When it is cold outside and the snow, sleet and rain seem to never cease, the lure of warming meals is great. Returning home to your kitchen to a piping hot meal full of protein and flavour is something almost everybody yearns for at this time. However, upon returning home from work, school or other commitments; the last thing you want to do is labour over a meal for yourself and your loved ones for hours on end.

Here is where the week-long recipes come in handy. Prepare a large stock of food on Sunday night, then you and your family will have delicious meals to enjoy throughout the week. Here is a guide to make the perfect warming lamb stew and how to keep it interesting, night after night.

Firstly, you will need a high-quality butchers block. You will be completing a lot of cooking in this session, so a flimsy alternative will not do. A wood butcher block is the most efficient option due to its sturdiness and the fact that it does not blunt the knives that are being used. Cut up potatoes, parsnips and carrots into bite-size chunks. Measure the amount that you need by working on the scale that every adult will eat 5 chunks of each veg every night and children under 12 will eat 3. Boil these veg for 8 minutes.

Drain to water to get rid of additional starch and start boiling fresh water. Add ½ stock cube per person per meal and stir thoroughly. Pour the boiled veg into the pot. Use a butcher knife to chop the cut of lamb into small pieces and place into the stews then add chopped up onions. Place a few sprigs of mint into the stew pot and place on a low heat for a few hours. After a couple of hours, add some Henderson’s relish, rosemary and black pepper. Allow it to stew until thick and gloopy. Then distribute into portions for the full week. Allow to cool and refrigerate those to be used in the next two days and freeze the rest.

Day 1

Simply heat up the firth portions of stew and serve with thick crusty bread. Defrost another portion for day 3.

Day 2

Cook simple Yorkshire puddings whilst reheating the stew to add a slight twist to the accompaniment. Defrost another portion for day 4.

Day 3

Add lemon and garlic to the reheating stew to produce a Persian lamb dish. Serve with couscous or rice. Defrost the last portion for day 5.

Day 4

Reheat the stew and place atop boiled pasta and cover with grated cheese for a meaty pasta bake.

Day 5

On the last day, prepare a short crust pastry and bake in the oven until the pastry is cooked through and golden.