Gastropub classics

ASPARAGUS MAC ‘N’ CHEESE

PREP TIME 10 MINS COOK TIME 30 MINS SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS

VEGAN ● 250g British asparagus, ends trimmed ● 6 garlic cloves, crushed ● 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil ● 4 tbsp panko breadcrumbs ● 1 tbsp vegan red pesto ● 1 tbsp vegan Parmesan cheese, grated ● 350g short rigatoni ● 4 tbsp Flora plant butter ● 4 tbsp plain flour ● 700-950ml unsweetened soya milk ● 5 tbsp nutritional yeast ● 75g vegan Parmesan cheese ● Salt ● Black pepper METHOD

1 Blanch the asparagus in boiling water briefly then refresh in cold water. Set to one side. 2 Combine 1 crushed garlic clove, olive oil, breadcrumbs, red pesto and the grated Parmesan in a bowl. 3 Cook the pasta to pack instructions. Meanwhile, melt the plant butter in a saucepan. Add the remaining garlic and fry for 1 minute. Add the flour and cook for another minute. 4 Slowly whisk in the soya milk, adding 700ml initially, until a thick bechamel forms. Add more soya milk if necessary. Take off the heat and add the nutritional yeast, vegan Parmesan and season with salt and black pepper. 5 Preheat the grill to medium-high. Mix together the pasta and sauce in an ovenproof dish. Top with the asparagus and breadcrumbs. Put under the grill for 5 minutes until crispy.

Treat your dad or celebrate a sunny Sunday with our hearty spread of pub grub classics that you can enjoy from your very own beer garden!

PREP TIME 20 MINS COOK TIME 90 MINS SERVES 2 INGREDIENTS

● 500g lean beef steak, cubed ● 3 tsp cornflour ● 1 tsp paprika ● 1 tsp cumin ● 1 tsp mixed herbs ● 1 tsp fresh thyme ● Salt and pepper ● 2 medium onions, thinly sliced ● 2 garlic cloves ● 1 large carrot, peeled ● 50g swede, peeled ● 1 large potato, peeled ● 2 tbsp olive oil ● 2 beef stock cubes ● 1 tbsp Worcester sauce ● 1-2 bay leaves ● 1 pack ready rolled puff or shortcrust pastry ● 1 tbsp tomato purée METHOD

1 Place the steak in a bowl. Mix together the cornflour, paprika, cumin, mixed herbs, thyme, salt and pepper and rub into the beef using your hands. Ensure the meat is fully coated. Top with the onion rings and cover with cling film to marinate while you prepare the vegetables. 2 Preheat the oven to 170°C/Fan 150°C/Gas Mark 3. 3 Finely chop the garlic, carrots, swede and potato. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the chopped vegetables. 4 Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in an ovenproof casserole dish. Add the marinated beef, gently turn to brown on all sides. Add the fried vegetables and stir well. 5 In a jug, combine the tomato purée, crumbled stock cube and 400ml boiling water and stir to combine. Pour into the casserole dish. 6 Add the Worcester sauce and bay leaves and cover with a lid. 7 Place the casserole dish on the middle shelf of the oven and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Keep an eye on the meat and add water if needed. 8 Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes. Increase the heat of the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas Mark 4. Fill a medium pie dish with the pie mix. Cut the pastry lid half an inch larger than the dish then cover the pie with it. Cut two slits into the centre of the pastry and brush with milk. 9 Bake for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Serve with greens and mashed potato.

WARM STEAK AND BEETROOT SANDWICH

PREP TIME 10 MINS COOK TIME 15 MINS SERVES 2 INGREDIENTS

For the honey mustard dressing ● 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil ● 2 tbsp white wine vinegar ● 1 tbsp Dijon mustard ● 1 tbsp honey ● 1 garlic clove, crushed ● Salt ● Freshly ground black pepper For the sandwich ● 225g ribeye steak, 2-3cm thick ● 1 tbsp olive oil ● Sea salt ● Freshly ground black pepper ● 2-4 shallots, finely sliced ● 2-3 cooked beetroot, sliced ● 1 ciabatta loaf, cut in half ● Salad leaves, to serve METHOD

1 Mix together the dressing ingredients in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well and season with salt and black pepper. Set aside. 2 Heat the oil in a heavy based frying pan until smoking hot. Season the steak on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fry the steak on one side for 2-3 minutes. Flip over and fry on the other side for a further 2-3 minutes. For a 2-3cm thick piece of meat these timings should give you a medium steak. Cook a little less for rare, a little more for well done. Remove the steak and allow to rest on a warm plate tightly covered in foil. 3 Add the shallots to the frying pan. Fry for 5-7 minutes over a medium-high heat until the shallots begin to caramelise. Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm. 4 Lay the ciabatta cut side down in the frying pan and toast lightly for 1 to 2 minutes. 5 Arrange salad leaves on two pieces of toasted ciabatta. Slice the steak into 1cm-wide strips across the grain and divide between the ciabatta. Top with the sliced beetroot and fried onions. Drizzle over a little of the dressing and cover with the top of the ciabatta. Serve the steak sandwiches immediately.

POSH FISH AND CHIPS

PREP TIME 5 MINS COOK TIME 25 MINS SERVES 2 INGREDIENTS

● 2 salmon side fillets ● 40g breadcrumbs ● 10g fresh parsley, finely chopped ● 1 lemon, zest and juice ● Salt ● Black pepper ● 2 tbsp olive oil ● 60g butter ● 400g baby new potatoes, unpeeled and quartered METHOD

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/ Gas Mark 6. 2 Boil the potatoes for 5 minutes. Drain then place in a large bowl with 1 tbsp olive oil and salt. Toss to coat the potatoes. Put them in a baking dish and place in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. 3 Meanwhile, combine the breadcrumbs, parsley and lemon zest in a bowl. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. 4 Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan. Place the salmon fillets skin side up in the pan and fry for 2 minutes. Flip the fillets over and fry for another 2 minutes. 5 Preheat the grill to high. Top the fillets with the breadcrumb mix and add dots of butter. Place the pan under the grill and toast for 7 minutes until the crumbs are slightly golden. Add the remaining butter and lemon juice to the fillets and fry for another 2 minutes. 6 Plate up the fillets and serve with the roast new potatoes. PREP TIME 15 MINS COOK TIME 45 MINS SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS

● 2 tbsp ghee or coconut oil ● 4 chicken thighs or drumsticks, skin on ● 3 tsp ground cumin ● 2 tsp ground turmeric ● 2 tsp garam masala ● 2 tsp fennel seeds ● Pinch of dried or fresh chilli (optional) ● 2 large onions, sliced ● 6 garlic cloves, diced ● 2 tbsp tomato purée ● 4 large tomatoes, chopped ● 500ml vegetable stock ● 300g green beans ● 2 large handfuls of spinach ● ½ lime, juice ● Sea salt ● Black pepper ● Cauliflower, blended into rice ● Handful of flaked almonds ● 1 tbsp raisins METHOD

1 Heat 1 tbsp of ghee or coconut oil in a pan over a medium heat. Season the chicken, then brown for a few minutes on each side until golden. Remove the chicken and set aside. 2 Lower the heat in the pan and add all the spices, including the chilli if using. Keep the spices moving so that they don’t burn and fry for 1 minute. 3 Add the remaining ghee or coconut oil and onions and fry for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, salt and pepper and the tomato purée. Increase the heat. 4 Return the chicken to the pan with the chopped tomatoes and the stock. Simmer over a medium heat, covered, for 35 minutes. Add a little water to loosen the sauce if needed. 5 Add the green beans and simmer for another 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and check the chicken is tender and cooked through. Add the lime juice and season to taste. 6 Place the spinach on top, cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes. 7 Place the cauliflower in a heatproof bowl and microwave for 3 minutes on high. Toast the almonds in a frying pan and add them to the rice with the raisins. Serve with the chicken curry.

PREP TIME 30 MINS COOK TIME 10 MINS SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS

● 1 small onion ● 500g beef mince ● 1 egg ● 1 tbsp vegetable oil ● 4 burger buns ● 1 large tomato ● 1 jar Opies Cocktail Gherkins ● Handful of lettuce ● Cheddar cheese, sliced METHOD

1 Halve the onion: finely dice one half and cut the other into rings. Place the beef, diced onion and egg into a bowl and mix to combine. 2 Divide the mixture equally into four and roll into balls. Once rolled, slightly flatten each one until they’re roughly 3cm thick. 3 Place in the fridge to cool for around 30 minutes to allow each burger patty to firm up. 4 Heat the barbecue, grill or pan and coat each patty with a small amount of oil, a silicone pastry brush is handy for this. 5 Place the patties on the heat and cook them for 5 minutes until the meat has started to brown. Flip the patties over and cook them for another 5-10 minutes. 6 Once they are cooked, start to construct the burgers. Add the lettuce to the bottom burger bun, followed by the patty. Then customise your burger by adding cheese, tomatoes, onions and cocktail gherkins. Serve immediately.

COOK’S TIP

Make gherkin ketchup to serve with your burgers by blending an entire jar of gherkins, including the vinegar, until finely chopped.