Tapas tea

We fancied a bit of a change, and a bit of a cheer up - with the weather being continuously grim.  So, for the veg dodger pork and chorizo, for the pescatarian garlic prawns … and for the using up of the veg box - potatoes, onion and pepper, creamy cabbage, avocado and radish salad and some manchego … delish.

Olive oil
Onion
Garlic
Yellow (or whichever) pepper
Potatoes
Sherry
Cider vinegar
Pork loin chops
Chorizo
Cabbage
Lemon
Egg
Soya cream (or sour cream)
Little gem lettuce
Radishes
Avocado
Cherry tomatoes
Prawns
chilli flakes

1.  Chop one white and one red onion.  Sautee the white onion in olive oil, add a little crushed garlic.  Then add chopped pepper, sliced potatoes, a splash of sherry, a splash of cider vinegar and some water.  Simmer gently, turning occasionally.
2.  Sautee half the red onion in olive oil, add chopped pork loin chops and chopped chorizo.  Brown a little, then leave to stew gently.
3.  Sautee the other half of red onion, with a little garlic, add shredded cabbage and a little water.   Season and cook until soft, squeeze on juice of half a lemon.  Whisk an egg into cream, add to the cabbage mixture and stir in.
4.  Chop salad vegetables, spritz with lemon juice to stop the avocado discolouring.
5.  Fry crushed garlic, prawns and a little chilli in olive oil.
6.  Serve, scoff ...

Stew and dumplings - vegan stylee

Rain, rain, rain, rain … and cold - and injuries, so we are almost housebound at the mo.  Today demanded serious comfort food - so, vegan butter bean autumnal casserole with DUMPLINGS!!! yay.. and gluten free dumplings at that.  This was a triumph - served with red cabbage braised in apple juice (and flash fried steak for the veg dodger).  This plant based rib sticker stew was a total winner.

For the stew:

Olive oil
onions
garlic
swede
carrots
potatoes
mushrooms
butternut squash
vegetable stock
mustard
tinned tomatoes
butter beans
red cabbage
apple juice
red wine


Dumplings

Self raising flour (gluten free for us)
salt and pepper
olive oil
plant based veg spread (soya margarine for us)
soya milk
parsley

1.  Slowly fry chopped onion and crushed garlic in olive oil.
2.  Prep veg - peel, chop into more or less even sized pieces - all of the veg.  Chucnk into the pan with the onions.  Stir around and then add some stock.  Simmer.
3.  Add a spoonful of mustard and season to taste.
4.  Drain a tin of butter beans.    Add a tin of chopped tomatoes to the pan, follow with a tinful of water - turn it down and simmer for 20 minutes or so … until the veg yield to the tip of a knife.
5.  Make the braised cabbage (optional, obvs … but it goes really nicely)  sweat off chopped onion and crushed garlic, add a splash of apple juice and a splash of red wine - then shredded red cabbage - simmer gently - add more water if needed .. keep simmering and checking water level until done.
6.  Mix self raising flour with a little salt and a grind of pepper, add chopped parsley - drizzle in some olive oil and a knob  of plant based marg - cut the fat through the flour, then add soya milk and mix to a firm dough.
7.  Add the drained butter beans to the stew.
8.  Make the dumplings by mixing the mixture until you can form small balls in your hand - add more "milk" if too dry or more flour if too wet/sticky.
9.  Drop dumplings onto stew … cover … steam,/simmer for 20 minutes
10.  Serve, scoff (fry minute steaks in a hot pan for 5 minutes before serving if necessary!  the veg dodger was happy with good stew, dumplings, cabbage and MEAT)

Cheese and onion pie - gluten free! ta dah!

Once again we were in need of comfort food - and you can't beat pie, chips and beans … the pie needed to be gluten free, and the chips were baby roasties - the beans came out of a tin.  Altogether delicious - totally hit the spot!  The veg dodger didn't complain about lack of meat once.

Gluten free pastry is incredibly crumbly, so roll it out on greaseproof paper to transfer to pie dish and the top of the pie.  Also, be prepared to patch up cracks!

I am lactose intolerant, but know the price I have to pay for cheese … which is why I use soya milk to glaze and seal.

Gluten free flour
Soya spread (or butter)
Salt
Natural yogurt
Dijon mustard
Potatoes
Olive oil
Onions
Cheese (I used cheddar, but Cheshire and Lancashire or a mixture works well too)
Baked beans

1.  Rub the fat into the flour, with a pinch of salt, until it resembles breadcrumbs.  Stir in a spoonful of natural yogurt, a teaspoonful of Dijon mustard and a splash of very cold water.  Mix until it starts coming together in a ball - add a drop more water if it needs it, more flour if it has got sticky.  When it comes together as a ball knead it gently until it is a convincing "ball".  Do not try to knead it much - the paste is very fragile, as it has no gluten which would normally give some elasticity.  Wrap with reusable sandwich wrap/cling film and pop in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2.  Slice onions into half rings, toss them about so they separate.
3.  Grate the cheese.
4.  Cut potatoes into cubes and toss in olive oil, sprinkle with salt.  Roast for 1 hour.
5.  Roll half the pastry onto greaseproof paper, lightly dusted with flour.  Transfer pastry to a greased pie dish,  patch little broken bits where necessary.
6.  Spread a little flour in the bottom of the pastry case (to help prevent the soggy bottom) - add layers of cheese and onions.
7.  Roll out the lid onto greaseproof paper ducted lightly with flour.  Brush a little soya milk around the edge of the base pastry.  Transfer the lid onto the pie - I held it over the top and did a speedy flip over - patch up the gaps and neaten the edge.  Brush the top with soya milk.  Bake for about 40 minutes.
8.  Put beans in oven proof dish and pop in the oven with everything else, to heat through.
9.  Serve, scoff

Vegan lasagne (also gluten free)

Cutting down on dairy, but still want some comforting classics?  I thought I would have a go at a vegan lasagne - it was pretty good - though we did miss the cheese a bit #cheesefiends.

Onion
Garlic
Celery
Olive oil
Oregano
Red pepper
Courgette
Mushrooms
Tomato puree
Red lentils
Red wine
Water
Tin of chopped tomatoes
Almond milk
spring onions
bay leaf
Rolled oats
Marmite
English mustard
Lasagne sheets (gluten free today)
Fried onions

1.  Sautee chopped onion and celery with crushed garlic in olive oil, until a little softened.
2.  Add the rest of the chopped vegetables, a good pinch of oregano, red wine and tomato puree and stir in.
3.  Add red lentils and quite a lot of water, simmer until lentils are soft and then add a tin of chopped tomatoes, continue to simmer gently for 5 or so minutes.
4.  Make the "white" sauce - simmer the almond milk with chopped spring onions and a bay leaf.  Add a small handful of oats, this will help thicken the sauce.
5.  Stir a couple of teaspoons of marmite and a teaspoon of mustard into the sauce, to give it some savoury oomph.
6.  When the oats are soft, remove the bay leaf and zizz the mixture up with a hand blender until smooth, drizzle in a little olive oil - this seems to make it more creamy and less "claggy".
7.  Layer the lentils, white sauce and pasta - repeat - finish with lentils and white sauce - bake for 20 minutes.
8.  Top the lasagne with fried onions and pop back into the oven for a few minutes.
9.  Serve, scoff … seconds …

Roast chicken thighs ... and lots of other stuff dinner

There's been a lot happening in and around Kitchen Fairies HQ over the last months - so, we've lost a bit of the cooking momentum.  This happens!   I want to get into it all a bit more, and there is a bit of a backlog in the fridge etc … so I'll try to be a bit more inventive in coming weeks.

Tonight was about using what we had - and providing for veg dodger and veggie at the same time.

Chicken thighs
Olive oil
Leeks
Cooked new potatoes
Eggs
Swede
Carrots
Tomatoes
Tenderstem broccoli
Baby peppers
Chilli flakes
Garlic
Lettuce leaves
Radish
Butter

1.  Put the chicken thighs in an oven dish drizzle with olive oil and roast.
2.  Put the tomatoes, with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt, in an oven dish and roast.
3.  Sweat down chopped leeks.
4.  Slice cooked potatoes, whisk eggs.
5.  Peel and chop swede and carrots and boil.  Steam broccoli over these.
6.  Grease an oven dish with olive oil and layer in the potatoes and half the sweated down leeks.  Pour the whisked eggs over the top, and bake in the middle of the oven.
7.  Add sliced peppers to the other half of the leeks, with a crushed clove of garlic and a little chilli.  Cook until softish.
8.  When the carrots and swede are done mash them with butter.
9.  Toss the tenderstem broccoli into the peppers.
10.  Toss together a simple salad of leaves and chopped radish.
11. Serve, scoff …. yummy.  The eggs puffed up like a soufflé ...result!

Cauliflower cheese, roast vegetables and bacon wrapped chicken breast

Today was a day when we needed comfort food - so we have an ENORMOUS cauliflower, in cheese sauce with a breadcrumb topping - with some roast potatoes, carrots, mushrooms and red onion.  For the veg dodger (who didn't dodge this veg) we also had bacon wrapped chicken breast.

Cheese
Potatoes
Olive oil
Carrots
Mushrooms
Red onion
Garlic
Cauliflower
Chicken breasts
Bacon
Soya milk
Cornflour
Breadcrumbs

1.  Grate shed loads of cheese.
2.  Scrub potatoes and chop into chunks, roast at 180 for about 20 minutes.
3.  Break cauliflower into florets and steam - for about 15 minutes.
4.  Peel carrots, chop mushrooms into quarters and red onions into wedges.  Add some lightly crushed garlic cloves and put into the baking tray with the potatoes.  Stir them around and pop back into the oven for 40 minutes.
5.  Wrap chicken breasts in bacon, roast for 30 minutes.
6.  Make cheese sauce.  Heat soya milk, when nearly boiling add slaked cornflour (cornflour mixed with enough water to produce a loose paste) and stir.  When the sauce starts to thicken add most of the grated cheese.  Keep stirring until cheese is dissolved and sauce is thick.
7.  Transfer cauliflower to oven dish, pour on sauce - top with breadcrumbs mixed with the rest of the cheese.  Pop in the oven to brown for 20 minutes.
8.  Serve, scoff - it was delicious.

True Grit

Film night at KitchenFairies HQ again.  Tonight the choice was True Grit.  The only food mentioned in the film is sofkee - which seems to be some kind of sweetcorn porridge, sometimes made with bacon and chillies.  However, none of us are fans of sweetcorn - and that just sounds like really, really earnest - so, I chose a maize product that we do like - nachos and paired it with veggie chilli - with sour cream, cheese and guacamole, as I thought that was wild west enough.  I also did some burgers for the veg dodger.  It was delicious.

Chilli

Olive oil

Onion

Garlic

Cumin seeds

Chilli flakes

Courgette

Mushrooms

Red pepper

Bouillon

Oregano

Red kidney beans

Butter beans

Tin of chopped tomatoes

Dark chocolate

Lime juice

Sour cream, grated cheese and tortilla chips to serve.

Guacamole

Avocado

Red onion

Tomato

Lime juice

1.  Chop onions, crush garlic and fry gently.  Then add a pinch of cumin seeds, some crushed chilli and the rest of the chopped mushrooms, courgette and red pepper.

2.  Drain and rinse the beans and add them to the softened vegetables.  Add a pint or so of vegetable stock and simmer, add a pinch of oregano.

3.  Add a tin of chopped tomatoes, and simmer.

4.  Five minutes before serving add dark chocolate and allow to melt in, then spritz with lime juice just before serving.

5.  Make the guacamole by chopping the avocado flesh, half a red onion and a ripe tomato.  Mix and add the juice of half a lime.

6.  Heat tortilla chips by covering in foil and putting in the oven for 5 minutes.

7.  Serve, with sour cream and grated cheese.  Scoff.

Spiced lamb, mushroom and pea curry, dhal and rice

Oops - I forgot to take a picture of this dinner before people dived in - but there were some leftovers, so I took a quick snap of them.  The thing which really was a shame to miss were the lovely spiced lamb steaks - but hey ho!

Lamb steaks
Natural yogurt
Curry mix (bassar masala in our case)
Rice
Red lentils
Onion
Garlic
turmeric
mustard seeds
fennel seeds
cumin seeds
Mushrooms
water
potato
peas

1.  Marinade the lamb steaks in spices mixed into yogurt.
2.  Put both the rice and lentils on to boil.
3.  Fry chopped onion, crushed garlic and various spices, fry off for a few minutes, then add chopped mushrooms.  After they have fried for a few minutes add some water and some finely chopped potato (the potato softens and helps form a sauce).
4.  When curry is nearly done add the peas, and fry the lamb steaks.
5.  Finally make a tarka for the dhal by frying spices of your choice in oil, chuck over the dhal as you take it all to the table.
6.  Serve, scoff … you might want to blob on some natural yogurt too.

Salad nicoise

A sunny day deserved a sunny dinner - so salad nicoise - dead easy, very delicious.

New potatoes
Eggs
Green beans
Asparagus (not entirely authentic, but I like it)
Garlic
Olive oil
White wine vinegar
Wholegrain mustard
Salad leaves
Baby plum tomatoes
Spring onion
Tinned tuna

1.  Boil potatoes, steam beans and asparagus on top.
2.  Boil eggs.
3.  Make dressing by whisking mustard, crushed garlic a little olive oil and vinegar.
4.  Chop tomatoes and spring onion, toss together.
5.  When everything is cooked, drain potatoes and tuna, peel eggs, toss warm beans in dressing and assemble.
6.  Serve, scoff ...

Steak, tofu and vegetable chow mein

Ringing the changes a bit at Kitchen Fairies HQ tonight - steak for the carnivores, tofu for the vegetarians and vegetable chow mein and jasmine rice for all of us.

Tofu
Jasmine rice
Spring onion
Yellow pepper
Mushrooms
Green beans
Carrots
Ground nut oil
Garlic
Ginger
Chilli flakes
Steak
Bean sprouts
Soya sauce
Rice wine vinegar
Sesame oil
cornflour
Pak choi
ready to wok noodles

1.  Remove tofu from packaging and press - ie.  put it in a dish, put a plate on top and weight it down with a large tin  Leave for a few hours.
2.  Put jasmine rice on to cook - I use the adsorption method - 1 cup rice, 1 cup water - bring to the boil, bang the lid on and turn right down.  Ready in about 15 minutes.
3.  Chop all vegetables into smallish pieces.  Put wok on high heat and add a splash of groundnut oil.
Crush garlic and finely chop ginger, add to wok with chilli flakes and the first batch of chopped vegetables.  Stir fry.
4.  Cut tofu into pieces, fry lightly on both sides, remove from the heat.
5.  Splash soya sauce, wine vinegar and a little sesame oil into the vegetables, with a small cup of water - continue to stir fry.
6.  Cook steak, on a high heat - turn after a couple of minutes - cook both sides - bring out of the pan and leave to rest.
7.  Finish the vegetables by adding noodles, beansprouts and chopped pak choi - also stirring in a little slaked cornflour to thicken the sauce slightly.
8.  Finish the tofu by tossing in the pan with soya sauce and a drizzle of sesame oil.
9.  Serve, scoff … seconds .

The ration challenge: day 7

I've done it!  7 days eating the same rations as are available to a Syrian refugee in a refugee camp.  Hats off to the people who put the packs together because I think it is nutritionally sound - albeit somewhat monotonous.  I'm sure that the Syrian families share and share about the extras they get to make their dinners more interesting - but this was an enlightening challenge to do.  Tonight I had dhal (basically boiled lentils - I had some garlic so added that, and stirred in some roasted red pepper at the end), rice, and a dollop of (earned) natural yoghurt.  I have been sponsored to the tune of £510+ which will go directly to providing life saving food, health care and education to these families who have been ripped from their homes through no fault of their own.  All strength to them.

The Ration Challenge: Day 5

 Day 5 or the Ration Challenge (eating for a week on the rations available for a Syrian refugee, for those who haven't seen my recent posts).  The diet really is quite monotonous - to get your calories in it is heavily rice biased.  Easy enough for a week - but it must get very boring week after week.  To make it more acceptable/realistic you get to earn teabags/a vegetable/a spice and some protein by getting certain levels of sponsorship - fortunately, due to the generosity of my sponsors I could add to my rations (for the week) 36 teabags, 1 pot natural yogurt, garlic and a roasted red pepper.

Eeking out the pepper and yogurt means that I could make lovely garlicky humous and soft flatbreads to go with my rice and spoonful of roasted red pepper.  It was tasty, too!.

Flour
salt
vegetable oil
yogurt
rice
chickpeas
yogurt
garlic
red pepper

1.  Make the flatbread dough by kneading together the flour, a pinch of sale, spoonful of yogurt, splash of oil and a couple of spoons of cold water.  Set aside.
2.  Cook the rice - fry briefly in oil, then simmer in water, with a pinch of salt.
3.  Make the humous by zizzing soaked, cooked chickpeas with a coarsely chopped clove of garlic, a spoonful of natural yogurt, a splosh of oil, a pinch of salt and a dash of water.
4.  Roll out and fry the flatbreads.
5.  Serve, with strips of red pepper, and scoff.
6.  Be thankful that this is for a week, not months on end!

The ration challenge: day 3: Flatbread, refried beans and red pepper, rice

Day 3 of the ration challenge.  This was actually the beginnings of a meal, instead of just rice and beans - as I added some red pepper (earned vegetable) and garlic (earned spice) - and made some flatbread.  It really was quite tasty.

Vegetable oil
rice
Garlic
Flour
salt
red kidney beans
roasted red pepper



1.  Fry some rice in a little oil until every grain is coated, then add water and simmer, with a pinch of salt.
2.  Make dough for flatbreads by mixing together flour,  a pinch of salt, a spoonful of oil and enough water to form a dough.  Kneed until it holds together and a dough.
3.  Squish red kidney beans with a fork, add crushed garlic and chopped roasted red pepper - fry gently, add a little water to make a sauce.
4.  Dry fry the flatbread.
5.  Serve, scoff.

The Ration Challenge

This week I am joining in with The Ration Challenge - which is an International charity event to show refugees that we are with them.  The deal is I eat like a Syrian refugee for a week - in the hope that I can raise some sponsorship money - which goes to those is desperate situations - towards food, health care and education.  To find out more about it - and to sponsor me, if you would like to follow this link https://my.rationchallenge.org.uk/sianlamberthttps://my.rationchallenge.org.uk/sianlambert
https://my.rationchallenge.org.uk/sianlamberthttps://my.rationchallenge.org.uk/sianlamberthttps://my.rationchallenge.org.uk/sianlambert

So far today I have had 2 cups of black tea and a bowl of rice.  I think the hardest this is going to be that its all quite dry!  Dinner is rice and some red kidney beans.

Great Gatsby night

 Here at KitchenFairies HQ we can sometimes be a bit daft.  Current daftness includes pairing dinner to a movie … then watching the movie.  Tonight was The Great Gatsby - so in honour of the excesses of the time .. we had champagne - spiced roast ham, salmon, roasted red onions in red wine, baby potatoes and tender stem broccoli.  Probably not what was served in the mansion, but we wanted a meal, not canapes … and there were enough bubbles to make the point!

Roast ham - about 20 minutes per 450g, at 180, plus another 20.  After an hour glaze with spiced apple jelly.  Leave to rest for 20 minutes.

Red onions - peel and chop into eight wedges - put in an oven dish with a splash of olive oil and about half a glass of red wine - bake for about an hour.

Place salmon fillets on sliced lemon, drizzle with a little olive oil and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Boil potatoes, steam broccoli on top.

Serve, scoff … enjoy the film … well, most of it, really quite depressing at the end!

Cauliflower cheese, gammon steak, mini roasties and a few peas

Feasts for a fiver - take 2!

There are a couple of provisos on this - if you get good quality gammon, you might not get that much - but enough for 4 people to have a decent piece.  The frozen peas don't come economically, in small bags - so I have assumed a smallish supermarket bag split into 4 meals (40p x 4), and the soya milk - half a litre.

Potatoes - 80p
Cauliflower - £1
Gammon £1.50
Cheddar £1.50
Soya milk - 33p
Frozen peas - 40p

Total £5.53

This is a tough challenge.  If you can afford to buy in bulk you can shave some pennies off here and there.  We are a veggie - meat eater household - so need protein on both sides - if it was veggie (ie. no gammon ...easy peasy ... if it was gammon - cauliflower without cheese - also easy peasy) ... so, I have exceeded the budget by 53p - and some bits from the larder (olive oil and cornflour).

1.  Chop potatoes into 2cm (ish) cubes, and toss in olive oil.  Roast for 1 hour.
2.  Separate cauliflower into florets and steam for 20 mins.
3.  Heat soya (or dairy) milk.  Grate cheese.
4.  Slake cornflour in a couple of tablespoons of water.  Stir into milk, with the grated cheese to make the sauce.
5.  When the cauliflower is cooked, put in an oven dish, cover with sauce and stick it in the oven with the potatoes.
5.  When the potatoes have been in for 40 mins, stir them around and stick the gammon steaks in the oven.
6.  At about the same time boil the peas.
7.  Serve, scoff ...

Roast vegetables, feta and salad

Feasts for a fiver?  Well, I'll see what I can do.

new potatoes (£1)
cauliflower (£1)
red pepper (55p)
spring onions (55p)
feta (£1.20)
mixed salad leaves (69p)

I had a couple of tomatoes in the fridge, so I chucked them in as well, but they're not necessary.

olive oil - drizzle

Total:  £4.99 + store cupboard

1.  Wash potatoes and toss in olive oil.  Roast at 180.
2.  Chop the cauliflower into florets, and the red pepper and spring onions into bite sized pieces.  Add to the potatoes after 20 minutes, mixing into the oil.  Roast for 40 minutes.
3.  Our salad is from the garden, but mixed leaves, or other salad ingredients would be fine.  Wash and dress with a little olive oil.
4.  Crumble feta onto vegetables, and return to the oven for 5 minutes.
5.  Serve, scoff.

Tuna pasta bake

It may not be an elegant dish - but it's quick, easy and tasty ... what more could you want?

Ingredients from Todmorden market - pasta (gluten free and regular), tuna and garlic from The Mediterranean Pantry, veg from Kevin outside and cheese from The Crumbly Cheese.

Pasta
Olive oil
Red onion
Garlic
Red pepper
Mushrooms
Courgette
Cherry tomatoes
Frozen peas
Tuna
Cheddar

1.  Boil the pasta according to packet instructions, until al dente.
2.  Sautee veg, chopped into smallish pieces, in olive oil, for about 10 minutes.
3.  Drain the pasta and the tuna, mix all ingredients together in a bowl.  Add a handful of frozen peas.  Splosh in a little olive oil if it looks too dry.
4.  Chop cheese into chunks and stir into the pasta mixture.
5.  Heap into an oven dish and bake for about 20 minutes.
6.  Serve, scoff

Keema mattar, aloo gobi, tarka dhal and basmati rice

Leftover roast lamb and a romp around the cupboards and the spice drawer … delicious curry tea.

Onions
Garlic
olive oil
Mustard seeds
Cumin seeds
Coriander seeds
urid dhal
turmeric
fennel seeds
chilli flakes
tikka masala mix
roast lamb
tomato puree
red lentils
potatoes
cauliflower
tomatoes
garam masala
basmati rice
frozen peas

1.  Mince 3 onions in a food processor and divide between 2 deep sautee pans - 1 for the lamb curry, 1 for the potato and cauliflower.  Sautee gently in olive oil, with crushed garlic.
2.  Mince leftover roast lamb in the food processor - add to the onions with a tablespoon of tikka masala spices.
3.  Boil lentils in plenty of water.
4.  Cook rice - I use the adsorption method 1 x rice, 2 x water, bring to the boil, slam the lid on and turn the heat right down.
5.  Into the other sautee pan add dry spices - mustard seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric, fenned seeds, coriander seeds and a pinch of chilli flakes, heat through until they release their aroma - them add chopped potatoes, florets of cauliflower, chopped tomatoes and a squidge of tomato puree.  Add a big mugful of water, stir, cover and leave to steam.
6.  Add some tomato puree to the lamb and stir, simmer, add a little water if necessary.
7.  Keep an eye on the lentils, add more water if needed and stir so that they don't stick to the bottom of the pan.
8.  When the veg are soft it's pretty much done, just add a little garam masala to the mixture, to taste.
9.  Pop some frozen peas into the lamb mix, stir in.
10.  Serve, scoff …

Amazing what some leftovers and spices can do.

Roast leg of lamb for Easter Sunday lunch

Traditionalists that we are it was roast lamb with all the trimmings for lunch.  The lamb was a monster - from a local butcher who breed their own.  The potatoes were simply roasted, the leeks braised, the carrots roasted and the tenderstem broccoli steamed.  It was 3 hours from start to finish - but that's because of the size of the lamb!

Garlic
rosemary
Olive oil
Lamb
Potatoes
Carrots
Cumin seeds

Red wine
Leeks
Butter
White wine
Tenderstem broccoli
Cornflour

1.  Chop 3 cloves of garlic into slithers.  Stab the lamb all over and squish garlic into the meat.  Slather with a little olive oil, run over with salt.  In a roasting tray, lie the lamb onto a bed of rosemary and tip in a large glass of red wine and one of water.  Roast at 180-200 for quite a while!  (20 minutes per 500g + 20 minutes + 30 minutes resting time).
2.  Prepare the vegetables.  Peel potatoes, chop into roastie size and toss in olive oil.
3.  Top and tail carrots, scrub and put in roasting tin with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of cumin seeds.
4.  Chop leeks into rounds, wash, put in an oven dish with a small glass of white wine and a few knobs of butter.
5.  Cut the woody ends off the tenderstem broccoli and put in a steamer.

The hard work is now done - you just have to get the veg on in a suitable order and make the gravy.

6.  An hour and a half before ready to eat, bang in the potatoes.

7.  30 minutes later put in the carrots and the leeks, turn the potatoes over.

8.  30 minutes later, pull the lamb out, drain the juices for the gravy and cover to let it rest.

9.  10 minutes later, put the heat under the broccoli to steam it.

10.  Make the gravy using meat juices, slaked cornflour in water … possibly some more red wine and/or stock to taste.

11.  Serve, scoff 

There was LOADS … the leftover lamb became a lamb curry the following day.

Roast gammon, with hasselback potatoes, butter bean leek and mushroom casserole and stir fried celeriac slaw.

Some days you fancy something just a little bit different … ie. a tiny bit different... so I hasselbacked the potatoes - other than that it really is a pretty standard roast gammon dinner.

Gammon
Potatoes
Garlic
Olive oil
Leeks
Mushrooms
Veg stock
White wine
Butter beans
Leftover celeriac slaw
Apple juice
Coleslaw
Chicken stock cube

1.  Roast gammon - 25 minutes plus 20 minutes per 500g - in foil, then another 20 minutes without foil.  10 minutes to rest.
2.  Wash potatoes, cut slices that don't go all the way through the potatoes by cutting between two chopsticks, or on a wooden spoon.  Brush the potatoes, into the gaps with crushed garlic mixed with olive oil.  Roast for an hour.
3.  Sautee leeks and mushrooms for a few minutes, then add a splash of white wine and a cup of veg stock.  Simmer, add butter beans, transfer to oven dish and keep warm while everything finishes.
4.  When you uncover the gammon pour in a glass of apple juice.
5.  After 20 minutes make the gravy using the apple juice and meat juice, chicken stock - simmer this and then thicken with cornflour (slake cornflour in water, add it to gravy, stir as it thickens).
6.  Stir fry left over celeriac slaw  (or prepare whatever veg you are using, obviously)
7.  Serve, scoff, have seconds

… loads of gammon left for tomorrow's lunch.

The bucket list dinner

We have introduced film night to Kitchenfairies entertainment, and, because I can't resist a food ritual I have decided to match the food to the film.  Tonight it was "The Bucket List" - so I asked for bucket list food suggestions.  
The requests were BBQ ribs, bacon wrap shrimp and cheese souffle.  To these I added potato wedges and celeriac slaw.

The ribs take a while - overnight to marinate and then 2+ hours to bake.  I have written the "recipe" in order of process, so omit the bits you don't want, or add in your own bits.  The soufflé recipe has a page of its own.

Baked BBQ ribs

pork ribs
barbeque spice rub

brown sugar
BBQ sauce

Celeriac slaw

red onion
white onion
red cabbage
carrots
celeriac
lemon juice

potatoes
raw shrimp
smoked streaky bacon
garlic


1.  Mix together the barbeque spice, a big pinch of salt and a spoonful of brown sugar.  Massage this mix into the pork ribs.  Wrap in foil and marinade for up to 24 hours.
2.  Bake the ribs, in their foil, on a tray for 2 hours - at 200.
3.  Start the cheese sauce for the soufflé.
4.  Prep and chop veg for the slaw (finely slice onions, peel and julienne carrots and celeriac, shred cabbage) mix, spritz in the juice of 1 lemon, and add a big pinch of salt, mix well.  Cover and leave in the fridge until everything else is ready.
6.  Prep potato wedges, roast in olive oil for about an hour.
7.  Bake soufflé.
8.  Wrap shrimp in bacon, toss in olive oil and roast for 10 minutes.  I also roasted some with crushed garlic for the pescatarian.
9.  Take the foil off the ribs, slather with BBQ sauce, put back in the oven - on the foil, they just get stickier - bake for 5 minutes
9.  Serve, scoff … also serve mayonnaise for those who like their coleslaw creamy.

Cheese souffle

We have introduced film night to Kitchenfairies entertainment, and, because I can't resist a food ritual I have decided to match the food to the film.  Tonight it was "The Bucket List" - so I asked for bucket list food suggestions.  One of these was cheese soufflé - check here for the others.

Souffle is notoriously easy to muck up - but if you make sure the cheese sauce is nearly cold before mixing in the eggs, and fold the egg whites in gently, and NEVER open the oven door, then it is achievable.


Soya milk  (about 500ml)
Cornflour
Gouda  (about 100g)
Cheddar  (about 100g)
Parmesan  (about 30g)
butter
4 eggs, separated

1.  Make the cheese sauce by heating the soya milk, slaking the cornflour in a little water and mixing in.  Simmer the sauce, whisking, until it has thickened.  Add grated cheese and stir until melted.  Set aside.
2.  Wait for the cheese sauce to cool, vigorously whisk in any skin which has formed on the top.
3.  Whisk egg yolks until they go a little creamy, stir into the cheese sauce.
4.  Whisk egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
5.  Butter an oven (or soufflé) dish.
6.  Fold the egg whites into the sauce mix.  Start by folding in a spoonful, quite quickly, with a metal spoon to loosen the sauce mixture.  Then fold the rest of the egg whites in, gently, until there are no blobs of white left.
7.  Bake at 180 for 30 minutes.
8.  Serve, scoff, gloat

St Patrick's Day - baked gammon and colcannon

St Patrick's Day - and I am now in a largely Irish household, so any excuse for a roast gammon dinner and a pint or three of the black stuff.  It was made even more special by the beautiful gammon from Bracewell's butchers in Todmorden market hall - absolutely first rate.

Gammon joint
Potatoes
Onions
Cabbage
Carrots
Apple juice
Chicken stock cube
Butter
Egg
Cornflour

1.  Bake the gammon at 180 for about 2 hours (obviously depending on the size of your joint, this was just under 3lbs).  Turn it over after an hour, and add a cupful or so of apple juice to help make the gravy.
2.  After 1 hour peel the potatoes and put on to boil for the mash - steam chopped onions and shredded cabbage above the potatoes, and steam the peeled batons of carrot over them, for about 15-10 minutes, until the potatoes are done.
3.  Drain the potatoes, mash in the cooked onions and cabbage with plenty of butter.  Place in an oven dish and put in the oven to brown the top.  Cover the carrots with foil and put in the boom of the oven to keep warm.
4.  Drain the juices from the gammon, and make a simple gravy with chicken stock and cornflour.
5.  After another 30 minutes the dinner will be nearly done, so fry an egg for all those who want one.
6.  Serve, scoff ..

This is the veg dodger's plate - 4 carrot batons!  honestly!  But everybody had seconds, most had thirds and fourths .. success

Chicken Korma, Chicken Tikka Masalla, Allo Gobi and Tarka Dahl - for movie night

 Tonight's film choice was A Theory of Everything - the story of Stephen Hawkings.   Did you know that curry was Professor Hawkings' favourite food?  No, neither did I!

So, curry it was - chicken two ways - Korma for the lactose intolerant,  tikka masala for the veg dodger, aloo gobi and tarka dhal for the veggie, and brown rice for all.

Lucky me - I can have all of it!

Chicken thighs
Tikka masala spices
Natural yogurt

Olive oil
Ground almonds
Cashew nuts (ground)
Onion
garlic
Brown basmati rice
red lentils
mustard seeds
coriander seeds
cumin seeds
urid dhal
turmeric
garam masala
chilli flakes
veg stock
potatoes
cauliflower
chopped tomatoes
curry leaves

1.  Marinate the chicken thighs.  Mix tandoori spices with natural yogurt and a little olive oil.   Massage into chicken.   Sautee onion and garlic with a little garam masala, add ground nuts - pour over the other dish of chicken thighs.
2.  Start the rice and lentils, cover both in an inch over the surface with water and bring to the simmer.  When the rice starts simmering, slam on a tight lid and put it in a medium oven until everything else is ready.  Watch the lentils, add more water if needed and keep simmering.
3.  Put the chicken thighs in to roast.
4.  Start the aloo gobi by sauteeing chopped onion and garlic, add spices (mustard, cumin and coriander seeds, urid dhal, turmeric and a pinch of chilli flakes).  Add cubes of peeled potatoes and cauliflower florets, a tin of chopped tomatoes and a cup of veg stock.  Simmer for about 20 minutes, add more liquid if needed.
5.  Magically everything should just about be done - so make the tarka by heating spice seeds and curry leaves in a little olive oil and fling onto the dhal.
6.  Serve, scoff … enjoy the film

Everybody had seconds - the veg dodger had thirds - and we all loved the film.

Fried chicken, macaroni cheese, collared greens and bean casserole: aka Walk the Line

 We have added a development to many of our Saturday nights.  We are having "movie nights", and as an added bonus will theme the dinner to the film.

Today was "Walk the Line" - the Johnny Cash biopic.  Johnny Cash lived in Nashville, so it was food of the American south.

Spicy fried chicken, macaroni cheese, collared greens and bean casserole.  I struggled to find many traditional vegetarian recipes which might also appeal to the veg dodger - how has a particular dislike of sweetcorn.

This dinner was declared a success, and we all enjoyed the film.

Spicy fried chicken

Chicken thighs

Flour

Barbeque spice

Soya milk

Olive oil for frying

Macaroni cheese

Soya milk

Cornflour

Macaroni

Cheddar cheese - grated

Mozzarella - grated

Collared greens

Red onion

Garlic

Cavolo nero

Vegetable stock

Spinach

Olive oil

Bean casserole

Olive oil

Onion

Garlic

Red pepper

oregano

Chopped tomatoes

Tin of mixed beans

1.  Place chicken thighs in soya milk and allow to soak for a few minutes.

2.  Mix barbeque seasoning, salt and pepper into flour.

3.  Start cheese sauce by heating soya milk.  Add slaked cornflour to soya milk and heating through, keep stirring.

4.  Add grated cheese to thickened sauce, reserving some for the top.

5.  Boil the pasta according to packet instruction, then drain when done.

6.  Start the collared greens and bean casserole by sweating chopped onion and garlic in olive oil in two separate pans.

7.  Dredge the chicken thighs in flour and set aside to dry a little.

8.  Add shredded cavolo nero to softened onions, with a cup of vegetable stock, and steam for about 12 minutes, then add spinach and wilt down.  

9.  Add chopped red pepper to the other onions, fry for 5 minutes, and then add beans and tomatoes, oregano and season and heat through.

10.  Drain the pasta, add the sauce, top with reserved cheese and bake for 20 minutes.

11.  Dip the chicken thighs in soya milk again, and then coat with seasoned flour.

12.  Finish the chicken by shallow frying in olive oil, bake for 10 minutes to ensure they are fully cooked through.

13.  serve, scoff … 

Fish pie, garlic courgettes and steamed veg

It's British pie week, and Paul had some fabulous fish, so I got to make one of my favourites, a really good fish pie.

Cooking the courgettes long and slow in olive oil with plenty of garlic even made the veg dodger sit up and have seconds.

Fish - a combination of cod, haddock, smoked haddock and a little salmon.
Soya milk
Cornflour
Potatoes
Butter
Frozen peas
Carrots
Leek
Courgette
Garlic
Olive oil

1.  Peel potatoes and boil for the mash.
2.  Cut fish into bite sized pieces and poach in soya milk (or dairy milk).
3.  Drain the milk from the fish and thicken with slaked cornflour, ie.  heat in a pan, add cornflour mixed to a paste in water, and heat through, stirring continuously until it thickens. add a good grind of black pepper.
4.  Place the fish in an oven dish and cover with the thickened sauce.
5.  Mash the potatoes with a knob of butter.
6.  Chuck a good handful of frozen peas over the fish mixture and then cover with mash.
7.  Bake to get a crispy brown top, for about 20 minutes.
8.  Dice the courgette, fry in olive oil with crushed garlic.  Kepp it on a low-medium heat and let them cook through gently.
9.  Steam washed, sliced leeks and carrot batons.
10.  Serve, scoff …

Sausage, mash and roman cauliflower

Shopping seasonally and locally, add a few herbs and ta da …

Sausages from Stansfield's, veg from Kevin on the outside market, herbs, stock, garlic and olive oil from The Mediterranean Pantry.  Jobs a good 'un.

Sausages
King Edwards potatoes
Onions
Garlic
Cauliflower
Courgette
Cherry tomatoes
veg stock
oregano
butter
Frozen peas

1.  Put the sausages in a medium oven.
2.  Peel and chop the potatoes for the mash, boil until done.
3.  Sautee 2 batches of onions - 1 by themselves, and 1 for the Roman Cauliflower.
4.  To the onions for the cauliflower add crushed garlic, chopped courgette, cherry tomatoes, cauliflower broken into florets, a mug of vegetable stock and a good pinch of oregano.  Simmer until cooked, cover if necessary.
5.  Mash the potatoes with lots of butter.
6.  Add the frozen peas to the cauliflower.
7.  Serve, scoff .. delish

Burritos - or something similar

 Tonight we felt a bit of an American vibe, so I thought we would go with burritos.  Probably not terribly authentic, but they tasted good and we were all filled up.

I cheated with microwave rice and shop bought wraps -but why ever not?!

There were two versions - one for the pescatarian and one for the veg dodger.  That's the beauty of things like this, people can pick and mic.

Onion
Garlic
Olive oil
Cumin
Red kidney beans
Red onion
Courgette
Red pepper
Fajita spice
Lettuce
Radish
Tomatoes
Avocado
Lime
Red chilli
Cooked rice
Salmon
Steak
Wraps
Sour cream

1.  Chop 2 red onions - one into small dice for the refried beans and one in strips for the spiced vegetables.
2.  Sautee the onions in olive oil, in 2 separate pans.
3.  Crush garlic and add to both pans.  Add a good pinch of cumin to the refried beans pan, and a pinch of fajita spice to the veg pan.
4.  Drain and rinse a tin of red kidney beans and add to the onion and cumin, add a splash of water and heat through.
5.  Chop courgette and red pepper into strips, add to the veg pan and stir fry.
6.  Chop the salad bits and present on a tray, spritz the avocado with lime juice.
7.  Roast the salmon in the oven for 15 minutes.
8.  Remove the beans from the heat and mash them gently, spritz with lime juice.  Keep warm in the oven.
9.  Sprinkle wraps with a little water, wrap in foil and put in the oven to heat through.
10.  Cook the steak - to your preferred level of done - ours was medium rare - 3 minutes on each side, leave to rest for 5 minutes.  Cut into strips.
11.  Serve, with sour cream and hot chilli mayonnaise …. scoff

Glamorgan Sausages, and other St David's Day treats

In honour of St David's Day (I was born in Wales after all) I decided on a Welsh themed dinner.

The lamb is not from Wales, it was born and bred in Todmorden by Bracewell's Butchers in the Market Hall.  The cheese is from Wales, its proper Caerphilly from The Crumbly Cheese.  The mustard is English, but from The Mediterranean Pantry.  The veg are from Kev on the outside market.

Using porridge oats instead of the more traditional breadcrumbs for the sausages makes them gluten free.

Todmorden rocks!

Potatoes
Olive oil
Leeks
Porridge oats
Mustard
Caerphilly cheese
Eggs
Turnips
Carrots
Butter
Lamb leg steaks

1.  Chop the potatoes into chunks, toss in olive oil and roast.
2.  Chop and wash a leek, sweat down gently in olive oil.
3.  Allow the softened leek to cool.
4.  Peel and chop turnips and carrots, boil until mashable.  Steam chopped, washed leek on top of the pan.
5.  Mix oats, cheese and cooled leeks with 2 eggs and a spoonful of mustard.  Form into sausage shapes.
6.  When the potatoes are nearly done pan fry the sausages and lamb in a little olive oil (separately in our case, to conserve the veggie credentials of the sausages).  They both take about 8 minutes, turning so all sides are cooked.
7.  Mash root veg with plenty of butter and black pepper.
8.  Serve, scoff …

The veg dodger loved the sausages!  Result.

Rhubarb, apple and pear nutty crumble

This was the pudding for our Proper roast Sunday dinner.

All the fruit is bang in season - and you can make it with gluten free flour and olive oil (or other plant based) spread to make it gluten free and vegan.  Obviously omit nuts if anyone has a nut allergy.

This is a three stage process - I have indicated in the roast dinner recipe how you can fit the prep in to make your dinner arrive on time.




Rhubarb
Apples
Pear
Brown sugar
Orange juice
Flour
Butter (or plant based spread)
Oats
Brown sugar
Nuts - chopped hazelnuts, pistachios and walnuts
Cinnamon

1.  Wash and chop fruit, taking the cores out of the apples and pears.  Place into an oven dish and sprinkle with brown sugar (to taste, but I think it needs some as the rhubarb can be quite tart).  Squeeze on orange juice (or pour from a carton).  Bake for about 15-20 minutes until fruit is slightly yielding.  Remove from the oven, stir and allow to cool.
2.  Rub together flour and fat until it resembles bread crumbs.  Add oats, brown sugar, a teaspoon of cinnamon and nuts.  Stir together.
3.  Top the fruit with the crumble mixture, bake for about 30 minutes.
4.  Serve, scoff - some people might want cream, custard or icecream … or a combination.

Proper roast Sunday dinner

Sometimes you feel like a proper roast Sunday dinner.  This was one of those days.  Around the table we had nearly every possible dietary requirement … vegetarian, veg dodger, gluten free, lactose intolerant … but we all had a damn good dinner.  Obviously the vegetarian didn't have the chicken, but we managed to get 3 of his 5 a day into the veg dodger via the root vegetable mash (don't let on!) … and then another couple in pudding Rhubarb, apple and pear nutty crumble.

As this was a proper Sunday dinner we had (unusually) a proper pudding too.  The recipe is listed separately here but I have suggested where the prep might happen in this recipe, so the dinner is all ready at about the right time.  (Thank me later)

Chicken
Olive oil
Lemon
Garlic
Baby potatoes
Carrots
Swede
Parsnips
Green beans
Leek
Courgette
Sundried tomatoes
Vegetable stock
Butter beans
Cornflour
Chicken stock
Green beans
Butter

1.  Stuff a halved lemon and a few garlic cloves into the chicken.  Rub olive oil, salt and pepper over all of the skin.  Roast (breast side down fist) at 180 for as long as it takes (1 hour for a very small chicken - 2 hours for a large one).   Remove from the oven to rest for about 15 minutes when done.
2.  Toss baby potatoes in olive oil and roast for about an hour.
*** start pudding - stage 1
3.  Peel and chop root vegetables (in this case carrots, parsnips and swede - but could also use celeriac, turnips, sweet potato or even butternut squash).  Boil until mashable - about 12-15 minutes depending on size of pieces.  Mash with lots of butter and black pepper, bake in the oven to get a crispy top.
*** pudding - stage 2
4.  Sweat down chopped leeks with some crushed garlic, add chopped courgette (and any other veg you fancy) and a mugful of vegetable stock, simmer for a couple of minutes.  Add sundried tomatoes, simmer again.  Add a tin of drained, rinsed butter beans and heat through.  Keep warm in the oven.  Chop green beans and boil water ready for stage 8.
5.  (about 30 minutes after the chicken has gone into the oven) Carefully drain the fat from the chicken pan.  Turn the chicken over onto its bottom, continue roasting.
*** pudding - stage 3
6.  Spoon off the top layer of fat from the chicken juices.  Pour the rest into a saucepan and heat through.  Slake a spoonful of cornflour in cold water.  (Slake just means mix to a paste)  Add this to the chicken juices and bring to a boil - stirring continuously.  Add about half a pint of chicken stock (from a cube is fine).  Simmer as it thickens.
7.  Take chicken out of the oven - put pudding in to bake.
8.  Steam  chopped green beans.  Carve chicken.
9.  Serve, scoff …. every gathered person picking to their tastes/requirements.
9.  Have seconds ...

Burn's night supper

… also known as, haggis neeps and tatties, with a whisky sauce.

The haggis was from Bracewell's butchers in Todmorden market hall - and is the best haggis I have ever tasted.

All ingredients from Tod market - except the whisky, which came out of the cupboard.

Haggis
Potatoes
Swede
Double cream
Butter
Black pepper
Whisky

1.  Cook haggis - I boiled ours for an hour.
2.  Peel and chop potatoes and swede, boil until cooked, then mash with plenty of butter and black pepper.  Transfer to an oven dish and bake while the haggis finishes.
3.  Simmer double cream, whisk in a splosh of whisky and simmer again for a couple of minutes, whisking occasionally.  This allows the alcohol to evaporate, but retains the flavour of the whisky.
4.  Serve, scoff … pipe Scottish tunes.
5.  Raise a wee dram to the timorous beastie.

Beetroot and carrot burgers

Meat free Monday - today we had beetroot and carrot burgers - and the veg dodger had seconds!

This could be made vegan by omitting the cheese - but the melting saltiness is really nice in the middle of the burger.  It could be replaced by a few cashew nuts for a bit of crunch and flavour.

Onion
Beetroots
Carrots
Porridge oats
Olive oil
Cheddar
Garlic
Courgettes
New potatoes

1.  Grate the onion, beetroot and carrots - mix well together.  Add a big handful of porridge oats, plenty of salt and pepper and a good splosh of olive oil.  Mix together again.
2.  Cut cheddar into small cubes.
3.  Put potatoes on to boil.
4.  Finely chop garlic, chop courgettes into cubes.
5.  Make the burgers, packing cheese into the middle - I used rings to pack them onto the pan, but you can shape them by hand by moulding around the cheese, fry them at a medium heat, in olive oil for about 5 minutes on each side.
6.  Fry the courgette and garlic in olive oil in another pan - keep tossing around so that all sides get cooked.
7.  Serve, scoff … have seconds - you'll be surprised how tasty they are.

Paella (well, an easy version)

Easy, quick and extremely tasty - this version of the Spanish classic can be on the table in 30 minutes.  All ingredients available from Todmorden Market (Paul's fresh fish, The Mediterranean  Pantry and the vegetables from Kevin).

Olive oil
Shallots
Celery
Red pepper
Tomato puree
Paella rice
Saffron
Smoked paprika
Vegetable stock (from bouillon)
Tomatoes
Prawns
peas

1.  Finely chop shallots, a stick of celery and a red pepper.  Sautee in olive oil until nearly soft.
2.   Add a good dollop of tomato puree, a pinch of saffron and stir in.
3.  Add a big handful of paella rice and stir in until every grain is coated in oil.   Add a mugful of stock.
4.  Add a pinch of saffron and a teaspoon of paprika and stir in.  Add grated tomatoes (or a tin) and more stock and leave to simmer.
5.  Simmer for about 15 minutes, checking that it's not going too dry.
6.  Taste the rice - when it is the tiniest bit "chalky" on the inside add the prawns and peas - probably more stock as well, just to finish off.
7.  When the juice has pretty much been absorbed turn the heat off under the pan, and let it sit for a couple of minutes to absorb the rest (it should sit as a spoonful and not leak juice into a puddle when it's served).
8.  Serve, scoff …. have seconds - be chastised for nicking prawns without the accompanying rice (I only pinched one!)

Leftovers pies ...

I don't know about you, but we always overstock for Christmas … so today was about using as much as poss of the leftovers from the festivities, to make way for the new veg box etc tomorrow.

I didn't want to just resort to big bowls of "whatever" as it was also first week back at work and very cold, so some comfort was needed.

We had left over roast chicken and roast potatoes … the ends of two punnets of mushrooms (chestnut and shitake), a bag of tarragon, and some emmental.  We also had the veg dodger and the veggie, so needed tasty food to suit all needs.

Olive oil
Onions
Garlic
Mushrooms
Cornflour
Soya milk
Tarragon
Chicken (cooked and stripped)
Butter beans (tin)
Emmental (or other melty cheese)
Roast (or cooked another way) potatoes
Carrots
Courgettes
Cornmeal
Italian seasoning (herbs and a pinch of chili)
Fennel seeds
Baby Spinach
nutmeg

1.  Start the pies with the mushroom sauce which will go into both of them by sauteeing the chopped onions, crushed garlic and chopped mushrooms in olive oil.  Toss gently until the onions have softened and the mushrooms have released their water, and this has gently simmered away.
2.  Sprinkle in a tablespoonful of cornflour, stir in to coat the mushrooms, then add soya milk to make a sauce.  Stir until it boils, keep stirring and let it simmer for a minute or two as the cornflour cooks and the sauce thickens, stir in finely chopped tarragon (not too much, or it will taste medicinal).
3.  In one oven dish - empty a tin of drained and rinsed butter beans - top with half of the mushroom sauce.  Layer on emmental cheese.
4.  Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces and add to the other half of the mushroom sauce.  Mix together and transfer to an oven dish.
5.  Top both pies with sliced, cooked potato (or mash if that's what you have) … drizzle with olive oil and bake for 25 minutes or so.
6.  Mix together cornmeal, Italian seasoning and fennel seeds in a bowl.  Slice courgettes and toss in the herby mixture.
7.  Peel, chop and steam the carrots for about 15 minutes.
8.  Fry the courgette slices in a little olive oil - in batches - keep warm in a serving dish while you finish the rest.
9.  Add steamed carrots to the serving dish.
10.  Put a splash of olive oil and a small drop of water into the hot pan from steaming the carrots - add the baby spinach and put the lid on.  The residual heat will wilt the spinach.
11. Stir the spinach (put it over a low heat if necessary, to wilt it) … grate in a small pinch of nutmeg, stir in.
12.  Serve, scoff …