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Slow cooked lamb ragu

Lamb, Mains, Pasta and Rice

Serves 4-6
Prep time: 15mins
Cooking time: 3h20mins

Ingredients

  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil
  • 500g lamb mince or lamb shoulder cut into cubes
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1 stick of celery, diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped small
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 250ml red wine
  • 450ml chicken stock
  • 2x 400g tins plum tomatoes
  • 1 large or 2 small fresh rosemary sprigs
  • 1 fresh bay leaf
  • Salt and pepper

Method

Tip: make sure you dice your veg first, so you’re all prepped and ready

  • Put a large pan on a medium-high heat with 1tbsp of the oil. Once hot, add the lamb and brown all over.
  • Drain the excess fat and transfer the lamb to a separate bowl
  • Put the pan back on a medium heat (a bit lower than you had it), and add 1-2tbsp of oil.
  • Add the onion, carrot and celery and lightly sautee for 10 minutes, don’t let it brown, we just want it softened.
  • Once it’s soft, add the garlic and stir for a minute until fragrant.
  • Add the lamb back in and mix it all up with the puree
  • Add the wine and cook until it’s reduced by at least half.
  • Now add your tinned tomatoes, breaking them up with the spoon, and your chicken stock
  • Add the rosemary and bay leaf and a good sprinkle of salt and pepper
  • Let it simmer slowly on a medium-low heat for 3 hours, uncovered. If at any point it dries out a bit, add a splash of water or stock.
  • Once it’s ready, taste and season with salt/pepper as needed.
  • Serve with your favourite pasta

Avocado Mango Salsa

Sides

Serves 4-6 as a side

Ingredients

  • 2 ripe avocados
  • 1 small firm ripe mango
  • 1 red chilli, finely chopped
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Small bunch of fresh coriander, chopped

Method

  • Peel/stone and finely chop the avocados and mango
  • Mix with the chilli, lime juice, coriander and a pinch of salt

Cranberry Sausage Rolls

Christmas, Sides

Makes 26 rolls

Ingredients

  • 1 pack of premade puff pastry (320g)
  • 350-400g sausage meat – you can use any kind with any flavour, or even any type of stuffing mix
  • Roughly 10 tsp cranberry sauce
  • 1 egg, beaten

Method

  • Preheat your oven to 200C/180Fan
  • Line a baking tray with baking paper
  • Cut the pastry in half lengthways so you have two long strips.
  • Spread the cranberry sauce down the middle of the strip
  • Top with sausage meat/stuffing
  • Brush one edge with egg and then roll the other edge over and press down
  • Use a fork to seal the edge and make a nice pattern
  • Brush the whole thing with egg, and sprinkle with black pepper
  • Make little lines on top with your knife for a pretty pattern if you fancy it
  • Cut the roll into mini sausage rolls (about 2-3cm wide) and arrange them on the baking tray
  • Pop them in the oven for 25-30mins until golden brown

Banana Bread/Cake

Cakes, Desserts, Fruit

Serves 8-10 people

Ingredients

  • 140g softened butter (a little extra for the tin)
  • 140g caster sugar
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 140g self raising flour
  • 1tsp baking powder
  • 2 or 3 very ripe/overripe bananas, mashed
  • Optional for topping – honey and demerara sugar

Method

  • Pre-heat the oven to 180C / 160 Fan / Gas 4
  • Butter a 2lb loaf tin OR 20cm square dish and line with baking paper
  • Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy
  • Slowly add the beaten eggs with a little of the flour
  • Fold in the remaining flour, baking powder and bananas
  • Pour the mix into the tin and sprinkle all over with demarara sugar.
  • Cook for about 50mins or until cooked through. Check at 5 minute intervals from 35mins onwards by testing with a skewer (it should be able to be inserted and removed cleanly)
  • Cool in the tin for 10mins then transfer to a wire rack
  • Sprinkle with demarara sugar and drizzle with honey for an extra sweet finish

‘Nduja truffle carbonara

Pasta and Rice

Serves 2 people

Ingredients

  • 180g dry spaghetti
  • 2 tbsp ‘nduja
  • 3x garlic cloves (whole)
  • 3x egg yolks
  • 40g parmesan (plus some for serving)
  • 1/2 tsp white truffle oil
  • Salt and pepper

Method

  • Bring a large saucepan of salted water
  • Cook the spaghetti until al dente
  • While the spaghetti is cooking, heat a large frying pan on a medium-high heat and add the ‘nduja and break it up for a few minutes.
  • Add the garlic to the pan and stir for a few minutes while the pasta cooks
  • Mix the egg yolks, parmesan, truffle oil and seasoning in a small bowl
  • Drain the pasta and retain the water
  • Add a splash of the water to the frying pan and turn the heat down to low-medium
  • Add the spaghetti and stir
  • Stir in the egg mixture smoothly so it doesn’t scramble 🙂 and add more water to loosen the sauce
  • Serve with parmesan on top

Amaretto Sour

Drinks

Ingredients

  • 1.5oz disaronno
  • 0.75oz whiskey (I use JD)
  • Juice of a whole lemon
  • 1tsp simple syrup

Method

Shake all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a glass and garnish with a slice of orange or glace cherries.

Honey Glazed Carrots

Christmas, Sides

Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients

  • 500g thin carrots (or cut them down the middle in half)
  • 25g unsalted butter
  • 1tbsp goose/duck fat (optional)
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1/4 bunch fresh thyme
  • 2 clementines or half an orange
  • 2 tbsp runny honey

Method

  • Trim most of the leafy green stalks off the carrots, then peel them.
  • Melt the butter and fat (if using) in a large frying pan over a medium heat.
  • Crush the unpeeled garlic with the flat side of your knife, then add to the pan turning after 1 minute.
  • Pick and sprinkle in the thyme sprigs, squeeze over the orange juice, then add the honey and a splash of water.
  • Add the carrots in a single layer, season with sea salt and black pepper, then jiggle the pan to coat the carrots.
  • Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender.
  • Remove the lid, then cook until the glaze has reduced, and the carrots are sticky and caramelised, turning often.
  • Serve straightaway, or reheat when needed.

Baked Salted Caramel Cheesecake

Cakes, Desserts

Serves 8-12 people

Ingredients

For the base:

  • 50g melted butter (plus a bit for greasing the tin)
  • 200g chocolate digestives

For the filling and topping:

  • 250g marscapone
  • 500g cream cheese
  • 300g salted caramel sauce from a tin or jar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 150g golden caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 4 medium eggs

Method

  • Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
  • Butter a 23cm springform cake tin and line the base with baking parchment.
  • Tip the biscuits into a food processor, blitz to crumbs and pour in the melted butter. (You could also tip the biscuits into a bag, bash with a rolling pin into crumbs and mix in the butter.)
  • Press the biscuit mixture into the base of the tin. Place the tin on a tray and bake for 10 mins, then remove from the oven to cool.
  • Meanwhile, scrape the marscapone and cream cheese into a bowl with 3 tbsp of the caramel sauce, the vanilla, sugar and flour, and beat until smooth.
  • Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until you have a thick, smooth custard consistency.
  • Tip over the base, scraping the bowl clean, and bake in the oven for 10 mins.
  • Reduce the temperature to 140C/120C fan/gas 1 and continue to bake for 25-30 mins until there is a slight wobble in the centre.
  • Turn off the heat and leave the door just slightly ajar – a tea towel holding the door open is ideal. This should leave you with a completely smooth top, but if there are a couple of small cracks, don’t worry.
  • Leave the cheesecake in the oven until completely cool (overnight is fine), then chill until needed. Will keep in the fridge for two days.
  • When you’re ready to serve, spoon the rest of the caramel sauce over the top of the cake and swirl with the back of a spoon.

Red Wine Jus

Sides

Serves 4 as an accompaniment 

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Any beef trimmings if you have them from the meat you’re cooking
  • 2 large shallots, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, whole and slightly crushed
  • 175ml red wine
  • 175ml port (ruby if you can)
  • 1 sprig of rosemary
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 800ml beef stock
  • 25g butter

Method

  • Heat the oil in a large pan on a medium heat
  • Add the beef trimmings and cook until browned all over
  • Stir in the shallots and cook for around 10mins to caramelise
  • Add the wine, port and herbs and simmer until reduced by half
  • Pour in the stock and continue to cook until reduced by half again
  • Strain into a new pan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 10mins
  • Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter
  • Season to taste if needed

Pumpkin (or squash), Sage and Crispy Pancetta Risotto

Pasta and Rice

Serves 4 

Ingredients

  • 500g pumpkin or butternut squash, cut into wedges
  • 100-150g smoked pancetta, cubed or chopped
  • 2 large shallots or a medium onion, finely sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 10-15 sage leaves, chopped
  • 150ml white wine
  • 350g risotto rice
  • 1l vegetable stock
  • 50g parmesan

Method

  • Preheat your oven to 200C / 180 Fan
  • Place the pumpkin wedges on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper
  • Roast in the oven until golden (roughly 20mins)
  • Meanwhile, add the pancetta to a cold, wide based pan and put on a medium heat on the hob
  • When the fat has rendered out and the pancetta is crispy, transfer it to a bowl and set aside. Keep the fat on the heat.
  • Add the shallots and cook for a few minutes until soft and turning brown
  • Simmer the stock slowly in a saucepan so it’s ready to use
  • Add the garlic and saage to the shallots and cook for a minute until fragrant
  • Add the rice and stir well so it’s all coated
  • Add the wine and cook until it’s mostly gone
  • Add the stock one ladle at a time, constantly stirring the rice so it doesn’t stick
  • Take the pumpkin out of the oven when it’s done and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Mash it up and set aside.
  • Keep adding the stock and stirring until the rice is cooked with a bit of bite left to it. You can add more stock or water as needed.
  • Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the pumpkin, pancetta and parmesan. Add a generous amount of fresh ground black pepper and taste for salt.
  • Serve with extra parmesan on top, and if you’re feeling adventurous, some fried crispy sage.