Lamb Tagine

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil for cooking
500 g lean lamb minced
1 large onion roughly chopped
2 large carrots cut into small chunks
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
2 tbsp ras-el-hanout spice mix
400 g can tomatoes chopped
400 g can chickpeas rinsed and drained
200 g dried apricots (use the 'hardest' ones)
600 ml chicken stock hot
120 g pack pomegranate seeds

Method

  1. Heat oven to 180℃.
  2. Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the lamb on all sides.  Scoop the lamb out onto a casserole dish.
  3. Add the onion and carrots to the pan and cook for 2-3 mins until golden.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 min more.
  4. Stir in the spices and tomatoes.  Season.
  5. Tip the lamb back in, along with the chickpeas and apricots.
  6. Pour over the stock, stir and bring to a simmer.  Then tip it all back into the casserole.
  7. Cover the dish and place in the oven for 1 hour.
  8. If the lamb is still a little tough, give it 20 mins more until tender.  When ready, leave it to rest so it’s not piping hot.

Serve scattered with pomegranate, with couscous or rice alongside.

Lemony Prawn Risotto

Ingredients

1 bag of prawns, defrosted
3 tbsp olive oil, for cooking
1 red chilli, finely chopped
1 litre vegetable or fish stock, hot
1 onion, finely chopped
300 g rice
1 small glass white wine
200 g frozen peas
1 lemon

Method

  1. If the prawns are shelled, peel them, and make fish stock with the heads and shells.
  2. Saute the onion until softened, add the chilli and continue to cook gently.
  3. Add the rice and stir until it’s all covered in the oil.
  4. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer.
  5. Add the prawns and peas and stir, then leave covered and simmering very gently for 15 mins.
  6. Add the lemon juice and zest if available.  When the rice has absorbed most of the liquid it’s ready.

Red Onion Marmelade

Ingredients

2 kg red onions (or regular), halved and thinly sliced.
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
140 g butter
4 tbsp olive oil
140 g golden caster sugar
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
pinch chilli flakes (optional)
70 cl red wine
350 ml sherry (or red wine) vinegar
200 ml port

Method

  1. Melt the butter with the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a high heat.
  2. Add the onions and garlic and give them a good stir so they are glossed with butter.
  3. Sprinkle over the sugar, thyme leaves, chilli flakes and some salt and pepper.
  4. Give everything another really good stir and reduce the heat slightly.
  5. Cook uncovered for 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions are ready when all their juices have evaporated, they're really soft and sticky and smell of sugar caramelising. They should be so soft that they break when pressed against the side of the pan with a wooden spoon. Slow cooking is the secret of really soft and sticky onions, so don't rush this part.
  6. Pour in the wine, vinegar and port and simmer everything, still uncovered, over a high heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring every so often until the onions are a deep mahogany colour and the liquid has reduced by about two-thirds. It's done when drawing a spoon across the bottom of the pan clears a path that fills rapidly with syrupy juice.
  7. Leave the onions to cool in the pan, then scoop into sterilised jars and seal.

Pan Hash

You will Need

potatoes cut into small cubes
onion chopped and sliced
olive oil (or chilli oil)
optional
ingredients 		chorizo (chopped)
corned beef
Cheddar cheese chunks
other left-overs from fridge

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed frying pan.
  2. Add the potatoes and stir over a medium high heat until all the cubes are coated in fat.  Turn the heat down low, cover with a lid and cook gently for about 20 mins, stirring frequently to avoid the potato sticking to the pan base.
  3. Turn the heat back up to medium and remove the lid.  Add the onions and fry gently until they are soft (chorizo that needs to be cooked can also be added at this point).
  4. Add the final ingredients (depends on what is in the cupboard/fridge) and cook through.
  5. Serve hot with plenty of salt & pepper.

Spicy Pork Chops

(Also known as: Pork Chops in Mexican Sauce and Pork Chops in Hot Tomato Sauce)

Ingredients

1 tsp chilli flakes
1 can Campbells condensed tomato soup
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 tbsp wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ tsp oregano
¼ tsp cumin
pork chops

Method

  1. Put all the ingredients except the pork chops into a blender and blend until smooth. (This can be done without a blender but will result in a "coarser" sauce and requires the onion to be even more finely chopped.)
  2. Score the pork chops to allow the sauce to penetrate deeper.
  3. In a shallow frying pan, marinade the pork chops in the sauce for a few hours (covered). This can been done overnight (in a sealed food bag) in a fridge, too.
  4. Cover and cook in the pan on a low heat for about 10 minutes. Turn the chops and cook on the other side for another ten minutes.
  5. Check and turn the chops until fully cooked.
  6. Serve with rice.