Channel 9 Pick of the Week with Chef Jan

Channel 9 News - Pick of the Week

We are all struggling to put food on our table some weeks. Let’s take a look at the best buys, for this week, and how we can cook them, to win over our family members, to keep them healthy and well with some delicious and nutritious winter warmers.

Family of Four Winter Warmers on a Budget

Don’t forget you can easily bulk these meals out with lots of fresh vegetables -don’t peel the carrots as there is lot of vitamins right there. Use butter beans, chickpeas, and black beans to make it go further & it will keep you fuller longer, for those watching your weight. Even cut up the stalks of the Broccoli and cauliflower ,to not waste anything ,and add some healthy bulking out.

Happy Cooking My Foodie Friends,

Chef Jan Cranitch

Click the image below to view Chef Jan’s segment to Chef Jan on 9 News.

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Some easy tips to get you started on eating healthy affordable winter warmers:

  1. As a rule of thumb when you are trying to work out how much meat to buy for each person work on 200g per person of protein then add vegetable or salad. 
  2. Always brown your meat to bring out the flavour and cook in a hot sizzling pan to get the party started

  3. My big tip if time permits Shop Around-find your favourite vegetable shop / local butcher then ad in | Aldi | Woolworths | Coles | to the mix

  4. Know your prices and always write a shopping list before you go shopping-never shop when you are hungry

Even download discount apps like:

  • HALF Price: Grocery Deals
  • Half Price Deals
  • Price off-Groceries Discounts
  • Kionec – Woolworths |Aldi |IGA| Coles

When I’m cooking for my VIP families, I write out the menu on the bottom of my note pad then I write out my list of what to buy at each outlet to get best bang for my buck for my clients

Eg: Veg shop | Aldi | Woolworths |Coles|

INGREDIENTS

800g Pork Shoulder

Spray olive oil

1 onion

1 bay leaf

2 carrots

2 stalks celery

Salt and pepper to taste

1 litre Beef stock

1 can of instant gravy

 

METHOD

  1. If possible, undo the packaging of the pork and place the shoulder of pork on a kitchen towel in the fridge with no glad wrap so the skin dries out to help give you a good crackle

  2. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees

  3. In a baking pan lined with baking paper to make cleaning up easier cut up your vegetable as a base for the shoulder of pork to sit on

  4. Spray the pork with olive oil and rub in with salt -make sure the skin of the pork has been scored to help with gaining crunchy crackling.

  5. If near the end of cooking and still no crackle just turn on your grill and stay around there to watch your pork crackle up

  6. You can pour beef stock in with your vegetable base to help create a lovely moist environment for the pork to cook in-if you are feeling fancy you can put all the left over vegetable in your blender and use that as your gravy with all the lovely pan juices or you can take the easy way and just boil the kettle and mix 3 tablespoons of gravy mix in a jug of boiling water and just like magic you have your easy gravy.

  7. I love serving my roast pork with roast vegetable but that’s another story for another day lol

2. Chuck Casserole Recipe | Serves 4|Prep Time 20 minutes |

INGREDIENTS

800g Chuck Beef Casserole meat

1 can spray Olive oil

2 onions

2 carrots

2 potatoes

2 stalks celery

1 bay leaf

1 can chickpeas

1 tube of tomato past

1lt Beef stock

Salt & Pepper

2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoon cumin

2 cloves zested garlic

1 cm of fresh turmeric

 

METHOD

  1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees

  2. Line a baking tray with baking paper so you have an easy clean up

  3. Dice up chuck into large 2 cm pieces

  4. Cut up all your vegetables in the desired size for your family

  5. Add to tray with meat

  6. Add cut up vegetables and spices

  7. Spray well with olive oil mix well and bake for 20 minutes till brown to give more flavour to your casserole

  8. Remove from the oven and place in slow cooker cover with beef stock and cook over night on low, or on high for 5 hours

  9. After this time the meat should be fall apart texture add in you chickpeas to bulk it out and keep you fuller longer then thicken with tomato paste if so desired.

3. Silverside Recipe | Serves 4|Prep Time 10 mins |

INGREDIENTS

1kg silverside

Water to cover

Bay leaf

Cloves

Peppercorns

Apple cider vinegar

1 cup Brown sugar

1 orange zested and cut in half

1 tin of instant white sauce

mashed potato

 

METHOD

  1. Place silverside in slow cooker

  2. Cover with water brown sugar and spices

  3. Place on low and cook for4 hours

  4. Serves with white sauce on a bed of mashed potato

4. Brisket Recipe | Serves 4|Prep Time |

INGREDIENTS

1kg Brisket

½ cup BBQ sauces

½ cup tomato sauce

½ cup your favourite bourbon sauce

1lt beef stock

1 can of spray olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

 

METHOD

  1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees
  2. Line a baking tray with baking paper so you have an easy clean up
  3. Place your brisket on tray cover with your favourite flavour bomb sauces
  4. Spray with olive oil and season to your taste
  5. Bake for 20 mins until browned
  6. Add to slow cooker and cover with stock
  7. Cook for 4 hours on high or slow or on low over night
  8. Once cooked pull out of liquid shred with a folk

Chef Tip

I like to put stock in fridge for a day so the fat goes hard, and you can lift off easily

I then like to reduce till thick then adjust flavour to your liking with brown sugar or extra spices then fold through the ripped-up brisket and served in a taco with slaw & pickled ginger or you can serve the roast in slices as a roast dinner -up to you.

5. Chicken Tenderloins Recipe | Serves 4 | Prep Time |

INGREDIENTS

800g chicken tenderloins

¼ cup of taco seasoning

1 can of spray olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

 

METHOD

  1. Roll the chicken tender loins in taco seasoning, salt, and pepper.
  2. Spray a non-stick pan with olive oil once the pan is hot added in the seasoned chicken tenderloins and cook till browned
  3. Serve as you will

Some tips

I love to serve these babies in a soft taco with an Asian slaw with pickled ginger, beans sprouts ,mint, coriander and a little capsicum curls on top.

You can also just serve on a bed of steamed rice or blanched green vegetables whatever takes your fancy

 

Happy Cooking my friends 😊

Would you like to learn more about Chef Jan or book her for a foodie retreat reach out today!

Jan Cranitch is an experienced chef with a passion for cooking and sharing her knowledge through bespoke classes. She works with individuals, groups and corporate teams to create unforgettable experiences that combine flavors and premium ingredients to a theme of your choice.