Quarantine Cuisine

Food can be a great source of comfort and during lockdown we made sure that we were making good use of all the foods that were available to us – including checking out what we had in our kitchen cupboards and fridges.

Ellie Stanton, one of the many talented home cooks at Blue Stream Academy, created these delicious recipes. We hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

Beef Stew and Dumplings

An easy-to-prepare family meal using ingredients you might have at home. If you don’t have the root vegetables listed in the recipe, you can swap out those you don’t have for those you do – and add any other suitable ingredients you have into the stew. You can also use chicken instead of beef.

Prep: 30min

Cook: 3hrs

Serves: 4-6

1. Preheat your oven to 170°C (fan)/190°C. Coat 430g stewing beef well in 2 large tbsp cornflour (alternatively use plain flour) and leave to one side. Peel and chop 4 carrots, 3 parsnips, 3 leeks, and 3 potatoes into medium sized chunks.

2. In a casserole dish, melt a large knob of butter (alternatively use 1 tbsp oil). Then add the beef and 200g chopped bacon, stirring until they turn a dark golden brown. Add the vegetables and stir. Crumble in a beef stock cube and add boiling water to cover the vegetables.

3. Add a large glass red wine, 2 peeled and crushed garlic cloves, 1 tsp tomato sauce, a generous glug of Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, and 1 tsp mixed herbs. Season with a pinch of salt and plenty of pepper. Add 2 bay leaves and bring to the boil.

4. Cover the stew with the casserole dish lid (or with tinfoil, tightly) and put the stew into the oven for 3 hours, stirring well every 45 minutes to 1 hour.

5. Whilst the stew is in the oven, make the dumplings. Rub 250g self-raising flour and 140g butter together until they resemble breadcrumbs, season well with salt and pepper, then add 2 tsp mixed herbs.

6. Slowly add 150ml water, mixing well until it forms a dry dough (it should be dry – but not crumbly – and needs to just hold together without falling apart).

7. Separate out into 8 big dumplings or 16 small dumplings and put to one side. 30 minutes before the stew is done, take out of the oven. If it’s looking dry add some boiling water. Place the dumplings on top of the stew, cover, and return to the oven for the remaining 30 minutes.

If you have any leftovers, you can turn them into a pie and make a second meal! Scroll down to see the recipe.

Spinach, Garlic, Tomato and Bacon (optional) Spaghetti

Prep: 15min

Cook: 20min

Serves: 4

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C. Chop 200g cherry tomatoes in half and crush 4 garlic cloves (leaving the skin on) and put in an oven-proof tray.

2. Cut 4 smoked bacon rashers (exclude to make vegetarian) up into small chunks and add to the tray. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Stir and cook in the oven for 20 minutes.

3. Bring a seasoned pan of water to the boil and add 340g spaghetti, cook for 10 minutes. Drain the spaghetti and remove the tray from the oven. Remove the garlic clove skins and crush with a wooden spoon.

4. Stir in 2-3 large handfuls of spinach and the spaghetti, allowing the spinach to wilt slightly. Sprinkle with grated parmesan and serve.

Chocolate and Banana Cupcakes

Prep: 20min

Cook: 20min

Serves: 12

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C. Whisk 3 ripe bananas in a mixer, alternatively mash with a fork. Mix in 150g butter. Once the butter and banana are well mixed add

150g caster sugar. Once well combined mix in 160g self-raising flour. Mix in 3 eggs before adding 100g chocolate chunks.

2. Divide the mixture equally between 12 cupcake cases and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Whilst the cupcakes are baking, start making the icing.

3. Melt 120g chocolate and allow to cool. Whisk 150g butter until it is noticeably lighter in colour and slowly mix in 300g icing sugar. Add 50g cocoa powder, stir, then add the cooled melted chocolate (if it’s quite thick, add a splash of milk to loosen the mixture). Remove the cupcakes from the oven and leave to cool. Once cooled, pipe the icing on top, and enjoy!

Leftovers Pot Pie

This pot pie is a quick and simple way to turn any leftovers you may have into something new. The great thing about this recipe is that you can use any leftovers you have, favourites include using roast dinner leftovers (sprouts included)!

Cook: 25-30min

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C. Use ready-made pastry or make your own by mixing 55g butter, 125g plain flour, and a pinch of salt and plenty of pepper together. Slowly add 3-4 tbsp cold water and combine with your hands to create a ball. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

2. Put the leftover beef stew into an oven proof dish. Roll the pastry out, on a floured surface, so that it’s larger in diameter than the pie dish. Beat 1 egg and brush some of the egg around the edges of the dish to help the pastry stick.

3. Using a rolling pin, gently roll the pastry around the rolling pin and lift it from the work surface. Unroll the pastry lid over the pie. Trim away the excess pastry, then press down the edges of the lid with a fork to seal the pastry lid (you can decorate the pie with the leftover pastry if you wish).

4. Using a sharp knife, cut a small hole in the middle so steam can escape. Brush the pastry with the remaining egg wash and cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

4 Root Vegetable Parts You Didn’t Know You Could Eat!

Broccoli Stalks:- A versatile ingredient and full of iron. Shave finely and add to salads, stir frys and slaws.

Carrot Tops & Peels:- Blanch the bitter greens and add to stews or salads. Boil with other veg and seasoning to make a soup stock.

Potato Skins:- Drizzle the shavings with olive oil and add your prefered herbs and spices. Roast in an oven to make crisps!

Beetroot Greens:- Tasting similar to beetroot, saute with a pinch of salt and crushed garlic and add to pasta with spinach.