Week 1: Community MasterChef

Ingredients: 

• Sausages 

• Yorkshire pudding mixture 

• Oil (for frying and for batter) 

• Onion 

• Sugar (should be on hand or previously purchased) 

• Gravy granules

Instructions: 

• Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). 
• Preheat a baking tray in the oven with a little oil. 
• Part-cook the sausages in the air fryer or a frying pan until browned on the outside. 
• Prepare the Yorkshire pudding mixture as per packet instructions, adding a tablespoon of oil. 
• Once the baking tray is very hot, carefully add the part-cooked sausages and pour over the batter mixture. 
• Immediately return the tray to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the batter has risen and turned golden brown. 
• Meanwhile, thinly slice the onion and fry in a little oil until golden brown. 
• Sprinkle the caramelized onions with a teaspoon of sugar to enhance the sweetness. 
• Prepare the gravy by mixing gravy granules with water (using vegetable water if available) to achieve the desired consistency. 
• Once the Toad in the Hole is cooked, slice and serve with mashed potatoes, cooked vegetables, caramelized onions, and onion gravy. 
• Serve and enjoy!

Ingredients: 

• Mince (quantity as needed, approximately 500g) 

• Oil (for frying) 

• Chopped onions (from the pantry or purchased) 

• Basic tomato sauce (ingredients on hand or previously purchased) 

• Frozen peas (should be on hand or previously purchased) 

• Frozen carrots (should be on hand or previously purchased) 

• Potatoes (for mashing, from previous purchase) 

• Grated cheese 

• Premade salad 

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). 
2. In a frying pan, heat a little oil and fry the chopped onions until golden. 
3. Add the minced meat and cook until browned. 
4. Stir in the basic tomato sauce, frozen peas, and frozen carrots. Cook until the vegetables are heated through. 
5. In an ovenproof dish, layer the meat mixture on the bottom. 
6. Spread mashed potatoes over the meat mixture, ensuring an even layer. 
7. Sprinkle grated cheese on top of the mashed potatoes. 
8. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown. 
9. Serve hot with a side of premade salad. 

Ingredients: 

• Jacket potatoes (previously purchased) 

• Remaining half chicken from previous recipe 

• Tin of sweetcorn 

• Mayo 

Instructions: 

• Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). 
• Prick the jacket potatoes with a fork and microwave them for 15-20 minutes until tender. 
• Transfer the jacket potatoes to the air fryer and cook for an additional 10 minutes to crisp the skin. 
• Meanwhile, shred the remaining half chicken and mix it with drained sweetcorn and mayonnaise. 
• Cut open the jacket potatoes and fill them with the chicken, sweetcorn, and mayo mixture. 
• Serve and enjoy! 

Ingredients: 

• Tinned fish of your choice 

• Potatoes (double the quantity of fish, assumed 4 potatoes, should be on hand or previously purchased) 

• 2 eggs (should be on hand or previously purchased) 

• Salt and pepper (should be on hand or previously purchased) 

• 1 tbsp flour or cornflour (should be on hand or previously purchased) 

• Premade salad (£0.85) 

Instructions: 

• Drain the tinned fish and mix it with mashed potatoes (previously cooked and cooled), 2 beaten eggs, salt, pepper, and 1 tbsp of flour or cornflour. 
• Shape the mixture into small patties. 
• Heat a little oil in a frying pan and fry the fish cakes for 6-8 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Alternatively, cook them in the air fryer at 180°C (350°F) for 15-20 minutes, turning once. 
• Serve the fish cakes with a side of premade salad. 

Ingredients:

Use remaining half of gammon from previous recipe.

• Potatoes (for making chips, should be on hand or previously purchased) 

• Tinned pineapple in its juices 

• Frozen peas (should be on hand or previously purchased) 

Instructions: 

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). 
• Slice the remaining half of the gammon and place it in an ovenproof tray. 
• Cover the gammon with tinned pineapple in its juices, ensuring it’s tightly covered with foil. 
• Warm in the oven for 15-20 minutes until heated through. 
• Meanwhile, peel and cut potatoes into chip shapes. Cook them in the air fryer until golden and crispy. 
• Cook frozen peas according to package instructions. 
• Serve the warmed gammon and pineapple with a side of crispy chips and cooked peas. 

Ingredients: 

• Whole chicken 

• Chopped mushrooms (should be on hand or previously purchased) 

• White wine (optional, should be on hand or previously purchased) 

• Cream cheese 

• Herbs of your choice (tarragon, basil, sage) or dried (from previous purchase) 

• 3 large potatoes

• Oil (for drizzling) 

• Salt and pepper 

Instructions: 

• Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (350°F). 
• Place the whole chicken in the air fryer and cook for approximately 45 minutes or until the juices run clear when pierced with a fork. 
• While the chicken is cooking, prepare the cream cheese herb sauce. In a saucepan, fry the chopped mushrooms until softened. Add a dash of white wine if desired, then stir in the cream cheese and herbs. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. 
• Remove half of the cooked chicken from the air fryer and shred the meat using two forks. Add the shredded chicken to the cream cheese herb sauce and stir to combine. 
• Meanwhile, microwave the 3 large potatoes until soft. Cut them into wedges, drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper. 
• Transfer the potato wedges to the air fryer and cook until crisp and golden brown. 
• Serve the shredded chicken in cream cheese herb sauce with the crispy potato wedges and any remaining vegetables or salad. 

Ingredients

• Puff pastry 

• Apples 

• Lemon juice (should be on hand or previously purchased) 

• Sugar (should be on hand or previously purchased) 

• Cream or ice cream (optional, should be on hand or previously purchased) 

Instructions: 

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). 
• Roll out the puff pastry on a baking tray and prick it with a fork all over, leaving a border around the edges. 
• Quarter and core the apples, then thinly slice them. 
• Place the sliced apples in a microwave-safe bowl, drizzle with lemon juice, and microwave until just tender. 
• Arrange the softened apples on the puff pastry, overlapping slightly and leaving the border clear. 
• Sprinkle the apples with 1 tsp of sugar. 
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and puffed. 
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before cutting into portions. 
• Serve warm, optionally with cream or ice cream. 
• Enjoy!

Tomato sauce – 

Ingredients 

• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 garlic clove ( 1 tbsp of garlic granule) 
• 1 can of chopped tomato or ( 1 passata carton or 500g fresh chopped tomato) 
• 1 tbsp tomato puree 
• Half vegetable crumbled stock cube. 
• 2 cups of water 
• Optional  Italian herbs/ parsley ,basil ,oregano. 

Method 

• Put olive oil in pot on medium heat then add all ingredients to pot.  
• Cook slowly on medium heat until sauce has reduced by half. Season with salt and pepper to taste, pinch of sugar optional. 
• This sauce can be used for pasta such as  
• Bolognaise ( fry mince meat with onions and add this sauce.) 
• This sauce can be accompanied to any meat or vegetable dish. ( optional dash of double cream to turn it into a creamy tomato sauce) 

White sauce –  

Ingredients 

•  500ml milk 
•  50g plain flour 
•  50g butter. 

Method 

• Add flour and butter to saucepan on medium heat, stir until dough like,
• Add small splash of milk and whisk continually and slowly add the rest of milk bit by bit constantly stirring.
• Leave on medium heat till thicken but continue stirring so it doesn’t catch.

This is the basic white sauce that you can now add cheese for cheese sauce, parsley for parsley sauce or any other ingredients for which sauce you desire. 

Flavoured Butter– 

Ingredients & method:

• ½ pack of softened butter or spread. 
• Add any flavour – garlic, parsley, herbs, chilli, grated lemon zest,  

These flavoured butters can be added to any meat, fish, vegetable or breads. (good for bbq, grilling/ air fryer.)