As the middle-of-the-term mark approaches, home suddenly starts to feel much further away than before. These four meals are perfect for when the winter cold starts to kick in and you are in real need of some familiar home comforts, without the effort.
Coq au Vin
Serves 2 generously
Ingredients:
4 Large Chicken Thighs (preferably with bones and skin)
10 Small Shallots, peeled and sliced in half
3 Rashers of Streaky Bacon, sliced or 75g Pancetta
2 Large Carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
5 Cloves of Garlic, chopped
325ml Red Wine
1 Chicken or Beef Stock cube
Handful of Mushrooms, sliced
Large knob of Butter
1 TSP Sugar
Sprig of Rosemary
Method:
1. Take a deep saucepan and melt the knob of butter. Add the chicken skin side down, and fry until it is crispy and golden brown. Then flip the chicken over and do the same on the other side.
2. Next, add the bacon and the shallots and fry until the bacon is cooked.
3. Pour the red wine and 100ml of water on top of the chicken, and keep on a medium heat.
4. Now add the garlic, stock cube, rosemary, carrots and sugar. Place a lid on top and leave the chicken to cook on a low heat for at least an hour – the longer you leave it to cook, the better. You can even leave it overnight to develop more flavour.
5. 10 minutes before the stew is ready to serve, add the mushrooms and season to taste.
Her Campus recommends that you serve this with mash and green beans or broccoli!
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Carbonara
Serves 2
Ingredients:
4 Rashers of Bacon (or about 100g Pancetta), sliced
1 Egg
1 Egg Yolk
50ml Double Cream
80g Parmesan, grated finely
2 Cloves of Garlic, crushed
1 Small Courgette, chopped
150g-180g Spaghetti (depending on how hungry you are!)
Method:
1. Put the spaghetti on to cook in a pan of boiling water with a pinch of salt.
2. While this is cooking, whisk the eggs, cream and parmesan in a bowl and put to the side.
3. Next, heat up a frying pan and cook the bacon until it starts to crisp up. Add the courgettes and continue cooking, just as they begin to brown, add the garlic and cook for another minute.
4. Drain the pasta and add to the frying pan with the bacon. Take the pan off the heat and pour in the egg mixture, stirring it in quickly. Season with lots of black pepper to taste and serve!
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Toad in the Hole
Serves 2
Ingredients:
70g Plain Flour
1 tbsp Oil
1/2 TSP Salt
1 Egg
80ml Milk
6 Sausages
Sprig of Rosemary or Thyme
Method:
1. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan and put the Sausages into a roasting tin with the oil. Cook them for between 10-15 minutes.
2. While the Sausages are cooking, take a large bowl to make the Yorkshire pudding batter. Sieve the flour and salt into the bowl and make a well in the middle. Crack the eggs and some of the milk into the well and whisk. Slowly add all of the milk, whisking continuously until there are no lumps. This may take a while – the more you whisk the better!
3. When the sausages are done, take the tray out of the oven. If the fat in the tin isn’t boiling hot and spitting then place the tin on top of a hob and heat it until is – be careful when doing this though! This is because if the tin isn’t hot enough, the Yorkshire pudding won’t rise properly.
4. Pour the batter over the sausages in the tin and put back in the oven for around half an hour, until it is golden on top and has risen.
Her Campus recommends serving this with mash and carrots and green vegetables!
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Shepherd’s Pie
Serves 4
Ingredients:
450g Beef Mince
1 Large Onion, chopped finely
2 Large Carrots, chopped finely
400ml Beef Stock
1kg Potatoes, peeled and cut up
90g Butter
Splash of Milk
Sprig of Rosemary or Thyme
Method:
1. Place a large saucepan on a medium heat and fry the onions. Once the onions have begun to soften, add the beef, breaking it up as you go, and fry until it begins to brown.
2. Add the stock, carrots and herbs and simmer for at least an hour, to allow the beef to soften.
3. When the beef is cooked, season it to taste and then pre heat the oven to 180C/170C fan.
4. While the oven heats up, boil the potatoes until they are soft and then mash with the butter and milk. Don’t forget to season the mash as well.
5. Pour all of the beef into an oven dish and then place the mash on top. It is best to smooth the mash over the top using a fork, not a spoon.
6. Bake the pie for around half an hour until it is crisp and golden.
Her Campus recommends serving this with peas and broccoli!
Photo Credits: www.pinterest.com