Five summer dinners for when it is so cold you want to put the central heating on

The weather has been unseasonably wintry over the last week, demanding family dinners designed to heat us up

Dinners for summer days with a winter feel.

Chocolate beef chilli

recipe by:Clodagh McKenna

Chilli turns gloriously rich when you add a small bit of dark chocolate. You don't taste it, don't worry - it deepens the flavour and makes this dish a crowd-pleaser every time

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 2 hours 15 mins

Total Time

 2 hours 30 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 American

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 300g minced beef

• 1 small white onion, diced

• 3-inch fresh ginger, grated

• 3 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp dried chili flakes

• 100g smoked bacon lardons

• 100g chorizo, cut into small pieces

• 150ml red wine

• 1 x 400g tin cherry tomatoes

• 300ml water

• 1 tbsp brown sugar

• 2 tsp fresh or dried oregano

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 tbsp tomato ketchup

• 50g dark chocolate, grated

• 400g kidney beans

Method

1. Place a casserole dish over a medium heat. Pour in one tablespoon of vegetable oil, and stir in the minced beef, cook until browned. Then remove the browned minced beef to a plate.

2. Pour the other tablespoon of vegetable oil in the dish and stir in the onions, fresh ginger and garlic.

3. Allow to cook for two minutes, then stir in the ground cumin, cinnamon and chili flakes, and cook for another minute. Next stir in the pancetta and chorizo, and cook while stirring for three minutes.

4. Return the browned minced beef to the dish, and stir well. Pour in the tinned tomatoes, water, brown sugar, dried oregano and ketchup. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, stir well. Cover and allow to cook for 90 minutes on a low heat.

5. 4. Remove the lid and stir in the grated chocolate and kidney beans. Leave to simmer for another 20 minutes and then serve with basmati rice.

Aglio e Olio: Spagetti with garlic and chilli

Perhaps the ultimate store cupboard recipe, this is the perfect example of how great ingredients need little work to make them shine

Servings

4

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 15 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 400g spaghetti

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• ½ tsp dried chilli flakes

• Parmesan, to serve

Method

1. Cook the spaghetti two minutes less than the packet instructions say and drain, reserving one mug of pasta water. 

2. Five minutes before it is due to be cooked, put the olive oil and garlic in a cold pan, bring to a medium heat and cook until it is golden but not brown. 

3. Add the chill flakes and cook for another thirty seconds. 

4. Stir in the pasta and three tablespoons of cooking water, adding more if it appears too dry. 

5. Serve with plenty of Parmesan.

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

Butter chicken

recipe by:Currabinny Cooks

Apart from the name, most people who order this delicious dish at their favourite Indian restaurants won’t realise just how important butter is to this dish. traditionally known as Murgh makhana, the butter makes this tomato and spice curry, velvety and r

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 35 mins

Total Time

 45 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Indian

Ingredients

• 400g leftover roast chicken

• 2 medium onions, sliced thinly

• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed

• 3 tsp ground coriander

• 2 tsp medium chilli powder

• 1kg of ripe tomatoes

• 80g flaked almonds

• 4 curry leaves

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp honey

• 100g butter

• 100ml double cream

• Sea salt

• Vegetable oil

Method

1. Heat around two tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan. Add the onions, cooking for around 5 minutes until soft and then add the crushed garlic. Add half the butter to the pan, along with all of the spices (including the curry leaves) and a good pinch of salt. Let bubble on the pan for a minute before adding the tomatoes, almonds and around 250ml of water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover the pan and let simmer for around 30 minutes.

2. After 30 minutes, check that the tomatoes are completely mushy and then blend everything together with a stick blender until very smooth. Add the honey and the rest of the butter along with the chicken. Stir everything together and then check the seasoning.

3. Serve with naan bread or rice.

Tikka salmon with speedy flatbreads

recipe by:Poppy O'Toole

Once wrapped up in your flat bread with lashings of mango chutney and cucumber salad, you’ll never turn back.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 40 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• For the salmon:

• 400g/14oz boneless salmon fillet (skin on)

• 3tbsp tandoori masala powder

• 2tbsp Greek or coconut-milk yogurt

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1tbsp olive oil

• Salt and black pepper

• For the cucumber salad:

• Juice of 1 lime

• ½ cucumber, sliced into ribbons (see tip)

• A small bunch of coriander, leaves picked and chopped

• A small bunch of mint, leaves picked and chopped

• A pinch of flaky salt

• To serve:

• Mango chutney

• 1 red chilli, sliced into rounds (optional; deseeded for less heat)

• Bombay mix (optional)

• For the flatbreads:

• 250g/9oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting

• 250g/9oz Greek yoghurt (or 125ml/½ cup warm water + 2tbsp vegetable oil, if you’re vegan)

• 1tsp onion seeds, poppy seeds or sesame seeds

• 1tsp baking powder

• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Make the flat breads: in a bowl mix all the ingredients – flour, yoghurt, seeds, baking powder and seasoning – into a dough. Knead for about three minutes, to a soft but not sticky ball. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave for 10 minutes to rest.

3. Cut the ball into four equal pieces and use a rolling pin to roll each one out to a thin round. You’re aiming for them to be about 12cm/5 inches in diameter – but don’t worry if they look rustic in shape. Set aside the rolled-flat flatbreads on a lightly floured surface.

4. Place a large, dry frying pan over a high heat. Leave it to get hot, then throw in the first flatbread – no oil, no butter, nothing… just dry, hot heat. Once bubbles start to form in the dough (about 30 seconds) and you’ve got a little bit of char on the underside, flip over the flat bread and cook the other side for about 30 seconds, to get a little bit of char there, too. Keep warm while you do the same with the remaining three flatbreads.

5. Pat the fish dry with kitchen paper, then place it on to the lined tray.

6. Mix all the remaining salmon ingredients in a bowl to create a marinade, then use this for smothering your salmon. You want a nice, thick layer.

7. Leave the salmon to marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes, then put the tray in the oven and bake the salmon for 20 minutes, until opaque and cooked through.

8. Meanwhile, make the cucumber salad. Mix together the lime juice, the cucumber ribbons and both the herbs. Season with the salt and set aside.

9. Heat a dry frying pan over a high heat until it’s smoking hot. Place the flatbreads in the pan and warm through. (Or reheat them in a microwave.) Set aside and keep them warm until you’re ready to use.

10. Once the salmon is ready, smother the flatbreads in mango chutney, top with gorgeous flakes of pink salmon and cover with your cucumber salad. I like to add an extra kick with some slices of chilli, and texture with extra-crunchy Bombay mix. That’s it. Fold and eat.
    
    CHEF’S TIP: To get ribbons from a cucumber, simply use a speed peeler and slice off lengths in the same spot all the way through. Behold! A pile of long, thin cucumber ribbons.
    
    Poppy Cooks: The Food You Need by Poppy O’Toole, photography by Louise Hagger, is published by Bloomsbury, priced €22.