • A large high sided frying pan
  • Wooden skewers
  • Garlic press
  • Fine toothed grater

Ingredients

For the marinade:

  • 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 lemon
  • 125g plain yoghurt
  • 6 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, minced (use the grater)
  • 2 teaspoons of salt
  • 2 teaspoons of ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons of garam masala
  • 2 teaspoons of paprika (not smoked)

For the sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons of fresh ginger, minced
  • 8 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons of ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons of turmeric powder
  • 2 teaspoons of coriander powder
  • 2 teaspoons of paprika (unsmoked)
  • 1 teaspoon of chilli powder
  • 2 teaspoons of garam masala
  • 1 tablespoon of tomato puree
  • 800g tomato passata
  • 300ml water
  • 250ml coconut milk
  • Fresh coriander to garnish

Method

  • Slice the chicken into bite sized chunks and combine in a bowl with all of the marinade ingredients. Stir until evenly coated.
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  • Preheat your oven to 230C Fan/260C
  • Skewer the marinated chicken onto wooden skewers and place them over an oven dish. Make sure the ends of the skewers are over the edges of the dish so that the chicken isn’t touching the dish at all.
  • Bake the chicken for around 15mins until slightly browned
  • Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat, and saute the onion, ginger and garlic until tender but not browned
  • Add the spices and fry for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly
  • Stir in the puree
  • Add the tomato sauce and water then bring to the boil and cook for 5 mins.
  • Pour in the coconut milk gradually, tasting as you go until you’re happy – you don’t have to use the whole lot.
  • Mix in the chicken and leave to simmer.
  • Cook your rice/naan and serve with a sprinkling of fresh coriander!

Slow-Cooked Duck Ragu

Mains, Pasta and Rice

Serves 2 people

Ingredients

  • 2x duck legs (use 4 legs for 4 people or a whole duck cut into pieces)
  • Sea salt
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 stick of celery
  • 1 carrot
  • 125ml red wine
  • A sprig of fresh rosemary
  • 2-3 fresh sage leaves (optional)
  • A spring of fresh thyme (optional)
  • 1x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • A pinch of ground cinnamon (optional)
  • 250ml hot vegetable stock
  • Parmesan to serve

Method

  • Place a large high sided frying pan over a high heat. Add the duck pieces, season with salt and seal on all sides.
  • Finely chop the onion, celery and carrot.
  • Pour the wine into the pan and quickly put a lid on it as it will spit fiercely.
  • Leave it to bubble for a minute, then add the chopped vegetables and herbs.
  • Reduce to a medium heat and fry for 10mins, or until softened.
  • Add the cinnamon, tomatoes and stock, and bring to the boil.
  • Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours. Top up with more stock if needed.
  • Remove the duck to a plate and discard the herbs from the sauce. Keep it warm on a low heat.
  • Shred the duck meat and stir it back into the ragu.
  • Cook your pasta (pappardelle works really well with this) and then add to the ragu.
  • Serve with grated parmesan