Midweek meals: Five warming casseroles to combat the chill

2022-10-09 07:36:14 By : Ms. Bobby Qian

Persian chickpea stew recipe by:Darina Allen A veggie take on Khoresh Gheymeh which is usually made with beef. Servings 4 Cooking Time 20 mins Total Time 20 mins Course Main Ingredients 100ml (3 ½ fl oz) extra virgin olive oil 400g (14oz) onions, peeled and finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed ½ tsp turmeric 1 tsp cumin, finely roasted and ground 1 tsp freshly roasted and ground coriander ½ tsp ground cinnamon 400g (14oz) very ripe tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and diced or 1 tin of chopped tomatoes in Winter 2 x 400ml (14fl oz) coconut milk 200ml (7fl oz) vegetable stock 100ml (3 ½fl oz) aquafaba (liquid from tin of chickpeas) 175g (6oz) swede turnip, diced into 2cm (3/4 inch) 100g (3 ½oz) potato, diced into 2cm (3/4 inch) 50g (2oz) sultanas a generous pinch of saffron 1 x 400g (14oz) tin of chickpeas salt and freshly-ground black pepper and a pinch of sugar freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime To garnish: 1 large ripe tomato, deseeded and diced 50g (2oz) almonds, toasted and halved 100g (3 ½oz) frozen desiccated coconut 1 generous handful of fresh coriander sprigs Method Heat the extra virgin olive oil. Add the onion and cook for 10-15 minutes on a medium heat until it starts to caramelize. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add all of the spices except the saffron and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes then add the coconut milk, stock and aquafaba. Bring to the boil, add the swede turnip and diced potatoes, sultanas and saffron. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add the chickpeas. Bring back to the boil and season with salt, freshly-ground pepper and a pinch of sugar. Taste, correct the seasoning and add the juice of 1 lime or more to taste. Garnish with the diced fresh tomato, toasted flaked almonds, frozen desiccated coconut and lots of fresh coriander.

A veggie take on Khoresh Gheymeh which is usually made with beef.

100ml (3 ½ fl oz) extra virgin olive oil

400g (14oz) onions, peeled and finely chopped

1 tsp cumin, finely roasted and ground

1 tsp freshly roasted and ground coriander

400g (14oz) very ripe tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and diced or 1 tin of chopped tomatoes in Winter

2 x 400ml (14fl oz) coconut milk

200ml (7fl oz) vegetable stock

100ml (3 ½fl oz) aquafaba (liquid from tin of chickpeas)

175g (6oz) swede turnip, diced into 2cm (3/4 inch)

100g (3 ½oz) potato, diced into 2cm (3/4 inch)

a generous pinch of saffron

1 x 400g (14oz) tin of chickpeas

salt and freshly-ground black pepper and a pinch of sugar

freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime

1 large ripe tomato, deseeded and diced

50g (2oz) almonds, toasted and halved

100g (3 ½oz) frozen desiccated coconut

1 generous handful of fresh coriander sprigs

Heat the extra virgin olive oil. Add the onion and cook for 10-15 minutes on a medium heat until it starts to caramelize. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add all of the spices except the saffron and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes then add the coconut milk, stock and aquafaba. Bring to the boil, add the swede turnip and diced potatoes, sultanas and saffron. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Add the chickpeas. Bring back to the boil and season with salt, freshly-ground pepper and a pinch of sugar. Taste, correct the seasoning and add the juice of 1 lime or more to taste.

Garnish with the diced fresh tomato, toasted flaked almonds, frozen desiccated coconut and lots of fresh coriander.

Store cupboard chickpea stew recipe by:Caitriona Redmond  If you’re cooking from what you have in the press this is a good way of using up what you’ve got and is perfect for thermos flasks and even for a warming brunch Servings 4 Preparation Time 10 mins Cooking Time 15 mins Total Time 25 mins Course Main Cuisine Italian Ingredients 1 tin cooked chickpeas 2 tins chopped tomatoes 400ml water 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 small onion, chopped 1 tin of sweetcorn 200g dried pasta 1 tbsp sunflower oil 1 tsp smoked paprika Fresh herbs like basil or parsley (optional) Fresh Parmesan, grated (optional) Method Place the sunflower oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat with the onion and garlic. Stir for five minutes then add the smoked paprika, stir for another minute. Add the drained chickpeas and stir around so that they are coated in the onions, garlic and paprika. Now add your tomatoes along with the water. Stir well then break up the pasta into small pieces straight into the pot. Bring to a simmer then cover and cook for 15 minutes. Now add the sweetcorn, herbs and lots of Parmesan, if using and serve. Tip: If you fancy a more meaty version add some lardons or pieces of rasher at the very start when cooking the onion and garlic. Or you can serve with a poached egg on top.

If you’re cooking from what you have in the press this is a good way of using up what you’ve got and is perfect for thermos flasks and even for a warming brunch

Fresh herbs like basil or parsley (optional)

Place the sunflower oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat with the onion and garlic. Stir for five minutes then add the smoked paprika, stir for another minute.

Add the drained chickpeas and stir around so that they are coated in the onions, garlic and paprika.

Now add your tomatoes along with the water. Stir well then break up the pasta into small pieces straight into the pot. Bring to a simmer then cover and cook for 15 minutes.

Now add the sweetcorn, herbs and lots of Parmesan, if using and serve. Tip: If you fancy a more meaty version add some lardons or pieces of rasher at the very start when cooking the onion and garlic. Or you can serve with a poached egg on top.

Slow cooker beef stew with bake-and-smash potatoes recipe by:Derval O'Rourke This slow cooker stew tastes better the day after you make it Servings 4 Cooking Time 4 hours 0 mins Total Time 4 hours 0 mins Course Main Ingredients 400g lean stewing beef, cut into 3cm pieces 4 carrots, peeled and chopped 2 onions, finely sliced 4 garlic cloves, crushed 2 bay leaves 1 litre beef stock 2 tbsp flour Bake-and-Smash Mash: 4 small potato/sweet potato 4 tsp maple syrup 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves salt and pepper Method You will need a slow cooker with 3.5-litre capacity. Preheat the slow cooker (if recommended by the manufacturer). Place the beef, carrots, onions, garlic and bay leaves in the slow cooker. Use a whisk to blend the beef stock and flour. Pour the stock into the slow cooker, using just enough stock to cover the ingredients. Set the slow cooker to high and cook for 4 hours, stirring a few times. Prick the sweet potato and bake at 180°C for 35-40 minutes or until tender. Mash with the maple syrup and the thyme, salt and pepper and serve with the stew. 

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

This slow cooker stew tastes better the day after you make it

400g lean stewing beef, cut into 3cm pieces

You will need a slow cooker with 3.5-litre capacity. Preheat the slow cooker (if recommended by the manufacturer).

Place the beef, carrots, onions, garlic and bay leaves in the slow cooker. Use a whisk to blend the beef stock and flour. Pour the stock into the slow cooker, using just enough stock to cover the ingredients. Set the slow cooker to high and cook for 4 hours, stirring a few times.

Prick the sweet potato and bake at 180°C for 35-40 minutes or until tender. Mash with the maple syrup and the thyme, salt and pepper and serve with the stew. 

Sausage stew with fennel and lentils recipe by:Michelle Darmody This puy lensil, sausage and fresh herb stew with a hint of chilli is a delicious, hearty supper Servings 4 Preparation Time 10 mins Cooking Time 25 mins Total Time 35 mins Course Main Ingredients dash of rapeseed oil 400g good quality banger style sausages, chopped into bite size pieces 2 onions, finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 medium sized fennel bulb, sliced 2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted 1 tsp chilli flakes 200g puy lentils 300ml stock 100ml white wine Method Heat your oil in a heavy saucepan and sauté the onion until completely soft. Add the sausages and garlic and fry until the sausage pieces have browned all over. Stir in the fennel. Now add the fennel seeds, chilli flakes, wine, stock and lentils. Bring to a gentle boil and leave to simmer for about 20 minutes until the sausages are cooked through. Taste and season.

This puy lensil, sausage and fresh herb stew with a hint of chilli is a delicious, hearty supper

400g good quality banger style sausages, chopped into bite size pieces

1 medium sized fennel bulb, sliced

Heat your oil in a heavy saucepan and sauté the onion until completely soft.

Add the sausages and garlic and fry until the sausage pieces have browned all over. Stir in the fennel.

Now add the fennel seeds, chilli flakes, wine, stock and lentils.

Bring to a gentle boil and leave to simmer for about 20 minutes until the sausages are cooked through.

Chicken, chorizo and butterbean casserole recipe by:Colm O'Gorman This one-pot casserole needs nothing extra, making it the perfect heat-and-eat midweek meal Servings 6 Preparation Time 10 mins Cooking Time 45 mins Total Time 55 mins Course Main Ingredients 1kg chicken drumsticks 175g chorizo 2 medium white onions 1 butternut squash 2 red peppers 300g baby potatoes 2 tins of chopped tomatoes 3 garlic cloves 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika 1 tsp hot paprika 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tbsp tomato purée 1 tin butterbeans 500ml chicken stock salt ground black pepper handful of flat-leaf parsley Method Chop the end of the chicken drumsticks to give you tidy balls of meat. Remove the skin and discard it. This is our two greyhounds favourite moment; they somehow seem to know when a meaty treat is available and come right into the kitchen just in time to ensure it ends up in their dishes and not in the bin. Slice the chorizo thinly. Cut the ends of the squash and remove the seeds. You do not need to peel the squash for this dish. The skin helps the squash keep its shape when cooking and adds some more fibre. Heat a heavy-based pan or a casserole dish over a high heat. Get it good and hot and then toss in the sliced chorizo. You do not need any extra oil for this, as the chorizo browns it will give off plenty and it is full of flavour. Once the chorizo is nice and brown, add the chicken pieces and cook for 5-8 minutes, browning them all over. Next add the onion, roughly chopped, and the garlic cloves, crushed, along with the paprika. Cook until the onions go translucent, just a few minutes. Now add the fresh chopped rosemary, the oregano and the squash. Stir it well to get everything coated in all that flavour and toss in the baby potatoes, cutting the larger ones in half. Remove the seeds and stalks from the red peppers and cut them into roughly three-centimetre chunks. Add them to the pot, stir well and let it cook for another minute or two.  Add the tinned tomatoes, tomato purée and the chicken stock and a teaspoon of flaky sea salt. Bring to a gentle boil and then simmer until the potatoes and squash are cooked. This will take about 30 minutes.  Now add the drained tin of butterbeans. If the sauce is a little thin, stir one tablespoon of cornflour into a little water and add that. Give the casserole a good stir. Let it cook for another few minutes to allow it to thicken slightly and cook out the taste of the cornflour. Give it a final taste for seasoning, it may well need a final good grind of black pepper. Serve up in bowls with a dollop of Greek yoghurt and a generous handful of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley.

recipe by:Colm O'Gorman

This one-pot casserole needs nothing extra, making it the perfect heat-and-eat midweek meal

Chop the end of the chicken drumsticks to give you tidy balls of meat. Remove the skin and discard it. This is our two greyhounds favourite moment; they somehow seem to know when a meaty treat is available and come right into the kitchen just in time to ensure it ends up in their dishes and not in the bin.

Slice the chorizo thinly. Cut the ends of the squash and remove the seeds. You do not need to peel the squash for this dish. The skin helps the squash keep its shape when cooking and adds some more fibre.

Heat a heavy-based pan or a casserole dish over a high heat. Get it good and hot and then toss in the sliced chorizo. You do not need any extra oil for this, as the chorizo browns it will give off plenty and it is full of flavour. Once the chorizo is nice and brown, add the chicken pieces and cook for 5-8 minutes, browning them all over. Next add the onion, roughly chopped, and the garlic cloves, crushed, along with the paprika.

Cook until the onions go translucent, just a few minutes. Now add the fresh chopped rosemary, the oregano and the squash. Stir it well to get everything coated in all that flavour and toss in the baby potatoes, cutting the larger ones in half.

Remove the seeds and stalks from the red peppers and cut them into roughly three-centimetre chunks. Add them to the pot, stir well and let it cook for another minute or two. 

Add the tinned tomatoes, tomato purée and the chicken stock and a teaspoon of flaky sea salt. Bring to a gentle boil and then simmer until the potatoes and squash are cooked. This will take about 30 minutes. 

Now add the drained tin of butterbeans. If the sauce is a little thin, stir one tablespoon of cornflour into a little water and add that. Give the casserole a good stir. Let it cook for another few minutes to allow it to thicken slightly and cook out the taste of the cornflour.

Give it a final taste for seasoning, it may well need a final good grind of black pepper. Serve up in bowls with a dollop of Greek yoghurt and a generous handful of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley.

Read MoreMichelle Darmody: How to make American-style buttermilk biscuits to enjoy with soup

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