Ed's Mother's Meatloaf (Nigella Lawson)

It's just beginning to to get cool round these parts, the trees are gradually changing colour and at last I can get stuck into proper comfort food....my absolute favourite food!

I, for one am very glad to be back into the swing of things - we had the most wonderful summer here - but I just love the Autumn and especially September. It's the cool crisp air and the beautiful autumnal colours that bring a smile to my face.

Regular readers might have noticed that I took some time out from blogging this summer, it allowed me to spend time with my family.

We had a wonderful summer of day trips and just lazing around the house, but now my batteries are fully charged and I am ready to get back to blogging again.

Minced Lamb Hot Pot

This is a lovely recipe for chilly days and what's not to like tender lamb and crispy potato topping. I think that you could interchange this with a cobbler topping too if you perfer, either way it will warm you through and through and if you need to it freezes well too!

Recipe complements of SuperValu with Kevin Dundon

Serves 4

Ingredients
555g Minced lamb
1/2 Onion 2
1 Carrots
1 Celery stick
1/2 Leek
4 large Potatoes
1 Clove garlic
25g Butter melted
1 tbsp Plain Flour
350ml Lamb or Beef Stock
1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce optional
Salt and Pepper

Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5. Begin by finely dicing the onion, celery, leek, garlic and carrot. Heat a large saucepan with a little oil and add in the diced vegetables and sauté on a low heat for 4-5 minutes until they are beginning to soften.

Next add in the minced lamb and cook this for 4-5 minutes until the lamb is browned off. Season lightly at this stage. Next add in the plain flour and use this to dry up any juices that are on the pan. In a separate pan bring the stock to a gentle boil. Stir the boiled stock into the floured lamb mixture and stir continuously until the mixture thickens, ensuring that no lumps form during the process. Continue to cook for 3-4 minutes and check the seasoning. Add the Worcestershire sauce at this stage if using.

Transfer the lamb and vegetable mixture to a medium sized casserole dish at this stage.

Peel and thinly slice the potatoes and arrange these on top of the beef and vegetable mixture with each potato slice slightly overlapping the previous one.

Brush the entire top of the Hotpot with the melted butter, which will give a nice shine and glaze to the potatoes. Transfer the hot pot to the oven for approximately 30-35 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the entire mixture is bubbling.

Serve immediately.

Greedy Meatballs and Pasta

I love this recipe because I don't like the uncertainty of frying meatballs so finishing cooking them in the oven helps enormously. The cooked meatballs can be frozen for another day and I think the sauce is worthy of Spaghetti Bolognese. I also have to add I used Aldi Sweet Harvest Chunky Chopped Tomatoes with Herbs, very tasty stuff!

Serves 4

Ingredients
450g Minced Beef
½ Medium sized onion
1 Clove of garlic
5 tbsp Breadcrumbs
1 Medium Egg
2 tsp Tomato Puree
1 tsp Dried Mixed Herbs

Sauce
400g Chopped Tomatoes
½ medium onion, chopped
4-5 Closed Cup Mushrooms - sliced thinly
2 cloves Garlic - crushed
1 tsp Mixed Herbs
75ml Fresh Cream (Optional)
100ml Beef Stock
1 tbsp Brown Sugar
Seasoning

400g Dry Pasta,


Method
Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, set aside. Pre-heat the oven to: 180˚C/350˚F/Gas Mark 4. Make the meatballs as follows, place the meat in a large bowl with the onions and garlic and add the breadcrumbs, tomato puree and dried herbs.

Add in the egg to bind the ingredients together. Mix the ingredients well using either a wooden spoon or your hands. Using wet hands shape the meat into meatballs.

Brown the meatballs in a large deep sauté pan for 3 to 4 minutes and then transfer to the pre-heated oven for 15 to 20 minutes to ensure that they are thoroughly cooked.

To make the sauce.
Fry the onion, mushroom and garlic until nice and soft (approximately 3 to 5 minutes). Add in the mixed herbs, chopped tomatoes, beef stock and brown sugar.

Allow the mixture to reduce for about 10 minutes. If using the cream add to the sauce now to enrich it.

Adjust the seasoning and add the meatballs to the sauce and warm for 6-7 minutes.

Serve the pasta and spoon over the meatballs pasta sauce.



Quorn Meatballs

Makes 16

Ingredients
500g Quorn mince, defrosted
35g Onion sauce packet (I used Knorr)
3 Eggs
1 Clove garlic, crushed
5 tbsp Breadcrumbs
1 tbsp Dried herbs
2 tsp Tomato puree

Method
Preheat the oven to180˚C/350˚F/Gas Mark 4 and line a large baking tray with baking paper. Place all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl, mix together. Using wet hands, make 16 balls and lay them on a lined baking tray. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Nigella's Quick Chilli

This is my all time favourite meal, especially when I need to be comforted and warmed. The majority of the ingredients are very easily stored in your cupboard until you are in need of a feast.