Midweek Meals: Five never-fail family dinners to get you through the week

Don't want to have to think when it comes to dinner this week? Go back to basics with us and watch the clean plates fill your dishwasher 

Simple, home-cooked dinners don't have to be fancy, just delicious.

Ballymaloe chicken pie

recipe by:Darina Allen

Pure comfort food, there is nothing quite as welcoming as a homemade pie and this chicken pie is a staple at our table

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 40 mins

Cooking Time

 2 hours 40 mins

Total Time

 3 hours 20 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Irish

Ingredients

• water

• 2 large carrots, cut into chunks

• 2 large onions, quartered 

• 2 celery stalks, cut into small chunks

• 6 black peppercorns

• Bouquet garni

• a sprig of tarragon

• 1 large free-range organic chicken or boiling fowl

• 450g streaky bacon, cooked (boiled in a piece)

• 16 button onions

• 25g butter

• 16 mushrooms (I like to use ‘breakfast flats’)

• 110g  peas (frozen are fine) optional

• 150ml  dry white wine

• 250ml cream

• salt 

• pepper

• 500g  puff pastry (home-made is best)

• Egg wash

• For the roux:

• 110g butter

• 110g flour 

Method

1. Put 5cm of water or chicken stock in a heavy casserole and add the vegetables and bouquet garni.

2. Lay the chicken on top. Add a sprig of tarragon if available and cover with a tight-fitting lid.

3. Bring to the boil and then transfer to a moderate oven, 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Cook for one to two hours, depending on the size of the bird. Watch that it does not boil dry. The water should be deliciously rich and may be a little fatty.

4. Meanwhile fry the flat mushrooms in a little butter on a hot pan, season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Sweat the onions in butter in a covered casserole until soft.

5. Cut the cooked bacon into cubes. When the chicken is cooked remove from the casserole onto a large platter and carve the flesh. De-grease cooking liquid.

6. Arrange the sliced chicken in layers in a deep pie dish, covering each layer with bacon, onions and mushrooms, add peas if using (no need to cook).

7. Next, make the sauce. Make the roux by melting the butter and cook the flour in it for two minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in 600ml  of the strained and de-greased cooking liquid and the dry white wine into a saucepan and bring to the boil, whisking all the time.  Add the cream. Bring to the boil again. Taste and correct the seasoning.

8. Allow to cool, put in one large or eight small individual pie dishes and cover with puff pastry. Decorate the top with the leftover puff pastry — have fun, we sometimes make funny faces, write messages or put a fine pastry cockerel on top if your guests are not too sensitive.

9. Refrigerate until required. This could be prepared ahead of time. Preheat the oven to 230C°/gas mark 8. Just before cooking, brush the top with egg wash and cook for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 200C°/gas mark 6 for a further 15 — 20 minutes or until golden brown.
   
   From 30 years at Ballymaloe by Darina Allen (Kyle Books). Picture: Laura Edwards

Savoury mince

recipe by:Currabinny Cooks

Batch cook this savoury beef mince made with carrots, tomatoes, onions and fresh herbs as a base for dinners throughout the week

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 50 mins

Total Time

 60 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 2 medium onions, finely diced

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

• 1 stick of celery, finely diced

• 2 garlic cloves, finely diced

• 500g good beef mince

• 1 tsp dried parsley

• 1 tsp dried oregano or marjoram

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes

• 200ml beef stock

• 1 tbsp Worcester sauce

• sea salt

• black pepper

• rapeseed or extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. In a large casserole (Dutch oven) heat the oil over medium high heat and add the onions, garlic and celery, seasoning lightly with sea salt. Move around the pan, until the onion starts to soften a little and become translucent.

2. Add the carrot and continue cooking for another 10 minutes or so, turning the heat down to medium if you need.

3. Add the mince, and a good pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

4. Move the mince around the casserole, breaking it up with the wooden spoon and letting it brown for around five to six minutes before adding the tomato purée and mixed herbs.

5. Cook for a further five minutes.

6. Add the tinned tomatoes, Worcester sauce and beef stock.

7. Season lightly and turn the heat down low, letting it simmer gently, uncovered for 40 minutes to an hour, stirring from time to time. The final consistency should be a nice thick sauce, not too liquid and rich in colour and flavour.