Nettle Soup

This really is a delicious soup. It is obviously very inexpensive and was always prepared as a spring tonic. Nettles are high in vitamin C and iron.

Method

• Use gloves to gather young nettles.
• Wash the nettles and blanch with boiling water.
• Wash the spinach and add to the nettles.
• Pour the hot stock over the nettles and spinach in a saucepan.
• Season and simmer for three quarters of an hour, adding more stock if needed.
• Leave soup to cool and blend in blender.
• Mix the flour to a smooth paste with some cold milk.
• Add this to the soup and bring back to the boil, stirring all the time.
• Chop the sausages into small rounds and add to the soup.
• Swirl in the sour cream just before serving.

Cottage Pie

Dice the onion, carrot and celery. In a heavy based frying pan over high heat, stir-fry them until soft (about 4min). Add the meat and garlic, stir for a further 4min until brown. Pour in the wine and let it reduce almost completely. Add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree, the herbs tied with a string (bouquet garni), the stock and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the thickened. Season well with salt and pepper.

Boil the potatoes, skin on, until you can easily stick a knife through them. Strain, peel and mash with butter. Stir in the egg yolks and season with salt and pepper.

Pull out the tied herbs and spoon the meat into the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Layer the mash all over it and form peaks with a fork. Sprinkle it with the parmesan cheese and bake in a 180C/350F oven for about 20min, until golden.

Lasagna Bolognese

Bolognese sauce: cut pork and beef into cubes and the pancetta into thin strands. Chop the carrots, celery and onion. In a pan, brown the meat in olive oil. Do it in batches so as not to overload the pan. Drain the excess fat and set aside. In the same pan, add the chopped vegetables until soft. Add the thyme, rosemary and wine. Let wine reduce to a quarter, then return the meat, tomatoes and enough water to cover the meat. Cook over a very low heat or inside the oven at 150C, lid on, for around 2h30min. The sauce is ready when it’s thick and the meat is falling apart. Béchamel sauce: mix the soft butter and flour to form a paste and chill. Heat the milk in a saucepan and add the butter+flour. Stir until melted, boil until thickened and season. Cook the lasagna sheets according to the manufacturer’s instructions and assemble:in a greased ovenproof dish, line at least 3 layers of noodles, bolognese sauce, béchamel and sprinkle each with parmesan. Bake until golden in a 200C/375F oven.

Goat Curry

Chop the onions and garlic. Seed and finely slice the chilli. Quarter, seed and chop the tomatoes. Slice the coriander, roots, stems and leaves. Roast the whole spices on a hot dry frying pan for 2 minutes, then mix them in a food processor or grinder. Cut the goat meat into big cubes, rub it with all the other ingredients, except the oil, and marinate it for at least 6 hours. Remove the meat and knock off the bits of the marinade. In a heavy-based frying pan, brown it in very hot oil. Do it in batches, to avoid overfilling the pan. Transfer to a large saucepan. In the same frying pan, stir-fry the rest of the marinade until the onions are soft. Deglaze it with a bit of water and pour everything into the saucepan. Cover with water, season lightly with salt and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat, skim, and simmer for 2h, until the meat is tender. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and sprinkle with the more coriander leaves before serving. Garnish with steamed rice and fried plantain.

Malay Lamb Curry

Chop the onions and garlic. Seed and finely slice the chilli. Quarter, seed and chop the tomatoes. Cut the lamb meat into large cubes. Brown in very hot oil in a heavy-based frying pan, Do this in batches, so as not to overfill the pan. Transfer to a tray. Add the onion to the pan and stir until soft. Add the ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, curry powder and chilli. Reduce the heat and cook for 1 min. Return the lamb meat and mix well. Stir in the tomatoes and the stock. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1h30-2h. Before the meat gets too tender, add the potatoes, peeled and chopped in large chunks. Cook until they are tender and the sauce is thickened. Season with salt, pepper and sprinkle with the coriander leaves before serving, garnish with steamed rice.

Shepherd’s Pie

Dice the onion, carrot and celery. In a heavy based frying pan over high heat, stir fry them until soft, for about 4min. Add the meat and garlic, stir for 4 more min until brown. Pour the wine and let it reduce almost completely. Add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree, the herbs tied with a string, the stock and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the thickened. Season well with salt and pepper.;Boil the potatoes, skin on, until you can easily stick a knife through it. Strain, peel and mash it with butter. Stir in the egg yolks and season with salt and pepper.;Pull out the tied herbs and spoon the meat into the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Layer the mash all over it and form peaks with a fork. Sprinkle it with the parmesan cheese and bake in a 180C/350F oven for about 20min, until golden.

Irish Stew

Cut the carrots lengthwise and then slice to around 2,5 cm thick. Tie the bouquet garni herbs with a string. Cut the lamb in large chunks, do not discard the bones. Season with salt and pepper. In a heavy ovenproof pan melt the butter and brown the meat. Remove the lamb and add the chopped onions. Sweat them until translucent. Add the carrots and pearl barley. Return the lamb to the pan and add the bones and the bouquet garni. Cover with water, place the lid on the pan and transfer it to the oven at 170C for 2hs. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, add the potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces. Cover with lid again and cook in the oven for a further 30 min, until the potatoes are soft and the meat is falling apart. Remove the bouquet garni and shank bones and sprinkle some chopped parsley before serving.