Laura Washburn Hutton - Home-cooked Comforts

HOME-COOKED comforts HOME-COOKED comforts OVEN BAKES, CASSEROLES & OTHER ONE-POT DISHES Laura Washburn Hutton photography by Martin Brigdale Designer Steve Painter Editorial Director Julia Charles Head of Production Patricia Harrington Art Director Leslie Harrington Publisher Cindy Richards Food Stylist Linda Tubby Prop Stylist Roisin Nield Indexer Hilary Bird First published in 2010. This edition published in 2020 by Ryland Peters & Small 2021 Jockeys Fields, London WC1R 4BW and 341 E 116th St, New York NY 10029 www.rylandpeters.com 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Text copyright Laura Washburn Hutton 2010, 2020. Design and photographs copyright Ryland Peters & Small 2010, 2020. ISBN: 978-1-78879-283-7 E-ISBN: 978-1-78879-318-6 The authors moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library. US Library of Congress cataloging-in-publication data has been applied for. Printed and bound in China. Notes Both British (Metric) and American (Imperial plus US cup) measurements are included in these recipes for your convenience, however it is important to work with one set of measurements only and not alternate between the two. All spoon measurements are level, unless otherwise specified. Traditional Parmesan is made with animal rennet and therefore not suitable for vegetarians so use a vegetarian substitute if preferred.

All eggs are medium (UK) or large (US), unless specified as large, in which case US extra-large should be used. Uncooked or partially cooked eggs should not be served to the very old, frail, young children, pregnant women or those with compromised immune systems. When a recipe calls for the grated zest of citrus fruit, buy unwaxed fruit and wash well before using. Ovens should be preheated to the specified temperature. Recipes in this book were tested using a regular oven. The comforts of home cooking On any given, usually frantic, day the thought of something bubbling away in the kitchen can seem like shelter in a storm. The comforts of home cooking On any given, usually frantic, day the thought of something bubbling away in the kitchen can seem like shelter in a storm.

The pace of life can on occasions be frenetic for everyone, everywhere, it seems. I often retreat to my pots and pans, seeking solace in the stockpot. What better way to take some speed off the modern pace of life by spending just a little time in the kitchen, making something warming and comforting? In this busy world, it is often hard to find time for the simple things, such as preparing a nice meal for family and friends. Even as someone with food preparation in my job description, as a working parent, I struggled to find the time more often than I care to admit. But the recipes presented in this book are intended to offer respite for the harried. They are designed to make it simple to slow down and savour something delicious, with main courses that can go straight from hob or oven to the table.

Written with busy people in mind, many of the recipes can be quickly assembled, then left to simmer or bake, leaving time for other occupations and most can be made in advance so you can cook when you do have time, for enjoyment later on. Most are as suitable for midweek suppers as they are for weekend entertaining and, because times continue to change, some of the more flexible recipes offer helpful suggestions for vegetarian variations. But spending time in the kitchen is not only good for our frame of mind, it can be good for our bodies. Home-made food can be so much more wholesome, especially when meals are prepared from scratch. So ease of preparation is not the only consideration; the recipes in this book also offer a way to put nutritious food on the table. Personally, I take great comfort in knowing what goes into the food on my plate and I dont like to leave the cooking to a factory assembly line.

Preparing a square meal is so much simpler than you think, why do anything else? For the most part, each recipe in this book is a one-pot meal, often requiring little more than a crisp green salad and some crusty bread to complete composition. Easy, delicious, nutritious; its hard to do better than that. These recipes also offer plenty of variety for when you want to spice things up. I always turn to my cookbooks to get out of my routine so I have tried to make this a collection of dishes inspired by cuisines from around the world. Alongside traditional family fare, there are also recipes for curries, Oriental dishes, Moroccan tagines and some favourites from the American South-west. Not restaurant food, but the kinds of dishes eaten at home, making them straightforward for any cook to prepare regardless of skill, using ingredients that can be found in most supermarkets.

So go on, home cook some comfort today. meat black bean and chorizo chili This is not mouth-searingly hot like some recipes. Quite the opposite, and the addition of chorizo adds another layer of flavour but not necessarily heat. Serve with boiled rice and/or warmed tortillas, and a simple salad of sliced avocados sprinkled with lime juice and olive oil. If you have any leftovers, this chili also makes a nice alternative filling for the Vegetable Enchiladas on . chorizo, finely chopped 23 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 large onion, diced 4 (bell) peppers, mixed red, yellow and orange, diced 2 celery sticks/stalks, with leaves, diced 2 teaspoons dried chilli/hot red pepper flakes teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) 2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons dried oregano 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 250 g/9 oz. minced/ground beef 250 ml/1 cup red wine 500 ml/2 cups beef stock 1 bay leaf 400-g/14-oz. can chopped tomatoes 2 x 400-g/14-oz.-cans black beans, drained a handful of fresh coriander/cilantro leaves, chopped 2 fresh red chillies/chiles, sliced and deseeded (optional) sea salt sour cream, to serve rice or flour tortillas, to serve Serves 4 Put the chorizo in a small saucepan and set over medium heat. can chopped tomatoes 2 x 400-g/14-oz.-cans black beans, drained a handful of fresh coriander/cilantro leaves, chopped 2 fresh red chillies/chiles, sliced and deseeded (optional) sea salt sour cream, to serve rice or flour tortillas, to serve Serves 4 Put the chorizo in a small saucepan and set over medium heat.