Half-time refresh: Simon Rimmer’s recipes for easy, one-tray football snacks

Roast cauliflower, nacho-style

Prep 10 minCook 25 minServes 4

1 cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets50ml oil1 tbsp smoked paprika1 tbsp chilli powder1 tsp onion powderZest of 1 lime1 big bag of your favourite corn chips – I love Spicy Nacho Doritos

For the cheese sauce30g butter40g plain flour1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed250ml whole milk250ml condensed milk1 tbsp ready-made English mustard100g finely grated parmesan150g smoked scamorza, (or smoked cheddar), shredded or grated2 bay leaves10g cayenne pepperFor the topping1 jar sliced jalapeños4 spring onions, trimmed and sliced1 big handful chopped corianderSoured cream

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Put the cauliflower in an oven tray with the oil, paprika, chilli powder, onion powder and lime zest, toss to coat, then roast for 15-20 minutes, until soft but not sloppy.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, then stir in the flour and garlic, and cook, stirring, for three minutes – don’t let it brown. Add a little whole milk to the pan, stir to combine and cook out a little, then repeat bit by bit until you’ve added all the milk and the sauce is lovely and smooth. Fold in the condensed milk and mustard, bring gently to a boil, stirring all the time, then add the cheeses, bay and cayenne, turn down the heat and leave to simmer, stirring regularly, for three minutes.

Put the nachos in a bowl, top with the roast cauliflower and pour the cheese sauce all over the top. Scatter over the jalapeños, spring onions and coriander, dot with big dollops of soured cream and serve.

Bombay potato tray bake

Prep 10 minCook 20 minServes 4

1kg baby potatoes1 onion, peeled and sliced3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped2-3 tbsp vegetable oil, to coatSalt and black pepper6 ripe plum tomatoes2½cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped2 green chillies1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and washed1 bunch coriander, picked1 bunch mint, picked2 tsp sugar 75ml white-wine vinegar200g Greek-style yoghurt1 big handful chopped fresh spinach

For the spice mix1 tsp mustard seeds2 tsp ground coriander1 tsp turmeric2 tsp ground cumin2 tsp garam masala

Heat to oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Put the spuds in an oven tray with the onion and garlic, slosh in the oil, season generously and toss to coat. Roast for 10 minutes.

While the potatoes are roasting, blend the tomatoes, ginger and chilli. When the 10 minutes is up, pour this over the potatoes, add the chickpeas and stir to coat. Turn down the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4, and roast for five minutes. Blend the spices, add to the main dish, and roast for about half an hour more, until soft.

Meanwhile, put the coriander, mint, sugar and vinegar in a blender, blitz to a paste, then fold in the yoghurt.

Remove the potatoes from the oven, stir in the spinach until wilted, and serve straight from the tray topped with dollops of the herby yoghurt.

Lamb shawarma

Prep 10 minCook 5 hr+Serves 8

3 onions, peeled and sliced6 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced750g small potatoes250g small carrots100ml red-wine vinegar50ml port (or full-bodied red wine)700ml lamb stock (or chicken or vegetable stock)2.5kg lamb shoulder, butterflied, most of outer fat removed100g rose harissa1 tbsp smoked paprika1 tbsp sumac1 tbsp ground cinnamon2 tbsp sea salt1 tsp chilli flakes, or more to taste500g kale4 medium tomatoes, chopped, to servePickled chillies, to serve

For the sauce1 half-head garlicOlive oil100ml thick Greek-style yoghurt100ml tahini

Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4. Put the onion, garlic, potatoes and carrots in a large ovenproof dish, pour over the liquids, then sit the lamb on top and rub the harissa all over the meat. Mix the paprika, sumac, cinnamon, salt and chilli in a small bowl, then sprinkle on top of the lamb.

Cover the dish with a lid or foil, then roast for four hours. Remove the foil and roast for another hour, to crisp up. Add the kale for the last half-hour of cooking, stirring it into the liquid in the bottom of the dish, so it wilts.

Put the half-head of garlic for the sauce into a small ovenproof dish, drizzle over some olive oil, and roast alongside the lamb for half an hour-plus, until soft. Squeeze the roast garlic flesh into a bowl, add the yoghurt and tahini, and stir.

Remove the lamb from the oven and use two forks to shred the meat; stir a little water into the base of the tray if it seems a bit dry. Spoon the yoghurt sauce over the shredded lamb mix, scatter over the chopped tomatoes and pickled chillies, and scoop up with flatbreads.

Super-simple flatbreads

Prep 5 minRest 30 minCook 20 minMakes 8-10

375g flour, plus extra to dust375g yoghurt1 heaped tsp baking powder1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed2 tsp chilli flakes1-2 tbsp chopped chivesOlive oil, for cooking

Put everything in a bowl, stir to combine, then cover and leave for 30 minutes. Tip the dough on to a floured worktop, divide into eight to 10 equal-sized pieces and roll each one into a 12½-15cm circle. Brush both sides of each flatbread with olive oil and put a large, heavy-based frying pan on medium-high heat. Fry the flatbreads in batches for four minutes on each side, and serve warm.

Simon Rimmer is chef/owner of Greens, executive chef/co-owner of the Mission Mars group, Manchester, and co-presenter of Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch.