Your basic chicken (stuffed with ricotta and wrapped in Parma ham) good for a quick lunch, coming home late starving from general places and even dinner parties yep...
adapted from Gordon Ramsay's Healthy Appetite
I'm just going to start by saying as a vegetarian of eight years , vegetarians and meat = bit of a grey area. Does it mean you eat fish or you don't, do you let meat be cooked in the same tray as a vegetarian dish? etc. With me, I don't eat meat or fish, but I'm perfectly happy to cook most meat or fish dishes for my family and friends. I accept that it's a lifestyle choice, and just as I expect they wouldn't plonk down a shoulder of roast veal in front of me, I'm not going to force them to eat a lentil stew if I'm happy about knocking up some chicken for them (not that I eat lentil stews, and not that they object to vegetarian, but you get the basic principle). Anyway, this little wonder is fantastically easy - seriously, you can add it to the memory bank after you've made it just once, it's really that simple, as well as being a balanced meat dish that takes genuinely very little effort. And I've done a little step-by-step with pictures, in case you think I'm fabricating the truth a little, as I know some cookbooks are like - "all you need is a bonfire, a roast cow on a spit and a vacuum line fitted with a 0.2-micron filter it's as easy as that!" Nope, you could probably knock this up in around half an hour, minus the fridging time, no word of lie - and my little carnivorous informers tell me it's pretty tasty too.
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| Get a large good quality chicken breast and you're flying. What to look for - pliable, should bounce back when you gently press it, skin that isn't spotted, free range every time - a) for moral grounds, b) your chicken won't have been fed on hormones and will taste better, looks a bit like this one here. |
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| Cut a slit down the edge of the breast without slicing right through. Use a long, sharp knife.   (around 60p per 2 slices from pretty much all good delis - your supermarket will probably have one) and lay out your chicken on top  ricotta cheese. Spoon this in the middle of your chicken.    wash up, whatever rocks your socks.  Heat a large heavy based frying pan and add 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil. When it's hot, whack in your chicken breast and fry for 2 mins on each side until browned, (as below).   in the hot roasting pan and cook in the oven for around 12 minutes when it has come up to full heat (you might need a couple of minutes longer if you have a massive chicken breast) anyway, the point is - it should be just firm when lightly pressed  foil. While this is going on, you might want to think about sorting what goes with it. It doesn't want too much, as it's pretty much sorted but have a little think if you have a big appetite. If you have a really big appetite, strike that, turn back time to when we were looking at an uncooked chicken breast and have your little think now. Not massively helpful, but I'm presuming, hoping, you'll have read this through before attempting it. Me, I just chucked some minted peas with it, simmer your peas in salted water for 3-4 minutes, fry them in a nick of butter for a few seconds, mix in some fresh chopped mint leaves, sorted.  KITCHEN SONG OF THE DAY: Perfect Disease, The Wombats http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3Il0bRgorM&feature=player_detailpage |
PUDDINGS:
“Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.”
Ernestine Ulmer
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| GOOEY CHOCOLATE PUDS Let's be honest. The whole premise of a dinner party works up to the pudding. I like my puddings not too big, but delicious, fulfilling and well presented. Let's not pretend that we are not always a little disappointed when the dessert in question does not contain an ounce of chocolate. These gooey chocolate puds are impressive and really simple and chic with cream and a centre of molten chocolate. Plus they look good and the first taste is always with the eyes (as in many walks of life). This one's also got a transcendental kick of orange, if you're bothered. Preheat oven to 180 degrees, 160 if you're a fan oven, and lightly grease four ramekins. Melt your 60g dark chocolate (broken up), 60g soft butter, 1/2 tsp of orange rind and 2 tsps strong black coffee in a bowl set over a pan of boiling water. (Don't let the bottom of the bowl touch the water). Put 2 eggs, plus 2 yolks (to separate, crack the egg in half and transfer the yolk from one half of the egg shell to the other until you get it without any whites), in a bowl with 50g caster sugar and beat with an electric whisk or a hand whisk until it seems to have doubled and is a pale mousse. Then tip the melted chocolate mixture in with the mousse and gently with a big metal spoon, fold the mixture (use big scooping movements to keep the air in and mix the 2 together). Pour the mix into the ramekins and put on baking trays before cooking for 12 minutes without opening the door. You want the puddings to be cooked on the outside, soft in the middle and risen. Serve with drizzled cream around the outside for black plates and melted chocolate if white plates, plus Terry's chocolate orange segments (or just coat tangerine segments in dark chocolate. I know - crazy). Oh and don't burn your hands!! I just sometimes forget that they have come out of a piping hot oven, but you are probably more sensible. KITCHEN SONG OF THE DAY: Send me on my way, Rusted Root http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LSR72zy9eE  MAINS: |
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| AUBERGINE AND FETA ROLL UPS IN TOMATO SAUCE (Get Cooking Sam Stern) As mains go, you want a body of food that is satisfying rather than stodgy and has a good burst of colour. This is a classic Italian dish with melted cheese, herbs and a rich tomato sauce. Perfect for a family dinner. Heat 4 tbsps olive oil gently in a saucepan. Cook a clove of crushed garlic and a small chopped onion for 5 minutes, until soft but not coloured. Throw in a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes, pinch of sugar, salt and pepper (as you require). Reduce heat and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes, adding a splash of water if it gets too thick. Have a little taste and adjust your seasoning, adding a squeeze of juice from a lemon. For the aubergine strips, slice 2 large aubergines into 5-6 thin lengths each. When choosing your aubergines from a supermarket or deli, you want to make sure they are firm too the touch and have shiny skin. Put 3 tbsps flour on your table/work surface and season it. Put 2 beaten eggs on a plate (yes a plate). Put a few splashes of oil into a large frying pan and heat gently. Then dip the aubergine slices into the flour and then the egg until coated (here you are making the kind of batter covering it). Increase the heat of the frying pan and fry for 1-2 minutes each side until golden. Rest on kitchen paper while you cook the remainder. (You are going to smell of frying just to warn, so you may want to wear an old shirt or whatever). Now preheat the oven to 200 degrees or 180 if fan. Spread a bit of your tomato sauce in the bottom of a large, shallow ovenproof dish. Sprinkle each slice of aubergine with salt, pepper and 3-4 tbsps freshly grated parmesan. Put a basil leave (you'll need a fresh bunch) and a small slice of Mozzarella in the middle (you'll need 350g ball - it comes in a kind of packet with its own liquid in to keep it fresh - you don't need the liquid) and roll the aubergine slice over its filling, resting it in the dish with its seam pressed into the tomato sauce, so it resembles a roll. Top with the remainder of the sliced mozzarella, parmesan and drizzle of oil and bake for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbling. Serve with a light salad and sweetcorn for the mediterranean style colour contrast. SWEET TREATS:
Sometimes you just need something to fulfil those sugar cravings. Yep. *sighs* Beat together 350g light muscavado sugar with 450g softened butter. When light and fluffy, beat in 2 egg yolks and 1 and a 1/2 tsp vanilla essence. Stir in 450g plain flour. When incorporated, spread the dough in a greased long shallow baking tray using the back of a fork to smooth over with lines. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 160 degrees. Melt 225g dark chocolate with 150g butter and 2 tbsps golden syrup. Stir to melt and carefully pour over the top (it will be liquidy). Leave in a cool place to set before marking into generous bars. KITCHEN SONG OF THE DAY: Acid jazz singer, Fratellis http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXEvdx610XQ  TRADITIONAL YORKSHIRE FARE - CHERRY FAT RASCALS: From Eat Vegetarian Sam Stern  You see a lot of things when you are striving for an extensive traditional culinary repetoire, often ugly in experimentation, but I can genuinely say, this is the second most failsafe recipe I have every laid my hands on - it is like the jazzy, slightly obese elder brother of the scone. The most failsafe is a secret family recipe of chocolate oatcakes, the only recipe in my life which has had people physically begging for more with money and withdrawal symptoms (that'll be the blend of narcotics, stimulants and opiates then)- but the recipe is under lock and key and I can tell you now that it is more than my life is worth to reveal the ingredients. Anyway, I digress. This is a Yorkshire tea room classic, a different variation of what they serve up at the famed Betty's tea room in York (well worth a visit) and has the heads up from my Grandma who runs a farm in Yorkshire and is the greatest provider of a roast dinner I have ever had the pleasure to taste. If you are a fan of hearty Yorkshire fare, this is a genuine treat to appreciate and possibly bow down to with a slab of butter and a cup of Yorkshire tea, hot or cold. Grease baking trays. Sift 150g plain flour and 150g self raising flour in a bowl. Rub in 150g butter until the mix resembles bread crumbs. Stir in 100g caster sugar, grated rind of a lemon, rind of 1/2 orange, pinch of ground nutmeg, 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 2 handfuls of currants and a few chopped glace cherries. Beat an egg and 50ml milk together and mix into the dry ingredients with a strong fork for a stif dough. Knead into a ball. You will notice that this is fantastic to handle as well, pliable and easy to roll and cut. Roll out onto a well floured surface until quite thick but not too thick, you just don't want it to be thin. Cut into large circle and top with half cherries. Glaze the tops with a beaten egg yolk, brushing on with a pastry brush for the shiny tops. Bake for 20 minutes at 180 degrees. It has had a 100% success rate every time I've made it and that is pretty often as my dad has a bit of a penchant for them! KITCHEN SONG OF THE DAY: electric feel, MGMT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZjmwgRmoYU  The Choux Pastry Section: |
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| LES PETITS CROQUEMBOUCHES (From the fantastic Baking Made Easy - Lorraine Pascale) Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Dust a large baking tray with flour. Put 60g butter and 150ml buttermilk (or if you are in a panic because you wanted to make this and you haven't obtained any, sub in milk with a squeeze of lemon juice). Once the butter has melted turn up to a fast boil. Add in 70g plain flour and remove the pan from the heat whilst stirring. Beat hard until the mix leaves the side of the pan, then set aside to cool. Whip 200ml whipping or double cream, 40g icing sugar and couple of drops of vanilla essence together until it starts to thicken. Stir in 1 tbsp instant coffee powder and set aside. Add 2-3 eggs into the choux pastry mixture, one by one, beating fast. The mix will go shiny and begin to move away from the pan. The mix should fall slowly from a spoon with a jerk of the wrist. You might only need 2 1/2 eggs to achieve this, it really depends. Either pipe or spoon mixture into puffs onto baking tray (depending on how fastidious you are). Bake for 20 minutes until they have puffed up, are firm around the edge and a light golden colour. Using a skewer, make a hole in the underside of the bun and pop them back into the oven for 2 more minutes. Take them out and leave to cool on a wire rack. To assemble, put a dollop of cream on a serving plate and arrange a few buns on it. Repeat until you have a 3 layer structure. For spun sugar, have a large bowl of cold water nearby as it stops the caramel cooking once it has reached the correct temperature. Put 165g granulated sugar and 165ml water in a heavy based saucepan and melt over a low heat (don't let any sugar climb up the side of the pan or it could burn). Once the sugar has completely dissolved, turn up the heat and let it boil and bubble gently until it becomes a medium honeycomb colour (you really do need to be watching the pan at this point and not staring into the neighbours garden and singing along to radio one at this point). As soon as it reaches this stage, plunge into the bowl of cold water and using 2 forks back to back, dunk them in the sugar and spin the sugar round and round the croquembouche lots of times until you have formed a sugar net around the buns (this'll hold for around 1-2 hours).
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