I do love a nice roast, but now that my son has gone to university there is only myself and my husband in the house. This is where a mini roast comes in. Mini roasts are small but perfectly formed joints of lamb and beef, the perfect size for 2 to share.

These joints are very versatile too. As well as a traditional roast dinner you can create all manner of inventive mid-week dishes, think beef mini roast with a sweet sticky glaze,  teriyaki beef with stir-fry noodles and lamb mini roast with a red pesto crust. Quick and easy to prepare – they are perfect for mid-week dining.



An important thing to consider when choosing your mini roast is to look for a quality mark such as the Red Tractor label.  The Red Tractor label is the mark of great meat and is the UK's largest farming and food standards scheme. It's a quality mark that shows that animals are well looked after and that food is produced responsibly. It particularly looks at the way the animals are reared and looked after and how the environment is protected. I am all for the Red Tractor label, as I think happy animals, in a less stressful environment, make tasty meat.

I also look out for local beef and lamb.  Local meat cuts down on the air miles and is fantastic for the environment as well as supporting farmers that are on your doorstep. Beef and lamb are both brilliant sources of iron and protein as well as being high in a range of vitamins and minerals such as B12. 

This is my recipe for Teriyaki Beef made with a beef mini roast.

1. Preheat the oven to Gas mark 5, 190°C, 375°F.



2. In a small bowl mix together the teriyaki sauce with the sweet chilli sauce.



3. Place the joint on a chopping board, season all over and brush with the oil and transfer to a roasting tin cooking for 30-35 minutes. Lightly cover with foil if browning too quickly.



4. During the last 10-15 minutes of the cooking time brush with the teriyaki mixture. Return to the oven and cook uncovered for the remainder of the cooking time.

5. Transfer the beef to a warm plate, cover with foil and leave to rest for 5-10 minutes. This helps the beef rest and will make it tender and juicy.



6. Add a dash of sunflower oil to a non-stick, add some finely chopped garlic and cook until soft. Add half a red pepper sliced into strips and a pack of stir fry vegetables. I used a pack containing edamame beans, bean sprouts, and tender stem broccoli but any pack of stir-fry vegetables will do. Stir-fry until softened slightly. Remove from the pan when nearly done.

7. Warm-up a pack of ready-cooked noodles in a frying pan for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

We all lead hectic lives, with jobs, families, and social lives. I know I do. This is where my slow cooker comes in. I bought mine a couple of years ago and I cannot rate it highly enough. Meat is always so tender in the slow cooker, the long slow heat breaks down the fibres in cheaper cuts of meat making it especially tender, and almost everything tastes great when cooked in it.  There are so many advantages of using a slow cooker!

Today I am going to share with you a great recipe for all the family, a tasty Thai beef curry with Red Tractor, farm assured beef, cooked in the slow cooker. Thai curry is an authentic peasant dish, and this mild beef curry uses two main ingredients besides the sauce - beef and potatoes making this dish cheap, filling and hearty.




What is great about the slow cooker is that ingredients can be prepped the night before, thrown in the next morning and the slow cooker can be left to cook away slowly when you are out and about during the day. There is nothing nicer than a warming tasty meal when you get home. Less haste and more taste!

The cut of meat I have used is referred to as chuck steak, this is a cheaper cut of beef that is also called braising steak or stewing steak.  It is perfect for casseroles and dishes that cook long and slow and is excellent value for money. This dish uses Red Tractor farm assured Welsh beef. Local beef cuts down on the air miles and is fantastic for the environment as well as supporting local farmers. 


You may wonder what does being Red Tractor assured means. You've probably seen the logo without really registering it. The Red Tractor organisation was established in 2000 and has become the UK's largest farm and food standards scheme. The way in which the food is farmed, animals are reared and the environment is protected is all part of the Red Tractor scheme. It's a quality mark to show that animals are well looked after and the food is produced responsibly, from farm to fork. I'm very happy to support this scheme.
This recipe for Thai beef curry is one the whole family will love. Enriched with coconut milk and peanut butter this simple peasant dish which is hearty with a touch of spice, will transport you to Southeast Asia. If you are short on time, throw everything in a preheated slow cooker at once, it will still taste great at the end. For a particularly authentic accompaniment serve with fragrant jasmine rice, but if you are watching the pennies long grain or basmati rice will be perfectly fine, or try this tasty tomato rice recipe to ring the changes. This dish works out to £1.55 a portion. Much cheaper than your local takeaway too.

Red Tractor have launched a website called Simply Beef And Lamb and a new campaign is to celebrate the peasant food trend. Their aim is to inspire families to rediscover traditional cooking techniques from around the world that are simple, warming and hearty. With an emphasis on using inexpensive cuts of beef and lamb, let the oven or slow cooker do all the work. For more recipes and to take the #LivePeasant challenge check out http://www.simplybeefandlamb.co.uk/campaigns/peasant-food

Thai Beef Curry

Serves 6

Cost £9.31 / £1.55 per portion

Ingredients

75g or 2 3/4 oz Thai red curry paste
175ml or 6 fl oz unsweetened coconut milk
25g or 1 oz soft brown sugar
1 tbsp Thai fish sauce
75g or 2 3/4 oz peanut butter
800g chuck steak, cut into chunks
2 large potatoes diced
200ml / 7 fl oz beef stock
fresh basil leaves cut into ribbons to garnish
chopped peanuts to serve, preferably unsalted



Method

1. In a non stick pan fry the beef for a few minutes until starting to brown then remove.
2. Add the curry paste to the pan then add the coconut milk, sugar, fish sauce and peanut butter, stirring into the mixture is combined and heated through.
3. Add the beef stock.
4. Place the curry mixture, beef and potatoes in the slow cooker and stir well.
5. Cook on high for 4 hours, medium for 6 hours or low for 8 hours.


6. Serve garnished with chopped peanuts and fresh basil leaves, accompanied with jasmine steamed rice and prawn crackers.



Enjoy!

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