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Comfort food recipes from @annasfamilykitchen!
Nothing says autumn better than comfort food on a chilly night. Our favourite @annafamilykitchen has an amazing new cookbook out and these are our pick of her family-friendly comfort food recipes perfect for the season.
Sausage & Broccoli Orzo
However much I love a risotto, the reality is that it doesn’t suit my weekday schedule. This recipe is similar to risotto but uses orzo, a type of pasta, meaning this delicious dish only takes half the time.
Prep time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 20 minutes | Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 600g good quality sausages 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground fennel seeds
- 100ml red wine
- 320g orzo
- 600ml chicken stock
- 300g tenderstem broccoli, stems chopped, tips reserved
- 3 tbsp grated parmesan Fresh basil leaves
Method:
- Squeeze the sausage meat out of the skins and make 3 balls from each sausage. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the sausage balls. Cook for 5 minutes until they have browned.
- Add the onion, paprika and fennel and cook for 5 minutes. Pour in the wine, let it bubble for a minute, then add the orzo. Give everything a stir.
- Add the stock and chopped broccoli stems. Let the mixture simmer for 6 minutes, stirring every minute or two. Add more water if the orzo absorbs all the liquid.
- Add the broccoli tips and put a lid on the pan. Let it cook for 3 minutes, then sprinkle with parmesan and fresh basil leaves before serving.
- TIP: Swap the sausages for chorizo or diced chicken.
Aubergine Parmigiana
I’ve put a little AFK twist on this classic Italian dish to make it more of a meal and less of a side. Lasagne sheets and spinach are added between the usual layers of aubergine, tomato sauce and mozzarella. It is then finished with a crunchy parmesan and breadcrumb topping.
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 50 minutes | Serves: 6
Ingredients:
- 4 aubergines, sliced lengthways 2 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tins of chopped tomatoes Bunch of fresh basil leaves, torn 100g fresh spinach, chopped
- 3 balls of mozzarella, sliced
- 9 lasagne sheets
- 3 tbsp grated parmesan or pecorino 3 tbsp panko or normal breadcrumbs
Method:
- Lay the aubergine slices on 2 baking trays or cook them in batches. Sprinkle with the oregano, season with salt and pepper, then drizzle over some olive oil. Bake at 180°c fan for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce by softening the onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then adding the garlic to cook for a minute, followed by the balsamic and tomatoes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 15 minutes. Assemble the dish by layering the aubergine slices, tomato sauce, basil and spinach, mozzarella, then lasagne sheets in an ovenproof dish.
- Repeat all the layers, finishing with more aubergine and mozzarella on top. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and breadcrumbs.
- Bake at 180°c fan for 30 minutes. Serve with a side salad and crusty bread.
- TIP: The whole dish can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen ready for reheating. Defrost or bring to room temperature, cover and bake for 20 minutes.
Goulash
This is a great one if you’re feeding a crowd: tender, slow-cooked beef in a rich, lightly spiced sauce. Winter warmers like this almost make me look forward to the colder months!
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 4-8 hours | Serves: 6
Ingredients:
- 3 tbsp flour Salt and pepper
- 1.2kg stewing steak (feather blade or beef shin are perfect for this)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions, sliced
- 3 red peppers, sliced
- 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 3 tbsp tomato purée
- 3 tbsp paprika
- 200g fresh plum tomatoes or 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
- 400ml beef stock 150ml white wine 150g soured cream
Method:
- Season the flour with salt and pepper, then toss with the beef. Heat a large casserole dish and add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Sear the beef in batches and set aside.
- Heat the remaining oil in the same dish and cook the onion, red pepper and garlic for 10 minutes until they have some colour. Stir in the tomato purée and paprika.
- Slice the seared beef into large chunks, about 5cm square. Add these and any resting juices to the dish followed by the tomatoes, beef stock and white wine. Bring to a simmer.
- To keep in the moisture, cover with a piece of wet baking paper and put the lid on the dish. Cook in the oven at 150°c fan for 3 hours 30 minutes. Alternatively, you could put the goulash in a slow cooker on a medium setting, or in the oven at 120°c fan, for around 6-8 hours.
- When ready to serve the goulash, stir through the soured cream.
Beef Massam
Hearty and packed with flavour, there’s a lot of spice in this curry but it’s mellowed by the coconut milk. Traditionally, massaman has a long list of ingredients and requires a fair amount of faff, but I have condensed the recipe for this Thai classic into five simple steps without compromising on the rich, creamy flavour.
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cooking time: 3 hours | Serves: 6
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp groundnut oil
- 1kg stewing beef, cut into large chunks (I like to use feather steak)
- 2 onions, roughly chopped
- 4 tbsp massaman curry paste (see below)
- 4 kaffir lime leaves
- 400ml beef stock
- 400ml coconut milk
- 450g waxy new potatoes, halved
- 100g mangetout
- Thai basil, to finish (optional)
For the Massaman Paste:
- 10cm fresh ginger, peeled and chopped 4 cloves of garlic, peeled
- 2 red chillies, chopped
- 2 limes, juiced
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Method:
- Blitz all the paste ingredients together in a food processor. Heat the oil in an ovenproof pan and add the beef to colour for 10 minutes. Stir in the onions and massaman paste until combined, then add the lime leaves and stock.
- Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and cook in the oven at 140°c fan for
- 3 hours. Add the coconut milk and potatoes for the last hour. Once cooked, stir in the mangetout.
- To make the massaman in a slow cooker, combine all the ingredients apart from the vegetables and coconut milk to cook on low for 8 hours, adding the vegetables and coconut milk for the last hour.
- TIP: Swap the beef for diced chicken and the beef stock for chicken stock. Add the chicken, potatoes and coconut milk to the pan after the stock and cook for 1 hour in the oven.
Steak & Ale Pie
When I think about comfort food, I think of a pie. I can never resist a good steak and ale pie if it’s on the menu in a restaurant. Whether you make individual pies or one family one, this homemade version will be just as good, if not better.
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 2 hours or 8 hours in a slow cooker, plus 25-35 minutes baking | Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
- 1kg stewing steak, cut into chunks 3 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1⁄4 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large or 2 small onions, chopped 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 400ml dark ale
- 300ml beef stock
- 40g dried mushrooms, soaked in 100ml water (or 200g fresh mushrooms, sliced)
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
- 320g ready-rolled puff pastry 1 egg, beaten
Method:
- Toss the steak with the flour, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil to a casserole dish on a high heat, sear the steak until coloured, then set aside.
- Add the remaining oil to the dish and soften the onion, garlic, carrot and bay for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato purée and balsamic vinegar, then return the steak to the dish.
- Pour in the ale, scraping the sticky bits off the bottom. Add the beef stock, mushrooms (along with their soaking liquid if using dried) and thyme.
- Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook in the oven at 150°c fan for 2 hours. Transfer the filling to a pie dish and leave to cool for at least 30 minutes. You can refrigerate or freeze it at this point.
- Unroll the pastry sheet and cut 1cm strips to fit the edges of your pie dish(es). Press these onto the rim, then lay the remaining sheet on top and seal the sides. Score the pastry and make a steam hole.
- Brush the pastry with the beaten egg and bake in the oven at 190°c fan until golden brown, approximately 25 minutes for small pies and 35 minutes for one larger pie.
- TIP: The pie filling can be made ahead and left in the fridge for a couple of days, or frozen for when you need it. Defrost or bring to room temperature and then top with the pastry and beaten egg when you’re ready to cook it.
