Feeding the squires

Roast Chicken and gravy

2012-07-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

The British "roast" is something everyone in England grows up enjoying whether its home cooked or served up at a local pub. Getting a full roast right is all about timings so lets here we're going to focus on the Roast Chicken and gravy, we'll do roast Potatoes, Yorkshire Puddings and roasted Brussels sprouts another time.

Shopping list:
Whole Chicken (5lbs serves 4-5 people)

3/4 Carrots
Celery stick
Two lemons

Fresh Rosemary

Fresh Thyme

A few slices of bacon

One large onion

From the Cupboard:
Garlic
Chicken Stock
Butter
Olive Oil
Salt/Pepper

Substitutes:

Lets get cooking:

Okay, first things first, get your chicken out of the fridge as we need to let her get to room temperature and at the same time get your oven heating upto around 500F/260C

As your bird sits there we're going to chop up the carrots, celery, onion and garlic. In a large roasting dish we're going to make up a nest for the bird to sit on, so spread them out evenly to create a flat surface, add in some sprigs of thyme and rosemary, then drizzle with some olive oil.

With the nest prepared onto the bird itself.

First be sure to empty out any 'extras' such as the liver included inside the bird, and given it a rinse under some luke warm water, pat her dry.

Inside we're going to put one whole lemon (cut in half) herbs, one clove of garlic and a little butter.

Now on the outside, we're going to make sure this chicken is juicy and tender so we'll be putting butter between the skin and the meat itself. For this you'll need to be gentle. Have some thin slices of butter by your side and using your fingers gently pull the skin away from the meat. this is going to be weird the first time you do it but you'll soon find the skin pulls away without tearing and you can work the thin slices of butter underneath the skin

Finally we're moving the chicken over onto its bed, drizzling with olive oil and on taking a few slices of bacon covering the breasts of the bird. Add a little (half a cup) water into the nest to make sure things don't over crisp.

By now our oven should be upto temperature, we're going to put the whole thing in and reduce the temperature down to 400F/200C

Now that's it, its at this point you'd begin on your other elements (potatoes, Brussel sprouts etc..) we'll skip straight to the gravy though.

Check your chicken just a few times but you should expect close to two hours before its looking beautifully browned and then you can remove, cover with foil and a tea towel to keep in the heat and moisture.

Meanwhile, that nest is going to form the basis of our gravy. With a masher we're going to crush it all down and adding in just a cup or two of chicken stock run it through a strainer/sieve until you have a rich but runny brown gravy.

Serving:

Roasted chicken has such a distinct flavour its great by itself, in sandwiches, added into dishes like the risotto we made before or as shown here as a part of a full british roast

Serves: 2-6 people depending on whether you're keeping meet for another time

Simple but perfect bruschetta

2012-07-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

There is nothing quite as simple, delicious and quick to make as bruschetta in particular during these summer months where the range of tomatoes available is so generous.

Shopping list:
Your favourite bread stick (a french stick here)
Tomatoes
Pesto (we'll cover making your own another day)
From the Cupboard:
Olive oil
Salt/Pepper

Substitutes:
So many - my favourite in place of the tomato/pesto combo is a little fresh goats cheese with some sliced chives or spring onions and a little black pepper.

Lets get cooking:
First we'll prepare the tomatoes so that they are room temperature and given a moment to rest.

Here we're using yellow and red sweet cherub tomatoes but its really entirely up to you, the key is that you want lots of surface area so make sure if you're using a larger tomato you cut it fairly thin or into smaller chunks.

In a small bowl mix the tomatoes with pesto, a splash of olive oil and salt and pepper. The quantities here are going to be down your own taste so dive in... I would say go easier on the olive oil but this is your summer treat so treat yourself.

Now, get your grill/broiler upto heat first, and cut your bread stick in half and into hand sized portions.

Drizzle a little olive oil over each slice, you're not looking to drown it and it really doesn't matter if sections of the bread are naked and get the bread under the grill/broiler until its nicely toasted then out

Serving:

How simple, take a spoon and ensure everyone gets a good spoonful of the goodness on their bread and prepare to make a mess as you eat, something this good is bound to be messy.

Serves:

As many as you make for, think of the bread in terms of sandwiches and you won't go wrong.

Risotto with Grilled Asparagus

2012-07-05T14:36:00.000-07:00

I was scared of making risotto for a long time as you hear time and again that its so easy to do a bad job. I found a recipe which works for me and in little over 40 minutes you have a delicious Risotto ready to be served on its own or as an accompaniment.

Shopping list:
One stick of Celery
An onion
White wine, Dry, nothing too sweet (1 glass)
Arborio Rice (1 cup)
Asparagus (not required but it is delicious)
Lemon
From the Cupboard:
Garlic
Olive oil
Chicken Stock (4-6 cups)
Grated Parmesan cheese (add it to the shopping list if you'd prefer fresh)

Substitutes:

You can beef up the meal by chopping a chicken breast, adding a little lemon juice and olive oil and cooking in the pan until browned on the outside, then setting aside and adding into the recipe before you add in the cheese.

Lets get cooking:

Finely chop two sticks of celery, half a large onion and some garlic

Warm a little olive oil in a large pan to a medium heat and add in the garlic, celery and onion. We're going to soften this until the celery has lost most of its bright green colour and seems more transparent.

Now take your cup of rice and add to the pan, this is the part where you need to pay attention you need to keep it moving around and we're looking for most of the rice to have turned transparent (just a small center of opaque white)

Once we reach this point we add our wine and let it cook away, you'll be able to smell when most of it has reduced but expect around 7 minutes or so depending on your heat. You'll want it so that there is very little excess liquid in the pan.

With the wine reduced its a game of adding stock, letting it reduce/be absorbed and continuing until the rice rice has taken 4-6 cups of chicken stock. Add a cup, stir continuously, add another, repeat.

With our final cup added its time to season a little (add the chicken if you've gone that route)and let it reduce until there is no excess liquid. Finally a healthy sprinkle of the cheese, a good squeeze of lemon juice and one final stir through and remove from the heat. Your rice should be almost creamy with no liquid in the pan.

Serving:
Here I've served with a little grilled asparagus, take your Asparagus, add some lemon juice, salt and pepper with Olive Oil in a griddle or under a broiler (grill for Brits) until its taking beginning to blacken in spots just a little.

Serves:
3-4, depending on serving size and whether you're adding meat

Aubergine (Eggplant) and Chicken Pasta

2012-05-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

This is a delicious rich pasta that is just perfect comfort food mostly because its full of good things and is the type of thing you can have in the freezer for when you don't have much time.

Shopping list:
1 medium aubergine/eggplant
1 red pepper
2 chicken breasts
Fresh Basil
Some red wine (entirely optional)
Garlic

From the Cupboard:
16oz crushed/diced tinned tomatoes
Spaghetti or your pasta of choice
Dried Basil

Substitutes:

Tomatoes: San Marzano really are the tastiest tinned tomatoes you're going to find but that comes at a price so you can just as easily make your own from fresh tomatoes diced and then (in a food bag) given a little smashing

Chicken: Here I've added chicken, as vegetarian option the Aubergine/Eggplant is providing you a hearty vegetable but you can add in your favourite meat substitute

Lets get cooking:
First your prep work we're slicing the aubergine/eggplant into little half moons.
Dice the pepper into small cubes
Cut up the chicken into larger cubes
Crush up one large garlic clove (or two smaller ones)

Now place the aubergine's into a skillet on a medium/high heat with a little olive oil, grate some pepper and turn after about 4/5 minutes (as they start to brown a little).

Give them another 3/4 minutes and then remove into a bowl with some kitchen paper to dab off any excessive oil.

Repeat this process until all of your Aubergine has been cooked and now we're moving into a large pan so set that skillet to one side (let it cool down before running any water over it to clean!)

Okay, so in our larger pan we're going to add a little oil oil and a medium/high heat

Give your chicken a little pepper, a light covering of the dried basil and then throw into the pan with the garlic
You'll have some fizzle/crackle so keep it moving until the chicken starts to take a little brown but it doesn't need to be cooked through

Take your aubergine out of the bowl and roughly cut into slices we're wanting them to be small enough that they blend into our sauce so don't be precious about it

Now add in your tomatoes, the peppers and aubergine
and a splash of the red wine if you're in the mood
Bring up the heat so its bubbling and then reduce down to a low low heat
We're going to leave this on the stove for 45-60 minutes an occasional stir and taste, nothing more

Once we hit 45 minutes, lets get a small pan with water on the boil, add in your pasta and cook until its at your preferred firmness and we're just about ready.

Take your sauce off the heat and add in some ripped up basil leaves and you're ready to go!

Serving: A little pasta, a little sauce, some Parmesan cheese and if you fancy a nice side salad and even some garlic bread!

Serves: This is going to give you 4-5 servings depending on how much pasta you use and whether you add a side salad

Carrot and Red Lentil Soup

2012-05-14T17:09:00.000-07:00

Soup is one of those fantastic go-to meals, its easy to whip up a batch for 3 or 4 servings, keep some in the freezer or fridge for when you need it.

Shopping list:
Red Lentils (1 cup / 8oz)
2 onions
6 carrots
From the Cupboard:
4 pints Ham Stock (Bouillon or stock cubes work fine)
Salt/Pepper

Equipment:
Blender or Sieve

Substitutes/Additions:
A little Rosemary or Oregano will give a slightly different feeling to the soup but can add some variety if you've cooked this a few times

Lets get cooking:
This is such an easy thing to cook and tastes delicious its a great confidence booster in the kitchen.

Start by chopping up your onions and carrots
Now get your stock/broth/bouillon ready to go, there's a lot of water here so you may need to get it ready in batches
Get a nice large pan onto a medium heat and then...in goes everything your onions, carrots, lentils and stock
Bring the heat up until its boiling away then lower it down to a simmer (just the odd bubble making it to the surface) and that's it for 45 minutes

Its 45 minutes later now add a little pepper and salt if you want (remember the stock/broth most likely has some already) and get it into your blender to liquidize
Note: If you don't have a blender, working in small batches force it through a sieve into a bowl using a wooden spoon

Finally you're ready to serve or freeze.

Serving:

You might want a little parsley on top but that's just going to be for show I would recommend nothing more than a little whole wheat toast, a few grinds of pepper and a bowl :)

Serves: 4-6 servings

Chicken Salad with Sweet Potato Fries

2012-05-11T08:32:00.002-07:00

When you say 'salad' it doesn't fill a lot of people with excitement but we've found this chicken salad to be something of a go-to light treat. We've added some Sweet Potato fries on the side but clearly these are optional and if you do add them, keep an eye on the portion size!

Shopping list:

Two chicken breasts

Mixed salad leaves (we always ensure there's some spinach in there)
Tomatoes

Avocado

Spring Onions

Lemon

From the Cupboard/freezer:

A little olive oil

Salt/Pepper

We added some Sweet Potato Fries on the side from Alexia Foods they are available in whole foods and are low in fat and salt so a nice treat

Dressing - we're a fan of http://www.annies.com/products/16oz-Dressings as a pre-made dressing

Substitutes:
Using left over breaded chicken from the Chicken Brushetta is a real treat!

Rather than a pre-made dressing I would always encourage you to try making your own - I'll follow up with our family recipe but a good start is just some olive oil and balsamic vinegar mixed thoroughly
Lets get cooking:

Before we start get your oven upto bake at 400F

Okay, this really is a simple dish to make, from start to finish 25 minutes and perfect for those evenings where you really don't want too much!

We're going to do the prep as the oven warms up, then there's a little down time so don't panic

We're going to get the salad all ready chopping our tomatoes, spring onions and avocado

Then mix in a bowl and cover with a cloth or kitchen towel

Now take the chicken breasts and with your knife parallel to the cutting board cut them in half (making them half as deep rather than half as wide) this is going to reduce our cooking time and makes for smaller slices of chicken in the salad

Rub a little olive oil over the chicken breasts and lay out on a baking tray, add a little salt and pepper then into the oven which should be upto temperature now (if you're doing the fries as well you can throw them in now)

Keep an eye on the chicken but its going to take 15-20 minutes and you'll want to turn them over once, when you do that add a little squeeze of lemon juice then back in for another 5-7 minutes (until its starting to brown and crisp on the edges)

Whip out your chicken (your fries if you're making those should be done now) from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes whilst you mix in a table spoon of the dressing into your salad. Finally on clean chopping board, slice up the chicken into strips and we're ready to serve!

Serving: Take a healthy handful of the salad and build a small mound on your plate, then place the chicken on top, this ensures you can control exactly how much you have rather than pre-mixing into the salad where one of you may come up chicken-less. Fries on the side

Serves: There is plenty for two but I always find myself wanting more

Thai Basil and Sweet Chili Stir Fry

2012-05-10T08:43:00.003-07:00

Lets not kid each other there are times when it just feels easier to use a packet sauce. By itself there really isn't anything to be ashamed of you can still make a delicious little meal using fresh ingredients but lets keep these as a once in a while rather than a daily event.

Shopping list:
Two chicken breasts
One zucchini
One pepper
Basil (for topping not essential)

From the Cupboard:
Canola Oil
Basmati or Jasmine rice

Substitutes:
Rice - We used Basmati rice here, Jasmine also works great without any real need to change the cooking times. Noodles would be a good substitute to mop up that sauceMeat - We used chicken here but turkey or pork would also work just fine

Lets get cooking:
We're going to do all our prep first because the cooking itself is fairly swift
Firstly fill a small pan with water for the rice and get it on the stove so its boiling by the time we finish cutting up our vegetables
We'll chop our zucchini, pepper and onion
I would guess your water is boiling now so (for 2 people) we'll throw a cup of rice into the water and turn the heat down a touch
Now to the chicken, cutting into strips perhaps an inch and a half long

With all the chopping done we'll get a second pan (wok would be ideal) onto the stove on a mid/high heat and a little canola oil

You want the wok hot enough that the oil starts to glistened a little, holding your hand over the pan you should be able to feel the heat but it shouldn't be scare you hot..

note: If its too hot at this point, turn your stove down, take the pan off and lets give it a minute

Just before we throw in the chicken to sizzle we'll give the rice one stir - this is the only stir you'll give it (too much and it'll get stodgy)

Now in with the chicken and keep it moving

The pan should have a nice sizzle to it and within 2-4 minutes your chicken should be starting to brown (add a little of the sauce at this point) stir for another minute before throwing in your vegetables

Another 2-4 minutes and your vegetables should be starting to soften so we'll add the remainder of the sauce and stir for another 30 seconds before taking off the heat

Now we'll drain the rice and its time to eat!!

Serving:
Nice and simple. Rice or noodles (rice in this case) and then just spoon over the top, no need for soy sauce

Serves: 2 or 3

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A word on sauces: When reading the packet be sure to understand what you're being shown. This Passage of Thailand Thai Basil & Sweet Chili sauce describes 3.2 servings per pack and provides nutritional information for one serving. Pay attention to the packet not least because it will give you the serving information but will remind you just how good cooking without it is. Finally paying attention to the ingredients is really your duty, this sauce is not unique at all but ingredient number two is Brown Sugar but at a least everything here looks natural!

Passage foods have a good selection of sauces available to keep in your cupboard for those times where you're lacking inspiration: http://www.passagefoods.com.au/

How to slice and dice an onion

2012-05-09T08:10:00.001-07:00

It was a 'something from the freezer' day and so I thought I'd share one of the most useful tips that I've been shown relating to cooking.

Onions form the basis of many meals and often the recipes call for the onion to be diced and this can lead to not only tears but all sorts of mess.

The video below shows you the technique. Its all about using the rings of the onion to your advantage which minimizes the number of slices you have to make.

I find that leave the root on is useful as it gives you something to hold onto, but that's a personal preference, watch the video, give it a go and see if this makes your life any easier.

One note, when making the horizontal slices into the onion please please be very careful its all to easy to take the knife right the way through and at that point your hands are the only thing in the way.

Pork and Cashew nut stir-fry

2012-05-07T21:13:00.001-07:00

Fried food doesn't always have to be bad for you and stir fry is a fast and fantastic way to cook which will have you with a meal before you know it.

Shopping List:
3/4lb of thin sliced pork loin
Raw cashew nuts (crushed or whole and you can crush them)
Chili pepper
Snow peas (a good handful)

From the cupboard:
Thai fish sauce
Soy Sauce
Canola Oil
Garlic
Basmati or Jasmine Rice (1 cup)

Substitutes:
Feel free to add in any veg you fancy, peppers, babycorns
The recipe is designed for pork but should you have restrictions which prevent you from eating pork, turkey would work

Lets get cooking:

Okay, first lets get a pan with some water in to cook the rice, and turn up the heat so that its boiling by the time we finish prepping the food
If you couldn't find crushed cashew nuts, throw them into a little food bag, seal it and give them a good smashing.
Now we're going to slice up the pork into thin strips, I find 2 inches long by half an inch wide works well
Slice or crush the garlic and about an inch of a chili (or more if you're into a little more kick)
Halve the snow peas
As the water boils throw in the rice (half a cup per person seems to work well)
In another pan (a wok ideally) get a tea spoon or so of canola oil in there and turn up the heat, you don't want this on maximum but it should be ready to sizzle

Okay, so we're ready to go and this is a two part cooking first up the garlic and chili goes in swiftly followed by the meat
We're going to cook the meat until its nicely browned (caramel colour)
Once its done take it out of the pan onto a plate or bowl

Now the second part...
Now back to the pan and add a just little splash of oil, letting it heat up for a few moments before adding in the cashews and a splash of the thai fish sauce (be warned this has quite a smell so get the extractor fan on)
Keep the nuts moving around until they are taking on a little brown colour and add in your veg
Give it another minute or so and then add the meat back in, keep it moving
Check your rice but it should be almost ready
Take the meat off the heat, drain the rice and you're ready to serve

Serving: Couldn't be a lot simpler get your rice, create a little volcano on a plate or in a bowl and fill the volcano with the tasty stir fry, add soy sauce to your own taste.

Serves: 3 or two very hungry people

Chicken Bruschetta

2012-05-06T20:15:00.006-07:00

Everyone loves bruschetta, the simple little treats of lightly toasted bread with some olive oil, garlic and covered with lashings of fresh tomatoes and pesto. This is a slight spin on that most basic of ideas but substituting the bread for breaded chicken.

Shopping list:
Two medium eggs
Two chicken breasts
Three or four tomatoes (vine ripened would be best but any will do)
A good handful of Arugula/Rocket
Basil

From the Cupboard:
Table spoon of pesto

Olive Oil
Balsamic vinegar
Breadcrumbs
Salt/Pepper (for taste)
Flour
Lemon
Grated Parmesan

Substitutes:
Tomatoes - Whilst three or four tomatoes will be fine, feel free to replace the larger fellas with a cup and a half of cherry tomatoes for some extra sweetness
Chicken - Turkey or Pork can be slipped in without worry

Lets get cooking:
Get the oven warming up to 425F/220C

Now to the tomatoes
Dice the tomatoes into small cubes and place in a bowl
Next mix in your pesto, a splash of the olive oil and the same of the balsamic vinegar.
Add in any salt and pepper for taste
Mix in your arugula/rocket and basil, set it to one side covered

Now to the chicken and breadcrumbs
Start by cracking the two eggs into a small bowl and wisk lightly
Now take your chicken breasts and slice in half, we're looking for nice thin fillets
With your chicken ready we are covering them with a light dusting of flour
I've found the best way is to take a container filling with a little flour, placing one breast at a time inside and closing the lid. Give it a little shake and your breast should be covered, take it out set aside in a plate and repeat
Finally to the breadcrumbs, Fill a small container I find a little extra kick can be had by mixing in some Parmesan and grated lemon but its all down to your palette
Taking one breast at a time in tongs, dip into the egg covering
Let the excess drip off and then into the breadcrumbs
Each breast should be covered nicely

With all the breasts covered onto a lightly oiled baking sheet and into the oven

20-25 minutes later your breadcrumbs should be starting to brown, you can turn once but only once and remove as the outer layer takes a nice golden colour.

Serving:
Nice and simple. one chicken breast, a good helping of the tomato mix and you are good.
A side of Roasted Brussel sprouts is a fantastic accompaniment

Serves: 2 hungry people or three of those who've had a good lunch