Top 5 | Winter warmer recipes

Embrace the chilly winter months with some heart and soul-warming food. Chefs from five of our Passport Partner locations have come up with a delicious seasonal dish that you can prepare, cook and enjoy at home.

The recipes are not complicated (honest!) and we have five to choose from, including a quick dish, stew, fish, pie and vegetarian option. Of course, you can also try them all!

Pre-heat oven 180°C / 160°C / Gas mark 4

Step 1:

• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan on a medium heat, add the shallots until they soften (approx. 3-5 mins). Keep stirring to avoid catching
• Add the white wine and reduce to a glaze
• Add the cream and bring to the boil
• Add the mustard and half the cheese, gently stir with a non-stick spoon
• Bring back to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes
• Remove from the heat and stir in the brown crab meat.

Step 2: In a bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, the rest of the cheese and the white crab meat.

Assemble: Place all the brown meat mixture into one gratin dish. Top with the white meat mixture. Place in the oven and cook for 10 minutes.

Serve with a slice of toasted bread or a green salad and enjoy this easy, scrumptious dish.

Byfords' Moroccan lamb & rice stew

Charley Haines - Byfords

Byfords store chef Charley Haines produces seven different stews each week for the stores takeaway hot cabinet. Each stew is made using different meats from local butcher (and long-time friend) Duncan Jeary along with fresh seasonal vegetables, herbs and spices.

Charley has worked for Byfords over 13 years and produces stews not just for the hot cabinet but also for the three ready-meal freezers; there’s always some of her delicious dishes available anytime of the day. Here’s how to make her top winter warmer yourself.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas mark 4
• Season the lamb with salt and pepper
• Place a large, heavy-bottomed pan on a medium-heat with a drizzle of olive oil
• Fry off batches of the lamb until golden brown then place to one side. Add a dash more oil if the pan becomes too dry
• Once all the meat is browned and removed, reduce heat to medium, add the onions and sweat down for 5 minutes
• Add the tinned tomatoes and the fresh chilli and stir for 5 minutes
• Stir the lamb back into the tomatoes and chilli, cover and cook in the oven for 4 hours until the lamb is tender
• Remove from the oven and add the tomato paste, paprika, cumin, cayenne, dates and apricots, stir cover and place back in the oven
• Cook for a further 20 minutes, then remove, taste and season to perfection Serve with fresh basmati rice.

Grilled trout with almond tabbouleh & braised fennel 

Steps:

• Cut the fennel bulb into four pieces (or six if it’s a big one!)
• Place in a small oven tray so that they are snug and in a single layer, add a pinch of salt and pepper and 200ml cold water (and a splash of white wine if you like!)
• Place in the oven for 40 mins until tender
• Meanwhile, mix the bulgar wheat, couscous, ground almonds and ground ginger in a bowl and season with salt and pepper
• Boil the kettle and pour 200ml of hot water over the dry ingredients, mix with a wooden spoon for a few seconds then cover tightly with cling film and set aside for 20 mins
• Once all the water has been absorbed and the grains are tender, add the flaked almonds, poppy seeds, orange zest, orange juice and additional seasoning if needed
• Mix well with a fork to break up any lumps and it is ready to serve warm or cold
• Preheat grill to a medium heat and grill the trout fillets for 5-7 mins to cook depending on size. When the flesh flakes away you’ll know it’s done.
• Drain the fennel and then serve with one trout fillet, half of the tabbouleh and fennel.

Ffolkes’ brisket & ale pie  

Adam Chapman – The Ffolkes

Serves 4 / Prep time – 30 mins / Cooking time – 60 mins

Step 1 - To make the pastry: 

• Sieve together the flour, salt and pepper into a mixing bowl
• Cut the butter into cubes and rub into the flour until you have a breadcrumb texture
• Mix together the egg and water, and combine with the flour and form into a dough
• Roll out the dough and cut out 4 circles to line 11cm pie dishes (turn the dish upside down and generously cut round so you have at least 1cm extra to fill it properly. Cut away the extra)
• Grease the case and line with pastry
• Roll out the remaining pastry and cut out 4 lids to fit (turn the dish upside down and cut round it as above).

Step 2 - For the brisket filling:
• Finely chop the carrots, onion and celery and place in a large deep casserole dish
• Add the beef, wine, stock, mustard, bay leaves, oregano, tomato paste, ale and chopped tomatoes and mix well
• Cover and cook for 2 hours or until the meat is tender
• Once cooked, remove the meat and set aside
• Place the dish over a high heat and reduce the cooking liquid, skimming off any excess fat
• Mix together the cornflour and water to make a slurry
• Season to taste and thicken with the slurry as needed
• Add the meat back in and allow to cool at room temperature.

Step 3 - Putting it all together:
• Fill each pie case evenly and egg wash around the rim
• Place the lid on top and crimp to seal
• Trim off any extra pastry and brush the beaten eggs over the top
• Cook in oven for around 25 mins until golden.

Spiced cauliflower and sweet potato stew with sesame seed flat bread - Vegan friendly!

Ben Dawes – The Pigs

‘As the importance of preserving the planet and ourselves has increased in the last decade, a large number of people are looking to cut down on the amount of meat they eat during the week. Therefore, given the opportunity to create a healthy dish, that is also meat and dairy-free wasn’t something I could pass up. I’ve put together a recipe that not only tastes great and is easy to make but will help you feel really good about yourself.

Serves 4 / Prep time – Approx. 30 mins / Cooking time – Approx. 50 mins

Ingredients for the flatbread:
• 250g plain flour 
• 2 tsp sugar 
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 120ml soya milk (could use oat or almond milk if you prefer)
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil (with a little extra for cooking) 
• 2 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Ingredients for the spiced stew:
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion - diced 
• 5cm piece of fresh ginger, grated
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped 
• 1/2 tsp turmeric 
• 1 tsp curry powder 
• 4 fresh tomatoes, diced 
• 1 large cauliflower, broken down into florets 
• 2 sweet potato, peeled and diced 
• 1 fresh chilli, finely chopped
• 2 tins of chick peas, drained and rinsed 
• 3 tins of coconut milk 
• 1 tsp sugar 
• Juice of 1 lemon 
• Bunch of fresh coriander
• Salt & pepper for seasoning

Always make the flatbread dough first so it has time to rest, then while your stew is simmering you will have time to cook it!

Pre-heat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas mark 4

Step 1 – for the flat bread:
• Mix all the dry ingredients together, then make a little well in the middle and pour in the milk 
• Work it together with your hands until you have a dough
• Place in a bowl and cover with cling film and put in the fridge to rest.

Step 2 - for the stew:

• Put the cauliflower, sweet potato and 1 tsp vegetable oil in a roasting tin, mix together and season. Roast in the oven until tender with a little colour - about 30 mins
• Place a saucepan on medium heat and add the rest of the vegetable oil
• Fry the onion, garlic, ginger and diced tomato with the vegetable oil until the onion is soft
• Add turmeric and curry powder then turn down the temperature to low and cook out the spices for 1 minute. This will help all your flavours bind together
• Now add the chick peas, coconut milk and the roasted cauliflower and sweet potato from the oven tray
• Let everything gently simmer together and the vegetables will start to soak up those delicious curry flavours
• Now, time to make the bread!

Step 3 - Making the bread:

• Remove the dough from the fridge and divide into equal pieces depending on how big you would like them
• Heat up a frying pan up to a medium heat with a tiny dribble of vegetable oil
• Roll the dough balls out until thin – around 1cm 
• Then cook each flat bread in the frying pan - this should take a minute or two on either side until the dough is brown.

You’ve now earned your deliciously warming, slightly spicy meat free stew, enjoy!