Home-cooked Comforts E-Book

Laura Washburn Hutton

• Herausgeber: Ryland Peters & Small
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Seitenzahl: 137

Beschreibung

Perfect for mid-week family meals or fuss-free entertaining, these delicious and wholesome one-pot dishes are the tasty and convenient solution for people who love good home-cooked food.

Leseprobe

HOME-COOKED

comforts

HOME-COOKED

comforts

OVEN BAKES, CASSEROLES & OTHER ONE-POT DISHES

Laura Washburn Hutton

photography by Martin Brigdale

Designer Steve Painter

Editorial Director Julia Charles

Head of Production Patricia Harrington

Art Director Leslie Harrington

Publisher Cindy Richards

Food Stylist Linda Tubby

Prop Stylist Roisin Nield

Indexer Hilary Bird

First published in 2010.

This edition published in 2020 by Ryland Peters & Small

20–21 Jockey’s Fields, London

WC1R 4BW

and

341 E 116th St, New York

NY 10029

www.rylandpeters.com

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Text copyright © Laura Washburn Hutton 2010, 2020.

Design and photographs copyright © Ryland Peters & Small 2010, 2020.

ISBN: 978-1-78879-283-7

E-ISBN: 978-1-78879-318-6

The author’s moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library.

US Library of Congress cataloging-in-publication data has been applied for.

Printed and bound in China.

Notes

• Both British (Metric) and American (Imperial plus US cup) measurements are included in these recipes for your convenience, however it is important to work with one set of measurements only and not alternate between the two.

• All spoon measurements are level, unless otherwise specified.

• Traditional Parmesan is made with animal rennet and therefore not suitable for vegetarians so use a vegetarian substitute if preferred.

• All eggs are medium (UK) or large (US), unless specified as large, in which case US extra-large should be used. Uncooked or partially cooked eggs should not be served to the very old, frail, young children, pregnant women or those with compromised immune systems.

• When a recipe calls for the grated zest of citrus fruit, buy unwaxed fruit and wash well before using.

• Ovens should be preheated to the specified temperature. Recipes in this book were tested using a regular oven. If using a fan-assisted oven, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for adjusting the temperatures given.

The comforts of home cooking

On any given, usually frantic, day the thought of something bubbling away in the kitchen can seem like shelter in a storm. The pace of life can on occasions be frenetic for everyone, everywhere, it seems. I often retreat to my pots and pans, seeking solace in the stockpot. What better way to take some speed off the modern pace of life by spending just a little time in the kitchen, making something warming and comforting?

In this busy world, it is often hard to find time for the simple things, such as preparing a nice meal for family and friends. Even as someone with food preparation in my job description, as a working parent, I struggled to find the time more often than I care to admit. But the recipes presented in this book are intended to offer respite for the harried. They are designed to make it simple to slow down and savour something delicious, with main courses that can go straight from hob or oven to the table. Written with busy people in mind, many of the recipes can be quickly assembled, then left to simmer or bake, leaving time for other occupations and most can be made in advance so you can cook when you do have time, for enjoyment later on. Most are as suitable for midweek suppers as they are for weekend entertaining and, because times continue to change, some of the more flexible recipes offer helpful suggestions for vegetarian variations.

But spending time in the kitchen is not only good for our frame of mind, it can be good for our bodies. Home-made food can be so much more wholesome, especially when meals are prepared from scratch. So ease of preparation is not the only consideration; the recipes in this book also offer a way to put nutritious food on the table. Personally, I take great comfort in knowing what goes into the food on my plate and I don’t like to leave the cooking to a factory assembly line. Preparing a square meal is so much simpler than you think, why do anything else? For the most part, each recipe in this book is a one-pot meal, often requiring little more than a crisp green salad and some crusty bread to complete composition. Easy, delicious, nutritious; it’s hard to do better than that.

These recipes also offer plenty of variety for when you want to spice things up. I always turn to my cookbooks to get out of my routine so I have tried to make this a collection of dishes inspired by cuisines from around the world. Alongside traditional family fare, there are also recipes for curries, Oriental dishes, Moroccan tagines and some favourites from the American South-west. Not restaurant food, but the kinds of dishes eaten at home, making them straightforward for any cook to prepare regardless of skill, using ingredients that can be found in most supermarkets. So go on, home cook some comfort today.

meat

black bean and chorizo chili

This is not mouth-searingly hot like some recipes. Quite the opposite, and the addition of chorizo adds another layer of flavour but not necessarily heat. Serve with boiled rice and/or warmed tortillas, and a simple salad of sliced avocados sprinkled with lime juice and olive oil. If you have any leftovers, this chili also makes a nice alternative filling for the Vegetable Enchiladas on page 114.

250 g/9 oz. chorizo, finely chopped

2–3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onion, diced

4 (bell) peppers, mixed red, yellow and orange, diced

2 celery sticks/stalks, with leaves, diced

2 teaspoons dried chilli/hot red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

2½ teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

250 g/9 oz. minced/ground beef

250 ml/1 cup red wine

500 ml/2 cups beef stock

1 bay leaf

400-g/14-oz. can chopped tomatoes

2 x 400-g/14-oz.-cans black beans, drained

a handful of fresh coriander/cilantro leaves, chopped

2 fresh red chillies/chiles, sliced and deseeded (optional)

sea salt

sour cream, to serve

rice or flour tortillas, to serve

Serves 4

Put the chorizo in a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Cook until browned then transfer the chorizo to a plate lined with kitchen paper/paper towels and then set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large saucepan/pot. Add the onions and cook for 2–3 minutes, until soft. Add the (bell) peppers and celery, season with a little salt, and cook for a further 3–5 minutes, until soft. Stir in the chilli/hot red pepper flakes, cayenne (if using), cumin, oregano and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the minced/ground beef and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. Season with a little more salt.

Add the wine and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the stock, bay leaf, tomatoes and beans. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste for seasoning and chilli/chile heat and adjust as necessary. Continue simmering, uncovered, for a further 20–30 minutes.

When ready to serve, stir in the coriander/cilantro. Scatter over the slices fresh chillies/chiles (if using) and serve the sour cream on the side. Rice and/or warmed flour tortillas make a good accompaniment.

Hungarian goulash

This recipe was given to me by a Hungarian friend, who is an exceptional cook. It took a few tries to get mine to taste as good as hers. Apparently, she makes it just like her grandmother does, but it was very difficult to extract the method for their ‘secret’ touch. It has something to do with feeling; theirs is surely superlative. She did explain that Hungarians always cook with generous doses of spice and perhaps add more salt than is recommended so feel free to do the same. This is traditionally served with wide ribbon egg noodles but works well with pasta such as tagliatelle.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 onions, diced

1 red (bell) pepper, deseeded and diced

1 green (bell) pepper, deseeded and diced

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

2 generous teaspoons paprika, sweet or hot, or half and half

750 g/1 lb. 10 oz. stewing beef, cut into small cubes

3 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, cored, deseeded and chopped

1 tablespoon tomato purée/paste

3 carrots, diced

375 ml/1½ cups beef stock

2 bay leaves

400-g/14-oz. can kidney beans, drained

a large handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

wide egg noodles or ribbon pasta, to serve

Serves 4

Heat the oil in a large saucepan/pot. Add the onions and (bell) peppers and cook until soft. Season with a littlesalt and add the caraway seeds and paprika. Cook for 1 minute. Add the cubed beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2–3 minutes, until browned. Season with a little more salt if liked.

Add the tomatoes, tomato purée/paste, carrots, stock and bay leaves, and season lightly. Simmer, uncovered, for at least 40 minutes. Add the kidney beans and cook for 10 minutes more (do not be tempted to add the beans any earlier as they will become tough if overcooked).

Sprinkle with the choppedparsley and serve spooned over egg noodles or ribbon pasta.

steak, leek and mushroom pie with Guinness

Pies are a wonderful thing. They look and taste fantastic, and are really straightforward to make, especially if you leave out the bottom layer of pastry, which I always do. Serve with plenty of creamy mashed potatoes and peas, if liked.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

700 g/1 lb. 9 oz. stewing beef, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 trimmed leeks (about 500 g/

1 lb. 2 oz.), sliced into rounds

1 onion, coarsely chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and diced

250 g/9 oz. mushrooms, coarsely chopped

100 g/3½ oz. bacon (about 3 rashers/slices), chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tablespoons plain/all-purpose flour

330 ml/scant 1½ cups Guinness or other dark dry stout

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 bay leaf

a large handful of fresh flat-leaf

parsley leaves, chopped

375-g/13-oz. pack ready-rolled puff pastry, defrosted if frozen melted butter or milk, to brush

sea salt and freshly ground

black pepper

a large flameproof casserole dish

a 30 x 20-cm/11¾ x 8-inch baking dish

Serves 4–6

Preheat the oven to 160ºC (325ºF) Gas 3.

Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish. Add the beef and cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes, until just browned. Remove the meat from the casserole dish, season and set aside.

Add the leeks, onion and carrots to the pan, adding a little more oil if necessary. Cook over low heat for about 3 minutes, until softened. Add the mushrooms, bacon and thyme and cook for a further 2–3 minutes. Season well. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Return the beef to the casserole dish, add the flour, stir to coat the meat in the flour and cook for 2–3 minutes. Pour in the Guinness and Worcestershire sauce. Add the bay leaf and parsley and pour in sufficient cold water to just cover. Stir to mix, cover with a lid and bake in the preheated oven for about 1½ hours.

Remove the casserole dish from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 200ºC (400ºF) Gas 6.

Transfer the beef mixture to the baking dish. Unroll the pastry and use to cover the pie filling. It should look rustic, so fold over the edges and crimp roughly with your fingers. Using a sharp knife, and starting at the top edge, make lengthways slits on the diagonal, in stripes about ½ cm/⅜ inch apart, all the way across. Brush with melted butter or milk and bake in the preheated oven for about 25–30 minutes, until golden. Serve immediately with mashed potatoes and peas on the side.

beef and courgette gratin

It’s not possible to have too many recipes for minced/ground meat. The goats’ cheese gives this dish a tangy lift but, as the flavour is not for everyone, mature/sharp Cheddar is a good alternative. Ideal for feeding a crowd, it makes a change from lasagne. Serve with a salad and crusty bread.

1 onion, finely chopped about 125 ml/½ cup olive oil

1 teaspoon each dried thyme and dried oregano

¼ teaspoon dried chilli/hot red pepper flakes

2 garlic cloves, crushed

125 ml/½ cup dry white wine

500 g/1 lb. 2 oz. minced/ground beef

400-g/14-oz. can chopped tomatoes

a pinch of sugar

1.8 kg/4 lb. courgettes/zucchini (about 6), sliced into 1-cm/½-inch rounds

225-g/8-oz. crème fraîche

60 g/2 oz. soft goats’ cheese

110 g/3½ oz. Gruyère, grated

1–2 tablespoons milk

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

a 25 x 20-cm/9¾ x 8-inch deep-sided baking dish

Serves 4–6

In a large frying pan/skillet, add the onions and about 1 tablespoon of the oil. Cook over medium heat for about 3–5 minutes, until soft. Stir in the thyme, oregano, chilli/hot red pepper flakes and garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Add the wine, cook for 1 further minute, then add the beef. Cook for 5–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned. Stir in the tomatoes and sugar and season well. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for at least 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC (400ºF) Gas 6.

Meanwhile, prepare the courgettes/zucchini. Line a tray with kitchen paper/paper towels. Working in batches, heat some of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan/skillet. When hot, add the courgette/zucchini rounds and fry, in a single layer. When just golden, turn and brown the other side. Transfer each batch to the lined tray.

Stir 2 tablespoons of the crème fraîche into the beef mixture. Put the remaining crème fraîche in a bowl, crumble in the goats’ cheese and season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Set aside.

To assemble, arrange one-third of the courgettes/zucchini in an even layer on the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and one-third of the Gruyère. Top with half of the beef mixture, spread evenly. Repeat the courgette/zucchini and beef layer. Finish with a final courgette/zucchini layer. Season with salt, then spread with an even layer of the crème fraîche topping. Sprinkle over the remaining Gruyère. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Serve with a mixed salad and crusty bread.

Asian beef braise with pak choi/bok choy

A different kind of beef stew, this recipe has flavours of the Orient but is easy to make at home with ordinary Western utensils. If you can find cubes of frozen chopped ginger at your supermarket, they will come in handy here, or in any recipe, which is why I like to keep them around. Serve this with any kind of Oriental noodle – egg noodles will do the trick, or try something more unusual like Japanese soba noodles or thick Ho Fun noodles.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 kg/2 lb. 7 oz. braising steak, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 large shallot, sliced

25-g/1-oz. piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated (about 1 tablespoon)

750 ml/3 cups beef stock

125 ml/½ cup Chinese rice wine

125 ml/½ cup hoisin sauce

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

1 star anise

1 fresh red chilli/chile, sliced

freshly squeezed juice of 1 tangerine (or ½ an orange)

1 teaspoon runny honey

4–6 pak choi/bok choy

your choice of noodles, to serve

Serves 4

Heat the oil in a large saucepan/pot. Add the steak and cook until browned. Transfer to a plate, season with salt and set aside.

Add the garlic, shallot and ginger to the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add the stock, rice wine, hoisin sauce, cumin, star anise, chilli/chile, tangerine juice and honey. Stir to blend and bring to the boil. Return the steak to the saucepan, reduce the heat and simmer very gently, uncovered, for 1–1½ hours, until the meat is tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Core the pak choi/bok choy. Cut the white part into 1.5-cm/⅝-inch slices; leave the greens large or cut in half. Add the white part to the saucepan, increase the heat and cook until just tender, 3–4 minutes. Add the greens and cook until just wilted, about 2–3 minutes more. Serve immediately with cooked noodles of your choice.

Thai red beef curry