RA recipe collection
Welcome to our recipe collection page!
Explore a curated selection of our team’s favorite recipes ranging from timeless classics and cherished family favorites to the innovation of modern culinary ideas. Discover the essence of our team’s passion for food.
Easy Chicken Curry
Ingredients:
• 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil, • 1 x large onion sliced and chopped, • 1 x 1 inch Cinamon stick, • 2 Ounces Fresh ginger finely sliced, • 4 x small green cardamon pods, • 2 x green chillies halved and de-seeded (substitute chilli flakes if preferred), • 6-7 Garlic cloves peeled and crushed, • 2 x Large boneless Chicken breast portions, • 2 x Teaspoons ground cumin, • 2 x Teaspoons Ground coriander, • 1 x 14 Ounce tin Chopped tomatoes, • Fresh coriander to garnish salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method: Cut the chicken into pieces. Heat the oil in a large pan. Cook the chicken until lightly browned on all sides. Add the chopped onion, cook until softened.
Add all spices, cook for a further 10 minutes. Add tomatoes. Cover and cook for a further 45 minutes or until chicken is tender. You may need to add water during the cooking time. Adjust seasoning to taste, garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
By Annette Dabbs
Hearty wholewheat pasta with Brussels sprouts, cheese & potato
Ingredients:
• 750g/1lb 10oz Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved, • 250g/9oz baking potato, peeled and cut in 2-3cm dice, • 500g/1lb 2oz wholewheat tortiglioni or penne, • salt, • 100g/3½oz ricotta, • 250g/9oz Gruyère cubed, • 50g/2oz unsalted butter, • 1 tbsp garlic oil, • 4 sage leaves shredded, • 50g/2oz parmesan grated
Method: Don’t be modishly alarmed by the double-carb combo: it can be an alcohol-sopping salve, much appreciated at any time of year.
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400f/Gas 6 and fill a large pot with water to cook the sprouts, potato and pasta.
2. When the water boils, salt it generously, tip in the prepared sprouts, the potato dice and the pasta and let the water come back to the boil, then cook for about 8-10 minutes, or until the potato is tender and the pasta al dente. Just before draining, remove two cupfuls of the cooking liquid and put to one side.
3. Tip the drained pasta, sprouts and spud into a roasting tin (or a lasagne dish) then add the ricotta and diced Gruyère and a cupful of cooking water and toss well to combine. Add more liquid if you feel the pasta is too dry.
4. Warm the butter and garlic oil in a small saucepan and, when melted and beginning to sizzle gently, add the sage and fry for about 30 seconds before spooning or dribbling the butter and sage leaves over the pasta bake. Sprinkle with the parmesan and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, by which time the surface will be scorched a light gold. I like this best if it’s left to stand for at least 15 minutes before eating.
By Lesley Boorman
Christmas hodgepodge pie
Ingredients:
• 2 rashers smoked streaky bacon, • 25 g unsalted butter, olive oil, • 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, • 2 leeks, • 2 field mushrooms, • 2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard, • 50 g plain flour, • 1 litre organic chicken stock, • 2 tablespoons crème fraîche, • 500 g leftover cooked turkey and/or stuffing and/or pigs in blankets, • 200 g Brussels sprouts (optional), • 2 tablespoons cranberry sauce, • 1 large free-range egg;
PASTRY (make or buy): • 500 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting, • 250 g cold unsalted butter, • 1 large free-range egg.
Method:
1. For the pastry, put the flour and 1 teaspoon of sea salt into a bowl, cube and add the butter, then use your thumbs and forefingers to rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
2. Beat the egg, then stir into the bowl with 3 to 4 tablespoons of ice-cold water. Use your hands to gently bring it together into a ball, but don’t overwork it. Divide into two pieces and flatten each into a circle (for the top and bottom of your pie), then wrap in greaseproof paper and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
3. Finely chop the bacon, then place in a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat with the butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil (or turkey fat, if you have any). Pick, roughly chop and add the rosemary, then cook for 3 minutes, or until golden.
4. Wash, trim and roughly chop the white part of the leeks (save the green part for making stock or soup) and thickly slice the mushrooms, then add to the pan. Season with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then cook for 10 minutes, or until soft and caramelised, stirring occasionally.
5. Stir in the mustard, then the flour, and pour in the stock – any leftover turkey gravy will add great bonus flavour here, too. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes on a medium-low heat, then turn off the heat and add the crème fraîche. At this stage, you can either leave it chunky or use a stick blender to whiz it to your preferred consistency. Leave to cool completely.
6. Once cold, set aside half of the sauce to serve, then tear up the turkey meat and stir it into the pan, adding some stuffing and pigs in blankets, if you’ve got it. Trim, finely slice and stir in the Brussels sprouts.
7. Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas 3 and grease the bottom of a round 30cm pie dish with a little oil (or leftover turkey fat, if you have any). Roll out half the pastry on a clean flour-dusted surface to ½cm thick and use it to line the pie dish, then tip in your turkey pie filling. Dollop the cranberry sauce on top. Beat the egg, then use it to brush the edges.
8. Roll out the remaining pastry to ½cm thick and a little bigger than the pie dish. Use a selection of cutters to cut out shapes in the middle, and set aside. Carefully place the pastry left behind on top of the pie dish and brush with beaten egg, then place the reserved pastry shapes on top, filling any gaps. Trim off any pastry, then roll out again and cut out more shapes, until all the gaps are filled.
9. Brush the top with beaten egg, and press a fork around the edges to seal. Bake at the bottom of the oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the filling is piping hot.
10. When you’re nearly ready to serve, reheat the remaining sauce until piping hot, then take it to the table alongside the pie.
Tips: The simple addition of crumbled chestnuts to the pastry is a total game-changer. Roll out the pastry, crumble 6 vac-packed chestnuts over one half of it, then fold the other half over and roll out again, crushing the chestnuts into it.
By Caroline Walton
Beef cobbler with cheddar & rosemary scones
Ingredients:
For the stew: • 90ml/3fl oz vegetable oil, • 3 tbsp plain flour, • salt and freshly ground black pepper, • 900g/2lb chuck or stewing steak cut into cubes, • 2 sliced onions, • 2 carrots cut into chunks, • 2 sticks celery cut into 2cm/1in pieces, • 1 leek washed and cut into thick rings, • 1 tbsp tomato purée, • 600ml/1 pint red wine, • 600ml/1 pint beef stock, • 1 bay leaf
For the wholemeal cheese scone topping: • 80g/3oz self-raising flour,
• 100g/3½oz wholemeal self-raising flour, • 65g/2¼oz malted flour, • pinch salt, • 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary, • 150g/5½oz grated cheddar, • 175ml/6fl oz full fat milk, • 1 free-range egg, • extra flour for dusting, • parsley, to garnish
Method:
1. To make the stew, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Toss the steak in the four so each piece is coated.
3. Heat half the oil in a casserole dish and fry the meat in batches until browned all over. Remove from the pan and set to one side.
4. Heat the remaining oil in the same pan and fry the onion, carrots, celery and leek until just coloured. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for another two minutes.
5. Pour the wine into the pan and heat through. Using a wooden spoon, scrape any charred meat and vegetables from the bottom of the pan. Add the stock, bay leaf and return the beef to the pan.
6. Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 1½ hours in the preheated oven (alternatively cook on the hob over a very low heat for 1½ hours).
7. Meanwhile, make the cobbler topping. Mix the flours in a bowl. Add the salt, chopped rosemary and 100g/3½oz of the cheese. Slowly add the milk and bring the mixture together. You may not need all of the milk. Try not to overwork the mixture by mixing it too much as this will toughen the end result.
8. Tip the mixture onto a floured surface and bring together to form a soft dough. Form the dough into a rough circle keeping it quite thick, about 2.5cm/1in. Cut out eight scone-sized circles. Brush the tops of the scones with beaten egg and sprinkle over the remaining cheese.
9. Remove the stew from the oven and place the scones on top of the stew. Increase the oven temperature to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Return the stew to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes until the scones are golden-brown. Serve with a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
By Natalie Blake
Beer-braised chicken with carrots & rosemary
Ingredients:
• 500 g chicken thighss, • 6 carrots, • 120-150 ml beer, • 1 bunch of rosemary, • Olive oil, salt & black peppercorns to taste
Method:
1. Cut chicken into large pieces and carrots into chunks.
2. Heat the oil in a large pan and place chicken in and brown on all sides until golden.
3. Add carrots, mix, and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Pour in beer, season with salt, and cook for aprox. 10 more minutes.
5. When the liquid thickens into a creamy sauce, add rosemary and infuse for 5-7 minutes, add crushed black peppercorns.
6. For a more golden look, this dish can also be prepared in the oven. Serve with mashed potatoes.
By Zhanna Heenan
Red onion salad
Ingredients:
• 1 x small red onion, • 4 x cherry tomatoes, • 2 x garlic cloves chopped/crushed, • Teaspoon of fresh chopped mint, • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method: Peel, slice and chop onion into small pieces. Slice and chop the tomatoes. Peel and chop or crush the garlic. Wash mint and chop. Mix all ingredients together, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
By Annette Dabbs
Burrata Caprese salad
Ingredients:
• 1 creamy burrata cheese, • 2 tomatoes, • Fresh basil, • Extra virgin olive oil, • Dried oregano, • Capers, • Salt and pepper
Method:
1. Arrange the sliced tomatoes on a serving platter.
Place the creamy burrata cheese in the center.
2. Scatter fresh basil leaves over the tomatoes and burrata. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil generously.
3. Sprinkle dried oregano and capers for added flavor.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately and enjoy this delightful Italian Burrata Caprese salad.
By Zhanna Heenan
Nutella Christmas Tree: Tear & Share
Ingredients:
• 2 sheets of puff pastry, • 250 g Nutella, • 1 egg, • 15 g icing sugar
Method: 4-ingredient Nutella Christmas Tree with puff pastry, a Nutella centre, and a snowy dusting of sugar.
1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/180ºfan and line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Grab your two sheets of puff pastry and cut off the corners to make long triangles (off cuts can make something else, or be frozen for another time).
3. Lay one triangle onto the lined baking tray.
4. Spread the Nutella on top (may be easier to melt it slightly first).
5. Add the second triangle of pastry on top.
6. Cut branches on the tree by cutting through the sheets of pastry and Nutella, in inch sized rows, from top to bottom (look at the pictures for reference).
7. Make sure to leave an inch column down the middle of the tree so it’s still connected.
8. Carefully twist each branch a few times to create swirls in the pastry
9. Once swirled, brush the exposed pastry with the beaten egg
10. Bake in the oven for 20-25+ minutes, until golden
11. Once baked, dust with icing sugar… Enjoy!!
By Caroline Walton
Christmas Morning Muffins
Ingredients:
• 250 grams plain flour, • 2½ teaspoons baking powder, • ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, • 100 grams caster sugar, • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (or good grating of fresh nutmeg), • 2 clementines (or satsumas), • approx. 125 millilitres full fat milk, • 75 millilitres vegetable oil (or melted butter left to cool slightly), • 1 large egg, • 175 grams dried cranberries, • 3 teaspoons demerara sugar (for the topping)
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/gas mark 6/400ºF. Line a 12-bun muffin tin with muffin papers or silicone inserts.
2. Measure the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, caster sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg into a large bowl; grate the zest of the clementine/satsuma over, and combine. If you are doing this in advance, leave the zesting till Christmas morning.
3. Squeeze the juice of the clementines/satsumas into a measuring jug, and pour in the milk until it comes up to the 200ml mark / halfway between the ¾ cup and 1 cup marks.
4. Add the oil (or slightly cooled, melted butter) and egg, and lightly beat until just combined.
5. Pour this liquid mixture into the bowl of dried ingredients and stir until everything is more or less combined, remembering that a well-beaten mixture makes for heavy muffins: in other words a lumpy batter is a good thing here.
6. Fold in the cranberries, then spoon the batter into the muffin cases and sprinkle the demerara sugar on top. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, by which time the air should be thick with the promise of good things and the good things themselves golden brown and ready to be eaten, either plain or broken up and smeared, as you go, with unsalted butter and marmalade.
By Thomas Canner
Great-Nanny Dot’s Lemon trifle
Ingredients:
• 12 plain fairy cakes, • 1 tin of fruit cocktail, • Lemon curd, • 300ml double cream, • Tbsp sugar, • 125g custard
Method:
1. drain the fruit and leave on the side to dry.
2. slice the fairy cakes in half and cover each half with a layer of lemon curd.
3. Place the fairy cakes (lemon curd side up) on the bottom of your trifle dish until you have an even layer of cake. You can add an extra layer of lemon curd on top of your cake if you like a tart trifle.
4. make sure your fruit is a dry as possible before adding the fruit to you cake layer to avoid soggy cake. Add an even layer of fruit.
5. Then add an even layer of custard and place in the fridge while you make the cream.
6. Next, add 300ml of cream to a bowl and add a tbsp of sugar and whisk until you get soft peaks. Avoid over whisking.
7. Finally, add you cream on top of the custard layer and leave in the fridge for a minimum of an hour to set.
By Natalie Blake
Snowball Cocktail
Ingredients:
• 10-15ml lime juice, • 50ml advocaat, • 50ml sparkling lemonade, • ice, to serve, • 1 maraschino cherry
Method:
1. Fill a glass with ice and if using, add up to 15ml of lime juice or lime cordial (or to your taste). Pour the advocaat and lemonade over the ice and stir gently until the outside of the glass feels cold.
2. Garnish with the maraschino cherry.
By Thomas Canner
Mince pie mimosa
Ingredients:
• 45g light brown soft sugar, • pinch of ground ginger, • pinch of ground cinnamon, • 30ml brandy, • 1 clementine juiced, • 300ml prosecco
Method:
1. To make the syrup, put the sugar, ginger and cinnamon in a pan with the brandy and clementine juice. Heat gently over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to a simmer and bubble for 2 mins until sticky and syrupy. Set aside to cool.
2. Divide the syrup between two champagne flutes and top up with the prosecco.
By Lesley Boorman
