Freeze and reheat

Batch-cook these dishes when you have time, then stash in the freezer for busier days

recipes SAMUEL GOLDSMITH

Chicken, sweet potato & peanut stew

photographs HANNAH TAYLOR-EDDINGTON

SERVES 4-6

PREP 30 mins

COOK 45 mins

EASY ❄

1 tbsp vegetable oil

8 chicken thighs

2 red onions, finely chopped

thumb-sized piece of ginger,

finely grated

2 large garlic cloves, finely grated

2 tsp cumin

500g sweet potatoes,

roughly chopped

120g peanut butter

500ml chicken stock

400g can chopped tomatoes

200g frozen peppers

handful of chopped coriander and

chopped peanuts, to serve

1 Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat and brown the chicken thighs all over, about 5 mins. Remove the chicken from the pan, leaving behind the oil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, then add the onions and fry for 10-12 mins until softened but not golden. Stir in the ginger and garlic, and cook for a minute before stirring in the cumin. Cook for another minute.

2 Tip in the sweet potatoes, stir to coat, then fry for a few minutes until starting to soften. Stir in the peanut butter and pour in the chicken stock and chopped tomatoes. Swill out the can with a splash of water and pour that in, too. Mix in the frozen peppers, then cook, uncovered, for 25-35 mins until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Stir regularly to stop the sauce from catching. Scatter over the coriander and peanuts. Can be frozen for up to three months and reheated from frozen, or defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating. Ensure it is piping hot throughout before serving.

GOOD TO KNOW

fibre

• vit c

• 2 of 5-a-day

PER SERVING

(6) 518 kcals

• fat 24g

• saturates 6g

• carbs 27g

• sugars 12g

• fibre 6g

• protein 44g

• salt 0.89g

Aubergine parmigiana lasagne

SERVES 6

PREP 30 mins plus cooling

COOK 1 hr

EASY V ❄

3 large aubergines, trimmed and

thinly sliced lengthways

4 tbsp olive oil

250g vegetarian mozzarella,

drained and coarsely grated

50g Italian-style hard cheese, grated

bunch of basil, leaves picked

and roughly chopped, plus

extra to serve

8 dried egg lasagne sheets

For the sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

6 garlic cloves, finely sliced

¼ tsp golden caster sugar

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

3 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

1 For the sauce, heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and fry the garlic for 1 min until golden. Add the sugar and vinegar, simmer for 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes. Season with salt and return to a simmer. Bubble for 10 mins, then remove from the heat and set aside. Can be prepared up to two days ahead and kept chilled.

2 Heat a griddle or large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Brush the aubergine slices on both sides with the olive oil and season with a little salt, then griddle in batches until the slices are softened and slightly charred (ensure the heat isn’t too high or the aubergine will char before it softens). Transfer the cooked slices to a plate as you go.

3 To assemble, lay a third of the aubergine slices over the base of a rectangular or square gratin dish, then pour over a third of the sauce. Scatter over a small handful of both cheeses (you’ll want to keep most of the cheese for the top) and half the basil, then top with half the lasagne sheets. Repeat once more, then finish with a final layer of aubergines topped with the rest of the sauce. Scatter over the remaining cheese. After leaving to cool completely, the dish can be covered and chilled for up two days or frozen for up to three months. Defrost fully before cooking.

4 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Put the dish on a baking tray and bake for 30 mins until the cheese is golden and the sauce is bubbling at the edges. Leave to cool for at least 10 mins, then scatter with the reserved basil and serve. The cooked lasagne will keep frozen for up to three months, covered with foil. Defrost thoroughly, uncover and bake as stated above. Or, to cook from frozen, bake at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for 40 mins. Remove the foil, turn the oven up to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and bake for a further 30 mins.

GOOD TO KNOW

fibre

• vit c

• calcium

• 2of 5-a-day

PER SERVING

466 kcals

• fat 23g

• saturates 9g

• carbs 41g

• sugars 12g

• fibre 7g

• protein 20g

• salt 0.6g

Sausage & egg muffins

SERVES 12

PREP 30 mins

COOK 30 mins

EASY ❄

500g beef mince

500g pork mince

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp mixed dried herbs

12 eggs

1 tsp vegetable oil

ketchup (optional)

12 English muffins, toasted

12 slices burger cheese

1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Combine the beef and pork mince, garlic powder, dried herbs and 1 tsp each salt and black pepper in a large bowl, then form into 12 evenly sized balls. Set aside.

2 Beat the eggs in large jug with ½ tsp each salt and black pepper. Pour into a baking tray lined with baking parchment (about 30 x 20cm) and bake for 15-20 mins until the egg is cooked through.

3 While the egg is cooking, heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the sausage patties – put three or four of the meatballs in the frying pan and press down using a potato masher or large spoon to flatten. After 2-3mins, flip over and repeat, frying until they’re cooked through, about 6 mins in total.

4 Assemble by squirting ketchup (if using) on the bases of the muffins, then top with the cheese, egg, sausage patties and more ketchup, if you like. Pop the tops on the muffins. Wrap well in baking parchment and freeze in an airtight container for up to one month. To reheat, defrost in the fridge overnight, remove the baking parchment and microwave on high for 30 seconds, then turn and microwave for a further 30 seconds, check the internal temperature then repeat in 10-20 second blasts until cooked. Alternatively, reheat in the oven at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for about 10 mins.

PER SERVING

437 kcals

• fat 22g

• saturates 9g

• carbs 26g

• sugars 3g

• fibre 2g

• protein 33g

• salt 2.11g