Winter recipes
Steve Fox our Director of Homes shares one of his favourite winter recipes, 'Chorizo and mozzarella gnocchi bake' by BBC Good Food
Chorizo and mozzarella gnocchi bake
Prep: 10mins
Serves: 6
Cook: 25 mins
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 120g chorizo, diced
- 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 600g fresh gnocchi
- 125g mozzarella ball, cut into chunks
- small bunch of basil, torn
- green salad, to serve
Method:
Step 1
Heat the oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Fry the onions and garlic for 8-10 mins or until soft. Add the chorizo and fry for another 5 minutes, then include the tomatoes, sugar and season. Bring to a simmer, add the gnocchi and cook for 8 mins, stirring often, until soft. Heat the grill to high.
Step 2
Stir ¾ of the mozzarella and most of the basil into the gnocchi and pour into a baking dish. Top with the remaining mozzarella, then grill for 3 mins, or until the cheese is melted and golden. Season, scatter over the remaining basil and serve.
Winter nights are made for warm and indulgent desserts. Here's an easy sticky toffee pudding featured in Nigella Bites that we think you will love!
Easy Sticky Toffee Pudding
Ingredients for the cake:
- 100 grams dark brown muscovado sugar
- 175 grams self-raising flour
- 125 millilitres full fat milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 50 grams unsalted butter (melted)
- 200 grams chopped dates
For the sauce:
- 200 grams dark brown muscovado sugar
- approx. 25 grams unsalted butter (in little blobs)
- 500 millilitres boiling water
Method:
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C Fan/gas mark 5/375ºF and butter a 1½ litre / 6 cups capacity pudding dish.
Step 2
Combine the 100g / ½ cup of dark muscovado sugar with the flour in a large bowl. Pour the milk into a measuring jug, beat in the egg, vanilla and melted butter and pour the mixture over the sugar and flour, stirring to combine. Fold in the dates then scrape them into the pudding dish. Don't worry, it doesn't look like much now, but the mixture will rise!
Step 3
Sprinkle over the 200g / 1 cup of dark muscovado sugar and dot with the butter. Pour over the boiling water and place into the oven. Set the timer for 45 minutes, however, you might find it needs 5 or 10 minutes more. The top of the pudding should be springy and spongy when it's cooked, and the butter, sugar and water will have turned into a rich, sticky sauce.
Step 4
Serve with vanilla ice cream, creme fraiche, double or single cream, custard or as you wish.
