Chicken rolled up

I am always looking for ideas on how to use chicken for a dinner party but make it look expensive and restaurant style. It's not that easy but not too difficult either. I always use images for my Facebook updates and while looking for a particular image online I came across a food photo with a chicken dish where the breast was rolled up with some kind of stuffing. My braincells did some overtime and I went to the shop to find anything I could stuff a chicken breast with. I have to admit, I found it in Tesco - they had a special offer for sausages as part of their Irish Home Grown campaign and I opted for the Garlic & Basil sausages, got some extra basil and went home with some chicken breasts.

I have cooked rolled up chicken before but stuffing was chicken meat (I know, not very adventurous) so making a full stuffing for it was a new one to me. I wanted it to look like the photo - elegant and sliced and arranged on a bed of something (I couldn't identify what the photo had so decided on a leek risotto) - so the stuffing couldn't be crumbly but I didn't want it too smooth either - I still wanted texture.

Most stuffings start with breadcrumbs and I just made breadcrumbs from my bread that went a bit stale. I decided to fry the sausage meat so that some of the fat would soak out and also, to avoid becoming pasty in the stuffing. The result was fantastic although had to cook it twice as I didn't rest the chicken after being rolled up and it fell apart. Also, the sauce needs to top the chicken or you will have to turn it a few times to avoid the top drying out. But I have to say, I would be happy seeing this dish in any restaurant :-) Chez Elke (blowing my own trumpet)

Chicken Roll

4 chicken breasts, skinned and boned
4 garlic & basil sausages (or any other good quality sausages)
handful of fresh breadcrumbs
Grated Parmesan cheese (use to taste)
handful of basil, chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
a dash of Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp harissa (I used my own one, it's optional)
Olive oil

For the sauce

2 tbsp butter
50g bacon, chopped 
2 shallots( quartered)
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
2-3 tbsp plain flour
600ml chicken stock
2 tbsp tomato puree 
1 tbsp Sherry 
Seasoning
 
Leek Risotto to serve


Skin the sausages and fry the sausage meat in a non-stick pan over a medium heat until the fat starts to leak and the sausage meat starts to brown slightly. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel. Set aside and cool. 

Butterfly each chicken (click here to watch how to butterfly a chicken breast - easier than to explain it). Place it between 2 sheets of cling film. Using a meat mallet (flat side), pound the chicken breast to a bit less than 1cm, taking care not to break the meat. 

Combine the cooked sausage meat with the breadcrumbs, herbs, Parmesan, Harissa and Worcestershire Sauce and mix well. Be careful with adding any additional seasoning as you got quite a bit going on here. Lay each chicken breast on a piece of clean cling film with a short end facing you. Spread 1/4 of the filling over the centre of each chicken breast, making sure not to spread it too close to the edge. Starting with the side closest to you, roll the chicken up around the filling, making sure to pull the clingfilm tight. Roll all the way up, making sure that the filling doesn't squeeze out. When completely rolled up, tie the clingfilm tightly up so that you end up with a sausage form. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours to ensure that the form has set. You can also do this the day before. 

While the chicken is in fridge, prepare the sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan. Fry the bacon for a few minutes, you don't want it to get crispy. Add the chopped vegetables and continue to cook for a further 5-6 minutes just until everything starts to turn a golden colour. 

Stir in the flour and cook, stirring all the time, for a few minutes until the 'rawness' is gone from the flour and it starts to turn brown - making sure not to burn the mix. Remove the pan from the heat and start adding the stock, stirring all the time until the flour has dissolved. Return to the heat and bring to a boil, stirring until the sauce thickens. Add the tomato puree and the Sherry, season to taste. Reduce the heat and gently simmer for 40-60 mins. Stirring occasionally. The sauce can be made ahead for up to 3 days. 

Strain the sauce through a sieve, squeezing the vegetables to get all the flavour. 

Pre-heat oven to 160C

Take the chicken out of the fridge and remove the clingfilm. The chicken should hold its shape. Oil an oven-proof dish and place the chicken rolls in it. Drizzle with olive oil and rub the oil all over to make sure that the chicken is moist. Place the dish into the oven and roast for about 10 mins. Pour the sauce over the chicken. If it doesn't cover the chicken whole, you will have to turn it halfway through the cooking process. Bake for 10 mins. Remove from the oven and slice each roll into 4 slices. 

Served arranged on a bed of leek risotto or plain rice. 

Bon Appetit

Slow cooked Pork - 3 meals in 1

Wonderful pork sandwich on homemade onion bread

Sunday Dinners are still the best way of spending time with family and last Sunday was such a day. The wind was throwing itself around the cottage and we lit the fire quite early in the day - the perfect day for a warming slow cooked dinner. A butcher in Douglas had pork neck on offer and although it was a big piece of meat, I planned ahead and was already seeing three different dishes developing in front of my eyes.

Pork neck has a lot of flavour but needs to be cooked on a slow to medium heat for several hours to make sure it is tender. I marinated the meat with a nice mix of lemon, sage, thyme and garlic - massaged it  into the meat to ensure that the different flavours mingled nicely with the meat. This marinate combined with the slow cooking resulted in a lovely rich winter dish that made the people around the table very happy indeed.

As I wanted a traditional Sunday Dinner feel to the occasion, I served the meat with roasted potatoes, yorkshire puddings, honey roasted carrots & parsnip, steamed cauliflower & broccoli and made a hearty gravy from the juice, enriched with stout. The kitchen was warmed just from the cooking (ok, I also made a bread, dessert and baked a Christmas Cake - I have several ovens). In the end, I had my Sunday Dinner Day and everyone was enjoying the meal and we had time to catch up properly on the week - Little Miss Sophie thought she was eating chicken and who was I to tell her differently especially as she was asking for seconds (she is almost 3).

The other 2 dishes???? Very simple, with the leftovers we had lovely pulled pork sandwiches the next day (filled with lettuce, brie and spiced plum chutney) and another hearty dish of casserole with carrots, parsnip, onion, garlic, stock and of course the leftovers of the meat...... as I still had some of the stout left, I added it for good measure. The sandwich had the 'gourmet' feel to it that you are so often missing when buying an overpriced 'Gourmet Sandwich' and the casserole warmed the heart and belly on an even wetter Monday night..... so for €14 I fed 4 people on a Sunday, 2 people for Monday lunch and 2 hungry eaters on Monday evening - oh and yes, we gave a large piece of cooked meat to Noel & Andrea to take home with them.... I call that a bargain.

Slow cooked Pork Neck

 

• 3kg Pork Neck (if you like to follow the 3-1 meals)
• 1/2 lemon
• Handful sage & thyme, finely chopped
• 4-6 cloves of garlic, slightly crushed
• 3 onions, peeled and quartered
• 3 bay leaves
• 500ml chicken stock, hot
• 250ml stout
• 1 tbsp butter

Marinating the meat adds a different dimension of flavour

Preheat the oven to 200C. 

Mix the herbs, garlic and a teaspoon of lemon juice well, if you have a mortar and pestle, pound it to a paste. Rub the mix nicely all over the meat and massage it nicely in. Place the quartered onions in a roasting tray. Quarter the half lemon and add to the onions together with the bay leaves. Place the meat on top of the onions. Now pour in a cup of water, cover the roasting tin with tin foil and place in the hot oven for about 10-15 mins. After that, reduce the heat to 140C and leave to cook for 5 hours. From time to time, check if there is still enough liquid in the roasting pan and baste the meat with the juices. 

30 mins before end of roasting time, remove the tin foil and return to the oven to get a bit of colour on the meat - you might need to baste a few times to keep the meat moist. 

Succulent pork - perfect Sunday Roast

The result should be a succulent piece of meat that almost falls apart when handling it...... remove from the roasting tin, place on a warmed plate and cover with tin foil and set aside to rest. Pour the juices from the roasting tin into a clean saucepan, making sure to get all the tasty bits from the meat. Bring to the boil (if there is just a bit left, add chicken stock) and reduce by half. Add the stout and let reduce by half again. Add the butter and swirl until melted and well combined with the sauce. Strain through a sieve and keep warm until needed. Slice the meat - you might even want to shred it with the fork - it will be tender and soft. Serve with potatoes, veggies and and the gravy.



Bon Apetit

Easy Chocolate Mousse

Mr T and I love having family over on a Sunday afternoon and we normally cook a nice dinner - nothing fancy just good old-fashioned home cooking. A few weeks back we got roast beef as a gift from a friend which we froze for future purposes - what better purpose than to feed a family. We had pan-fried cabbage and mashed potatoes with the meat (rubbed with mustard and roasted in the oven on top of some onions - the gravy was simply delicious). But what to serve as dessert??? I went through the cupboards and found a bar of chocolate that Mr T hadn't found yet (he can smell chocolate miles away), so chocolate mousse it was.

This is a very simple recipe for chocolate mousse but it is still very rich - don't be tempted to add more chocolate, it will not improve the dish but will be too rich to eat after a meal. I used milk chocolate with 35% solids but you can of course use darker chocolate - the flavour will be less sweet but more intense.

Delicious Chocolate Mousse

Just before serving, I whipped up some cream and topped the mousse with it. It looked like a mini pint of Guinness.

For 4 people you will need:

• 120g chocolate, broken up in small pieces
• 4 medium eggs, separated
• 2 tbsp caster sugar (or more if you prefer it sweeter)

Fill a saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and set a heatproof bowl on top of the saucepan making sure that the bottom of the bowl is not touching the hot water. Add the chocolate pieces to the bowl and let the chocolate melt - stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Keep an eye on the chocolate to avoid burning (you will have to start over again when that happens).

While the chocolate is melting, beat the egg white until just stiff, add the sugar and whisk again. 

When the chocolate is melted, remove from the heat and stir until it cools slightly. Add the egg yolks and stir until well combined. Now add 3 tablespoons of the egg white and fold it into the chocolate mix. When well combined continue with the rest of the egg white. 

Spoon into glasses and place in the fridge until properly set. Serve either with whipped cream or cold custard.

Bon Appetit

Pork Cheeks - Quite cheeky

The other day, Mr T and I watched a re-run of Come Dine with Me Ireland - it was a Dublin episode and the host of the night decided to cook pork cheeks. It looked horrendous to be honest as he kept the skin on and didn't burn off the hair - it really looked revolting. But the guests said that under all the fatty parts, some moist and succulent meat was to be found. Mr T was intrigued and said, he would like to try it.

So, off I went to the English Market and Tom Durcan had a big pigs head on display, so I thought the chances were quite good that he also had pork cheeks - and I was right. Remembering how awful the meat looked on telly, I asked him to remove the skin which he did expertly (one reason, I buy most of my meat from a craft butcher).

Since pork and apples are a classic combination, I decided to braise the meat in dry cider. Even after removing the skin, a thick layer of fat was hiding the leaner meat. I left the fat layer on as it gives the meat its flavour but if I would cook it again, would cut the fat off before serving. I consider this dish a proper man's dish. The recipe below serves 2 people.

You will need:

Pork Cheeks on bed of mash & spinach

• 2 large pork cheeks, skin removed
• Knob of butter
• Olive oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 stick celery, sliced
• 1 pint of dry cider
• 2 bay leaves

Preheat the oven to 160C

Heat the butter and olive oil in a pan and seal and brown the meat from all sides. Transfer the meat to an ovenproof dish. In the remaining oil, add the sliced onion and sauté until translucent. Add the carrots and celery and stir-fry for about 5 minutes. 

Add the vegetables to the meat and pour over the pint of cider. Cover the dish and place in the oven. Leave in the oven for about 2 hours, basting the meat from time to time. 

Remove the meat from the dish and keep warm. Strain the liquid into a clean saucepan and skim of the layer of fat. Bring to a rapid boil and reduce by half. The result should be a rich golden brown colour. Season to taste. 

I served the cheeks with mashed potatoes and steamed spinach. 

Bon Appetit

This piglet didn't make it to Market

Mr T and I have sometimes great ideas - when we met farmers Frances & Ken, we thought having a whole pig roast for New Year's Eve was the best idea we ever had - and actually it was. I had organised 2 events with Ken & Frances for Slowfood where we were walking the pig farm, saw the allotments and had the finest pig roast you can imagine. So when seeing them again, we were talking pig - and the idea came along to have a small piglet cooked in the oven.

I have never cooked a whole pig but Ken was great in giving tips and instructions. The pig was delivered on time, and we rubbed it nicely with butter and sea salt and sat it above a tray in the over at 160C for almost 5 hrs. - What came out of the oven was the most amazing looking pork you can imagine. The crackling was just perfect - the meat succulent and moist - a beauty indeed.

Beautiful Pork at its best

For the last 30 minutes, I added carrots and parsnips to the bottom of the pan and the pork fat (not as much as I expected) caressed them nicely and gave them a deeper flavour than they normally would have had. Roast potatoes were cooked separately in goose fat and if you think that is a lot of fat - nope, as the fat was left behind in the pan. As our guests arrived at different times, we also had a potato salad, stuffed mushrooms and lots more.

But the highlight was the crackling - knocking on heaven's door got a complete new meaning here. It was simply delicious :-)

The next day, we pulled some pork from the carcass and I made gravy from the roasting tray leftovers - re-heating the tray in the oven, removing the fat from the top and pouring some hot stock on top. Straining the sauce into a clean pot and reducing the gravy by a third left us with a rich silky gravy - sauteed onions and mushrooms and some spuds made a great casserole for a dark Tuesday evening :-)

Frances has started her catering business this year and can be hired to cook the pig on a spit for you - a great idea for upcoming communions and birthday parties. Their pigs are reared organically and are free range and have I mentioned totally delicious??? Give her a ring on 087 - 908 8009 (they are creating a website at the moment) for a free consultation and quote.

Herb Crusted Salmon

I know, I know - it is a bit late to write about Christmas dinner (or even a bit early) but I was dead busy and simply too lazy to write on the blog much. Anyway, I wanted to share this wonderful dish with you as it was easy to prepare and simply delicious. Only problem is that you have to keep an eye on it so that it doesn't overcook - you want it to be nice pink and flaky. We had it instead of a turkey this year as we had a friend over for dinner who eats fish but not meat - so this was the ideal compromise and it left the day to relax.

The crust can be prepared in advance but since it has lime zest in it, don't spread it over the fish until you are ready to bake the fish. When buying the fish, make sure that the fillet is evenly thick (you might have to cut the tail end off (and use it for a different dish the next day).

I have served the dish with champ and a lovely white wine sauce with a hint of mustard. To give the dish a bit colour I have made sugarsnaps with a herbed butter - May I say - it as delicious

• 1 salmon fillet (about 600g)
• 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
• 50g butter, melted
• 3 tbsp chives, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup Parmesan, grated
• 1 lime, zested

Preheat oven to 180C

Mix the melted butter with the fresh breadcrumbs so that all breadcrumbs are covered. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and spread along the flesh side of the salmon. Cover a baking tray with parchment paper and place the fish on top - skin side down.

Bake for about 20 mins or until the salmon is cooked through but not dried out. Serve with champ, white sauce and greens.

Didn't I tell you, it's easy :-)

Desserts - Cookery Course

Ahhhh desserts, the crowning end to a lovely dinner. Most people – and most chefs when it comes to that – are afraid or not comfortable to make desserts. You don’t have to be a pastry chef to make some lovely desserts but you need to keep some rules in mind:

• Stick to the recipe
• Don’t make a huge dessert – your guests have already eaten a few courses before the dessert
• Ask your guest if they prefer dessert over cheese (especially men might prefer a cheese plate instead)
• Don’t make it sickly sweet (unless it is sticky toffee pudding)

Most desserts are easy to prepare in advance. Since we are so close to Christmas, I am showing you a lovely Christmas Pudding which doesn’t need to mature but can be eaten straight away. It is light and can be made in small portions. You can still serve brandy butter with it or a simple custard.

The pear tarts are so easy to prepare, it is almost embarrassing to admit how easy. They poach in a lovely vanilla syrup which is also the base for the sauce. The pears can be poached in advance but the rest can be done quickly if the stuffing is made beforehand as well. It looks pretty and is light enough so that your guest can still move.

The last dessert I am showing you tonight is very simple and a great standby for un-expected guests. It is simply warmed mince meat with vanilla ice cream. The hot and cold combination works well just make sure the mincemeat is outstanding. I am serving here my own homemade mincemeat but there are lovely versions in shops these days.

Last minute Christmas puddings

Christmas Pudding - The Yummy One

·         600g dried fruit (mixture up to you)

·         1 apple

·         225g brown sugar

·         225g Unsalted butter

·         150ml orange liquor

·         55g plain flour

·         1/2 tsp bread soda

·         3 eggs

·         170g fresh breadcrumbs

·         1/2 bottle stout

·         1/2 orange, juice & zest

·         1/4 tsp each of mixed spice, cinnamon, nutmeg (if you have, add also ground cloves)

Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease individual small pudding forms and set aside.

Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add the breadcrumbs and flour, alternating with the eggs. Add the dry ingredients, spices and orange zest. Dissolve the soda in the stout and stir into the mixture.

Add the fruit, orange juice and liquor. The mixture will look very wet but that is ok. Fill the  prepared pudding forms with the mixture. Cover each one tightly with foil.

Place the puddings in a deep roasting tray and carefully fill it with boiling water until it comes half way up the sides of the puddings. Bake in the oven for about an hour.

You can also make one large pudding - baking time will be 2.5 hrs.

Vanilla pears tarts

Pear Tart with Walnut Filling

·         3 large firm pears

·         450 ml water

·         1 vanilla pod

·         1 bay leaf

·         50g sugar

·         350g puff pastry

·         75g double cream

·         15g butter

·         1 tbsp brown sugar

·         25g walnuts, chopped

·         1 egg, beaten

·         15g Caster sugar

Peel the pears, cut in half and scoop out the cores - being careful not to go through the pear.

Put the water in a saucepan, big enough to hold the pears. Add the vanilla pod, bay leaf and sugar. Bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Add the pears, make sure that the pears are covered, adding more water if needed. Cover the saucepan and cook on a low heat until just tender. Remove the pears and set aside, keeping the cooking liquid.

Roll out the pastry and cut out six shapes similar to the pear, slightly bigger than the pears. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the pastry shapes on it. Place in the fridge to chill for about 20-30 mins.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

In a bowl, mix together the butter, brown sugar and walnuts. Spoon this mixture into each cavity of the pears. Egg wash the pastry shapes and set a pear half, upside down, onto each centre. Sprinkle the tarts with the caster sugar and bake for about 10-14 mins until the puff pastry has puffed up around the pear and is nicely browned.

While baking the tarts, remove the bay leaf and vanilla pod. Bring back to the boil and simmer until reduce by half. Remove from heat and add the cream, stir will to combine.

Remove the pastries from the oven when done, place on individual plates and pour over the vanilla sauce or serve the sauce in a jug along.

Vegetarian Main Course - Cookery Class

Cooking for vegetarians can be a challenge especially if you want to impress them at a dinner party. Most people only think of vegetables as a side dish rather than a main course. And most restaurants and hotels don’t really cater for vegetarian other than the odd goats cheese tart and chargrilled vegetables and most vegetarians are tired of it. So here is your chance to impress.

The stuffed aubergine is a classic but I have added a nice walnut crumble that gives the dish a nice dimension. You can use also almonds, hazelnuts or even pine nuts. The flesh of aubergines is almost flat in taste and needs a lot of seasoning. When cooked, aubergines can get very mushy, so adding a different texture is needed to make the dish more interesting. Here I am using roasted pumpkin. As sauce you can use a pepper sauce as we did with the seafood parcels, adapted to suit the dish. I am using parmesan cheese in the crumble which is made with animal rennet – you will need to find alternatives if you are hosting a ‘real’ vegetarian

Another nice option is a couscous cake but if you cook it as part of a ‘normal’ dinner, it might not really fit into the dinner but if you go for a vegetarian only meal, it will be lovely with some wilted greens and tomato chutney.

Your imagination is the limit for vegetarian food – start thinking outside the box. A very good source of inspiration is Denis Cotter who is one of the most exciting vegetarian chefs – his restaurant Cafe Paradiso has won several awards and his first cookbook was voted best vegetarian cookbook in the world – rightfully J

So have fun experimenting and let your imagination run wild.

Stuffed Aubergine with Walnut Crumble

Stuffed Aubergine with Walnut Crumble

• 2 aubergines
• 100-200g pumpkin
• 1 large red onion, sliced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 -4 garlic cloves, crushed
• Olive oil
• Fresh herbs (sage, rosemary)
• 100g feta, coarsely crumbled
• 100g breadcrumbs
• Butter
• Handful of walnuts, slightly toasted & coarsely chopped
• Chives
• Large handful of parmesan cheese (or alternative)

Heat oven to 180C.

Cut the aubergines in half lengthways (try to leave the stem in place). Scoop the flesh from the aubergines, leaving a shell about 1 cm thick. Chop the flesh and put into a bowl.

Peel the pumpkin, scoop out the seeds and cut the flesh into small cubes. Toss in olive oil and place on a roasting tin. Roast for about 10 mins until soft.

Rub the aubergine shells with olive oil and place on an oiled roasting tray cut side down. Bake for 15-20 mins until the shells are almost cooked

In a frying pan, heat olive oil and sauté the onions and garlic until softened. Add the aubergine flesh and stir-fry until soft. Season with salt & cumin. Tip into a bowl and add the pumpkin, feta and herbs. Divide the mixture between the aubergine halves.

Melt about 2 tbsp butter and mix with the breadcrumbs. Stir in chopped chives, parmesan and walnuts – mix well. Spoon breadcrumb mixture over the aubergines and return to oven for about 15 mins or until the crumble starts to brown.

Wine: A light Zinfandel

Couscous Cakes

Couscous Cake

• 2 cups couscous
• Olive oil
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 tbsp pine nuts
• 100g feta
• Parsley, chopped
• 1 egg

Tip the couscous in a heatproof bowl and just cover it with boiling water (just to cover it – don’t drown it). Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until the rawness is gone from the garlic and the onion just starts to caramelise. Add the pine nuts and stir-fry until slightly browned. Tip everything into the couscous together with the parsley and feta and mix well. Cool slightly.

When ready to assemble, add the egg and mix well. Heat oil in a frying pan. Place 4 rings (low) into the frying pan or how many you can fit into the pan and divide the mixture between the rings. Press down.

Fry until the bottom is slightly browned and turn to repeat with the other side.

Serve with wilted greens and tomato chutney