British Pork Cassoulet

No-nonsense hearty meal that needs little or no side dishes - a great family meal - by Gary Rhodes

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins - 35 mins
  Cook 1 hr, 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  911

• Protein

  58g

• Carbs

  38g

• Fat

  60g

• Saturates

  22g

• Fibre

  8g

• Sugar

  16g

• Salt

  7.5g

Ingredients

• 400-450g streaky steaks (strips of pork belly ), rind trimmed
• 1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
• 400-450g pack of pork sausages (try Cumberland, garlic or sage-flavoured Lincolnshire varieties)
• 4 back bacon chops, about 400g/14oz
• 400g can cannellini, haricot, butter or mixed beans, drained
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 medium carrots, thickly sliced
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 1 bouquet garni 'tea bag'
• about 600ml chicken stock (from a stock cube is fine)
• 25g fresh white breadcrumbs
• 2 garlic cloves

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Quickly pan-fry the strips of pork belly in the oil, followed by the sausages and back bacon chops, until well browned.
2. Mix together the beans, onion, garlic, carrots and tomatoes in a bowl. Starting with a spoonful of the veg, inter-layer the vegetable mix and meats in a deep braising pan (about 3 litres capacity, 7.5cm deep, preferably one that will go on top of the stove-see Gary's tip, below). Place the bouquet garni in the centre as everything is being stacked.
3. Pour just enough chicken stock on top to almost cover, then bring to a simmer on top of the stove (see Gary's tip). Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top and braise in the oven for about 1hr 20-1hr 30 mins, until the meats are all tender and the top is golden brown. If the stock reduces while braising, simply pour a little more on top to moisten. Remove from the oven and allow to settle for 5 mins before serving. (Remember to take out the bouquet garni.)

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The Ultimate Makeover Steak & Kidney Pie

The ultimate comfort dish gets a superhealthy makeover

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 2 hrs, 15 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  373

• Protein

  33g

• Carbs

  28g

• Fat

  14g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  7g

• Salt

  0.42g

Ingredients

• For the filling
• 200g lamb's kidneys, halved
• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 600g lean stewing steaks, cut into chunks
• 100ml red wine
• 2 tsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp English mustard powder
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 4 flat mushrooms, quartered or halved if small
• 3 tbsp chopped parsley
• For the pastry
• 140g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 tsp thyme leaves (optional)
• 25g very cold (or frozen) butter
• 4 tbsp 2% fat Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Cut out and discard the thin tubes from the kidneys. Rinse the kidneys in cold water until the water runs clear, then chop them into small pieces. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or deep sauté pan. Add the onions, bay and thyme sprigs and fry over a medium heat for 8-10 mins until the onions are really golden, stirring often. Put the kettle on.
2. Add the steak and kidney to the pan and stir-fry briefly, just until it loses its pink colour. Turn up the heat, pour in the wine, stir to deglaze the bottom of the pan, then let it boil over a high heat for 2-3 mins until reduced and absorbed into the meat. Stir in the tomato purée and mustard powder. Sift in the flour, stirring, then stir for a couple of mins. Pour in 400ml boiling water and continue stirring until the mixture starts to boil and is thickened. Tip in the carrot and both mushrooms, reduce the heat, cover with a lid, then leave to simmer gently for about 1 hr, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and simmer another 25-30 mins or until the meat is very tender and the gravy has thickened slightly.
3. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Stir in the parsley, season to taste, then transfer to a pie or ovenproof dish (22-23cm in diameter, 6cm deep, 1.7-litre capacity or similar), then leave to cool slightly. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
4. While the meat is cooling, make the pastry. Put the flour, and thyme if using, into a bowl. Grate in the cold or frozen butter, make a well in the centre, then add the yogurt, olive oil, a pinch of salt and a good grinding of black pepper. Using a round-bladed knife, mix together with 2 tsp cold water, then gently gather together with your hands to form a dough. Remove from the bowl and knead briefly until smooth.
5. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface so it's slightly bigger than the top of the pie dish. Lay the pastry over the meat and trim the edges with scissors so it slightly overhangs the edge of the dish. Make 2 small slits in the centre. Flute the edges, then roll out the trimmings and cut out 6 diamond-shaped leaves. Dampen one side and lay them on the pastry lid. Place the dish on a baking sheet, then bake in the oven for about 25 mins or until the pastry is golden.

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Lemon & Thyme Butter-Basted Roast Chicken & Gravy

Smoothing butter under the bird's skin helps to baste the chicken and herbs add a delicious flavour to the gravy

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 1 hr, 40 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  610

• Protein

  47g

• Carbs

  11g

• Fat

  42g

• Saturates

  15g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  6g

• Salt

  0.8g

Ingredients

• 50g butter, softened
• bunch fresh thyme or lemon thyme, leaves picked, stalks reserved, plus extra to serve
• 4 garlic cloves, 1 mashed, the other 3 left whole but squashed
• 2 lemons, halved
• 1 chicken, about 1½ kg
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 250ml chicken stock
• splash soy sauce (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. In a small bowl, mash the butter with one-third of the thyme leaves, the mashed garlic and the juice of half a lemon. Mix everything together with some seasoning and set aside.
2. Use your hand to loosen the chicken skin away from the breast, then push most of the butter mix into the gap. Rub the rest of the butter all over the outside of the chicken, then stuff the cavity with the lemon halves, remaining thyme leaves and stalks, and the garlic.
3. Scatter the chopped carrot, onion and bay leaves over the base of a small roasting tin. Sit the chicken on top, breast-side up, and roast on the middle shelf for 1 hr 30 mins, basting with the buttery juices after about 40 mins. When the chicken is dark golden, crispy-skinned and the juices run clear, remove from the oven and leave in the tin for 5 mins. Use a pair of tongs to pull the lemons, garlic and thyme out of the cavity and into the tin. Lift the chicken up, letting any juices dribble into the tin, and transfer the chicken to a serving platter to rest for at least another 15 mins.
4. To make the gravy, squeeze the juice out of the cooked lemon halves and discard the skins. Place the tin on a low heat, stir in flour and sizzle until light brown. Gradually pour in the stock and cook for a few mins. If you like a darker gravy, add a splash of soy sauce to the tin. Strain the gravy into a jug and serve with the chicken.

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Scotch Eggs

A hidden layer of bacon makes this traditional Scotch egg recipe extra special

• Cooking Time Prep 1 hr, 20 mins
  Cook 30 mins
• Skill Level For the keen cook
• Servings Makes 9

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  590

• Protein

  30g

• Carbs

  27g

• Fat

  41g

• Saturates

  12g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  2g

• Salt

  2.49g

Ingredients

• 12 large eggs
• 800g good-quality Cumberland or Lincolnshire sausages, skinned
• 5 tbsp curly parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp English mustard powder
• 2 tsp ground mace
• 12 rashers smoked streaky bacon
• 85g plain flour
• 140-200g/5-7oz dried breadcrumbs
• about 1 litre/1¾ pints sunflower or vegetable oil, for frying
• scraps of bread, for testing oil

Directions

1. Put 9 eggs into a large saucepan. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Once boiling, set the timer for 5 mins. When 5 mins is up, quickly lift the eggs out with a slotted spoon and plunge into a big bowl of cold water.
2. Put the sausagemeat, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder and mace into a bowl with plenty of seasoning. Break in 1 of the remaining eggs and mix everything together.
3. Crack remaining 2 eggs into a bowl, beat with a fork, then sieve onto a plate. Tip the flour onto another plate and season well. Finally, tip the breadcrumbs onto a third plate.
4. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Drop in the bacon rashers, turn off the pan and fish out the bacon with a pair of tongs-it should be just cooked.
5. When the eggs are cool, tap lightly on a hard surface to crack the shell, then peel (Picture A). If you hold the eggs over the bowl of water as you peel, all the shell bits will collect in there and you can dip in the egg to wash off any fragments. Wrap a slice of bacon around the middle of each egg, overlapping, like a belt (Picture B).
6. Now finish coating the eggs. I set up the ingredients along my bench like a conveyer belt: eggs, then flour, mince, beaten egg and finally breadcrumbs, plus a baking parchment-lined tray at the end to put the finished scotch eggs on.
7. Roll your bacon-wrapped eggs in the flour, shaking off excess. Take a good chunk of mince and pat out to thinly cover one hand. Sit the egg on the meat (Picture C), then mould over the mince to cover, squeezing and patting so it is an even thickness. You'll probably have a gap (depending on how big your hands are-just patch and pat with a bit more mince). Dip in the egg, shaking off the excess, then roll in the breadcrumbs to coat, and transfer to your tray. Repeat to cover all 9 eggs, then cover with cling film and chill for 4 hrs or overnight.
8. To cook, pour the oil in a large, deep saucepan to about 4cm deep. Heat until a small chunk of bread browns in about 1 min. Carefully lower in a scotch egg and fry for about 5 mins, turning gently, until evenly browned. Depending on your pan, you can probably do 2-3 at a time, but don't overcrowd. Lift out onto a kitchen paper-lined tray. (If you like your scotch eggs warm, pop them into a low oven while you fry the rest.) keep an eye on the oil-if the scotch eggs start browning too quickly, the oil might be too hot and you risk the pork not being cooked before the scotch egg is browned. If the oil gets too cool, the scotch egg may overcook before it is browned. enjoy warm or cold; best eaten within 24 hrs of frying.

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Easy Treacle Sponge

A simple baked version of this classic childhood pudding, with a zesty treacle sauce forming an irresistible puddle at the bottom

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins - 15 mins
  Cook 40 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  512

• Protein

  5.6g

• Carbs

  70.1g

• Fat

  23g

• Saturates

  13.7g

• Fibre

  0.9g

• Sugar

  49.6g

• Salt

  1g

Ingredients

• 250g golden syrup
• zest 1 lemon, plus juice ½ lemon
• 5 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 200g pack butter, softened
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• 200g self-raising flour
• 5 tbsp milk

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Mix the syrup, lemon zest, juice and breadcrumbs and spread over the base of a 1.5 litre baking dish.
2. Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in the eggs, one by one. Stir in the flour and milk and dollop over the syrup. Bake for 35-40 mins until golden and risen, and a skewer poked into the sponge comes out clean-ish. Eat with lots of custard, cream or ice cream and extra dribbles of syrup.

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Scampi With Tartare Sauce

Crispy beer battered langoustine or prawn tails with a mayo-based dip of gherkins, capers and herbs

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 20 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 2

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  991

• Protein

  36g

• Carbs

  116g

• Fat

  40g

• Saturates

  6g

• Fibre

  6g

• Sugar

  4g

• Salt

  1.5g

Ingredients

• 15-20 langoustine or Dublin Bay prawn tails
• vegetable or sunflower oil, for frying
• 140g plain flour
• 85g cornflour
• 150ml beer
• 100ml sparkling water
• lemon wedges and chips, to serve
• For the tartare sauce
• 6 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 gherkin or 6 cornichons, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp caper, rinsed and chopped
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• 2 tsp chopped tarragon

Directions

1. To prepare the langoustines, pull off the head and pincers. Lay the tail flat on a chopping board and use a sharp pair of scissors to cut a line straight down the back of the shell. Carefully peel the langoustine, score down the back, then remove the grit sac.
2. Get the oil heating in a large saucepan or wok-you will need enough to come 2-3in up the side of the pan. For the tartare sauce, mix all ingredients in a bowl and season.
3. Place the flours in a bowl with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Add the beer and sparkling water, and whisk to a smooth batter.
4. To test if the oil is hot enough, put a drop of batter into the pan-it should crisp and brown within 30 secs. Dip each langoustine or prawn tail into the batter, then carefully drop it into the oil. Drizzle a little extra batter over each one while they are cooking-this will give you a really crispy coating. Cook them in batches, making sure you don't overcrowd the pan. When golden and floating to the surface, scoop out and drain well on kitchen paper. Sprinkle the scampi with salt and serve with the tartare sauce, lemon wedges and chips.

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Beef Ale & Parsnip Pudding

A traditional steak and ale pie with suet pastry. Make the filling the night before then steam the pudding the following morning for a delicious Sunday lunch

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 3 hrs, 30 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  1072

• Protein

  33g

• Carbs

  86g

• Fat

  62g

• Saturates

  28g

• Fibre

  7g

• Sugar

  15g

• Salt

  1.5g

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 100g smoked bacon lardons
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 500g lean stewing beef, cubed
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 3 parsnips, cubed
• 500ml brown ale
• 300ml beef stock
• 2 tbsp cranberry or redcurrant jelly
• 4 thyme sprigs
• greens, to serve (optional)
• For the suet pastry
• butter, for greasing
• 300g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
• 2 tsp English mustard powder
• 140g shredded suet

Directions

1. Heat a large pan and cook the onion and lardons together for 5 mins until golden. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the oil to the pan, dust the beef with the flour, then evenly brown over a high heat.
2. Add the parsnips, ale, stock, jelly, thyme and lardon mixture to the pan. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 1½ hrs until the meat is tender.
3. Generously butter a 1.5-litre pudding basin. To make the pastry, mix together the flour, mustard powder, suet and ½ tsp table salt. Add enough cold water, about 150ml, to make a soft dough. Remove one-quarter of the dough and set to one side. On a heavily floured surface, roll out the remaining dough to make a large round, big enough to line the basin.
4. Carefully lay the pastry in the basin (aim to have 1cm of pastry overhanging the rim), then press the edges of the join together to seal. Roll out the remaining one-quarter into a circle big enough to cover the top.
5. Pour off the cooking liquid from the filling into a small pan and set aside. Discard the thyme stalks. Spoon the filling into the lined basin and pour over 100ml of the cooking liquid. Fold over the overhanging pastry and brush with water. Place the lid on top, pressing firmly around the edges to seal.
6. Butter a sheet of baking parchment, fold in a large pleat and lay, butter-side down, on top of the pudding. Cover with a pleated layer of foil and finally tie with string, making a loop for the handle so you can lift the pudding easily.
7. Sit a small trivet or a large cookie cutter in the bottom of a deep saucepan that's big enough to take the basin easily. Half-fill the pan with water and bring to the boil. Lower in the pudding, cover and simmer for 2 hrs, topping up with boiling water when necessary.
8. Reheat the cooking liquid, bubbling it down a little so it reduces into a tasty gravy. Carefully lift out the pudding. Run a knife around the rim, then turn out and serve with gravy and greens, if you like.

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Roast Lamb With Spring Herb Crumbs

This iron-rich dish is ideal for a weekend with family and friends

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 2 hrs
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  532

• Protein

  45g

• Carbs

  18g

• Fat

  30g

• Saturates

  12g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  5g

• Salt

  0.6g

Ingredients

• For the crumbs
• 100g good-quality white bread
• 2 garlic cloves
• zest 1 lemon
• 1 tsp thyme leaf, chopped
• small bunch parsley, chopped
• 3-4 anchovy fillets, chopped (optional)
• For the lamb
• 5 carrots, cut into chunks
• 2 onions, cut into chunks
• 4 bay leaves
• small bunch rosemary
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• large leg of lamb, about 3kg/6lb 8oz
• 3 garlic cloves, thickly sliced, plus a whole bulb, halved
• For the gravy
• 5 tbsp plain flour
• 200ml white wine, plus a splash
• 600ml lamb stock

Directions

1. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. For the lamb, scatter the vegetables, bay leaves and a few rosemary sprigs into a large roasting tin and drizzle with the olive oil. Use a sharp knife to make little slits all over the lamb. Poke a slice of garlic and a small sprig of rosemary into each one. Sit the lamb on top of the veg in the roasting tin, add a splash of wine, then cook for 2 hrs if you like it pink, or 2 hrs 15 mins for cooked through. Remove from the oven, transfer to a board and cover with foil, then rest for 45 mins-1 hr.
2. To make the gravy, pour off most of the fat from the tin but leave the veg and any meat juices. Place the tin on the heat to caramelise the veg, then stir in the flour and cook to a paste. Gradually stir in the wine, cook for a min, then stir in the stock and simmer until you have a tasty gravy. Push the gravy through a sieve into a small pan and keep warm.
3. Turn oven up to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. For the crumbs, blitz everything in a food processor and scatter over a tray. Bake in the oven for 10-15 mins until crisp, then re-blitz or break up with your fingers to crumbs again. These can be made in advance and kept in an airtight container for 2 days. Serve the lamb carved into slices, sprinkled with crumbs and a jug of gravy alongside.

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Classic Summer Pudding

Celebrate gorgeous seasonal strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and redcurrants with this set basin brioche pud

• Cooking Time Prep 25 mins
  Cook 5 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  369

• Protein

  7g

• Carbs

  68g

• Fat

  7g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  6g

• Sugar

  43g

• Salt

  0.9g

Ingredients

• 300g raspberries, plus a few extra to serve
• 225g blackberries, plus a few extra to serve
• 100g redcurrants, plus a few extra to serve
• 400g strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 140g golden caster sugar, plus a bit extra (optional)
• 400g brioche loaf
• clotted cream, to serve (optional)

Directions

1. Wash the fruit and place it all (except the strawberries) in a large pan with the caster sugar and 3 tbsp water. Gently heat for 3 mins until the juice from the fruit starts to seep out. Add the strawberries and cook for 2 mins more. Drain the juice from the fruit through a sieve set over a large bowl. Taste the juice and add a little more sugar if necessary.
2. Line a 1.2-litre pudding basin with a double layer of cling film, leaving an overlap around the top. Remove the crusts from the brioche and slice the loaf into 1cm-thick slices along the length of the loaf. Cut 1 slice in half widthways and trim the corners to fit into the base of the bowl-you may need to use both squares, trimmed to fit.
3. Trim the slices to the correct length to line the sides of the bowl. To assemble the pudding, dip the slices of brioche into the fruit juice, then use them to line the basin. Start with the bottom pieces, then lay soaked rectangles of brioche along the sides of the bowl. If you have any gaps left at the end, patch these up with any remaining brioche, but make sure you save some for the base.
4. Tip the fruit into the lined basin. Finish the pudding with a layer of brioche to make a base, then pour over any remaining liquid. Wrap the overhanging cling film over the top.
5. Place a small plate, which will fit snugly on top of the basin, over the cling film and weigh down with 2 x 400g cans of tomatoes or beans. Leave the pudding weighed down in the fridge for at least a couple of hours, or overnight if possible.
6. To serve, unwrap the cling film and place a serving plate over the pudding. Flip it over, remove the basin and carefully peel away the cling film. Serve in slices with clotted cream, if you like.

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Crispy Topped Cumberland Pie

This crisp, potato-topped pie is slow-cooked and inexpensive to make. It's a great family meal but smart enough for entertaining too

• Cooking Time Prep 45 mins
  Cook 3 hrs - 3 hrs, 50 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 5

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  486

• Protein

  34g

• Carbs

  41g

• Fat

  21g

• Saturates

  9g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  8g

• Salt

  1.8g

Ingredients

• 2 celery sticks, sliced into 1cm pieces
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 really big carrots, halved lengthways then chunkily sliced
• 5 bay leaves
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp each plain flour, tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce
• 2 beef stock cubes, crumbled
• 850g feather blade beef, or other braising cut, cut into large chunks
• 850g large potatoes
• 25g each mature cheddar and parmesan, finely grated

Directions

1. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Soften the celery, onion, carrots, bay and 1 thyme sprig in a casserole with 1 tbsp oil and the butter for 10 mins. Stir in the flour, followed by the purée, Worcestershire sauce and stock cubes.
2. Gradually stir in 600ml hot water, then tip in the beef and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook in the oven for 2 hrs 30 mins, then uncover and cook for 30 mins-1 hr more until the meat is really tender and sauce thickened.
3. Meanwhile, cook potatoes in a pan of boiling water until they're not done but about ¾ of the way there.
4. Transfer meat to a baking dish. Slice spuds into 1cm thick rounds and gently toss with seasoning, the remaining oil and thyme leaves. Layer on the beef, scattering with the cheese as you layer. You can cover and chill the pie now for 1 day, or freeze for up to 3 months.
5. Increase oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and bake for 30-40 mins until golden and crispy, and sauce bubbling if the dish went in cold. Serve with peas.

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