Meals for freezing.
Discussion
About a month ago I had a bit of a mad session and made lots of stuff to freeze.
You know the sort of stuff, chilli, cottage pie, stew, soup, sausage cassarole.
It all turned out pretty well and I have realised just how lazy I can be when there is stuff in the freezer.
Come home after work, cant be arsed so I just defrost something for me and the missus, boil some veg etc and Roberts your mothers brother.
My stocks are starting to get a bit low now so I am looking for a bit of inspiration.
I thought about a simple curry and maybe an Italian, tomato/garlic thing.
Cheers.
You know the sort of stuff, chilli, cottage pie, stew, soup, sausage cassarole.
It all turned out pretty well and I have realised just how lazy I can be when there is stuff in the freezer.
Come home after work, cant be arsed so I just defrost something for me and the missus, boil some veg etc and Roberts your mothers brother.
My stocks are starting to get a bit low now so I am looking for a bit of inspiration.
I thought about a simple curry and maybe an Italian, tomato/garlic thing.
Cheers.
In addition to all the standard freezable stufflisted above I have two others to add.
Boston baked beans though if feeling lazy I change the dried haricot beans for a tin Heinz Beans and tin Red kidney bean mixture.
Also can change the bacon for a spicy pork, or slow raosted belly pork.
Chicken and bacon casserole, uses leftover chicken, bacon, onions, peas, carrots, stock, any other veg-u-like into a casserole. Fry the bacon first obviously, also you can cheat and use a chicken / veg soup as a sauce.
Also good for freezing, if you are doing Yorkshire Puds, make some extra and freeze.
Also not a meal but just discovered Krispy Kreme doughnuts freeze well, not home made obviously but it avoids you being a pig and finishing the remaining ones off.
Boston baked beans though if feeling lazy I change the dried haricot beans for a tin Heinz Beans and tin Red kidney bean mixture.
Also can change the bacon for a spicy pork, or slow raosted belly pork.
Chicken and bacon casserole, uses leftover chicken, bacon, onions, peas, carrots, stock, any other veg-u-like into a casserole. Fry the bacon first obviously, also you can cheat and use a chicken / veg soup as a sauce.
Also good for freezing, if you are doing Yorkshire Puds, make some extra and freeze.
Also not a meal but just discovered Krispy Kreme doughnuts freeze well, not home made obviously but it avoids you being a pig and finishing the remaining ones off.
Try this Gujerati recipe as a basic curry sauce to make in bulk and freeze for opportunistic use of meat / fish / veg on offer:
Ingredients for two (with 4 skinned chicken thighs):
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, halved and finely sliced
Half a thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely chopped
2 whole green chillies, or more to taste, finely sliced (Indian ‘finger’ chillies are best, but Thai will do)
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
salt
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground fenugreek
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Method:
Take a heavy based saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. A Le Creuset casserole dish is perfect.
Fry the onion in the oil and butter until translucent, stirring frequently.
Add the ginger, chillies and garlic, and cook for a minute or two longer, still stirring.
Add the tomatoes and stir.
Liquidise the mixture to a fine puree (a hand blender is perfect for this).
Add the cumin, fenugreek, turmeric, cayenne pepper and salt.
Add the meat (if using) and bring to a gentle simmer.
Simmer with the lid on, on a low heat for 45 minutes to an hour (or in the oven at 150C). Check it occasionally and stir.
The dish is cooked when the oil rises to the top of the sauce.
NB:
- Don’t be tempted to add any extra water - it doesn’t need it.
- Don’t be tempted to fry the spices in with the onions, garlic and ginger – they’ll go bitter.
- Add anything you like to this basic tomato sauce - sliced peppers, onion wedges, pumpkin, cauliflower, fresh quartered tomatoes etc.
- Add a pinch of garam masala and lots of fresh chopped coriander at the end of the finished dish.
Ingredients for two (with 4 skinned chicken thighs):
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, halved and finely sliced
Half a thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely chopped
2 whole green chillies, or more to taste, finely sliced (Indian ‘finger’ chillies are best, but Thai will do)
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
salt
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground fenugreek
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Method:
Take a heavy based saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. A Le Creuset casserole dish is perfect.
Fry the onion in the oil and butter until translucent, stirring frequently.
Add the ginger, chillies and garlic, and cook for a minute or two longer, still stirring.
Add the tomatoes and stir.
Liquidise the mixture to a fine puree (a hand blender is perfect for this).
Add the cumin, fenugreek, turmeric, cayenne pepper and salt.
Add the meat (if using) and bring to a gentle simmer.
Simmer with the lid on, on a low heat for 45 minutes to an hour (or in the oven at 150C). Check it occasionally and stir.
The dish is cooked when the oil rises to the top of the sauce.
NB:
- Don’t be tempted to add any extra water - it doesn’t need it.
- Don’t be tempted to fry the spices in with the onions, garlic and ginger – they’ll go bitter.
- Add anything you like to this basic tomato sauce - sliced peppers, onion wedges, pumpkin, cauliflower, fresh quartered tomatoes etc.
- Add a pinch of garam masala and lots of fresh chopped coriander at the end of the finished dish.
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