Food & Drink

Me Come Dine With Roasted aubergine & tomato curry

Prep: 15 mins Cook: 45 mins Serves: 4

Slightly sweet with added richness from the coconut milk, this simple vegan curry is a winner. It’s also freezable if you need a quick midweek x.

Ingredients

• 600g baby aubergines, sliced into rounds • 3 tbsp olive oil • 2 onions, nely sliced • 2 garlic cloves, crushed • 1 tsp garam masala • 1 tsp turmeric • 1 tsp ground coriander • 400ml can chopped tomatoes • 400ml can coconut milk • pinch of sugar (optional) • ½ small pack coriander, roughly chopped • rice or chapatis, to serve

Method STEP 1

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss the aubergines in a roasting tin with 2 tbsp olive oil, season well and spread out. Roast for 20 mins or until dark golden and soft.

STEP 2

Heat the remaining oil in an ovenproof pan or ameproof casserole dish and cook the onions over a medium heat for 5-6 mins until softening. Stir in the garlic and spices, for a few mins until the spices release their aromas.

STEP 3

Tip in the tomatoes, coconut milk and roasted aubergines, and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 20-25 mins, removing the lid for the nal 5 mins to thicken the sauce. Add a little seasoning if you like, and a pinch of sugar if it needs it. Stir through most of the coriander. Serve over rice or with chapatis, scattering with the remaining coriander.

Chipotle sweet potato and black bean stew with cheddar dumplings

Prep: 10 mins Cook: 50 mins Serves: 4

Enjoy this lling sweet potato and black bean stew as a budget-friendly midweek meal. Served with ‘more-ish’ cheddar dumplings, it’s great for feeding a full house.

Ingredients

• vegetable oil , for frying • 1 large red onion , nely sliced • 250g bag diced butternut squash and sweet potato • 400g can chopped tomatoes • 2 x 400g cans chilli black beans or chilli kidney beans • 3 tbsp chipotle chilli paste • 125g self-raising our • 60g unsalted butter , cubed • 70g mature cheddar , grated • 1 large green jalapeño , nely sliced (optional)

STEP 1

Heat a glug of vegetable oil in a large ameproof casserole over a medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook for 7 mins until softened. Tip in the squash and sweet potato and fry for a few minutes before adding the tomatoes, beans and 250ml water. Stir through the chipotle paste and season to taste. Pop a lid on the dish and gently simmer over a low to medium heat for 25 mins or until reduced and the sweet potato is soft.

STEP 2

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix the our with ½ tsp salt. Add the butter and rub together with your ngers until the mixture resembles ne breadcrumbs. Stir in the grated cheddar then quickly mix in 4 tbsp cold water. Roll the mixture into eight balls. Put the dumplings on top of the stew and place, uncovered, in the oven for 15-20 mins, or until pu ed up and light golden brown. Serve the stew with the sliced jalapeño scattered on top, if you like.

More for your cocktail hour

CLASSIC NEGRONI

To make the perfect classic negroni cocktail all you need is balance: use equal parts gin, vermouth and Campari, and choo.se the best products you have in reach.

Ingredients • 25ml gin • 25ml sweet vermouth • 25ml Campari • ice

For the garnish • slice of orange

Method STEP 1 Pour the gin, vermouth and Campari into a mixing glass or jug with ice. Stir well until the outside of the glass feels cold.

STEP 2 Strain into a tumbler and add 1 large ice sphere or some fresh ice, and garnish with an orange slice, using a blood orange when in season.

TOM COLLINS

Master the art of the classic Tom Collins cocktail, plus three twists. Gin, lemon, sugar syrup and soda water are the ingredients for your cocktail cupboard.

Ingredients • 50ml gin • 25ml lemon juice • 25ml sugar syrup • 125ml chilled soda water • Method • STEP 1Build the drink over plenty of ice in a

Collins glass, stir gently and garnish with a slice of lemon.

THREE TWISTS

RASPBERRY COLLINS Raspberries give this twist on the classic Collins a pretty splash of colour. Start by gently muddling a handful of raspberries in the bottom of an empty Collins glass, then add the ice, all the other ingredients and mix well with a long handled spoon. Garnish with an orange slice.

BRANDY COLLINS is is a really refreshing way to enjoy cognac. For best results, use a young-ish VS or VSOP cognac that’s nice and fruity. Just make the drink as normal, substituting cognac for gin, then garnish with a slice of ginger or a ribbon of lemon peel.

ELDERFLOWER COLLINS Elder ower and lemon is a winning combination. You can make it with elder ower cordial or liqueur for something a touch more boozy. Mix the drink as normal, but use the liqueur or cordial in place of the sugar syrup. Garnish with a lemon slice.