Recipes with main character energy

Nine tasty recipes that feed many well and can be completely made in advance. Tick, tick.

Morning! What should we cook this weekend? Or rather, what should we cook for this weekend? Let’s go for something with real ’main character energy’.

Last week's newsletter and video was all about that beautiful polpettone swimming in tomato sauce. I hope you tried it or will try it one day. One of those comfort meals that's completely make-ahead, always a hit, and perfect for leftovers (if there are any). It also seems to hit a nostalgia note, it’s homey and tasty and reminds us somehow of something we had as a kid or travelling maybe in a trattoria somewhere. Or maybe I’m projecting. Anyway.

It got me thinking about other recipes that hit the same delicious notes—dishes with what I'm calling "main character energy." You know the ones - they hold space in the center of the table, are made in advance, and only need a simple salad or quick pickle to complete the meal. Here below are nine such recipes.

I hope you enjoy this one and find some good big things to cook, freeze, share, feel great about this weekend,

Sophie x

Spicy, smokey beef ragu

This ragu is layer upon layer of flavour all cooked long and slow in a low oven. It’s a recipe from my book A Basket by the Door, it freezes well and would be a great thing to make and give someone for a ready meal. I love it with soft polenta but it would also be great through or on pasta, served with potato mash or even with a guacamole, tortillas and some pickles (in which case, you could stir in some cooked red beans if you like). I’ve also used it in lasagne, and that was delicious too.

2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp thyme leaves
2 chorizo, very finely chopped (I give mine a whizz in the food processor)
800g beef chuck steak or other slow-cooking cut, chopped into small pieces (your butcher should be ok to do this, otherwise just use mince)
1 cup full-bodied red wine
4 x Chipotle chillies in adobo sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp salt
4 x tbsp tomato paste
2 x 400g tins whole tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 140C. Heat the olive oil in a large pan with a heavy base on medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and thyme and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the chorizo, turn the heat up to high, and cook for another few minutes. Now, add the beef and cook for a few more minutes. Pour in the wine and let it bubble down and reduce somewhat, then the puree, chipotle tomatoes, tinned tomatoes, and brown sugar.

Stir well, then place the pan in the oven for four hours, by which time it will be a rich, deeply flavoured pot of goodness. Serve with polenta and a green salad.

The flavors, the layers, the delicious umaminess of it all. This recipe brings an incredible depth of flavour; everyone loves it, and it’s even better the next day. You can skip the lasagna bit and make the mushroom ragu to toss through pasta. So so good.

One of my favourite Tessa recipes, the lamb becomes fall-apart tender while the prunes melt into the sauce creating this glossy, rich gravy that's perfect for sopping up with crusty bread. I like this with boiled potatoes tossed with fresh herbs, a little olive oil and lemon juice or just a big green salad and bread.

Total crowd pleaser. Make it up during the week or whenever you’ve got 40 mins spare and do a double batch so there’s dinner for that night and freeze the rest for the weekend. Then come Saturday night, heat up some frozen roti, get the rice on and pull out some spicy pickles and any other tangy, crunchy, colourful bits you’ve got and there’s a good curry night ready to go

Like all of these recipes, this one is better the day after its made. Hands on cooking time is about 20 minutes then the oven does all the work and a few hours later out rolls this super tender brisket. This would be good with a big rainbow coleslaw and some warm garlic rolls.

I’ve made this recipe a few times now - it’s so easy and has always been a hit. I’ll make the ribs in advance, then keep them in the fridge for a day or two before blasting to reheat in a hot oven (or our wood-fired oven) so we get some crispy, almost caramelised edges, but the ribs stay lovely and tender. Serve with a big tangy cucumber and coriander salad. Lots of chilli on the side.

Of course, we needed a slow-cooked lamb, and nobody does it better than Karen Martini. Make in advance, then gently reheat and serve with a risoni, lemon, feta and pea salad. Yum.

Sometimes, you need something that feels special but won't keep you in the kitchen all day. This is it. The trick is making the fragrant curry base ahead of time (it keeps brilliantly in the fridge for a couple of days). Then, just warm up the sauce and drop the fish in for the last few minutes. Great with coconut rice and quick pickled cucumbers.

Kind of like a savoury bread and butter pudding, this strata is excellent as a comforting autumny supper but also good for breakfast or lunch. Again, you can make it all up in advance and then pop it in the oven 30-40 minutes before wanting to eat it.

Here are a few tips for preparing, storing, and reheating our main character energy mains.

1. Cool down properly before refrigerating/freezing

Putting hot ragu, curries, etc straight into the fridge can create a danger zone.

Large containers of hot food cool unevenly and can sit at bacteria-friendly temperatures for too long. The Department of Health Victoria has a great explainer on all of this.

Instead, Transfer the finished dish from the casserole or whatever you cooked it in to a shallow container (or a couple) and let cool at room temperature for no more than 1 hour. This helps the food cool evenly and quickly.

3. Reheat thoroughly to the right temperature

When reheating any slow-cooked meat, stir sauces and ragus often while reheating to distribute heat evenly. When reheating big meals, e.g., lasagne or the brisket, cover them with foil to stop them from drying out.

Slow cookers can be great for reheating without any drying out.

5. Practice safe thawing techniques

The best, safest way to thaw slow-cooked dishes is in the fridge. Ideally, the night before. Otherwise, and if time is short, go the microwave or water bath.

Resting slow-cooked meats

Like roasted meat, slow-cooked cuts love a good rest after heating (or re-heating). If I’m organised enough, I always cook things like lamb shoulder a day in advance and then reheat them the next day. I find the flavour is better and deeper and the meat more tender.