Sunday, November 29, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
Chicken with white wine and cream sauce
Ingredients
For the chicken
1 tbsp olive oil
½ onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 chicken thigh, bone and skin removed, flesh chopped
100ml/3½fl oz white wine
1 small handful broccoli florets
3 sundried tomatoes, chopped
150ml/5fl oz double cream
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
For the Yorkshire pudding
150g/5oz plain flour
1 pinch baking powder
1 pinch salt
3 free-range eggs, beaten
220ml/8fl oz milk
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley, to serve
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. For the chicken, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the onion and garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until softened.
3. Add the chicken pieces and fry for a further 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the wine and simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until the volume of liquid has reduced by half.
5. Add the broccoli florets, sundried tomatoes and double cream and continue to simmer for 4-5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Add the parsley and stir well.
6. Meanwhile, for the Yorkshire pudding, place the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and make a well in the middle.
7. Pour the beaten eggs into the middle of the well and mix until well combined.
8. Gradually add the milk and whisk until the mixture forms a smooth batter with the consistency of double cream.
9. Heat the oil over a high heat in the smallest ovenproof frying pan you own. When the oil is smoking, pour in the batter, then transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until the Yorkshire pudding has risen and is golden-brown.
10. To serve, place the Yorkshire pudding into the centre of a serving plate and pour the chicken and cream sauce into it. Garnish with the chopped parsley.
Breaded chicken with red wine sauce
Ingredients
For the chicken
1 chicken thigh, bone and skin removed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
55g/2oz Red Leicester cheese, grated
handful white breadcrumbs
For the red wine sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
½ small onion, finely chopped
200ml/7fl oz red wine
2 tbsp butter
lightly dressed green salad, to serve (optional)
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. For the chicken, place the boned chicken flesh between two sheets of cling film and flatten with a meat mallet or rolling pin until it is of an even thickness. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Heat the oil in an ovenproof chargrill pan, add the chicken and fry for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until pale golden-brown on both sides.
4. Scatter over the grated cheese and the breadcrumbs, then transfer the pan to the oven to roast for 6-8 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked through.
5. For the red wine sauce, heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until softened.
6. Add the red wine and bring the mixture to a simmer for 5-6 minutes, or until the volume of liquid has reduced by half. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until it has melted.
7. To serve, place the breaded chicken into the centre of a serving plate. Spoon the red wine sauce around the edge of the plate. If desired, serve with a lightly dressed green salad.
Skewered chicken tikka with spicy lemon-scented rice
Ingredients
For the skewered chicken tikka
2 chicken thighs, boned, skinned and chopped
2 tsp tomato ketchup
3 tbsp Greek yoghurt
4 garlic cloves, chopped
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp turmeric
1 lime, juice only
½ onion, cut into large chunks
dash olive oil
For the spicy lemon-scented rice
250g/9oz brown rice
50g/1¾oz butter
½ onion, finely diced
2 carrots, grated
½ tsp curry powder
50g/1¾oz sultanas
handful spinach leaves, chopped
½ lemon, juice and zest, plus lemon wedges, to garnish
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Place the chicken thighs into a glass dish, add all the other chicken tikka ingredients (except the onion and olive oil) and mix together well. Leave to marinate for ten minutes, or up to one hour if possible.
3. Skewer the chicken onto two metal skewers, alternating the chicken with chunks of onion. Drizzle with a little olive oil, heat an ovenproof griddle until smoking hot and add the chicken. Cook for a few minutes on each side, or until lightly charred.
4. Juice half the lime and drizzle over the chicken. Leave the other lime half whole and add to the pan. Place in a hot oven for eight minutes, or until completely cooked through.
5. For the rice, cook the brown rice in boiling salted water, according to the packet instructions. Once the rice is cooked, drain.
6. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan, add the onions and cook over a low heat until softened but not coloured. Add the onions to the cooked, drained rice, stir in the carrots, curry powder, sultanas, spinach leaves and lemon juice and zest. Stir well and season.
7. To serve, pile the rice on a serving plate and top with the chicken skewers. Garnish with lemon wedges.
Sauteed chicken with char-grilled cauliflower
Ingredients
For the chicken
1 tbsp olive oil
¼ leek, finely sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
100g/3½oz chicken thighs, cut into halves
50ml/2fl oz white wine
50ml/2fl oz double cream
50ml/2fl oz hot chicken stock
1 tbsp chopped parsley
For the cauliflower
100g/3½oz blanched cauliflower florets
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp curry powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp chopped coriander
Method
1. To make the chicken, heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan.
2. Cook the leek until soft. Season the chicken and fry until coloured on both sides.
3. Add white wine, cream and chicken stock and stir together.
4. Simmer for five minutes, stir in the parsley and season to taste.
5. To make the cauliflower, in a large bowl toss the cauliflower in the olive oil, vinegar and curry powder then season.
6. Heat a griddle pan until smoking.
7. Char-grill the cauliflower florets for one minute on each side.
8. Place the florets back into the bowl and toss again, sprinkle over the coriander and season.
9. To serve, pour the chicken and sauce onto a warm plate and serve the cauliflower aside in a bowl.
Spiced turnips with spring greens
Ingredients
400g/1lb spring greens
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 red chilli, split lengthways
5cm/2in piece root ginger, peeled and grated
4 plump garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
400g/1lb small turnips, trimmed, peeled and quartered
salt, to taste
¼ tsp ground turmeric
Method
1. Finely slice the spring greens and wash them thoroughly - this isn't just to remove any grit, but also because, as there's no liquid added to this dish, the water clinging to the leaves will ensure that the greens cook quickly and evenly.
2. Heat the oil in a large lidded pan and add the cumin seeds. When they begin to pop, reduce the heat and add the chilli, ginger and garlic.
3. Add the turnips, salt and turmeric, cover the pan with a lid and cook for ten minutes.
4. Add the spring greens and cook, covered, for a further ten minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are tender but still brightly coloured and slightly crunchy.
5. Serve hot as a side dish, removing the chilli before serving if you wish.
Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons hot water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.
- Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.