Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

500g diced lamb leg

1 onion, chopped

3 carrots, thickly sliced

3 garlic cloves, crushed

5cm piece fresh ginger, grated

1 green chilli, deseeded, finely sliced

1 red chilli, deseeded, finely sliced

1 jar Gymkhana rogan josh paste

15g fresh coriander (stalks finely chopped, leaves picked for garnish)

200g tin chopped tomatoes

200ml light coconut milk

125g spinach

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb in batches until well caramelized, then transfer to the slow cooker.

In the same pan, soften the onion, carrots, garlic, ginger, and chilies for 4–5 minutes until fragrant. stir through the coriander stalks and rogan josh paste, cooking for a further 2 minutes to release the spices.

Deglaze the pan with a splash of water, scraping up any browned bits, then tip everything into the slow cooker.

Add the chopped tomatoes and coconut milk. Stir to coat the lamb well, then cover and cook on low for 7–8 hours or high for 4–5 hours, until the lamb is tender and the sauce has thickened.

Stir in the spinach just before serving, letting the heat wilt it. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed.

Serve hot, scattered with fresh coriander leaves and green chilli

notes

• Browning the lamb properly at the start builds a deeper flavour — don’t skip it.
• Coconut milk softens the heat, but you can leave out the green chilli if you want a gentler curry.
• This curry gets even better the next day as the flavours settle and deepen.
• If the sauce feels too thin at the end, remove the lid and cook on high for the last 20 minutes to reduce.

Ingredients

• 2 free-range chicken legs
• 4 tbsp marsala wine
• 4 tbsp chicken stock
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 100ml double cream
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 10 seedless red grapes
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, plus a few sprigs for garnish
• sea salt & cracked black pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 200°c.

Rub chicken legs with olive oil, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper. Place in a roasting tray and roast for 35–40 minutes, or until golden with juices running clear.

In the last 10 minutes, scatter the grapes around the chicken to blister and soften.

Transfer chicken and grapes to a warm plate. Place roasting tray on the hob, deglaze with marsala and chicken stock, scraping any caramelised bits.

Whisk in mustard and cream, simmer gently until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Adjust seasoning.

Return chicken and grapes to the pan briefly to glaze, then serve topped with sauce, grapes, and fresh thyme sprigs.

Notes

• Marsala can be swapped with Madeira or sherry if that’s what you have on hand.
• The grapes add a sweet, juicy counterpoint to the richness of the cream sauce.
• Pairs beautifully with buttered mash or simple greens.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

300g veal mince

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup white wine

500g chicken stock

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed well

3 cups orecchiette pasta

To serve:

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese

Method:
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil for the pasta.

Heat olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat.

Add onion and garlic, cook gently until softened and fragrant. Increase the heat, add veal mince, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks.

Deglaze with white wine, scraping the base of the pan, and let it reduce by half. Stir in tomato paste, oregano, capers, and chicken stock. Lower the heat and let it simmer until the sauce thickens and the flavours round out, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the orecchiette until al dente, reserving a cup of the pasta water. Toss the pasta directly into the sauce, loosening with splashes of pasta water until it clings to the shells.

Finish with parsley, a drizzle of olive oil, and a heavy snowfall of pecorino romano. serve immediately — it should taste bright, savoury, and just a little briny from the capers.