Turkey with cannellini beans

Here is another freezer dish in preparation for my baby, however you can always make this and pop it in the freezer for any family or friend meal emergency! Or how about this handy tip; the quantities below makes a huge batch – enough for two people to have four meals, so if you use half of it straight away for your family meal you can always pop the rest in the freezer for a quick supper another time, doubling up like this will save you time and effort in the future.

I have used turkey here as it is very lean and extremely economical, however if you are not a fan of turkey you can always use the same quantity of chicken breast instead.

Ingredients
2tbsp olive oil, 4 spring onions, 2 cloves garlic, 7 closed cup chestnut mushrooms, 860g turkey breast steaks (or chicken if using instead), 2 x 235g tins of cannellini beans in water, 1 gelatinous chicken stock-pot, 20g fresh tarragon, 1tsp black pepper, 1tsp salt, 1tbsp butter, 1tbsp plain flour.

First a bit of prep; wash and chop the spring onions, peel and finely chop the garlic cloves, wash and dice the mushrooms in to 1cm size cubes, and cut the turkey breast in to bite size chunks. Next heat the oil in a large pan and gently fry the spring onions for a couple of minutes. Add the garlic, mushrooms and turkey and cook over a medium heat until the turkey is browned and everything begins to soften.

Add both tins of cannellini beans along with their water and the chicken stock-pot then turn the heat to a low simmer. Take half the tarragon, remove any tough stalks and finely chop, add this to the pan. Cover and continue to cook on a low simmer for around 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

After the hour take the butter and flour and using a fork mix together until a smooth paste is formed, then stir this in to the turkey to help thicken it. Raise the heat gently and continue stirring until it comes to the boil. Season with salt and lots of black pepper. Finely chop the remaining tarragon and stir this in and the dish is ready to serve.

If you are freezing this ensure that it is completely cold before transferring to a suitable freezer containers – don’t forget to label and date so you know what’s inside in a months’ time! This dish is fantastic served with mashed potato or a slice of crusty bread and butter to mop up the juices.

Filling the freezer - Beef Curry with potatoes, chickpeas and spinach

All the advice I have been given is to use the period between finishing work and baby’s arrival to relax, sleep and fill the freezer with food so you don’t have to cook once baby arrives! I’m finding it hard to relax or sleep in my first few ‘official’ days of maternity leave, there’s something oddly unsettling about having a career that you love to suddenly not having to go in to the office and the temptation to check emails is almost overwhelming. However, I am going to be proactive and used the time to do the things I love, see friends and cook.

I want to ensure the freezer is filled with hearty but healthy options that will keep us going over the next few months when we are struggling with a new-born and so I started with a huge batch of chilli con carne and a beef curry with potatoes and spinach. This way all we have to do is defrost and heat up and make some quick rice or cous cous and hey presto, a meal! I’ll give you the recipe for the beef curry as I hope most of you can whack together a chilli con carne without much trouble!

I bought the little take-away containers from my local supermarket and just labelled the lids with the contents and date and popped in the freezer once everything was completely cold.

Ingredients for beef curry (to the left of the pic above)
1 pound of stewing steak cut in to chunks, 2 cups baby potatoes, 2 tins of chickpeas in water, 1 cup of chopped tinned tomatoes, 3 big handfuls of baby spinach leaves (or 1 big bag), ½ red bell pepper, ½ yellow bell pepper, ½ orange bell pepper, ½ red onion, 1/2tsp ground cloves, 1tsp ground coriander, 1tsp garam masala, 1tsp ground ginger, 2tsp medium strength curry power, 1tsp salt, 1tsp pepper, 2 pints of water.

Cut the peppers and onion in to dice. In a large, heavy, pan put the beef, potatoes, peppers, onion and water and bring to the boil and then turn down to a gentle simmer. Next add all of the remaining ingredients expect the spinach (which is added later). Stir well to combine and then leave gently bubbling away on the stove for a good 2 hours uncovered, stirring occasionally. If it begins to look a little dry add a splash more water, you want the sauce to become a rich gravy, however be careful not to ‘top up’ the water too aggressively as you do not want to sauce to be to watered down either.

After a couple of hours the beef should be tender and falling apart and everything should be soft and thoroughly cooked through. Check for seasoning and add more salt if required, then add the spinach and give the curry one final stir until the spinach has wilted down.

If you are freezing this, ensure it is defrosted overnight in the fridge and heat in a pre-heated oven for 30 minutes until piping hot and bubbling, or you could heat on the stove or microwave in a suitable container. Whatever your preferred method, just ensure it is thoroughly heated through. I love this served with rice, cous cous, or a naam bread.

Lamb neck chops

I haven't written for a long while, however I've had good reason! We have been moving in to, and redecorating, our new house. Swiftly followed by a bout of tonsillitis which took me off work for two weeks and to boot there's some exciting news in that we have a little baby boy due in September this year, so quite a lot going on! 

I've changed my diet only very slightly to accommodate the baby by cutting out all the usual 'banned' foods such as cured meat and blue cheeses, however the majority of what we eat remains the same with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, pulses and lean meat. I will include some of my favourite baby friendly recipes on here for you as well as I have created some fantastic ones over the past few weeks!

However, it is a drizzly grey Sunday here in London which calls for ultimate comfort food, here is one of my husbands all time favourites! A delicious lamb neck chop gently braised in a rich minty gravy and served with smashed olive oil potatoes and fresh steamed asparagus.

Ingredients (2 people so double for 4)

Lamb: 2 lamb neck chops, a small bunch of mint leaves, 1 pint fresh beef stock, 1/2tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1tsp salt and ground black pepper.

Side dishes: New potatoes (around 5 per person depending on size), 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil, juice half a lemon, 1/2tsp salt, small bunch asparagus. 

In a deep sided frying pan heat a drizzle of olive oil over a medium heat, add the lamb steaks and fry for 4 minutes each side to brown. Finely chop the mint leaves and scatter over the chops along with the ground black pepper. Add the beef stock, cover, turn the heat down and simmer for 1 hour turning the chops half way through cooking. After the hour add the balsamic vinegar and season with a pinch of salt. Whilst the potatoes and asparagus are cooking keep the chops on a low simmer without the lid to reduce the sauce slightly, however, if it gets too thick you could add a splash of water and cover again to prevent further reduction. 

Add the unpeeled but thoroughly cleaned potatoes to a pan of boiling water and simmer gently for 10 minutes until just tender. Whilst the potatoes are cooking rest a colander over the pan and add the asparagus to steam. Drain the potatoes and put back in the pan (off the heat) for a further 5 minutes to steam dry. Once steamed dry use a fork to gently smash and break up the new potatoes. Add the olive oil, lemon juice and pinch of salt, stir through.

Serve the smashed potatoes and steamed asparagus with the chops and their gravy. It's a delicious bit of sunshine on a plate, especially on a rainy Sunday afternoon! 

Salmon and courgette tagliatelle

This is a quick Sunday night feast that is spicy, tangy, and not as naughty as it looks thanks to half fat creme-fraiche and a good serving of veg. Again, this recipe is for two so simply double for four people. 

Ingredients

Dried tagliatette (enough for two people, about 4 balls each), 1 pack smoked salmon, 1 small red onion, 1 small courgette, 1 large handful of baby spinach leaves, 1/2 lemon juiced, 200g pot half fat creme-fraiche, 2 cloves garlic, 2 inch cube feta cheese, 1tbsp olive oil, pinch red chilli flakes, 1tsp ground black pepper, 2tsp salt. 

Boil a large pan of water and add a teaspoon of salt, then the tagliatelle, cover and simmer for 10 minutes (or according to packet instructions) stirring occasionally to keep the strands loose. 

Whilst the pasta is cooking you can make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Skin and finely sliced the red onion, chop the courgette in to small cubes, add to the pot of oil and stir to coat the vegetables in oil. Reduce the heat to gently cook the vegetables until soft and sweet, stirring occasionally. Skin and crush the garlic cloves and add. Next give the spinach a big rough chop, don't worry about getting this even or very small, just break up the leaves a little, add to the vegetables. 

Next add a big serving spoon full of the pasta cooking water and stir well. Add the creme-fraiche, lemon juice, a teaspoon of salt and pepper and the chilli flakes. Stir well to combine. Finely slice the smoked salmon and add last to delicately cook. 

When the pasta is cooked drain well reserving a cup of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss very well to combine, allow to continue cooking for a couple of minutes to allow the pasta to absorb some of the sauce. If it gets too dry add a small splash of the cooking liquid to loosen it a little. The sauce should be thick and umptuous. 

Crumble in the feta cheese, give the pasta one final toss and serve in steaming piles. Utterly delicious! 

Vegetarian bean and lentil chilli with feta

I am a meat eater and don't get me wrong I love a good juicy steak, however, I make a lot of vegetarian and vegan food, there are so many interesting flavours and textures to be found in vegetables, beans and lentils. This deliciously spicy vegetarian chilli really hits the spot if you are after a warming and hearty dish. With the seas depleting of fish stocks and the rain forests disappearing to make way for ranches I think we could all go veggie a few days a week!

Ingredients

1/2tbsp butter (or oil if you prefer), 1 leek, 1 carrott, 1 stick celery, 170g fine green beans, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tin chopped tomatoes in juice, 1 tin drained red kidney beans, 1/2 stock cube (veggie cube or if you are not a veggie you could use beef), 1/2 cup dried red split lentils, 1tbsp lemon juice, 1tsp each of garam Marsala and chilli flakes, 1/2tsp powdered ginger, 1/4tsp ground clove powder, salt and pepper to taste. 

The topping to sprinkle over the finished dish is 2 finely chopped spring onions and about an inch cube of crumbled feta cheese. 

I served this with potatoes which were boiled until tender, drained, and then loosely smashed with a little salt and butter. However, you could use rice, cous cous or serve with some toasted wholemeal pita bread, it is a super versatile dish. 

Method: Top and tail the vegetables, wash thoroughly and finely dice in to bitesize chunks. Peel and crush the garlic. Heat the butter (or oil) in a large pan and gently fry the carrott, celery and leek on a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently,  until softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further 5 minutes. 

Add the tinned tomatoes in juice, the drained kidney beans and the lentils, stir thoroughly to combine. Next add the stock cube and spices and around half a cup of hot water. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, then add the green beans and cook for a further 10 minutes until everything is soft and the lentils have absorbed the juices. The chilli should be lucious and thick, if it looks too dry and a small splash of water. Finally add the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Serve scattered with the chopped spring onions and feta cheese, this is really important so don't leave this step out, there is something about this fresh vibrant topping that brings the dish alive! 

Lazy Saturday crumbles

This is an easy one for a Saturday, for two lazy people! 

Preheat the oven to 170 Celsius. In two small ovenproof ramekins divide a cored, cubed eating apple (I left the skin intact) a handful of frozen blueberries, a squeeze of lemon juice

 and a sprinkle of white caster sugar. 

In a seperate bowl add 1tbsp each of fruit museli and white caster sugar. Next add 1.5tbsp butter. Then add 2tbsp plain flour. Use your fingers to make a rough crumble and pile on top of the fruit. This may seem like a lot of crumble but bear in mind the fruit will collapse as it cooks and the butter will melt down. 

Bake in the oven in a middle shelf for 25 minutes then gently break up the crumbly top with a fork to lighten it slightly and put back in the oven for a further 10 minutes until golden and bubbling. Serve with cream, ice cream, custard (as I did) or simply just as it is! 

Peanut butter brownies

Sometimes you start to make a recipe and realise you don't have all your usual ingredients, so frustrating! This happened to me a while ago when I was making brownies for my good friends Bronwyn and Rory, so I tweaked my ingredients and I'm glad I did, this is the best brownie recipe I've ever made! 

If you like your brownies dense and super fudgy these are for you! You can omit the peanut butter to make plain brownies, or perhaps replace with hazelnut spread if peanuts aren't your thing. I urge you to try these they are truly indulgent. 

Ingredients

450g unsalted butter, 700g dark chocolate (70% coco), 3 eggs, 2 tbsp cold espresso coffee, 1tsp good quality vanilla extract, 1 and 1/8 cup white caster sugar, 1/2 cup milk, 1 cup 00 grade flour, 1/4 cup coco powder, 1tsp baking powder, pinch salt, 8tbsp smooth peanut butter. 

Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius. Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl suspended over a pan of gently simmering water to melt. As soon as it has melted, stir to combine and take it off the heat to cool. 

In a seperate bowl whisk the eggs, sugar,  coffee, vanilla and salt. Once the chocolate has cooled slightly tip in to the eggs  and stir very well to combine. (If you do this whilst the chocolate is too hot you will get scrambled eggs!)

Finally put the flour, coco and baking powder in to a seive and seive it directly in to the chocolate mix. Stir the flour in but don't beat it, you don't want to over mix, just gently fold until well combined. Add the milk and give it one final mix.

Tip the batter in to a buttered baking dish and smooth the top level.  Next, if using, put blobs of peanut butter over the top and using a knife swirl gently in to the batter, don't combine too much, leave the swirls visible. 

Bake on the middle shelf for 15 minutes, then turn the heat down to 150 Celsius and cover the top of the brownie lightly with greaseproof paper, bake for a further 10 minutes. Don't overcook it! A wooden cocktail skewer inserted in the middle should come out just clean. If it's still sloppy in the middle put back in to the oven for 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat and cool. Cut in to squares, ideally when still slightly warm and serve with ice cream and perhaps some toffee sauce. 

Hazelnut bomb chocolate brownie cupcakes with cream cheese vanilla frosting

I haven't posted a blog for a while because I was unwell last weekend, however I'm better now and back to baking!

Today was the six nations rugby England vs. Ireland and we had our friends over to watch the match and have burgers and beers. I didn't want to make a girly dessert as the lads were over, these cupcakes look a little dainty, however they pack a punch and are denser and manlier than normal cupcakes! I had some Hazlenut spread in the cupboard so decided to use this up and it worked a treat! They are more like little brownies with a secret surprise, a heart of fudgy hazelnut spread. It's fair to say that the guys enjoyed the food, and the rugby of course! 

Ingredients

Cupcakes; 100g plain flour, 50g coco powder, 150g White caster sugar, 50g unsalted butter, 125ml milk, 1 egg, pinch of salt, 8 teaspoons hazelnut spread. 

Frosting; 180g cream cheese, 25g butter, seeds of 2 vanilla pods, 3 cups icing sugar. 

Preheat the oven to 170 Celsius. In a large bowl add all the dry ingredients and butter and thoroughly mix until it resembles fine sand. In a jug whisk the egg and milk and gradually add to the dry goods stirring thoroughly to combine, but don't over mix. 

In a deep 8 hole rubber muffin tray add around a tablespoon of the muffin mixture to each hole, it should come up about half way up the tray. Next add one teaspoon of hazelnut spread to the centre of each muffin, and then top each one with another tablespoon of muffin mixture, this captures a little blob of hazelnut spread into the centre of each muffin when it bakes. 

Bake in the oven on the Middle shelf for exactly 22 minutes. They should have raised up slightly and the tops should have just started to crack. Please don't worry if they don't shoot right up, there is no baking powder on purpose in this dish to stop it raising too much so they stay denser like little brownies. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely. 

Whilst they are cooling make the frosting by splitting the vanilla pods, removing the seeds, and beating them along with the icing sugar, butter and cream cheese until smooth and glossy. Chill the frosting until the cupcakes are completely cool. 

Dollop a big spoon of frosting on to each cooled muffin and arrange on a pretty tray ready for your guests! 

Caramel drop cakes

Years ago I used to work in a kitchen in the Hope Valley near Sheffield and we used to make drop scones for the hoards of visiting tourists who would devour them greedily in between their Peak District hikes. I haven't made drop scones in years and recently fancied something sweet one evening, so cobbled these together as an experiment, and you know what, they ain't half bad!! Part scone, part cake with a delicious caramel flavour, we had them warm from the oven with creme fraiche as dessert, and cold the next day as a snack with a cup of tea. However, these would be fabulous served with ice cream or custard, layered in to a trifle, or how about served with dark chocolate sauce and some chopped crystallised ginger! 

Ingredients

8oz plain flour, 6oz dark muscavado sugar, 4oz butter, 2 eggs, 2tbsp raisens, 2tsp vanilla essence, 1tsp baking powder, 1tbsp natural yoghurt. 

Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius and line a baking tray with parchment paper ready. In a large bowl beat the butter, sugar, vanilla essence and baking powder until smooth and glossy. 

Crack the eggs in to a small bowl and beat thoroughly, gradually add the eggs to the butter mix beating in between each addition until thoroughly combined, next add the flour a tablespoon at a time folding with a spatula until all the flour has  been used and the mixture is once again smooth and glossy. Finally add the raisens and yoghurt and fold one last time to combine. 

Using a large tablespoon drop heaps of the mixture on to the baking parchment spacing them out evenly. Don't worry if they don't look pretty, they will smooth and spread whilst cooking. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until the tops become rounded, slightly glossy and begin to crack. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool slightly before serving. 

Tagliatelle with mushrooms and cream cheese

It's grey, damp and miserable in London this week. Snow is forecast for tomorrow and I am craving lighter spring days with crocus flowers peeking up through the carpet of fallen leaves and the birds slowly returning to the trees. At the moment the alarm goes off with pitch black outside my curtains and by the time I've left my desk it's dark again, I feel like I've not seen the sun in weeks and I miss it. So the next best thing is heading home to a plate of sunshine inspired by a fabulous dish I had in Florence, Italy last June, if you need cheering up this is the dish for you!

Again this is for 2, but double the ingredients if you are cooking for 4.

Ingredients (2 people)

1 small red onion, 5 chestnut mushrooms, 70g soft cream cheese at room temperature, 2 cloves garlic, 300g fresh tagliatette pasta, 30g baby rocket leaves, 1/2tbsp olive oil, 1/2tbsp fresh lemon juice, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. 

Boil a big pan of salted water ready for the pasta. Cut the onion in to fine dice, finely slice the mushrooms and skin and crush the garlic. Heat the oil in a large pan on a medium heat and add the onions to gently sweat for 7 minutes, stirring often, until they are soft and translucent. Next add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for a further 6 minutes or so until soft. 

Add the pasta to the pan of boiling water to cook. 

Next add the cream cheese to the onion mix and gently spoon 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water in to the onions. Stir to combine until the cheese melts and makes a rich sauce. Season with salt and pepper and add the lemon juice. 

Next drain the pasta, add to the pan with the sauce and toss to combine for a minute or so until the pasta begins to absorb some of the sauce. Finally add the rocket and give it one final toss before serving. 

Tagliatelle with bacon and mushrooms

Thus recipe is so easy to make it can barely be classed as cooking! However when you've had a hard day at work and come home desperate for a quick fix this really hits the nail on the head! 

Ingredients (2 people)

200g smoked streaky bacon, 2 cloves garlic, 8 chestnut mushrooms, 125g baby spinach, 600g fresh tagliatelle, splash whole milk, 1tbsp lemon juice, 4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, and....if you are feeling truly decedent a drizzle of white truffle oil (although this isn't a prerequisite) 

Get a big pan of water on the boil ready for your pasta. Cut the bacon in to bite size chunks and, in a large pan, cook on a medium heat (without additional oil) until they begin to brown. Keep the bacon bits moving so they do not burn but go golden and slightly crispy (10 mins or so).

Finely chop the peeled garlic and slice the mushrooms, add to the pan along with the bacon and cook for 6 minutes, stirring frequently. 

Next add the tagliatelle to the hot water, fresh pasta takes literally 3 minutes to cook, so whilst it's cooking finish the sauce. 

Add a splash of milk (just a couple of tablespoons) to the bacon and mushrooms, using a wooden spoon scrape the bottom of the pan to mix all the crispy bacon bits in to the sauce. Next add the spinach and stir until the spinach has wilted. 

Drain the tagliatelle and add to the sauce, toss to distribute everything evenly. Add the lemon juice and toss again, then let it sit for five minutes for the pasta to absorb some of the sauce. Serve in bowls, scattered with the grated Parmesan and, if you wish a little truffle oil drizzled on top! Divine!

Toad in the hole

Toad in the hole is a good old fashioned Yorkshire  staple, dating back to the 1800's, and it was a firm favourite throughout my childhood. Now that I live in London it's a firm favourite in my household here also! Fear not, for those readers not from the UK this is not a dish made from actual toads, the toad simply refers to the sausages peeking out from the batter like toads out of a hole - hence the name! 

It is not a healthy dish by any means due to the amount of fat used, however, on a grey January Sunday it is perfect served with Savoy cabbage and a rich onion gravy. This recipe served 6 smaller portions or 4 greedy people! 

Ingredients for the toad in the hole

300 grams plain flour, 4 large eggs, 350ml semi-skimmed milk, pinch salt, 6 Cumberland sausages, vegetable oil. 

Preheat the oven to 200 Celsius. In a large mixing bowl add the flour and salt followed by the eggs, begin to mix with a whisk until a paste starts to form, then gradually add the milk, whisking constantly until you get a smooth batter. Don't worry if you have a few lumps, these will cook out in the oven. Rest the bowl in the fridge whilst you prepare the sausages.

Cook the sausages in a dry frying pan (no oil) until browned all over, don't worry if they are not 100% cooked through as they will do so in the oven. 

In a medium sized metal oven pan add enough oil until there is approximately 2mm of oil over the base of the pan, once the oven is up to temperature place the pan on a middle shelf to heat the oil. When the oil is very hot add the sausages to the pan and put it back in the oven watching the temperature until it is back up to 200 Celsius and the oil is shimmering hot. 

Then, working very quickly open the oven door and tip in the cold batter, then shut the door quickly to retain as much heat as possible. Don't worry if your batter pushes the sausages out of the way, they will move whilst cooking anyway and this is not a neat and tidy dish! 

For 20 minutes cook the dish at 200 Celsius and then turn the oven down to 180 Celsius for 25 minutes. Do not be tempted to open the oven door, you need to keep as much heat in as possible so keep that door shut! Don't worry if the toad looks a little dark around the edge, a few crispy well-done bits are all part of the character. 

After 45 minutes take a skewer and insert in to the thickest part of the toad, if it comes out clean and the batter looks like it is cooked all the way through, it can come out of the oven. However, if the skewer comes out with batter on or the toad looks a little raw in the middle, keep it in the oven for a further 10 minutes and check again (and repeat of necessary). 

Once cooked you can serve, I adore this slathered with rich onion gravy!

Onion gravy

1 white onion, 2tbsp plain flour, 1.5 pints good beef stock, splash of olive oil. 

Cut the onion in to thin slices and then gently fry in a little oil until soft and translucent. Add the flour and stir well to combine, then gradually add the stock, little by little, whisking continuously until all the flour is well combined and the lumps dissapear. Let the gravy bubble away for a couple of minutes until thickened and then it's ready to serve! 

Steamed salmon parcels

The French have a gorgeous method of gently cooking food called "en papillote" which means "in parchment". This simply means cocooning vegetables and meat or fish in parchment paper and baking in the oven so that they gently steam and cook in their own juices. It creates incredible delicate flavoured and super healthy dishes. I've been on a detox for the first 9 days of January and this has been the perfect method of cooking to ensure I maximise the vitamin value of my food!

This method at home uses tinfoil instead of parchment paper which is easier to handle and produces very similar results. 

Ingredients

2 salmon fillets, 1/2 courgette, 1/2 white onion, few button mushrooms, drizzle olive oil, squeeze fresh lemon juice, 1/2tsp smoked paprika, pinch ground black pepper. 

Lay out two squares of tinfoil. Shread the onions and finely slice the courgette and mushrooms. Stack the vegetables on the foil, drizzle with oil, lemon, paprika and pepper. Lay the salmon fillets on top and then fold the tinfoil to create a tent around the veg. 

Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius and bake the parcels for around 40 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the fish is gently steamed. 

I don't bother serving these on a plate, I eat them straight from the opened parcels with a fork, rustic style! 

Green lentils with mushrooms

This is a heartwarming dish fit for cold January evenings, it is perfect to accompany any cut of meat and would be especially delightful with a steak or a Barnsley chop, however I chose a slightly healthier option and served it with a lean Turkey steak. 

Ingredients (2 people)

1 tin of cooked green lentils in water, 1 red onion, 2 tomatoes, 10 button mushrooms, 125g baby spinach, 1 pint beef stock (or veg if you prefer), 1tsp ground coriander, 1/4tsp ground cloves, 2tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. 

Finely dice the red onion and tomatoes and gently fry in a little oil in a large pan until softened. Quarter the mushrooms and add to the pan to cook for a further 7 minutes. Add the coriander and clove powders, stock and drained lentils, bring to the boil and simmer uncovered  for 6 minutes. Next add the spinach, put a lid on and cook for a few minutes until the spinach has just wilted. Season to taste, stir very well and serve.