First autumn Sunday lunch of the season

We’ve been to Borough Market today (along with a flying visit to Tate Modern and tea at Laura’s followed by a trip to the top of St Paul’s – legs still aching) on the look out for scrumptious things for lunch with Alice and Rebecca tomorrow. Stillfield Farm had a chunky joint of rare breed pork and on our way out I spotted that Turnips had quinces. I’ve just spotted this Sophie Grigson recipe on the BBC good food site and it looks perfect. We brought some apples back from Sussex so I think a slightly quincy apple crumble might be good for pudding. I’ve also got a bag of slightly aging greengages left from last weekend so I think we might have to eat another greengage and almond tart tonight, sigh…Diets are only for week days.

Chicken: sources

www.ellefreerangepoultry.co.uk; www.heritageprime.co.uk; www.swaddles.co.uk

Offline: Black Mountain Foods at Dove and son on Northcote Road; Label Anglais at Borough Market and Harvey Nichols.

Beef and ale casserole

2tbsp sunflower oil
450g beef, cut into good chunks
2 large onions, thickly sliced
2tbsp light brown soft sugar
1tbsp plain flour
2tbsp balsamic vinegar
500ml bottle Timothy Taylor’s Landlord strong pale ale
2tbsp creamed horseradish
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

Preheat oven to 150°C/Gas 2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in casserole dish with lid. Brown beef lightly. Set meat aside.
Sauté onions over a low heat for 6-7 minutes until beginning to soften. Add sugar, flour and balsamic vinegar and stir over high heat for 2-3 minutes. Pour ale over onions and stir until reaches boiling point.
Add beef to casserole, season, cover and cook in oven for 1.5-2 hours until meat very tender. If liquid too runny at end, remove meat from pan and boil hard to reduce.
Mix creamed horseradish and thyme leaves together and serve as an accompaniment to the casserole with mashed potato.

Pot roast lamb in cider (Waitrose)

http://www.waitrose.com/recipe/Pot_Roast_Lamb_in_Cider.aspx

Beef casserole with horseradish (Waitrose)

http://www.waitrose.com/recipe/Beef_Casserole_with_Horseradish.aspx

Braised chicken with tomatoes and olives

Serves 6

2tbsp plain flour
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves chopped
12 chicken thighs
2tbsps olive oil
500g new potatoes
300ml dry white wine
2 red onions, cut into eighths
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 pack vine tomatoes, roughly chopped
200g green olives
4tbsp pine nuts, toasted

Mix flour, rosemary, seasoning, toss with chicken bits. Brown chicken, add potatoes and toss in oil. Add wine and cook rapidly for 2-3 minutes. Add onion, garlic, tomatoes and olives to tin, season. Stir everything, cover with foil. Place in oven and cook for 20 minutes. Remove foil, cook for further 10 minutes. Sprinkle with pine nuts and serve immediately.