Sausage and Vegetable Linguine

This is such a quick and easy recipe, I make a variation of this whenever my budget and enthusiasm are running low, and when I want some healthy comfort food. I always love pasta dishes that don't need a shop bought sauce added to them; this is one of those, where the ingredients just make their own lovely sauce once cooked down with a little water. 

For 1 hungry person, you will need: 

2 good quality sausages- herb and garlic would be perfect | dried linguine for 1 | a mix of chopped red pepper, tomato, mushroom and 1 crushed garlic clove | a few broccoli florets | salt/pepper to season | a little parmesan or other hard cheese 

1 | First fry your sausages until they are just brown all over. Remove, slice down the middle and cut into bitesize pieces. It doesn't matter if they are slightly raw inside. Keep to one side.

2| Add your vegetable mix (save the broccoli) into the pan and stir. If the pan is really hot and it is clearly catching, add a good tablespoon of water and stir away. 

3| Meanwhile add your pasta to boiling, salted water, shortly followed by your broccoli florets (stem part first, bushy part above water).

4 | Add your sausage bites to the vegetable mix as it cooks away. Keep the heat hot, just slowly adding a small amount of water as it bubbles away. You don't want a runny puddle, but rather just enough to make a light silky coating. You will see what I mean as it cooks away. 

5 | When the pasta is al dente (normally between 7-10 minutes) drain and add straight to your sausages and other vegetables, stirring to coat the pasta in the sauce. Add a generous helping of parmesan shavings (for this I use a vegetable peeler) and give a quick stir before eating. 

L 

Chicken, Sundried Tomato and Red Onion Spaghetti

I made this meal in the last few weeks of university when I had no money left and was trying to use up the last few scraps of food in the fridge... as it turned out it's actually something I have made lots since because its so easy and tasty!

Ingredients for one.

One chicken breast cut into long thin strips.
50g sundried tomatoes finely chopped
Half a red onion finely sliced
Spaghetti for one
Parmesan to grate on top (lasts ages in the fridge)


Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, season with salt and add spaghetti. Time for 9-10 minutes.
Melt some butter or cooking oil in a pan on a low heat and soften down the tomato and onion for a 2-3 minutes.

Add the chicken strips and increase the heat, continuing to stir for 5 minutes, so that the tomato and onion don't burn.

When the spaghetti is ready- always taste if you're not sure- add a couple of tablespoons of the cooking water to the chicken and drain the rest.

Let the water reduce down so you have a slight sauce coating the chicken, tomato and onion.

Add the pasta, stir, place on a plate and grate parmesan on top... It really is that easy! Enjoy with a glass of wine in front of the tv for a quick mid week indulgence.

Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Bacon Pieces

This soup is my all time favourite pick-me-up soup: its comforting, delicious, and  healthy (maybe just a little bit naughty with the crispy bacon and crême fraiche). This is a very basic recipe which is delicious but can be given a kick with a little bit of chilli if you wish.

Ingredients (makes 3-4 portions)
1 finely chopped onion | 1 finely chopped clove garlic | 1 butternut squash peeled, deseeded and diced | 1 medium sized potato peeled and diced | 4 rashers smoked streaky bacon chopped | 2 tablespoons crême fraiche | 500ml chicken stock | Salt and pepper | Handful of coriander leaves.

In a large saucepan, sweat the chopped onion and garlic until softened.

Add the diced butternut squash and potato stirring to mix in well with the onion and garlic.

Add stock to the vegetables, topping up with water if needed to completely cover them. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to a simmer.

In a separate pan, fry the bacon pieces until really cripsy. Place in a kitchen-roll lined bowl to soak up any excess fat.

After 25-30 minutes, your soup should be ready to blend; just check your veg falls apart easily with a knife. Before blending add the coriander leaves and season well with pepper and salt. I use a handheld blender, as its so lightweight and easy to use, and much less messy too... But be very careful I had a bad experience once upon a time that I won't go into...

Finally stir in your crême fraiche and serve into bowls before adding a sprinkle of bacon pieces on to each. Serve with fresh chunky bread for a more filling meal.

Rump Steak with Spicy Sweet Potato Chips and Yoghurt Dip

Buying steak can be notoriously expensive... It's always the most expensive thing on the menu, and when not knowing what cut to choose in the butchers, it can seem safest to go for fillet, the most expensive. Of course fillet is gorgeous, but the other steak cuts, sirloin, rump, and ribeye are all delicious and full of flavour when treated properly by a good butcher. Rump is always my number one choice because it is full of flavour but costs the less money per kilo. Buying from a butchers also lets you choose what size you want... I bought the piece that I cooked for this recipe for around £3.50 which compared to £16+ in a restaurant seems ridiculously good value for a weekend treat!

 I found the idea for these chips in Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall's book Vegetables. He uses normal potatoes but I think they're even more special with sweet potato, and healthier too. I didn't stick to the letter on the spices he used, so feel free to adapt the recipe to what spices you have in the cupboard and experiment.

Ingredients Serves 1 

1 sweet potato | 1/2 tsp sweet ground paprika | 1/2 tsp coriander seeds | 1/2 tsp ground cumin | 1/2 tsp fennel seeds | 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder | 2 heaped teaspoons natural yoghurt | 1 garlic clove crushed | 200g rump steak | salad to serve | Sunflower Oil

Preheat your oven to 200C. Peel your potato and slice into chip or wedge shapes. Bring to the boil in cold water. Make your spice mix: combine all the paprika, coriander, cumin, fennel and chilli in a pestle and mortar (or bowl and rolling pin) and crush the seeds. 

Place a baking tray with oil covering the bottom in the oven. Once the potatoes come to the boil, drain immediately. Cover in spice mix (retaining one teaspoon for later) turning the potatoes so that they are all well covered. 

Add the potatoes to the hot oil. Let cook for 25-30 minutes, turning about half way through. 

While the potatoes are cooking you can make your salad and the yoghurt dip. For the dip simply mix the yoghurt with the crushed garlic and the retained teaspoon of spice mix. 5 minutes before the potatoes are done, cook your steak in a frying pan, about 2.5 minutes each side depending on thickness. 

Nigel Slater's Chicken Thighs with Fennel and Leek

Nigel Slater's recipes always seem really simple and earthy; this is the first one I have tried and I was really impressed. The fresh flavours of the fennel and leek really lift the chicken and create an amazing flavoured sauce cooked down in some stock. I added a spoonful of crême fraiche at the very end, just to thicken the sauce ever so slightly but it's completely up to you if you want to keep things simple. Some people aren't too keen on using chicken thighs but cooked in the right way, they really can be delicious. They are also a lot cheaper than the breast meat and don't dry out so quickly!  One more tip, don't go too mad on the lemon juice, you want the dish to be on the right side of tangy and fresh.

Ingredients Serves 1 

2 chicken thighs  | 1 small leek and fennel bulb  | 1/2 lemon | 250-300ml chicken stock | handful finely chopped parsley | salt and pepper to season | spoonful cr ême fraiche (optional) 

Season your chicken thighs and brown off in a large shallow pan. Meanwhile slice your leeks into rings (make sure they are washed properly) and add to the pan. 

Slice your fennel bulb and again add to the pan stirring for about 5 minutes to soften, making sure the heat isn't too high that the vegetables burn. 

Add your chicken stock  and a good squeeze of lemon juice to the pan and cook for a further 25 minutes letting the stock simmer down. If you don't think there is enough liquid you can always add a splash of water accordingly. After 25 minutes, check your chicken is cooked through by slicing into the thickest part of the meat. 

If so, place the chicken to one side, add the parsley and cr ême fraiche and stir. Serve immediately placing the chicken thighs on top. Serve with bread, floury potatoes or rice to soak up that lovely sauce! 

Lamb Rogan Josh Curry

It has to be said from the start that I am not professing to be any good at cooking authentic curries... But this recipe is definitely a healthier and cheaper option to your Indian takeaway, and probably quicker too if your Indian restaurant is as busy as the ones in York!

The basis of this recipe is the Waitrose Rogan Josh curry paste which I think is a really good quality and flavour. Cooking for just myself I used 2 tablespoons, leaving plenty for another time. A friend told me her mum had used just half a jar for a family of four, so you do get your money's worth out of it! After the curry paste, all you need to buy is some good quality diced lamb from your butcher (200g per person is plenty), some chopped onion, garlic, fresh coriander and tinned chopped tomatoes. Again you can buy a pack of four Waitrose tinned tomatoes for just £2. Cooking for one, I only used half a jar, so that's just 25p... I meant it when I said this recipe was a lot cheaper than a take away! Its also nice that you can use up all the ingredients at another point in the week so nothing gets wasted. If you like your curries hot, I would definitely add some chopped chilli. 

The method for this couldn't be simpler or quicker: 1. Fry off some onion and garlic in a pan for 2 minutes on a medium high heat. 

2. Add your curry paste, stirring for another 2 minutes. 

3 Add your lamb and cook till brown for about five minutes. 

4. Add your chopped tomatoes and reduce down. At this point I would add a cup of water, not too much, but enough just to make sure your sauce isn't too thick or rich. 5. Reduce the heat slightly and let the curry gently simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. This is particularly important that you let it cook for enough time because at this time of year lamb isn't as tender as it is in the spring. 6. At this point I would cook your rice or any accompaniments. 7. When everything is cooked, stir in your chopped coriander and serve immediately! 

    

I actually ordered poppadoms and naan bread from the takeaway as a friend was getting one (unfortunately she doesn't like lamb!) but the supermarkets have plenty of products in this line on sale. 

NB: If you were being super lazy, Andrew's sell delicious fresh curry sauces which you can just add to the meat, letting you skip a few stages above... Unfortunately I was too many miles away to pop in and get one! 

Toad In the Hole: Suffolk Sausages in Yorkshire Pudding

This January my Instagram and Facebook feeds have been bombarded with pictures of fridges filled with salad, fruits and vegetables. Don't get me wrong, out of any one in the family, I eat the most green foods, often having a salad in place of their traditional Sunday fry-up... But carrot sticks alone are not going to get me through the winter! As the most depressing month of the year, I want to be eating glorious comfort food, that doesn't hurt my purse.

This recipe for Toad In The Hole is lovely eaten by itself but also nice with green beans, mash and gravy. For the Yorkshire pudding, I turn to Delia, who's recipe I will insert below; for the sausages, of course I turn to Andrew's! I've tried the supermarket ones that are made using artificial skins and they're just not the same, with either no flavour or too much fat. AND for this week only, all Andrew's sausages are 10% off! 

Heat your oven to 220C, then add a dish with sausages and a splash of cooking oil to the oven.

Now make the batter for your Yorkshire pudding. You will need:

75g plain flour - 1 egg - 75ml milk - 55ml water - salt and pepper to season 

Such a small amount (very cheap!) will make enough for four people, so just double and split between two dishes if you would like to make for a larger amount. 

Delia then says: "Make up the batter by sifting the flour into a bowl and making a well in the centre. Break the egg into it and beat, gradually incorporating the flour, and then beat in the milk, water and seasoning (an electric hand whisk will do this in seconds.)" 

The time it takes to do this will have left about 10 minutes for the sausages to start cooking and the pan to get really hot. The heat really is the secret behind a well risen Yorkshire pudding. The batter needs to start sizzling the minute it hits the pan. 

Once you've poured the batter over the sausages leave for 35 minutes until well browned and risen. Serve with gravy for a no nonsense cheap meal or with a few extra vegetables if you're feeling too guilty! 

For more about how Andrew's sausages are made, and another easy sausage recipe click here. 

Sticky Sweet Chilli Chicken Wings

The thought of food excites me on the hour, but these... my god, you have to make them!! I knocked this recipe together because I didn't really have much food in, and had some sweet chilli sauce in the fridge. Chicken wings are also cheaper than chips, so this recipe makes for pure comfort food heaven without the usual guilt of spending money on a takeaway or not knowing where it has come from- I know mine has come from a happy farm in North Suffolk :) 

Ingredients 

4 chicken wings per person (it was one of those days so I went for 6) | good shake of soy sauce | 1 clove of garlic finely, chopped | very generous shake/squeeze of sweet chilli sauce 

Preheat the oven to 180C | Pour over the garlic and soy sauce and massage into the chicken. | Wash hands, pour over enough sweet chilli sauce to cover the chicken and again massage in. | Always add more sauce if you think the chicken needs it.

Place the chicken on a foil lined baking tray and place in the oven for 30 minutes. Turn after 15 minutes, adding a drop of sauce to the other side. This leaves plenty of time to prepare an accompaniment such as noodles or rice. I just boiled some rice and added some fried onion and mushroom, adding soy sauce and rice wine for flavour. If you're feeling guilty you could always make a little noodle salad, but where's the fun in that?

Remove from the oven and eat immediately. Apart from a fork for the rice, chicken that tastes this good should only ever be eaten with fingers, so get stuck in! These wings are very sticky so back-up kitchen roll is probably a good idea.

I am writing this as I wait for my girlfriends to get ready for a night out and am seriously contemplating preparing these for when I get in later! Hope you enjoy them as much as I do...

L x

Ben's Beef Lasagne

Lasagne is one of my favourite meals but when it comes to cooking it, I have to admit I am pretty awful. My brother, however, is a dab hand so I thought I would take a few lessons from the man himself before we went back to uni. This meal is such perfect comfort food come summer or winter, and is a dish that is still delicious heated up the next day if you have any leftover... A perfect meal for my blog in my opinion!

Ingredients 

600g beef mince (for your own sake please buy fresh from a good butchers, anything else will leave your lasagne full of water and/or fat) | 1 pack of fresh lasagne sheets | 2 jars of tomato and basil pasta sauce | good handful of frozen sweetcorn (optional) | 1 garlic clove finely chopped | one pot of cheese sauce | cheddar to grate on top (try Andrew's Black Bomber or Mature Farmhouse Cheddar | 

Preheat the oven to 190C | Brown off the mince and chopped garlic in a large shallow frying pan on a high heat. 

If using add the sweetcorn and continue to cook at high heat, until any excess liquid is cooked off and mince is brown not grey. | Add your chosen tomato sauce, heat through and mix thoroughly.

Add a layer of mince to a large ovenproof dish. Cover with a thin layer of cheese sauce.  

Add enough sheets of lasagne to cover the mince and cheese sauce.

Repeat these last few steps... A layer of mince, layer of cheese sauce, pasta sheets... until you have used up all ingredients. On top of the final sheets of lasagne add the last bit of cheese sauce and grate cheddar over the top to cover.

Bake in the oven for 30- 35 minutes until golden brown on top. Serve with bread and oils and a salad.

Deli Favourites- Fun Tips and Ideas

From talking to customers in the shop over the last few weeks, it seems that everyone's appetite is disappearing with the hot weather, and I couldn't agree more. I myself have been snacking and lunching on different cheeses, olives and cold meats from our lovely delicatessen, so I thought this week I would show you how I've been putting them to use to eat more lightly in the hotter weather.

1. Parma Ham and Melon has long been a favourite on Spanish tapas menus and is deliciously refreshing in the hot weather. My mum made these gorgeous little bundles as nibbles for a BBQ we had the other weekend. Simply cut melon into small sections, and add a folded piece of Andrew's Parma Ham, sliced thinly on request, attaching to the melon with a cocktail stick.

2. As well as our excellent Italian Buffalo Di Mozzarella that we sell as a whole ball in a pot, we also sell the same cheese in little individual balls in a pot. This makes it really easy to tear into salads for lunches. Serve here as I did with a plate of tomato spaghetti for a quick yummy lunch on a hot day.

3. I absolutely adore this Finnochiona salami which has to be my favourite of all the salamis that we sell in the shop. Finnochio translates as fennel in Italian, and the small pieces of fennel running through the salami give it a delicate but very unique taste. What I love about the salamis we serve in the shop, apart from their taste, is that we slice on request so customers can have as much or as little as they like and as thick or thin as they like it. A friend made me a lunch of a couple of slices of the Finnochiona salami with a light salad the other day and it was simply delicious!

4. We have now started selling small pitted black olives, thankfully, as it means I no longer have to fiddle about taking the stone out each time I want to cook with them. For easy potatoes with a summer feel, I slice roasting potatoes and add them to a roasting dish with thyme, olive oil and sliced black olives. Roast for 45 mins in a hot oven until golden, stirring occasionally. The olives give the potatoes a delightful flavour even if you want to discard them afterwards. This potato dish is also lovely if you add our Bridge Farm lamb cutlets 10 mins before the end of cooking, as the meat juices enrich the flavour of the potatoes even more. 

Monte Enebro Goat's Cheese and Sun Dried Tomato Tart

From the time to time Andrew's like to try new cheeses and offer our customer's something a little different. These last two week's we have started selling a new goat's milk cheese, Monte Enebro, which has been incredibly popular. Perhaps you'll understand how good it is when I tell you that I, who previously avoided all goat's cheese like the plague, am absolutely in love with it. So much so, I made this super easy, but delicious, goat's cheese and sun dried tomato tart. Monte Enebro is an artisanal  Spanish cheese with a unique black rind that is at the same time creamy in texture and complex in flavour. Only 7000 are made a year, so we're extremely lucky to be selling it in our shop!

You will need:
1 sheet of puff pastry, already rolled
100g Andrew's sun dried tomatoes
200g Monte Enebro Cheese
Some olive oil
Black pepper and salt
Thyme leaves, or other herbs.

 1  Preheat your oven to 200C.  2  Dust your pastry sheet with flour and place in a baking tray.  3  Chop sun dried tomatoes and arrange in the middle of the pastry so that there is enough room for the pastry to rise around it at the edges.  4  Slice and chop your Monte Enebro cheese into smaller pieces and arrange on top of the sun dried tomatoes.  5  Drizzle with some olive oil, some fresh herb leaves, and season with salt and pepper.  6  Place in the oven for 15 minutes, cooking until golden brown. Give a few more minutes if necessary.  7  Serve hot and enjoy!

The amount this tart serves is largely dependent on how you want to serve it. As a rectangle, you could slice it into bite size pieces suitable for a party or serve it in four slices, as I have done, to serve four for lunch or a starter.

Ben's Barbecue Spatchcocked Chicken

For me cooking is all about sharing good food and having fun with friends and family. As the sun was shining today, and my brother is king when it comes to barbecues, I managed to persuade him to let me record him preparing a spatchcocked chicken for the barbecue.

For those who haven't heard of it before, this is simply a chicken that is cut down the breast bone and opened out so that it lays flat, and cooks evenly on the barbecue. As the weather is often temperamental at this time of year it is a great choice as it can still be roasted in the oven if all goes wrong!

When the forecast is good, we sell spatchcocked chickens in the shop, but it is also very easy to do yourself (if I can do it with my weak wrists anyone can.) We can always advise you on this in the shop if you would like to give it a go!

We had a real giggle making the video as it wasn't something we had done before, and hopefully it gives you some inspiration for barbecue meats that are good value for money and adaptable to the British weather!