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Three simple and satisfying winter recipes

Author of Kitchen Keepers, Katrina Maynink, shares her recipes for chicken saag, spanakorizo, and lamb meatballs with five-second romesco.

Photos: Kait Photography courtesy of Hardie Grant

As temperatures drop, our cravings for comfort foods rise. But as Katrina Meynink, author of Kitchen Keepers, reminds us—satisfying, cosy meals donʼt have to mean complex recipes and hours in the kitchen.

“Nothing complicated or fussy, these are earthy, robust and warm dishes,” says Meynink “The sort of flavour combinations that make you feel as though life has linked arms with you and is again, at last, walking in step. I hope you find yourself making these recipes on repeat and, most importantly, enjoying them with the people that you love.”

Wednesday night chicken saag

“There is something about curry—with its domestic rituals of spice-roasting and layering of flavour—that is a balm for the soul. Serve with all the things—pappadums, rice, roti and wine for dinnertime nirvana.”

Serves 6

Ingredients 

300g baby spinach leaves
3 tbsp ghee or flavourless oil
2 large onions, diced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
40g finely chopped ginger
800g chicken thighs, cut into chunks
3 tsp each of garam masala, ground coriander, ground turmeric, ground cumin, ground cardamom and fenugreek seeds
A pinch of chilli powder, to taste
70g tomato paste
375ml chicken stock
300ml pouring cream or Greek-style yoghurt, plus extra to drizzle

Method 

Place a large deep-sided frying pan over a medium heat. Add a tablespoon of water and the spinach and cook briefly until the spinach begins to wilt and dramatically reduce in size but still looks vibrant and green. Scoop into a food processor and give a quick blitz to combine. Set aside. 

Add the ghee to the same pan and place over a low heat. Add the onions and cook until completely soft. It’s important not to rush this step as it is where a lot of the flavour begins so give it at least 10 minutes.

Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant. Season with salt and push to the side of the pan. Add the chicken to the pan and cook for two minutes or until browned all over. 

Add the spices and chilli powder and stir to coat. Then add the tomato paste and stock and cook for one minute. Stir in the cream or yoghurt and cook for 20 minutes on low so the flavours can get acquainted (even longer if you have the patience). Stir through the spinach and cook for another few minutes. Taste and check for seasoning.

Hot tip: Freshly grind your spices where possible. Your future curry-eating self will thank you profusely.

Spanakorizo with haloumi

“Spanakorizo is the glory of spanakopita without dealing with filo. And you can feel wholesome feeding a mass of greens to those you love. The slab of squeaky haloumi only adds to the appeal.”

Serves 4-6 

Ingredients

125ml olive oil, plus extra for the haloumi
6 spring onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, grated
600g baby spinach (this seems like an awful lot but cooks down to nothing very rapidly)
200g long-grain rice, rinsed in cold water
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1L vegetable stock
225g haloumi, evenly sliced
Finely sliced lemon, to serve
Fresh herbs and edible flowers to scatter (optional)

Method 

Add the olive oil to a large deep-sided frying pan and place over a medium heat. Fry the spring onions and garlic, stirring constantly to prevent catching, until fragrant and soft. 

Add the spinach—it may seem like it won’t fit but just keep pushing it down as it will wilt and decrease in volume. Once completely wilted, stir through the rice and parsley, then pour over the stock. Cover and cook for 30 minutes on a low heat.

After 30 minutes, check to see if the rice is cooked. If it is but the liquid is still visible, continue to cook uncovered for a little longer. Remove from the heat and set aside uncovered for a few minutes before serving. 

While the rice is resting, fry your haloumi in a frying pan with some olive oil until golden and crisp, about two minutes. 

Spoon the rice into a large serving bowl. Top with the finely sliced lemon, haloumi, fresh herbs and edible flowers. Give everything a little drizzle of olive oil and season generously with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper.

Lamb meatballs with five-second romesco and herby fennel slaw 

“Carefully seasoned and left to brown properly, mince can make for ridiculously good eating. You just need a little patience, some thoughtful additions and the very best quality meat.”

Serves 8 

Ingredients 

FIVE-SECOND ROMESCO
2 roasted red peppers (jarred is fine)
40g roasted cashews
1 1/2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1 garlic clove
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Olive oil as needed

MEATBALLS
60g pitted black olives, chopped
2 cups cavolo nero leaves, finely sliced
4 garlic cloves
1kg minced lamb
2 slices bread soaked in 60ml milk
110g crumbled feta

TO SERVE
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed, bulb finely sliced, fronds reserved
Basil and coriander leaves
Lemon juice
170g yoghurt

Method 

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Make the five-second romesco by adding all the ingredients except the oil to a blender or food processor, give a quick whizz then slowly pour in some olive oil as it churns until the ingredients come together and you have a mixture slightly thinner than hummus. Season generously with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper and set aside. 

Make the meatballs by putting all the ingredients in a bowl and getting your hands in there to evenly incorporate. Stop kneading as soon as the mixture feels sticky to the touch.

Roll into meatballs about the size of golf balls. 

Generously oil an ovenproof, non-stick frying pan. Add the balls and pop in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove (don’t forget the handle is hot) and place over a medium heat. Allow the meatballs to brown, carefully turning to get an even tan on all sides. The meatballs are essentially already cooked so this is just giving them that touch of crisp and colour. Like a small child in a pool, these shouldn’t be left to their own devices. Keep an eye on them. 

Make a quick salad by adding the fennel and herbs to a bowl. Squeeze over some lemon juice and toss gently to coat.

To serve, smear a plate with the romesco and top with the salad, meatballs and yoghurt. Season with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper and finish with a generous lug of olive oil.

This is an edited extract from Kitchen Keepers by Katrina Meynink (Hardie Grant Books).

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An earlier version of this article was published in Brighter magazine.

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