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Method

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery. Cook until softened. Add garlic and mince. Cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until browned.
2. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add beef stock, passata, crushed tomatoes, and oregano.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for at least 1 hour (or longer over low heat for extra flavour), until thick and rich. Season with salt.

You can eat this over spaghetti OR prep meals ahead as follows:

1. Cool completely before dividing into containers:
   • 2/3 for lasagne
   • 1/3 for burrito bowls or other meals
2. To make the lasagne: Use 2/3 of the Bolognese mix. Make a béchamel by melting 100 g butter and stirring in 100 g flour to make a roux. Gradually add 1 litre of milk, whisking as you go, and continue to whisk for 10–15 minutes until very smooth. Season with salt and pepper, and a touch of grated nutmeg if you like.
3. Set into three glass containers, 18x13x6cm, with clip-top lids (remove lids before baking). Each container should have:
   • A little Bolognese
   • A sheet of fresh lasagne
   • A ladle of Bolognese
   • Grated mozzarella
4. Repeat twice more, ending with Bolognese and topping each with a third of the béchamel and the remaining mozzarella.
5. Bake at 200°C for 30 minutes or, if cooking from frozen, place container into a cold oven on a paper-lined tray and heat with the oven. Bake until golden and cooked through – around 45 minutes.
6. To make the burrito bowls: Use remaining 1/3 of Bolognese. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan. Add 1 finely diced red onion and sauté until softened.
7. Add kernels from 1 ear of corn and 1 drained can of black beans. Stir to combine.
8. Add the Bolognese, 2 tbsp chipotle chilli paste, and 1 tbsp Mexican seasoning. Stir well and heat through.
9. Serve over steamed rice with shredded iceberg lettuce, a salsa made from diced avocado and tomato tossed with 1 tbsp lemon juice, a pinch of chilli flakes, 1 tbsp olive oil, and 1 sliced spring onion. Season with salt. Top with sour cream, coriander, and grated cheese if you like.

Hints

Freeze in flat zip-lock bags for quick defrosting.
Lasagne freezes beautifully – label with the date.
The burrito bowl mix also works in tacos or toasties.

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C fan-forced. Place chickens on a paper-lined tray with wire racks underneath.
2. Rub the chickens with lemon juice and zest, drizzle with olive oil, and season generously with fine salt.
3. Roast for 1 hour 20 minutes, turning the tray halfway. Rest for 10 minutes before carving.
4. Serve one chicken freshly roasted with roast potatoes, peas, carrots, and beans. Allow the second chicken to cool completely, then shred the meat for any or all of the below:
1. Chicken sandwiches with leftover gravy
2. One-pan Chicken, Leek, Bacon & Corn Pie
3. Vietnamese-style Chicken Noodle Soup

• To make the gravy:
  1. Drain the pan juices into a saucepan.
  2. Add 1 cup chicken stock, 1/2 cup white wine, and a pinch of dried thyme.
  3. Simmer for 10 minutes until wine astringency cooks off.
  4. Whisk together 1 tbsp cornflour and 1 tbsp water, then whisk into the gravy to thicken slightly.
• Toasted Chicken Sandwich:
  1. Spread aioli on two slices of bread.
  2. Top with shredded chicken, rocket, mozzarella, and the other slice of bread.
  3. Toast in a sandwich press until golden.
  4. Serve with leftover gravy for dipping.
• One-Pan Chicken Pie:
  1. Sauté 1 finely sliced leek, 3 finely chopped garlic cloves, and 4 rashers finely chopped bacon in a pan until golden.
  2. Deglaze with 1/4 cup white wine.
  3. Add approx. 2 cups shredded chicken and kernels from 2 corn cobs. Stir well.
  4. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 tbsp plain flour (or cornflour). Stir to remove any clumps.
  5. Add 200 g crème fraîche and 1 cup chicken stock. Simmer until thickened.
  6. Set aside to cool.
  7. Top with a sheet of puff pastry, scored and brushed with egg wash. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  8. Bake at 220°C for 35 minutes until golden and heated through. Add chives if desired.
• Chicken Bone Broth
  1. Make a rich broth by simmering bones, skin, and pan juices from both chickens with 1 quartered onion, 2 roughly chopped carrots, 2 sticks celery, 2 bay leaves, 1 tbsp peppercorns, and 2 tsp chicken stock powder in 3 litres of water for 3 hours.
  2. Strain the broth and store. For a leaner broth, chill and remove the set fat (save for roasting).
• Vietnamese-Style Chicken Noodle Soup:
  1. Heat 1.5 litres homemade stock with 3 garlic cloves, 2 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, and 1 tsp grated ginger until steaming.
  2. Prepare rice noodles per packet instructions. Divide among 4 bowls.
  3. Top each with 1/2 cup shredded chicken, a loose cup of bean sprouts, and a few slices of white onion or shallot.
  4. Pour over the hot broth.
  5. Serve with Thai basil, coriander leaves, lemon wedges, and optional chilli. Add greens like bok choy or broccolini if desired.

Method

1. Sauté the onion, bacon and spring onion in olive oil for 5–10 minutes until starting to caramelise.
2. Add the broccoli, carrot and sugar. Cook for another 5 minutes until caramelised.
3. Add the cold rice, breaking it up over the top.
4. Pour in the Shaoxing rice wine and let it steam through.
5. Add chicken stock powder and sesame oil. Stir-fry for 10 minutes until the rice is heated through and starting to crisp at the edges.
6. Serve in a big bowl with a drizzle of Kewpie mayonnaise and extra spring onion greens.

Hints

Add leftover shredded chicken or tofu if you like.
Works great for breakfast or lunchboxes.
You want the rice to be cold and dry – fresh rice will go mushy.

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced.
2. Grease and line a loaf tin.
3. In a large bowl, whisk banana, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
4. Fold in flour until just combined.
5. Stir through jam, white chocolate and berries.
6. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean.
7. Cool in tin for 10 minutes before turning out.

Method

1. Mix garam masala, ginger, cumin, cardamom, turmeric, paprika, and curry paste (if using) into the leftover marinade.
2. Heat ghee in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until softened.
3. Stir in the spiced marinade and cook until fragrant.
4. Add pureed tomatoes (or passata with rinsing water) and bring to a simmer.
5. Cook for about 10 minutes, then stir in coconut cream.
6. Simmer gently for another 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and develops a deep golden colour.
7. Whisk in the cold butter until the sauce becomes glossy and emulsified. Season with salt to taste.
8. Nestle the charred chicken thighs and any tray juices into the sauce.
9. Simmer on low heat until the chicken is cooked through (about 15 minutes).
10. For the salad, combine cucumber, spring onion, dill, mint, garlic, sugar, vinegar, olive oil, and a pinch of salt in a bowl.
11. Toss well and chill until ready to serve.
12. Cook rice according to packet directions with ghee and saffron threads added to the water.
13. Serve the butter chicken with saffron rice, salad, steamed beans, a dollop of yoghurt, eggplant pickle, and crisp papadums.

Hints

If you want extra smokiness, finish the chicken under a hot grill for a few minutes after simmering in the sauce.
Swap chicken thighs for drumsticks or bone-in breasts if preferred – just adjust cooking time.
Make a double batch of sauce and freeze half for a quick midweek curry.