Branch out from a solid base

Resolving ourselves to a life at home for weeks has enabled many to enjoy their cooking skills and for some to reinvent themselves in the kitchen.

I am concerned about the shortage of flour to meet the demand of baking going on. I know it’s fun and delicious, but there seems to be an awful lot of sweet goodies being baked and eaten out there and I hope the breakfasts, lunches and dinners are getting the same attention.

I like to create delicious meals, especially making one base dish and from that creating a variety of different meals. The preparation is very easy and from one dish you have the satisfaction of enjoying an assortment of different meals.

In preparation for the lockdown, I bought some of my favourite cuts of meat that require slow cooking — 2kg cross cut blade steak, 500g streaky bacon and two bags of beef bones, plus pork belly slices, lamb shanks, beef cheeks and beef mince.

I love this method of cooking. It is excellent for time management and can be cooking away while you are busy with other activities.

We have more than enough work outside our home to keep us busy while this dish cooks away.

Another bonus is the flavours develop and improve if kept in the fridge for 2-3 days or transferred into smaller serving sizes in the freezer.

So from my blade steak, bacon and beef bones I have created a variety of meals. Starting with a beef, bacon and mushroom ragout I have created two dinners, four pies (two potato tops, two pastry tops) and I picked the meat off the beef bones and added some ragout sauce and vegetables, making filled pita pockets for lunch.

The beef bones also make beef stock that I can use in my casserole, plus I can store leftovers in the freezer.

Beef stock

I roasted the bones on a roasting tray in the oven before transferring to a big pot, covered with water. They were boiled for several hours with a chopped onion, carrot, a few peppercorns. I removed the bones before cooling the stock in the fridge over night to let the fat harden . For the first time I picked off the meat around the bones and will use it for "something". Once the fat is removed, the stock can be strained and poured into my store of yoghurt pottles.

I got 10 500ml containers of delicious stock for my freezer that I will use for my casserole, soups and many more dishes. It is delicious and so cheap and basically simmers away while you do other things.

I prepare chicken stock the same way, with cheap chicken frames from the supermarket. Roast 4-5 packets at a time and follow the same process.

Beef, bacon and mushroom ragout with scalloped potatoes and roast carrots

I actually made this casserole a couple of days ago while I was preparing my eggplant parmigiana. It always tastes better the next day. I reheated enough for dinner in two little ramekins and served my ragout with scalloped potatoes and baked carrots.

2kg beef, cross cut blade or cross cut shin – bone removed

250g thick sliced bacon, diced

2 onions, diced or 10 pickling onions

250g mushrooms, sliced or halved

3 Tbsp flour, with salt and pepper

2 cups red wine

4 cups beef stock

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp currant jelly

2 Tbsp chopped parsley

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

To serve (optional)

chopped parsley

redcurrant jelly

Roasted carrots

1 bunch baby carrots, peeled

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp honey

1 tsp harissa (or ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes)

1 Tbsp of melted butter

1 tsp olive oil

Scalloped potatoes

5-6 potatoes

butter

salt and pepper

grated nutmeg

Method

Heat oven to 160degC.

In a large frying pan or ovenproof dish, saute bacon until crisp. Remove and add the onions to the pan, saute until soft. Set aside.

Cut the beef into 2cm cubes. Toss in seasoned flour. Saute in olive oil in batches until browned on all sides. Return the bacon and onions to the pot. Add the wine, stock, tomato paste, reserved bacon, mushrooms and rosemary. Bring to the boil.

Place the lid on and transfer to oven or transfer into a casserole dish with a lid. Bake until the meat is tender, about 2 hours.

Add chopped parsley and redcurrant jelly (optional).

Scalloped potatoes

Again, I prepared a dish big enough for two meals (remembering I am only cooking for two). Slice the potatoes very thinly — I use a mandolin. Place a layer of potato slices in of the bottom your baking dish, dot with a little butter, and season with salt and pepper; continue with layers until you have filled your baking dish. Pour in enough milk to just cover potatoes, grate nutmeg over the top and bake at 180degC for an hour or so or until the milk has been absorbed.

Roasted carrots

In a bowl, mix together all ingredients.

Line a baking dish with baking paper. Spread out the carrots in dish and spoon over the flavour mixture. Roast for 15-20 minutes. These could also be served cold as a salad with bits of chopped coriander.

Pulled beef pita pockets with coleslaw and sauteed vegetables

After roasting and boiling and straining off the the beef bones for stock, for the first time I picked off the meat and ended up with a pottle full.

I added a ladle of the ragout sauce and a cup of sauteed vegetables (see below).

Simple coleslaw

½ a cabbage very finely sliced

½ bulb fennel, finely sliced

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

½ cup chopped parsley

Dressing

juice of lemon

4 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp dijon mustard

½ tsp sugar

salt and pepper, to taste

Sauteed vegetables

½ onion, diced

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 small carrots, diced

1 stick celery, diced until softened

Method

Combine coleslaw ingredients in a bowl.

Place dressing ingredients in a jar and shake to combine.

Toss a little through your coleslaw and keep the remainder for another salad.

Sauteed vegetables

Saute vegetables in a little olive oil.

Good old pies 

There is nothing like a hit of flaky pastry, and it is even better when it is filled with a delicious beef ragout.

I bought a pack of fresh flaky pastry — I rolled it out a little thinner and managed to make 4 pies. Two I topped using leftover potatoes from a barbecue, and the other two with pastry.

I had a little pastry and pulled beef left over so made a little pastie.