Sausage supper

serves 2:
2 brown onions, peeled & cut into 6 segments
4 parsnips, trimmed & cut into batons
1 small head garlic, broken into individual cloves
5 thick pork sausages
1 cup chicken stock

1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Place the veg in a baking tray, drizzle with some olive oil, top with the sausages and pop it in the oven.

2. After about 40 minutes, give everything a stir and add the stock.

3. Bake for 50 mins or so until the veg and bangers are brown and the stock has reduced to almost nothing.

Jeff's herbed BBQ lamb leg

Leg of lamb, roughly 2.75kg (6lbs)

For the herb oil:
150ml olive oil
2tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1tsp ground cumin
Few sprigs each fresh thyme, rosemary and marjoram leaves
2tbsp chilli powder (optional)

For the baste:
2tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2tbsp honey
Small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

For the dressing:
6tbsp olive oil
Small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD
Score the top side of the lamb leg in a criss-cross pattern at 1cm (½in) intervals, 1cm (½in) deep.
Mix and crush the herb oil ingredients in a large bowl.
Add the meat and leave for at least 3 hours, or up to 24 hours in the fridge.

Prepare the barbecue for indirect cooking: food should be away from the heat source and the temperature, if your barbecue has a thermometer, should be a steady medium heat of 150°C-160°C.
Put the meat on the well-oiled heated grill and cook, covered, for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, combine the baste ingredients. Baste the meat every 15 minutes, cooking for a further 30 for blushing meat, or until done to your liking.
Combine the dressing on a board. Turn the lamb in it to coat and rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Onion & white bean bake

For 4 as a side:
3 brown onions, sliced
2 tins cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
4 sprigs thyme, leaves picked
90g cheddar cheese
1/3 cup chicken/veg stock (optional)

Oven at 200C. Slice onions and fry in oil until soft & golden brown. Stir through thyme leaves & layer in casserole with beans and cheese, finishing with cheese. Pour over stock (if remembered.) Bake about 25 minutes, until golden.

8 hour baked beans

400g dried cannellini, haricot or northern beans (about 2 generous cups)
2 onions, peeled & chopped
800g tinned tomato
3 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp honey
1 ham hock (skin off)
2.5 cups water

In slow-cooker on low for 8 hours. Season well & serve.

Roast Brussel sprouts

300g brussel sprouts
Olive oil
2Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp sherry or rice wine vinegar
pinch sugar
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
Small handful pinenuts

1. Preheat oven to 200C and get an oven-proof skillet or frying pan on a high heat.

2. Trim the bases of your sprouts and halve lengthwise.

3. Add a few tablespoons oil to the pan and add the sprouts. Cook for a few minutes or until they start to smell good.

4. Transfer to the oven and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes or until sprouts are tender and well caramelised on the side facing down.

5. Meanwhile, mix fish sauce, vinegar, chilli and 1 tablespoon water. Season to taste with a few pinches of sugar.

6. Toss hot brussels sprouts in the dressing and serve with pinenuts, if using.

(Also works with can of lentils stirred through.)

Spinach, yoghurt & chickpea salad

For 4 serves:

3/4 cup Greek yoghurt

1/4 cup EVO oil

1/2 small red onion, finely sliced

1/2 clove garlic, grated

Zest & juice of a lemon

Pinch salt

2 tins chickpeas, washed & drained

Bag of baby spinach

2 handfuls flaked almonds, toasted

Mix yoghurt, oil, garlic, onion, lemon juice & zest, pinch of salt. Stir in chickpeas. Lay onto spinach bed, sprinkle with almonds & drizzle with extra EVO oil.

Jeff's BBQ spiced lamb leg

1 leg lamb
6 sprigs rosemary, leaves picked
3 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
4 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp baharat
4 lemons, halved crosswise

Combine rosemary, garlic, spices and oil and season well. Rub marinade over the surface of the lamb and place in a ceramic bowl and cover. Marinate at room temp for 2 hours or as long as you’ve got (if longer than 2 hours best to refrigerate and remove a couple of hours before cooking).

Heat a BBQ until very hot. Cook lamb for 3mins each side and place lemon halves cut side down. Reduce heat to medium low and continue to cook for 10 to 15 mins or until cooked to your liking. Remove lemons when slightly charred and keep warm. When meat is cooked, wrap in foil and allow to rest for at least 15 mins before carving. Serve with bbq lemon halves alongside.

Broccoli & parmesan soup

2 heads broccoli, chopped including tender stalks
1 small piece of parmesan rind, optional, + shaved parmesan to serve
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. Bring 2 cups water to boil in a medium saucepan.
2. Add broccoli, parmesan rind, if using and soy sauce.
3. Cover and simmer rapidly for about 8 minutes or until broccoli is tender.
4. Puree in the saucepan with a stick blender until smoothish.
5. Taste and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Serve with extra parmesan sprinkled over the top or stir through & pop a fried egg on top.

Cabbage & yoghurt salad

6 tablespoons natural yoghurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 small clove garlic very finely chopped
1/4 small white cabbage

1. Whisk together yoghurt, garlic and lemon. Season generously.
2. Remove outer leaves from the cabbage and slice the remaining cabbage as finely as possible.
3. Toss cabbage in the dressing. Serve now or keep in the fridge until you’re ready.

Would go really well with a rich tomatoey curry.

Amazeballs meatballs

For the balls:

2 slices white bread, soaked in

60ml milk

Grated rind of 1 lemon

1 small onion finely diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

3 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped

1 egg

60g grated Parmesan

For the sauce:
Passata
Black olives
Capers