CHICKEN C U R RY
INGREDIENTS 3 tbsp desiccated coconut 200g basmati rice 40g butter 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 onion, finely sliced 50g medium-strength curry paste 4 small chicken breasts cut into 2cm/1in slices 200g canned tomatoes
300ml coconut milk 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves 2 tbsp chopped mint leaves 1 lime, juice only
METHOD Preheat the grill to medium heat. Sprinkle the coconut onto a baking tray and toast under the grill until just golden-brown. Put the basmati rice in a lidded saucepan then cover with 400ml cold water. Add half of the butter, then cover the pan, place it over a high heat and bring just to the boil. Reduce the heat to its lowest setting and cook the rice for 12-15 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all the water and is just tender. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, or until just softened. Add the curry paste and stir-fry for a further minute. Add the chicken to the pan and stir well to coat it in the sauce. Add the tomatoes and coconut milk, stir well and bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped coriander, mint and lime juice, then stir in the remaining butter and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. To serve, fluff the cooked rice using a fork, then spoon some chicken curry on top of each portion of rice.
S AU S AG E C A S S E RO L E
INGREDIENTS 1–2 tbsp sunflower oil 12 pork sausages 6 rashers rind-less streaky bacon 2 medium onions 2 crushed garlic cloves 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes 300ml chicken stock 2 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp dark brown sugar 1 tsp dried mixed herbs 2 bay leaves 3–4 sprigs of fresh thyme 100ml red or white wine 1 x 400g can butter beans or mixed beans
METHOD Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan and fry the sausages for 10 minutes, turning every now and then until nicely browned all over. Transfer to a large saucepan and set aside. Fry the bacon pieces in the frying pan until they begin to brown and crisp then add to the sausages. Place the onions in the pan and fry over a medium heat for five minutes until they start to soften, stirring often. Add the garlic and cook for 2–3 minutes until the onions turn golden-brown, stirring frequently. Sprinkle over the smoked paprika and cook together for a few seconds longer. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken stock, tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and herbs. Pour over the wine, or water if you’re not using wine, and bring to a simmer. Tip carefully into the pan with the sausages and bacon and return to a simmer, then reduce the heat, cover the pan loosely with a lid and leave to simmer very gently for 20 minutes. Drain the beans and rinse under cold water. Stir the beans into the casserole, and continue to cook for 10 minutes until the sauce is thick.
ST E A K PIE
INGREDIENTS 900g stewing steak, cubed Plain flour 1 tbsp olive oil 2 onions, sliced 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme Ground black pepper 570ml hot beef stock 225g shortcrust pastry
1 free-range egg
METHOD Dust the cubed steak with the seasoned flour. Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan and fry the meat, stirring frequently, until browned on all sides. Add the sliced onions, herbs, salt and freshly ground black pepper and the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for an hour and a half. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Transfer the filling mixture to an oven proof dish. Line the rim of the dish with a thin strip of pastry. Dampen the pastry rim by brushing with beaten egg. Cut a piece of pastry to fit across the top of the dish and place on top of the dish, pressing the edges together to seal. Decorate with pastry trimmings, make a steam hole in the centre of the pie by slashing with a sharp knife, then brush with more beaten egg. Transfer to the oven and cook for 1-1½ hours. If the pastry gets too brown, cover it with foil. Serve hot.
COOKING FILLET STEAK
TIPS
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Cook your fillet steaks in as hot a pan as possible, turn the heat right up a because this will caramelise the sugars on the edge of the meat and seal in the flavour. The reason we don’t recommend grilling unless you can help it is that most kitchen grills are a bit feeble and don’t get hot enough.
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We advocate room temperature as cold steak hitting hot pan means a reduction in temperature in the pan and the most important rule of perfect fillet steaks is to have a searing hot pan.
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Dry your fillet steaks. Pat them with kitchen towel as the evaporating moisture in the pan will act like steam cooking and prevent the caramelising effect that we are going for.
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Rub your fillet steaks with a little sunflower oil or other oil with a high smoke point; don’t use olive oil as it will burn at this temperature. Rub in pepper if you like and salt if you must.
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Place your fillet steak in the pan and leave it there sizzling away for 30 seconds before you flip it, ideally using tongs not a fork
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Cooking time will depend on your hob and how you like your fillet steak cooked; you can monitor cooking by feel. Here’s how: Prod the squishy bit at the bottom of your thumb, this is raw fillet steak. Now touch your thumb to your index finger and squish again, this is fillet steak cooked rare. Lastly touch your thumb and little finger; this is well done fillet steak. Your middle finger is medium rare and your ring finger medium practice makes perfect on this one! Unless you have a large pan on a really big flame you’ll get a better result cooking the fillet steaks one at a time. Don’t worry about them getting cold; they’ll be fine resting on a warmed plate if you only have 2 or 3 to do or in a warm oven if there are more.