Feeling a little sensitive post-New Years Eve? Here are 3 simple, comforting dishes
We all need easy-to-do comfort food but especially on January 1st.
You make it through Christmas.
Then it’s Boxing Day.
And to really break you, New Year’s Eve comes in just around the corner.
But there’s nothing worse than waking up on NYE’s Day and having nothing to eat to help make you feel a little more human again.
So, I’m sharing three dishes that are only between 10 – 15 mins prep.
Which you can kick back and wait for a tasty, comforting dish to fit into your schedule of vegging and recovery.
Enjoy (and Happy New Year!)
Easy-to-do comfort food
1. Slow-cooked braised brisket in red wine
This is one of our favourite comfort dishes.
But you need to get your brisket in and ready for this dish.
And then it’s 15 mins prep then 3 hrs of low and slow.
What could be easier?
Slow-cooked braised brisket in red wine
Ingredients
- 1 kg diced beef brisket (good quaility)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 750 ml red wine (recommend using a primitivo aka zinfandel grape variety)
- 250 ml chicken stock
- 3 – 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 20 baby onions
- salt and pepper to season
- handful of fresh parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Season the beef first.Then in a large, heavy-based pan (which as a lid), over high heat, add the vegetable oil and when very hot add in your diced brisket to brown.TIP: don't move the beef around too much, let it brown on one side, then turn it. Be patient. You may need to do this in batches.
- Once the meat is browned, add the wine and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and reduce until the wine has almost evaporated (approx 10 mins).Then, add the stock and bring to the boil again. Reduce the heat, cover with a lid and let simmer for 1.5 hrs.
- After 1.5 hrs, add the carrots and onions and stir together, replace the lid and continue to simmer for another 45 – 60 mins (you may need to add a little water if it starts to look dry)
- After 2 – 3 hrs the beef should be lovely and soft and fall away.Serve with parsley sprinkled over the top and some creamy mash (or polenta).PS. if you do a day in advance and reheat it, the flavours will be even better!
2. Easy beef taco bake recipe
It’s in the name.
Easy.
Beef Taco Bake
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 1 kg beef stewing steak, cut into 2cm chunks
- 2 red onions, sliced (or I used white)
- 2 mixed sweet peppers, sliced
- 2 – 3 tbsp fajita seasoning (or make your own with your spice cupboard) – see blog for recipe
- 2 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- 400 g tinned tomatoes
- 300 ml l chicken stock or water
- Juice 2 oranges
- 200 g tin sweetcorn, drained
- 3 tortilla wraps, cut into triangles + an extra to place on the rack to toast
- 50 g cheddar, grated
- Fresh coriander and lime wedges to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan.
- Heat the oil in the casserole dish over high heat.
- Add the meat, onions and peppers.
- Fry for 5 mins, then stir in the fajita seasoning and cook for 1 min.
- Stir in the tomatoes & stock/water.
- Bring to the boil, then cover the casserole dish & transfer to the oven.
- Cook for 1½ – 2 hrs, stirring halfway through, until the meat falls apart easily.
- Remove from the oven & stir, breaking up the meat.
- Stir in the orange juice & sweetcorn, then top with the tortilla triangles.
- Scatter with the cheese, return to the oven for 10 mins until the tortilla pieces are golden and the cheese has melted.Place the extra triangles in the oven on the rack to toast – keep an eye on them.Serve topped with coriander and crush the extra toasted triangles over top.
Notes
3. Epic Hungarian goulash dish
Try this super simple, rich, flavoursome Hungarian national dish.
It’s a brilliant easy-to-do comfort food dish.
And grab some fresh crusty bread to mop up the juices.
Hungarian goulash
Ingredients
- 1 kg good quality brasing steak like chuck or shin
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 3 medium onions, cut into 12 wedges
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tsp hot smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp paprika or 2 tbsp of Hungarian paprika
- 1 beef stock cube
- 600 ml cold water
- 400 g can of chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 red pepper
- 1 green pepper
- 1 oranger pepper
- sea salt and cracked pepper for seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/Fan 150°C.
- Cut the meat into rough 4cm chunks. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat the oil on a high heat in a large casserole dish and add the steakto brown nicely all over.Put the onions into the pan and cook with the beef for 5 mins until softened, then add the crushed garlic and cook for a further minute, stirring regularly.
- Sprinkle both paprikas over the meat and crumble the beef stock cube on top.Now, add the water, tomatoes, tomato purée and bay leaves and season with salt and pepper, stir well and bring to a simmer. Then, cover with a tightly fitting lid and transfer the dish to the oven and cook for 1½ hrs.
- While the beef is cooking, cut up the peppers in chunks, approx 3cm (discarding teh core and seeds).Once the beef has cooked for 1½ hrs, remove the dish from the oven and stir in the peppers, then put the lid back on and place back in the oven for another hour or until the beef is lovely and tender.
- Serve with rice and spoonfuls of soured cream.
If you’re having a slap-up meal on New Years Day and want something a bit more special, then check out the Sicilian skewered chicken.
You can prep them in advance and then cook the dish without too much fuss.
References:
Inspired by Delicious Magazine
Angela Hartnett