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This is a simple easy recipe for cooking chicken.
One of the key things about cooking chicken this way is that it stays really nice and moist with lots of flavour.
Firstly take four chicken thighs, now you could use a whole chicken, half chicken or other chicken pieces. I much prefer chicken thighs over the breast meat as it has a lot more flavour (in my opinion).
Continue reading “Chicken with mushrooms, tomatoes and courgettes”
Last night I cooked a very nice meal and it only took 15 minutes from scratch.
Ingredients
Pork medallions (or you could use loin steaks, pork chops or tenderloin)
Olive oil
Black pepper
Rice
Green beans
For the sauce
Pancetta
Onion
Parsley
Flour
White wine
Creme frache
So first boil the kettle with fresh water to cook the rice and the green beans.
Whilst the kettle is boiling put two pans on for the pork and the sauce. Add a dash of olive oil to both pans. When the oil is hot, add the pork (ensure it is dry) to one and the pancetta to the other.
Ensure the rice is washed, I now use basmati rice all the time, in the main as it cooks easily without sticking and only takes ten minutes. Put separate pans on for the rice and the beans. Time the rice for ten minute, the beans should be cooked after ten minutes as well.
Once the pancetta is cooked, add the onion, finely chopped.
Check the pork, turning if needed.
Once the onion is softened add a spoonful of flour to the pancetta and onion and stir well, then add a good dash of white wine. When it starts to thicken take off the heat.
When the pork is cooked, remove to a warm plate and allow to rest, this will make it tender.
Deglaze the pork pan, by adding a good dash of white wine. Add the pancetta and onion sauce and a couple of large spoonfuls of creme frache, add the parsely and freshly ground black pepper.
Stir.
Put the rice on the plate, you can just spoon it on, if you have more than fifteen minutes then I use a ramekin, spoon the rice into the ramekin and then upturn onto the plate, looks neater than a spoonfuls of rice.
You can either leave the pork whole, or slice depending on what you prefer.
Cover the pork with the sauce.
Serve with the green beans.
Fifteen minutes from entering the kitchen to on the table.
Sorted.
Today I roasted some pancetta covered organic chicken thighs on a bed of onions, red pepper, mushrooms and courgettes. This was splashed with some olive oil and seasoned with black pepper.
Whilst this was in the oven, I softened in a frying pan, some finely chopped onion with pancetta. When the onion was nicely soft, I added some red wine and beef stock before simmering it down. Beef stock over chicken stock just because of the colour rather than flavour. I then reduced and reduced this.
When I was happy with the sauce I whisked in some butter (with a fork as it happens rather than a whisk) and then added a tin of Epicure Organic Puy Lentils. I needed to add a bit more stock at this point.
I was really impressed with the Epicure Organic Puy Lentils and will certainly be buying them again, I guess it would be potentially tastier to use dried lentils, but I personally was quite happy with the tin.
So I put the lentils on the plate, placed the chicken on top and surrounded it with the roasted vegetables. I served this along with carrots and green beans.
Really tasty.
Last night I cooked a very nice stuffed chicken dish.
Take four chicken thigh joints, take out the bone, you can take the skin off, but I usually leave it on.
Take four slices of pancetta bacon (normal streaky bacon can be used, but I prefer the thinness and flavour of pancetta). Lie them flat slightly overlapping. Place the chicken thigh flat out on the pancetta.
You can use a lot of different things for the stuffing, I used some Doux De Montagne that I had left over, a strip of red pepper and some strips of courgette (zucchini). But you could use any other cheese or other vegetables.
I then rolled and wrapped the stuffed chicken thigh with the pancetta bacon. I placed these in a roasting tin and roasted for about thirty minutes.
I served this with some roasted vegtables and some homemade salad consisting of coleslaw and a green bean salad.
Easy.
I use cabbage, usually organic pointed cabbage or white cabbage. I shred this, ensuring I cut the core out first.
I then skin an onion, cut it in half and then cut very fine slices, before adding them to the coleslaw mix.
I grate my carrots.
For the dressing, I add a small spoon of wholegrain mustard, a couple of spoons of creme frache, a couple spoons of mayonnaise and a few grinds from my pepper mill.
Using two spoons I mix the lot together.
More black pepper and a splash of olive oil.
Serve.
Done.
Do you buy coleslaw?
Do you make coleslaw?
Generally I always try and make my own coleslaw. Not only is it very easy to do, it also tastes fresher and so much better.
I use cabbage, usually organic pointed cabbage or white cabbage. I shred this, ensuring I cut the core out first.
I then skin an onion, cut it in half and then cut very fine slices, before adding them to the coleslaw mix.
I grate my carrots.
For the dressing, I add a small spoon of wholegrain mustard, a couple of spoons of creme frache, a couple spoons of mayonnaise and a few grinds from my pepper mill.
Using two spoons I mix the lot together.
Serve.
Done.
After you have made your own coleslaw you will wonder why you ever bought it in the past! Make some today.
This is a dish I made.
Take some chicken thighs, add olive oil to a hot pan.
Brown the chicken in the pan, then remove.
Add chopped onion and red pepper to the pan.
Cook on a low heat until soft.
Add chopped mushrooms.
Meanwhile soak some saffron in a little hot water.
Once the mushrooms, onions and red pepper are cooked, add the chicken.
Add some freshly chopped parsley.
Add the saffron.
Add a couple of large spoonfuls of creme frache, you could use double cream, but I prefer creme frache.
Serve with some freshly cooked gnocchi.
Done.
Search 25 recipe websites.
Trofie Pasta with fresh basil pesto, pine nuts and grated parmesan.
Fresh Trofie pasta.
Into a pan of boiling water (no salt, no oil).
Cook for ten minutes.
In a blender/grinder, handful of basil leaves, olive oil, blitz and blend. Add more basil leaves and more oil, blitz.
Drain pasta.
Dribble olive oil in.
Toss and coat pasta.
Add basil pesto, handful of pine nuts, handful of grated parmesan.
Mix.
Serve.
Eat.
A salad I made which included red pepper, lettuce and cherry tomatoes. It was dressed with some white wine vinegar, olive oil and a dash of freshly ground black pepper.
I do make variations, this just so happens to be one I remembered to photograph!
Additions in the past included:
Fresh Mozzarella Pearls
Pancetta
Avocado
Homemade croutons