February 2015 - Tastetickler

All my favorite ingredients on one plate. Such a lovely mixture of flavors and textures and so good for you too.

Serves 4

1lb 2 oz raw beets (beetroot)
4 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 large red onion, cut into wedges
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 tsp caraway seeds
1lb of lamb Merguez sausages or another spicy sausage of your choice
2 x 8oz pouches of the ready-cooked Puy lentils
3 oz watercress, stalks removed
FOR THE DRESSING
4 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Colmans English mustard
Juice of 1 lemon
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Heat the oven to 350 F. Top and tail the beets, then peel and cut into wedges.
Put the beets in a roasting tin, drizzle over 2 tbsp of olive oil and toss with the onion, garlic and caraway seeds. Roast for 45 minutes until the beets are tender and the onion is sticky and charred.
In another roasting pan, put in 2 tbsp olive oil and the sausages. Put these in the same oven about 10 minutes later, roasting for about 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown. (Alternatively, broil the sausages until golden brown on all sides)

Make the dressing by whisking together all the ingredients. While the beets are still warm, toss with the lentils and dressing.
Add the watercress and serve with the sausages.

Given that it’s Super Bowl Sunday, what more do you need than a large platter of these! The meat literally drops off the bones and the sauce…. what can I say???

4-1/2 lb. chicken wing drumettes, winglets, or both
8 medium scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup hoisin sauce
3 tbsp Asian sesame oil
1-1/2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1-1/2 tbsp sambal oelek
2-1/2 tbsp cider vinegar
Asian chile oil (optional)

Tip:
Chicken wings are often sold divided into drumettes and winglets—buy either (or both) according to your preference. If you buy whole wings and cut them into pieces yourself, you’ll need about 5 lb. to start.

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, stir the chicken wings, all but 2 tbsp of the scallions, the hoisin sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and sambal oelek until the wings are evenly coated. Cover and cook until the wings are cooked through, but not falling off the bone, 2-1/2 hours on high or 4 hours on low. (The wings can stay on the keep-warm setting for up to 1 hour.)

Use tongs to transfer the chicken wings to a large foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Strain the sauce into a fat separator and set aside for a few minutes. Pour the defatted sauce into a 2-quart saucepan, add the vinegar, and boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 15 minutes.

Position a rack 4 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler on high. Brush the wings with the sauce and broil until browned, about 3 minutes. Turn the wings over, brush them again, and broil until browned and crisp, about 3 minutes more. Brush with the sauce once more before serving, topped with the remaining 2 Tbs. scallions and drizzled with the chile oil, if using. Serve any remaining sauce on the side for dipping.

Month: February 2015

Hot mustard lentils with beets and spicy sausage

Slow cooker Asian BBQ chicken wings