Winter warmers: Bill Granger reveals his favourite comforting classics

As the nights draw in, there's nothing The New Review's food writer enjoys more than a traditional, comforting dinner – though he can't help putting his own twist on these seasonal classics

This time of year there's that strange mix of the excitement of festive events, meeting up with friends and having parties, but there's also the draw of cosy nights in by the fire. As the days get shorter, and I return home after it gets dark, I find I like to turn to tried-and-true comfort dishes. The thing is, though, many of those old-fashioned favourites are not quite as special as those rose-tinted specs suggest, so, being me, I feel compelled to liven them up a bit. I always throw in a generous injection of spices and fresh herbs, and simplify the cooking methods. This means that my pies become pot pies with less pastry, my meatballs are baked rather than fried, and I braise without pre-browning the meat. This way you get all the comfort and the flavour of those traditional dishes, but with a lighter touch – all the better for sneaking out later for some fun!

Bill's new London restaurant, Granger & Co, is at 175 Westbourne Grove, London W11, tel: 020 7229 9111, grangerandco.com

Baked spicy meatballs with tomato sauce

I have taken the idea of a classic Italian meatball and given it a slightly spicier twist, using lamb instead of beef and drawing on Middle Eastern spice notes.

Serves 4 or makes 24 small balls

For the meatballs

500g/1lb minced lamb
1 small onion, grated
55g/2oz fresh white breadcrumbs
3 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
5 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1 medium egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

For the tomato sauce

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tbsp lime juice
2 x 400g/13oz tins chopped tomatoes
1 tsp sugar
Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt

To serve

Coriander leaves
Rice or roasted small potatoes

Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas7. Combine the minced meat, onion, breadcrumbs, parsley, coriander, egg, cumin, paprika, chilli and plenty of pepper and salt in a large bowl. Mix gently with your hands, then wet your hands and shape the mixture into small balls. Toss the meatballs gently in the olive oil and bake in a roasting tin for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based pan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until it is translucent. Add the garlic, ginger, cumin and turmeric and cook, stirring for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the lime juice, tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.

Add the meatballs to the sauce and stir carefully to coat them, then simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Scatter with coriander leaves and serve with rice or roasted small potatoes.

Chicken, leek and mushroom pie

With the brilliant new ranges of boutique pastries hitting our supermarkets, there's never been a better time to make a pie.

Serves 4-6

150g/5oz streaky bacon, chopped into pieces
70g/3oz plain flour
tsp cayenne pepper
750g/1 lb chicken breast fillets, cut into 2cm cubes
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
250g/8oz mushrooms, halved
2 leeks, white part only, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 sprigs of thyme
250ml/8fl oz chicken stock
125ml/4fl oz cream
Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt
300g/10oz block ready-made puff pastry, or 2 ready-made butter puff-pastry sheets
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten, to glaze

To serve

Steamed winter greens

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas4. Place a frying pan over a medium heat and add the bacon and fry until golden. Remove from the pan and set aside until needed.

Combine the flour and cayenne pepper in a shallow bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat, shaking off any excess flour. Using the same pan as the bacon, heat the butter and oil over a high heat. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until light-golden. Add the mushrooms and fry for a further 2 minutes or until the mushrooms are softened. Place the chicken and mushrooms in the bowl with the bacon and set aside.

Return the pan to a medium heat, add the leeks, garlic and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the stock and cream, simmer gently for 5 minutes, then return the chicken, bacon and mushrooms to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes further. Remove from the heat and season to taste.

Now roll out the block of pastry on a lightly floured work surface until 3mm to 4mm thick. Turn a 1 litre/2 pint capacity dish upside down on the pastry and, using it as a guide, cut out a round of pastry for the pie lid, allowing an extra 1cm all round. Spoon the filling into the pie dish and cover with the pastry lid, pushing down the edges around the rim. Make a slit in the top with a sharp knife and brush the pastry with beaten egg yolk. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until golden-brown. Serve immediately with winter greens.

Beef and orange daube

The big short cut in this one is not having to brown the meat. Just throw it all together, go for a long wintry walk and dinner will be ready when you get back.

Serves 4-6

1 kg/3lb beef, cut into 2 cm cubes
2 tbsp flour
Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt
75ml/3fl oz olive oil
2 onions, sliced
3 carrots, sliced on the diagonal
50ml/2fl oz balsamic vinegar
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 x 400g/13oz tin chopped tomatoes
Small bunch of thyme, leaves picked
1 bay leaf
1 orange, pared into strips
500ml/17fl oz rosé wine
500ml/17fl oz beef stock
6 anchovy fillets, chopped (optional)
100g/3 oz black olives, pitted (optional)

To serve

500g/1lb tagliatelle
300g/10oz spinach
30g/1¼oz unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas3. Put the beef, flour, salt and pepper in a bowl and toss to coat. Transfer to a casserole dish.

Add all the remaining ingredients and place over a medium-high heat. Bring to the boil then cover with a piece of crumpled-up parchment paper and a tight-fitting lid. Bake in the oven for 3 hours, or until the meat is tender.

Remove from the oven, uncover and leave to sit. Season to taste. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water until al dente, according to packet instructions. Drain and then return to the pan, add the spinach, butter and 2 ladles of the beef daube sauce. Season and serve alongside the beef daube.

Lemon-and-parsley-crusted fish with garlic mashed potatoes

A great one to get younger palates to eat fish. Who doesn't love a fish finger?

Serves 4

80g/3oz fresh breadcrumbs (I like brown but can be white)
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
15g/ oz roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Finely grated zest from 1 lemon
Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt
2 tbsp olive oil
4 thick (about 3cm/1¼ inch) white fish fillets, such as cod or halibut

To serve

200g/7oz baby spinach leaves, wilted

For the Garlic mashed potatoes

800g/1 lb potatoes, suitable for mashing, such as Pontiac or Désirée
250ml/8fl oz milk
75g/3oz unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, bruised
Ground black pepper and sea salt

Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas7 then start by making the mashed potatoes. Cut the potatoes into quarters and cook in boiling water until tender. Remove from the heat, drain, then mash the potatoes in the saucepan. Meanwhile, heat the milk, butter and garlic cloves in a small saucepan over a medium heat until hot, making sure you don't let the mixture boil. Remove from the heat.

Remove and discard the garlic cloves, and mix the milk mixture into the potatoes with a wooden spoon until smooth. Season to taste.

While the potatoes are boiling, start preparing the fish. Place the breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, lemon zest, salt, pepper and half the olive oil in a food processor and pulse to just combine until you have pale-green breadcrumbs.

Place the fish on a baking tray lined with baking paper and press some crumbs over the top of each piece of fish. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and bake for 10 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the fish is just cooked. Serve with baby spinach leaves and the garlic mashed potatoes.