Aubergine and bean casserole

Balance healthy ingredients beautifully with this vegetarian casserole recipe.

This meal served as six portions provides 217 kcal, 8g protein, 40g carbohydrate (of which 28g sugars), 3g fat (of which 0.5g saturates), 9g fibre and 1.9g salt per portion.


Ingredients

For the casserole

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 onions, quartered
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 250g/9oz chestnut mushrooms, halved
• 2 aubergines, cut into large chunks
• 2 x 400g/14oz can borlotti or butter beans
• 75g/3oz brown sugar
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 100ml/3½fl oz vegetable stock
• 75g/3oz molasses
• 100g/4oz tomato ketchup
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 30ml/1¼fl oz sherry vinegar
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

To serve

• natural yoghurt
• flatbread
• 
  
• Method

1. Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan. Fry the onions and garlic on a medium heat for five minutes or until golden-brown and softened.
2. Add the mushrooms and aubergines and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the borlotti beans, muscovado sugar, paprika, vegetable stock, molasses, tomato ketchup, mustard, sherry vinegar and parsley and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
4. Serve with yoghurt and flatbread.

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Moroccan-style chicken casserole

Make a double batch of Nigel's tasty chicken casserole - eat some and freeze the rest. See the top recipe tip below for advice on freezing.


Ingredients

For the spice paste

• 2-3 large, juicy garlic cloves, peeled, roughly chopped
• pinch sea salt flakes
• 2-3 good pinches smoked paprika
• 2-3 good pinches ground turmeric
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• glug olive or groundnut oil

For the casserole

• 6 large chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
• good glug fruity olive oil
• 2 onions, peeled, roughly chopped
• 1 lemon, cut in half, thinly sliced
• pinch saffron strands
• handful green olives, pits removed
• small handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• 
  

Method

1. For the spice paste, crush the garlic cloves and sea salt with a pestle in a mortar. Add the smoked paprika, turmeric and cumin seeds and grind to a paste. Add just enough olive or groundnut oil to make the paste runny enough to pour, but thick enough to coat the chicken.
2. For the casserole, place the chicken thighs into a bowl, pour the spice paste over them and toss well to coat all of the meat. Cover with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge for as long as time allows, overnight if possible.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large shallow pan, then cook the onions until softened. Add the chicken thighs and cook until coloured lightly on both sides. Add the lemon slices and pour in enough water to come halfway up the chicken pieces. Stir in the saffron, then season well, cover with a lid and simmer for about 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Add the olives and fresh coriander and serve.

Recipe Tips

To freeze: transfer to a freezerproof container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly at room temperature, or in the fridge for 24 hours, then reheat until piping hot.

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Easy chicken tagine

Invite a crowd round for a memorable chicken tagine recipe that lights up the dinner table.


Ingredients

• 200g/7oz chicken breast, cut into large cubes
• 600g/1lb 5½oz chicken thighs or wings
• 1 tbsp harissa paste
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 450ml/16fl oz lamb stock
• 100g/3½oz dried apricots, quartered
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, rinsed, drained
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped mint
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley

To serve

• couscous, cooked according to packet instructions
• 150g/5½oz Greek-style yoghurt
• handful of flaked almonds
• 
  
• Method

1. Mix the chicken breast and thighs (or wings) with the harissa paste in a bowl until well combined. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for two hours.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in the base of a tagine dish, or heavy-based casserole dish. Fry the chicken for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the dish using a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. Fry the onion for five minutes, or until soft. Stir in the garlic and spices.
4. Add the meat back to the dish, along with the stock, apricots and tomatoes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to the boil, cover with the lid and simmer for one hour. (Add the chickpeas after 45 minutes and stir until well combined.)
5. Stir in the mint and parsley at the end of cooking.
6. Serve alongside couscous and Greek-style yoghurt, topped with the almonds.

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Moroccan flatbread wraps with harissa

Smoky hot grilled lamb and vegetables in flatbread gets an extra kick from spicy harissa. Don't be alarmed by the long list of ingredients - this dish is very flexible to suit your tastes. Good ready-made harrissa is available in delis and supermarkets.


Ingredients

For the flatbread

• 200g/7¼oz plain flour
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• water, to bind
• pinch of salt

For the filling

• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp thyme, chopped
• 75ml/2½fl oz olive oil
• 1 lamb leg steak
• 1 aubergine, sliced
• 1 courgette, sliced
• 1 roasted pepper from a jar
• 50g/1¾oz sun-dried tomatoes
• 100g herby marinated olives, stoned
• 1 lemon, juice only
• 100g/3½oz rocket

For the harissa

• 4 large red chillies
• 6 cloves garlic
• 25g/1oz fresh coriander
• 1 lemon, juice and zest only
• olive oil
• 
  
• Method

1. To make the flatbread, mix the dry ingredients together and add water until a firm dough has formed.
2. Divide the dough into six and roll out the flatbreads thinly.
3. Cook in a very hot, dry, non-stick pan for one minute on each side or until brown spots appear on both sides.
4. Now make the filling. Place the garlic, cumin, thyme, and a tablespoon of the olive oil in a bowl and coat the lamb steak well. Leave this to marinate for one hour.
5. Meanwhile, brush the courgettes and aubergines with olive oil. Griddle on a hot griddle pan until the vegetables are softened and golden-brown. Set aside.
6. Next, place the lamb steak on the hot griddle and cook for a few minutes either side. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly, then slice thinly.
7. Mix the grilled vegetables, roasted pepper and sun-dried tomatoes in another bowl with the olives and pour the remaining olive oil and the lemon juice over them.
8. Now make the harissa. With a hand blender, whiz up the chillies, garlic and coriander with the lemon juice and enough olive oil to make a mayonnaise consistency. Season to taste.
9. Lay two flatbreads on a plate and add a couple of spoons of the roasted vegetables to each. Add the sliced lamb, then some rocket, and then a spoon of harissa dressing. Repeat with the remaining flatbreads.
10. Roll up the flatbreads and cut in half. Serve the halves around a pile of rocket drizzled with the harissa dressing.

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Chicken jalfrezi

Chicken jalfrezi is up there as a curry house favourite and this version by Simon Rimmer shows it’s as easy as anything to make at home.


Ingredients

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, peeled, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled, sliced
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 3 tsp ground turmeric
• pinch salt
• 750g/1lb 10oz skinless chicken breast, cut into large chunks
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 3 tsp ground cumin
• 3 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 1 lemon, juice only

To serve

• basmati rice, cooked according to packet instructions
• 6-8 ready-made chapatis or naan breads
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• 2 handfuls chopped fresh coriander leaves
• 1-2 red chillies, sliced

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