Recipes: Winter warming recipes perfect for the cold weather

These recipes are courtesy of specialist food importers Cooks & Co.

All in one roast chicken, leeks and peppers

Serves 4, prep 15 mins, cook 1 hour 15 mins

Ingredients

4 leeks, trimmed and roughly chopped

5 garlic cloves, finely sliced

400g pack baby onions, peeled

Few sprigs fresh Rosemary

Few fresh thyme stalks

1 bay leaf

Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Handful of Cooks&Co green olives

1 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Generous splash of white wine

1 tbsp runny honey

1 whole chicken, jointed or chicken thighs

460g jar Cooks&Co roasted red peppers, drained and roughly chopped

Gorgonzola for topping, optional, but delicious!

Handful of fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped for serving

Method

1. Preheat the oven to gas 6/200C (190C Fan oven) Add the leeks to a large roasting tin, along with the garlic, baby onions and fresh herbs and scatter over the olives. Drizzle with the olive oil and season well.

2. Mix together the balsamic, white wine and honey. Put the chicken pieces in a large bowl, pour over the balsamic mix and using your hands combine well. Now tuck the chicken pieces in and around the leeks. Pour over remaining juice then put it in the oven for 40 mins.

3. Remove from oven and stir though the peppers, return it to the oven and cook for about a further 20 mins until the chicken is cooked through and the onions are tender. Check on the chicken occasionally and if it beginning to get too brown, cover the tray loosely with foil. If using, scatter over some gorgonzola for the last 5 min of cooking or until it begins to melt. Garnish with parsley to serve.

Jackfruit stew with black beans, dried mixed mushrooms and pumpkin or squash

Serves 4-6, prep 15 mins + soaking time, cook 1 hour

Ingredients

40g pot Cooks&Co dried mixed forest mushrooms

400g can Cooks&Co green jackfruit, Drained and rinsed

1 onion, finely chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 red chilli, de-seed and finely chopped

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp ground allspice, or use whole and grind

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp olive oil

Pinch chilli flakes

400g tin chopped tomatoes

400ml Coconut milk

Cooks&Co 400g can black eye beans, drained

500ml hot Vegetable stock

Large handful of fresh coriander leaves

Few Fresh thyme stalks, leaves only

1 small Pumpkin, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces or use 1 medium sized butternut squash, peeled and chopped

Method

1. Add the mushrooms to a bowl, pour over hot water and leave to soak for 30 mins. Drain and set aside. Pull the jackfruit pieces apart, and gently shred. Preheat the oven to gas 5/190C (180C fan oven) Heat the oil in a large oven proof casserole pot, add the onion, season well and cook for 2-3 mins until soft then stir in the garlic, chilli and spices and cook for a further couple of mins.

2. Stir through the jack fruit, thyme leaves and pumpkin or squash and turn to coat then tip in tomatoes and coconut milk, stir then add the black eye beans and pour in the stock.

3. Bring to the boil then put the lid on and put in the oven for about 45 mins – 1hour, keeping an eye on the liquid, if it is starting to dry out at all, top up with a little hot water. Taste and season some more if needed then scatter with the coriander leaves to serve.

All in one spicy salmon tray bake with peppers and potatoes

Serves 4-6, prep 15 mins, cook 40 mins

Ingredients

500g New potatoes, quartered

1tbsp olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

450g jar Cooks&Co roasted red and yellow peppers, drained and roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely sliced

1 red and 1 green chilli, de-seeded and sliced

1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped

2 x salmon sides, sliced into 6 portions, skinned (or leave it on and remove skin after cooking)

Handful of fresh mint leaves and coriander leaves for serving

Pinch of black onion seeds, optional for serving

Coriander leaves for garnish

A few Cooks&Co red Frenk chillies for serving

For the spicy mix

1 tsp turmeric

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chilli flakes

1 tbsp Tandoori spice

Juice of 1 Lemon + 1 lemon, chopped for serving

A good drizzle of Cooks&Co chilli oil

Method

1. Preheat the oven to gas 5/190C (180C fan oven) Add the potatoes to a roasting tin, drizzle over olive oil, season well and toss together. Add the peppers, garlic, chilli and red onion and stir to combine. Put in the oven to cook for 20 mins.

2. Mix together the spice mix ingredients, drizzling in enough chilli oil to form a paste. Season well. Brush it all over the salmon pieces then remove the potatoes from the oven and sit the salmon on top.

3. Put back in the oven and cook for another 20 mins or until the salmon is cooked through, and flakes apart with a fork. Remove, sprinkle over a few coriander leaves and the nigella seeds and serve with lemon wedges. Top with a few red Frenk chillies.

Enjoy!

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