Quick and filling
Catalan-style beans and chorizo (pictured above)
A good example of a little meat going a long way: bacon and chorizo add extra depth to this earthy dish. The beans also contain plenty of protein. Whenever I think about a meat-based meal I work out what I can add in order to bring down the meat content, to help the purse and the planet. Pulses work well.
A little more or less of any ingredient is not crucial: let the recipe expand or contract to suit your larder. The dish can be ready in around 30 minutes, but it can just as easily simmer away gently for much longer.
Serves 4
light olive oil 1 tbsp
rindless smoked streaky bacon 150g
cooking chorizo 200g, cut in half lengthways and sliced into half-moons about 1-2cm thick
onion 1, finely sliced
garlic 2 cloves, finely sliced
whole green beans (haricots verts, if possible) 1 x 400g tin or 400g
frozen
sherry vinegar 1 tbsp
tinned butter beans 200g, liquid reserved
frozen broad beans 400g
white wine or cider 150ml (optional – you can use apple juice and a splash of vinegar, or top up your stock quantity)
ham, chicken or vegetable stock 250ml
bay leaf 1
parsley handful, roughly chopped (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
garlic bread
Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan with a lid over a medium heat. Using a pair of scissors, cut the bacon into bite-size pieces straight into the pan. After a couple of minutes, add the chorizo and cook for 5 minutes, or until it is slightly browned. Lift the bacon and chorizo from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Immediately put the onion into the pan with the delicious pork fat, add some salt and stir the onion about until it is well coated with the fat. Add a little more oil if necessary; the onion should look glossy. Let the onion start to sizzle, then turn the heat down to medium-low, put a lid on the pan and cook for 7-10 minutes until soft, stirring occasionally. If the onion is taking on too much colour or beginning to stick, add a generous splash of water. Once soft, turn the heat up to medium and add the garlic. Cook for a couple more minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the onions are cooking, drain and rinse the green beans and cut them into 1-2cm pieces.
When the garlic has cooked for a couple of minutes, splash in the vinegar, then add all the beans, including the liquid from the butter beans, and give it all a good stir to amalgamate. Add the wine, bring to the boil and let it bubble away to almost nothing.
Add the stock and bay leaf, return the chorizo and bacon to the pan and leave the whole lot to simmer for 15 minutes with the lid off. Add more liquid if it seems to be drying up – the beans should be just covered with liquid.
After 15 minutes or so add the parsley, if using, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with garlic bread.
From the cupboards
Spiced rice and lentils
A very simple supper that can quickly become a speedy kedgeree with the addition of flaked smoked fish at the end. Add cooked vegetables for a one-pot dish, served with seasoned yoghurt.
Serves 4
basmati rice 360g
light olive oil 2½ tbsp
brown mustard seeds 2 tsp
whole cloves 3
cardamom pods 2
chilli flakes 1 tsp, or more depending on your taste
onion 1 large, finely diced
ground turmeric 2 tsp
garlic 3 cloves, crushed or finely grated
red or green chilli of choice 1, sliced (optional)
ground cumin 1 tbsp
ground coriander 1 heaped tbsp
chicken or vegetable stock 700ml
cinnamon stick 1 small
bay leaf 1
lentils 1 x 400g tin, drained, liquid added to the stock
butter 40g
eggs 4
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To finish
lime finely grated zest and juice of 1
coriander generous handful, chopped, stalks and all
mango chutney or hot lime pickle
seasoned yoghurt
Wash and soak the rice in a bowl of water for 30 minutes.
Heat a medium saucepan with a lid with 1½ tablespoons of the oil over a medium heat. Throw in the mustard seeds, cloves, cardamom and chilli flakes, and cook for a couple of minutes so they release some of their fragrance. Add the onion and, when it starts to sizzle, turn the heat down and put on the lid. Leave to soften for 7-10 minutes. When soft, turn the heat up and let the onions catch a little bit of colour before adding the turmeric. Stir it about for a minute to let the flavour and natural colour out, then add the garlic, chilli, cumin and coriander. Give them all a couple more minutes of getting to know each other, stirring regularly, before adding the rest of the oil and letting it heat up.
Drain the rice and add it to the pan. Stir to coat well with the mixture in the pan, then add the stock, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and some salt. Bring to the boil and stir thoroughly. Put a lid on and leave it on the lowest possible heat for 20 minutes.
While the rice is cooking, hard-boil the eggs, then peel and roughly chop them.
Once the rice is cooked, stir in the lentils and butter, pop the lid back on and leave to stand for 5 minutes for the lentils to heat through.
To serve, taste the rice for seasoning, then stir in the lime zest and juice and all but a few leaves of the coriander. Spoon into bowls and scatter with chopped egg and the last bits of coriander. Serve with the mango chutney or hot lime pickle and the seasoned yoghurt.
Quick (and not too filling)
Green eggs
If you don’t fancy pasta in this soupy stew, peel and finely dice some potatoes and start them off in the broth for a good 7 minutes before you add any of the other vegetables. You can substitute any of the vegetables, such as spinach for the greens or broccoli and broad beans instead of french beans, but retain the peas – they are the star for me.
Serves 4
vegetable or chicken stock 700ml
mint a few sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped, stalks reserved
greens 200g, finely shredded
spring onions 4, trimmed as little as possible and finely sliced using all the green
green beans 100g, trimmed and chopped into 2cm pieces
frozen peas 300g
orzo or pastina 80g
creme fraiche 80ml
garlic 1 clove, crushed or finely grated
eggs 4
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
bread for mopping up (optional)
Pour the stock into a medium casserole dish that will fit under the grill. (If using a stock cube, crumble one cube into 700ml of boiling water.) Throw in the mint stalks, a grind of pepper and a good pinch of salt, and let the stock simmer and the mint stalks infuse for at least 5 minutes. Lift out the mint stalks and add the greens and spring onions. Let these simmer for 3 minutes, then add the beans, peas and orzo or pastina. Bring back to a simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes until soft.
While the vegetables are cooking, put the creme fraiche into a small bowl, season to taste with salt and pepper, then add the garlic and chopped mint leaves and mix together to combine.
Heat the grill to high or heat the oven to the very highest it can go.
One at a time, break the eggs into a small cup and gently slide into the pan, in different corners. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 3 minutes so that the egg whites become opaque. At this stage, when the poached eggs are just set, blob the creme fraiche mixture over the top. Place the pan under the grill or in the oven and leave the cream to melt and brown for 3 minutes or so.
Serve in warmed bowls with an egg in each one.
Tip Mint is easy to grow and it’s worth having a pot of it on your windowsill or outside if you have space. I save the stalks and throw them into the water when boiling potatoes or peas, or to infuse a stock for soup, lamb stew or a summery risotto. Lift them out before serving: they aren’t great to eat and will have given up their flavour to whatever you are making.
In for the long haul
Braised pork with fennel and tomatoes
This dish was a favourite of my friend Tim, a phenomenal chef who taught me so much. These days, when meat costs are high, it is worth eating less of a higher quality. Intensively reared pork will not have the sweetness and rich, firm texture you get with happy, outdoor-reared pork. I have suggested belly here as it is a cheaper cut. You can get belly with or without bones – I think the bones keep the meat from getting dry, and because the end product is soft and yielding the meat should come away very easily.
For 4–6
thyme 4 sprigs, leaves picked, or 1 tbsp dried thyme
basil a few sprigs, leaves picked, stalks very finely chopped
lemon zest and juice of 1; peel one long ribbon of zest using a vegetable peeler and grate the rest
fennel seeds 1 tbsp, slightly crushed
pork belly 800g, skin scored
vegetable oil 2 tbsp, plus an extra splash
garlic 8 cloves, sliced
red onions 2, cut into sixths
fennel bulbs 2, cut into sixths lengthways
tomatoes 4 large, skinned and cut in half
waxy small potatoes 480g, cut in half
bay leaf 1
Pernod a splash, if you have it (very much optional)
vegetable or chicken stock 200ml
white wine, cider or apple juice 120ml (optional)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 220C fan/gas mark 9 and heat a roasting pan at the same time.
Toss the thyme, finely chopped basil stalks, grated lemon zest, fennel seeds, salt and a generous grind of pepper together.
Season the underside of the pork belly very thoroughly, then flip it over and make sure the skin is very dry. Rub the pork well with the vegetable oil followed by the thyme mixture, pressing this on to the skin well and letting it get into the scored bits. I usually add a little more salt at this stage – it will take more than you imagine.
Take the hot roasting pan out of the oven, add a splash of oil, then add the pork belly. Return to the oven and cook for 20–30 minutes until it’s nice and brown.
In the meantime, toss all the vegetables except the potatoes together in a large bowl with a good dose of seasoning, the ribbon of lemon zest, the bay leaf, lemon juice and Pernod, if using.
Bring the stock and wine, if using, to the boil in a large saucepan and keep it hot.
When the pork belly is browned, turn the oven temperature down to 160C fan/gas mark 4. Take the roasting pan out of the oven, carefully lift out the meat and set aside, then pour off all the fat. Pour the hot stock into the roasting pan and, using a whisk, have a good go at lifting up all the flavours on the bottom of the pan. Add 1 tbsp of the pork fat to the bowl of vegetables, mix well, then add them to the roasting pan with the stock, making an even layer for the pork to sit on. Return the pork to the pan and cover with kitchen foil. Cook for 1 hour. At this stage, you can add the potatoes, put the foil back on and cook for a further 45 minutes. The pork should be meltingly tender and you should be able to put a fork through it. If not, return to the oven for a further 30 minutes and check again.
Lift the pork out of the roasting pan and leave to rest in a warm place for 15 minutes. If you want crispy skin, preheat the grill to its highest setting.
Using a slotted spoon, lift the vegetables out of the cooking liquor and if there is a lot of liquid pour it into a saucepan and reduce down a little on the hob.
Once the pork has rested, put it under the grill until the skin is crisp, if you like, then rest again while you bring everything together.
Tear the basil leaves into the vegetable mix and spoon this onto warmed plates. Slice the meltingly soft pork and sit on top of the vegetables with sauce over it and serve extra sauce in a warm jug.
Tip Pork belly will produce a good amount of fat. This will keep well in a sealed jar in your fridge and is fantastic for frying or making roast potatoes. If you have any pork belly left over, take off the skin, shred the meat, mix with pork fat and plenty of seasoning (I like to use ground allspice), then pack into a clean jar and cover with a thin layer of pork fat. You now have potted pork.
You can do this with any leftover meat and, so long as you have enough fat to mix through and cover it, it will keep in the fridge for up to seven days. It is excellent spread on toast with pickles.
Blueprint for leftovers
A big old soup
A great way to use up the contents of the fridge. I have given you a framework from which to branch out (see variations below). Quantities can expand and contract with what you have.
Serves 4
light olive oil 2 tbsp
butter 50g
onions 2, halved and sliced
leek 1 large, trimmed, cut in half lengthways and thinly sliced
carrots 3, cut in half and sliced
celery 3 sticks, sliced
garlic 3 cloves, finely chopped
potatoes 2 large, peeled and diced
vinegar of choice 1 tbsp
chicken or vegetable stock 1 litre
hard herbs, such as thyme, rosemary and sage 6-8 sprigs
bay leaf 1
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
croutons, cheese or soured cream (optional)
In a large heavy-based pan with a lid, heat the oil and butter over a medium heat. Add the onions and a dose of salt and, when they start to sizzle, put the lid on, turn the heat down and leave to cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until meltingly soft.
When ready, turn up the heat, add the leek and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add the carrots, celery and garlic and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes. Add the potatoes, then once they have mixed well with everything, add the vinegar and let it evaporate.
Add the stock and herbs and bring to the boil. Cook until the potatoes are soft. At this stage, I put a stick blender through the soup to add some thickness, or put a couple of ladlefuls in a blender or food processor. I prefer it not to be completely smooth, but of course you can puree the whole lot if you like, so lift out your herbs in this case. I tend to leave them in and counsel the soup eaters to work round them.
Check the soup for seasoning and you are ready to go. Top with some croutons, cheese or soured cream, or whatever you like.
Variations This soup can take all sorts of leftover cooked vegetables – whatever you have. All raw root vegetables that need using up work well in soup. Just increase the quantities to make one the main event.
Here are some lovely combinations: parsnip and hazelnut; celeriac and apple; pumpkin and ginger; spiced carrot and swede.
Replace the potato with some soaked barley for a scotch broth vibe. This would be perfect with leftover cooked lamb and cooked shredded greens. Use old bread instead of potatoes – it will disintegrate and thicken in a way that is delicious, especially with lots of garlic. Finish with chopped parsley.
Replace most of the stock with passata (strained tomatoes) or any tomatoes that need using up (blitz them with a stick blender before using) and add some small pasta and white beans or similar for minestrone.
Any leftover cooked pulses would be great to replace, or as well as, the potato, or soak the last few lentils or beans in a packet that you’re not sure what to do with and add to the soup at the beginning, as they will require longer to cook.
Stir in the end of a jar of pesto, tapenade, harissa or curry paste for different flavours – it really is a good home for almost anything.
It is also great with some shredded cooked chicken or ham.
Sweet and simple
Rhubarb and ginger crumb pudding
This pudding stays within the realms of crumble with the added bonus of using up bread.
Serves 4
butter 100g
soft breadcrumbs 200g
ground ginger 1 heaped tsp
rhubarb 500g, cut into 3cm lengths
oranges finely grated zest and juice of 2
unrefined caster sugar 100g
stem ginger in syrup 60g, plus 2 tbsp of the syrup
lemon juice of 1
boiling water 2 tbsp
To serve
cream or custard
Heat the oven to 180C fan/gas mark 6. Put the butter in an ovenproof bowl and melt in the warming oven. Stir in the breadcrumbs and ground ginger and coat well.
Scatter a third of the crumb mixture over the bottom of a 20cm x 20cm oven dish.
In a bowl, mix togetherthe rhubarb, orange zest and sugar. Coarsely grate over the stem ginger and toss through the fruit. Put half of the rhubarb mixture on top of the crumbs and follow with another third of the crumbs. Repeat with the rest of the fruit and crumbs.
Mix the orange and lemon juices with the ginger syrup and boiling water. Spoon all over the pudding, then bake for 30-45 minutes until the rhubarb is soft and the crumbs crisp and golden. Serve with cream or custard.
Tip The syrup in a jar of stem ginger has a fiery flavour. Try it on porridge instead of syrup or honey for a super-warming feeling. It’s also good with lemon and hot water if you are feeling under the weather.
From Every Last Bite by Rosie Sykes (Quadrille, £18.99). To order a copy for £16.14 go to guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply
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