9 Sunday Lunch Ideas – That Aren’t Roasts

Place a large pan over a medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil.

Once warm, add the diced onion, garlic and a pinch of salt. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes until the onion becomes soft.

Once the onion has become soft, add the paprika, cumin and sliced mushrooms. Mix well and cook for another 5-10 minutes until the mushrooms become soft and reduce in size.

At this point, add the lentils, tomatoes, harissa paste, almond butter and miso paste. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until thick and delicious, adding a dash of boiling water if the mixture ever becomes too thick.

Once the stew has become thick, squeeze in the lime juice and add the spinach. Cook for a few more minutes until the spinach has wilted. Taste and season before serving.

Preheat the oven to 180°C Fan.

Place the chopped parsnips on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Mix well and roast for 30 minutes, or until they become completely soft. At this point, remove from the oven and leave to cool a little.

Place a large pan over a medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Once warm, add the chopped onion, garlic and a pinch of salt. Mix well and cook for 5-10 minutes until the onion feels soft.

At this point, stir through the cumin and cook for a few seconds before adding the orzo and vegetable stock. Leave to cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the orzo feels cooked and absorbs the water.

While the orzo is cooking, place the roasted parsnips into a powerful blender with a splash of water. Blend until you have a smooth paste, adding a dash more water if needed to create a thick, creamy parsnip purée.

Once the orzo feels soft and has absorbed all of the water, stir through the parsnip purée, runny honey and most of the blue cheese and chopped chestnuts (if using), saving a little of both for the top. Cook for another few minutes until everything is piping hot and has come together, adding a dash more water as the mixture needs it to create a creamy, delicious texture.

Serve with some chopped chestnuts, blue cheese and a crack of pepper on top.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/Gas Mark 6.

Trim the stalks off the aubergine and slice lengthways as thinly as you can. Heat a large, wide-based pan with a drizzle of olive oil over a high heat. Once hot, add the sliced aubergine and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side.

Once the aubergine is cooked, set aside and reserve the pan. Meanwhile, pee and dice the red onion. Finely chop the garlic and chop the basil finely, including the stalks.

Return the pan to a medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Once hot, add the diced red onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes or until softened slightly but not coloured. Add ¾ of the chopped garlic and cook for a further 1 minute.

Meanwhile dissolve the vegetable stock in 50ml boiled water. Add the tomato paste, dried oregano and 1 tsp sugar to the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock and half of the chopped basil and cook for 3 minutes until it resembles a thick bolognese sauce consistency – this is your tomato sauce.

Add half of the cooked sliced aubergine to an oven-proof dish in a single layer. Spoon over half of the tomato sauce and repeat so there are two layers of aubergine and sauce. Top with the mozzarella chicks and half of the grated Italian hard cheese. Put the dish in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese has browned.

Meanwhile, grind the remaining chopped basic, chopped garlic and remaining grated Italian hard cheese with a pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar to for a smooth paste. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp cold water and mix well.

Slice each ciabatta into 4 and place onto a baking tray. Spread the basil pesto evenly over the ciabatta slices. Put the tray in the oven for 5 min until the ciabatta is warmed through.

Once the aubergine parmiagiana has cooked, allow it to cool slightly before serving.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C Fan/Gas Mark.

Heat a large, wide-based pan with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a high heat. Once hot, add the chicken thighs with a pinch of salt and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until golden, add a couple of splashes of water to the pan and cover with a lid.

While the chicken is cooking, chop the leek in half lengthways, then wash thoroughly to remove any grit from between the leaves. Top, tail and slice finely. Add the sliced leek to the pan with the chicken and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, covered, for 10 min further or until the chicken is cooked through and the leek has softened.

Combine the panko breadcrumbs with the dried basil, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of pepper.

Dissolve the chicken stock in 350ml of boiled water and add the mustard, soft cheese and a very generous grind of pepper.

Once the chicken is cooked, add 1 tablespoon of flour to the pan and cook for 1 minute, then gradually add the creamy stock, and cook for 1 minute further.

Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean board and shred it apart, using two forks. Return the pulled chicken to the pan and stir everything together.

Add the gnocchi to an oven-proof dish. Top with the creamy chicken mixture and give everything a good mix up. Sprinkle the basil crumb evenly over the top. Put the dish in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the basil crumb is golden and crispy.

In a heatproof bowl soak the peanuts in 500ml of boiling water, leaving to soak until they need to be added to the stew.

Put a large saucepan or casserole dish over your highest heat, add the chopped aubergines and dry fry, turning regularly, until browned on all sides. This will take about 5 or 6 minutes and you may need to do it in batches depending on the size of your pan.

If you have been cooking in batches, add all the aubergines back to the pan, then add the oil and fry for a further 5 minutes, adding more oil if it looks a little dry. Next, add the white onions to the pan and cook over a medium heat for another 10 minutes until the onions are soft and sweet.

Add the spices, bay leaves and coriander stalks and fry for a minute more. Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato puree and fry for a couple of minutes, stirring from time to time so nothing sticks.

Add most of the Scotch bonnet and all the vegetable stock. Drain the peanuts and add to the pan, then simmer over a medium heat for 10-15 minutes until you have a thick sauce.

While the stew is cooking, slice the red onion as thinly as you can and put in a bowl. Add the caster sugar or honey and red wine vinegar and scrunch with your hands. Add the remaining Scotch bonnet and the coriander leaves and stir well.

Once the stew is ready, stir in the peanut butter. Drain the liquid from the onions and stir it into the stew a tablespoon at a time until it is the right level of acidity. Add a little more hot stock or water if it’s too thick. Taste and season with salt and black pepper, ladle into bowls, top with the pink onions and coriander, and serve with rice or flatbreads.

Chop the red onion and garlic, then chop the coriander and set aside for later.

Add a little oil to a medium frying pan and heat on medium. Cook the red onion and garlic gently, until soft.

Stir through the ras el hanout and toast the spices, but be careful they don’t burn.

Add the no-lamb pieces, chopped tomatoes, fruit, stock and honey to the pan. Make sure all the ingredients are mixed through and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When the fruit is soft, it’s time to serve. If you’ve got a traditional tagine pot, then now’s the time to use it – or a casserole dish will work just as well.

Garnish with the coriander, pomegranate seeds and lime wedges, then serve with a side of your choice. Couscous and flatbreads are perfect, or just simple rice.

Fry the chorizo in the olive oil in a large non-stick pan until browned all over.

Scoop out the chorizo, reserving the cooking oil in the pan, then add the onion and pepper, and cook until softened and coloured a little. Add the chorizo back to the pan with the harissa and stir for 3-4 minutes. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes and stock, and cook for 10 minutes.

Stir in the parsley then spoon into bowls and serve with chunks of bread.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6. Toss the potato wedges in a tray with 1 tablespoon of oil, the paprika and chilli powder, then season and roast for 30 minutes until tender. Meanwhile, line a large chopping board with cling film, spread the chicken breasts on top and cover with another sheet of cling film. Bash with a rolling pin until 1cm thick all over.

Put the flattened chicken in a medium resealable food bag with the remaining 1 tbsp of oil, the lime zest, garlic and Tabasco. Season and massage through the bag to coat the chicken evenly; set aside for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, roughly mash the avocado and lime juice together; season and stir through the coriander.

Heat a large griddle or frying pan over a high heat. Cook the chicken for 4 minutes on each side, until cooked through, then set aside. Heat the tortillas, then serve with the wedges, guacamole and sliced chicken, plus natural yogurt and a scattering of sliced red chilli.