Author Archives: Ben

Occasional recipes: (venison)(pork)(veggie)(any) sausage and squash traybake

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This was a treat for us as we accidentally came by some venison sausages, and we didn’t even have to catch our deer first. But frankly I see no reason why it shouldn’t work with any kind of sausage – or indeed, no sausages at all if that’s your fancy. Though something that is more rather than less strongly flavoured will work the best. You will end with a gorgeous, sticky mixture of multiple flavours and textures, all working together in perfect harmony and filling the kitchen with heavenly aromas.

The recipe is by Tamsin Burnett-Hall and can be found at https://www.sainsburysmagazine.co.uk/recipes/mains/venison-sausage-and-squash-traybake. For once I have very little to add or to alter, not even to correct the amount of garlic (which turns into a fantastic goo inside the skin and needs to be squeezed out, flavouring the whole dish) – except to say that where she mentions redcurrant jelly … Well, we didn’t have any redcurrant jelly. We did however have some sloe and apple jelly, which worked just as well.

Occasional recipes: leek and mushroom risotto

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A simple recipe from Gino d’Acampo which you can find at bbc.co.uk/food: delicious, delicate and perfect comfort food for cold, dark evenings. As it includes onion, garlic and leeks it rather bigs out on the genus Allium, but when was that ever a problem?

His is for one person, ours is for three. Mostly you can triple up the quantities, but not always …

He says I say
Half an onion for 1 person. 1.5 onions for 3 would just be silly, wouldn’t it? One is fine.
1 clove garlic One of those few occasions where I almost concur with the chef’s estimate. I would go over 3 cloves … but not too far over. There are too many other enjoyable flavours floating around and you don’t want to spoil them.
100g risotto rice We allow 75g per person, and 225g for 3 works just fine.

Also …

He says I say
Heat the butter and oil in a saucepan over a medium heat Fine, if you’ve actually remembered to have any butter in. Our alternative was a “this feels right” combination of rapeseed oil, olive oil and a dollop of Tesco buttery spread.
Hot chicken stock Vegetable stock works just fine and I think makes the whole thing far more flavoursome and delicate.
Dolcelatte Or the in-store brand of anything blue, creamy and cheesy.

Wash down with something red and chuggable, and of course, don’t forget to let it simmer and mature while you enjoy that G&T first.

Occasional recipes: conchiglioni pasta with creamy roasted tomato and garlic sauce

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A thoroughly delish dish that is, as it says on the packet, very easy to make. You don’t even have to worry about a thing except remember to take things off or out of their pre-set heat at the right time. Then just mix them together.

If you whack the tomatoes and garlic into the oven, then start to worry about boiling the pasta, the pasta will be just about done at the end of the prescribed half hour in the oven. Simples.

See photos below for the instructions, but, as usual, some amendments …

They say I say
Serves 4 4 people on a diet, maybe; 3 people with normal appetites.
500g cherry tomatoes Only if you’re suffering a severe deficiency of whatever tomatoes have in them. A 300g pack from Tesco works just as well.
2 cloves garlic It is to laugh. Why not try homeopathy while you’re at it? Bung the garlic in until vampires are falling out of the sky.

And having mixed, let it sit for a while to mature and blend together while you enjoy that all-important G&T.