Tag: lemon

Gluten Free · Poultry · Whole30 compliant

Moroccan-style chicken braise

Belinda

I adore anything with lemons and olives, and this recipe is simple as it uses fresh lemons rather than the preserved lemons. It is wonderful to freeze and easy to double.  Make sure you start this recipe the night before as it needs to marinade and allow the flavors to “hang out”.

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Serves 2 to 3

For the spice paste
3 large, juicy garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
A pinch of sea salt
3 good pinches smoked paprika
3 good pinches ground turmeric
1 tsp cumin seeds (I use roasted seeds)
a good glug of olive oil

For the braise
6 large chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
a good glug of fruity olive oil
2 large onions, peeled and roughly chopped
Chicken broth or water (about 32 fl oz)
1 lemon, cut in half, thinly sliced
A pinch saffron threads
A good handful green olives, pits removed
A small handful fresh cilantro (coriander), roughly chopped

For the spice paste, crush the garlic cloves and sea salt with a pestle in a mortar. Add the smoked paprika, turmeric and cumin seeds and grind to a paste. Add just enough olive oil to make the paste runny enough to pour, but thick enough to coat the chicken.

For the braise, place the chicken thighs into a bowl, pour the spice paste over them and toss well to coat all of the meat. Cover with cling film and leave to marinade in the fridge overnight preferably or as long as time allows. It will only improve in flavor the longer you allow it to marinade.

Heat the olive oil in a large shallow pan, then cook the onions until softened. Add the chicken thighs and cook until colored lightly on both sides. Add the lemon slices and olives and pour in enough water or chicken broth (or a combination) to come halfway up the chicken pieces. Stir in the saffron, then season well, cover with a lid and simmer for about 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Add the fresh cilantro and serve with rice or couscous.

Gluten Free · Poultry · Whole30 compliant

Simple roast chicken traybake with spiced potatoes and olives

Belinda

I love roasted tray bakes, they are easy to make and are so versatile. Here is another version, and the flavors are beautifully intense.

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Serves 4
1 bay leaf, crushed
1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 1/2 lb fingerling potatoes, halved
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
4 tbsp olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 whole chicken legs (leg and thigh attached) about 3lbs
1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley leaves with stems
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

* You will need a small spice mill, like a coffee grinder. It’s worth buying a second one and devoting it to grinding spices.

Preheat the oven to 450 F
Pulse the bay leaf, fennel seeds and 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes in a spice mill until finely ground.
Toss the halved potatoes, olives, 2 tbsp oil and half of the spice mixture in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper.
Place the chicken mixture on a rimmed baking sheet and rub with remaining 2 tbsp oil; season with salt and pepper and rub with the remaining spice mixture.
Arrange potato mixture around the chicken. Roast until the potatoes are fork-tender, chicken is cooked through, and the skin is crisp, 35 – 45 minutes.
Serve chicken and potato mixture topped with parsley, lemon zest and more red pepper flakes, if desired.
Spoon the pan juices around and serve.

Pasta · Vegetarian pasta

Spaghetti with Mascarpone, Meyer lemon, spinach and toasted hazelnuts

Belinda

Spaghetti with Mascarpone, Meyer lemon, spinach and toasted hazelnuts

 

A gorgeous, light, creamy and tangy vegetarian pasta dish.

Serves 2 as a main course
1 tsp Meyer lemon zest (from about 1/2 lemon)
Juice from 1 Meyer lemon (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 tsp salt
A few grinds of black pepper
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 lb spaghetti
5 cups loosely packed spinach, roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped, toasted hazelnuts

Combine the zest, lemon juice, mascarpone, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a bowl. Whisk to combine.
Bring a pot of water to the boil and salt generously. Cook the pasta until al dente, taking it off the heat 2 minutes before you would normally remove it.
Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
Return the pasta to the pot and set the pot over low heat. Stir in the mascarpone sauce. Add the spinach and toss so that the spinach begins to wilt. Add about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water (more if you need) to keep the sauce fluid but not too watery.
Continue to cook and toss until the spinach is cooked. Add the hazelnuts and stir to combine.

Serve immediately

 

Appetizers · Do-ahead · Fish · Gluten Free

The classic British shrimp cocktail sauce

Belinda

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I can hear some of you saying “Huh? Why a recipe for this?” Well, having lived in the US for 17 years, I feel the need to post this recipe, as a shrimp cocktail sauce here is a very acidic, tomato sauce, rather than the smooth, creamy, tangy sauce I was brought up with in New Zealand and the UK. Do try this very easy recipe, and simply boil a bunch of good sized shrimp in advance until just cooked, leave to cool and serve with this divine sauce and some shredded lettuce or curly lettuce underneath.

Serves 6

Cocktail sauce ingredients
1 cup of best quality mayonnaise
1/4 cup tomato ketchup
2 tsp Worcester sauce
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 or 2 drops of hot sauce
2lbs cooked medium sized shrimp, peeled and tails intact as it’s easier to pick them up.
lettuce shredded or curly lettuce like frisee and lemon wedges for serving

For the cocktail sauce, mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Toss in the shrimp and toss around in the sauce till they are coated.
Arrange the shredded lettuce in attractive glass dishes and put a pile of the sauced shrimp on top of the lettuce.
Garnish with a dusting of paprika and a wedge of lemon.

There! Now I feel better already!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers · Do-ahead

Middle Eastern Hummus

Belinda

Middle Eastern Hummus

Everyone needs a good recipe for hummus and as soon as you make it, you’ll wonder why you spent so much money buying it!

1 cup of good quality chickpeas (soaked overnight in twice the water volume and a pinch of baking soda)
or, if time doesn’t allow to soak, use a good quality tin of cooked chickpeas
1 tbsp tahini (sesame paste)
2 tsp roasted cumin seeds (roast in a frying pan until fragrant)
1 clove garlic, crushed to a paste with a little salt
4 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper
About 6 fl oz of good olive oil
** You can also add some fresh chopped chili for more flavor

Place the soaked chickpeas in a large pot and fill with fresh water, cook for about 45 to 60 mins until they are tender. Strain and reserve the cooking liquid.
Place the chickpeas, cumin seeds, garlic, tahini, lemon juice and 2 tbsp of reserved cooking liquid in a food processor. Add about 3 fl oz of the olive oil and process, for a minute. Then add extra olive oil and cooking liquid to this mixture to get a smooth consistency.
Salt and pepper to taste

Accompaniments · Do-ahead · Egg based · Gluten Free

60 second aioli (garlic mayonnaise) to die for

Belinda

This is the most wonderful garlic aioli, and all you need is a platter of crudites (raw vegetables) and bread and you have a fabulous starter for a crowd.
It is highly recommended to purchase a stick blender like this one;

Then all you need is;
3 large whole cloves of garlic, peeled and halved
4 eggs, at room temp
2 to 2 1/2 cups good olive oil
1 to 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
salt

Get a tall glass jar and put in the garlic halves and the 4 whole eggs.
Now, add your stick blender and sit it on the bottom of the jar, over the ingredients and turn on.

Very gradually, add the olive oil in a steady stream, keeping the stick blender on all the time.

 
You will end up with a gorgeous thick garlic mayonnaise. Now put in the lemon juice a tsp sat a time, sprinkle in a little salt, blend with the stick blender, and taste until it’s the perfect flavor for you!
Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Nuts · Poultry

Sticky chicken with sherry, almonds & dates

Belinda

Tender, sticky roasted whole chicken legs coated in a lip-smacking glaze. Also ideal for feeding a crowd

Serves 8
3 tbsp olive oil
8 whole chicken legs (including the thigh)
2 large onions, chopped
15 garlic cloves, left whole in their skins
1 heaped tsp ground cumin (I roast mine)
8 fl oz (or 1 cup) sherry, like Manzanilla or Oloroso
zest and juice of 1 large lemon, plus extra zest to serve
3 oz whole blanched almonds, (I used Marcona) roughly chopped
12 large soft dates, like Medjool, pitted and chopped
2 oz pack flat -leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Heat the oven to 400 F
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan.
Season the chicken then brown it on all sides.
Remove the chicken, place it in a large baking dish then set aside.
Add the remaining oil, onions and garlic to the pan and season.
Fry for 10 minutes until glden.
Stir in the cumin, sherry, lemon juice and zest. Bring to the boil then add the almonds, dates and half the parsley.
Pour the sauce over the chicken. Cover with foil, then roast for 1 hour until tender, taking the foil off after 15 minutes of cooking.
Spoon the liquid over the chicken a couple of times during the roasting.
Serve piled up on a large platter with the sauce poured over, the garlic cloves, remaining parsley and some extra lemon zest.
This is lovely served with a nice, tasty quinoa or couscous dish

 

Poultry · Whole30 compliant

Simple roast chicken with rosemary, garlic and lemon

Belinda
 

A great weekday meal, full of flavor and all you need is a simple salad and some good bread to mop up those juices.
A good tip- Never buy a chicken over 3.5 lbs in weight , as you will lose the flavor and texture in the bigger ones. If necessary, buy 2 chickens if you are feeding a crowd.

Serves 4
1 (3.5 lb) chicken, cut into pieces
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
10 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 lemon, peel removed, pith and pulp chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Toss the chicken pieces with oil, rosemary, lemon juice, garlic, lemon and salt and pepper in bowl.
Marinate for 1 hour.
Heat the oven to 475 F.
Arrange the chicken in a 9″ by 13″ baking dish; add remaining marinade.
Roast, flipping once, until cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes.

 

Baking · Dessert · Do-ahead

One-bowl tangy lemon cake

Belinda

Don’t you just love those cakes that require everything to be thrown into one bowl, mixed together, then put into the oven? No creaming the butter and sugar!
This is so easy and has a real tang to it as you spoon the lemon syrup over the hot cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.

6 oz butter
6 oz superfine sugar
1 tsp baking powder
3 large eggs
2 lemons, juiced and the finely grated rind
6 oz self raising flour

Preheat the oven to 350 F
Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and beat well until well mixed together.
Add the finely grated rind of 2 lemons.
Spoon the mixture into a greased and lined round cake tin and bake for about 55 minutes until just firm.
Squeeze the juice from the 2 lemons and mix with 1 oz of suerfine sugar.
Spoon this syrup over the top of the cake while still warm for a lovely tang.

Gluten Free · Poultry

Light and easy chicken piccata

Belinda

We absolutely love this recipe, it’s equally good with thinly sliced pork fillet, chicken, turkey or fish and is so light, quick and tangy.
* I made this again the other day and omitted the butter, adding a little more olive oil instead and we didn’t miss it!

Serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 4 to 5oz each
1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup all purpose flour (GF flour is okay too)
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup dry sherry (if you don’t have sherry you can use dry Vermouth or a dry white wine)
2 lemons
2 tbsp capers
1 cup chicken stock, or broth
2 tbsp Italian parsley, finely chopped
kosher salt to taste

Squeeze the juice out of one of the lemons and set the juice aside.
From the other lemon, slice 4 very thin slices from the center (the widest part) and set those aside too.
Stretch a piece of plastic wrap across your work surface, place the chicken breast fillets on it, lay another piece of plastic wrap on top, covering the fillets.
Using a meat mallet, rolling pin or similar flat object, flatten the chicken breasts between the payers of plastic wrap until they are 1/4 inch thin, but no thinner or they lose their consistency.

In a shallow baking dish or even a plate, combine the flour and salt.

Heat a heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium heat, then add the olive oil and heat for another 30 seconds or so.
Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
Remove the onion and garlic mixture from the pan and set aside.

Add the butter to the pan and let until it turns foamy.

Now dredge both sides of the chicken breast fillets in the flour mixture, shake off any excess flour and add them, one at a time to the hot pan.
Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side or until nicely browned. Remove them from the pan and set aside on a plate, covered with foil, while you make the sauce.

Add the stock or broth, sherry, lemon juice and capers to the pan and scrape off the flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan.
Then return the onion-garlic mixture to the pan and heat it through, adding a bit more oil or butter if necessary.

Return the chicken to the pan, bring the liquid to the boil, then lower it to a simmer and cook for about 3 minutes or until the mixture has reduced by about 1/3.
Add the chopped parsley just at the end of the cooking.

With a pair of kitchen tongs, remove the chicken breasts and plate them. Adjust the seasoning on the sauce with kosher salt and lemon juice. Make sure there is plenty of sauce on each chicken fillet with a lemon slice on top and serve immediately