Clare Latimer attempts to lift the January gloom with some cheap and tasty comfort food to create an uplifting supper

This has been a trying time, and so many of my friends and clients are feeling down right depressed, so to cheer yourselves up, get on the phone, ask a few people round, serve this really easy supper and hope that everyone goes home with a smile on their faces!

Moussaka

You can dish up this easy main course without spending any time in the kitchen when your guests have arrived. It is cheap, very tasty and just what we need at the moment.  You can use lamb or beef but try and get fresh herbs as it will make all the difference. Serve with garlic or herb bread and a good crunchy salad.

Ingredients
(Serves 6)

675g aubergines, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 fl oz olive oil
50g butter
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
900g lean minced British lamb
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 teasp fresh thyme, stripped off stalk and stalk removed
1 teasp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
3 tbsp red wine

For the topping:
4 eggs
300ml single cream
300ml natural yoghurt

Method

Sprinkle aubergine slices with salt and leave for 10 minutes to remove the bitter juices. Then pat dry with kitchen roll. Heat some of the oil in a large frying pan and fry the aubergine slices on both sides until brown, adding more oil as necessary. Remove and set aside. Heat 25g butter in a large saucepan, and then cook the onion and garlic for three minutes over a low heat. Add the mince, stir well to brown, then add the tomato puree, herbs, pepper and then the red wine. Stir well and cook gently for five minutes.  

Preheat the oven to 200C 400F Gas 6. Butter a deep, ovenproof dish and put in half the mince mixture, then cover with half the aubergine slices.  Repeat again, using up all the ingredients. Mix the eggs, cream and yoghurt and pour over the top. Bake for 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Turn down the oven to low until ready to serve.

Garlic and herb bread

This can be served at any time of the year and remember that the garlic is very good for chasing away the colds and coughs.

Ingredients
Serves 6

1 large French stick
100g unsalted butter, softened
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 teasp fresh parsley, chopped finely

Method

Preheat the oven 200C 400F Gas 6. Put the butter into a small bowl and mix in the garlic and herbs. Cut the French stick about 3cm apart on the diagonal, cutting almost all the way through but leave just holding so that the stick is easier to move. Spread the butter mix on to each slice using up all the mixture and then put the bread stick on to a large piece of tin foil. Wrap up well and bake for 10 minutes.  To give a crusty top, open the foil and bake for a further five minutes. Serve hot.

Crunchy salad

After Christmas with all the snow it was hard to get good British vegetables as they were frozen under the ground or blanketed with snow, but now they should be back in harness. There are great different textures. If you’re on a diet then this can be a very good meal on its own and it’s overflowing with goodness.  Just add more nuts.

Ingredients
(Serves 6)

75g pecan nuts, shelled
Dash Worcestershire Sauce
Few drops Tabasco
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small red cabbage, outer leaves removed
2 medium carrots, peeled and tops removed
1 red pepper, cored, deseeded and cut into bite-size pieces
3 ripe tomatoes cut into bitesize pieces
2 ripe pears, peeled and cut into small mouth-size pieces
50g sweet juicy sultanas
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Method

Put the pecan nuts into a small frying pan with the Worcestershire Sauce, Tabasco and some salt.  Mix well and then cook over a medium heat turning for a few minutes. Remove from heat and leave to cool. Cut the cabbage in half, remove the core and then chop into small pieces and put into a large salad bowl. Grate the carrots and then add to the bowl with the pepper, tomatoes, pears and sultanas. Mix well. Add cooked pecan nuts, olive oil, balsamic and black pepper. Stir and check seasoning.