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It’s all about experimenting with different ingredients, however much you want to spend on them, and using up leftovers in imaginative ways. It’s always good to buy in bulk and cook for friends, or otherwise freeze portions. It is more economical, in terms of both money and time, than cooking with small amounts. If you freeze portions, you will have a supply of home cooked food ready to be defrosted at any time, and you know exactly what ingredients went into making them.
Dishes that are good to cook in bulk, and then freeze or split the cost among housemates, are stews and bolognese. They are hearty, filling and warming, and you can serve them with potato, rice or pasta. So, if you are eating them for the next few days rather than freezing the remainder, you can change the carbohydrates or veggies you serve them with for a bit of variety.
Stew is so easy to make, lovely and warming during the winter. It's what I think of as the epitome of home cooking. I had always steered clear of stew-making until about a year ago, as I foolishly assumed the art was confined to those who are experienced in the kitchen. This is not the case. You can use whatever meat or vegetables you want: just learn the basic rules then let it simmer to perfection.
1. Begin by cutting your meat of choice into chunks (red meats like beef are tasty: I often use braising steak which is not expensive. The last steak I bought cost £3.49 from Morrisons and provided me with 6 portions of stew).
2. Put the meat in a bag with some plain flour and lots of seasoning, herbs and spices. Give the bag a good shake around until all the meat is covered in the mixture. Use enough flour to ensure the meat all gets a good covering - the flour is important as it will thicken the gravy later.
3. Put the meat in a large pan and fry for 5-10 minutes to brown.
4. Next, add chopped onions (red onions have a sweeter flavour, but white are just as good and are cheaper) and garlic and brown these for another 5 minutes.
5. Add whatever veggies you like: carrots are good as they are cheap, hearty and have a lovely sweet flavour. Any root vegetables like parsnips, swede and sweet potato work equally well. You can buy good value stew packs in Morrisons for around 70p, depending on weight, which include carrots, swede, parsnips and onions. Mushrooms are brilliant in stews as they have a sponge-like quality, which means they soak up flavour really well. I also like to add smoked bacon for extra flavour.
6. At this point, also add stock, a tin of chopped tomatoes and if you are feeling indulgent, add some wine, preferably red, for a rich flavour. If you have any dregs left lying around the house, this is a good opportunity to use them up.
7. Bubble away merrily for about an hour, stirring every so often, until it has reduced and produced a thick, smooth gravy and the meat and vegetables are tender. Serve with some potatoes and green vegetables like broccoli to soak up all the gravy and a dollop of yogurt, mustard or chutney.
Stews are brilliant because you can really play around with adding bits and bobs from your cupboard: honey for sweetness, chilli for heat, tomato puree for richness. I have a rather free-style approach to cooking, so rather than sticking rigidly to recipes, as long as you know a few fundamental rules of cooking, you can experiment as much as you like with ingredients. Have fun!
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