When the more colourful vegetables of the summer months are hibernating and the colder temperatures are begging for you to spend more time indoors, there's nothing more soothing than sitting down to a home-cooked meal. These dishes fit the bill: they are all one-pot meals, easy to put together and bursting with flavour.

1 Pancetta and spinach pasta

Ingredients

• Penne pasta for 2
• 1/4 cup of diced pancetta
• 1 egg yolk + 1 whole egg
• 1/4 teaspoon of cracked black pepper
• 2 handfuls of baby spinach
• 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
1 Cook the pasta according to package instructions.

2 While the pasta is cooking, add the diced pancetta to a pan on medium low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk and whole egg until the mixture is homogeneous. Add the cracked black pepper and Parmesan. Add 2 tablespoons of cooking water from the pasta to help temper the eggs. Whisk vigorously as soon as you add the water to the eggs.

3 Add the spinach to the pan with pancetta and saute for 2 minutes. Add the cooked pasta and stir through. Add the egg mixture and stir. Serve immediately with a little extra grated Parmesan.

Serves 2.



 
2 Slow-cooked chicken with red onions and green beans

Ingredients

• 6 chicken drumsticks
• 1/2 large red onion cut into bite size pieces
• 200 grams of green beans
• 1/2 cup of creme fraiche
• 2 heaping tablespoons of grainy mustard
• 1/2 large lemon, juiced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions
1 Preheat your oven to 375F. Heat a large cast iron pan on medium high heat. Pat the drumsticks dry and generously season with salt and pepper. Add a drizzle of vegetable oil to the pan and place the chicken, skin side down once the oil is hot. Leave the chicken to brown, untouched for 2-3 minutes. Turn the chicken skin-side up and remove the pan from the heat. Scatter the green breans and red onion around the chicken.

2 In a small bowl add the creme fraiche, grainy mustard, lemon and minced garlic. Stir and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the sauce over the chicken and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are just tender. Serve immediately.

Serves 3-4.



3 Creamy risotto

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cup of arborio rice
• 4 cups of chicken stock (+ water if needed)
• ½ onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp of dried oregano
• 1 glass of good quality white wine
• 2 tbsp of butter
• 1 cup of fresh arugula
• ½ cup of mascarpone
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan, and extra for serving

Directions
1 In a pot, bring the stock to a boil, reduce to a low simmer and keep on low heat.

2 In a saucepan, add the butter and a good drizzle of olive oil on medium low heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onion, garlic, and oregano. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Once the onions have softened (about 2 minutes), add the rice and coat with the butter, stirring until the rice looks lightly toasted. Add the wine and gently stir. Once the wine has almost evaporated, add the stock, ladle by ladle. Keep adding stock once it has almost evaporated in the pan.

3 After about 15 minutes, taste and adjust seasoning. Add half of the arugula. Once the rice and is cooked though, fold in the mascarpone. Add the remaining arugula and transfer to a serving platter immediately. Add the shaved Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil at the table.

Serves 4.




Baked eggs with tomato and feta cheese

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup of crushed tomato puree
• 2 splashes of heavy cream
• 1/4 cup of diced feta
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• A few fresh chives, finely sliced

Directions
1 Preheat your oven to 375 F. Lightly grease to oven-proof ramekins and crack 2 eggs in each. Add 1/4 cup of tomato puree to each, and a splash of cream.

2 Divide the feta between both ramekins, and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the egg yolks have just set. Garnish with chives and serve.

Serves 2.




5 Chicken with mushrooms

Ingredients

• 6 chicken pieces, legs and thighs
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Olive oil
• 1/2 cup of low sodium chicken stock
• 16 cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup of half-fat cream
• 2 tbsp of grainy mustard
• 1 tbs of lemon juice
• A small handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped

Directions
1 Preheat oven to 325 F. Place a stockpot on medium high heat and add a good drizzle of olive oil. Dry the chicken pieces on each side with a paper towel and generously season with salt and pepper. Place in the stockpot and leave untouched for 3-4 minutes while the chicken browns. Gently turn the chicken and brown for 3-4 minutes on the other side.

2 Add the chicken stock to the stockpot, leaving the chicken skin side up so it doesn’t become soggy. Cook for 45 min-1 hour until the chicken is just cooked through. When the chicken is just about done, add a good drizzle of olive oil to a small pan on medium heat. Add the mushrooms and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Saute the mushrooms for 5-6 minutes.

3 Lower the heat and add the reduced chicken stock from the stockpot. Add the cream, grainy mustard and stir. Reduce the sauce until desired consistency and add the lemon juice. Place the chicken on your serving platter, and pour the mushroom sauce over the chicken. Garnish with the parsley.

Serves 4.