Summery Chicken Sensation

We went over to our friends Mel and Jay jay's house for dinner last week.  We knew we would be in for a treat as they're both very foodie and brilliant, experimental cooks. Not a 'meat and two veg' kind of household - they use ingredients I've never even heard of and wouldn't dare to introduce into my own cooking.  They're big fans of the Ottolenghi movement, or 'lesbian food' as Chaz insists on calling it.

This salad was especially sensational.  I don't even like fennel and I had thirds.  If you're looking for a light, summery creation, even the fussiest of fuss pots will love this.  

It was created by the chefs at Ottolenghi in Belgravia and is the biggest summer hit there. If you don't like fennel, use a combination of spring onion and rocket instead. 

Serves six.

1 orange

50g honey

½ tsp saffron threads

1 tbsp white-wine vinegar

About 300ml water

1kg skinless chicken breast

4 tbsp olive oil

2 small fennel bulbs, sliced thin

15g picked coriander leaves

15g picked basil leaves, torn

15 picked mint leaves, torn

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 red chilli, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, crushed

Salt and black pepper

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Trim and discard 1cm off the top and tail of the orange and cut it into 12 wedges, keeping the skin on but picking out any pips. Place the wedges in a small saucepan along with the honey, saffron, vinegar and just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for about an hour. At the end, you should be left with soft orange pieces and about three tablespoons of thick syrup; add water during the cooking, if needed. Use a food processor to blitz the orange (skin and all) and syrup into a smooth, runny paste; again, add water if needed.

Rub the chicken breasts with half the olive oil and plenty of salt and pepper, and place on a very hot ridged griddle pan. Sear for about two minutes on each side, to get clear char marks all over. Transfer to a roasting tray and roast for 15-20 minutes, until just cooked.

Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, but still warm, break it up with your hands into quite large pieces. Put these in a large bowl, pour over half the orange paste and stir. (The remaining orange syrup will keep in the fridge for a few days, and makes a good addition to a herb salsa to serve with oily fish.)

Add the remaining ingredients to the salad, including the rest of the oil, and toss gently. Taste, add salt and pepper and, if needed, some more olive oil and lemon juice.

They also served these delicious raw, grated courgettes with a basil and parmesan dressing

Green is the Theme

I love this time of year.  Rain or no rain.  Everything's green and healthy and feels so vibrant and alive.

The bluebells are out, the wisteria's cascading and the broad beans are ready for action. 

 Green birthday lunch at Mel's on Friday

Bluebells walks in Wales this weekend

 Wisteria curtains in France in the beginning of May

Jam Jar Tiramisu

I'm still dreaming about a dinner cooked by our friends Mel and JayJay last week.  The whole thing was incredibly delicious - A Polpo warm octopus salad to begin with followed by another Polpo sensation - Cauliflower Cheese (made with more cheese than anyone should consume in a life time) and a Nigel Slater pulled beef creation.  But the piece de resistance, that I really cant stop thinking about, was pudding. Tiramisu in a jam jar. 

Definitely going to be doing this at Christmas...

Use the best coffee you can - if you don't have espresso, use strong black filter coffee

Rum works best as it has a more subtle taste and sits well with the other ingredients, but you can use other liqueurs such as brandy

The egg whites should be whisked until stiff, similar to a meringue

The egg yolks can be whisked with a clean whisk or you can use a fork

If you don't have Marsala, you could use sweet sherry instead

For twelve pots:

6 double espressos (or 360ml very strong coffee), warm

4 tablespoons dark rum

150g caster sugar

6 medium free-range eggs, separated

120ml Marsala

500mg mascarpone

1 packet of Savoiardi sponge fingers (you need 24 biscuits)

Cocoa powder

Start by combining the warm espresso coffee with the rum and 50g of the sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.

Separate the eggs and reserve the yolks in a large bowl. In another clean bowl, whisk the whites until they are stiff. Add the remaining sugar and the Marsala to the yolks. Whisk until pale and fluffy, add the mascarpone and gently stir it in. Fold the whisked whites into the yolk mixture.

For each glass you will need approximately 2 sponge fingers. Dip a sponge finger in the coffee mixture and let it absorb enough of the liquid to wet the whole thing without breaking it up. Place one half in the bottom of your glass. Spoon over 1 tablespoon of the mascarpone cream. Place the other half biscuit on top and spoon over another tablespoon of cream. At this point sprinkle over a little cocoa powder. Take another sodden sponge finger, break in two and lay both halves on top. Cover in a little more cream. Repeat this for all 12 glasses and store, covered in the fridge, for no fewer than 8 hours, so they are properly set.

Just before serving, liberally dust the top of the pots with cocoa powder.

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Back in the Kitchen

It wasn't that I went off food; I just really couldn't be bothered to cook anything.  The Cub's were up 24/7; my book was requiring full attention and the house felt like it was in the running to be the set of the new Arachnophobia sequel. The thought of cooking once I'd reached the heavenly 7pm milestone made me want to run, screaming for the hills.  So I stopped.  We fell into a weekly pattern that involved minimal thought or effort.  Monday was an M&S chicken kiev.  Wednesday - fish and chips from the van in the village and Friday,  Pizza from Ricco's pizza shack- also handily parked behind our house for the night.  So that only left tuesdays and thursdays to come up with something.  It would usually involve a baked potato or if I was feeling energetic, a chicken.  I tried to make it healthy though to counteract the three other health by-pass days.

 

This week however, I turned a corner.  I suddenly felt the need to cook.  Something wholesome and warming.  And something that I hadn't done before. Chaz has had a sudden obsession with casseroles in the last few weeks.  I personally, am not a huge fan. In fact, even the word 'casserole' makes me shudder.  Before I knew it a tray of chicken thighs had jumped into my basket and my lovely friend Mel had sent me home with a Hugh Fearnley- Whittingstall recipe for a Chicken and mushroom cider casserole.

Long story short; it was a sensation.  Chaz awarded it with a 'best thing I've ever eaten' medal. High praise.  And even again the next morning when the wine had worn off.  Needless to say I felt rather proud of myself and am properly excited about what I'm going to cook next.  Although I am quite tempted to do Hugh's  cider creation again.  I like getting medals.