January

Smoked bacon and mince meatballs in tomato sauce
Serves 4

For the meatballs:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
1 fat garlic clove, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
225g/8oz rindless smoked bacon
750g/1 1/2lb lean minced beef
Finely grated zest 1/2 lemon
75g/3oz fresh white breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 medium egg, beaten

For the tomato sauce:
Olive oil, if necessary
A small knob of butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 fat garlic clove, crushed
1 red pepper, stalk and seeds removed and finely chopped
200g/7oz can chopped tomatoes
350g/12oz tomato passata
The leaves from 1 small pot of basil, finely shredded
Salt and fresh ground black pepper

For the meatballs, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a small frying pan, add the onion, garlic and oregano and cook over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes until soft. Leave to cool slightly.
Put the bacon into a food processor and finely chop using the pulse button. Transfer to a large bowl and add the minced beef, lemon zest, breadcrumbs, parsley and cooked onion mixture and mix together well with your hands. Add the egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of black pepper. Shape the mixture into walnut-sized balls using slightly wet hands.
Heat another 1 1/2-2 tablespoons of oil in large frying pan. Add the meatballs, a few at a time, and brown all over, then transfer to a flameproof casserole.
Add a little more olive oil if necessary to the frying pan and when hot, add the butter, onions, garlic and red pepper and fry gently until softened. Add chopped tomatoes, passata, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and some black pepper.
Pour the sauce over meatballs, partly cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring gently now and then so as not to break up the meatballs. Stir in the basil and serve with some egg tagliatelle or mashed potatoes.

February

Sausages and garlic mash with onion, red wine and rosemary gravy
Serves 4

450g/1lb Sway Farmhouse Sausages
A little oil for cooking

For the garlic mash:
900g/2lb peeled floury potatoes, such as Maris Pipers
50g/2oz butter
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
A little milk

For the onion, red wine and rosemary gravy:
40g/1 1/2oz butter
450g/1lb onions, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon sugar
300ml/10fl oz gutsy red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
1 tablespoon plain flour
600ml/1 pint beef stock
The leaves from 1 large stalk of rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the gravy, melt the butter in a large frying pan, add the onions and the sugar and cook them over a medium heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring them every now and then, until they are soft and nicely browned. Add the red wine, increase the heat a little and simmer quite rapidly until the wine has almost disappeared. Stir in the flour and cook for a few seconds, then add the beef stock, rosemary and some salt and pepper and simmer for a further 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, for the garlic mash, cook the potatoes in a pan of salted water for 20 minutes until tender. After 10 minutes, heat a little oil in a frying pan, add the sausages and cook then over a medium-high heat for 10 minutes, turning now and then as they brown.
Melt the butter for the mash in a small pan, add the garlic and cook very gently for 2-3 minutes without browning. Keep hot. Drain the potatoes, return to the pan and mash until smooth. Stir in the garlic butter, parsley, salt and pepper and enough milk to make a smooth mash.
Spoon the garlic mash into the centre of 4 warmed plates and rest the sausages alongside. Spoon over some of the gravy and serve.