Category: Food

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1tbsp plain flour
• 2 tbsp butter
• 350ml chicken stock
• 2 large shallots (or a small onion), finely chopped
• 200g mushrooms
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 100ml Marsala wine

Method

1. Butterfly the chicken breasts. (Cut horizontally almost right through and open flat). Dust the chicken with the flour, seasoned with salt and pepper.
2. Fry the chicken in 1 tbsp of butter for 2 minutes each side until golden brown, then put aside. Fry in batches if necessary.
3. Deglaze the pan with a little stock, scraping the tasty brown stuff from the bottom. Fry the shallots in a 1 tbsp of butter for 2 minutes, then add the mushrooms, garlic and Marsala. Scrape the good stuff from the bottom of the pan again, and add the rest of the stock.
4. Bring to a simmer, add the chicken and cook for 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has reduced.

This sweet, sloppy, chunky, sour, sticky mess is great with roasts, stews, cold meats, or just on toast. I could eat it for every meal.

Ingredients

• 1 red cabbage, core removed and roughly cut into chunks
• 1 pack (approx. 300g) streaky bacon, sliced finely.
• 2 eating apples, peeled, cored and roughly diced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 or 2 tbsp fennel seeds
• 150ml balsamic vinegar

Method

1. Fry the bacon and fennel seeds with plenty of olive oil in a very large saucepan, for 5 minutes.
2. Add the onion and fry for a few more minutes until the onion is softened.
3. Add the apple, cabbage and balsamic vinegar. Season well with salt, pepper, and anything else you fancy. Stir well.
4. Cover and cook on a low heat for an hour, stirring occasionally.

This keeps well in the fridge, and is even better reheated and served with a bit of butter.

This should fill 2 half-litre Korken jars. I have made this with carrots cut into matchsticks, and with grated carrot, but it is more satisfying when the carrot is closer in consistency to the cabbage.

Ingredients

• 1 Chinese cabbage
• 2 carrots, cut into ribbons with a peeler
• 60g salt
• 8 radishes, coarsely grated
• 3cm piece of ginger, grated
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
• 3 tbsp sriracha sauce
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced

Method

1. Quarter the cabbage and remove the core.
2. In a large bowl, coat the cabbage and carrot with the salt, then cover with water and leave for 2 hours.
3. In a small bowl, mix the ginger, garlic, fish sauce, sriracha, vinegar and sugar.
4. Drain the brined vegetables and quickly rinse with cold water to get rid of any excess salt.
5. In the large bowl, mix the cabbage and carrot with the radish, spring onions and the sauce. Then pack tightly into sterilised jars, wipe the rims clean and seal.
6. Leave to ferment at room temperature for a few days. Periodically poke it to release any bubbles, and pack down again with a fork. Top up with vinegar and sriracha to add extra punch.
7. Move to the fridge.

I have kept sealed jars in the fridge for 6 months without spoiling, and even after opening it seems to keep for 8 weeks or more. Your mileage might vary.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• 400g chopped tomatoes
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 600ml vegetable stock
• 115g red lentils
• 1tsp dried thyme
• 2tsp ground cumin
• 2tsp chilli
• 1tsp mixed spice
• 3tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1tbsp oyster sauce
• 225g tinned kidney beans, drained

Method

1. Fry the onion in a large saucepan with a big glug of oil, for a few minutes until softened.
2. Add the tomatoes and garlic and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the stock, lentils, thyme, cumin, chilli, mixed spice, soy sauce and oyster sauce.
4. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the lentils sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add a drop of water if the lentils look close to drying out.
5. Stir in the kidney beans and cook for 10 minutes, with a splash of water if it needs it.

This is one of my favourite go-to recipes. It’s quick, tasty, and I normally have all the ingredients in store. It’s great filling for enchiladas.

The amount of spice listed here is the absolute minimum for my taste; I often use a lot more.

Ingredients

• 1kg minced beef
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 eating apples, peeled, cored and diced
• 3 jalapeños
• 70g raisins
• 400g chopped tomatoes
• 2tsp ground cinnamon
• 2tsp ground cumin
• A big wallop of Worcester sauce

Method

1. Heat corn oil in a large frying pan and add the beef, onion and garlic. Fry until the onion is soft and the meat browned.
2. Add the other ingredients and cook uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.