Red carrot cake

Ingredients

• 175g light muscovado sugar
• 175ml sunflower oil
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 140g grated carrots (about 3 medium)
• 100g raisins
• grated zest of 1 large orange
• 175g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg (freshly grated will give you the best flavour)

For the frosting

• 175g icing sugar
• 1½-2 tbsp orange juice

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4/fan 160C. Oil and line the base and sides of an 18cm square cake tin with baking parchment. The easiest way to do this is to cut two long strips the width of the tin and put each strip crossways, covering the base and sides of the tin, with a double layer in the base.
2. Tip the sugar into a large mixing bowl, pour in the oil and add the eggs. Lightly mix with a wooden spoon. Stir in the grated carrots, raisins and orange rind.
3. Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices, then sift into the bowl. Lightly mix all the ingredients – when everything is evenly amalgamated stop mixing. The mixture will be fairly soft and almost runny.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40- 45 minutes, until it feels firm and springy when you press it in the centre. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn it out, peel off the paper and cool on a wire rack. (You can freeze the cake at this point.)
5. Beat together the frosting ingredients in a small bowl until smooth – you want the icing about as runny as single cream. Set the cake on a serving plate and boldly drizzle the icing back and forth in diagonal lines over the top, letting it drip down the sides.

China vegetable soup

Ingredients

• 2 each of onions and carrots, chopped
• 4 sticks celery, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 bay leaves
• few sprigs thyme
• 3 courgettes, chopped
• 400g can butter beans, drained
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 1.2l vegetable stock
• 100g parmesan or vegetarian equivalent, grated
• 140g small pasta shapes
• small bunch basil, shredded

Method

1. Gently cook the onion, carrots and celery in the oil in a large saucepan for 20 mins, until soft. Splash in water if they stick. Add the sugar, garlic, purée, herbs and courgettes and cook for 4-5 mins on a medium heat until they brown a little.
2. Pour in the beans, tomatoes and stock, then simmer for 20 mins. If you’re freezing it, cool and do so now (freeze for up to three months). If not, add half the Parmesan and the pasta and simmer for 6-8 mins until pasta cooked. Sprinkle with basil and remaining Parmesan to serve. If frozen, defrost then re-heat before adding pasta and cheese and continuing as above.

USA chicken bake

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 skinless chicken breasts, chopped into chunks
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, chopped into chunks
• 2 onions, sliced
• 4 tbsp curry paste (we used korma and tikka masala)
• 300g cauliflower, chopped into small florets
• 700ml chicken stock
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 200g natural yogurt
• 300g spinach
• 400g basmati rice, cooked following pack instructions
• 5 tbsp flaked almonds

Method

1. Start by making the curry. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large, deep frying pan. Season the chicken and fry until browned, then remove and set aside. Fry the onion in the rest of the oil for 10-12 mins until soft and starting to caramelise.
2. Add the paste and cauliflower, stirring to coat everything, then return the chicken. Pour in the stock, tomatoes and chickpeas and simmer everything for 30 mins until the cauliflower is nearly tender. There should be just enough liquid to cover everything so add a splash more water or stock if you need to. Remove from the heat and stir in the yogurt.
3. Assemble the bake in either 1 large or 2 smaller, deep ovenproof dishes. Start with a ¹/³ of the spinach leaves, season, then top with a ¹/³ of the curry. Finish with a ¹/³ of the rice then repeat twice more. Scatter on the almonds and either cool completely to freeze, or heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and cook for 20-25 mins until the topping has crisped up and the dish is piping hot through.

New soured cream mash

Ingredients

• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp each ground cumin and dried thyme
• 2 tbsp mild chilli powder
• 1kg lean minced beef
• 2 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 2 x 400g can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 x 330g can sweetcorn, drained
• 3 mixed peppers, chopped into chunks
• 2 tbsp white or red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 beef stock cube

For the mash

• 1.8kg potatoes, chopped into large chunks
• 300ml pot soured cream
• 2 x small bunches chives, snipped
• 100g cheddar, grated

Method

1. Fry the onions in the oil in a large, deep saucepan until soft. Stir in the spices and cook for 2 mins, until fragrant. Crumble in the mince in batches and fry, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until all the meat is browned.
2. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, beans, sweetcorn, peppers, vinegar and sugar. Crumble in the stock cube, pour over 500ml water then bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 20 mins, then uncover and simmer for 20 mins more until the mince and peppers are tender and saucy.
3. Meanwhile, make the mash. Boil the potatoes in lots of boiling salted water until tender, about 15 mins. Drain well, leaving in the colander to steam dry for 1 min, then tip back into the saucepan and mash with the soured cream. Season and stir in the chives.
4. When the chilli mince is done, pour into 1, 2 or individual ovenproof dishes. Spoon or pipe over the mash and scatter on the cheese. Cool completely if you’re freezing any at this stage, or if you want to eat straight away, heat the oven to 220C/ 200C fan/gas 7 and bake for 25-30 mins until bubbling and golden.

Creamy prawn USA vegetable pot

Ingredients

• 850ml low-salt chicken or vegetable stock
• 100g pearl barley
• 750g new potatoes, sliced
• ½ spring green cabbage, shredded
• 140g frozen broad or soya beans
• 100g frozen peas
• 250g broccoli florets
• 200g tub crème fraîche
• small bunch dill, snipped
• zest 1 lemon, plus squeeze of juice
• 600g cooked, peeled prawns

Method

1. Bring the stock to a simmer in a large frying pan or shallow casserole covered with a lid. Add the pearl barley, cover and cook for 10 mins. Then add the potatoes and cook covered for 12-15 mins until tender.
2. Remove the lid, increase the heat and bubble the stock for a few mins to reduce. Stir in the greens, crème fraîche, dill, zest and juice. If you’re freezing, cool at this stage. If eating straight away, simmer for 3-4 mins until veg is just tender.
3. Just before serving, stir in the prawns to heat through and season to taste. If freezing, cool completely then scatter the prawns on top and freeze. Defrost fully in the fridge overnight then gently bring back to a simmer, uncovered, until veg is tender and prawns hot through.

USA chicken bacon stew

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 16 chicken pieces on the bone (about 3kg/6lb 8oz in total)
• 140g smoked bacon, chopped or lardons or cubetti di pancetta
• 4 medium carrots, thickly sliced
• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 75ml white wine or cider vinegar
• 1l chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 tbsp double cream or crème fraîche
• 600g small new potatoes, halved
• 12 large white mushrooms, quartered
• chopped herbs, such as parsley, tarragon or chives

Method

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole with a lid. Fry the chicken pieces in batches for 5 mins on each side until well browned, then transfer to a plate. Sizzle the bacon in the casserole for a few mins until beginning to crisp. Stir in the carrots and onions, then cook for 5 mins until starting to soften. Stir in the flour and tomato purée and cook for 1 min more. Finally, splash in the vinegar and stir well.
2. Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the bay, cream and seasoning. Slide in the chicken pieces and scatter over the potatoes, turning everything over a few times so that the potatoes are immersed in the sauce. Put the lid on and place in the oven. After 40 mins, remove from the oven and stir in the mushrooms. Cover again and cook in the oven for 10 mins more until the chicken is cooked through and tender but not completely falling off the bone. You can now turn off the heat, and chill and freeze some or all of it (see freezing tips, below). If eating straight away, cook for 10 mins more, then sprinkle over the herbs and serve.

Italian lasagne

Ingredients

• 3 aubergines, sliced lengthways
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 680ml jar passata
• ½ tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• small bunch basil leaves, torn
• 100g parmesan, or vegetarian alternative, grated
• 125g ball mozzarella, torn
• 200g fresh lasagne sheets
• 5 tbsp breadcrumbs

Method

1. Heat grill to high. Arrange the aubergine slices on a baking sheet, brush with oil and season well. Grill for 2-3 mins each side until golden brown, set aside.
2. Heat oil in a saucepan. Fry the garlic for 1 min then pour in the passata. Simmer for 10 mins with the oregano, sugar and vinegar, then season and stir in the basil.
3. Assemble the lasagne in a roughly A4-sized baking dish. Spread a few tbsp of the tomato sauce over the base of the dish, followed by a layer of aubergine. Scatter over some Parmesan and mozzarella, then cover with a layer of lasagne. Repeat, finishing with a topping of Parmesan and mozzarella, and sprinkle on the breadcrumbs.
4. Allow to cool at this point for freezing, or heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and cook the lasagne for 25-30 mins until golden and bubbling.

New broccoli soup

Ingredients

• 1l milk
• 2 garlic cloves, bashed
• 2 bay leaves
• 500g dried pasta
• 350g broccoli, in small florets
• 75g butter
• 75g plain flour
• a little freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• small bunch parsley, roughly chopped
• 200g cheese, grated (cheddar, Parmesan, Gruyère, or a mixture)

• Method

  1. Bring the milk, garlic and bay leaves to the boil in a small saucepan, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse. Cook the pasta to al dente following pack instructions (if you’re freezing, cook for 1 min less), adding the broccoli for the final 2 mins. Drain.
  2. Strain the milk into a jug. Heat the butter in the pan until foaming then stir in the flour for 1 min. Add the milk a little at a time, stirring or whisking constantly to remove any lumps. Bubble for 1-2 mins, stirring constantly until you have a thick, lump-free sauce.
  3. Remove from the heat and stir in some nutmeg, the mustard powder, parsley, three-quarters of the cheese and seasoning. Combine with the pasta and broccoli and transfer to one large, or individual, heatproof dishes. Scatter over the remaining cheese and cool and freeze for up to three months, or heat the grill to high and cook for 2-3 mins until golden and bubbling. If frozen, defrost in the fridge overnight, then cook at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for 30-40 mins until piping hot.
   

French Bolognese

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small carrot, chopped
• 400g can plum tomatoes
• ½ bunch basil, plus extra leaves, to serve
• ½ recipe Multi mince
• 400g spaghetti or other long pasta
• 25g toasted breadcrumbs

• Method

  1. Heat the oil in non-stick frying pan. Tip in the carrot and cook for 5 mins to soften. Scoop out the tomatoes from the can and add to the pan, and cook for 5 mins more. Pour over the tomato juice and basil, then simmer for 15 mins. Whizz together in a blender until smooth. This sauce can be frozen for up to 3 months.
  2. Heat through with the Multi mince. Cook spaghetti according to pack instructions. Reserve some of the cooking water, drain and tip the pasta into the pan along with the sauce. Toss together, thinning with pasta water, if needed, and serve with the extra basil leaves on top and the breadcrumbs.
   

China pork goulash

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1½ kg pork tenderloins, cut into strips
• 2 onions, cut into thin wedges
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1-2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 500ml beef stock
• 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 3 peppers, chopped

For the dumplings

• 250g self-raising flour
• 140g shredded suet
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• small bunch oregano, most leaves chopped

• Method

  1. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan and fry the pork for 4-5 mins until browned. Once done, remove and set aside. You may need to do this in batches. Use remaining oil to fry the onions for 8-10 mins until soft and starting to brown. Then add the garlic and paprika, and cook for 1-2 mins more. Return the pork to the pan and pour in the stock, tomatoes and sugar. Bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 20-30 mins until the sauce has thickened.
  2. To make the dumplings, combine all the ingredients, apart from the oregano leaves, with enough cold water to make a scone-like dough. Roll into approximately 30 walnut-size balls. Stir the peppers into the goulash. Tuck in the dumplings, cover the pan with a lid and cook for 25-30 mins until the dumplings are puffed up. Allow to cool and freeze for up to 2 months, or serve scattered with reserved oregano and some soured cream.
  3. If frozen, defrost then re-heat in the microwave on medium for 4-6 mins for a single portion, and longer for larger servings or gently on the hob, covered, until piping hot.