5 Easy One-Pot Suppers

1. Roots & Ricotta Traybake (v)

INGREDIENTS

• 140g of baby carrots
• 3 beetroots, peeled and quartered
• 2 peppers, chopped into chunks
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 150g of ricotta
• 1-2 tins of lentils, drained
• Herbs from the cupboard: thyme, rosemary, mint
• Juice and zest of a lemon

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 
2. Scatter the onion, carrots, peppers, and beetroot across a large oven-proof dish. Pour over the lentils. Sprinkle with oil and some herbs. 
3. Add salt and pepper, some chilli if you want a kick. Toss together. Then mix in the ricotta. 
4. Cook in the oven for about 35 minutes until everything has caramelised. 
5. Grate the lemon’s zest over using the finest part of the grater. Eat immediately.

2. Slow Cooked Kleftiko

INGREDIENTS

• 2kg of lamb shoulder, on the bone
• 1 onion, sliced into large chunks
• 2-4 garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped
• 500g of new potatoes, halved
• 2 red peppers, in quarters
• 120g of feta
• Juice of a lemon
• Sprinkling of oregano
• Fresh mint

METHOD

1. The night before cooking, rub the shoulder with plenty of fresh mint, garlic, salt and olive oil. 
2. Preheat the oven to 160°C. In a large casserole pot or roasting tin, pop in the vegetables. Season with salt and oregano and tumble about in olive oil. 
3. Place the lamb on top. Squeeze over the lemon juice. Pour in approximately 250ml of stock into the tray. Cover with a large tent of tin foil. 
4. Heat in the oven for approximately 3 to 4 hours until the meat is falling off the bone. Add more water or stock if necessary. 
5. Sprinkle in the feta during the final ten minutes. 

3. Orange Chicken With Pinto Beans & Coriander

INGREDIENTS

• 700g of chicken thighs and legs
• 1 orange, peeled 
• 1 red chilli
• 1 tbsp of honey
• 1 fennel bulb, quartered
• 2 carrots, chopped into sticks or chunks
• 1 tin of pinto beans, drained
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 150ml of stock (not 400ml)
• Coriander or mint or both

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 
2. Mix the orange juice with the honey, chilli and some olive oil and salt and pepper. For 30 minutes minimum, marinate the chicken in this medley. 
3. In a tray, place the chicken alongside the vegetables and pinto beans. Glug over olive oil, salt and pepper. 
4. Pour approximately 150ml stock into the tray.
5. Oven cook for 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Serve with piles of fresh herbs.

4. On The Hob Spiced Fish With Peppers

INGREDIENTS

• 2 hake or mackerel fillets
• 2 peppers (and colour, roughly chopped)
• 1 tin of tomatoes
• 250g of new potatoes, sliced to 1cm coins
• 1 onion, sliced
• 10 black olives

Spices to include (one or two of these are fine):

• 1 tsp of cumin
• 1 tsp of cinnamon
• 1 tsp of paprika
• 1 tsp of ras el hanout (a Moroccan spice mix available in all the supermarkets)
• Fresh coriander

METHOD

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy based pan. Add the alliums and spices, then the potato slices. Sizzle so they go golden. 
2. Pop in the peppers, then olives. Pour in the tomatoes. Add a little stock or water now and cook until those potatoes are nearly cooked.
3. Now carefully place the fillets on top of the bed of veg. Place a lid on. Steam for 10 minutes. 
4. Check the fish is cooked. Serve with wedges of lemon and hunks of bread or couscous. Sprinkle with coriander.

5. Thyme & Chilli Roasted Veg With Romesco Salsa

INGREDIENTS

• 200g of cavolo nero, stalks removed, shredded
• 1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped
• 2 peppers, roughly chopped
• 1 tin of chickpeas, drained
• 1 red chilli
• A sprinkling of thyme

For the romesco sauce:

• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 tin of tomatoes
• 2 slices of stale bread, torn up 
• 40g of hazelnuts or almonds (or a mix), chopped for the blender
• 1 garlic clove

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 
2. In an oven-proof dish or tray, lay out all the vegetables and the chickpeas and chilli.  Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. 
3. Pour over 3 tbsp of vegetable stock. Throw over the thyme. Place in the oven for approximately 20 minutes. 
4. Meanwhile, blitz up the romesco. First pop half the “romesco” ingredients in a blender.  Sprinkling in a generous pinch of salt, add olive oil and 1 tsp of red wine vinegar. Then throw in the rest. If the blender is struggling you can add 1-2tbsp water.  
5. To finish, remove the dish of cooked vegetables and pour over half the romesco. 
6. Return to the oven for 5 minutes. 
7. Pour the rest in a bowl to be eaten alongside as a salsa.  Place the dish on the table and tuck in.