All posts by Heather

Lamb Ragout

Lamb, Main Courses

  • For 4/5 people
  • Olive oil
  • 1 lb cubed lamb
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 level tablespoon plain flour
  • 1 glass white wine
  • 1/2 pint lamb stock(from a cube)
  • 1/2 teasp dried thyme
  • 1 bayleaf
  • 2 medium tomatoes chopped
  • 1 teaspoon tomato puree
  • 1 tin cannellini bean(strained)
  • freash chopped parsley to garnish with a little fresh chopped garlic if liked

Heat oil and brown lamb. Remove to a plate
Fry onion and garlic until softened and stir in flour.
Add stock, wine, tomato puree herbs and tomatoes.
Put in a medium oven(about 160) for 2 hours.
Add drained beans and return to oven for 1/2 hour
Add chopped parsley and fresh garlic and serve

Grannie’s Stuffing

Chicken, Family Favourites, Pork, Side Dishes

  • 1 cup oatmeal (not porridge oats)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 oz sausage meat (pork)
  • 2 oz bacon, smoked streaky, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chicken stock
  • Extra bacon needed to cover when cooking if not being cooked in the bird.

Cook (fry off) sausage, onion and bacon in a skillet breaking up the sausage. When cooked, add the oatmeal and stir in the stock. That’s it.
Either put in a bird (best) or heat up in an oven-proof dish with a few strips of bacon on top. Say half an hour at medium oven.

Lentil and Avocado Salsa

Holidays, Hot & Spicy, Salads, Side Dishes, Vegetarian

  • For Two as a side dish
  • 1 cup puy lentils
  • diced cucumber
  • diced avocado
  • diced red onion
  • chopped coriander
  • chopped flat leaf parsley
  • finely diced red chilli
  • olive oil
  • juice of a lime

Cook lentils in boiling water until tender. salt after cooking and add oil to drained lentils.
Add all other ingredients. Quantities are very variable depending on amount needed.
Chill until required

Italian Fish Stew (serves 2 )

Fish, Holidays, Main Courses

  • 11/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 10oz potatoes-peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 clove garlic peeled and chopped
  • 1 400gm tin chopped tomatoes
  • 100ml chicken stock made with a cube
  • 60ml white wine
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 2 handfuls of mussels or clams
  • 6 large raw prawns-peeled
  • 8oz monkfish cut into chunks
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • some chopped mint and parsley-to taste
  • olive oil for drizzling
  • Fish is very flexible. I have had good results with squid, halibut etc it is really up you and what is good at the time.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan and cook the potatoes over a medium heat for five minutes.
Add the garlic and stir briefly.
Add tomatoes, wine, stock, chilli and ginger.Simmer for 5 minutes or so until potatoes are tender. It can be made up to this point ahead and left till later to add the fish. Just bring back up to a simmer before adding the fish. Add the seafood and lemon juice and simmer for ten minutes. Place in bowls and scatter over mint and parsley. Serve with crusty bread.

Chicken with cannellini beans

Chicken, Holidays, Main Courses

  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 4oz bacon chopped
  • 230gm tin chopped tomatoes
  • 400gm tin cannellini beans drained
  • 150ml white wine
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 200gm cooked chicken
  • serves two

Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan.
Add the onion and bacon to the pan and fry for 5 mins until the onion is cooked and the bacon crispy.
Add the tomatoes, beans and wine. Bring to a simmes for 5-10 mins. Add chicken to heat up. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with a green veg and perhaps some rice.