Lamb Pasticcio

Cooking and preparation time - 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 15ml/1 tbsp olive oil
• 450g/1 lb minced lamb
• 3 Italian Herb & Spice Oxo cubes
• 1 original Oxo cube
• 2.5 ml/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 60 ml/4 tbsp tomato puree
• a pinch of sugar
• 100g / 4oz frozen leaf spinach, thawed

Topping:

• 100g / 4oz pasta twists
• 2 eggs
• 25g / 1oz butter
• 25g / 1oz flour
• 450ml / 3/4 pint warm milk
• 50g/2oz grated cheese
• salt & freshly ground black pepper

Method:

• Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion until golden
• Add the garlic and lamb and cook over a high heat until lamb is brown
• Crumble in 2 Italian Oxo. Add the original Oxo to 300ml/ 1/2 pint of hot water and pour into pan
• Add the cinnamon, tomato puree and sugar, and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes
• Drain the spinach and stir into meat
• Heat the oven to 190C/350F/mark 5
• Cook the pasta in boiling water and 1 Italian Oxo cube. Drain when just tender.
• Make a white sauce with butter, flour and milk, then off the heat add the beaten eggs, cheese and cooked pasta
• Turn the meat mix into an ovenproof dish. Spoon over the pasta and bake for 30-35 minutes.

NB. If you can't buy Italian Herb & Spice Oxo use dried mixed spice instead.

Spring Vegetable Risotto

Serves 4
Preparation and cooking time 1 hour'ish

Ingredients:

• 1 litre (1.3/4 pints) vegetable or chicken stock
• 75ml good olive oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 tsp soft thyme leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 375g Arborio rice
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 4 new potatoes, peeled and diced
• 115g podded broad beans
• 115g frozen peas
• 1 leek, washed and finely shredded
• 3 tomatoes, deseeded and diced
• 2 handfuls of baby spinach
• 55g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 55g unsalted butter
• 1 tblsp Mascarpone cheese
• salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Heat the stock to simmering point
2. In a large pan, heat the oil and add the onions, thyme and garlic. Cook gently for 8-10 minutes
3. Add the rice, carrots and potatoes and stir well to coat with olive oil; cook for 3 minutes
4. Begin to add the hot stock, a little at a time. During this time stir continuously over a moderate heat.
5. When the rissoto is nearly ready, about 14 minutes, fold in the remaining vegetables. Cook until the spinach has wilted
6. Just before serving, fold in the Parmasan cheese, butter and Mascarpone.
7. Serve immediately.

Turkey with tomato and chick pea sauce

10 minutes to prepare
25 minutes to cook

Ingredients:

• 1 x 400g can of chopped tomatoes
• 1 x 410g can of chick peas (or any other pulses)
• 300g (1.1/4 oz) black olives in brine, drained, pitted and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 teaspoons dried mixed herbs
• 1 x chicken stock cube, dissolved in 150ml (5 fl oz) of hot water
• 4 x 110g (4oz) turkey breast steaks.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to Gas Mark 5/190C/fan oven 170C
2. Mix together the tomatoes, chick peas, olives, garlic, herbs and stock. Pour into a shallow ovenproof dish or roasting tin.
3. Place the turkey steaks on top, cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, remove cover and bake for a further 5 minutes until the steaks are beginning to brown and then serve.
4. Serve with jacket potatoes and veg of your choice ( broccoli is good).
5. Garnish with fresh herbs if you have time.

Spicy lamb with apricot couscous or rice

10 minutes to prepare
40 minutes to cook

Ingredients:

• cooking oil
• 350g lamb neck fillet, trimmed and cut into chunks
• 2 red onions
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 300ml (1/2 pint) chicken stock made from a cube
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 400g can of apricots in juice
• 150g (5.1/2 oz) couscous or rice
• fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped roughly.

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a deep, lidded pan.
2. Add the lamb and cook for 2-3 minutes until brown.
3. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes before adding the garlic and spices.
4. Add the stock and tomatoes.
5. Drain the apricots, reserving the juice. Roughly chop the drained apricots and add to the pan.
6. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 25 minutes until the lamb is tender.
7. Bring a pan of 300ml (1/2 pint) of water and the reserved apricot juice to the boil, add the rice or couscous and cook until tender.
8. Add the chopped parsley to the rice or couscous and serve with the lamb.

N.B. I always buy 2 packs of best end neck (about 450g) because you do need to trim off the fat before cooking. Also, I add more spices, about a teaspoon of each. The lamb can be made in advance, which will let the flavours develop and you can use lean leg fillets, less fat but more expensive.

Prawn (or chicken) Pilaff

15 minutes to prepare, 35 minutes to cook.

Ingredients:

• Cooking oil
• 2 onions, sliced or chopped
• 2 green chillies, deseeded and diced
• 1 teaspoon of garam masala
• 1 teaspoon tumeric
• juice of 1 lemon
• 225g (8oz) brown rice (use white if preferred but not as healthy)
• 1 litre (1.3/4 pints) vegetable stock (oxo will do)
• 225g (8oz) king prawns or diced chicken or any other meat
• 110g (4oz) frozen peas
• 4 tablespoons freshly chopped coriander, to garnish.

Method.

1. Heat oil in a lidded deap pan
2. Add onions and stir fry for 5 minutes until soft
3. Add chilli, spices, lemon juice and rice. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute
4. Add stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 30 minutes until rice is tender and most of the stock has been absorbed.
5. Stir in prawns and peas and cook for a further 5 minutes until hot, Serve garnished with coriander.

NB. If using other meats add and cook at stage 3, but don't add the peas until stage 5 or they will break up.