These are a few of my favorite winter recipes to prepare dinner at dwelling for my household, and it’s no nice shock that all of them function potato in some kind or different. They’re consolation meals at its best, although I’ve elevated them slightly to supply a style of what to anticipate after we open the Upstairs restaurant at The George in Fitzrovia, London, on the finish of February. They’re all additionally fairly fast to prep, and by no means labour-intensive to prepare dinner, so are perfect for a weekend if you’re craving one thing easy however hearty.
Venison scorching pot
Prep 20 min
Soak In a single day
Cook dinner 4 hr 30 min
Serves 4
8 massive prunes (agen, for choice), stoned
90ml good brandy or calvados
2 tbsp vegetable oil
400g venison shoulder or shank, boned and diced
2 brown onions, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
75ml pink wine (ie, ½ glass)
1 litre good beef inventory, selfmade or purchased in
2 rosemary sprigs
3 juniper berries, evenly crushed
Salt and black pepper
2-3 massive maris piper potatoes (300g), peeled and sliced very finely, ideally on a mandoline
1 small-medium celeriac (600g), peeled and sliced very finely, ideally on a mandoline
Put the prunes in a bowl, add the brandy or calvados and depart to soak in a single day.
Warmth the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/fuel 6. Warmth the vegetable oil in a big, heavy-based casserole or comparable, then brown the diced venison, in batches if want be, till golden throughout. Flip the warmth underneath the pan to low, then add the onions and garlic, and sweat, stirring frequently, till tender.
Flip up the warmth once more, add the wine and prepare dinner till the liquid has diminished by two-thirds. Pour in all however two tablespoons of the inventory (you’ll use the remaining to complete), and add half the rosemary, the crushed juniper berries, a number of turns of black pepper and a pinch of salt. Switch to the new oven and depart to prepare dinner for 3 to 4 hours, till the venison could be very tender and flakes aside simply. Take away and depart to chill barely, then select and discard the juniper berries.
Flip up the oven to 210C (190C fan)/410F/fuel 6½. Drain the prunes (save the boozy liquid for a cocktail or an after-dinner digestif), stir the fruit into the stew, then neatly organize the potato and celeriac slices on high, overlapping the slices as you go. Scatter over the leaves from the remaining rosemary sprig.
Utilizing a pastry brush, glaze the potato and celeriac topping with the reserved inventory, then bake for 40-50 minutes extra, till the potato and celeriac are colored and tender. Take away, depart to relaxation for at the very least quarter-hour, then serve, ideally with some wilted greens on the facet.
Clotted cream mash
Prep 5 min
Cook dinner 1 hr 45 min
Serves 4
1kg king edward potatoes
Coarse salt
250g unsalted butter
250g clotted cream
Salt and black pepper
Warmth the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/fuel 6. Wash the potatoes effectively, then prick them throughout with a pointy knife.
Cowl a baking tray with a thick layer of coarse salt, put the potatoes on high, then bake for an hour to an hour and a half, till cooked by means of and mushy. Take away the potatoes and depart to chill barely.
In the meantime, soften the butter in a big pan on a low warmth. Whereas the potatoes are nonetheless heat, reduce them in half, scoop out the flesh and push by means of a sieve utilizing the again of a spoon (ideally, a tamis sieve, however a ricer would work, too). Put the sieved potato within the melted butter and beat within the clotted cream; if the combination splits, stir in a small splash of milk, which ought to assist convey all of it again collectively. Season to style, and serve scorching.
Baked mashed potato and masala beans
Prep 10 min
Cook dinner 1 hr 45 min
Serves 4
1 small knob butter
1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely diced
1 thumb-sized piece recent ginger, peeled and finely diced
1 pinch turmeric
1 pinch garam masala
1 x 400g tin baked beans (Heinz, for choice)
Salt and black pepper, to style
1kg clotted cream mashed potato (see earlier recipe) – maintain the potato skins as soon as the flesh is scooped out
Vegetable or sunflower oil, for deep-frying
200g cheddar, grated
Soften the butter in a pan over a low warmth, then gently saute the onion, garlic and ginger for 5 minutes, till mushy. Stir within the floor spices, prepare dinner for one more minute, then stir within the beans and alter the seasoning to style.
In the meantime, deep-fry the potato skins in vegetable oil at 180C, till crisp, then drain on a plate lined with kitchen towel.
To serve, pipe the mash into the crisp skins, pile on the masala beans and high all of them with slightly grated cheddar. Grill to soften the cheese, then serve piping scorching.