Delicious winter fare

Starter: Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup

Serves: 4
Prep: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
• 25 g dried porcini mushrooms
• 50 g butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, sliced
• Thyme sprigs
• 400 g mixed wild mushrooms
• 850 ml vegetable stock
• 200 ml tub crème fraîche
• 4 slices white bread, about 100 g, cubed
• Chives and truffle oil, to serve

Method:
1. Bring a kettle to the boil, then pour the water over the dried porcini just to cover.
2. Heat half the butter in a saucepan, then gently sizzle the onion, garlic and thyme for 5 minutes until softened and starting to brown.
3. Drain the porcini, reserving the juice, then add to the onion with the mixed wild mushrooms. Leave to cook for 5 minutes until they go limp. Pour over the stock and reserved juices, bring to the boil and then simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Stir in crème fraîche and simmer for a few minutes more.
5. Blitz the soup with a hand blender or liquidizer, pass through a fine sieve, and then set aside.
6. Heat the remaining butter in a frying pan and fry the bread cubes until golden, then drain on kitchen paper.
7. To serve, heat the soup and froth up with a hand blender, if you like. Ladle the soup into bowls, scatter over the croutons and chives and drizzle with truffle oil.

Source: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4756/cream-of-wild-mushroom-soup

Main: Hungarian Beef Goulash

Serves: 8
Prep: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 4, 5 hours

Ingredients::
• 2 pounds beef stew meat (such as chuck), trimmed and cubed
• 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 1½-2 tablespoons sweet or hot paprika (or a mixture of the two), preferably Hungarian
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 large or 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
• 1¼ ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1¼ ounce can reduced-sodium beef broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Method:
1. Place beef in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker.
2. Crush caraway seeds with the bottom of a saucepan. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in paprika, salt and pepper.
3. Sprinkle the beef with the spice mixture and toss to coat well. Top with onion and bell pepper.
4. Combine tomatoes, broth, Worcestershire sauce and garlic in a medium saucepan, then bring to a simmer. Pour over the beef and vegetables. Place bay leaves on top.
5. Cover and cook until the beef is very tender, 4 to 4½ hours on high (or 7 to 7½ hours on low).
6. Discard the bay leaves and skim or blot any visible fat from the surface of the stew.
7. Add the cornstarch mixture to the stew and cook on high, stirring 2 or 3 times, until slightly thickened, for 10 to 15 minutes.
8. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

Tip
Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 4 months. To prepare ahead, trim the beef and coat with spice mixture. Prepare vegetables. Combine tomatoes, broth, Worcestershire sauce and garlic. Refrigerate in separate covered containers for up to 1 day.

Source: www.bbcgoodfood.com