Welcome food lovers! This week we’re tackling a topic close to our hearts here at Ballyknocken Cookery School: Love Food, No Waste. Did you know that Irish households throw away tonnes of perfectly good food? It’s a huge waste of money and resources, but thankfully, a little kitchen mindfulness can make a big difference!
I’ve cooked up three fantastic, freezer-friendly, batch cooking recipes—Smoky Chicken Chilli, Beef and Lentil Cottage Pie and Root Vegetable Curry—that are brilliant for using up those leftover fridge and pantry staples.
Top Tip: Plan your weekly meals around what needs using up, and always check your fridge for leftovers that can be frozen (cool quickly to freeze!) within the 3-day window! Let’s get cooking and champion a sustainable kitchen.
I hope you enjoy the recipes
Catherine
Smoky Chicken and Black Bean Chilli
Serves 4
6-8 deboned, skinned chicken thighs, diced
2 chopped medium onions
2 chopped red or yellow peppers
3 chopped cloves garlic
1 tbsp tomato puree
½ tsp dried red chilli flakes
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
1 tsp smoked paprika
400g tinned chopped tomatoes
200ml vegetable stock
400g tinned black beans, drained
Salt and black pepper
Olive oil
To serve: Rice and Sour cream
- Heat a large saucepan with oil and add the chicken thighs, brown on all sides. Remove and place on a clean plate.
- Add a little more oil and add the onions, sauté for 3 minutes before adding peppers and garlic, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sauté for a further 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato puree, chilli flakes, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and tinned tomatoes and stock.
- Add in the browned chicken. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Mash the beans slightly and add, simmering for a further 10 minutes.
- Check the seasoning, adding a little more salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Serve with rice, sour cream
This recipe can be batch cooked as well as frozen (cool quickly to freeze).
It will keep for 3 days in the fridge.
Beef and Lentil Cottage Pie
Serves 4
500g minced beef
2 chopped medium onions
1 grated large carrot
2 chopped trimmed celery stalks
2 chopped garlic cloves
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp dried thyme (or fresh if you have it)
60g brown or green dried lentils (or 1 can of lentils, drained)
200ml beef stock
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1.2 kg peeled & diced potato
200ml milk
2 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
- Heat a little oil in a large saucepan or frying pan and add the minced beef in batches and brown.
- Drain off the excess fat.
- Add the onions, grated carrots, celery and garlic and sauté until the vegetables are softened.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in tomato puree and thyme and cook for 1 minute.
- Add lentils, beef and beef stock and Worcestershire sauce, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to simmer until the lentils are cooked and the sauce thickened (allow 30 minutes approx.). Dust with 1 or 2 tbsp flour and cook, if you feel that the filling needs thickening.
- While the filling simmers, prepare the diced potatoes by steaming them until tender.
- Then mash or spoon into a ricer and push through into a bowl.
- Heat the milk and butter together and stir into the mashed potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170C/gas 5.
- Transfer the beef and lentil mix to an ovenproof dish.
- Spoon the mashed potato over the top and run a fork over it.
- Place in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
This recipe can be batch cooked as well as frozen (cool quickly to freeze).
For freezing let the Cottage pie cool completely.
It will keep for 3 days in the fridge.
Hearty Roasted Root Vegetable and Chickpea Curry
Serves 4
For the roasted veg
400g butternut squash, peeled and diced
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp smoked paprika
For the curry
2 diced medium onions
3 chopped garlic cloves
2cm grated fresh ginger
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
¾ to 1 tbsp mild curry powder (add more if you like it hot) or curry paste if you have it
400g tinned chopped tomatoes
400g tinned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
100ml vegetable stock
400ml tinned coconut milk
100g baby spinach
Salt and black pepper
Oil
Lime juice (optional)
Flaked almonds (optional)
Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with rice and a dollop of sour cream
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/gas 6. Place the diced sweet potatoes and carrots on a roasting tray. Drizzle with oil and add the ground cumin and coriander. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Roast for about 20 to 25 minutes until golden and caramelised. Set aside.
- For the curry, in a large saucepan, add a little oil and add the chopped onions, sauté for 5 to 6 minutes before adding the garlic, ginger, spices and curry powder and cook for 1 minute, keep stirring.
- Add the tinned tomatoes, chickpeas, vegetable stock and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Simmer for about 25 minutes.
- Stir in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes before adding the roasted vegetables and baby spinach and heat through.
- Check the seasoning, adding as needed – a spritz of lime can lift flavour well. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with rice
This recipe can be batch cooked as well as frozen (cool quickly to freeze).
It will keep for 3 days in the fridge.
Suggested Shopping List
Vegetables
6 medium onions OR 3 large Chilli, Cottage Pie and Curry
1 garlic bulb Chilli, Cottage Pie and Curry
2 yellow or red peppers Chilli
4 large carrots Cottage Pie and Curry
1 bunch celery Cottage Pie
1.2 kg potatoes Cottage Pie
400g butternut squash Curry
1 small ginger root Curry
Baby spinach Curry
Lime (optional) Curry
Meat and Dairy
6 deboned, skinned chicken thighs Chilli
500g minced beef Cottage Pie
200ml milk Cottage Pie
30g Butter Cottage Pie
1 tub sour cream Chilli and Curry
Store cupboard / press
2 x 400g tinned diced tomatoes Chilli and Curry
1 x 400g tinned black beans Chilli
1 x 400g tinned chickpeas Curry
1 bag of brown or green lentils (or can) Cottage Pie
Beef stock cube Shepards Pie
Veg stock cube or make your own Chilli and Curry
1 tin coconut milk Curry
1 tube tomato puree Chilli and Cottage Pie
Worcestershire sauce Cottage Pie
Flour for thickening Cottage Pie
Oil Chilli, Cottage Pie and Curry
Rice Chilli, Cottage Pie and Curry
Flaked almonds (optional) Curry
Spice drawer
Smoked Paprika Chilli and Curry
Ground cumin Chilli and Curry
Ground coriander Chilli and Curry
Ground turmeric Curry
Dried red chilli flakes Chilli
Mild curry powder Curry
Dried Thyme Cottage Pie
Salt & pepper Chilli, Cottage Pie and Curry
Ground pepper Chilli, Cottage Pie and Curry
Oil for cooking Chilli, Cottage Pie and Curry
