Winter comes with a lot of cooking – and while it can be a pleasure to be in the kitchen when it’s cold outside, sometimes even the most ardent cook can’t face another night conjuring up delicacies for those lead-up-to-Christmas or in-between days when you want anything but a roast or rich pudding. Georgina Hayden comes to the rescue with six make-ahead recipes that provide perfect freezer fodder: simply defrost, reheat and enjoy
PHOTOGRAPHS DAN JONES FOOD STYLING EMILY GUSSIN AND POLLYANNA COUPLAND STYLING LAUREN MILLER
Sticky gochujang pork and pickle lettuce wraps
Serves 4 Hands-on time 30 min, plus marinating
“This pork is great to have in the freezer as it’s so versatile. You can serve as suggested here for a light meal or canapé, or toss it with noodles or ladle over rice for a heartier dinner.”
MAKE AHEAD To freeze the pork mix, cook to the end of step 2, then cool, cover and freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost, then continue from step 3, frying briefly with a little oil to heat it through thoroughly.
KNOW-HOW Gochujang is a Korean chilli paste – you’ll find it in large supermarkets (or use another chilli paste, although it won’t taste the same).
• 400g pork mince
• 4 garlic cloves, grated
• 3cm piece fresh ginger, grated
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp gochujang
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 4 tbsp light soy sauce
• 3 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 6 radishes, trimmed
• ¼ cucumber
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 heads little gem lettuce
• 2 tbsp honey
• Toasted sesame seeds to
serve
1 Put the pork mince in a large mixing bowl and add the garlic, ginger, onion, gochujang, chilli flakes, soy sauce, mirin and sesame oil. Stir everything together, breaking up the mixture with a fork as you go. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
2 Put a large frying pan over a medium heat, then drizzle in the vegetable oil. Spoon in the pork mixture, break it up with a wooden spoon and fry for 8-10 minutes until it starts to brown. At this point, you can cool and freeze it (see Make Ahead).
3 Meanwhile, finely chop the radishes and cucumber, then put in a bowl with a generous pinch of salt and the rice wine vinegar. (If you’ve frozen the pork, make sure it’s defrosted and reheated before you do this). Mix the pickles together, then leave to one side. Slice the base off each head of little gem, then snap off the leaves. Lay out the lettuce leaves on a serving board.
4 Drizzle the pork with the honey, then cook for 2 minutes until sticky. Spoon into the prepared lettuce leaves, top with a little of the pickled radish and cucumb
