When it comes to comforting food with plenty of flavour, few people do it better than Cobh-born cook, food writer, and teacher Lilly Higgins. Growing up in a large family, Lilly knows a thing or two about creating hearty meals that bring people together around the table. After training at Ballymaloe Cookery School and publishing her bestselling books, she has continued to inspire home cooks through her popular Instagram account, where she shares over thousands of delicious dinner recipes, earning her a growing community of 153,000 followers.”
As autumn sets in , we’re sharing a few of Lilly’s go-to recipes for warming, satisfying dinners. There’s her rich and creamy beef stroganoff, perfect for a cosy night in; lamb keema, a fragrant spiced mince dish from South Asia that’s as versatile as it is delicious; and “marry me chicken,” a creamy, garlicky chicken dish with sun-dried tomatoes that’s so good, legend has it, it could win over anyone’s heart and taste buds! .
Whether you’re cooking for family, friends, or just yourself, these dishes are guaranteed to bring comfort and cheer to cold evenings.
Beef Stroganoff
Serves 4
2 tbsp butter
2 onions, sliced
350g mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp smoked sweet paprika
1 tbsp olive oil
2 sirloin steaks, cut into thin strips
3 tbsp brandy
300ml cream
2 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt & black pepper
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Parsley, finely chopped
To Serve: tagliatelle, rice, mashed potato or chips
Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the paprika and onions.
Cook slowly until the onions are soft. Add the mushrooms, stir to coat in the butter and paprika and fry for three minutes.
Transfer to a bowl and keep warm. Using the same frying pan pour in the oil and increase the heat, add the beef. Fry quickly and season with salt and pepper. Cook for just over a minute, pour over the brandy and then transfer to a plate.
Return the onion and mushrooms to the pan. Pour over the sour cream and add the mustard. Bring to the boil and simmer for a minute until thickened.
Add the beef and heat gently. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Taste for seasoning.
Serve with rice or chips and wilted spinach.
2. Marry Me Chicken
Ingredients: 650g / 4 x chicken breasts
60g plain flour
2 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
200g sun dried tomatoes, diced
1-2 tsp mixed Italian herbs
1 tsp sweet paprika
200ml cream
250ml chicken stock
60g parmesan, finely grated
Handful of fresh basil leaves
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt and black pepper
Method:
Place the chicken breast flat on the chopping board and place your palm on top to flatten. Carefully cut along the chicken horizontally to butterfly it open. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Coat each piece in flour.
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a wide frying pan. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes each side over a high heat. Set the chicken aside.
Lower the heat in the pan. Add the sun dried tomato and garlic, stir to combine and cook for a few minutes to remove any ‘raw’ flavour from the garlic.
Add the dried herbs and paprika. Stir to combine. Pour over the stock, cream, parmesan and season generously with salt and pepper.
Return the chicken to the pan and sit it into the sauce. Put the lid back on the pan and cook for 3 minutes. Turn the chicken and cook for another 3 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat. Squeeze over the lemon juice and scatter with parmesan and basil leaves. Serve right away.
3. Lamb Keema
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves
2 onions, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. Curry paste
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp salt
500g minced lamb
2 bay leaves
1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
150g Frozen peas
4 tbsp. coriander, roughly chopped
2 tbsp. Mint, finely chopped
To serve: rice, yogurt, cucumber & tomato slices
Heat the olive oil in a heavy based pan over a medium heat. Add the cloves followed by the onions. Cook and stir for five minutes before adding the minced garlic.
Once the onion is soft add the ground cumin and curry paste.
Season with a little salt and stir to combine everything.
Add the minced lamb and cook for further five minutes till it starts to brown.
Add the chopped tomatoes and bay leaves. Lower the heat and leave to simmer for twenty minutes.
Taste for seasoning.
Add the peas five minutes before serving so they stay bright and fresh.
Serve with rice and scatter with the chopped coriander and mint.
For more recipes see lilly_higgins_ over on Instagram
