As we delve into the winter months, I rather like the comfort that my kitchen offers. On a gloomy day, there is nothing better than being at home. And the kitchen is normally the warmest and most welcoming place to be! Just a few months ago, when the sun was shining and it was sweltering, slow-cooking was definitely off the agenda. However, now I can happily while away a few hours amongst my pots and pans with the oven turned up and the hob sizzling. And so, I thought that this month I’d share a couple of recipes which require a little more cooking time. They will happily bubble away without too much attention, allowing you to relax in the comfort of your kitchen whilst watching the rain outside!..

Menu One, Mushroom Bourguignon, is a very comforting vegetarian dish from Nigel Slater. The dish’s robust juices, with hints of tomato, rosemary and red wine, go especially well with the sweetness of mashed carrots. Therefore, I’m also sharing a recipe for a carrot mash that has the unusual addition of Pernod which gives it a subtle ‘aniseed-lift’. Menu Two is from the cookbook, ‘Tom Kerridge Cooks Britain’. It’s a ‘Lamb & Chickpea Curry’ that’s packed with spice and flavour, and is likely to become a family favourite, particularly as most of the spices will be at hand in your cupboard.

With these recipes, November promises to be a very gratifying month! See you next week for the Tuesday Treat!..

Menu One

Mushroom Bourguignon (with Mashed Carrots) (Serves 4-6)

This Nigel Slater recipe is a very comforting vegetarian dish. In the recipe below, I’ve used a mix of portobello, chestnut, oyster and shitake mushrooms, however, you can use whatever is at hand. The dish’s robust juices, with hints of tomato, rosemary and red wine, go particularly well with the sweetness of mashed carrots (recipe below).

2 onions, roughly chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, finely sliced

2 small carrots, cut into small chunks

6 small shallots, peeled (halved if large)

6 sprigs thyme

2 sprigs rosemary

3 bay leaves

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

250g Portobello mushrooms, quartered

200g chestnut mushrooms, halved

3 heaped tablespoons tomato purée

2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons plain flour (gluten-free if required)

500ml red wine

500ml vegetable stock

150g oyster mushrooms, sliced

150g shitake mushrooms, sliced

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Warm the olive oil in a deep casserole and add the chopped onions. Let them cook for a good 15 minutes until they are soft and pale gold. Add the garlic, cook for a minute or two before adding the carrots and shallots.
2. Meanwhile, remove the leaves from the thyme and rosemary and chop them finely. Then, add these, along with the bay leaves and coriander seeds to the onions, and cook for a further minute.
3. Stir in the Portobello and chestnut mushrooms and continue cooking until the mushrooms have darkened a little.
4. Stir in the tomato purée, continue to cook for a minute or two, then add the tomatoes.
5. Cook for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with the flour and mix well. Pour in the red wine, bubble for a couple of minutes, then pour in the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Season with salt and pepper, then turn the heat down and simmer for 25 minutes.
6. Finally, add the sliced mushrooms to the pot, along with the balsamic vinegar. Lower the heat and leave to simmer for a further 10 minutes.
7. Serve with mashed carrots (recipe below).

Mashed Carrots with Pernod (Serves 4)

Such a simple recipe, the aniseed from the Pernod gives the carrots a subtle lift!

650g carrots, peeled and sliced

30g butter

1-2 tablespoons Pernod

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Boil the carrots for 20 mins until tender, then drain and return to the pan.
2. Mash with the butter, Pernod and plenty of seasoning until fairly smooth and most of the moisture has evaporated.

Menu Two

Lamb & Chickpea Curry (Serve 4)

This dish is packed with spice and flavour. It’s simple to make and particularly delicious with the surprise addition of chickpeas – thank you to the ‘Tom Kerridge Cooks Britain’ cookbook for this recipe! Serve with saffron rice (recipe below) or plain rice.

1 kg lamb neck fillet

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large onions, finely diced

4 garlic cloves, finely grated

7.5cm piece of ginger, finely grated

1 cinnamon stick

5 cardamom pods

5 cloves

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon ground coriander

2 tablespoons garam masala

1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons tomato purée

400g tin chickpeas, drained

Coriander leaves, to finish

1. Cut the lamb into 4cm pieces and set aside
2. Place a large casserole over a medium-high heat and add the oil. When hot, add the onions and cook, stirring often, for 8-10 minutes until softened and turning a deep golden brown.
3. Reduce the heat a little and add the garlic and ginger to the pan. Stir over the heat for 2 minutes, then add the whole and ground spices, and the salt. Cook, stirring, for a further 2 minutes, then add the tomato purée. Stir well and cook for another 2 minutes.
4. Now add the lamb, along with 250ml water and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and put the lid on. Cook at a gentle simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and give the curry a good stir. Cook, uncovered, for a further 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so.
5. Tip in the chickpeas, stir and cook for another 20 -30 minutes, or until the lamb is meltingly tender. Taste and check the seasoning and adjust as necessary.
6. Serve the curry scattered with coriander, with rice or a warm naan bread on the side.

Saffron Rice (Serves 4)

A pinch of saffron strands

200g basmati rice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, finely diced

1 garlic clove, crushed

350ml chicken stock or water

1 bay leaf

1 small lime, zested

Sea salt

1. Add the saffron threads to a mortar and pestle, and grind into a fine powder. Mix with 3 tablespoons of water to draw out colour and flavour (this process is called blooming). Set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the diced onion. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
3. Add the rice to the pan and toss until well coated with the onion mixture. Add the bloomed saffron mixture and mix well.
4. Add the stock or water, bay leaf and lime zest. Give the mixture a good stir, then bring the to the boil. Once boiling, turn the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook until the rice has absorbed the water, about 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Turn the heat off. Leave the rice, covered and undisturbed for 5 more minutes. Then remove the bay leaf, fluff the rice with a fork and serve.