Sundays are my favourite day of the week at the moment!!!
For the last 6 weeks we have had an open house, and I think at its peak we have had 16 people sat around our table tucking into a roast. I love making food for people, I enjoy the process of shopping, preparing, serving up and then watching everyone enjoy it. When we have so many people round we tend to make lots of different dishes, put them in the middle of the table and then let everybody help themselves.
I want to share some of my recipes for my perfect Sunday Lunch…
THE ROAST
Lamb is my meat of choice and I love to cook it very slowly so that the meat just falls off the bone.
1.5kg Lamb Shoulder
6 Cloves of garlic
2 Branches of rosemary
2tbs good olive oil
Salt
Pepper
4 carrots
1 large or 2 small onions
Take the lamb out of the fridge an hour before you want to begin cooking. In a pestle and mortar grind up the garlic cloves, rosemary and olive oil until a rough paste. Using a sharp knife make lots of stab holes all over the lamb shoulder. Take the paste that you have just prepared and rub all over the joint making sure to get in to all the holes.
Put the carrots whole into the bottom of a roasting tray and pour in a cup of water and then lay the lamb on top. Cover with two layers of foil, make sure its sealed so that water can steam cook the meat. Cook at 160 degrees for 3.5 hours. For the last hour remove the foil to crisp the skin. Allow to rest before serving. The meat should just fall off the bone.
ROASTIES
1 kg white potatoes (Maris Piper are always good) cut into quarters
olive oil
handful of polenta
salt and pepper
Par boil in salted water (approx 10 minutes) the quartered potatoes. Drain, and then allow to steam dry. Don’t rush this bit, its the key to the perfect roastie. Once dry give them a little shake in the pan to rough up the edges then place the potatoes on a baking tray, liberally cover with olive oil, salt and pepper. Then sprinkle the polenta over the potatos and put in pre heated oven at 200 degrees. Cook for 1hr 15 min, turning them occasionally until all sides are crispy.
ROASTED AUBERGINE AND COURGETTE
3 courgettes
2 aubergines
1 red onion
2 tsp of oregano
3 tbsp of truffle oil
salt and pepper
Chop the aubergine and courgettes into 1” square pieces and place on a baking tray. Quarter the onion, pull the layers apart and place on the veggies. Liberally pour on the truffle oil and turn all the veg with your hands making sure they are coated then sprinkle with oregano. Put them in the oven for 45 mins or until soft.
CAULIFLOWER CHEESE
1 large cauliflower
500ml milk
4 tbsp flour
50g butter
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp mustard powder
100g strong red leicester
3 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
Preheat oven 200 degrees. Remove all the leaves of the cauliflower and break into small pieces, put into a ovenproof baking dish. Melt the butter in a pan, once melted add the flour and give a stir till it becomes a paste then add the milk, whisking the whole time until the sauce thickens. Add the mustard powder and nutmeg and stir. Finally add the red leicester. Once the cheese has melted in the sauce pour over the cauliflower. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on the top and place in oven for 45 mins. I put my aubergine, courgette and cauliflower cheese in all at the same time
YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS AND GRAVY
I know I’m from Yorkshire and I make a half decent pudding but Aunt Bessie’s are still my favourites, and I bloody love Bisto
Buy Aunt Bessies and Bisto….
Follow the instructions on the back of the packet!