Winter is creeping closer, the grey days are definitely here and it’s time to break out the big guns: hearty, warming dishes that’ll keep the cold at bay. This week’s recipes are all about turning up the heat with a stew, a reliable tagine and one of my favourite autumn/winter baking recipes — warm cinnamon buns. These are perfect for when the days are short and you need something comforting to come home to.
A favourite in our house and one that our boys will devour is this slow cooker Tuscan chicken stew. If you’ve got a slow cooker, this is perfect to prepare before you head out on a chilly morning. (It can, of course, also be made in a heavy casserole pot with a lid — allowed to blip away into submission).
Tender chicken, creamy beans and hearty vegetables are slow-cooked in a rich tomato and herb broth. By the time you get home, your kitchen will smell like what I imagine a stereotypical Italian countryside kitchen smells like. Dinner is then an assembly job with almost no effort at all.
For something with a bit more exotic warmth, this spiced lamb tagine is full of fragrant spices like cinnamon, cumin and coriander, and will transport you to warmer climates — even if the rain is coming at you sideways outside. The lamb is slow-cooked until it’s meltingly tender, while the roasted vegetable couscous makes the perfect accompaniment. It’s hearty, fragrant, and just the thing to warm you up from the inside out.
And, finally, because we all need a little tre.