Baked Potato with Ground Lamb

The baked potato was begun first, with a little butter, in a roasting tray in an oven heated to 190 deg C. It took one hour and fifteen minutes to cook (not wrapped in tin-foil). Check every fifteen minutes, particularly if you don't have an oven thermometer.

From the fridge I took the Fresh ground minced lamb I cooked a couple of days ago, which had been browned and then simmered under glass for two hours. Then I added diced mushrooms, lamb stock, oregano, and two bay leaves. Then simmered again under glass for another 45 minutes, with some onion gravy granules.

I added diced spinach leaves and spring onion, plus half of a chopped yellow pepper. Serve hot.

Ground Lamb and Mushrooms, with Brocolli Spears

Fresh ground minced lamb, browned and then simmered under glass for two hours. Then I added diced mushrooms, lamb stock, oregano, and two bay leaves.

 Simmered again under glass for another 45 minutes, with some onion gravy granules. Served with Brocolli spears, cooked in salted water for ten minutes under glass.
 

Cumberland Sausage, with Peas and Chopped Tomato

A relatively simple winter dish, made with Cumberland sausage, peas, tomato, and a pork-flavoured onion gravy.

I used to love Cumberland sausage, because it was loaded with herbs, and the flavour infused the added gravy. You have to be careful about your choice of sausages now, because most manufacturers use fewer herbs.Which is why I added extra Sage to this dish. The coiled ones are probably best. 

The sausages were cooked at a medium heat for about twenty-five minutes, turning them every seven minutes or so. I made up the basis of the gravy in a jug (onion gravy granules and the stock). All cooked together in a separate pan. I added the chopped tomato and the peas. Cooked under glass for another twenty minutes. Delicious!

 

 

 

Chipolata Sausage, with Button Mushrooms in a Ham Gravy

A simple dish of fried pork chipolata sausages, in a ham gravy with halved button mushrooms. Served with steamed brocolli spears and flat cut potatoes.

The sausages were cooked slowly for about twenty minutes and regularly turned. The button mushrooms were added during the final ten minutes. I made the gravy with ham stock, and a dessert spoonful of Bisto gravy granules. Simmered under glass for a further fifteen minutes.

The potatoes were boiled for twenty minutes under glass, and the brocolli spears were steamed for eight minutes.

Dress with black pepper before serving.

Roast Pork Stew

A really simple stew made to use up some left over pork in the fridge.

Two slices of roast pork were cut into strips, and cooked in a gravy made with some julienned onion, half a dessert spoonful of onion gravy granules, two pinches of Sage, and some vegetable stock. Cooked for fifteen minutes until the onions were soft.

Served with semi-skinned boiled potato. Simple and delicious.

Fried Chicken with Egg Noodles and Green Beans

A simple dish of fried chicken pieces (one diced chicken breast), with red chilli, green beans, onion, chicken stock, onion gravy granules, oregano, and egg noodles.

The chicken pieces were cooked first, in a little sunflower oil, until the pieces became golden brown. Then they were removed from the pan.

Some julienned onion was then stir-fried for ten minutes at a medium heat, along with a deseeded and diced red chilli. After that, chopped green beans were added, and cooked for seven minutes.

The egg noodles were sourced from the local co-op store, and were semi-dried an in an airtight package. They were decanted into a pan of boiling water. The heat was reduced to a low simmer, for ten minutes, and the contents were stirred frequently.

The chicken salsa was made with chicken stock, a teaspoonful of onion gravy granules, and a pinch of oregano.

Serving the dish: the chicken pieces were reheated with the vegetables for four minutes at a low heat. and then the ensemble was added to the drained noodles on the serving plate. Served with a generous amount of gravy, and dressed with a drizzle of soy sauce.

Roast Chicken with Vegetables and Rice

Roast breast of chicken, cooked on a bed of vegetables in a casserole dish - carrot, red bell pepper, celery and semi-skinned potato, served with a mix of black rice and finely chopped Brussels sprouts. And a gravy.

I topped and tailed two medium sized carrots, and then split them in two. These became the basis of the platform of vegetables in the casserole dish. I added the diced celery (about a handful), the diced red pepper, and four semi-skinned potatoes. The vegetables were drizzled in sunflower oil, and then I added about 150mls of water.

The whole chicken breasts were placed on top, and I shook some sea salt over them. The chicken was also dressed in some sunflower oil, and the lid placed on top. Cooked for 70 minutes on the middle shelf of the oven at 180 deg C.

I cooked a large handful of black rice for 30 minutes under glass at a low heat in unsalted water. During this time, I used an electric vegetable chopper to pulverise seven or eight raw Brussels sprouts. Cooked separately for seven minutes in salted water under glass. When the rice was cooked and drained, and the pulverised sprouts, they were mixed together before being decanted to the serving plate.

The gravy was made with the juices from the casserole dish, some chicken stock, and some onion gravy granules. Also a large pinch of oregano. Add a generous amount of the gravy to the serving plate. 

Roast Chicken in Gravy

Not everything needs to be complicated. A simple dish of roast chicken slices, boiled potato and carrot, served with a delicious chicken gravy.

Three skinned chicken breasts were roasted in a casserole dish in the oven, on a bed of sliced carrot and parsnips. The chicken was drizzled with sunflower oil, and seasoned with sea salt. A little water was added (about 100 mls), and the casserole dish spent 45 minutes in the lidded casserole, and another 15 minutes with the lid removed (allowing the chicken breasts to become golden brown on the surface). Cooked at 190 deg C on the middle shelf.

The chicken was removed from the casserole dish, and then the vegetables were removed with a slatted spoon - the latter to become the basis of a chicken and parsnip soup.

Once cooled, the chicken breasts were sliced with an electric carving  knife before serving.

The gravy was made with the juices from the roast, which were decanted to a small pan  containing 200 mls of boiling water: some chicken and vegetable stock was added, along with a teaspoonful of onion gravy granules, a pinch of paprika, plus some sage and black pepper. Serve with a generous portion of the gravy!

Chicken and Onion Soup

A  simple soup made shortly after Christmas to use some left over sliced chicken.

First I browned some diced onions slowly in a small pan, stirring occasionally. After about twenty minutes I decanted the onions to a larger pot and added 400 mls of boiling water, plus chicken stock, and some onion gravy granules (Quixo from Aldi).

The chicken slices were diced and added to the pot, plus a finely diced carrot. The soup was simmered slowly under glass for half an hour, then a pinch of Herbes de Provence was added and stirred through the soup.

Serve as is, or with some potato scones. Delicious!

Lentil & Bacon Soup

Made with four strips of smoked bacon, diced, chopped onion, diced brussels sprouts, a handful of diced spinach leaves, a third of a cup of red lentils, vegetable stock, and some onion gravy granules.

The bacon was fried first in a small pan, in some sunflower oil. The vegetables were prepared at the same time (the bacon was stirred frequently along the way). Once the bacon began to brown, the onion was added. Once the onion began to become transparent, the brussels sprouts and spinach were added to the pot. Cooked for another fifteen minutes.

The ingredients were then decanted to a larger pot, and about 400mls of boiling water was added. Followed by the third cupful of red lentils, and the onion gravy granules. Stirred frequently. Cook for at least another half an hour, adding the vegetable stock after about fifteen minutes.

Served with two toasted potato scones. Simple and delicious! Lentil and bacon soup is a Scottish staple dish (the recipe is flexible in its ingredients, according to availability).

Venison Sausage Casserole

Some bargain venison sausages from Sainsbury's, used as the basis of a winter casserole.

I added diced green beans, onion, celery, batoned carrot, and spring onion to a casserole dish. The sausages were delinked, and pierced four times each. They were added on top of the layer of vegetables.

I made a gravy with onion granules and some ham stock. It was allowed to cool to room temperature, and then it was added to the casserole dish, just covering the vegetables. I drizzled some sunflower oil over the sausages, and then placed it in a preheated oven at 190 deg C. Allowed to cook for at least fifty minutes.

Served with lightly roasted maris piper potatoes. 

Bratwurst and Spinach Casoulet

A fabulous dish which is easy to prepare. Bratwurst sausage bought  from Aldi (a pack of six, of which I used three here).

Cut the Bratwurst into roundels (six for each sausage). Then cut the roundels diagonally, so that they are wedge shaped. Cook them in a little sunflower oil in a flat pan, until they begin to brown (seven to ten minutes, stirring frequently). Remove the sausage pieces from the pan.

Add the mushrooms (quartered), the potatoes (also cut into wedge shapes), the red onion, the spring onion (two, diced), half a red pepper, diced, and chopped spinach leaves. Stir-fry for about seven minutes until the onions begin to caramelise.

Bring about 400mls of water to the boil, and add to the pan. Add two teaspoonfuls of onion gravy granules and stir through thoroughly for a minute or so, and then put the Bratwurst wedges back in the pan. Add a little oregano and marjoram also (the sausages derive some of their distinctive flavour from marjoram).

Cook under glass for at least 45 minutes at a low heat.

Pork Sausage, Mushrooms and Peppers

A simple sausage dish served with Brussels sprouts instead of boiled potato.

The sausages were made with outdoor-bred pork, cooked at a medium heat in a little sunflower oil for 20 to 25 minutes, and turned four times.

While the sausages were cooking I diced two medium sized red onions (white or brown onions will do just as well). Plus half of a red pepper, and half a dozen mushrooms, quartered. The sausages were removed from the pan, and replaced with the onion, mushroom, and pepper strips. Cooked for twenty minutes at a medium heat until browned. Stirred frequently to ensure even browning.

After that, about 300 mls of boiling water was added, plus 100 mls of water containing a teaspoonful of dissolved onion gravy granules. Stir together thoroughly. Add the sausages back to the pan, and simmer under glass until the gravy is significantly reduced in volume. This may take as long as thirty minutes - judge progress by eye.

Shortly before serving, I added a little pinch of oregano, and some pork stock. Dress with some freshly ground black pepper.

Spaghetti Chicken with Chilli and Garlic

Made with the last remaining parts (two drumsticks and a wing) of a whole chicken.

I'd kept the jelly from the roasted chicken, The chicken meat (including the skin) was added to the pot, followed by the chicken jelly, half a cup of water, two large squirts of tomato puree, a pinch of turmeric, some onion gravy granules, and a teaspoonful of dried basil.

I also added 100g of diced green beans. Plus three diced garlic cloves, half a teaspoonful of chilli powder and four dried red chillies. All stirred together. The dish was simmered under glass for thirty minutes.

The spaghetti came from the local co-op. It was in an airtight bag and semi dried. It took six minutes to be ready, after being placed in a pot of water already brought to the boil.

Serve with freshly ground black pepper. Can also be served with cheddar or parmagiano regiano cheese. 

Chilli Chicken

Made with the last remaining parts (two drumsticks and a wing) of a whole chicken, roasted a couple of days ago.

I'd kept the jelly from the chicken roast, and broke that up into small pieces in a small roasting dish. The chicken meat (including the skin) was added to the dish, followed by half a cup of water, two large squirts of tomato puree, some onion gravy granules, and a teaspoonful of dried basil. Plus half a teaspoonful of chilli powder and four dried red chillies. All stirred together.

The oven was preheated to 190 deg C, and the roasting dish was placed in the centre of the oven. Cooked for 45 minutes.

Served with semi-skinned flat-cut boiled potato. Hot and delicious, and an easy way to use up leftovers.

Ground Beef with Shredded Brussels Sprouts

Stir-fry chunks of carrot, diced mushroom, green beans, and onion in olive oil in a large saute pan, until tender (about fifteen or twenty minutes). Add 450g of ground beef to another saute pan and cook at a medium heat. After the beef has begun to brown, stir the beef and the vegetables together, and cook for another twenty to twenty-five minutes at a moderately high heat, stirring every minute or so.

Add the bay leaves (I added two), the beef stock, the paprika and the gravy granules. Add black pepper, a diced half of a green pepper,  Stir together. Cook for another hour, stirring every five minutes, before serving.

Cut the Brussels sprouts into six pieces, and steam under glass for about seven minutes. This is a common way to serve sprouts in Italy.

Burgers in a Chilli and Mushroom Sauce

Two beef burgers from Aldi, cooked in their own fat, along with two red onions and chopped tomatoes. Twenty minutes is sufficient to cook the burgers thoroughly, turning them twice. Move the onions around the pan during this time, so that they caramelise, but do not burn.

The sauce was made with finely sliced mushrooms, five finger chillies, some onion gravy powder, vegetable stock, and two squirts of tomato puree.

Stir fry the mushrooms in a separate lidded pan until they squeak. Add half a pint of water. Add the destemmed finger chillies, the gravy powder (two teaspoonfuls), the vegetable stock, and the tomato puree. Stir until the sauce thickens. Add one bay leaf.  Turn down the heat and simmer until the burgers are ready.

Once the burgers are cooked, decant to a serving plate along with the fried tomato and onions. Spoon the chilli and mushroom sauce, and serve. Delicious, simple, and warming!

Garlic and Black Bean Soup

This simple and tasty soup takes very little preparation time (about ten minutes), and is ready to serve in an hour.

Some cheap leeks from the Co-op prompted this dish. Cut a large leek in two length wise, and divide each half into four strips. Gather the strips together, and cut into centimetre lengths with a large bladed knife. Add to a saute pan of hot olive or sunflower oil, and cook until the leek is soft and translucent.

Add half a teaspoonful of powdered cumin, then add about half a pint of boiling water. Add either chicken or vegetable stock, and some tomato puree. Add three desert spoonfuls of garlic and black bean sauce (I used Lee Kum Kee brand - this saves a lot of time with mincing garlic and blending black beans in a soy sauce). Add some onion gravy granules (about a desert spoonful). Stir together thoroughly. Allow to simmer at a low heat under glass for an hour.

That is the basic process. At the end of of it, add either some fresh coriander, or dried coriander (about half a teaspoonful). It is ready to serve!

Unsmoked Gammon with Winter Vegetables

Boiled potato, steamed carrots and Brussels Sprouts. The main ingredient was unsmoked slices of gammon (carved from a roasted joint the previous day), served with a gravy made with chopped green peppers and onion. The gravy could be blended if you prefer.

Boil the potatoes for twenty minutes and steam the carrots for the same amount of time. The sprouts take less time - ten minutes should be enough.

The peppers and onion were cooked in a vegetable stock and some onion gravy granules (Bisto brand). Add the slices of gammon after about fifteen or twenty minutes. Cook under glass for another fifteen or twenty minutes. A small dash of sweet chilli sauce was added in the last five minutes. Not necessary, but I like the edge of heat it gives.