Batch cooking ideas please?

Hi, loving the big batch cooking session I’ve just done (chicken, veg curry, bolognese and chilli). We have been talking about other ideas. Hubby is a fussy bugger and doesn’t much like unspicy food, or fish, or pork, or bones. We love Asian food but stirfrys obviously can’t be frozen. Has anyone got any ideas / recipes please? :smile:

You can bulk make bao and gyoza :slightly_smiling_face:

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I’ve mentioned this recipe before, but not since I froze and defrosted some: Lentil & cauliflower curry recipe | BBC Good Food

I subbed coconut cream for the coconut yogurt (you could add that after defrosting, especially if using yogurt) and sweet potato for ordinary. The only thing I noticed was the texture of the cauliflower wasn’t quite as nice as it had been.

Next time, I’m very tempted to cook the lentil sauce in a larger amount, then add fresh veg when I’ve defrosted it. The lentil sauce was very nice indeed.

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Also coq au vin and chicken chasseur (made with thighs), and beef bourguignon, made in the pressure cooker (Instant Pot).

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Lots of spicy soup recipes. Great for a lunch or as a starter.

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Yum, most of them look delicious :heart_eyes:

Great idea!! We are cutting back on meat to save money, and for environmental reasons. The curry I did which made 15 portions only had 1kg of chicken, and the chili (18 portions) was only about 400g, lots of beans and sweet corn!

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The best value batch I know is poitrine d’agneau (breast of lamb) order a whole one (€8! last week) In the UK it’s sold in halves or quarters, but here I always buy the whole thing (L and R ribs). Either ask your butcher to chop it into strips or split it in two and try the first stage of the recipe below . Either way you might want to trim some of the thicker fat before cooking.

Google the phrase poitrine d’agneau à saint menehould and you’ll find several recipes which all involve cooking the lamb very gently in wine or stock for a couple of hours with finely chopped onions and aromatics . This can then be separated into portions and frozen with some of the lamb stock.

When reheated it can form the base for a traditional lamb stew, a tajine or a curry.

The second stage of the recipe (the saint menehould) bit is only optional. It involves letting the meat set in the jelly, cutting it into strips and coating them in mustard, beaten egg and bread crumbs then grilling them. Wonderful and works well too with pigs’ trotters or ox/veal tail.

Lots of variations on the above are possible - the important bit and main money saver is the whole poitrine and slow cooking

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Then may I also recommend hachis parmentier, made with half and half (or 1/3, 2/3) lamb to green lentils? The lamb fat really gets into the lentils.

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Pork goulash- stew with plenty of onions, peppers and hot paprika.
Shoulder or leg, slowcooker or in the oven.

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Sag aloo, butter tofu, chickpea curry. I’m also really happy to find (veggie) pie and mash, frittata and cauliflower cheese inn my freezer :smiley:

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Update on poitrine d’agneau above - today bought a whole poitrine of 2.74 kilos for €5.47 (L and R rib cages and boneless flaps). Trimmed the fat and divided the meat into nine portions for freezing , rather than cooking all at once and then dividing because I’ll want to roast some and casserole some (European and Maghreb routes) . Each portion is between 180 and 210 grams, so I think that’s amazing value

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