Beef Chili with Bourbon, Beer and Black Beans

Here is a great dish for a crowd. Serve with sour cream and Frito corn chips.

2 dried ancho chilis
boiling water
2 tbs. vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 jalapeno peppers, deseeded and chopped
3 fat garlic cloves
2 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. red chili flakes
4 lbs. beef sirloin, cut into chunks
2/3 cup bourbon
12 oz. Mexican beer
2 1/2 cups dried black beans
1 qt. cold water
2 tsp. sea salt flakes
2 tbs. maple syrup

Heat the oven to 300°F. Put the ancho chili in a measuring cup and add the boiling water to make 1 cup. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy casserole that can go in the oven. Tip in the onions and cook until softened, 10-12 minutes. Add the jalapeño, garlic, cumin, coriander and chili flakes, then stir for 2-3 minutes. Add the beef, followed by the bourbon. Let it bubble a bit before adding the beer and beans.

Deseed and chop the ancho chilis and add to the pot along with their soaking liquid. Add the water, salt and maple syrup. Bring to a boil, then cover and transfer to the oven for 4 hours. By this time the beef should be meltingly tender and the beans cooked through.

Serves 8-10

Yellow Spaghetti

This lovely recipe is similar to carbonara with a dash of Marsala.

1/4 tsp. saffron threads
3 tbs. Marsala
8 oz. spaghetti
2 eggs
`1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbs. heavy cream
1 tbs. softened butter

Put a plentiful pot of water on to boil. When boiling, salt liberally and tip in the spaghetti. Cook according to the package directions.

In a tiny saucepan, heat the saffron and Marsala to a bubble, then remove from the heat and set aside to steep.

While the pasta is cooking, whisk together the eggs, cheese and cream, then add a sprinkling of salt and a good grinding of pepper. Set aside.

When the pasta is done, remove a cupful of the cooking water, then drain. Return to the pot and toss with 2 tbs. of the pasta water, the saffron/Marsala mixture and the butter. Tip in the egg mixture and toss gently. Add more pasta water if needed to make a smooth sauce. Check the seasonings and serve.

Serves 2

One-Pan Sage and Onion Chicken and Sausages

Featuring the classic condiments of Britain (English mustard and Worcestershire sauce), this chicken is as easy as it is delicious.

1 large onion, cut into eights
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsp. English mustard
1 tbs. dried sage
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
4 lbs. chicken pieces (skin on and bone in)
12 pork sausages
2 tbs. chopped fresh sage

In a resealable bag, combine the onion, olive oil, mustard, dried sage, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Season the chicken well and add to the bag. Schwelch everything together well and leave in the fridge for a few hours or up to two days.

Heat the oven to 425°F. Transfer the contents of the bag to a large roasting tin, placing the chicken skin-side up. Nestle in the sausages and sprinkle with the fresh sage. Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes, turning the sausages over half way through.

Serves 6

 

 

Ratatouille

Serve this lovely veg stew on it’s own for a meat-free main or as a side to roasted chicken, pork or beef.

6 tbs. olive oil
2 medium onions, halved and sliced
2 bell peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped
1 eggplant, cut into large chunks
5 smallish or 3 large zucchini, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 x 14oz. tin chopped tomatoes
1 tsp. ground coriander
salt and freshly ground pepper
2-3 tbs. chopped fresh basil or parsley

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan. Tip in the onions and cook gently until softened, but not browned. Add the peppers, eggplant and zucchini. Cover and cook for 40 minutes on low, stirring now and then. Add the garlic, tomatoes, coriander and seasoning. Continue to cook, uncovered for 30 minutes more, or until the veggies are tender, but not mushy. Stir in the basil or parsley to serve.

Sunday Night Chicken Soup

Any night chicken soup!

4 tbs. sake or sherry
3 tbs. mirin or dry white wine
1 tbs. soy sauce
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 tsp. dried chili flakes
2 boned, skinned chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
2 nests of Asian egg noodles
1 bunch Asian vegetables (such as box choy) or 1 bag frozen Asian vegetable mix
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
3 cups chicken stock

Mix together the sake, mirin, soy sauce, garlic and chili flakes. Toss in the chicken and leave to marinate 1 hour, if you have time.

Heat a pot of water and cook the noodles according to the package directions adding the veg a few minutes before the end. Drain and set aside

Heat the oils in a small skillet and cook the chicken. Tip in the marinade and bubble until glossy.

Heat the stock. Arrange the chicken, noodles and veg in bowls, then ladle over the hot stock.

Serves 2

Coconut and Chili Salmon Kebabs

This is fresh and simple. Marinate the salmon the night before for an effortless supper.

2 small Thai green chilis, roughly chopped
6 scallions, roughly chopped
bunch fresh cilantro, leaves roughly chopped
1 tbs. Thai fish sauce
juice of 2 limes
1 2/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk
pinch salt
1 tsp. sugar
2 lbs. salmon fillets, cut into large chunks

Put everything except the salmon in a food processor and blitz into a sauce. Transfer to a bowl and toss in the salmon. Cover and chill overnight or at least an hour.

Heat the grill. Thread the salmon chunks onto skewers (presoaked if using bamboo).

Grill for about 5 minutes per side, depending on how hot your grill is and how you like your salmon cooked. Slide off the skewers to serve.

Serves 10

Lemon Curd

Winter is the time that Meyers lemons are ripe and they make a spectacular curd!

2 lemons, zested and juiced
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup caster sugar
8 tbs. butter

Beat together the eggs, egg yolks and sugar in a jug. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over a low heat. Gradually pour in the egg mixture and add the lemon juice and zest. Stir constantly until the curd thickens.

Minnestrone in Minutes

Super simple, super fast and super good.

1 x 14oz. can cannellini beans, drained
3 cups hot chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup tomato-based pasta sauce
4 oz. ditalini or other soup pasta
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

Tip the beans into a saucepan with the stock and pasta sauce. Bring the pan to a boil and stir in the pasta, then cook according to the package directions. Stir in the Italian seasoning.

Once the pasta is tender, switch off the heat, remove the pan to a cool surface and leave to stand for 5-10 minutes. The pasta will swell and the flavors will improve.

Serves 2

 

Chicken Fricassee with Marsala, Chestnuts and Thyme

Lovely, homey and warming – this is pure comfort food.

3/4 cup Marsala
1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. sea salt flakes
good grinding of nutmeg
good grinding of pepper
4 boned and skinned chicken thighs, cut into pieces
1 tbs. butter
1 tsp. olive oil
1 leek, trimmed and sliced
2 tsp. thyme leaves
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup vacuum-packed chestnuts, crumbled
basmati rice, to serve

Heat the Marsala and porcini in a small saucepan. As soon as it comes to a bubble, switch off the heat and leave for at least 10 minutes. Drain through a sieve into a jug. Chop the mushrooms and set aside. Save the Marsala.

Tip the flour, salt, nutmeg and pepper into a freezer bag and add the chicken pieces. Shake to coat the chicken. Heat the butter and oil in a heavy saucepan and add the leeks. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft. Add the chicken with any flour from the bag and the choppedvmushrooms to the pan along with the thyme leaves and cook over a medium heat until the flour is no longer visible

Pour in the Marsala and at the stock followed by the chestnuts and bubble on low for about 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked and the sauce is thickened. Serve over the rice and sprinkle with thyme leaves.

Serves 4

Linguini with Clams

Classic for a reason, this never fails to disappoint.

1/2 lb. linguini
1 garlic clove
2 tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. dried chili flakes
1/3 cup dry white wine or vermouth
1 large can whole or chopped clams, drained
1-2 tbs. chopped fresh parsley, to serve
grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Cook the linguini according to the package directions. Keep out a cup of water, then drain.

Meanwhile, in a skillet that will fit the pasta later, cook the garlic in the olive oil for a few minutes, then stir in the chili flakes, the wine or vermouth and the clams. Bubble to heat the clams, then tip in the cooked pasta. Add enough pasta water to make a sauce. Sprinkle with parsley and Parmesan cheese to serve.

Serves 2