Sloppy Joe Meatball Bake
Serves 4
Prep 20 MINS
Cook 40 MINS
FREEZER FRIENDLY
1 onion, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped 1 green pepper, diced
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
12 ready-made beef meatballs
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp dark muscovado sugar
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 x 400g tin of kidney beans in chilli sauce
1–3 tsp hot chilli sauce, to taste
1 x 120g ball of buffalo mozzarella
25g jarred jalapeño pepper slices, drained, plus extra to serve
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
TO SERVE
crusty bread or rolls shredded crisp lettuce thinly sliced red onion
This takes ready-made meatballs up a notch in this cheesy bake topped with melting mozzarella. It would also be so easy to double up the quantity if you found yourself with a crowd of hungry kids to feed.
Preheat the oven to 180°c (350°F/gas mark 4).
Put the onion, celery and green pepper in a shallow casserole (or a regular roasting tin will also work) and drizzle over the oil, then toss until evenly coated and spread out in an even layer. Arrange the meatballs on top and season with salt and pepper. roast for 15 minutes.
Pour the chopped tomatoes into a large jug and add the sugar, vinegar, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Mix until well combined, then stir in the kidney beans. Season with salt and pepper and add chilli sauce to taste.
Remove the casserole from the oven and give everything a good stir, then pour in the tomatoes and kidney beans, mixing well to combine. tear over the mozzarella and return to the oven for another 15 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and the cheese is bubbling.
Scatter over the jalapeño peppers and serve straight to the table with the bread or rolls and bowls of the lettuce, red onion and jalapeño pepper slices.
Bolognese Pasta Bake
Serves 4
Prep 20 MINS
Cook 1½ HRS
SLOW COOKER FRIENDLY
FREEZER FRIENDLY
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
100g chestnut button mushrooms, sliced
400g lean minced beef
800g passata (or 2 x 400g jars of pasta sauce)
a good pinch of caster sugar 225g penne pasta
100g ball of mozzarella, cut into cubes
50g mature Cheddar cheese, finely grated
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
TO SERVE
dressed green salad
This all-in-one pasta Bolognese is packed with flavour and can be made well in advance, ready to pop in the oven. I like to serve it with a lovely big soft leaf salad. It's something we often make at home and everyone happily tucks in.
heat the oil in a sauté pan over a high heat. Add the onion, celery and mushrooms and fry for about 3 minutes, until softened. Add the mince and quickly brown, breaking up the lumps with a wooden spoon. Stir in the passata or pasta sauce and sugar, then season to taste. cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring once or twice, until tender.
Preheat the oven to 160°c (325°F/gas mark 3).
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for 8–10 minutes, until tender but still with a little bite. drain well, then stir into the mince.
Spoon the Bolognese mixture into an ovenproof dish and sprinkle over both cheeses. this can be stored in the fridge or frozen at this point. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until golden and bubbling around the edges.
Serve straight to the table with a big bowl of salad on the side.
Sticky Balsamic Beef Brisket
Serves 12
Prep 20 MINS
Cook 4 HRS
SLOW COOKER FRIENDLY
FREEZER FRIENDLY
1.75kg beef brisket 2 tbsp rapeseed oil a knob of butter
6 red onions, cut into wedges 500ml beef stock
120ml balsamic vinegar 4 tbsp honey
1 tbsp soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
3 tbsp cornflour
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
TO SERVE
mashed potatoes
steamed cavolo nero
steamed baby carrots
This is very simple to batch cook and the extra portions can be frozen for a later date. I’ve suggested serving it with some creamy mash, but it would also be delicious with jacket potatoes, polenta or rice to mix things up. The brisket runs from the bottom of the neck down under the ribs. Cut from the breast, this braising cut is excellent value in your local butcher and must be cooked slow and low.
Preheat the oven to 160°c (325°F/gas mark 3).
dry the brisket with kitchen paper and season generously. heat half of the oil in a casserole over a high heat and brown all over for about
5 minutes. transfer to a plate.
Add the rest of the oil to the casserole with the butter and sauté the onions for 6–8 minutes, until they are starting to colour. transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Put the stock in a jug and whisk in the balsamic, honey, soy, garlic and thyme. Put the brisket back into the casserole and pour over the stock mixture. cover and cook for 2 hours, then remove from the oven and add the onions. cover again and cook for another 1½ hours, until the beef is meltingly tender.
Carefully lift out the brisket and transfer it to a board. Snip the string and use two forks to shred the meat, discarding any fatty bits. Put the cornflour in a small bowl and stir in 2–3 tablespoons of water until you have a smooth paste. Whisk this into the liquid in the casserole, then stir in the shredded beef. Bring to a simmer over a low heat and cook for a few minutes to thicken the sauce slightly.
Serve the sticky balsamic beef in wide-rimmed bowls with some mashed potatoes, cavolo nero and baby carrots. Freeze the extra portions.
Sausage-Stuffed Conchiglioni
Serves 4
Prep 30 MINS
Cook 45 MINS
FREEZER FRIENDLY
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
6 Jane Russell toasted fennel and chilli sausages
a small handful of fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped
2 x 280g jars of tomato and mascarpone sauce (or similar)
350g conchiglioni (large pasta shells)
150g Gorgonzola or buffalo mozzarella, cut into cubes
4 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
TO SERVE
sautéed spinach and garlic (optional)
TO GARNISH
crispy sage leaves (optional)
Conchiglioni or large pasta shells can now be found in lots of supermarkets, but if you can’t get hold of them, simply use the smaller variety, conchiglie, and toss all the ingredients together before baking. Of course, you can use any type of premium sausage, but Jane Russell’s meaty toasted fennel and chilli ones are so tasty they’re hard to beat!
Preheat the oven to 180°c (350°F/gas mark 4).
heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium to high heat. Sauté the onion for 3–4 minutes, until softened and just beginning to catch around the edges.
Meanwhile, remove the sausages from their skins and divide into small balls. Add to the onion with the sage and sauté for another 2–3 minutes, until browned. Add 5–6 tablespoons of the tomato and
mascarpone sauce to moisten the mixture a little and season to taste.
Put the pasta shells into a large pan of boiling salted water and return to the boil. Simmer for 3 minutes, then drain.
Pour the rest of the opened jar of tomato and mascarpone sauce into a shallow baking dish about 1.5 litres in capacity. Arrange the pasta shells on top and fill with the sausage mixture. Pour over the other jar of tomato and mascarpone sauce and scatter the Gorgonzola or mozzarella and the Parmesan on top. this can be covered with cling film and kept in the fridge or is perfect for freezing.
Bake for 20–25 minutes, until bubbling and golden, then crumble over the crispy sage leaves (if using).
Serve straight to the table with a bowl of sautéed spinach and garlic if liked.
Piri-Piri Chicken with Jacket Potatoes
Serves 4–6
Prep 30 MINS + MARINATING
Cook 2 HRS
LOADS OF VEG
FREEZER FRIENDLY
1 x 2kg whole chicken (preferably free-range or organic)
1 x 500ml can of beer rapeseed oil, for drizzling
4–6 potatoes (each about 200g)
FOR THE MARINADE
100ml red wine vinegar
2 hot dried chillies
6 mild fresh red chillies
6 garlic cloves
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp light brown sugar
juice of 2 lemons
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
TO SERVE
tomato and red onion salad with parsley
butter pats
lemon wedges
Cooking chicken on a beer can is nothing new – they’ve been doing it for years in Australia and the US. The secret is that the beer keeps the inside of the chicken nice and moist. Of course, it can just be oven roasted in the normal way or spatchcocked and barbecued.
If you don’t like it too hot, adjust the number of chillies in the marinade.
To make the marinade, put the vinegar in a pan with the dried chillies and bring to the boil. remove from the heat and cool, then pour into a nutriBullet or food processor. Add the fresh chillies, garlic, paprika, thyme, oregano, sugar and lemon juice. Blitz to a smooth paste.
Place the chicken in a shallow non-metallic dish and use a small knife to score all over with small cuts that are no more than 1cm deep. Pour over the marinade, then using your hands (a pair of plastic gloves is a good idea here because of the chillies), massage the chicken all over, inside and out. cover with cling film and chill for at least 2 hours but overnight is best.
Preheat the oven to 180°c (350°F/gas mark 4). remove the top shelf so that the upright chicken will fit.
Open the can of beer and pour about a quarter of it into a small, sturdy roasting tin. Give the marinated chicken another good smear in the marinade, then place it upright over the beer can and drizzle over the oil. roast in the oven for 1 hour.
Put a criss-cross cut into the top of each potato and wrap it in tin foil. Pop the potatoes in around the chicken directly on the oven shelf. cook for another 30–35 minutes, until a crust has formed on the outside of the chicken and the drumsticks move easily when gently tugged. Leave to rest for 20 minutes while the potatoes finish cooking, then cut into portions and carve the breasts into slices.
Arrange the chicken on a platter and pile the jacket potatoes alongside. Serve with a plate of tomato and red onion salad and separate dishes of butter and lemon wedges.
Cajun Chicken Melts
Makes 4
Prep 20 MINS
Cook 30 MINS
4 chicken fillets (preferably corn-fed)
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
2 heaped tsp Cajun spice
4 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
3 tbsp mayonnaise
4 small ciabatta rolls
150g extra-mature Cheddar cheese, grated
2 tsp ready-made pesto
200g mixed green salad leaves
FOR THE BALSAMIC DRESSING
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
This is a firm favourite in the Maguire household. It’s a great dish for a sudden influx of hungry people – so fast and easy to prepare. Everybody can help and you’ll have it on the table in no time at all.
Preheat the oven to 180°c (350°F/gas mark 4).
Put the chicken in a baking dish and rub with the oil, then scatter over the cajun spice and season with salt and pepper. Pour about 4 tablespoons of water into the dish around the chicken to ensure it stays lovely and moist. roast for 18–20 minutes, until just cooked through and tender. Leave to cool, then cut into slices.
Mix half of the sweet chilli sauce in a small bowl with the mayonnaise and season to taste. Slice the ciabatta rolls in half and arrange on
a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread over the chilli mayonnaise and arrange the chicken slices on top in an overlapping layer. cover with the cheddar cheese and drizzle the rest of the chilli sauce on top in zigzag lines, then finish with the pesto in a similar fashion. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and lightly golden.
Meanwhile, to make the balsamic dressing, put the oil, vinegar, honey and mustard in a tall container with 2 tablespoons of water and blend until smooth, then season to taste. Put the salad into a bowl and use enough of the dressing to lightly coat the leaves.
To serve, cut each cajun chicken melt in half again on the diagonal and arrange on plates with some of the dressed salad.
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Serves 4
Prep 20 MINS
Cook 30 MINS
LOADS OF VEG
FREEZER FRIENDLY
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
3 chicken fillets, cut into chunks
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 red peppers, cut into chunks
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
4 tbsp light muscovado sugar
2 tbsp soy and ginger sauce
2 tbsp apple cider or balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp water
1 small ripe pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into cubes
100g sugar snap peas, sliced
2 spring onions, finely sliced
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
FOR THE RICE
200g basmati rice
a small knob of butter
Don’t call the takeaway – cook your own sweet and sour chicken using lots of veg and a fresh pineapple. Swap the chicken for pork or prawns if you prefer. Use this method to cook basmati rice and get perfect, fluffy results every time.
Heat the oil in a sauté pan over a medium heat and cook the chicken cubes for 3–4 minutes, until just starting to colour. Stir in the garlic and cook for 20 seconds, then tip in the onion and peppers and sauté for another minute or two.
Add the tomatoes along with the sugar, soy and ginger sauce, vinegar and sweet chilli sauce. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and simmer for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, rinse the rice in a sieve and put in a pan with a tight-fitting lid. Pour in 400ml of water, add a good pinch of salt and the butter and bring to the boil – this will take about 8 minutes. Whisk the rice in the pan to make sure it’s well distributed. Put the lid on, turn the heat down as low as possible and simmer gently for 8 minutes, then whisk briefly again, remove the pan from the heat and cover with the lid, leaving it to steam until needed.
Stir the cornflour mixture into the sweet and sour chicken, then add the pineapple, sugar snap peas and spring onions. cover again and simmer for 5 minutes, until nicely thickened. Season to taste. the sweet and sour chicken and the cooked rice can be covered with cling film and kept in the fridge or frozen.
To serve, spoon the basmati rice into bowls with the sweet and sour chicken and scatter over the sesame seeds.
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