Jamaican Grilled Fish

John Torode's authentic Caribbean marinade of beer, paprika and onion powder is put to best use on sustainable snapper or bream

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 15 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  395

• Protein

  79g

• Carbs

  7g

• Fat

  6g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  3g

• Salt

  0.8g

Ingredients

• 2 medium red snappers or whole bream, gutted, scaled and cleaned
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
• pinch dried thyme
• 100ml Jamaican beer (we used Red Stripe), plus extra to baste
• 2 limes, 1 sliced, 1 cut into wedges

Directions

1. Make a few slashes in the flesh on either side of the fish with a sharp knife. Mix the onion powder, paprika, thyme and some seasoning with the beer. Pour over the fish and rub into the slashes and cavity. Place the lime slices inside the fishes' bellies, cover with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge for 1 hr.
2. Heat the grill to medium-high. Place the fish on a tray and grill for 15-20 mins, depending on the size, turning halfway through. Baste the fish with a little beer as it cooks. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over.

Read More

Roasted Autumn Vegetables With Lancashire Cheese

A colourful and hearty vegetarian supper dish for autumn - made in one roasting tin, from Roz Denny

• Cooking Time Ready in 40-45 minutes
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4 as a side dish or 2 as a main

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  306

• Protein

  8g

• Carbs

  14g

• Fat

  25g

• Saturates

  7g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  0g

• Salt

  0.39g

Ingredients

• 1 large butternut squash (about 600-700g/1lb 5oz - 1lb 9oz in weight)
• 1 medium red onion
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large sprig fresh sage
• 1 large courgette
• 1 tbsp balsamic or sherry vinegar
• 100g Lancashire cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to fan180C/conventional 200C/ gas 6. Using a sharp knife, cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut the halves into smaller pieces so you can peel them more easily. Chop the flesh into big bite-sized pieces-they don't have to be neat.
2. Halve the onion and trim the root end leaving a little on to hold the segments together. Peel and then cut each half into four wedges. Scatter the squash and onion in a large roasting tin so they have plenty of room to roast, drizzle over 5 tbsp of the oil and toss together. Strip the sage leaves from the stem and roughly chop-you should have about 2 tbsps. Scatter over the vegetables and season. Roast for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
3. Meanwhile, slice the courgette thickly and toss with the remaining oil. Remove the roasting tin from the oven and push the partly cooked squash and onion to the side. Put the courgette slices flat on the base and season. Roast for a further 10 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender.
4. Remove tin from the oven, sprinkle the vinegar over the vegetables and toss. Crumble over the Lancashire cheese. Toss lightly so the cheese melts a little and serve.

Read More

Steamed Cranberry Roly-Poly

A classic treat, and impressive to boot, looks beautiful served at a dinner party. By Gary Rhodes

• Cooking Time Prep 35 mins
  Cook 1 hr, 15 mins - 1 hr, 30 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  459

• Protein

  6g

• Carbs

  65g

• Fat

  21g

• Saturates

  10g

• Fibre

  2.5g

• Sugar

  20g

• Salt

  0.5g

Ingredients

• 175g fresh cranberries (or frozen, thawed)
• 1 tbsp icing sugar
• 2 tbsp cranberry sauce or jelly
• 300g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
• 140g dried suet
• 85g caster sugar
• finely grated zest 1 orange
• 175-200ml milk
• custard, to serve

Directions

1. To make the filling, warm the cranberries and icing sugar together in a saucepan until the fruits begin to soften. Increase the heat, so the juices boil and become jammy. Pour the mixture into a bowl, then stir in the cranberry sauce or jelly. Leave to cool. Butter and lightly flour a large sheet of greaseproof (about 40 x 30cm), and sit it on a bigger sheet of foil. Put a steamer on to simmer.
2. For the dough, mix together the flour, suet, caster sugar and orange zest with a wooden spoon. Stir in some milk until the mixture reaches the consistency of a soft pastry. Gather together into a ball, but don't overwork or it will toughen.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle about 22cm x 25cm. Spread with the cooled cranberry mix, leaving a 2cm border around the edge. Moisten the border with cold water or milk before rolling into a cylinder. Start by tucking over the border of one of the short ends, then lift as you roll (see step 1, click photo above) so the jam doesn't get squeezed out. With the long join underneath, lay the roly-poly in the centre of the parchment paper. Fold over the long paper and foil edges to seal, leaving enough space above the pudding to allow it to rise. Squeeze the paper ends together tightly to seal them.
4. Lay the parcel in the steamer over the simmering water, cover and steam for 1¼-1½ hrs, until firm to the touch. Rest for a min or two before unwrapping, slicing and serving. Vanilla custard is the perfect accompaniment and the roly-poly is best eaten as soon as it is made.

Read More

Sausages With Apple Mash

Give your bangers a spring makeover with the addition of apple mash, comfort food doesn't get much better than this

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 1 hr
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  513

• Protein

  23g

• Carbs

  52g

• Fat

  25g

• Saturates

  11g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  12g

• Salt

  1.78g

Ingredients

• 700g floury potatoes, cut into chunks
• 8 Cumberland sausages
• 25g butter
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp plain flour
• 250ml beef stock
• 2 apples (about 280g/10oz), peeled and chopped into small chunks
• 3 tbsp milk

Directions

1. Cook the potatoes in boiling, salted water for 15 mins until tender. Meanwhile, heat a non-stick frying pan and add the sausages. Cook over a medium heat for 15-20 mins, turning occasionally, until cooked through. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
2. Add a knob of the butter and the onion to the pan, then cook for 15-20 mins until soft. Stir in the flour, then gradually add the stock, stirring to make a sauce. Simmer for 2 mins, then pour into a jug and keep warm.
3. Cook the apples in half the remaining butter for 5-10 mins until softened. Drain the potatoes and mash well with the rest of the butter and the milk. Fold in the apple, then serve with the sausages and onion gravy.

Read More

Slow-Baked Clotted Cream Rice Pudding

Homemade rice pudding with your own quick raspberry jam is the ultimate in comfort food

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 1 hr, 15 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  972

• Protein

  8g

• Carbs

  49g

• Fat

  84g

• Saturates

  50g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  30g

• Salt

  0.29g

Ingredients

• 25g butter
• 100g short grain pudding rice
• 450ml full-fat milk
• 284ml pot double cream
• 227g tub clotted cream
• 1 split vanilla pod
• 85g golden caster sugar
• freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Lightly butter a shallow ovenproof dish. Wash the rice well under cold water, then drain. Bring the milk and creams to the boil with the vanilla pod, add the rice and sugar, then stir well.
2. Tip the rice into the prepared dish, then grate a little nutmeg over the top. Dot with knobs of butter, bake for 15 mins, lower the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3, then bake for 1 hr more, by which time the pudding should be golden brown on top and creamy underneath. Serve with spoonfuls of my Quick raspberry jam (below).

Read More

Lancashire Hotpot

This famous lamb stew topped with sliced potatoes should be on the menu at every British pub

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 1 hr, 40 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  993

• Protein

  70g

• Carbs

  56g

• Fat

  56g

• Saturates

  26g

• Fibre

  7g

• Sugar

  12g

• Salt

  1.43g

Ingredients

• 100g dripping or butter
• 900g stewing lamb, cut into large chunks
• 3 lamb kidneys, sliced, fat removed
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 25g plain flour
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 500ml lamb or chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 900g potatoes, peeled and sliced

Directions

1. Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Heat some dripping or butter in a large shallow casserole dish, brown the lamb in batches, lift to a plate, then repeat with the kidneys.
2. Fry the onions and carrots in the pan with a little more dripping until golden. Sprinkle over the flour, allow to cook for a couple of mins, shake over the Worcestershire sauce, pour in the stock, then bring to the boil. Stir in the meat and bay leaves, then turn off the heat. Arrange the sliced potatoes on top of the meat, then drizzle with a little more dripping. Cover, then place in the oven for about 1½ hrs until the potatoes are cooked.
3. Remove the lid, brush the potatoes with a little more dripping, then turn the oven up to brown the potatoes, or finish under the grill for 5-8 mins until brown.

Read More

Spiced Parsnip Shepherd's Pies

For shepherd's pie - but not as you know it - try cooking up these spicy individual pies

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 1 hr
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  424

• Protein

  22g

• Carbs

  27g

• Fat

  26g

• Saturates

  11g

• Fibre

  8g

• Sugar

  10g

• Salt

  0.53g

Ingredients

• For the meat sauce
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• small knob of ginger, peeled and granted
• 2 tbsp medium curry powder
• 500g minced beef or lamb
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 100g frozen peas
• For the topping
• 600g parsnips, peeled and chopped into large chunks
• large potato, peeled and chopped into large chunks
• 1 green chilli, deseeded and chopped
• large bunch coriander, chopped
• 2 tsp turmeric
• juice of 1 lemon
• 50g butter

Directions

1. For the sauce, heat the oil in a pan and add the onion. Cook until soft, add the garlic, ginger and curry powder, then cook until aromatic. Turn up the heat, add the mince, fry until browned, then add the tomatoes and simmer for 20 mins until thickened. A few mins before the end, add the peas.
2. Meanwhile, tip the parsnips and potatoes into a pan of cold water, bring to the boil, then cook for 10 mins. Drain, season and mash with the rest of the ingredients.
3. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 8. Assemble the pies in individual dishes (or one large one) by placing some meat sauce on the bottom and topping with mash. Ruffle up the tops with a fork, then bake for 20 mins until golden and bubbling.

Read More

Fish Pie - In Four Steps

Delicious and easy - a fish pie anyone can make. You'll learn how to poach fish and make a white sauce too

• Cooking Time Prep 45 mins
  Cook 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  824

• Protein

  60g

• Carbs

  61g

• Fat

  40g

• Saturates

  22g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  10g

• Salt

  3.12g

Ingredients

• 400g skinless white fish fillet
• 400g skinless smoked haddock fillet
• 600ml full-fat milk
• 1 small onion, quartered
• 4 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 eggs
• small bunch parsley, leaves only, chopped
• 100g butter
• 50g plain flour
• pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 1kg floury potato, peeled and cut into even-sized chunks
• 50g cheddar, grated

Directions

1. Poach the fish. Put the fish in the frying pan and pour over 500ml of the milk. Stud each onion quarter with a clove, then add to the milk, with the bay leaves. Bring the milk just to the boil-you will see a few small bubbles. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8 mins. Lift the fish onto a plate and strain the milk into a jug to cool. Flake the fish into large pieces in the baking dish.
2. Hard-boil the eggs. Bring a small pan of water to a gentle boil, then carefully lower the eggs in with a slotted spoon. Bring the water back to a gentle boil, with just a couple of bubbles rising to the surface. Set the timer for 8 mins, cook, then drain and cool in a bowl of cold water. Peel, slice into quarters and arrange on top of the fish, then scatter over the chopped parsley.
3. Make the sauce. Melt half the butter in a pan, stir in the flour and cook for 1 min over moderate heat. Take off the heat, pour in a little of the cold poaching milk, then stir until blended. Continue to add the milk gradually, mixing well until you have a smooth sauce. Return to the heat, bringto the boil and cook for 5 mins, stirring continually, until it coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, then pour over the fish.
4. Assemble and bake. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Boil the potatoes for 20 mins. Drain, season and mash with the remaining butter and milk. Use to top the pie, starting at the edge of the dish and working your way in-push the mash right to the edges to seal. Fluff the top with a fork, sprinkle with cheese, then bake for 30 mins. Make up to a day ahead, chill, then bake for 40 mins.

Read More

Split Pea & Green Pea Smoked Ham Soup

John Torode shares the recipe for one of his all-time favourite soups

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 3 hrs
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  292

• Protein

  26g

• Carbs

  23g

• Fat

  11g

• Saturates

  4g

• Fibre

  5g

• Sugar

  5g

• Salt

  3.56g

Ingredients

• 1kg gammon or ham hock
• 200g split peas, soaked overnight
• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 stick celery, roughly chopped
• 300g frozen peas
• crusty bread and butter, to serve

Directions

1. Put the gammon in a very large pan with 2 litres water and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and drain off the water-this helps to get rid of some of the saltiness. Recover with 2 litres cold water and bring to the boil again. Put everything but the frozen peas into the pan and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 1½-2½ hrs, topping up the water as and when you need to, to a similar level it started at. As the ham cooks and softens, you can halve it if you want, so it is all submerged under the liquid. When the ham is tender enough to pull into shreds, it is ready.
2. Lift out the ham, peel off and discard the skin. While it is still hot (wear a clean pair of rubber gloves), shred the meat. Remove bay from the soup and stir in the frozen peas. Simmer for 1 min, then blend until smooth. Add a splash of water if too thick, and return to the pan to heat through if it has cooled, or if you are making ahead.
3. When you are ready to serve, mix the hot soup with most of the ham-gently reheat if made ahead. Serve in bowls with the remaining ham scattered on top, and eat with crusty bread and butter.

Read More

No-fuss Shepherd's Pie

We've got some lovely twists on shepherd's pie on the site, but we were missing a definitive version of this classic family recipe - here it is!

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

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  663

• Protein

  33g

• Carbs

  49g

• Fat

  39g

• Saturates

  20g

• Fibre

  5g

• Sugar

  10g

• Salt

  1.35g

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2-3 medium carrots, chopped
• 500g pack lamb mince
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• large splash Worcestershire sauce
• 500ml beef stock
• 900g potatoes, cut into chunks
• 85g butter
• 3 tbsp milk

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan, then soften the onion and carrots for a few mins. When soft, turn up the heat, crumble in the lamb and brown, tipping off any excess fat. Add the tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce, then fry for a few mins. Pour over the stock, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 40 mins, uncovering halfway.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 180C/ fan 160C/ gas 4, then make the mash. Boil the potatoes in salted water for 10-15 mins until tender. Drain, then mash with the butter and milk.
3. Put the mince into an ovenproof dish, top with the mash and ruffle with a fork. The pie can now be chilled and frozen for up to a month. Bake for 20-25 mins until the top is starting to colour and the mince is bubbling through at the edges. (To bake from frozen, cook at 160C/fan 140C/gas 3 for 1 hr-1 hr 20 mins until piping hot in the centre. Flash under the grill to brown, if you like.) Leave to stand for 5 mins before serving.

Read More