Lamb Casserole

Ingredients
500g lamb boneless shoulder, trimmed of excess fat, meat cubed 
2tbsp plain flour 
2 tbsp olive oil 
small knob butter 
2 medium carrots, diced 
7 new potatoes, diced
1 large onion, chopped 
1tbsp tomato purée
salt
ground black pepper
lamb stock 
sprig rosemary 

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Put the cubes of lamb in a plastic bag with the with salt, freshly ground black pepper, flour and give the bag a good shake. that the meat becomes well coated with the flour.
3. Heat  a large frying pan until very hot. Add the oil and the butter and then the lamb and fry over a high heat, stirring now and then, until all the pieces of lamb are well browned. Transfer to a casserole dish and set aside.
4. Add the onion to the pan with another tablespoon of oil if needed, and fry over a medium-high heat for 5 minutes, or until just starting to brown, then the tomato purée and keep stirring for about 30 seconds. Pour in a little of the stock and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze it. Slowly add the rest of the stock, stirring all the time.
5. Pour this into the casserole dish  along with the carrots, potato and herb sprigs. Cover and bake in the oven for 1 1/2  hours or until tender. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
6. Remove from the oven and check the seasoning. Serve with some vegetables, or mashed potatoes, if you like.

Roast leg of lamb with garlic and rosemary

Ingredients
2.3 kg leg of lamb, on the bone
2 large garlic cloves
5 stalks fresh rosemary, plus extra for garnish
salt
ground black pepper

Method
1.Remove the lamb from the fridge and allow it to get to room temperature.Preheat the oven to 150C .
2.Make the garlic and rosemary butter. Peel the garlic cloves and grate them finely with a grater. Place into a bowl with the butter.
3.Strip the leaves off the rosemary stalks and chop finely. Add to the bowl with the peeled garlic  into a bowl . Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and rub all over the meat.

4.Place the lamb in a roasting tin, cover loosely with foil and place in the preheated oven. Cook the lamb for 1 hour 15 minutes if you want it pink, or 1 hour 30 minutes if you like it more well done. If you have a meat thermometer (see right) 85C mean joint is cooked. 
5.At the end of cooking time, remove the lamb from the oven and leave it to rest in the roasting tin for 10-15 minutes, with some foil on top to keep it warm.
6.To serve, slice the lamb and pour over the gravy. and serve with the roast potatoes, mint sauce and some seasonal vegetables,for a Sunday lunch.


***Roast a leg of lamb for 20 minutes per 500g , plus 10 minutes more. Allow it to rest for a good 15 minutes before serving to ensure the juices redistribute, making a perfect roast.***

Apple and sultana strudel

Ingredients
350g Bramley apples
Finely grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
150g soft brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
100g sultanas
5 sheets filo pastry
25g butter, melted
1 tbsp plain flour

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. For the filling, peel the apples and cut into quarters, core, then cut into thin slices. Drizzle with lemon juice.
3. Mix the soft brown sugar, cinnamon, flour in a small bowl. Add the mixture to the apples. Stir everything well. Add the sultanas.
4. Place the pastry sheets on a baking tray, brushing between each sheet with butter.
5. Place the filling lengthways across one edge. Roll up the strudel, starting with the side with the filling and working across to the other side. Brush the entire strudel with the egg-milk mixture, then seal the ends.
6. Brush with butter, bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.
7. Leave to cool for at least 25 minutes before cutting. Dust with icing sugar just before serving.

Poached eggs

Ingredients
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 free-range eggs
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
1. Fill a small pan just over one third full with cold water and bring it to the boil.
2. Add the vinegar and turn down to simmer.
3. Crack the eggs one at a time into a small bowl and gently tip into the simmering water.
4. Lightly poach for 3-4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen towels.
5. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately

Spaghetti carbonara

Ingredients

200g spaghetti

1 tbsp olive oil

8 rashers bacon chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 eggs

150ml double cream
100g grated Parmesan cheese to serve
handful chopped fresh parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
1. Prepare spaghetti according to package directions
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the Bacon and garlic for 2-3 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and browned. Reduce the heat to low.
3. In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the cream and most of the grated cheese, salt, pepper,  reserving a little cheese for the garnish.
4.Tip the spaghetti into the pan with the bacon and pour in the cream and egg mixture. Mix well over a very low heat.(Add extra pasta cooking water to keep it saucy if needed) Serve with extra cheese and  sprinkle with  parsley .

Spaghetti with Bacon and Cabbage

Ingredients

6  rashers bacon chopped

180g spaghetti

1/4 small head Savoy cabbage, quartered, cored and shredded

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoons olive oil

handful chopped fresh parsley

salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste

grated Parmesan cheese to serve

Method

1. Prepare spaghetti according to package directions

2. Cook bacon until crispy. Add the savoy cabbage and fry for 3-4 mins

3. Process garlic cloves through a garlic press, and combine with olive oil. Toss garlic oil, bacon and cabbage with spaghetti, Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with  parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Chicken and mushroom pie

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
3 chicken breasts, skin and bone removed
150g button mushrooms, quartered
1 onion, chopped
50g butter
50g plain flour
200ml milk
200ml chicken stock
3 tbsp white wine
150ml double cream
pinch salt, ground white pepper
500g ready-made short-crust pastry
1 free-range egg, beaten

Method
1.Preheat the oven to 180C.
2.Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the chicken and fry until the chicken begins to turn white.
3.Add the mushrooms and continue to fry until the chicken is golden-brown.
4.Remove the chicken and mushrooms from the pan and set aside. Add the onion to the same pan and fry for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Remove from the heat and set aside with the chicken and mushrooms.
5.Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook for about three minutes, stirring constantly until it has formed a thick smooth paste.
6.Slowly pour the milk into the pan, just a little at a time, stirring well between each adding. Gradually add stock and the wine, if using, stirring until the sauce is smooth and thickened slightly. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes.
7.Mix the milk and stock together in a jug, white pepper and salt, to taste. Pour the liquid slowly into the flour mixture, whisking all the time until smooth. Simmer over a gentle heat, stirring constantly, for about five minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
8.Season the mixture, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Pour the sauce over the chicken and mushroom mixture. Mix well, then spoon into a pie dish and leave until completely cool.
9.Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it is the thickness of a pound coin. Brush the edges of the pie dish with beaten egg, lay the pastry on top, press down the edges and trim. Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg and cut some leaf shapes out of the left-over pastry to decorate the top of the pie.
10.Make a small hole in the centre of the pie to allow steam to escape and then bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until golden-brown on top.