A five step recipe to show you care …
I am a writer and food stylist by trade, but first and foremost, I am a cook. As much as I love writing recipes and styling beautiful shots for cookbooks, I work in food because I like to feed people. Whether they have just had a baby, lost someone, moved house, are ill, or are simply having a tough week, showing up to a friend or family member’s house with a few prepared meals feels like one of the best ways to show you care.
My approach with batch cooking is to give variety without overwhelming – food that doesn’t feel like leftovers in disguise. For my sister (who just had a baby), I made some of my classics: sausage ragù (the recipe is below), meatballs, a big batch of tomato sauce, ginger chicken soup (plus an extra container of shredded chicken), Thai green curry sauce, cubes of my veg-packed pesto, and a selection of fruit compotes for breakfasts.
SAUSAGE, FENNEL AND LENTIL RAGÙ
Serves 6
2 tbsp olive oil
6 good quality sausages
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 bulbs fennel or 3 banana shallots or 2 brown onions, finely chopped
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
1 tsp fennel seeds
Small pinch chilli flakes (optional)
Small handful fresh thyme
1 tbsp tomato purée
150ml white wine (use 150ml extra water if not using wine)
100ml water
150ml whole milk
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper
1 400g tin of brown lentils, drained
Method
1. Break up the sausage meat into a large, high-sided saucepan and add half the oil. If the sausage meat is fatty, it will likely render enough fat – you may not need the rest of the oil.
2. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until you have golden nuggets of sausage. Add garlic, fennel, and celery, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 15 minutes until the veg is soft and sweet.
3. Stir in the fennel seeds, chilli flakes (if using), tomato purée and thyme, and cook for 3-5 minutes to toast the spices and deepen the flavour.
4. Pour in the wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape any caramelised bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer until the liquid has reduced by half. Add the water and milk, stir well, then cover the pan with a lid and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Remove the lid for the final 5-10 minutes if the sauce needs thickening.
5. Stir in the drained lentils and lemon zest, taste, and adjust seasoning. 6. Serve with pasta or polenta, some steamed greens (like cavolo nero), lemon juice, and Parmesan.
Book Now: In The Autumn Kitchen With Kitty Coles
Join me at the Home of Innovation on Saturday, September 20, where I’ll demonstrate smart suppers for autumn entertaining with of-the-moment ingredients and share my food styling tips.
Home of Innovation’s Eleanor Martin and her team will be on hand to share their knowledge of Bosch, Siemens and NEFF appliances, from hobs to ovens, fridges (and wine fridges) to freezers.
Places are limited, so book tickets (€15) soon to avoid disappointment. I look forward to seeing you there!