3 for the fridge, 3 for the freezer- Chinese Pork Belly, Aubergine and Sweet potato Stew and Chicken, Bacon and Pesto Plait

1. Chinese Pork Belly

   1. Add the pork belly slices, stock and frozen garlic to a large deep sided saucepan with a lid. Bring to the boil on the hob and then reduce the heat to a simmer, pop the lid on and leave to cook for 2 hours.
   2. Meanwhile, make up 2 little bags of sauce, adding half the sauce ingredients to each bag and seal.
   3. Tidy up, leave the pork to cook and move onto your Chicken, Bacon and Pesto plaits.

2. Chicken, Bacon and Pesto Farmers Plait

   1. Chop up your chicken breast into small chunks. In a large deep sided frying pan add a splash of olive oil and then add your diced chicken, bacon lardons and onions. Cook for around 10 minutes on a medium heat until cooked through and browned.
   2. While you wait on this to brown, the next recipe only takes 5 minutes to prep so let’s get on with that.

3. Aubergine, Sweet Potato and Pepper Stew

   1. In a large saucepan add a splash of olive oil and place on a medium heat. Add the diced onions and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft.
   2. Next add the chopped aubergine, sweet potato chunks, diced peppers, passata, oregano, tomato puree and salt and pepper and give it a good stir. Bring up to the boil and then reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 25 minutes stirring regularly until all the veggies are soft. Add a splash of water if the stew is a bit thick.
   3. While this is simmering, head back and finish your farmers plaits.

    

4. Chicken, Bacon and Pesto farmers Plait continued…

   1. Your chicken will now be cooked and browned. Take off the heat and add the pesto, sundried tomatoes, crème fraiche and salt and pepper to the pan and leave to cool.
   2. While your filling is cooling, roll out the 2 sheets of pre rolled pastry keeping the greaseproof paper underneath. Leave a 3 inch gap all the way down the middle of both sheets of the pastry where your filling will go.
   3. Using the photograph as a guide, using a sharp knife make diagonal cuts every ¾ inch along the length of the pastry on both sides. Repeat for both sheets of pastry.
   4. Once the filling has cooled, spoon it along the middle of each of the pastry sheets so it is evenly spread. Pull the ends of the pastry up and use them to secure the filling at the top and bottom of each plait.
   5. Brush the edges of the pastry with the beaten egg, then start bringing the pastry strands into the centre, alternating sides so that the pieces overlap to create a plait effect. Repeat for the second plait.
   6. Once you have done both plaits, bring up the sides of the greaseproof paper underneath and then wrap both with cling film. Place on plait in the fridge for the week ahead and one into the freezer for another day.

5. Aubergine, Sweet Potato and Pepper Stew continued…

   1. Your stew should now be ready to remove from heat and left to cool. This is a good time to tidy your kitchen and get ready to bag up the rest of your meals. Once cool, divide into 2 large labelled freezer bags and seal and flatten. Place one in the fridge and one in the freezer.

6. Chinese Pork Belly continued…

   1. By now you will have 4 meals ready in the fridge and freezer. You may have to wait on your pork to finish cooking so you can head off and do something else.
   2. Once your pork is cooked, leave to cool before placing the cooked pork in 2 large labelled freezer bags, discarding the stock. Place a smaller bag of sauce ingredients inside each freezer bag with the pork and seal once fully cooled. Place one in the fridge and one in the freezer.

When ready to cook

1. Chinese Pork Belly

   From the fridge

   Take the large freezer bag of pork and sauce out the fridge.

   Take a frying pan and place it on the medium heat with a little oil and then add the pork.  Cook for 6-8 or so minutes until the pork has crisped up. Now pour over the sauce and let it simmer and go sticky coating the pork. Remove from the heat and serve.

   From the freezer

   Defrost both bags in the fridge overnight.

   Take a frying pan and place it on the medium heat with a little oil and then add the pork.  Cook for 6-8 or so minutes until the pork has crisped up. Now pour over the sauce and let it simmer and go sticky coating the pork. Remove from the heat and serve.

2. Chicken, Bacon and Pesto farmers Plait

   From the fridge

   Unwrap the cling film, slide the greaseproof paper and plait onto a baking tray and transfer to an oven preheat to 180oc and bake for 30 minutes covering the top with foil if the pastry starts to catch.

   From the freezer

   Remove from the freezer, unwrap the cling film and slide the greaseproof paper and frozen plait onto a baking tray. Place in a preheat oven at 180oc for around 40-45 minutes until cooked and golden. If it is browning too quickly, cover with tin foil

3. Aubergine, Sweet Potato and Pepper Stew

   From the fridge

   Pour the stew into a saucepan and reheat until piping hot.

   From the freezer

   Leave to defrost in the fridge overnight. Once fully defrosted, pour into a saucepan and heat through until piping hot.