Slow cooker version
If you find yourself particularly busy over the festive season, then a slow cooker recipe of Winter beef and chestnut casserole is very useful as they are quick to prepare and require minimum effort but deliver the most amazing flavours.
Ingredients
- 450g/1lb organic diced beef from Helen Browning’s
- 10ml/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 20ml/2tsp oil
- 8 shallots, peeled and left whole
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 175g/6oz baby carrots, topped and left whole
- 4 tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and roughly chopped
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- 450ml/ 3/4 pint good, hot beef stock
- 200ml/7 floz good red wine
- 15ml/1tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 200g/7 oz cooked and peeled whole chestnuts
Method:
- Place the flour, seasoning and nutmeg into a large plastic food bag. Add the beef in batches and coat with the seasoned flour.
- Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the beef for 4-5 minutes until brown on all sides. Transfer to a large slow cooker.
- In the same frying pan cook the shallots, garlic and carrots for 2-3 minutes. Spoon over the beef with the tomatoes.
- Add the remaining ingredients and turn a large slow cooker to HIGH and cook for 4-6 hours or LOW for 8-10 hours, or according to your manufacturers handbook.
- Serve with mustard mash.
Warm yourself up on a cold, blustery Winter’s evening with a hearty beef broth. This delightful recipe contains cider and pearl barley for a delicious taste.
Ingredients:
- 675g organic diced beef from Helen Browning’s
- 2 tablespoons rapeseed oil
- 200ml cider
- 1.4L good, hot vegetable stock
- 1.4L good, hot beef stock
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 100g pearl barley, rinsed
- 2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
- 250g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
- Extra thyme leaves, to garnish
Method
- Put the beef in a large mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat half the oil in a large non-stick pan and cook the beef in batched for 3-4 minutes until brown all over. Transfer to a large flame/heatproof ovenproof casserole dish with a lid.
- Add the cider, stocks, thyme and bay leaves to the casserole dish.
- Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer on the hob for 11/2 hours. Add the pearl barley, cover and continue to cook for a further 11/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in the same frying pan and cook the onion for 10-15 minutes until caramelised under a low heat. Remove from the heat and stock through the mushrooms.
- During the last 5-10 minutes of cooking time add the onions and mushrooms to the broth.
- Serve with crusty bread and or seasonal vegetables.
Beef, ale and turnip stew incorporates our succulent organic diced beef with root veg and mushrooms for a filling stew that packs in the flavour. Adding Bubble and squeak cakes create the perfect recipe for a cold winters evening.
Ingredients:
For the stew……
- 900g organic diced beef from Helen Browning’s
- 60ml/4tbsp sunflower oil
- 25g/1oz plain flour
- Salt and freshly milled black pepper
- 2 medium onions, peeled and roughly chopped
- 225g/8oz baby turnips, peeled and halved
- 15ml/1tbsp English mustard powder
- 225g/8oz mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 300g/10oz carrots, scraped and roughly chopped
- 600ml/1pint stout or ale
- 1 x 200g can chopped tomatoes
- 10ml/2tsp runny honey
- 1 bay leaf
For the bubble and squeak cakes…….
- 50g/2oz butter
- 1 large onion, peeled and grated
- 900g/2lb cooked mashed potatoes
- 175g/6oz cooked cabbage, finely shredded
- 30ml/2tbsp sunflower oil
Method:
- Preheat the oven to Gas mark 3, 170°C, 325°F.
- Heat the half the oil in a large frying pan under moderate heat. In a large plastic bag add the flour, seasoning and mustard. Add the beef and toss in the seasoned flour.
- Cook the beef in batches for 6-8 minutes until brown, turning occasionally. Transfer to a large casserole dish.
- In the same frying pan add the remaining oil and cook the onions and turnip for 3-4 minutes until brown. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 2-3 minutes and transfer to the casserole dish with the beef and add the carrots.
- Add the stout or ale, tomatoes, honey and bay leaf. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and cook in the oven or on the hob for 2-3 hours or until the meat is tender.
- Meanwhile, 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time for the stew prepare the bubble and squeak cakes; heat the butter in a pan. Add the onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until soft, but not brown. Set aside to cool.
- Place the potatoes and cooked spring greens or cabbage in a large bowl. Add the onion and season. Mix thoroughly and shape into 6 firm rounds.
- Heat the oil in a large heavy-based frying pan and cook the cakes for 3-4 minutes on each side. Drain on absorbent kitchen paper and serve with the stew.
This is my favourite way to eat pulled pork, as it is so quick and easy and adds some extra oomph to your usual lunch time meal. There are a few brilliant different ideas that you can try to keep things fresh… add lots of different fruit and veggie, add lots of tasty coleslaw, or even some rice if you wish to create a burrito style lunch. Why not try this recipe for a Mexican style pulled pork wrap? It’s delicious, filling and perfectly quick for a speedy lunch; leaving you more time to spend on the festivities!
Ingredients:
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Cook the pulled pork for 30 minutes until it is piping hot. Using two forks, shred the pork until it is all pulled. (This can be done in advance if you are in a hurry).
- Heat the rice according to pack instructions.
- Mix the pulled pork with the sweetcorn. Warm the wraps in a microwave for 30 seconds.
- Scatter the wrap with the lettuce and spoon half the rice down the centre of each one, then top with the pork mixture. Fold over the edges, then roll up and cut in half. Serve with salad on the side.
Pulled pork and coleslaw sandwiches make the perfect filling evening treat after a long day of Christmas shopping or singing carols. This organic pulled pork is best served with lots of toppings, wonderful soft rolls, and tasty fries. As the pulled pork is already slow cooked and marinade for a wonderful flavour, it really is simple to cook, so you have more time to spend creating super tasty sides to bring out the best flavour
Ingredients:
- Half red cabbage (finely chopped)
- 1 lime (juice only)
- 2 carrots (grated)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 red onions (thinly sliced)
- 1 red chilli, seeds removed (finely chopped)
- 175g/6oz mayonnaise
- 1 pulled pork either pulled pork with turmeric or pulled pork with BBQ spice.
- 4 bread buns
Method:
- We’ve lovingly slow cooked the pork so you don’t have to. Simply, preheat the oven to 180oC. Empty contents of the pack into an oven proof dish. Cook for 30 minutes until piping hot. Remove from its juices and pull into pieces with 2 forks. Add juices back into the pulled pork, mix and serve. (some cooking times may vary)
- In a separate bowl, mix all the coleslaw ingredients until well combined.
- In a bread bun, place the pulled pork and them top with coleslaw. Enjoy.
This spicy slaw and Cajun potatoes recipe will help to warm you up this Winter! This exceptionally tasty recipe from Esther Clark is perfect for a cold Winter’s night.
Ingredients:
- 430g Maris Piper potatoes (cut into 1.5cm chunks)
- 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 x organic fillet steak from Helen Browning’s organic
- ¼ small bunch of coriander (finely chopped)
- For the spicy slaw
- ¼ small red cabbage (shredded)
- ½ red onion (finely sliced)
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp soured cream
- ½ tbsp chipotle chilli paste
Method:
- Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, add the potatoes and cook for 5 mins. Drain and leave to steam-dry in the colander for a few minutes. Toss the potatoes with the Cajun seasoning, half the oil and a good pinch of salt. Tip onto a baking tray and roast for 25-30 mins or until golden and crisp, tossing halfway through.
- To make the slaw, combine the cabbage, onion, mayonnaise, soured cream and chipotle paste in a bowl until the cabbage and onion are well coated. Set aside.
- Rub the steak with the remaining oil and season both sides. Heat a griddle pan or non-stick frying pan over a high heat until very hot. Add the steak to the pan, cook for 2 mins on one side, then 3 mins on the other. Remove, put on a chopping board, cover with foil and leave to rest for 5 mins. Slice into strips.
- Serve the steak with the potatoes scattered with the coriander and a pile of the spicy slaw.
