How to batch cook the right way and make midweek dinners in under half an hour

And a lasagne recipe that freezes beautifully 

Lasagne is one of the best dishes to batch cook.

Batch cooking not only saves time during the week but also helps your budget and reduces food waste.

Here’s where the freezer, the magical kitchen appliance that almost everyone owns, can really transform busy people’s lives and you’ll also have more special time to enjoy and spend with your family.

Be smart

Soup is an ideal addition to your freezer stash.

Most foods freeze brilliantly, including sausage rolls, meatballs, breads, soups, stocks, beans, stews, casseroles, tagines, muffins, fishcakes, burgers, cooked rice, cookie dough, cakes … food will freeze forever but as a general rule, it’s best to use up within a few weeks rather than months.

Of course, it will keep frozen but both flavour and texture gradually deteriorate as does the nutrient value. Some foods like lettuce and mayo don’t freeze well — they will wilt and split.

Consider your size

Store sausage rolls in the freezer for quick snacks or lunches. 

For maximum convenience, freeze food in smaller rather than larger portions unless you plan to serve a whole dish for four to six people.

If not, freeze individual or two-portion servings instead — they defrost so much faster and cut down on waste.

Recycled yoghurt pots or muffin tins are perfect for freezing individual portions. Tray freeze whenever possible meatballs, sausage rolls, homemade fish fingers and chicken nuggets...

Then pop them into a reusable plastic box, interleaved with parchment paper or bag them in reusable bags, defrosting what you want when you fancy it.

Save tetra packs and litre milk cartons for soups Allow some space for expansion during freezing.

Stock up on popular food

Tomato fondue acts as a base for so many easy dinners.

Cook the favourite dishes that your family love but more of them. Here are a few favourite standbys:

Tomato fondue, we are never without this ‘great convertible’ serve as a vegetable, a sauce for pasta, topping for pizza, filling for an omelette, base for a bean stew, sauce for grilled fish or a chicken breast.

Peperonata and mushroom à la crème are two other indispensable standbys.

 Cook up a couple of batches of bean stew also and of course some veg and meat stews, gratins and lasagnes.

When you manage to source some really fresh fish, an increasing challenge, tray freeze a few portions and also cook up a batch of fish cakes and a few fish pies with some creamy mash on top.

Mash potato or champ and potato cakes are also brilliant to batch cook, freeze both in dishes and individual portions. 

Classic lasagne

recipe by:Neven Maguire

This classic family supper is creamy, rich and bursting with delicate root vegetables and tender minced beef flavoured with tomato and fresh herbs

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 5 hours 0 mins

Total Time

 5 hours 15 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Italian

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 1 large carrot, finely diced

• 100g button mushrooms

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

• 675g lean minced beef

• 2 tbsp tomato purée

• 2 tins of chopped tomatoes

• 50g butter

• 50g plain flour

• 900ml milk

• 100g Cheddar cheese, grated

• 14-16 lasagne sheets

• salt and freshly grated black pepper

Method

1. To make the bolognese sauce, heat a large saucepan. Add the oil with the onion, carrot, mushrooms, garlic and thyme.

2. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the vegetables have softened and taken on a little colour, stirring occasionally. Add the minced beef and mix until well combined, then sauté until well browned, breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon. Stir in the tomato purée and continue to cook for another minute or two, stirring.

3. Pour in the tomatoes and season to taste. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting and simmer for 2 hours until the beef is meltingly tender and the sauce has slightly reduced.

4. To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Remove from the heat and gradually pour in the milk, whisking until smooth after each addition. Season to taste. Bring the sauce to the boil, whisking constantly, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes until smooth and thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in most of the Cheddar cheese until melted.

5. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line 2 x 2.25 litre ovenproof dishes with a layer of lasagne sheets, breaking them to fi t as necessary. Add half of the bolognese and spread it into an even layer. Spread over half of the cheese sauce. Cover with another layer of the remaining lasagne sheets. Use the rest of the bolognese to make another layer and then pour over the remaining cheese sauce.

6. Scatter the rest of the Cheddar on top and bake for 1 hour or until the lasagnes are bubbling and lightly golden. Serve straight to the table.
   This recipe is from Neven Maguire’s Complete Family Cookbook, published by Gill Books