Hearty comfort food recipes, perfect for a mid-week meal

Autumn marks the start of chilly weather and dark evenings. But it’s also the best time for cosy nights in and an abundance of comfort food.
Creamy pulled chicken soupCreamy pulled chicken soup
Creamy pulled chicken soup

And these recipes are great to warm you up on those chilly evenings.

Creamy Pulled Chicken Soup With Garlic Bread

Ingredients

Mushroom risottoMushroom risotto
Mushroom risotto

For 2 people (double for 4)

1 brown onion

2 garlic cloves

5g thyme

10-min beef and mushroom stroganoff with fusilli10-min beef and mushroom stroganoff with fusilli
10-min beef and mushroom stroganoff with fusilli

320g British chicken thighs

5g parsley

1 carrot

1 Knorr chicken stock cube †

1 soft cheese pot (50g) †

80g white cup mushrooms

2 ciabatta rolls †

2 white potatoes

You Will Need

Butter, olive oil, pepper, salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ 425°F/ Gas 7.

Boil a full kettle. Remove 2 tbsp [4 tbsp] butter from the fridge to warm up for later. Add the chicken thighs to a baking tray with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.

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Put the tray in the oven for 15-18 min or until cooked through (no pink meat!)

Meanwhile, peel and finely slice the brown onion[s]. Top, tail and dice the carrot[s].

Heat a large, wide-based pan or pot (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of olive oil over a medium heat.

Once hot, add the sliced onion and carrot with a pinch of salt and cook for 6-8 min or until beginning to soften

Meanwhile, dice the potatoes finely (skins on).

Slice the white cup mushrooms finely.

Peel and finely chop (or grate) the garlic.

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Dissolve the Knorr chicken stock cube[s] in 600ml [1.2L] boiled water.

Once the onion and carrot are beginning to soften, add the diced potato, sliced mushroom and half the chopped garlic (save the rest for later!) to the pan.

Cook for 1 min, then add the chicken stock and bring to the boil over a high heat.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10-15 min or until the potatoes are just fork tender.

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Meanwhile, strip the thyme leaves from their stems add them to the pan, discard the stems.

Whilst the soup is cooking, chop the parsley finely, including the stalks.

Combine the chopped parsley and remaining chopped garlic with the warmed butter.

Slice the ciabatta rolls in half. Spread the butter over the sliced ciabatta and add to a baking tray.Once the soup is almost done, put the tray in the oven for 5-7 min or until crusty – this is your garlic bread.

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Remove the cooked chicken from the oven and shred it apart using two forks – this technique is known as 'pulling'.

Stir the pulled chicken into the soup with the soft cheese and a generous grind of black pepper.

Lightly mash the soup to break up a few potatoes, then give everything a good mix up.

Tip: If your soup is too thick, add a small splash of water!

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Serve the creamy pulled chicken soup in bowls with the garlic bread to the side.

Creamy Two-Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients

For 2 people (double for 4)

160g Arborio rice

3 garlic cloves

1 spring onion

40g cheddar cheese

1 pot of cornish clotted cream (40g)

5g chives

1 Knorr vegetable stock cube

1 Chinese rice wine sachet (30ml)

160g chestnut mushrooms

150g portobello mushrooms

You Will Need

Tin foil, butter, pepper, vegetable oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 150°C/140°C (fan) /300°F/Gas 2.

Boil a kettle.

Trim and finely slice the spring onion[s] and chop the chives finely.

Peel and finely chop (or grate) the garlic.

Dissolve the Knorr vegetable stock cube[s] in 700ml [1.4L] boiled water.

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a high heat.

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Once hot, tear and crumble both the portobello and chestnut mushrooms directly into the pan.

Cook over a high heat for 3-5 min or until starting to brown and caramelise.

Once caramelised, transfer the mushrooms to a baking tray (use tin foil to avoid mess).

Put it in the oven until later and reserve the pan.

Return the pan to a medium heat and add the sliced spring onion and half of the chopped chives (keep the rest for garnish) with a knob of butter.

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Cook for 30 secs or until softened. Add the Arborio rice and chopped garlic to the pan and cook for 30 secs, stirring to coat the grains in the butter.

Add the Chinese rice wine and cook for a further 30 secs or until it's evaporated. Add 1/3 of the vegetable stock and stir continuously with a wooden spoon until it has absorbed.

Continue to add the stock, a little at a time, stirring more or less continuously for 20-25 min, until all the stock is absorbed and the rice is cooked – this is your risotto.

Meanwhile, grate the cheddar cheese.

Once cooked, remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the grated cheese, clotted cream and half of the mushrooms (keep the other half for garnish).

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Tip: Add a little more boiled water if your risotto is too clumpy – a risotto should have an almost porridge-like consistency.

Season with pepper.

Serve the risotto in bowls and top with the remaining mushrooms, a sprinkle of the remaining chives and a good grind of black pepper.

10-Min Beef & Mushroom Stroganoff With Fusilli

Ingredients

For 2 people (double for 4)

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp smoked paprika

5g parsley

250g British beef strips

1/2 beef stock cube

50g soft cheese

150g quick cook fusilli

15ml Chinese rice wine

160g chestnut mushrooms

5.5g dijon mustard

You Will Need

Pepper, salt, vegetable oil

Method

Boil a full kettle.

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over the highest heat.

Meanwhile, snip the parsley roughly with scissors, including the stalks.

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Once your pan is very hot, add the beef strips with a pinch of salt and cook for 1 min exactly, to sear the outside, but prevent them from overcooking.

Tip: it's okay if they're a little pink on the inside, they'll go back in the sauce later!

Once done, transfer the beef strips to a plate to rest. Reserve the pan.

Meanwhile, add the quick cook fusilli to a pot of boiled water with a large pinch of salt and bring to the boil over a high heat.

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Cook the fusilli for just 2 min (it will keep cooking in the sauce later!).

Once done, drain the fusilli, reserving a cup of the starchy pasta water.

Return the pan to a medium heat with a generous drizzle of vegetable oil.

Once hot, crumble the chestnut mushrooms roughly into the pan.

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Add the smoked paprika and cook for 1 min or until fragrant.

Meanwhile, dissolve 1/2 [1] beef stock cube in 100ml [180ml] boiled water.

Add the tomato paste and Dijon mustard and give everything a good mix up – this is your stroganoff stock.

Add the Chinese rice wine to the pan with the mushrooms and cook for 30 sec.

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Add the stroganoff stock and soft cheese and increase the heat to high.

Cook for 1 min, stirring until everything's combined.

Return the rested beef strips to the pan with the drained fusilli and cook for 1 min further – this is your beef & mushroom stroganoff.

Tip: add a splash of starchy pasta water if your sauce is looking a little dry!

Set the beef & mushroom stroganoff in the centre of the table, ready to share.

Garnish with the snipped parsley, season with a grind of black pepper and let everyone dig in.

Recipes courtesy of gousto.co.uk

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