Cook once eat twice!
What can be more comforting than the aromas wafting from a bubbling pot of braised goodness in your kitchen? The knowledge that the contents of said pot are enough to tide you over for a couple of meals!
Here at The Weekly, we know all too well the value of meals that can be prepped once, then served twice, saving not only time and energy (both yours and your power bills) but also filling your freezer with goodies that can be whipped out at a moment’s notice. An initial investment in time and ingredients will pay off on those evenings when you’re tempted to opt for takeaway.
Here we share make-and-save stews, casseroles, curries and soups with you. Although we’ve kept the preparation minimal, the slow-cooking technique ensures maximum flavour. These recipes are designed mostly to serve eight or six, so you can serve half the recipe the day it is made and store the other half to eat later. There are also ideas for side dishes to accompany the meals, as well as advice on storing the remaining portion in the fridge or freezer, to brighten your dinner horizon on another day.
MAKING THE CUT
Slow cooking, generally using a lower-range heat, tenderises even the toughest cut of meat. Stewing or braising cuts are the best choices, with the added bonus of generally being less expensive than premium meat cuts. While purchasing pre-cut meat offers convenience, it is more expensive, so cutting meat yourself not only saves money but it gives you the opportunity to trim off visible fat and make the pieces a uniform size, so they cook more evenly. The best cuts of meat to use are:
BEEF oyster, blade, skirt, round, chuck, gravy beef, topside
VEAL osso buco, shanks, shoulder
LAMB neck chops, shoulder, shanks, boneless forequarter, leg
forequarter chops, neck,
