Sarah Butler: These one pot midweek dinner recipes will save you time and stress

Even having decided what’s for dinner is a relief.

Some evenings are all go!

That’s most evenings in this house, and I bet your house is the same.

Whether it’s the juggle of sports, after-school activities, or work lasting a little longer than expected, dinner can be the last thing on the list. But that’s no good when everyone arrives home starving as you stress cook in a panic while checking homework and getting the laundry sorted.

For these days, I have some recipes, like my slow-cooked Guinness stew and my one-pan curry up my sleeve. It’s all in the prep… I take a little time, just 10 minutes the night before and prepare a little for dinner the next day. Even having decided what’s for dinner is a relief.

For the stew, peel and chop all the vegetables and place them in a container. Then, marinate the meat with olive oil, salt, and pepper and put it in another container. Refrigerate both.

The following day, brown the beef, soften the vegetables, then add the additional ingredients. Dinner is simmering in about 10 minutes. Pop it into your slow cooker; dinner is done, no mess.

The same method applies to the one-pan oven-baked curry: Prepare the vegetables and meat on a tray with the spices, cover, and refrigerate the night before.

When you get home, pop the tray into the oven and let it cook—no pot-watching!

This week, take the stress out of dinnertime and make a slow cook or an oven-bake with a bit of prep the night before. You won’t believe the time you get back with a little planning.

One Pan Chicken Curry

I call this my ‘Bag it Curry’. The night before a busy day, I bag the vegetables, chicken and spices so all I have to do is toss them on a baking tray and pop it in the oven.

You can mix up your spices if you prefer it hot. Try adding some little chilli flakes.

For a milder child-friendly version, use a mild curry powder.

One Pan Chicken Curry

recipe by:Sarah Butler

Oven-baked curry is a game-changer for busy families

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 35 mins

Total Time

 45 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts, cut into cubes

• ½ inch ginger grated

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 2 tbsp medium curry powder

• 2 tbsp garam masala

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1 white onion. roughly chopped

• 2 garlic cloves ,roughly chopped

• 2 tomatoes. quartered

• 1 red pepper. roughly chopped

• 100g aubergine or courgette, diced (optional)

• ½ red chilli, roughly chopped (optional)

• Handful of fresh coriander

• 200ml chicken stock

• 100ml coconut cream or coconut milk

• 20g flaked almonds (optional)

• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.Place the chicken in a bowl with the grated ginger, tomato purée, 1 tbsp curry powder, 1 tbsp garam masala and 1 tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and combine everything.

2. In a separate bowl, place the onion, garlic, tomatoes, pepper, aubergine or courgette and chilli (optional).

3. Drizzle in the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp curry powder,1 tbsp garam masala, and coat all the ingredients.

4. Place the chicken and vegetables onto a baking tray. Keep the meat on one side and vegetables on the other.

5. Cover the baking tray with foil and bake for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. The chicken should be golden, and the vegetables should be soft and easily pierced with a fork.

6. Set the chicken aside and place the vegetables into a deep jug. To the jug, add the coriander, stock, coconut cream and almonds. Use a stick blender or food processor to blend into a smooth sauce.

7. Place the blended curry sauce into a pan and add the cooked chicken pieces. Bring to a simmer and serve with rice.

8. Season to taste and garnish with fresh coriander.

Guinness Stew

Browning the pieces in small batches creates a crust on the meat that will in turn seal in flavours of the meat.

Always have your beef at room temperature and add to a very hot pan.

Remember to support your local butcher. Their meat is often the best quality and don’t be afraid of a little fat marbled through the beef. This adds the most amazing flavour to slow cooks.

Guinness Stew

recipe by:Sarah Butler

If you have leftover Guinness, simply freeze in a freezer bag and add to your next stew from frozen so there is no waste

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 4 hours 0 mins

Total Time

 4 hours 15 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb good quality stewing beef, cut into chunks

• 1 beef OXO cube crushed

• 4 tbsp olive oil

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 25 g butter

• 4-5 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks

• 1 large onion, cut into large chunks

• 4 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 tbsp plain or self-raising flour

• 100 ml Guinness

• 1 pint beef stock

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tbsp fresh thyme finely chopped

• 1 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped plus a little extra to garnish

Method

1. Preheat oven to cook at 140°C/120°C fan/gas 1. You can also use your slow cooker on medium.

2. Combine the beef, crushed OXO cube, salt, pepper and 2 tbsp olive oil.

3. In a frying pan on high heat cook beef in batches of 7-8 pieces for 3-4 minutes per batch until all sides are browned. Set aside.

4. Using a casserole pot, add 2 tbsp olive oil and 25 g butter on medium-high heat and fry off the carrots, onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes.

5. Return the meat to vegetables, add 1 tbsp flour and combine with the ingredients.

6. Add the Guinness, allow to simmer and reduce down so only half the liquid remains.

7. Pour in the beef stock, tomato purée, fresh herbs, bay leaf and season with salt & pepper, bring to a simmer. Cover with one layer of parchment paper, then a layer of tin foil leaving some gaps for steam to escape.

8. Cook for 3-4 hours or place into a slow cooker on low for 3-4 hours. The longer you slow cook, the more tender your meat is and the more intense the flavours.

9. Be sure to check it regularly, stirring and add water if required to avoid drying out, especially if using a fan oven. If you need to thicken the sauce at the end of cooking just allow to simmer uncovered on a medium heat hob for 5-10 minutes, stirring regularly until sauce reduces.

10. Once cooked, garnish with finely chopped parsley and serve with potatoes. Remove bay leaf before serving. This dish is also lovely with a puff pastry lid if you have a nice serving dish or individual serving bowls.