Great Family Food. Kevin Dundon
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Great Family Food
Kevin Dundon
More than 100 recipes for delicious home-cooked food
To my beautiful wife Catherine, who is and always has been my tower of strength
Table of Contents
With two young daughters and a toddler, food plays an integral part in our family life. My mother and grandmother were extremely good cooks and instilled in us a sense of passion for the food we ate—many of the recipes in this book are my childhood favourites. As children we always took an active role in the preparation of family meals and I’ve made sure this trend continues with my own children. After homework is done there is a mad dash to prepare the evening meal and everybody has their own special role. Sophie sets the table, Emily peels vegetables or stirs a pot while my wife, Catherine and I chop the meat and peel the vegetables!
The quality of ingredients is close to my heart and I always use the very best seasonal products I can find. Great Family Food features the recipes and the ingredients that Catherine and I use on a regular basis. You’ll find a mixture of healthy and indulgent meals so all occasions are covered. In our house desserts are only served after the main course has been finished—that’s our secret incentive for empty plates!
Being busy shouldn’t mean missing out on good food. If you’re leading a hectic life, juggling family, friends, work and play, it’s important that the food you eat is as nourishing as possible. And even more importantly, food should be shared with the people you love. Happy reading and family cooking!!
Kevin
PS. The recipes in this book include both Imperial and Metric quantities. It is better to stick to one system, not a mix of two. I’ve also included cup measurements for American cooks. If any of the ingredients sound unfamiliar, you will find a short glossary of UK/US terms on page 186.
There’s nothing more satisfying than easy-to-prepare casseroles and delicious one-pot dishes that can be made ahead of time and heated up just before serving.
Tucking into a warming bowl of soup or stew on a cold winter’s day is my idea of heaven, and I guarantee that these recipes will be winners every time.
Tomato and Pesto Soup
This is a delicious way of making the most of tomatoes when they’re at their juiciest and best at the end of the season. The pesto garnish turns this light and summery soup into something very special.
Serves 6-8
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1kg/2lb 4oz ripe plum tomatoes, halved
700ml/11/4 pints/3 cups chicken stock or water
pinch of light brown sugar (optional)
200ml/7fl oz/generous 3/4 cup double cream
crème fraîche, to garnish
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Basil Pesto:
50g/2oz/scant 1 cup fresh basil leaves
2 tsp toasted pine nuts
25g/1oz/1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, peeled
150ml/5fl oz/2/3 cup olive oil
1 For the pesto, place all the ingredients in a liquidizer and blend to a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl, cover with clingfilm and store in the refrigerator until required.
2 Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for a few minutes, or until golden. Tip in the tomatoes and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes, or until well heated through and just beginning to break down.
3 Stir in the chicken stock and allow the mixture to come to the boil and to reduce by half. Remove from the heat and blitz with a hand-held blender to a smooth purée. Alternatively use a liquidizer. Season to taste and add the sugar, if using.
4 To serve, add the cream to the soup and warm through over a medium heat. Check the seasoning and ladle into warmed serving bowls. Garnish each bowl with some basil pesto and crème fraîche.
Mild Curried Chickpeas
Because chickpeas are such a good source of protein, I often incorporate them into our family meals in an attempt to keep us fit and raring to go. This dish is a favourite with the Dundons, as it is so simple and tasty.
Vegetarian Serves 4
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 red onion, peeled and chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2.5cm/1in