Brrr
Something odd has happened to my appetite lately. I've always been able to eat absolutely anything but suddenly, over the last couple of years, I can't eat so much and I'm actually putting on weight for the first time in my life.
The main effect on my cooking has been portion control - I simply can't plough through as much as I used to. Being perennially single, this can be a problem - it's enough of a faff to buy ingredients and cook a meal for one already, without the hassle of it being a "one" who doesn't eat much.
I've moved house (several times, actually) since I last posted, and in my current place I have the luxury of an entire fridge-freezer to myself. This is something to shout about from the point of view of the impecunious cook - you can't be a cheapskate and a gourmand without a freezer, in my humble opinion.
Things didn't look good when I first moved in. When I came into the kitchen with my frozen stuff from the last house I looked around for somewhere to put it and.... no freezer. Not even an icebox in the fridge. Oh rats. I'd started to panic until it occurred to me to look in the cellar - and there was a fridge/freezer, which neither of my housemates used. It's mine, all mine! The first priority was to defrost it, which took an entire weekend - the freezer section was solid. It was a real journey of exploration; what had looked like a solid block of ice actually contained a couple of bags of frozen peas, some fish fingers and a box of Tesco Value Hamburgers - all of which went straight into the bin.
Anyway, wandering slowly back towards the point: I have invested in a load of sealable, microwavable, freezer-proof plastic containers and now cook the same amount as I always used to but just put half on the dish and half in a Tupperware for later. One-pot dishes are best for this, for obvious reasons. You can't do it with everything; I'm a bit wary of freezing rice (though it should be OK as long as you don't ever let it stand at room temperature; it should be frozen, fridge'd or piping hot) and eggs and dairy products are an absolute no-no, but stews, curries and chilli will be absolutely fine.
Here's one that everyone should know.
Chilli con carne
Heat some oil in a wok and throw in some garlic, turmeric, paprika and cumin. Chuck in a fresh chilli pepper, chopped, or chilli powder, as you prefer. Chuck in a chopped onion and some pine nuts and let them take up the colour of the spices. Now add your mince (beef or lamb, I'm not fussed) and let it colour up a bit. Tin of tomatoes, tin of kidney beans. Mushroom and pepper, if you want. The moisture in the tomatoes should be enough to cover it and let it simmer in, but you can chuck on some stock if it's not. Don't forget a splash of Lea and Perrins.
Let it simmer for 20 minutes or so.
Serve half over rice, put the other half in a Tupperware and freeze it. Black pepper and cheese is nice over the top (don't freeze the cheese).
A warning! Freezing does not stop chillis from working their wonderful magic,
so don't leave it in the freezer for too long before eating the leftovers!
