Good Food Blog

Snowy rations

Posted at , 02 February 2009 by Caroline Hire - Food editor, bbcgoodfood.com

So the snow's coming thick and fast. I've never seen anything like it in the ten years I've lived in London. Everything has ground to a standstill - no buses, no trains (at least on my line, South Eastern) and tubes delayed all over the place.

The news this morning told me cars have been skidding around central London and if the view outside my house is anything to go by the gritters are losing the battle.

I can't help feeling a little bit of glee at the white blanket that has been thrown over an otherwise drab winter. It must be the child in me but it's just about all I can do to stop myself from running outside to make snow angels in the garden.

The only downside is the contents of my cupboards... or lack of them. I've got the builders coming in this week to refurbish my kitchen and so I've depleted the stocks leaving a load of tins, flour, spices - basically a mass of very uninspiring dry goods and not much else.

On the fresh side I do have a pumpkin and a kohlrabi (that'll be my organic veg box), a wizened orange pepper, some cherry tomatoes, onions, garlic and a sorry array of frost-bitten herbs. I'm overjoyed to discover I have eggs, butter and a few lemons so that's my afternoon tea sorted but what happens before and after that is not looking too promising.

Looking more closely I see I have a large jar of Spanish white beans, frozen chicken thighs stuck at the back of the not-quite-empty freezer and of course there's never a shortage of wine in my house so I'm thinking perhaps a loose version of this Chicken and white bean stew. But if you have any better ideas, please let me know - I'm hungry!

If you're snowed in or are one of the brave few to make it to work but aren't planning to leave the office at lunchtime, then let us know what sustenance you'll be shovelling down to get you through the snow flurry...

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Comments

  • 2 February 2009, 12:55PM

    prune boy

    Open QuoteI'm surviving on marmite on toast !!! you can't go wrong with that. good luck to fellow food lovers out there stuck in the snow.

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  • 2 February 2009, 1:02PM

    Elaine

    Open QuoteAlso snowbound, but feeling inspired by your recipe of the day. I bought some top-quality sausages at the Good Food Show and popped them in my freezer. They are now thawing out (and so am I after a quick walk to the park!) and I plan to make the speedy meatball stew, as I have all the other ingredients. We've also got potatoes and celeriac, so we're planning to make mash to serve alongside. I'm always amazed how many things I have stashed away in my storecupboard and freezer. I think I could probably survive another five days without going shopping, even if I ate soup every day!

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  • 2 February 2009, 1:04PM

    cookinggirl123

    Open QuoteI having beans on toast! Yay me!

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  • 2 February 2009, 1:40PM

    littlesparrow

    Open QuoteYummy carrot and cumin soup has done a good job of warming me up....although i am at work, not building snowmen like i want to!

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  • 2 February 2009, 2:05PM

    lalybaba

    Open QuoteI always seem to be left with tins of pulses when running my cupboards low so go for variations on veg tagines, veg curries and chilies. If you've got any frozen spinach (another thing I always seem to have) a pumpkin chickpea and spinach curry cld be good. Purried or bashed/mashed white,butter beans or chick peas can succesfully replace mashed potatoes too...hope that helps!

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  • 2 February 2009, 2:17PM

    Caroline

    Open QuoteOoh - thanks lalybaba - great suggestions. I like the sound of the bashed beans, I've got no shortage of those. Will definitely think about stocking up on spinach for next time!

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  • Binder photo ADE
    2 February 2009, 4:44PM

    ADE

    Open QuoteI honestly think a hearty Chicken and Vegetable Spanish Style Stew is your only nutritious direction. Sweat the onions,garlic,pepper and optional herbs with some finely diced kohlrabi in olive oil.Add the chicken thighs(skinless) and cook for a further ten minutes. Now add the cherry toms and a couple of pints veg or chicken stock and half a cup of the beans.Simmer for 1 hour and season well with salt and pepper.If you want to thicken you can use some tomato puree or a little cornflour. I am not ashamed of vegetable granules as a thickener in certtain dishes.Good luck and bon appetit!!

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  • 2 February 2009, 6:59PM

    Caroline

    Open QuoteWell that's dinner sorted then - thanks Ade!

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  • 3 February 2009, 10:56AM

    Christine

    Open Quote Hope you managed to make it to the office today Caroline, or at the very least to the shops to get supplies. I'm sure a super cook like you can rustle up a meal out of scraps.

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  • 4 February 2009, 11:49AM

    Carol

    Open QuoteI made the chicken and white bean stew for tea for hubby and I last week, it was yummy! You are in for a treat. You can't beat some nice crusty bread to dip in the gravy, hope you managed to get to the local baker?!

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  • 4 February 2009, 5:52PM

    Dragon

    Open QuoteOr just pop the ingredients in your own breadmaker!

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  • 4 February 2009, 8:42PM

    Bego

    Open QuoteAs I am Spanish I will suggest simple Spanish omelette. Most people have eggs, potatoes and onions in their house and you don't even need the onion. Forget about more elaborated recipes that have peppers and other veg in it! believe me, if you go to Spain omelette is made of potatoes, eggs and onion and that's it. And is very tasty, quick and easy. Can be eaten hot or cold so make and relax with good food mag by the fire!

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  • 4 February 2009, 11:20PM

    maryvale

    Open Quotefor a warming soup that doesnt cost a lot cook potatoes onion or leeks cook till soft put through in blender season to your taste with nice chunky bread or thick slices of bread toasted warming and filling have no blender mash with potato masher add chicken cuppa soup if liked

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  • 4 February 2009, 11:54PM

    recipe book

    Open QuoteI always keep some stewing meat and casserole veg in the freezer for winter emergencies. Add wine, any other root vegetables, a tin of tomatoes and some stock. Put in a low oven with jacket potatoes, washed and rubbed with a little salt, wrapped in foil in the top of the oven and a vanilla flavoured rice pudding in the bottom and it will cook while you go out and have fun in the snow. When you get back the smell is wonderful and the house is warm and cosy. Best of all there's not much to do except unwrap the potatoes for a while to crisp up, thicken the casserole to taste and serve it with the rest of the wine! Finish with rice pudding and ice-cream. Wonderful.

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  • 5 February 2009, 1:35AM

    Fionas

    Open QuoteOkay, I am so jealous. Here in Sydney it is to be 36 in the area I live and the prediction is for 43 and 44 Saturday and Sunday - I am so over the heat!!!! I am living on salad and anything else that requires little effort and no heat - the thought of a warm, yummy sticky pudding is to die for (but I think I literally would if I tried to make it in this heat)! Enjoy the snow and the lovely cold weather!

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  • Binder photo anA
    5 February 2009, 9:51AM

    anA

    Open QuoteHow about a nice dal with rice? Perfect for winter, gorgeously warming.

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  • Binder photo anA
    5 February 2009, 9:52AM

    anA

    Open QuoteNot sure if my last comment was saved. I was suggesting a nice spicy dal that will warm us up!

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  • 5 February 2009, 1:01PM

    Ellie Reade

    Open QuoteOne of the most warming and quick things I like in winter is a nice spicy veg soup. Today I've got a Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato soup which has been spiced up using cumin and a few chilli seeds. The sweet potato gives the soupd a really thick hearty feel to it. This is my favourite combo, but it all depends on what you've got in the fridge at the time. Another nice winter warmer is curried parsnip soup and if you use a veg stock cube either of these soups can be enjoyed by everyone - meat eaters and vegetarians!

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  • 22 February 2009, 5:08PM

    Carol A.

    Open QuoteI'm in Canada and we're more than used to this type of weather (and some of us actually enjoy it). I like to prepare spicey buttermilk marinated chicken thighs with lots of garlic, fresh ginger, ground coriander, chili powder, garam masala and cumin - by the time I prep the sides it's ready to go in the oven. It's warming on cold days and makes a great reheat at work the next day.

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