Get the most from your roast
You’ve chosen a recipe, now make the most of it with our helpful hints and tips, plus a useful way of using up leftover squash
WARM YOUR PLATES
Warm serving plates and bowls before taking them to the table so your meals are piping hot, this is particularly important when serving lamb as any fat will start to set and solidify on a cold plate. Once you’ve switched off the oven, leave it to cool a bit, then put the plates in to warm. Arrange them in several stacks and rotate them so they all get equally warm. The easiest way to warm a gravy boat is to fill it with boiling water and then tip out before adding gravy.
OVEN TEMPERATURES
Check your oven temperature by using a thermometer; many ovens run a little low or high and if you know your oven does this, you can adjust the timings. The type of thermometer that hangs in your oven is useful – put it in before you heat the oven and make sure you can see it through the door. Once the oven has reached the temperature according to its own internal thermometer, check it against the other one.
INTERNAL TEMPERATURE CHART
It’s always best to check that your roasts are cooked properly with the tip of a knife or a thermometer, rather than rely on cooking timings which can be skewed by the efficiency of your oven, the tin you are cooking it in, or what else you’re cooking at the same time.
CHOOSE YOUR COOKING DISH WITH CARE
Check dishes you want to cook in are ovenproof, and bear in mind that if you use a cast iron dish, it will retain heat and keep cooking for a while after you take it out of the oven.
Squash & barley salad
SERVES 1 PREP 10 mins NO COOK EASY V Roughly chop 75g leftover roast squash and put in a bowl with around 75g of the barley stuffing mixture. Add 1/2 tbsp olive oil,
1/2 tbsp pomegranate molasses, 1/4 diced cucumber, 1 diced tomato, and toss everything well with some seasoning. Drizzle over any leftover tahini sauce or a drizzle of yogurt to serve. This makes a great lunchbox for the next day.
GOOD TO KNOW healthy • low cal • vit c • 3 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 312 kcals • fat 17g • saturates 4g • carbs 31g • sugars 16g • fibre 4g • protein 8g • salt 1g