Do-ahead · Poultry

Brandy roasted chicken with mushrooms and pearl barley

Belinda

It’s not the greatest photograph, but the taste more than makes up for it!!  The juices of the chicken go down into the pearl barley/mushroom mixture and it is incredible! My sister gave me this recipe and it’s a really good one. All you need with it is a green salad as the barley is filling.

Serves 4 to 6

A 3lb whole organic chicken
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup brandy
1/4 cup good olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 oz butter
1 large brown onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 oz mixed dried mushrooms rehydrated in 1 cup boiling water
1 lb fresh baby cremini (brown) mushrooms
1 cup pearl barley
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups chicken stock

Place the chicken, crushed garlic, brandy, olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl and toss to coat.
Place in the fridge for 1 to 4 hours to marinate moving the chicken around in the marinade.

Preheat the oven to 400 F

Secure the chicken legs with kitchen string. Heat a large non-stick pan over high heat and cook the chicken breast side down, for 5 minutes or until golden.
Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Melt the butter in the pan and add the onion, garlic and cook for 5 minutes or until onion has softened.

Strain the dried mushrooms, reserving the liquid. Add the drained mushrooms to the pan with the fresh mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add the barley and wine and cook for a further minute until the wine is absorbed. Add the reserved mushroom liquid and stock and stir to combine.

Transfer the contents of the frying pan to a baking dish and top with the chicken.
Cover with foil and roast for 55 minutes.
Remove the foil and roast for a further 10 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is golden and cooked through.
Serve with the mushroom and pearl barley.

Gluten Free · Salad · Vegan · Vegetable-related

Roasted cauliflower and almond salad

Belinda

Another Ottolenghi masterpiece combining preserved lemon, nutty, roasted cauliflower, olives and pomegranate molasses.

Serves 2 to

1 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
Olive oil
Flaky sea salt and reshly ground black pepper
1 large stick of celery, peeled and thinly sliced
A generous handful of roasted, salted almonds, roughly chopped
A generous handful of Italian parsley leaves, finely chopped
1/4 of a preserved lemon, flesh discarded and the skin finely chopped
a handful of pitted Kalamata olives
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp pomegranate molasses
Extra parsley leaves for garnish
A handful of pomegranate seeds for garnish

Preheat the oven to 425 F

Toss the cauliflower florets with a generous slosh of olive oil (about 3 tbsp) and season liberally with the flaky sea salt and black pepper.
Tip into a shallow oven dish, ideally in a single layer and put into the oven until tender and golden, about 30 mins.
Remove from the oven, transfer to a large bowl and set aside to cool.

Add another 2 tbsp olive oil to the cauliflower then add the celery, almonds, parsley, preserved lemon, olives, cinnamon, allspice, vinegar and pomegranate molasses.
Toss to combine well. taste and adjust seasoning to your taste

Fish

Herbed salmon with garlic cream sauce

Belinda

This is divine!!

Serves 2

1lb wild salmon fillets, about 1 inch thick
6 tbsp chopped fresh herbs, tarragon, chervil, dill and parsley
2 oz butter
1 clove garlic, squashed flat
4 tbsp creme fraiche, heavy cream or mascarpone cheese
lemon juice

Cut the salmon fillets into pieces across their width, about 1.5 inches wide.
Scatter the chopped herbs on a plate and roll the salmon pieces in them, pressing down on them to make them adhere to the fish.
Melt the butter in a shallow pan over a medium heat and add the garlic.
When the butter starts to foam, place the herbed fingers of fish into the pan.
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or just until the fish becomes opaque.
By now the butter will be slightly brown in parts and fizzing wildly.
Stir in the creme fraiche, cream or mascarpone cheese and leave to melt into the butter.
Season with black pepper and salt if you wish.

Just before you scoop the fish out of the pan, squeeze a little lemon juice into the sauce, it will lift it’s flavor and prevent the sauce from becoming too cloying.

Careful though that the sauce doesn’t curdle, so don’t have the sauce boiling when you add the lemon juice

Dessert

Baked bananas with passion fruit

Belinda

This is so easy and unusual. You guests will be very impressed! Serve this with creme fraiche with finely chopped fresh mint in it. Thank you to the wonderful Nigel Slater

Serves 4

4 ripe bananas
2 tbsp runny honey (good quality)
a little lemon juice
6 passion fruits
juice of 1/2 an orange

Hot bananas have a seductive richness about them. Some might even say too rich so the tart, exotic flavor of the passionfruit is the perfect contrast to the richness and it’s one of the most fragrant hot desserts you will make.

Wrap each banana in aluminum foil, leaving the top open. The easy way to do this is to place the foil flat on a work surface, place a banana on each one, then bring up the sides of the foil to make little packets for the fruit.
Drizzle the honey over the bananas.
Squeeze a little lemon juice in each packet then drizzle over the orange juice.
Cut the passionfruit in half and squeeze four of the halves over the banana parcels.

Scrunch together the foil at the top to seal.
Bake in a preheated oven at 400F for about 20 mins max. (It might be worth looking at them at 15 minutes)
Test for doneness with a skewer.
Put the parcels on to plates and hand around.
Give everyone two halves of a passionfruit as each diner should squeeze their passionfruit on to their bananas as they open the packet.
The scent will be exquisite.

A passionfruit is ripe when it is severely wrinkled. But it should still weigh heavy in the hand. That is a sign that it is full of juice

Egg based · Gluten Free · Poultry

Chicken Eggah

Belinda

This is a delicious Middle Eastern dish for lunch or supper that is like a savory cake and full of favor.

Serves 4 to 6

1/3 cup olive oil
1 leek (white part only) finely chopped
1lb ground chicken or turkey
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp grund cardamon
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or Italian parsley
6 large eggs, beaten

Heat half the oil in a non stick frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the leek and saute for 10 minutes until lightly golden
Stir in the chicken and saute until turning white, using a wooden spoon to break up the lumps.
Stir in the salt and pepper, spices and chopped herbs.
Add the chicken mixture to the eggs and stir well to combine

Heat the remaining oil in a clean frying pan over medium heat.
Pour in the egg and chicken mixture, spreading it evenly over the base of the pan.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the eggs have set and the top is still a little runny.
Place the pan under a hot grill for 2 to 3 minutes until the top is set and golden.
Gently shake the pan to loosen the eggah, then slide it onto a plate.
Serve hot or cold, cut into wedges

Do-ahead · Poultry · Soup · Whole30 compliant

Rich, golden, satisfying chicken broth/stock

Belinda

It’s time to prepare for those lovely warming dishes you’re going to cook over the next few months. Don’t throw away those roasted chicken carcasses! Put them into freezer bags and throw them in the freezer until you have a day when you can turn them into pure golden goodness.

It is beyond simple, but you do need a very large and tall saucepan or stock pan. It’s a great investment as I use mine a lot.

All you do is to wait until you have at least 4 or 5 carcasses frozen, then defrost them in the fridge overnight.

Put them all into the large saucepan, pushing them down into the pan and cover with water. Grind some black pepper and put in about 1 tbsp of dried oregano. Bring to a simmer and keep it simmering on VERY low for anything up to 8 hours or more. The lower you simmer, the clearer and golden the broth.

Occasionally stir the pot and push down the bones. When you are ready for the next step, remove the pot from the heat and set aside until it cools down a bit.

Get a large colander and pour the soup through it catching all the bones and meat in the colander while the juice goes in to the saucepan underneath it.

When the meat and bones have cooled enough to touch them, wash your hands then pick through all the bones and remove the meat.
Throw the bones away, put the meat into containers and freeze to use in pies, soups or anything else.

Put the remaining chicken juice in the fridge overnight to let the fat rise to the surface.

The following day, skim all the fat off the top of the stock and store the fat in a glass jar in the freezer to use for roast potatoes.

The broth should be really gelatinous if you’ve simmered it for long enough. Pour it into containers and freeze. You can use this very rich broth for soups, gravies, stews and almost anything. If you have stuffed your chickens with lemons, onions and fresh herbs when you roasted them, you will have all this added flavor to the stock.

Now sit down, look at your stack of golden goodness, pat yourself on the back and pour yourself a glass of wine.

I just had a bowl of neat steaming chicken broth and it was stunning!

Asian flavors · Curry

Easy spinach, tomato and chickpea curry

Belinda

Easy, tasty and healthy. What could be better!

1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/4 inch piece ginger, grated
6 ripe tomatoes
1/2 tbsp oil
1 tsp ground cumin (I roast mine, it’s worth it)
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
a pinch of chili flakes
1 tsp yeast extract (I use Marmite, but you could also use beef or chicken stock concentrate)
4 tbsp red lentils
6 tbsp coconut cream
1 head of broccoli, broken into florets
15 oz can chickpeas, drained
6 oz bag of baby spinach leaves
1 lemon, halved
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds mixed with 1 tbsp chopped cashews

Put the onion, garlic, ginger and tomatoes in a food processor or blender and puree.

Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the spices, fry for a few seconds and add the puree and yeast extract.

Boil together for about 2 minutes then add the lentils and coconut cream.

Cook until the lentils are tender, then add the broccoli and cook for about 4 minutes.

Stir in the chickpeas and spinach, squeeze over the lemon and swirl through the sesame and cashew mixture.

Serve with brown rice, if you like

 

Asian flavors · Vegetable-related

Quick mushrooms with red curry sauce

Belinda

This is super quick and so tasty. It’s worth a trip to the Asian market for the few ingredients you might need.

Serves 4

2 cups coconut cream
1 1/2 tsp red curry paste
2 tsp finely chopped lemongrass, white part only
1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup coconut mik
2 tsp soy sauce (or mushroom soy sauce)
1 1/2 tbsp shaved palm sugar or brown sugar
3 fresh kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
1 tbsp lime juice
14 oz assorted mushrooms (shitake, oyster, enoki, button..)
2 tbsp cilantro leaves
3 tbsp torn Thai basil leaves or basil leaves

Place the coconut cream in a wok, bring to the boil and cook over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes

Add the red curry paste and chopped lemongrass and cook, stirring continuously, for 3 to 4  minutes or until fragrant.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the stock, coconut milk, soy sauce, sugar, lime leaves and lime juice. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved.

Stir in the assorted mushrooms and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until tender.

Remove from the heat, stir in the cilantro and basil and serve with steamed rice.

 

Baking · Do-ahead

3 ingredient Coconut Macaroons

Belinda

Yes, only  three ingredients and incredibly low fat and low calorie, for those that care!

Makes 12

2 extra large egg whites
4 oz superfine sugar (caster sugar)
6 oz desiccated coconut

Heat the oven to 350 F.
Whisk the egg whites, sugar and coconut together in a bowl until they lightly come together.
With wet hands, press the mixture into a flat, round shape about 1 inch high.

Cut out 12 rounds about 1 1/2 inches using a small pastry cutter or upturned liqueur glass and place on a lightly oiled or non stick baking tray.

Bake in the center of the oven for 15 minutes until very lightly golden, just touched with color.
Transfer the macaroons to a wire tray and cool.
Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

 

Dessert · Do-ahead

Sticky toffee pudding

Belinda

We’re getting to that time of year when this is just the ticket! It is one of my top three favorite desserts of all time and so good served with vanilla ice cream. It has a great sauce and the sweetness is from Medjool dates!

Serves 8

8 oz Medjool dates, pitted
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3 oz unsalted softened butter
6 oz caster (superfine) sugar
2 large free range eggs
6 oz self-raising flour
1/4 tsp ground mixed spice
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp whole milk plain yoghurt
2 tbsp a malted milk drink, like Ovaltine, see below. (You can get Ovaltine on Amazon.com.)

For the toffee sauce

4 oz unsalted butter
4 oz light muscovado sugar
5 fl oz heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350 F

Put the dates in a bowl with the bicarbonate of soda and cover with 7 fl oz boiling water.
leave to stand for a couple of minutes to soften, then drain.
Whizz the dates in a food processor until you have a puree.
Meanwhile, cream your butter and sugar until pale using a wooden spoon  and add the eggs, flour, mixed spice, cinnamon and Ovaltine.
Mix together well then fold in the yoghurt and your pureed dates.
Pour into a buttered ovenproof dish and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes.

While the pudding is cooking, make the toffee sauce by putting the butter, sugar and cream in a pan over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce has thickened and darkened in color.
To serve, spoon out the pudding at the table and pour ver the toffee sauce.