MINCE

Mince may be the poor relation of beef, pork and lamb, but it certainly has its uses, not least because it’s perfect for disguising large quantities of vegetables in. It’s also very versatile and inexpensive and a good starting point for getting kids accustomed to the taste and smell of meat, assuming that’s what you want to do.

Once again, as it’s so affordable to begin with there’s not much to be gained from buying the cheapest. However, regardless of what kind of mince you buy, you should always get rid of the extra fat by almost covering the pan with a lid once the meat is cooked, then tipping the pan and carefully straining off as much of the fatty liquid as you can. Liposuction for meat, in other words – and if you haven’t done this before you’ll be horrified at the amount of extra fat you could have been swallowing. Eugh.

Tips

Use a couple of tins of corned beef in Shepherd’s Pie instead of minced lamb if you feel like something different.

Always dry-fry mince straight from the packet; even if the label says ‘extra lean steak’ it still contains more fat than you need.

Make leftover chilli or Bolognese go further by adding a couple of tins of chopped tomatoes and some more seasoning.

SHEPHERD’S PIE

Not long ago I read that when Jamie Oliver asked a young mum why she didn’t make Shepherd’s Pie for her kids she said it was ‘too posh’.

Shepherd’s Pie is a lot of things – delicious, cheap and easy to put together all year round – but posh? I don’t think so.

There’s no end to what you can add to the meat in Shepherd’s Pie, so try finely chopped celery, a handful of frozen mixed vegetables, spinach, grated carrot, sweetcorn, or leftover vegetables (carrots, swede, cabbage or broccoli, for instance) cut into small pieces.

Instead of potato alone, use a mixture of potato and sweet potato or butternut squash for the topping; add an egg to make the potato drier and fluffier, or a spoonful of creamed cheese with parsley or chives, or just plain butter and milk.

Minced lamb is a bit more expensive than minced beef, (although not that much) so if you can’t get lamb or you want to use minced beef instead, just add plenty of rosemary; hardly anyone will be able to tell the difference.

Serve with green vegetables, or just baked beans, and make extra gravy if you like a wet dinner.

SERVES 4–6:
1 lb (approx 450–500 g) minced lamb
1 onion, chopped
Mushrooms
Carrot, grated
Frozen sweetcorn
1 lamb, beef or vegetable stock cube (or a teaspoon of Marmite)
1 clove of garlic
Tomato puree
1 tbsp instant gravy granules
Dried rosemary

Potatoes: however many you think would make a serving of mash for each person

Splash of milk

Grated cheese, approx 1 oz (25 g)

METHOD

• 1.Peel potatoes, or wash them and leave them in their skins (see above), then cut them roughly into quarters and put them on the hob in a saucepan of fresh, cold water.
• 2.Dry-fry the meat in a very large pan on a low heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon now and then, while you get the vegetables ready.
• 3.Add the onion and garlic to the pan as soon as you like, then add the mushrooms and grated carrot, stirring every now and then until the meat is almost cooked and you can clearly see the fatty juices.
• 4.Strain the fat off the meat (see above), then crumble in the stock cube and add the rosemary, a couple of handfuls of frozen sweetcorn and a tablespoonful of tomato puree.
• 5.Add a tablespoonful of instant gravy granules to thicken and then simmer for a few minutes until the potatoes are ready, then transfer the meat into a large ovenproof dish.
• 6.Drain and mash the potatoes with a lump of butter and a splash of milk; add the grated cheese, then spread the potato topping over the meat, and put in the oven on Gas Mark 5 (190°C) for 15–20 minutes, or until the potatoes are brown and the gravy is bubbling.

MOUSSAKA

SERVES 6:
1 lb (450–500 g) minced lamb
1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic
2 aubergines
4 medium-large potatoes
Mushrooms
1 lamb or beef stock cube
1 tsp all spice
Tomato puree
Very little water

FOR THE TOPPING:
1 pint (500 ml) warm milk
4 oz (100 g) butter
3 tbsp plain flour
2 egg yolks

METHOD

• 1.Cook the minced lamb in a very large saucepan with the finely chopped onion and garlic for a few minutes, then strain off the fatty liquid (see above).
• 2.Crumble in the stock cube, add some tomato puree with the all spice and a very little water and stir well.
• 3.Meanwhile, peel and put the potatoes on to boil in a pan of fresh cold water; bring to the boil, simmer until soft, then allow to cool for a few minutes before cutting into thick slices.
• 4.Cut the aubergines into thinly sliced quarters and soak in a bowl of salty water for 5 minutes while you peel and finely slice the mushrooms.
• 5.Drain the aubergines thoroughly with a clean tea towel or kitchen roll, then deep fry in very hot oil and leave to drain on clean kitchen roll.
• 6.Put the fried aubergines in a bowl and mix with the sliced mushrooms. (The aubergines absorb so much oil there’s no need to fry the mushrooms as well.)
• 7.Layer the meat with the aubergines and mushrooms in a large ovenproof dish and finish with a layer of sliced potato.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING:
1 pint (500 ml) warm milk
4 oz (100 g) butter
3 tbsp plain flour
2 egg yolks

• 1.Melt the butter in a saucepan and warm the milk (in another saucepan, or in a large bowl in the microwave: approx 4 minutes on high).
• 2.Add the flour to the melted butter in the saucepan and stir over the heat for a minute, then pour in the warm milk, whisking all the time.
• 3.When the sauce starts to thicken, add the egg yolks and whisk for another minute.
• 4.Pour the topping over the moussaka and bake in the oven for 30 –40 minutes, Gas Mark 4 (180°C) until the sauce is bubbling and the topping has a golden crust.

CHILLI CON CARNE

As usual, the quantities here are all approximate, so add more, or less of the vegetables, according to what you have and what you like best; the same applies to the amount of chilli powder, cumin, etc. I always make more chilli then I need and keep (or freeze) some, which is why there’s more meat here than in most other mince recipes; in fact, the quantities below should be enough to make two meals (accompanied by pasta, rice, salad and vegetables, etc) for a family of four.

2 lb (1 kg) lean minced beef
1 large onion
2 peppers, any colour
2 courgettes
Mushrooms
Spinach
1 tin of kidney beans
1 or 2 tins of plum or chopped tomatoes
Tomato puree
Garlic puree
Chilli powder
Pinch of curry powder
Cumin
1 beef stock cube
Basil

METHOD

• 1.Put the mince in a large, deep-sided pan on a low heat and let it brown slowly while you wash and chop the vegetables. (Break up the lumps of meat from time to time with a wooden spoon.)
• 2.When the meat is just about cooked, strain off the fatty liquid (see above) and add the peppers, courgettes, mushrooms, onion, herbs and spices and give it all a good stir.
• 3.Wash a generous handful of spinach and add to the meat with the tinned tomatoes; keep stirring and turn the heat right up to make it bubble. Thoroughly rinse the kidney beans in a sieve and put them in too.
• 4.Add enough tomato puree to thicken the sauce until it’s the way you like it, then turn the heat right down, cover with a lid and simmer very gently for about half an hour.

HAMBURGERS

Use lean minced beef or buy the best steak you can afford and mince it in a blender or food processor at home. Add a finely chopped onion, a few herbs, and some breadcrumbs if you want to stretch the meat a bit further. You don’t need a huge amount of meat to make a good hamburger, especially if you top it up with salad, real cheese (as opposed to processed slices, or that gunk from a plastic bottle...what exactly is that stuff, anyway?) and chunky homemade chips.

MAKES 6 GOOD-SIZED BURGERS:
2 lb (1 kg) minced beef or steak
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 egg to bind

OPTIONAL:

Paprika or cayenne pepper
Black pepper
Parsley
Breadcrumbs

METHOD

• 1.Squish everything together in a large bowl and pat the mixture into burger shapes with your hands, making them as large and thin as you can without them falling apart. (Only use flour if you feel you can’t manage without; you don’t really need it.)
• 2.For best results put the burgers under the grill on the highest setting and cook on both sides for a few minutes until they’re brown on the outside and just done in the middle.

RISSOLES

Like prunes in lumpy custard and spam fritters, rissoles were one of those things we used to joke about at school. All I really remember is that they were made with minced beef and rice (I think) – and I’m guessing breadcrumbs. Anyway, this is how I make mine; have them hot with vegetables and a few potato wedges, or cold with salad and pitta bread.

Use whichever kind of rice you like, and instead of beef, minced pork or lamb are also good.

MAKES APPROXIMATELY 10 LARGE RISSOLES:
1lb (450–500 g) mince
6oz (150 g) rice
8oz (200 g) white breadcrumbs
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup of milk
Seasoning

METHOD

• 1.Cook rice in the usual way, then strain through a sieve and immediately rinse with plenty of cold water.
• 2.Mix the beaten eggs with about 1/4 cup of milk and spread the breadcrumbs out on a large, shallow tray.
• 3.Put the cooked rice into a very large bowl with the raw mince (and whatever herbs and spices you want to use) and squish it together gently with your hands.
• 4.Shape into Scotch egg size balls – or slightly smaller – dip them into the egg mixture, then coat with the breadcrumbs.
• 5.Heat enough oil in a very large saucepan to just cover the rissoles (a piece of stale bread will turn golden in less than 30 seconds if the oil’s hot enough) and deep fry for a few minutes until the coating is crisp and brown.
• 6Put the rissoles on an ovenproof tray in a moderate oven, Gas Mark 4 (180°C) for about 20 minutes.

ALSO TRY...

• 1.BEEF & CHEESE CRUMBLE: Make a crumble with 6 oz (150 g) plain flour, 3 oz (75 g) of butter and 1 oz (25 g) of grated cheese for topping a casserole made with a family-sized pack of mince, thoroughly cooked with onions, mushrooms and sweetcorn, then mixed with a thick gravy, seasoning and a dash of Worcester Sauce.
• 2.SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE (see Chapter 10: Weekly Menu Planning).
• 3.Use up small amounts of uncooked mince to make tiny meatballs (see Chapter 4: Quick Fixes) for mixing with pasta and tomato sauce.

CHICKEN

There’s been a never-ending stream of bad publicity regarding chicken and turkey farming in recent years; maybe it’s still so popular because, not counting sausages and burgers, children seem to prefer it to any other kind of meat.

I must admit I still love chicken and turkey, and I think as long as you steer well clear of the dodgy stuff – by which I mean chicken from any fast food outlet, the chill cabinet or supermarket freezer, and anything that isn’t proven free range (check for the little tractor logo on the packaging) – you should be fairly safe.

Just in case you haven’t seen and heard enough hard evidence already about the horror that is cheap chicken, it’s usually been farmed and handled in extremely unhygienic conditions, then pumped full of water and chemicals to increase the weight, which means you’re paying more money for less (poor quality) meat.

Chicken dishes made from reconstituted meat, including the ones marketed for children, are even worse. Skin, fat, a whole host of other body parts and cheap fillers are just a few of the things you could be swallowing every time you eat chicken Kiev or a slice of turkey roll, and although one of the manufacturers’ favourite claims is ‘made with 100% breast meat’, what they don’t tell you is that the product only contains about 56% meat in the first place: low grade, factory farmed and full of water; the rest is batter and breadcrumbs.

CHICKEN NUGGETS

Not to be confused with the sort of nuggets, dippers, drummers or burgers you find in the supermarket; call them what you will, they’re all made from the same processed rubbish.

The worst chicken burgers I’ve ever come cross were the ones in primary school dinners, where they appeared on the menu in a variety of shapes and sizes virtually every day. They were all basically the same; rubbery, too salty and utterly flavourless, except for one type we used to call petrol burgers, because dirty petrol was what they smelt and tasted of.

I came across petrol burgers again a couple of years ago when I bought a chicken burger for one of my children at a health club – more fool me. Needless to say, it was inedible; one bite and the rest went straight into the bin.

But don’t give up on chicken nuggets altogether, make them at home instead. These chicken nuggets are made with real free-range chicken fillets and, surprise, surprise; real chicken is exactly what they taste of. Don’t be tempted to leave the carrots, apples and onion out; not only do they make the chicken go further, they really do add flavour (and vitamins) and make the nuggets more tender and that bit tastier.

MAKES APPROXIMATELY 20 GOOD-SIZED NUGGETS:
2 free-range chicken fillets
2 large carrots
2 apples
1 large onion
Breadcrumbs, approx 1lb (450–500 g)
2 eggs + milk, beaten together

OPTIONAL:
Flour
Lemon juice
Tarragon or thyme
Salt and pepper

METHOD

• 1.Spread the breadcrumbs across a large, fairly shallow dish or tray and beat the eggs together in a bowl with approximately 4 fl oz of milk. (Coat the nuggets in flour before dipping them in the beaten egg mixture if you like; I don’t bother.)
• 2.Wash and roughly chop the carrots and onion, peel and core the apples, remove the skin from the chicken and cut the meat into large pieces.
• 3.If you’re using the above quantities, blend the whole lot in one go in a 2 litre food processor. If you’ve got a smaller food processor or you’re making twice as many nuggets, blend the chicken first, followed by the fruit and vegetables. Although you can whiz everything to a smooth paste if you like, I prefer my nuggets to have a chunkier texture, so blend the ingredients on a slow setting to get the consistency you want. Alternatively, grate the fruit and vegetables by hand with a cheese grater and snip the chicken into tiny pieces with kitchen scissors.
• 4.Put the blended ingredients into a large bowl and squish it all together with your hands, adding some breadcrumbs if you feel the mixture is a bit wet.
• 5.Shape the nuggets with your hands, dipping each one into the egg mixture first, and working with only a small amount of breadcrumbs at a time to avoid making a mess of the whole tray and creating too much waste.
• 6.To cook the nuggets: Warm enough oil, about 2 inches (5 cms), in a large pan to completely cover the nuggets and test if it’s hot enough by dropping a small chunk of bread into the pan; it should go brown in a matter of seconds. If the oil is too cool the nuggets will break up and go soggy; if it’s just right they should turn crisp and golden in about a minute.
• 7.Fry the nuggets for a few minutes, then place on a baking tray and finish them off in a warm oven, Gas Mark 4 (180°C) for about 15 minutes to cook through. N.B. If you’re freezing chicken nuggets, place them side by side (uncooked) on a small tray, cover them with foil and tie them into a freezer bag, or layer them with greaseproof paper in a plastic container and seal tightly with a lid. When you take them out, allow them to thaw slightly for a few minutes so they’re easier to separate, remove excess moisture with kitchen roll, and for best results follow the cooking instructions above.

CHICKEN CURRY

If want a meatier curry, double up the amount of chicken and use the same quantity of vegetables.

SERVES 4–6:
At least 4 chicken fillets, skin removed
1 large onion
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 medium-sized carrot
Mushrooms

1 small carton of natural yoghurt (or 4 tbsp from a big carton)
1/2 pint chicken stock (1 stock cube)
Oil
Tomato puree
1 sachet of coconut paste

SPICES:
2 tsp (plus) medium curry powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp ginger

METHOD

• 1.Wash and finely slice the onion, carrot and mushrooms.
• 2.Remove chicken skin, rinse the meat in cold water, dry well and cut into narrow strips.
• 3.Warm some oil with the spices and crushed garlic in a very large saucepan and quickly fry the chicken pieces for a couple of minutes.
• 4.Turn the heat down and add the onion, carrot and mushrooms, making sure everything is coated with the spices.
• 5.Pour in the stock, followed by the yoghurt and coconut, and stir well.
• 6.Cover with a lid and cook gently for up to an hour, stirring occasionally, or transfer the curry to a casserole dish with a lid and cook in the oven, Gas Mark 3 (160/170°C) for the same amount of time.
• 7.Serve with plain boiled rice.

MEXICAN CHICKEN

The Tex Mex seasoning you get with DIY taco kits tends to be made with chilli powder, coriander and cumin, so if you have all these spices in your cupboard already, it’s cheaper and more convenient to make your own. (And as a rough guide, I’d say one medium-sized chicken fillet makes two wraps.)

I like those long, thin, sweet red peppers for this, but any peppers will do. (Add a chilli pepper if you like it hot.)

TO MAKE 6:
3 Chicken fillets, cut into strips
1 small onion
Tortilla wraps, flour wraps, or taco shells
1 each, small red and green peppers
Oil

FOR THE SEASONING:
4 tsp ground cumin
4 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp (plus) medium chilli powder
Salt and pepper

METHOD

• 1.Remove chicken skin, wash well and cut the chicken into thin strips.
• 2.Mix the seasoning together on a dinner plate and coat the meat (you can always make more if you run out) or, if you prefer, add the spices to the hot oil.
• 3.Heat the oil in a large pan and quickly fry the chicken on the outside.
• 4.Turn the heat down, add the thinly sliced peppers and onion, and cook for a few minutes until soft.
• 5.Serve with shredded lettuce and thinly sliced tomato and cucumber in wraps or taco shells, or with plain boiled rice and guacamole.

CHICKEN & HAM PASTA BAKE

This only takes a few minutes longer than a pasta bake made with a jar of instant sauce, and apart from having a far superior flavour it also contains a lot less salt.

If you don’t have tomato juice, use two tins of chopped tomatoes or a carton of passata (finely chopped and sieved tomatoes) instead.

I only use two chicken breasts to save money, but there’s no reason why you can’t use more chicken than this without making any other alterations to the recipe.

SERVES 4 –6:
2 chicken breast fillets (skin removed)
1/2 packet (say 5 slices) honey roast ham
Mushrooms
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
1 1/2 pint (3/4 litre) tomato juice
2 big tbsp soft cream cheese (or Quark) or half a tub, approx 8 oz (300 g)
Dried pasta shapes (approx 1 handful per person)
2 tsp rosemary (or mixed herbs)
2 handfuls of grated cheese (a mix of mozzarella and cheddar is good)
1 packet of ready salted crisps (scrunched up in the bag)
Olive oil

METHOD

• 1.Warm a little olive oil in a large saucepan; cut the chicken fillets into strips or small pieces and fry gently with the onion and garlic for a few minutes.
• 2.Add the mushrooms and ham, followed by the herbs, tomato juice and cream cheese, stirring for a few minutes until the cheese has blended thoroughly into the tomato sauce.
• 3.Put the (uncooked) pasta into the pan with the sauce, mix well, then pour the whole lot into a large ovenproof dish, making sure all the pasta is covered.
• 4.Top with the grated cheese and scrunched up crisps and bake in the oven, Gas Mark 4 (180°C) for 30–40 minutes, by which time the pasta should be perfectly cooked.

SWEET & SOUR CHICKEN

With couscous instead of rice, this is very nearly a quick fix. If you want to make it with pork instead of chicken you’ll need to cook the meat a bit longer, simmering for 20 –30 minutes instead of 10, once the sauce has been made.

SERVES 6:
4 chicken fillets
1 red pepper
1 orange or yellow pepper
1 onion
1 standard tin of pineapple rings
2 tbsp vinegar (malt, white, or white wine)
2 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 rounded tbsp sugar (soft brown or white)
Oil
Plain flour

METHOD

• 1.Warm some oil in a large saucepan.
• 2.Remove chicken skin, wash and cut into strips or small pieces and coat in a little plain flour.
• 3.Fry the chicken on all sides, then turn the heat right down and cover with a lid while you finely chop the onion and peppers.
• 4.Add the onion and peppers to the pan; cut 3 or 4 pineapple rings into small pieces and put them in followed by the vinegar, tomato puree, soy sauce, sugar and all the juice from the tin of pineapple.
• 5.Stir well, cover with a lid and simmer very gently for about 10 minutes.

ALSO TRY:

• 1.Chicken in Cream & Mushroom Sauce: Coat chicken thighs in a little flour or chicken seasoning (say two pieces of chicken per adult), then fry in butter and olive oil, adding crushed garlic, finely chopped onions and mushrooms, seasoning – mixed herbs, coriander and nutmeg are all good – and a medium-sized tub of single cream. Simmer gently for about 25 minutes while you make boiled rice and a mixed salad.
• 2.Chicken Goujons: Make chicken fillets into chicken goujons by cutting them into long, thin strips, dunking in beaten egg and breadcrumbs and deep frying, as you would with chicken nuggets.

SAUSAGES

Poor old sausages have come in for a lot of stick in recent years, and let’s face it, some of them deserve their bad reputation, especially if the horror stories about what goes into them are to be believed; cows’ eyeballs and pigs’ snouts are two of the less repulsive ingredients I’ve heard about.

Sadly, I have to say I do believe the stories – and once again, the worst examples I’ve come across were in primary school dinners. As a rough guide, go for sausages that contain an absolute minimum of 70% meat, and preferably 80% plus (you’ll see from the ingredients listed on the back of the packaging) and don’t be tempted by the cheaper ones. It’s not worth it.

TOAD IN THE HOLE

Always, always use plain flour for Yorkshire pudding – if you use self-raising you’ll get a flat, solid result – and make sure the oil is at least fizzing, if not smoking hot when you pour the batter in; that’s the secret of perfect Yorkshire pudding. Some people say you should make the batter in advance and rest it in the fridge for a while, but I don’t think it makes a lot of difference. Plain flour and hot oil are the magic ingredients – and use 2 eggs instead of one, even for smaller quantities of Yorkshire pudding; that way your pudding will have more substance and stay firm and well-risen, instead of shrinking up and losing its perfect shape a few seconds after you take it out of the oven.

As a rough guide, use one heaped tablespoon of flour per person and add the milk gradually so you can see where you are with it before you make the batter too thin and have to start sifting in more flour.

SERVES 4:
8 sausages
4 oz (100 g) plain flour
2 eggs
Milk, splash
Oil

OPTIONAL:
1 small onion (finely chopped)

METHOD

• 1.Arrange the sausages evenly in a large ovenproof dish with some extra oil. (The sausages make their own fat, but you need more to cook the Yorkshire pudding in; an extra 3–4 tablespoons should do it.) Prick the sausages a few times with a sharp knife and put them in a hot oven, Gas Mark 6/7 (200/220°C). If you’re using the onion, chop it finely and scatter around the sausages after about 10–15 minutes when the oil is hot and the sausages are starting to go brown.
• 2.Now sift the flour in a largish mixing bowl (give yourself plenty of elbow room) and make a well in the centre.
• 3.Break the eggs into the well, one at a time; add a big splash of milk and start whisking, gradually adding more milk until you’ve got a fairly thick, smooth, pouring batter. You can leave the batter in the fridge, but have it ready to pour into the very hot oil the minute you bring the sausages from the oven.
• 4.When the sausages are brown and very nearly done, quickly pour the batter in and return to the top half of the oven immediately. After about 20 minutes you should have lovely dark brown sausages and perfect golden, well-risen Yorkshire pudding.

CIDER SAUSAGES

According to traditional recipes you’re meant to cook the sausages in the sauce for part of the time, but I don’t see the point unless you like your sausages soft and soggy. I think it works better to do the sausages separately (in the oven, or grill them) and just pour the sauce over them on the plate at the end.

Use mushrooms and sweet red pepper instead of carrots if you prefer, in which case you’ll only need to simmer the sauce for about 20 minutes instead of half an hour.

FOR THE CIDER SAUCE:
1 onion
2 celery sticks
2 carrots
2 tbsp plain flour
3/4 pint (450 ml) medium dry apple cider
1/4 pint (125 ml) beef stock
Butter
Oil
Parsley
Salt & pepper
1 bouquet garni

METHOD

• 1.Wash and chop the onion, carrots and celery as thinly as you can; warm the butter and oil in a large saucepan and fry the vegetables until the onion is soft and slightly golden.
• 2.Stir in 2 tbsp of plain flour and cook for another minute, then add the stock and the cider with the bouquet garni and bring to the boil.
• 3.Turn the heat right down and simmer for 30–40 minutes, or until the carrots are just soft, adding parsley and seasoning to taste.

ALSO TRY...

• 1.JAMIE OLIVER-STYLE PAN-FRIED SAUSAGES: Split sausages in half lengthways, open up and fry them flat for cooking in double-quick time.
• 2.SAUSAGES IN CURRY SAUCE: Use up leftover curry sauce (or a jar of readymade if you’re desperate) by re-heating in the microwave and pouring over well-done sausages and plain boiled rice.

PORK

Tips

For the very best crackling, roast a joint of pork with the rind on for the first hour, then remove the rind and cook separately at the top of the oven.

Don’t waste time making apple sauce; a large jar of organic baby apple puree does the same job.

SAUSAGE ROLLS

Sausage rolls are usually made with puff pastry; too tricky and time-consuming for most of us to tackle at home, so I make sausage rolls with suet which is dead easy to handle – even for very inexperienced pastry makers – and which, contrary to popular belief, actually contains less saturated fat than butter.

These sausage rolls are especially nice hot (they’re perfect with mashed potatoes, green vegetables and gravy), but are also good cold and keep well in the fridge for quite a few days.

MAKES APPROXIMATELY 12 SAUSAGE ROLLS:

FOR THE FILLING:
1 lb (450–500 g) Pork mince
1 large jar of baby apple (or apple & apricot) puree, or 1 tin of apple chunks
I small sachet of sage & onion stuffing mix

FOR THE PASTRY:
8 oz (225 g) self raising flour
4 oz (100 g) suet
6 fl oz (175 ml) water (approx)

METHOD

• 1.Combine the pork, stuffing mix and apple chunks (or puree) in a food processor or blender – or squish it all together in a large bowl with your hands.
• 2.Mix the flour and suet together in a large bowl and gradually add the water to form a ball of dough. The dough should be quite soft, but firm enough to handle easily; if it’s too sticky, sprinkle more flour into the mixing bowl and keep kneading it gently until it feels right.
• 3.Roll the dough out on a floured surface into a large rectangle; as thin as you can get it without tearing.
• 4.Form the sausage meat into a fat roll, roughly the same length as the pastry, and place in the middle. Fold one side of the pastry across the meat and brush it with milk; bring the opposite side of the pastry over, pressing it down gently to hide the join, then brush the top and sides of the giant sausage roll with milk, trim the rough ends and cut it crossways into slices. You should get about a dozen sausage rolls roughly two inches thick.
• 5.Place the sausage rolls on an oiled baking tray and bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes, until the pastry is a deep golden brown and the meat is obviously cooked through.

SWEET APPLE & APRICOT PORK

SERVES 4–6:
4–8 pork fillets
1 red onion
2 small apples
Dried apricots, handful
Oil

FOR THE SAUCE:
1/2 pint (250 ml) pork or vegetable stock (made with 1 stock cube)
1 tbsp golden syrup
1 tsp butter
1 tsp plain flour
2 tsp sage

METHOD

• 1.Wash and finely chop the apples, apricots and onion and remove any excess fat from the pork fillets.
• 2.Warm enough oil to just cover the bottom of a large pan and quick fry the pork fillets with the finely chopped onion, turning once.
• 3.Place the pork and onion in a large ovenproof dish and cover with the apples and apricots.
• 4.Blend the flour, butter and sage together in a mixing jug to make a smooth paste; add the stock cube, syrup and 1/2 pint (250 ml) of boiling water, whisking with a fork or small hand whisk until everything has dissolved.
• 5.Pour the sauce over the pork and cover the dish with a lid or a sheet of silver foil.
• 6.Cook in a moderate oven, Gas Mark 4 (180°C) for about an hour, or until the pork is tender.

GINGER BEER PORK

SERVES 4–6:
1 lb (450–500 g) pork fillets
2 tbsp flour
Salt & pepper
1/2 pint (250 ml) ginger beer
1/2 pint (250 ml) pork or vegetable stock
1 onion
2tsp brown sugar
1 clove of garlic
1 tsp caraway seeds
Oil

METHOD

• 1.Warm some oil in a large saucepan while you cut the pork into thin strips and coat lightly in the seasoned flour.
• 2.Quick fry the pork; strain the old oil if it’s a bit dirty and add some fresh to the pan with the onion and garlic.
• 3.Stir in the stock and the ginger beer with the sugar and caraway seeds; bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer very gently for 45 minutes –1 hour, until the pork is tender. Serve with any combination of winter vegetables and lots of mashed potato.

SPICY PORK MEATBALLS

The quantities given below make at least 30 tiny meatballs, so if you don’t need this many now, freeze some – or cook the lot and put the leftovers in a salad the following day. It’s a bit fiddlier making the meatballs this small, but for my money they work better as gobstoppers than ping pong balls.

MAKES 30 TINY MEATBALLS:
1 lb (450–500 g) minced pork
3/4 cup of breadcrumbs
1 large egg
6 tbsp flour (plain or wholemeal plain)
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp cumin
Pepper

METHOD

• 1.Put the meat in a large bowl and squish it up with the egg and breadcrumbs.
• 2.Sift the flour and spices onto a large dinner plate.
• 3.Roll the mixture into balls and coat in the seasoned flour.
• 4.Shallow fry in very hot oil for 10–15 minutes and serve with a tomato sauce (see DIY Pasta Sauce later in this chapter and Quick Tomato Sauce in Chapter 10: Weekly Menu Planning) and either rice or pasta, or mashed potatoes.

ALSO TRY...

• 1.PORK IN PLUM SAUCE: Quickly brown some pork fillets in a pan, then transfer to a casserole dish, cover with a lid and cook in a moderate oven, Gas Mark 3 (170°C) while you stew 1 lb (500 g) of plums in a saucepan with a little water, 1 level tbsp of soft brown sugar, 1/2 tsp of cinnamon and 1/4 pint of red wine. After 15 minutes when the plums are soft, push them through a sieve, pour the puree over the pork and continue cooking for about 1 hour until the pork is tender.
• 2.GREEK-STYLE PORK: Cut pork fillets into strips and seal the meat in a large saucepan with very hot oil; cover with a lid and simmer gently for 30–40 minutes, then add half a small bag of torn up spinach, 1 tsp of nutmeg and 1/2 large carton of natural yoghurt mixed with 1 tbsp of plain or wholemeal flour; stir well and simmer gently for another 10 minutes. Serve with pitta bread and salad.

BEEF

Tips

Use kitchen scissors for cutting up raw meat; it’s much quicker and more hygienic than messing about with knives and chopping boards.

Stir in a spoonful of mustard straight from the jar to give beef dishes an extra kick, or make a casserole with 1/2 pint (250 ml) of stout instead of beef stock and cook slowly for 1 1/2 –2 hours until the meat is tender.

STEAK & KIDNEY PUDDING

Be careful not to flood the pudding when you pour the stock onto the meat; although I’ve said 1/4 pint in the list of ingredients you won’t need that much, so add it slowly and carefully. Alternatively, you can mix a crumbly stock cube with the flour you use to coat the meat in at the beginning – Oxo cubes are best – in which case, add plain cold water to the meat instead of stock.

SERVES 6:
FOR THE PASTRY:
1/2 lb (225 g) self-raising flour
4 oz (100 g) suet (beef or vegetable)
6 fl oz (175 ml) cold water (approx)

FOR THE FILLING:
1 lb (450 – 500 g) stewing steak
3/4 lb (375 g) lamb’s kidneys
3 tbsp sherry
Worcester sauce
2 tbsp plain flour
Salt & pepper
Mixed herbs
1/4 pint (125 ml) beef stock (made with 1/2 stock cube or 1 tsp Marmite or 1 Oxo cube)

METHOD

• 1.Trim any excess fat off the meat, wash and dry well, then coat in the seasoned flour and mix with the herbs, sherry, and a dash of Worcester sauce.
• 2.Make the stock (if you haven’t already coated the meat with an Oxo cube) and leave to cool.
• 3.Make the pastry by sifting the flour into a large bowl with the suet, then adding the cold water and mixing with one hand to form a soft but still fairly stiff dough.
• 4.Roll the dough out on a floured surface to make a big enough circle to fill a 2 pint (approximately 1 litre) pudding basin (earthenware or Pyrex) with at least an inch (2.5 cm) overlapping, then cut out one quarter of the pastry circle to make the lid.
• 5.Line the pudding basin with the large piece of pastry, pressing it down to the bottom of the basin and sealing the join with your fingers.
• 6.Fill the pudding with the meat mixture and approximately 2 fl oz (60 ml) of beef stock or cold water then put the pastry lid on and trim the overlap, leaving just enough to fold over the lid and seal the pudding. (Make it stick by painting a little water along the edge of the pudding with your fingers first.)
• 7.Cover the pudding with a double layer of greaseproof paper with a pleat in the middle to allow for the pudding to expand, followed by a piece of foil, also pleated in the middle.
• 8.Steam the pudding in a large saucepan with a lid on for 3–3 1/2 hours, checking the water level in the saucepan every so often to see that it doesn’t boil dry.
• 9.You can serve the pudding straight from the basin, otherwise hold an oven tray firmly over the top and turn the basin over; the pudding should slide out slowly and stay in one perfect piece. Pop the tray into the oven to keep the pudding warm.

BEEF STROGANOFF

Usually made with fillet steak, a cheaper and equally good version can be made with rump or braising steak; all you need to do is cook the meat a bit longer.

SERVES 6:
1 1/2 – 2 lb (roughly 1 kg) steak
1 medium onion
1/2 lb (225 g) button mushrooms
1 teaspoon mustard, preferably Dijon
1 small (5 oz) carton of single cream
2 tbsp sherry or brandy
Parsley
Butter
Oil

METHOD

• 1.Heat some oil in a large frying pan; cut the steak into fine strips, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and quick-fry for a minute to seal the meat on all sides before turning the heat right down and letting steak simmer very gently for about half an hour.
• 2.Add a good lump of butter to the pan and fry the finely chopped onions until soft and golden, then add the sliced mushrooms and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes.
• 3.Stir in the mustard with the brandy (or sherry) and cream; warm through very gently (to stop the cream curdling) for 5–10 minutes.
• 4.Sprinkle with plenty of parsley and serve with plain boiled rice and salad.

ALSO TRY...

• 1.BEEF CURRY: Make curry with stewing steak instead of chicken (see Chicken Curry), slow-cooking the meat for an extra 15–20 minutes at the start, before you add the vegetables and make the sauce.

LAMB

LANCASHIRE HOT POT

Lancashire hot pot was traditionally made with lamb chops or cutlets on the bone; use them if you like, but I prefer to use neck fillet, which only needs a slightly longer cooking time to become as succulent and juicy as the most expensive leg of lamb. (See also Scotch Broth in Chapter 5: The Joy of Soup.)

SERVES 6:
2 lb (1 kg) neck fillet of lamb
2 lb (1 kg) potatoes

1 large onion
1 pint of lamb or beef stock
Oil
Butter
Thyme
Rosemary
Salt & pepper

METHOD

• 1.Peel the potatoes, rinse them well and slice into rings about 1/8 inch (2mm) thick.
• 2.Heat some oil in a large pan, fry the onion for a few minutes, then add the lamb and brown the meat quickly on all sides.
• 3.Put half the potato rings on the bottom of a deep ovenproof dish, cover with the lamb and onions and season well.
• 4.Pour in the hot stock, then layer the rest of the potatoes on top of the meat and dot with small pieces of butter.
• 5.Cover the casserole with a lid, or a sheet of foil, and cook in a moderate oven, Gas Mark 4 (180°C) for about 2 hours, then remove the lid and continue cooking for another 15–20 minutes until the potatoes on the top are golden brown and crisp around the edges.

ALSO TRY...

• 1.KEBABS: If you have meat left over from a joint of lamb, this is the perfect way to enjoy a guilt-free kebab without risking your health and wondering what, exactly, is inside that festering thunder-thigh rotating on the spike in your local kebab shop. Simply re-heat the meat by frying quickly in very hot oil, then turn the heat down, cover with a lid and keep warm while you wash some salad and warm the pitta bread under the grill. Make a great spicy mint sauce by blending the following ingredients together, in no particular order and mixing with the cooked lamb. (For a thicker sauce just add more yoghurt.):

2 tbsp natural yoghurt
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp mint
1 heaped tsp sugar
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt

• 2.MEDALLIONS OF LAMB IN RED WINE: Slice approximately 1 1/2 lb (600 g) of neck fillet into medallions and brown the meat in a pan with butter and olive oil, adding a finely chopped red onion, mushrooms and half a bottle of red wine, then simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the meat is tender. Thicken the sauce with a little cornflour mixed with a couple of spoonfuls of liquid from the pan, plus a small spoonful each of gravy granules and tomato puree; serve with new potatoes, or mash, and green vegetables.