Classic risotto either vegetarian or not, all in one pan

Ingredients – serves 4

500 grams butternut squash or 500 grams of chicken breast – cubed
1 large white onion chopped
1 red pepper sliced
1 cup of sliced mushrooms
1 stock cube vegetarian or chicken
500 grams risotto rice
150ml white or red wine
1 tsp Herbes de Provence or other mixed herbs
Some olive oil

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the onions, mushrooms and pepper on a medium heat until soft then add the squash or chicken and fry for about 5 to 8 minutes until nicely coloured or softened. Add the herbs. Add the wine and simmer for a further few minutes. Now add the risotto rice, stock cube and water. Leave it simmering with the lid on, until all of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is nicely tender.

Now that you have a delicious dinner, you can enjoy it with another glass of that wine!

One pot sauce and make the spaghetti first in that pan to keep the washing up to a minimum!

Serves 2

Ingredients
200 grams minced beef or quorn mince
1 large white onion chopped
1 cup mushrooms chopped
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 beef or vegetable stock cube
2 large garlic cloves chopped or minced
1 tsp Herbes de Provence or other dried mixed herbs
Olive oil
200 grams Dried spaghetti

Cook the spaghetti until just soft enough to eat. Drain and set to one side with a few tablespoons of water from the pan. Into the same pan fry the onion until nicely soft. Add the mince and on a medium heat cook it until brown, removing the oil or water as you go. Stir in everything else and simmer for 30 minutes with the lid slightly off.

Add the cooked spaghetti and stir it all together, adding any of the reserved water to thin as required.

You now have only 1 pan to clean and you can even use some crusty bread to wipe around the edges!

A vegetarian option but equally you can substitute the lentils for lamb

Ingredients – serves 4

500 grams sweet potato
1 white onion
1 carrot
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 cup of mushrooms
150ml red wine
400ml can of lentils, drained
Cheese (optional)
Butter
Herbes de Provence or other dried mixed herbs
Stock cube

Chop everything into fairly small chunks. Fry the onion in the butter for 5 minutes. Add the carrots, mushrooms, a teaspoon of herbs, the wine and the stock cube. Simmer for 10 minutes then add the lentils and tomatoes, and cook that all for another 10 minutes.

In a separate pan, add the sweet potato and bring to the boil from cold then drain and mash after 20 minutes. During the mashing, add butter and salt to taste.

Once both pans are ready, spoon the lentil mix into a nice serving bowl, top with the potato and then grate cheese over the top if required.

Club member Julie Barber shared a recipe that some of the members might like to try.

If you have not got a slow cooker, then just cook it in the oven at 180-200C for a few hours or until the potatoes are tender. If you don’t like any of the ingredients, then just swap them out with something that you do like! There is no set way of cooking this recipe, just pop in the main ingredients & get creative if you want to add other bits.

Prep time is about 10-15 minutes and it should serve 5-6 people (depending on how a big a portion you like).

INGREDIENTS

750g minced beef
6 medium red potatoes (or any potato of your choice)
1 medium onion
3 garlic gloves (I use the jars of lazy garlic and put in a tablespoon & a half)
1 can red kidney beans (I use Tesco Mixed Taco Beans in red sauce instead)
1 can of haricot beans (or a tin of baked beans or black-eyed beans if you prefer)
1 can diced tomatoes (with green chilli if you like spicy food)
Some water
1 & half tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons pepper
Grated cheese (any flavour you like here)

DIRECTIONS

1. Brown the mince & drain off the excess fat
2. Cube the potatoes & add to your slow cooker, then season with the salt & pepper
3. Chop the onion & add that with the garlic to the slow cooker
4. Add minced beef, beans & tomatoes & pour over the water
5. Give it a good stir
6. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours
7. Sprinkle grated cheese on the top for the last 15 minutes & continue to cook covered
8. Now you can do the taste bowl test if you are hungry, or…. let the whole thing cool down and pop into containers
9. Take it with you on your next overnight campervan campout & just warm up in a saucepan for 10-15 minutes