For when you're not in a rush, and are looking forward to a rich and hearty meal, these dishes are ones I keep on coming back to.
Barbecue Ribs
Delicious sweet, hot, sticky, pork ribs, for when you're in that mood. I've tried lots of recipes for barbecue ribs, but this one based on the recipe in Gordon Ramsay's Ultimate Cookery Course Season 1, Episode 7 is definitely my favourite. The two key things to get right are to brown the ribs well on the hob at the start, and to ensure there's enough liquid before they go in the oven. Browning the ribs makes sure the end flavour is everything it can possibly be, and sufficient liquid is key to ensuring that the ribs don't dry out. The best thing about this recipe is that you can get amazing results from even the cheapest cuts pork ribs.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs pork ribs
- 4 " fresh ginger, chopped into thin slices.
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 2 tbsp Sichuan pepper, lightly crushed
- 4 star anise, whole
- 4 tbsp honey
- 5 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 300 ml rice wine
- 1 bunch spring onions or 4-6 shallots, chopped.
- 250 ml stock
Instructions
- Heat a heavy bottomed oven tray on the hob, and brown the ribs on all sides - this will take a few minutes.
- When the ribs are nicely browned, add the ginger and garlic to the pan and mix well.
- Add the chilli flakes, Sichuan pepper, star anise, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, rice wine and bring to the boil
- Add the onions and enough stock to nearly cover the ribs.
- Cook in the oven at 180 fan, for 1 hour, turning half way through.
- Finish on the hob, reducing the remaining liquid until it is sticky and coats the ribs (alternatively leave in the oven until completely reduced, but keeping a close eye on it so that it doesn't burn).
Red Wine Sauce
A rich and thick red wine sauce, a good accompaniment for beef or duck, or any strongly flavoured meat.
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 stick celery finely chopped (optional)
- a splash of Masala
- 1 bottle good red wine
- 1 pt stock
- 2 bay leaves
- a good sprig of rosemary
- spoonful of honey (to taste)
- Pepper to season
Instructions
- Fry the onion in a little oil until cooked, watching carefully that it doesn't burn
- Add the celery and the garlic and cook for a couple more minutes
- Add the Masala, the red wine, the bay leaves, the rosemary and the stock and bring to the boil
- Reduce over a high heat until the volume is ½ - ¾ pt (reduce by about 2 thirds)
- Strain through a fine sieve
- Return to the pan and season with pepper and honey to taste
Moroccan Lamb Stew
This fragrant lamb stew, slowly and gently cooked with warm paprika, cumin and coriander is a great dish for cold, wet days, or when you're in need of some comfort food. I find it goes well with Roast Vegetable Couscous, but make sure that the Couscous isn't too oily, as the stew is very rich. Preparation is fairly quick - about 15 minutes - whereupon the whole dish goes into the oven for a good 2.5-3 hours, with a stir every hour or so.
Ingredients
- 1 large onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 2 tsp coriander
- 2 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp chilli powder (optional)
- 1 large carrot, diced (optional)
- 1 pepper, diced (optional)
- 4 large tomatoes, chopped
- 4 lamb shanks, or 1lb diced lamb
Instructions
- Heat the oven to about 140°C fan
- In a large Le Creuset (or equivalent) pot, fry the onions in an little oil until brown
- Combined the spices in pestle and rub half into the lamb shanks, saving the other half for later.
- Add the lamb to the pan, along with the garlic, carrot, and pepper and transfer to the hot oven to cook for 2 hrs
- After an hour, add the tomatoes and the remainder of the spices and return to the oven for another 1 hour
- Serve over roast vegetable Couscous, or mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.
Slow Roast Belly of Pork
This is less of a recipe, and more of a method of cooking this particular cut of pork, but no-one's going to complain about that subtle distinction! It's probably best to go to a butchers to get the right cut - I find the thick end of belly has the best flavour and a good proportion of fat to meat. It does have bones, so some care is needed when serving, although the long slow cooking means that the meat basically falls off the bones. The cooked meat is great cold in sandwiches, in stir-fries, or just re-fried in a little butter.
Ingredients
- ca. 8lb thick end belly of Pork (the amount doesn't really matter, but adjust the cooking times if using much less)
- 4 good sized onions
- 1 cup of cider or white wine
Instructions
- Peel and slice the onions and put in the bottom of a roasting pan
- Place the pork on top of the onions, and pour the cider over the pork
- Seal the roasting pan with foil and place in a pre-heated oven at 180ºC
- Cook the pork sealed for 2½ hours, then uncover and cook for another 30 minutes so that the skin turns crispy.
- Serve with roast potatoes, and steamed vegetables.
Slow Roast Leg of Lamb
This roast cooks gently for a long time sealed in foil, which helps the flavours develop and results in wonderful melt-in-the-mouth texture. I prefer to use a leg of lamb, because I find the shoulder can be a bit fatty, but the taste is just as good. Preparation is about 10 minutes, followed by 4 hours in the oven. Serve with mashed or boiled potatoes, and boiled vegetables. The sauce left in the bottom of the tin makes a wonderful gravy with red wine, stock and a little flour to thicken.
Ingredients
- A leg of lamb (or a shoulder)
- A good handful of rosemary
- 8 cloves of garlic
Instructions
- >Place half the rosemary in the bottom of a roasting tray, so that the lamb doesn't touch the pan.
- Cut slits in the leg and push the cloves of garlic into the lamb.
- Place the lamb in roasting tray, and cover with the remaining rosemary.
- Seal the roasting tray with foil, making it as airtight as possible (I tend to use two layers of foil)
- Place in a oven, preheated as hot as the oven will go, then immediately turn the heat down to 160ºC.
- Roast for four hours, resisting the urge to look, as your kitchen fills with the delicious smell of roasting lamb!
Beef Bourguignon
A very traditional stew, best served with boiled new potatoes and fresh vegetables. As with all stews, this dish benefits from long slow cooking, so it's probably best to use the timer on the oven, or go out while it's cooking so you're not tempted to rush or fiddle with it! I tend to use cheaper cuts of beef for this dish, which have better flavor, and which benefit from the longer time cooking. I tend to use a leg cut or similar, but I'd be careful of Chump, as it can be quite fatty. The whole dish is best cooked in a heavy casserole dish (Le Creuset or equivalent). Preparation time is about 10-25 minutes (depending on how much care you take over the onions), whereupon the whole dish goes into the oven for 4 hours.
Ingredients
- 2lb (1 kg) of Beef leg (or braising/stewing steak)
- 3 medium onions
- 3 medium cloves of garlic
- 8 rashers of smoked bacon (one pack), chopped into smallish pieces
- 1 bottle of red wine, preferably Burgundy
- 2 good sized carrots, chopped into slices or batons.
- 8 oz (250g) mushrooms
- flour or cornflour to thicken
Instructions
- Finely chop the onion and fry in a little oil until well cooked (this always takes longer than I expect)
- Add the garlic and the chopped bacon and fry gently until everything has a little colour.
- Cut the beef into 2" pieces and add to the pan with the wine and the carrots.
- Transfer dish (covered) to the oven and cook at 140ºC for about 3 hours.
- After three hours in the oven add the mushrooms and check how much liquid there is in the dish (If there is too much then consider removing the lid for the last hour of cooking, too little consider adding some water) return to the oven.
- 15 minutes before serving, add the flour or cornflour to thicken (cornflour should be pre-mixed with a little milk before adding to the pan).
- Return to the oven (which can now be turned off) until serving.