Author: Sophie

Cashew chicken

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Takeaway staple, and deeply delicious savoury weeknight dinner. Customise however you like (change up the veg, protein, accompanying carb). And, if you have an air fryer, experience the small joy of being able to produce perfectly toasted cashew nuts in just 3 mins. Feeds 2

  • ½ tbsp cornflour
  • 1½ tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp shaoxing rice wine
  • 1½ tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • White pepper
  • 300g chicken thighs, sliced into thin slices
  • 1 tbsp veg oil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 3 spring onions, cut into 1″ lengths
  • Baby corn, sliced in half lengthways
  • 3 tbsp water
  • Handful of cashews, toasted
  1. Mix cornflour and soy sauce until there’s no lumps. Then mix in the shaoxing, oyster sauce, sesame oil and a good pinch of white pepper
  2. Put the sliced chicken into a bowl and mix in 2 tbsp of the sauce mixture. Mix to coat and set aside for 10 mins
  3. Heat veg oil over high heat in a wok, add the garlic and spring onion, and stir fry for 1 min
  4. Add chicken and cook for around 4 mins. Add baby corn and cook for an additional minute
  5. Add sauce and water, then turn the heat down. Bring to simmer and cook, stirring, for 1 min or until sauce thickens and the chicken is cooked through
  6. Stir through the toasted cashews, remove from the heat and serve immediately with noodles and maybe some steamed pak choi

Pork, squash and crispy rice salad

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The very thing for when you’re feeling autumnal and cosy, but not like eating stew. This is fragrant, herby, crunchy and soft – and comfortingly easy to eat with a spoon

  • 160g basmati rice
  • ½ butternut squash, deseeded and cut into.chunky pieces
  • Veg oil
  • Salt
  • 300g pork mince (10% fat)
  • 2 banana shallots, peeled and cut into thin rings
  • 1 red chilli, minced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 stick lemongrass, trimmed and minced
  • Handful mint leaves, roughly chopped
  • Handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped
  • 1 red chilli, minced
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tsp soft light brown sugar
  1. Cook the rice (however you like – or 320ml boiling water, add a pinch of salt and the rice, stick the lid on and simmer for 10 mins, then leave to stand with the lid on for a further 5 mins) and then leave to one side to cool
  2. In the meantime, heat oven to 190C fan (210C). Toss the squash with 1 tbsp veg oil and a pinch of salt, then tumble onto a baking tray in a single layer. Bake for 40 mins until tender and lightly browned around the edges. Remove to a large bowl
  3. Make the dressing by combining the red chilli, sesame oil, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. Mix and check seasoning.
  4. Add 2 tbsp veg oil to a large frying pan over medium heat. Put the cooked rice into the pan, and press down with a spatula. Fry for 5-7 mins, until golden and crispy, then flip over. Fry for the same time on the other side, breaking it up into chunks with your spatula as it cooks. Tip it into the bowl with the squash
  5. Put the pork mince in a bowl with the garlic, chilli, lemongrass, shallots and ½ tsp salt. Mix well to combine
  6. Heat the same frying pan again on high with 1 tbsp veg oil then add the pork mince, pressed down in a sort of thick pork pancake. Fry for about 5 mins, until it is golden and then flip pieces over, breaking it up into chunks with a spatula as it browns.
  7. Once cooked through, add the pork to the squash and rice, plus the coriander and mint. Pour over the dressing and toss through. Serve immediately

Spiced pumpkin or squash loaf cake

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Think banana bread but autumnal and spicy. And the only excuse you need to eat cake for breakfast.

  • 110g salted butter
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 50g soft light brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 350g cooked and mashed pumpkin or butternut squash (or other squash)
  • 110g plain flour
  • 110g buckwheat flour
  • 2½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground allspice
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 100g pecans, roughly chopped
  1. Preheat the oven to 160C fan (180C) and line a loaf tin
  2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, then let it foam and cook for ~5 mins, stirring occasionally until flecks of brown form at the bottom of the pan
  3. Transfer the brown butter to a big bowl and whisk to cool it
  4. Whisk the sugars into the brown butter, then add the vanilla.
  5. Crack in the eggs one at a time, whisking between each one
  6. Beat until smooth, then add the squashed squash and combine
  7. Add the flours, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, salt and pecans. Stir gently to combine into a thick batter.
  8. Scrape into the lined loaf tin and bake 1 hour (+ 5-10 mins as needed) until skewer comes out clean
  9. Leave to cool for 10 mins in the tin before removing onto a wire rack
  10. Leave to cool completely before slicing. Freeze slices and pop into the toaster to revive, spread with butter

Slow-cooked leg of lamb

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Sunday lunch staple. And so much more reliable and straightforward than trying to get the perfect pink cuisson

  • 2.2kg lamb leg
  • 2 cloves garlic, quartered lengthways
  • 8 small sprigs rosemary
  • 1 whole head garlic, cut in half horizontally
  • 2 onions, peeled and cut into 4 thick slices horizontally
  • 600ml chicken stock
  • 300ml white wine
  • Salt and pepper
  • Veg oil
  • 2 heaped tsp cornflour
  1. Preheat oven to 220C fan (240C)
  2. Put the onion slices and the halved head of garlic in a single layer in a deep roasting tin and rest the lamb leg on top of them
  3. Poke 8 holes in the lamb with a sharp knife and tuck a quarter garlic clove and a sprig of rosemary into each hole
  4. Drizzle lamb with veg oil and season well
  5. Bake for 20 mins in the hot oven then turn it down to 150C fan (170C), add the stock and wine to the tin, and cover tightly with foil
  6. Cook for 4 hours
  7. Uncover, and return to the oven for a final 20 mins
  8. Put the lamb and onions into the serving dish and cover with foil while you make the gravy
  9. Pour the liquid into a saucepan and squeeze in the garlic cloves (discarding the skin). Whisk to break up the garlic
  10. In a small cup mix the cornflour with 2 tsp water until smooth
  11. Bring the gravy to the boil and add the cornflour mixture, whisking until thickened
  12. Serve the lamb immediately with lashings of gravy and mint sauce. Plus the obligatory potatoes

Pistachio macaroons

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Palest green, deep pink and dusty white. These feel special enough to serve with fancy ice cream as a dessert, but still easy enough to scoff alongside an 11am cup of tea.

  • 200g shelled (unsalted) pistachios
  • 110g caster sugar
  • 70g rolled oats
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 20 glace cherries
  • Icing sugar
  1. Heat the oven to 180C fan (200C) and line a baking tray
  2. Put the pistachios and oats in a food processor and pulse to a fine mealy texture
  3. Put in a bowl with the sugar, baking powder and salt, then add 35ml water and mix until it comes together into a soft dough
  4. Rest the sticky ball in the bowl for 10 mins to firm up and put some icing sugar in a lipped tray or a wide bowl
  5. Divide into 20 pieces and roll into balls. Flatten slightly in your hands and re-form the ball around a cherry. Work the dough so no cherry shows. This is easier if you hands are slightly wet
  6. Pop the balls into the icing sugar as you make them, then roll them through the sugar until completely coated
  7. Place on the lined baking tray and bake for 8-10 mins, until they start to crack and turn golden around the edges
  8. Cool on a wire rack and serve or store

Korean noodle salad

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Excellent quick lunch, when you want something spicy, crunchy and noodly.

  • 1 tsp tahini
  • 2 tbsp gochujang
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp caster sugar
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 250g soba noodles
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • ½ cucumber, cut into matchsticks
  • 1 carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
  • 6 leaves red cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 60g kimchi, chopped
  • Handful toasted cashews
  • Toasted sesame seeds, to serve
  1. Mix the first 6 ingredients to create the sauce (tahini, gochujang, soy sauce, rice vinegar, caster sugar, sesame oil)
  2. Cook the noodles, cool and toss with sesame oil
  3. Add all other ingredients and mix together well

Top with a soft boiled egg if you fancy it or just tuck in as is. Hugely flexible to use whatever you’ve got in the fridge

Sugar and spice candied pecans

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This is All Things Nice. The ultimate more-ish munch

  • 70g dark brown sugar
  • 130g white sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp hot smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 500g pecans
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tbsp water
  1. Pre-heat oven to 150C fan (170C)
  2. Mix sugars, salt, smoked paprika, chilli, cinnamon
  3. Beat egg white and water until frothy
  4. Add nuts and stir to coat
  5. Sprinkle over sugar mixture and stir again
  6. Spread onto lined baking tray in single layer
  7. Bake for 30 mins, stirring occasionally
  8. Remove from oven and separate nuts as they cool
  9. Store in a big jar

Sweet potato and chimichurri steak rice bowl

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Another week-night supper construction job – it can be done in 30 mins start to finish, so excellent if you’re hungry! Feeds 2

  • 1 large sweet potato, cut into 2cm cubes
  • Fajita seasoning (paprika, smoked paprika, oregano, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, garlic powder, onion powder)
  • 6 padron peppers
  • 2 tbsp + 1 tsp veg oil
  • 120g white rice
  • 400g rump steak (around 2-3cm thick)
  • Ground black pepper
  • 14 cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
  • Chimichurri
  1. Toss the sweet potato pieces with 2 tbsp veg oil, 1 tbsp fajaita seasoning and a pinch of salt, and tip out onto an oven tray
  2. Bake at 180C fan for 20 mins until soft and brown around the edges (alternatively for 15 min in the air fryer). Halfway through add the whole padron peppers and turn everything over
  3. Meanwhile, cook the rice (twice the salted boiling water to rice, put on a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 10 mins, then leave untouched with the lid on/heat off for another 5 mins)
  4. Oil the steak with 1 tsp oil, season with salt and pepper on both sides
  5. Get a heavy frying pan scorching hot and then sear on a high heat for 2-3 mins per side for medium doneness
  6. Remove to a plate to rest until everything else is cooked
  7. Construct your bowl – rice, sweet potato, peppers, cherry tomatoes. Slice the steak and add it, then drizzle the whole thing with chimichurri and eat up!

Chimichurri

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Tangy, twangy, spicy, herby. It’s the absolute best condiment drizzled over steak

  • 30g parsley, finely chopped
  • 10g oregano, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried oregano)
  • 4 cloves confit garlic, squished
  • 50ml red wine vinegar
  • 50ml olive oil
  • ¼ tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • ¼ tsp fine salt
  1. Just mix everything together well and leave it to sit for 30 mins to an hour while you sort out the rest of dinner.

Peanut miso chicken noodle soup

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Warming and super-quick for a chilly weeknight supper, and such a good way to use up leftover chicken

  • ½ tbsp vegetable oil
  • ½ tbsp chilli crisp
  • 2 cloves of garlic, grated
  • 1 inch of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • Zest and juice of ½ lime
  • 4 spring onions, finely sliced – whites and greens separated
  • 1 tbsp miso paste
  • 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter
  • 1 tbsp tahini
  • 400ml coconut milk
  • 400ml chicken stock
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Noodles for 2
  • Cooked chicken, cut into bitesized pieces
  • Toasted sesame seeds
  • Fresh coriander
  1. Heat the veg oil and chilli crisp in a saucepan over medium
  2. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, lime zest and white parts of the spring onions to the pan and fry for a couple of mins
  3. Add the miso, peanut butter, tahini, coconut milk, chicken stock and salt. Stir to combine and bring to a bubble
  4. In the meantime, cook the noodles separately in boiling water
  5. Split the noodles and cold chicken between 2 bowls, and ladle over the soup
  6. Sprinkle over the green spring onion, coriander and sesame seeds, plus some extra cricpy chilli if you like
  7. Squeeze over the lime and serve