Barley & pine nut casserole

Barley & pine nut casserole

serves 6–8

ingredients 200g/7oz pearl barley 75g/3oz butter 75g/3oz pine nuts

1 onion, chopped

100g/4oz fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced

100g/4oz fresh chives, minced 900ml/13⁄4pt canned condensed

beef soup

salt and freshly ground black pepper

•Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas mark 4.

•Rinse the barley in cold water and drain well. Set aside.

•Melt 25g/1oz of the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat, then add the pine nuts and cook until lightly toasted, stirring constantly and taking care not to scorch. Remove the pine nuts with a slotted spoon, and set aside.

•Heat the remaining butter in the pan until melted, then add the barley and onion. Cook, stirring constantly, until the barley is lightly toasted and the onion is tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the reserved pine nuts, parsley and chives. Season with salt and pepper.

•Spoon the barley mixture into a casserole dish.

•Bring the beef soup to the boil in a medium saucepan, pour over the barley mixture in the casserole dish and stir well. Cook in the oven, uncovered, for 1 hour 10 minutes or until the barley is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Serve hot.

Red snapper casserole

ingredients

700g/11⁄2lb red snapper fillets

plain flour for dredging

50g/2oz butter

175g/6oz green chilli sauce

350g/12oz Cheddar cheese, grated

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley salt and freshly ground

serves 6

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F/Gas mark 4.

• Season a little flour with salt and pepper. Dredge the snapper fillets in the seasoned flour.

• Heat the butter in a frying pan, and lightly sauté the fillets on both sides, in batches if necessary.

• Transfer the fillets to a large casserole dish. Divide the chilli sauce and cheese among them. 

Bake for about 12 minutes.

• Sprinkle with the parsley, and serve immediately.

Cod stew

ingredients

50g/2oz butter

4 carrots, chopped

2 onions, chopped

900g/2lb potatoes, sliced

4 tomatoes, sliced

11⁄2 tablespoons plain flour

125ml/4fl oz milk

3 cod fillets salt and freshly ground

serves 4–6

• Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. Add the carrots and onions, and sweat until soft.

• Add the potatoes and tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper.

• Pour in enough water to come to just below the top layer of tomatoes and bring to the boil. Boil slowly for 20 minutes.

• Mix the flour and milk together until smooth, and stir into the stew.

Lay the cod on top of the stew, and cook for 10–20 minutes. Serve hot.

Prawn & spinach stew

ingredients 

175g/6oz mushrooms, sliced 

1 onion, chopped 

1 garlic clove, minced 

25g/1oz butter 

25g/1oz plain flour 

1⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 

1⁄8 teaspoon ground black pepper 

1 bay leaf 

400ml/14fl oz vegetable stock 

225ml/8fl oz milk 

225g/8oz peeled and deveined 

cooked prawns 

200g/7oz fresh spinach, torn 

75g/3oz Gruy?re cheese, 

grated 

serves 4

• In a medium saucepan, cook the mushrooms, onion and garlic in the butter until soft. Stir in the flour, nutmeg and pepper, and add the bay leaf.

• Add the stock and milk, and cook, stirring, until the mixture has thickened. Add the prawns and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the spinach and cheese.

• Cook and stir until the spinach wilts and the cheese melts. Remove and discard the bay lea. Serve hot.

Dover sole stew

ingredients

400ml/14fl oz chicken stock

275g/10oz canned condensed

French onion soup

200g/7oz potatoes, cubed

175g/6oz celery, sliced

450g/1lb Dover sole, cut into

2.5cm/1in pieces

150g/5oz baby carrots

150g/5oz courgette,

thinly sliced

400g/14oz canned chopped tomatoes

1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme

1⁄2 teaspoon dried rosemary

serves 4

• Put the stock, soup, potatoes and celery in a large casserole dish, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for 5 minutes.

• Add the remaining ingredients and cook, covered, for a further 10 minutes or until the fish is cooked and the vegetables are tender. Serve hot.

Potato & leek casserole

ingredients

300g/11oz leeks, cut into

1cm/1⁄2in pieces

150g/5oz carrots, grated

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

serves 4

900g/2lb potatoes, sliced into

thin rounds

225ml/8fl oz vegetable stock

50g/2oz fresh parsley, chopped

salt and ground black pepper

•Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas mark 5. In a deep frying pan, coat the leeks and carrots with oil. Cover and sweat over a low heat until soft. Add the rosemary, season with salt and pepper, and mix well.

•Layer a casserole dish with one-third of the potatoes, then half of the seasoned vegetables. Repeat the layers and finish with the last third of the potatoes. Pour the stock evenly into the casserole dish. Cover and bake in the oven for 50 minutes.

•Remove the lid and bake, uncovered, for a further 20 minutes. Garnish withthe parsley and serve hot.

Brown rice stew

ingredients

500ml/16fl oz chicken stock

200g/7oz long-grain brown rice

850g/13⁄4lb canned chopped

plum tomatoes

3 carrots, sliced

3 onions, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 celery stick, sliced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 bay leaf

3 knackwurst sausages, sliced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme

serves 8

• Put the stock, rice, tomatoes, carrots, onions, celery, garlic and bay leaf in a large flameproof casserole dish. Cover and cook over a high heat for 10 minutes or until boiling, then stir.

• Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, covered, for 45–60 minutes until the rice is tender.

• Stir in the sausages, oregano, basil and thyme, and leave to stand, covered, for 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaf, and serve immediately.

One-pot macaroni & cheese

serves 2

ingredients

200g/7oz elbow macaroni

250g/9oz Cheddar cheese,

grated

25g/1oz butter

2 tablespoons double cream

pinch of paprika

pinch of ground white pepper

pinch of cayenne pepper

• Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Stir in the pasta and return the water to a rapid boil. Continue boiling for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

• Reduce the heat to medium, and continue to boil the pasta, stirring frequently, for a further 7 minutes.

• Drain the pasta in a colander, then return to the pan. Stir in the remaining ingredients, stirring well until the cheese is melted.

• Serve immediately