Meat – Page 3 – Years of Practice

Lasagne

Like bolognese sauce, Lasagne is ‘a dish which, if not exactly lost in translation, has, in the grand British tradition, been considerably mangled’ (Felicity Cloake), so again I am making no claims about authenticity here. Some traditional meat lasagne recipes, for example, contain a ricotta and egg mixture rather than béchamel sauce. The version weContinue reading “Lasagne”

Bolognese sauce

As Felicity Cloake has written (in her excellent series ‘How to make a perfect…’): “To write on spag bol is to wade into a mire of controversy thicker and darker than any ragu that ever came out of nonna’s kitchen.” There is no definitive recipe for bolognese sauce and many of the ‘authentic’ elements (pork,Continue reading “Bolognese sauce”

Chicken katsu curry

This recipe entered the family’s repertoire at Zita’s request: on holiday with a friend and her family in 2016, eating super-healthy food, she sent word home that she was craving a home-made chicken katsu curry. An online Tesco recipe was my starting point and, with some adjustments, produced a dish that closely resembled what theyContinue reading “Chicken katsu curry”

Caesar Salad

Delia Smith’s Summer Collection, published in 1993 and followed by a TV series in 2002, prompted a nationwide run on limes and crème fraîche. Her recipes aren’t the most adventurous, and they can be rather wordy, but they always work. I’ve adapted this one a little, and you can always increase the protein content byContinue reading “Caesar Salad”

Bográcsgulyás

As we limp into our second month of Lockdown, communal outdoor cooking has become the stuff of nostalgia, but you can re-create this (albeit without the smoky flavour) over your kitchen stove and in the oven. Goulash is really a soup: what non-Hungarians call a goulash is actually a braise, comprising just beef and potatoes.Continue reading “Bográcsgulyás”

SOS Chicken Curry

Here’s another recipe picked up from TV (back in 2006). Ainsley Harriott’s quick and low-calorie chicken curry tastes much more complex than it is to make. Serve with mango chutney, raitha and steamed broccoli to make a complete meal. You can keep the rice plain if the embellishments don’t appeal or time is tight. ServesContinue reading “SOS Chicken Curry”

Roast Chicken

A roast meal takes time and generates a lot of washing up. Pace Sam and Louis, I think it’s worth it. We always make a small stock for the gravy beforehand and then a big stock afterwards, which can serve a range of meals for the following week (risotto, soup, leeks & quinoa to nameContinue reading “Roast Chicken”

Sausages & Lentils

Back in the 90s Dom and I holidayed four times in Provence with Lucy and an assorted company of friends, who all took turns to cook. Some of those meals became legendary (frogs’ legs ‘diving’ into stuffed tomatoes, anyone?). One year we found a Delia recipe in an old magazine: sausages & lentils was pitchedContinue reading “Sausages & Lentils”

Slow Roast Pork

During our current meat drought (Veganuary 2020), carnivorous fantasies have begun to preoccupy the mind. We started eating this after I saw Lorraine Pascale (fellow JAGS parent) doing it on TV. My version includes a number of modifications. Serve with roast potatoes, red cabbage, apple sauce and another veg of your choice (Carluccio’s carrots orContinue reading “Slow Roast Pork”