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Venison, Mushroom and Bacon Pies are the perfect comfort food. Slow-cooked, fork-tender venison and earthy mushrooms in rich gravy with smoked bacon, baked in crisp golden pastry. Delicious served with mashed potato or chips, plus veg and extra gravy reserved from the filling. Don’t have …Read more
Chicken and Bacon Crispy Pancakes are a tasty homemade version of a retro classic. Folded pancakes filled with diced chicken and bacon in a creamy sauce, sealed in a crumb coating, fried until crispy. Adults and kids will love this teatime treat, especially on Pancake …Read more
Leek, Potato & Ham Soup takes a classic and adds extra protein and flavour with cooked ham. This lighter but still wonderfully tasty version finished with chives is made with equal parts milk and stock, the usual cream being entirely optional. Don’t like ham? Use …Read more
Bean and Pulse Soups can be tasty, nutritious and economical. Whether you’re looking for a hearty bowlful like minestrone, a simple delicate lentil soup, or something special like creamy bean and pancetta, you’ll find lots to tempt you in this round-up of my favourite bean …Read more
Sausage, Potato, Bean and Kale Soup is hearty and warming, a complete simple meal in a bowl. Protein, carbs and veggies are cooked in a soothing, garlicky broth that tastes lightly creamy thanks to a combination of chicken stock and milk. Unusually, the recipe …Read more
Sausage Star Bread with Onions and Cheese looks impressive, tastes wonderful, but is surprisingly easy to make. Perfect for entertaining, especially at Christmas, this tear and share treat is inspired by Italian stuffed sausage breads flavoured with fennel seeds, garlic and herbs. Finished with a …Read more
Beef and Vegetable Soup is one of those dishes you’ll want to make again and again. Warming, hearty and satisfying, it’s packed with chunks of tender meat, potatoes, plus loads of vegetables bathed in a delicious broth. With deep, rich and savoury flavour, you’ll be …Read more
Sweetcorn and Bacon Chowder is my lighter take on a classic, made with milk and stock instead of lots of cream. The golden coloured, thick soup is still full of flavour from corn and smoky bacon plus the freshness of chives. Tender cubes of potato …Read more
Chicken with Olives, Lemon and Chickpeas is a twist on a classic Moroccan tagine. Browned chicken pieces slowly braised in a tangy spiced sauce with olives and preserved (or fresh) lemon plus chickpeas makes a satisfying, delicious stew. Serve with bread or rice and salad …Read more
Corned Beef Rissoles are simple, economical comfort food: a soft filling of canned corned beef mixed with cooked potatoes and onions with a crispy golden breadcrumb coating. Great for a weekend breakfast or brunch with eggs or try them as a homely dinner with baked …Read more
Christmas Sausage Pies are individual cold pies of crisp shortcrust pastry filled with delicious herby sausage meat, onions, and chestnuts. Cooked in a 12-hole deep muffin/bun tin, these easy pies are perfect for your Christmas parties and buffets. Also brilliant all year round as a …Read more
Deep into autumn now, I’m regularly craving rich, meaty stews and braises for dinner. As the evenings get chillier, tasty, tender meat served with the delicious sauce it was cooked in is exactly the type of hearty food I’m after. In this post I share …Read more
Sausage Plate Pie is easy, economical, and so tasty! With sausage meat and softened onions flavoured with a few dried seasonings baked in a simple shortcrust pastry, this homely pie makes a comforting, filling meal. Great served with mashed potatoes, vegetables and gravy, or chips …Read more
Ham, Olive & Cheese Quick Bread is inspired by French cake salé or savoury cake. Easy but delicious, it’s made with self-raising flour and eggs so there’s no kneading and no proofing. Just mix up the ingredients and bake. With a moist and soft, cake-like texture, …Read more
Quick Dumpling Soup, based on frozen gyoza and inspired by East and Southeast Asian flavours, can be made in fifteen to twenty minutes. With store cupboard ingredients like soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chilli oil, a handful of aromatics (garlic, ginger, spring onion) plus your …Read more
Egg and Ham Pies are perfect as a snack, part of a salad meal, or for your lunch boxes, picnics, parties and buffets. Individual cold pies of crisp shortcrust pastry are filled with ham (you could swap in cooked bacon), sweetish onion, and fresh parsley, all …Read more
Chickpea, Chorizo & Kale Soup, simple but hearty and delicious, is inspired by the cocidos and caldos of central and northern Spain. Smoked paprika intensifies the chorizo flavour of a garlicky broth that’s subtly spiced with cumin and chilli. Add in chickpeas, potatoes, kale, or …Read more
Ham & Cheese Puff Pastries are warm pockets of flaky, buttery pastry, filled with a deliciously savoury filling of cooked ham and cheese flavoured with mustard, a little onion, plus fresh herbs. I love larger ones as a main meal with salad or veggies. But they’re …Read more
Minestrone Soup is a tasty and hearty one pot meal. Packed with vegetables and beans plus pasta, you can adapt the ingredients according to the seasons and whatever you have in your fridge and cupboards. This winter version includes carrots, potatoes, kale (you can swap …Read more
Sausage, Sage & Onion Cheese Scones just might be the ultimate savoury scone. Inspired by the flavours of sausage stuffing, there’s temptingly browned sausage meat, softly sauteed red onion plus a subtle herbiness. Put those in a classic cheese scone with a generous amount of …Read more
Venison Sausage Casserole is a rich and comforting, hearty dish that’s full of flavour. Meaty sausages and whole mushrooms are cooked with bacon, vegetables, garlic, chestnuts, red wine, beef stock, and sage. The result is a special but easy and delicious stew that’s perfect for …Read more
Lentil & Bacon Soup is a nutritious, simple yet tasty soup that’s perfect for chilly days. Made with quick cooking split red lentils, plus smoked bacon and vegetables, everyday ingredients are transformed into something hearty, comforting and delicious. Disclosure: this post may contain affiliate links. …Read more
Corned Beef & Potato Pasties are a British favourite. Simple, budget-friendly but oh so tasty. Crisp shortcrust pastry filled with tinned corned beef mashed with cooked potatoes and onions makes for perfect comfort food served with gravy and veg. Growing up in the 1970s …Read more
Pork Braised in Cider with Apples is a delicious, rich, comforting dish that’s perfect for the cooler months. Pork rib eye steaks (or you can substitute pig cheeks) become beautifully tender cooked in cider and chicken stock. Along with onions, garlic and sage, apples add …Read more
Potted Chicken is an easy and delicious way to use up leftover roast chicken. In this recipe I’ve flavoured the chicken with some classic partners. Fresh tarragon, garlic, and lemon zest. But you can swap in your own favourites like chives, thyme, or parsley. Simply …Read more