Brrrr. It is cold out there these days. So, here are two one-pot wonders that will heat you up on these winter evenings. If you are still keeping all those new year’s resolutions, these meals will fit the bill too. Plus, they’re tasty and healthy, and, as a bonus, easy to prepare.

Regular readers know that I am a fan of hake. The traybake is fresh, healthy and packed full of flavour. Plus, it looks just fantastic put straight on to the table. This recipe also works well with salmon or with any firm-fleshed white fish that you are fond of.

The one-pot chicken is packed full of flavour. Chicken thighs, which are good value, stay wonderfully succulent and work well here. I like the salty taste of anchovies too. Here, I’m just serving it with some crusty bread but it would also be delicious with any type of pasta or a dollop of soft, cheesy polenta.

Happy cooking.

Roast Hake & Peperonata Traybake

Serves four

450g waxy potatoes

3 tbsp Donegal rapeseed oil, plus a little extra for drizzling

2 red onions, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 red and 1 yellow pepper, cored and thinly sliced

Good pinch of dried chilli flakes

2 fresh tarragon sprigs, leaves striped and finely chopped

4 x 100-150g skinless hake fillets

4 slices of lemon

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Preheat the oven to 180oC (350oF/gas mark four). Scrub and slice the potatoes and put in a roasting tin that will take them in an even layer. Drizzle over two tablespoons of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss until well coated and roast for 25 minutes.

2 Meanwhile, heat the rest of the oil in a frying pan over a low heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for about five minutes until softened, then tip in the peppers and chilli flakes and continue to sauté for another 10 minutes until softened, drizzling occasionally with a little water to help the peppers soften. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the tarragon.

3 Remove the roasting potato slices from the oven and give them a good shake, then tip over the onion and pepper mixture and spread out to form a bed. Nestle in the hake fillets and season them with salt and pepper. Add the lemon slices and a light drizzle of oil. Return to the oven for 10 to 12 minutes until the hake fillets are just cooked through and tender. The exact time will depend on the thickness of the fillets. Serve straight to the table.

One-Pot Chicken with Tomatoes & Olives

Serves four

2 tbsp Donegal Rapeseed oil

4 skinless and boneless chicken thigh fillets, well trimmed

4 tbsp red wine

100g (4oz) pitted kalamata olives

100ml (3 1/2fl oz) chicken stock

700g jar passata with onion and garlic

4 anchovies in oil, drained and finely chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fresh basil leaves, to garnish

Warm crusty bread, to serve

1 Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Cut the chicken thighs into bite-size pieces and then add to the frying pan. Sauté for three to four minutes until lightly browned.

2 Increase the heat, then pour in the red wine and allow to bubble down for about two minutes until it has nearly all evaporated. Stir in the stock, passata, anchovies and olives and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce has reduced and the chicken is tender.

3 Spoon the chicken with tomatoes and olives into wide-rimmed bowls and scatter over the basil to garnish. Serve with plenty of crusty bread to mop up all those delicious juices.