Rachel Allen - Rachel’s Food for Living

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed or grated

2 stalks of celery, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

225ml (8fl oz) red wine

225ml (8fl oz) lamb or chicken stock

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary or 4 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

2 strips of orange peel (removed with a peeler)

Caster sugar

FOR THE PIPERONATA

3 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, peeled and sliced

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed or grated

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 small red peppers

1 small yellow pepper

1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes or 4 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and sliced

1–2 tsp sugar

2 tbsp torn fresh basil or chopped fresh marjoram

1First prepare the lamb shanks. Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F), Gas mark 2.

2Boil the bacon in boiling water in a small saucepan for 1 minute, then rinse in cold water.

3Place an ovenproof medium–large casserole pot or heavy large saucepan on a medium heat, pour in the olive oil and put in the lamb shanks, season and allow to brown slightly on all sides. Add all the remaining ingredients, season with salt, pepper and a couple of good pinches of sugar.

4Bring up to the boil, then place in the oven and cook for 3 hours or until very tender – the meat should be almost falling off the bone.

5While the lamb is cooking, make the piperonata. Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized casserole or saucepan. Add the onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cover (see the handy tip on page 15). Allow to cook gently on a low heat until the onion is soft, about 8 minutes.

6Meanwhile, slice the peppers. Cut the peppers into quarters from top to bottom, remove the stalk and seeds, then cut into short slices crossways or cut into squares about 3cm (1¼in).

7When the onion is soft, add the peppers, toss to mix, replace the lid and cook for another 8 or so minutes until the peppers are very soft.

8Add in the tomatoes and season with salt, pepper and sugar. Cook uncovered for 15–20 minutes on a low heat until the sauce has

thickened and all the vegetables are cooked. Add the chopped herbs and season to taste.

9When the lamb is cooked, take it out of the oven. I like to remove half of the sauce and liquidise it before adding it back into the pot.

10Season to taste and serve together with the piperonata and mashed potato or bread, or allow to cool and reheat gently the following day.

To peel fresh tomatoes, cut a cross through the skin, drop them into boiling water for 10–15 seconds, then drain, cool and peel.

I sometimes add chopped chilli and fresh coriander into the piperonata instead of basil or marjoram. If I don’t have any fresh herbs to hand, I add a dollop of pesto in at the end, for that lovely basil flavour.

Sometimes there is nothing better than plain old mash, even just on its own! Of course, it’s delicious with so many foods, best of all with stews or roasts. You can leave it plain, or add buttered cabbage to make traditional Irish Colcannon, or add peas boiled in milk to make Irish Champ. Mash is incredibly versatile and marries well with so many flavours, so experiment with your additions, such as grated cheese, chopped herbs, spices (such as turmeric), crushed garlic, mustard, even horseradish! Mash also makes a great topping for pies and casseroles (see the recipe for Smoked Fish Pie on page 213).

SERVES 4

VEGETARIAN

1kg (2lb 4oz) floury potatoes (new potatoes are too waxy for mashing)

50g (2oz) butter

200ml (7fl oz) boiling milk, or 150ml (¼ pint) boiling milk and 60ml (2fl oz) single cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1Clean the potatoes, but do not peel them. Place in a saucepan of cold water with a good pinch of salt.

2Bring the water up to the boil and cook for 10 minutes. Then pour out all but about 4cm (1½in) of the water and continue to cook the potatoes on a very low heat. Do not be tempted to stick a knife into them – the skins will break and they will just break up and get soggy if you do. About 20 minutes later, when you think the potatoes might be cooked, test them with a skewer; if they are soft, take them off the heat. I find that cooking potatoes in their skins is the best way to make fluffy potatoes, ideal for mashing.

3Peel the potatoes while they are still hot, holding them in a tea towel to prevent scalding your hands. Mash them immediately. Add the butter, but don’t add any milk until they are free of lumps. When the potatoes are mashed, add the boiling milk (or milk and cream) – you may not need it all, or you may need more, depending on the texture of the potatoes. Add some salt and pepper to taste.

If you want to make the mash in advance, add a little extra milk, as the potatoes dry out as they sit. The mash keeps well in a warm oven as long as it is covered with a lid, plate or tin foil.

Savoury pies always rank very high on people’s lists of soothing foods. This is a great dish to make in advance, giving the aromatic spices even more time to infuse into the meat.

SERVES 4

FOR THE ROUX

100g (4oz) butter

100g (4oz) plain flour

FOR THE FILLING

25g (1oz) butter

2 onions, peeled and chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

680g (1½lb) pork, cut into 1–2cm (½–¾in) cubes (shoulder or leg, fat removed)

250ml (9fl oz) chicken stock

1 tbsp olive oil

300g (11oz) button mushrooms, wiped and sliced or left whole or quartered if they are small

250ml (9fl oz) single cream

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

FOR THE TOPPING

300g (11oz) puff or flaky pastry, rolled to 5mm (¼in) thick

1 egg, beaten

OR

1.25kg (2lb 12oz) mashed potato (see page 27)

1To make the roux, heat a medium-sized saucepan over a medium heat and melt the butter, then add the flour, continuing to stir. Allow it to cook for 2 minutes. Pour into a small bowl and use straight away, or allow to cool and put in the fridge. Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F), Gas mark 3.

2Melt the butter in a medium-sized casserole and add the onions and seasoning. Cover and sweat on a low heat for 5 minutes. Turn up the heat, add the ground spices and pork. Toss for a few minutes until the pork changes colour, then add the stock. Cover and cook in the oven for 45–60 minutes or until the pork is tender.

3While the pork is cooking, heat the olive oil in a pan on a high heat and toss in the mushrooms. Cook for a few minutes until they are pale golden and then add to the pork after 30 minutes.

4When the pork is cooked, remove the pork and mushrooms from their cooking liquid and set aside in a dish in a warm place. Add the cream to the juices in the pot and boil with the lid off for a few minutes until the flavour strengthens. To thicken the sauce, slowly whisk in about 2 tablespoons of roux while the mixture is boiling. Add the chopped parsley and return the pork and mushrooms. Season to taste and place in individual dishes or a large pie dish.