October Week 1
Wrapping poussin (or chicken), shallots, mushrooms and potatoes in paper and baking them in the oven is a wonderful way to retain moisture and flavour. It’s well worth considering this Big Meal from Scratch if you’re inviting friends or family over for something to eat. The recipe works fine with either six poussin or two medium-sized chickens. Altogether the recipe will take about 2 hours, but once the birds and vegetables are in the parcels and baking only the spinach has to be prepared.
For a Something for Nothing, spare poussin or chicken from the big meal makes a Glazed Chicken with Orange and Date Couscous that, again, could proudly be shared with friends. Most people get a craving for steak once in a while, so the second Something for Nothing which uses leftover spinach and potatoes to make Steak and Chips with Creamed Spinach is likely to be well received. From start to finish, this will take about half an hour.
Allow a little more time for this week’s Seasonal Supper of Mussel (or Fish) and Potato Stew. Most places sell mussels ready cleaned, in which case the recipe will take 40 minutes, but if you have to scrub and debeard the mussels yourself allow another 20 minutes. Fresh mussels should be cooked within a day or so of buying them but if that isn’t feasible the recipe will work with skinless, firm white fish like monkfish or pollack.
Canned artichokes are a luxurious convenience – nothing like their fresh cousins, but very nice nonetheless. In our Larder Feast they are used for an Artichoke, Gnocchi and Parmesan Bake. As this is a midweek recipe using ready-made gnocchi means the meal can be cooked and on the table in half and hour.
The Two for One Butter Bean and Bacon Casserole is an ideal antidote to a cold and wet day. This recipe also has the advantage of being very quick to cook so in just 30 minutes you can make a meal and stock the freezer.
To Full recipe details for this week are available in 'The Kitchen Revolution'. Out now in hardback.
Read More
Buy Now
Shopping List for October Week 1
Meat and fish
* 6 poussin or 2 × 1.5 kg (approx.)free-range chickens
* 4 × 200 g (approx.) rump or sirloin steaks, 3–4 cm thick
* 1 kg fresh mussels or 600 g monkfish or other skinless firm white fish
* 600 g free-range rindless streaky bacon (smoked or unsmoked)
Dairy
* 275 g (approx.)
* butter 100–150 ml
* double cream
* 200 g crème fraîche
* 150 g Parmesan
* 300 g garlic and herb soft cheese
Fruit and vegetables
* 2 kg new potatoes
* 3 large potatoes, approx. 850 g (ideally King Edward or Maris Piper)
* 800 g baby leaf spinach or 1 kg large leaf spinach
* 300–400 g kale or other dark greens
* 200 g wild or domestic mushrooms (chestnut are good)
* 4 large leeks, approx. 600 g
* 1 medium red onion, approx. 120 g
* 11 large or banana shallots, approx. 330 g
* 1 small bunch spring onions, approx. 6
* 10 garlic cloves
* 1 large head celery
* 1 bulb fennel, approx. 150 g
* 6 cm piece fresh root ginger
* 3 small red chillies
* 4 sprigs fresh thyme
* 1 large bunch fresh parsley
* 1 small bunch fresh coriander
* 1 large orange
* 2 lemons
Basics
* 90 ml olive oil
* 120 ml groundnut or grapeseed oil
* 2 baguettes
* 50 g bread (brown or white, stale or fresh; leftover crust will do)
* 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
* 3 tbsp clear honey
* 5 bay leaves
* 1 litre vegetable stock (fresh or made from a stock cube or bouillon powder)
* 400 ml ham or vegetable stock (fresh or made with a stock cube or vegetable bouillon powder)
* salt and pepper
* baking parchment or greaseproof paper
Store cupboard
* 500 g ready-made fresh gnocchi
* 400 g couscous
* 2 × 400 g cans artichoke hearts
* 800 g butter beans from cans or jars
* 30 g dried ceps (porcini) or other dried wild mushrooms
* 75 g soft dried dates or 150 g fresh dates
* 20 g shelled, unsalted pistachio nuts
* 1 tsp paprika
* ½ tsp ground cinnamon
* 1 tsp ground cumin
* 1 tsp ground coriander
* small pinch saffron threads
* 1 tsp nutmeg (ground or freshly grated)
* 925 ml approx. white wine
* 200 ml orange juice
* 400 ml cider
Quick option
(Butter Bean and Bacon Casserole with Garlic Bread)
ready-made garlic bread; omit 2 baguettes and 300 g garlic and herb soft cheese
Serving suggestions
English or Dijon mustard (steak, chips and creamed spinach)
crusty bread, radicchio, carrot salad ingredients (Mussel (or Fish) and Potato Stew)
frozen peas or broad beans (Artichokes, Gnocchi and Parmesan Bake)
* 6 poussin or 2 × 1.5 kg (approx.)free-range chickens
* 4 × 200 g (approx.) rump or sirloin steaks, 3–4 cm thick
* 1 kg fresh mussels or 600 g monkfish or other skinless firm white fish
* 600 g free-range rindless streaky bacon (smoked or unsmoked)
Dairy
* 275 g (approx.)
* butter 100–150 ml
* double cream
* 200 g crème fraîche
* 150 g Parmesan
* 300 g garlic and herb soft cheese
Fruit and vegetables
* 2 kg new potatoes
* 3 large potatoes, approx. 850 g (ideally King Edward or Maris Piper)
* 800 g baby leaf spinach or 1 kg large leaf spinach
* 300–400 g kale or other dark greens
* 200 g wild or domestic mushrooms (chestnut are good)
* 4 large leeks, approx. 600 g
* 1 medium red onion, approx. 120 g
* 11 large or banana shallots, approx. 330 g
* 1 small bunch spring onions, approx. 6
* 10 garlic cloves
* 1 large head celery
* 1 bulb fennel, approx. 150 g
* 6 cm piece fresh root ginger
* 3 small red chillies
* 4 sprigs fresh thyme
* 1 large bunch fresh parsley
* 1 small bunch fresh coriander
* 1 large orange
* 2 lemons
Basics
* 90 ml olive oil
* 120 ml groundnut or grapeseed oil
* 2 baguettes
* 50 g bread (brown or white, stale or fresh; leftover crust will do)
* 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
* 3 tbsp clear honey
* 5 bay leaves
* 1 litre vegetable stock (fresh or made from a stock cube or bouillon powder)
* 400 ml ham or vegetable stock (fresh or made with a stock cube or vegetable bouillon powder)
* salt and pepper
* baking parchment or greaseproof paper
Store cupboard
* 500 g ready-made fresh gnocchi
* 400 g couscous
* 2 × 400 g cans artichoke hearts
* 800 g butter beans from cans or jars
* 30 g dried ceps (porcini) or other dried wild mushrooms
* 75 g soft dried dates or 150 g fresh dates
* 20 g shelled, unsalted pistachio nuts
* 1 tsp paprika
* ½ tsp ground cinnamon
* 1 tsp ground cumin
* 1 tsp ground coriander
* small pinch saffron threads
* 1 tsp nutmeg (ground or freshly grated)
* 925 ml approx. white wine
* 200 ml orange juice
* 400 ml cider
Quick option
(Butter Bean and Bacon Casserole with Garlic Bread)
ready-made garlic bread; omit 2 baguettes and 300 g garlic and herb soft cheese
Serving suggestions
English or Dijon mustard (steak, chips and creamed spinach)
crusty bread, radicchio, carrot salad ingredients (Mussel (or Fish) and Potato Stew)
frozen peas or broad beans (Artichokes, Gnocchi and Parmesan Bake)
