This one-pot wonder is a perfect warmer for those chilly autumnal and winter nights! It is a simple and traditional old English favourite dish with a bit of a modern kick thrown in for good measure in the form of Spanish chorizo. 

The chorizo adds a whole new dimension to the hotpot making this recipe a favourite in my household. It is really important not to slice the chicken too small into chunks as this will dry out the meat very quickly; you want a nice decent sized chunk which will keep the chicken beautifully tender upon serving. Trust me on this, it really makes a difference. 

The potatoes are the unsung stars of the show as they absorb all the lovely juices and oils making them deliciously soft with a slight crisp to the top. Personally, I would tend to use Maris Piper potatoes as they are naturally softer and absorb better. However, if you prefer another type of potato, then use whatever suits you best; whatever floats your boat I won't hold it against you.

To serve, keep it simple! There is so much packed into this dish that you don't need to go mental with sides. A good option would be some simple green beans, though you must promise me not to boil the hell out of them! They should be cooked for around 4 mins until you see a rolling boil and should have a slight bite to them; no-one likes mushy veg! To make your veg taste even better, once drained, stir in a small know of butter and a crack of sea salt. People never think to season their veg, but once you start, you will never be able to go back to bland veg again. Enjoy.



Ingredients:

• ​Olive oil, (2 tbsp)
• 3 Chicken breasts, (chopped)
• Diced chorizo, (150g)
• 1 Brown onion, (diced)
• 2 Leeks, (finely chopped)
• 1 Bay leaf
• 2 Sprigs of thyme
• 200g Baby Mushrooms, (roughly chopped)
• Plain flour, (1 tbsp)
• Chicken stock, (250ml)
• 3 Medium potatoes
• Black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat oil in a nice deep casserole pan and cook the chicken for around 5 mins. Once slightly browned, remove to a plate and set aside.
2. Add the chorizo to the pan and fry for 2 mins allowing all those lovely natural oils to ooze out.
3. Mix in the onions, leeks, bay leaf, thyme and mushrooms and mix well into the chorizo oils. Fry for 5 mins stirring occasionally.
4. Stir in the flour, season, then gradually stir in the stock. Return the chicken to the pan, bring to a boil, cover with the lid of the pan and bake in the oven for 30 mins.
5. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes, then slice widthways as thinly as possible creating little circles. After the 30 mins is up remove the pan from the oven, uncover, and place the potato slices in an overlapping pattern on top of the chicken mix. (see picture above to get the idea). Add a good few grinds of black pepper over the top.
6. Put the lid back on the dish and return to the oven for a further 20 mins.
7. Remove the lid and bake for a further 35 mins.

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If you're looking for a great midweek curry with a difference then this authentic traditional Indian dish is an absolute hit and is ready to eat in under an hour! This affordable hearty dish is bursting full of flavour and is super-easy to cook without needing a whole load of ingredients you've never even heard of, and is a great meal to batch-cook for those busy weeks we are all too familiar with!

Lamb is a favourite of mine and this beautiful dish showcases the rich flavours of the delicious meat whilst balancing a subtle kick of spice and heat. I remember the first time experimenting with this dish and my nose being filled with with beautiful aromas transporting me right to the heart of India. Nothing could prepare me, however, for that first mouthful! A flavour explosion of spices and succulent meat, this curry goes perfectly with a flatbread and basmati rice infused with lime and bay leaves.

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Ingredients:

• Sunflower Oil                                                                   
• Cumin seeds, (1 tsp)
• 1 Red onion, (roughly chopped)
• 1 Green chilli, (finely diced)
• 2 Garlic cloves, (grated)
• Knob of ginger, (grated)
• Ground cumin, (2 tsp)
• Ground coriander, (2 tsp)
• Lamb mince, (500g)
• Chopped tomatoes, (400g)
• Lamb stock, (500ml)
• Brown sugar, (1 tbsp)
• Frozen peas, (100g)
• Fresh mint leaves, (chopped)
• Sea salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat a glug of the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds, fry for 1 min until aromatic.                       Add the onion and chilli, fry for 5 mins.                                                                                                        Add the garlic, ginger, ground cumin and coriander on a low heat for 2 mins.
2. Turn the heat back up and add the lamb mince for 7-8 mins stirring regularly to break up the meat.
3. Once the meat is nice and browned pour in the tomatoes, stock and sugar. Stir and bring to a boil before leaving to simmer for approx. 30 mins stirring occasionally until most of the excess liquid has been absorbed.                                                                                                                                  In the final 2 mins add the peas into the mix and stir through until nice and tender.
4. Stir through the chopped mint leaves with salt to taste and decorate with mint florets.

Bar + Block Steakhouse, 3-6 Waterloo Street, Birmingham, B2 5PG (0121 227 5139). Starters £4-£14, mains £11-£29, desserts £6-£7, wines from £16.95.

We stumbled upon this place whilst navigating the busy streets of Birmingham, a game more dangerous than even the likes of Squid Game. Looking for a reasonably priced suitable lunch to fill our bellies we were drawn into this stylish modern steakhouse. 

On first impressions Bar + Block ticks all the right boxes, a clean, well-spaced fusion of classic American diner and stylish British steakhouse. Marvellous. I wish this segment could have been simply left on such a high note. There were however, to put it bluntly, niggles! Upon entering a restaurant you would generally expect to be greeted by a member of staff and swiftly seated as soon as possible, not too unreasonable right? 

Unfortunately this was not the case, we were left standing lonely by the door for quite some time with no member of staff in sight. This is easily forgiven and understandable in a busy restaurant at peak time, but this was none of the above, there were a maximum of only three tables being occupied and at around 2pm afternoon they were not exactly rushed off there feet! Eventually we were seen to by a pleasant, albeit mildly clueless lady. 

The next disappointment was being dished up and soon to be served to us when enquiring about gluten free options. My partner has an intolerance to gluten (not coeliac however) and it has become extremely interesting to see how different establishments react to catering for such needs. It is 2021 after all and with the wide range of different dietary requirements, personally I firmly believe there is no excuse to not being able to adjust for these needs. With a majority of the express lunch menu being served inside some form of bun or bread it was a simple question of "do you have gluten free options?" The response was what I can only describe as a rabbit in the headlights, the waitress looked blankly as if we were questioning her on the solution to the climate crisis in fluent Latin. 

Several minutes later, after desperately flicking through the allergen handbook and seeking confirmation from the senior manager we had successfully established that there was, indeed, gluten free bread. We were shown to our table and handed our menus, I must say there was a tempting selection of classic dishes and it took some time to decide which direction to go in. Service was good, attentive and friendly with complimentary beef dusted popcorn alongside our drinks while we wait. It was a nice addition there's no doubt, flavoured just enough to become moreish but not overwhelming it kept the hungry animals inside tamed before feeding time. 

The waiting time for the food was just about right, not too long to become impatient but not too quick to worry about whether we were in fact sitting inside a fast-food establishment. Soon enough the main attraction arrived! I had eagerly chosen the Open Club Sandwich for only £8, a delicious stone-baked flatbread topped with grilled dry cured oak-smoked streaky bacon, chargrilled chicken breast, smashed avocado, tomato, lettuce, mayo and a soft boiled egg served alongside French fries and £3 additional onion rings.

The first mouthful was absolutely delicious, the combination of all the flavours together was nothing short of excellent and made me eager to continue tucking into my dish. The smashed avocado had a nice gentle kick of chilli to it adding a tingling warmth to the plate, every element was nicely cooked and seasoned with the streaky bacon adding a slight saltiness to balance the mayonnaise. The meats however, in my opinion should have been warmed, it would have elevated the flavours even more as a lot of the delicious juices of the meats are often lost when chilled, they should of been allowed to run right the way through the layers and kickstart a tongue tingling party.

The fries were a nice addition and nicely cooked, crispy on the outside, fluffy in the middle. The saltiness was perfectly judged and forced you to just keep going back for more! The main problem with the dish I quickly discovered arose about halfway through, by this point most of the meat had gone leaving a lettuce and mayonnaise flatbread which quickly became just a bit tiring and creamy. The solution to this issue is easy and there is multiple avenues you could venture down, the first simply being to add more meat which would postpone this problem until maybe the last few mouthfuls by which point you are struggling to finish the dish anyway. The other would be to downsize the portion by even just a little bit which would balance out the ratios of the elements just that little bit better. 

In my opinion the dish was missing something, one thing in particular, one thing that could of saved it even after the meat had disappeared. Parmesan. A sprinkling of parmesan shavings would of added something entirely new and would have shone through the creamy mayonnaise like a much needed light at the end of the tunnel. And then there were the onion rings, oh onion rings, I am very particular about these little hoops of pleasure. When done well they are the one of the most moreish additions to a dish, but I believe just like with any good TV show, you should always leave them wanting more. This was the main issue I faced with these having received exactly eight rings. Personally I would have lowered the price and served fewer as there were just too many to enjoy. Then there was the flavour, the secret to a truly great onion ring lies in the seasoning of the batter. Unfortunately there was just not enough to make them memorable and left the palette slightly disappointed.

Overall it was a pleasant lunch out, I would be very interested to see what sort of vibe this place has when busy and bustling as it felt just a little dead as if we were entering after closing hours, a factor not helped by the fact they did not properly turned up the lights until we were nearly finished with our meal.  The food as a whole was nice, a lot could be done to enhance it but as a lunch out it certainly satisfied especially with value for money as a large course each alongside soft drinks and complimentary popcorn totalled a modest sum of £24. The restaurant as a whole was deliciously clean and comfortable. However, I would certainly say work needs to be done with brushing up on knowledge of allergen guidance and options, it turns out that a gluten free buttermilk chicken burger does not come with a proper gluten free burger bun, but rather in between two slices of a regular gluten free loaf. 

Would I return? Absolutely! Would it be in a hurry? Maybe not.