Chicken with ham and mushroom

Ingredients
 2 tbsp  olive oil
 500g boneless, skinless  chicken thighs
 flour, for dusting
 50g cubetti di  pancetta
 300g small button mushrooms
 2 large  shallots, chopped
 250ml chicken stock
 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
 50g frozen peas
 small handful  parsley, finely chopped

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan. Season and dust the chicken with flour, brown on all sides. Remove.

Fry the pancetta and mushrooms until softened, then remove.

Add the final tbsp oil and cook shallots for 5 mins.

Add the stock and vinegar, bubble for 1-2 mins.

Return the chicken, pancetta and mushrooms and cook for 15 mins.

Add the peas and parsley and cook for 2 mins more, then serve.

This is the recipe as received. I used ordinary ham, ordinary oil, didn't bother with the vinegar, or the flour (makes it difficult for calculating carbohydrates, and the chicken browns fine without it.) I also did the peas separately, which I think makes for nicer presentation.

Served with mashed potato, it made a 10/10 for local sourcing.

Belgrade beef stew

750 g stewing beef, cut in 3cm cubes

250 g onions, chopped

1 clove(s) garlic, mashed

1 red bell pepper, diced

4 tomatoes, diced

2 carrots, sliced

salt and freshly ground black pepper

paprika powder

1 glass(es) red wine

5 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp butter

Method

Heat the butter and fry the beef over medium heat all around until browned. Stir in the garlic and onions and fry for two more minutes. Season with salt, pepper and paprika powder. Pour in the wine, cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, bell peppers and carrots. Cover and simmer for another 20-25 minutes or until the beef is tender. Check seasoning and correct, if necessary.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve with rice and lettuce salad.

This is economical cooking – does in one pot on the hob. I used oil instead of butter. I left out the red wine, adding a little water to compensate.

For localness 7/10; rice is always a problem from that point of view. The meat, the veg and most of the spices were local.

Lamb ragout

Ingredients
150 g lean lamb, cut in 3cm cubes
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp onion, chopped
2 tsp celeriac, diced
2 tbsp courgette, diced
4 tbsp tomato, diced
200 ml vegetable stock
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp          oregano
1 tsp basil, chopped
1 tsp parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

250 g potatoes
100 ml milk
1 tbsp butter
nutmeg


Method

Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the meat and stir-fry from all sides until browned.

Add the onion, celeriac and the courgette and stir-fry for further 5 minutes.

Mix in the diced tomatoes, pour in the stock and bring to the boil.

Stir in the mustard, basil and parsley. Season to taste with salt, pepper and oregano.

Simmer for 15 minutes.

Serve with mashed potatoes, seasoned with nutmeg.

This worked really nicely. The flavours were rich and the meat nicely done. I had no celeriac; I used half a sweet potato that was lying around in the fridge looking for employment.

 If I knew where the oregano came from, I might be able to give 10/10 for local sourcing.