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Chorizo and Tomato Salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients

3 ripe beef tomatoes cut into wedges
½ red onion thinly sliced
few thyme sprigs, leaves picked
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
100g chorizo, sliced on the diagonal
Method

Put the tomatoes in a bowl with the onion and thyme.
Season, then drizzle with the vinegar and oil.
Let the flavours mingle while you cook the chorizo.

In a hot, dry pan, fry the chorizo slices until browned on both sides.
Serve the tomatoes with the fried chorizo, drizzled with a little oil from the pan.




Baked Bean Cottage Pie

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook: 55 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients

For the meat layer:
1 onion, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
500g lean minced beef
2 beef stock cubes
3 tbsp HP sauce
415g can reduced sugar and salt baked beans

For the topping:
900g large potato
3 medium carrots
25g butter
good splash skimmed milk
40g mature cheddar
4 small tomatoes
Method

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
Heat oil in a large frying pan, add the onions and fry them until golden, stirring occasionally.

Add the mince and brown.
Pour in a mug of water, crumble in the stock cubes, then measure in the HP sauce.
Cover the pan and simmer on a low heat for 20 mins, stirring every now and then.

Put a large pan of salted water on the hob to boil and cover with the lid.
When the water is boiling, add the potatoes and carrots. Cover and simmer for 20 mins until the potatoes
are soft when you stick a knife in.
Drain, return to the pan with the butter and milk, then mash until smooth.

Stir the beans into the meat mixture, simmer for a few mins, then spoon the mixture into 4 mini pie dishes.
Spoon the mash on top and spread over the filling, right to the edges of the dish so none of the layer
below shows.

Put pie dishes on a baking tray.
Grate cheese, sprinkle on top, then cut tomatoes into wedges and arrange on top.
Bake for 35 mins or until tops are golden.




Meatloaf

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients

200g dried breadcrumbs soaked in 220ml of milk
700g ground beef / mince
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon, dried sage
Salt and black pepper to taste

The Glaze:
2 tablespoons brown sugar
60ml tomato ketchup
Method

Combine all the meatloaf ingredients and place into a loaf pan (Deep Pie Dish)

Mix the glaze ingredients together and top the meatloaf with the mixture

Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until the meatloaf is no longer pink in the centre




Ham Hock Terrine

Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook: 3 1/2 Hours
Serves: 8
Ingredients

2 small ham hocks, approx 1kg/2lb 4oz each
sunflower oil, for greasing
2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
small handful parsley, chopped
1 sheet gelatine
Capers berries, and toasted bread, to serve

For the stock:
500ml cider
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
6 thyme sprigs
3 star anise
6 whole peppercorns
Method

Put the ham hocks in a large pan with the stock ingredients. Cover with cold water. Set pan over a high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cook for 2 and a half to 3 hrs or until the meat falls from the bone. Leave to cool in the pan.

Grease a 1-litre terrine mould or loaf tin with the oil, then line with cling film. Remove the hocks, then strain the stock through a fine sieve into a pan. Set aside.

Shred the ham, leaving some large chunks, removing as much fat and sinew as possible. In a large bowl, mix the ham with the mustard and parsley. Press the mixture into the prepared terrine.

Bring the reserved stock back to a rapid boil and reduce by half. You should have about 600ml/1pt liquid remaining. Remove from the heat. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine in cold water for 5 mins to soften. Remove from the water, then squeeze out any excess liquid. Add the gelatine to the hot stock and stir well.

Pour enough of the stock over the ham to just cover. Tap terrine firmly on a hard surface to knock out air pockets, then cover with cling film. Chill for 3-4 hrs or overnight. To serve, remove from the mould and carve into chunky slices. Serve with caper berries and toast.




Sausage and Mash Pie

Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients

1kg potato cut into even chunks
25g butter
4 tbsp milk
85g Red Leicester or cheddar, finely diced
1 tbsp sunflower oil
Sunflower oil
1 large onion chopped
8 large meaty pork & leek sausages, removed from their skins
175ml chicken stock
2 tomatoes each cut into 6 wedges
veg of your choice or baked beans, to serve
Method

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Boil the potatoes for 20 mins, then drain and mash with the butter, milk and seasoning. Stir in the Red Leicester or cheddar.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a non-stick pan and fry the onion,stirring frequently, for 5 mins until softened. Add the sausages and break them up with a wooden spoon until you get a texture similar to chunky mince. Pour in the stock and simmer for 8 mins.

Spoon the sausage mixture into 4 individual pie dishes. Top with the cheesy mash. You can freeze the pies for up to 2 months. Simply thaw in the fridge before baking. Bake for 25-30 mins until starting to turn golden. Top with the tomato wedges and serve with your child’s favourite veg or baked beans.




Rosti Bolognese

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients

700g potatoes
4 medium carrots
2 celery sticks
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp olive oil
500g pack lean minced beef
400g can chopped tomatoes
350g jar sweet red pepper sauce
50g mature cheddar, grated
Method

Boil the potatoes for about 15 minutes until tender. Drain and leave to cool. Finely chop the carrots, celery and garlic in a food processor. Heat half the oil in a pan with a lid and add the chopped vegetables. Cover and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Remove the lid, turn the heat to high and cook for 2 minutes. Add the beef and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes until browned. Add the tomatoes and sweet pepper sauce plus 4 tbsp of water and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 25 minutes and season.

Preheat the oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/ gas 6. Peel the potatoes and grate them into a bowl. Add the remaining oil and three quarters of the cheese, season and mix lightly.

Spoon the beef into an ovenproof dish. Scatter over the rösti topping and sprinkle over the rest of the cheese. Bake for 35 minutes until bubbling and golden.




Slow Cooked Braised Beef with Gravy

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook: 2 hours
Serves: 4
4 braising steaks (about 200g/7oz each)
3 tbsp sunflower oil
1 medium onion, halved and cut into 12 wedges
1 garlic clove, crushed
500ml/18fl oz beef stock made with 1 beef stock cube, or 500ml/18fl oz fresh beef stock
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme, or ½ tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tsp cornflour
½ tsp English mustard powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method

Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3.

Trim off any hard fat from the beef and season on both sides with salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper.

Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan.

Fry the steaks, two at a time, over a medium-high heat for a couple of minutes on each side, or until nicely browned, then transfer to a large flameproof casserole dish. Add a little more oil to the pan if necessary.

Return the pan to the hob and reduce the heat. Add the remaining oil and gently fry the onion for five minutes, or until softened and lightly browned, stirring regularly.

Stir in the garlic, cook for one more minute, then transfer the onion and garlic to the casserole dish.

Pour over the stock and add the tomato purée, thyme and bay leaf.

Bring to the boil, then cover the casserole and transfer carefully to the oven. Cook for 1¼-1½ hours, or until the beef is very tender.

Mix the cornflour and mustard powder in a small bowl and stir in a tablespoon of cold water until smooth. Remove the lid from the casserole dish and stir in the cornflour mixture. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Place the casserole over a medium-high heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until the gravy reduces and becomes thickened and glossy, stirring regularly.

Transfer the steaks to four warmed plates and spoon over the gravy. Serve with chips.




Turkey Steaks with Crème Fraiche and Cider Sauce

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients

12 shallots
2tbsp sunflower oil
25g/1oz butter
4 British Turkey breast steaks
300ml/1/2pt dry cider
1 chicken stock cube
1tsp chopped fresh thyme
200ml/7fl oz crème fraiche
To garnish:
50g/2oz butter
1tbsp caster sugar
2 red-skinned apples, cored and thickly sliced
Method

Blanch the unpeeled shallots in a pan of boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain, leave until cool enough to handle and then pull off the skins.

Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan and, when foaming, fry the turkey steaks until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the shallots to the pan and fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in the cider, crumble in the stock cube, add the thyme and return the turkey to the pan. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Stir the crème fraiche into the pan, season and leave over a gentle heat while preparing the garnish.

In a separate pan, heat the butter and sugar together, stirring until melted. Add the apple slices, a few at a time, and fry over a brisk heat until lightly caramelised.

Serve the turkey with some sauce, garnished with the apple slices.




Sloppy Joes

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients

450g beef mince
1 onion chopped
1 green pepper, deseeded and diced
175ml tomato ketchup
150ml water
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 large or 4 regular burger buns
2 - 4 slices of cheddar cheese
Method

Fry the beef in a large non stick frying pan for about 5 minutes or until browned

Add the onion and pepper and fry for a further 5 minutes

Stir in the ketchup, mustard and sugar

Add the water, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Ladle the mixture over the bottom halves of the burger buns, top with cheese then the bun lids