Author: Jennie

CHICKEN KATSU CURRY

CHICKEN KATSU CURRY

Chicken katsu

Serves 4

Anyone familiar with Wagamama, will have encountered Chicken Katsu Curry! I thought I would give the sauce a blast at home. You could do your own chicken with panko breadcrumbs or, if you are short of time, cheat with some shop bought top quality chicken breasts in breadcrumbs.

1 Onion, peeled and chopped
5 Garlic Cloves, sliced
2 Carrots, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp Plain Flour
Groundnut Oil
1 tbsp Medium Curry Powder
600ml Chicken Stock
2 tsp Honey
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
1/2 tsp Garamond Masala

Heat some oil in a pan (not too big), add the onion and garlic, sauté for a few mins, then add the carrots.

Sweat slowly for ten mins with a lid on. Stir from time to time.

At this stage it should be nicely softened and caramelised.

Stirring in the flour and curry powder and cook for a minute.

Pour in the stock slowly, a bit at a time to avoid lumps.

Add the honey and soy and bring to the boil, reduce heat and cook for 20 mins.

Add the garam masala and whizz until nice and smooth with a hand held blender.

If too thick add a dash of water.

Slice the cooked chicken and pour over the sauce, serve with steamed rice and Pak Choi…Boom!

Braised Beef Shin in Red Wine

Braised Beef Shin in Red Wine

Beef Shin

Serves 6

With Autumn upon us, there could be nothing more appealing than the perfect comfort food. For me a luxurious casserole with creamy mash represents comfort food at its best!!

1.2kg Beef Shin, well trimmed and in chunks large enough to provide one for each person
100g Seasoned Flour
4 Large Carrots, cut in chunks
1 Large Onion finely chopped
350g Chestnut Mushroom, cut in half
12 Shallots, peeled and left whole (it’s easier to peel them if they are put into boiling water for a few mins)
3 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
1 litre Red Wine
1 Bouquet Garni
Olive Oil
200g Bacon Lardons
Maldon Sea Salt and Black Pepper
Heat oven to 170c

Toss all the beef pieces in the seasoned flour.

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed casserole dish until really hot, brown the meat on all sides and remove from the pan.

Add a dash more oil and throw in the onions and carrots, turn the heat down and fry gently for about five minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for a further two minutes.

Add the beef back to the dish along with the red wine, bring to the boil.

Add the bouquet garni and season.

Replace the lid and place in the oven for one hour.

Whilst it is in the oven, add a dash of oil to a frying pan and when really hot, tip in the bacon lardons and cook for a couple of mins.

Add the peeled shallots and cook until the shallots are nice and brown and the lardons are crispy.

After an hour, add the shallots, lardons and mushrooms.

Cook for a further 2-2 1/2 hours, until the meat is totally tender.

You may need to add a dash of water if too thick. If too thin, you could use some cornflour.

Serve with some fresh wilted spinach and super creamy mash! Lush!!

#casserole #autumnrecipe #braisedbeef #shin

Red Onion, Courgette and Feta Tart

Red Onion, Courgette and Feta Tart

Using a standard quiche dish, serves roughly 4

Red Onion, Courgette and Feta Tart
It’s Friday night, I have one too many eggs, and some other random ingredients rocking around my fridge! Add a cheat ingredient in the form of Ready to Roll Shortcrust (normally make my own, so this kills me a little 😂) and boom, I have a rather lush, tasty tart!

Ready to Roll Savoury Shortcrust Pastry at room temperature
2 Large Red Onions, peeled, halved and finely sliced
2 Courgettes, sliced
1/2 Block Feta Cheese
Dash of olive oil
7 Egg
75ml Milk
Maldon Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Flour

Heat oven to 200c

Dust your work surface and the surface of the pastry with flour to ensure it does not stick.

Roll the pastry out until it is really thin and fits the quiche dish.

Gently fit it into the dish, line the dish with grease proof paper and fill with baking beans.

Put into the oven for 10 mins, then remove the beans and put it back into the oven for 7-10 mins to crisp up.

Take out of the oven to cool.
Meanwhile, add a dash of oil to the pan and cook the onions gently for around 10 mins.

Add the courgette and cook for a further 5.

Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, add the seven eggs and the milk and whisk up really well.

Season the eggs with salt and pepper.

Add the onion and courgette mixture to the pastry case.

Sprinkle with crumbled feta.

Now pour in the egg mixture.

Turn the oven down to 180c and cook for 35-40 mins until well set and nicely browned.

Serve with a nice green salad.

Simplicity at its best! ❤️

#vegetarian #tart

Madeira Loaf Cake

Madeira Loaf Cake

Madeira Loaf Cake

My three year old wanted to bake a cake this morning, this is what we came up with! I am not normally a fan of sweet stuff, but this was just gorg! Perfectly moist, permeated with lemon and almond flavours, a perfect wee afternoon tea!

175g Butter softened, plus a bit extra for greasing
175g Golden Caster Sugar
3 Large Eggs
Grated Zest 1 Lemon
Few Drops Vanilla Extract
200g Self-raising Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
50g Ground Almonds
1 tbsp Milk

Heat oven to 170c. Butter and line the base and two short sides of a 900g loaf tin with grease proof paper. Leave a bit longer at the sides to make it easy to life out
In a large baking bowl, add the butter and caster sugar. With an electric whisk, beat until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time and beat well after each addition.

Add the zest and vanilla.

Now sift in the flour and almonds, beat in gently.

Add the milk and beat again until combined.

Tip the batter into a tin and smooth over the top.

Bake for 55 mins- 1 hr until skewer inserted comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 15 mins.

Peel away paper and leave on a rack to cool completely before serving.

Enjoy with a nice strong cup of tea! 🍰☕️

#cake #afternoontea

A Really Lush Chicken Pie

A Really Lush Chicken Pie

Chicken pie image

Serves 4-5

I really got into my comfort food this week with the colder weather and the kids back to school! I have a slight obsession with ‘The Perfect Chicken Pie’ leading me to constantly change and experiment to improve my chicken pie. This one proved to be really lush!

4 Chicken Breasts, cut into small cubes
1 Leek, green bits removed and the White bit finely chopped
50g Butter
2 Large Carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 Head Broccoli, stalks removed and cut into nice small florets
250ml Double Cream
A Large Splash of White Wine
200ml Chicken Stock
Ready Rolled Puff Pastry bring this to room temperature to prevent cracks
Maldon Sea Salt and Black Pepper

2 rounded tbsp Plain Flour

Heat oven to 180c

Start by prepping your carrots and broccoli. Either steam or boil them until they are both slightly soft. Drain and set to one side.

In a large heavy pot, heat the butter and when melted add the leeks and cook for around 5 mins until nice and soft.

Add the chicken and cook for another 5 mins until just beginning to brown.

Add the wine and bubble for a couple of mins.

Add the flour, stir well and on a medium heat cook for a couple of minutes.

Add the chicken stock stirring continuously, on a medium heat let it cook for another 5 mins.

At this point, add the double cream and the prepared carrots and broccoli.

Bring to the boil and then turn down to a gentle simmer for about 7 mins.

At this point, it should be of a nice suitable consistency.

Pour into an oven proof dish that is a suitable size for both the sauce and pastry. Leave to cool.

Put on your pastry top and brush with the egg yolk.

Put into the oven for around 35 mins until the pastry is golden.

Beef and Mustard Potato Topped Pie

Beef and Mustard Potato Topped Pie

It is feeling a touch chilly for September making me want some lush, wholesome comfort food!  The combination of butter soft beef and a crispy potato topping is hard to beat!

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Serves 4-5 people

1kg Beef Steak Pieces, cut into large chunks
2 tbsp Plain Flour
Maldon Sea Salt and Fresh Black Pepper
2 tbsp Rapeseed Oil
200ml Red Wine
400ml Beef Stock
1 Onion, finely sliced
2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
350g Chestnut Mushrooms, halved
2 Large Carrots, cut into 2.5cm pieces
3 Sprigs Thyme
2 tbsp Wholegrain Mustard
6 Large Maris Piper Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm thick circles
A Bit of Melted Butter for the top

Preheat the oven to 150C

Toss the beef and flour together in a bowl with some salt and black pepper.

Heat a large casserole until hot, add half of the rapeseed oil and enough of the beef to just cover the bottom of the casserole.

Fry until browned on each side, then remove and set aside. Repeat with the remaining oil and beef.

Return the beef to the pan, add the wine and cook until the volume of liquid has reduced by half, then add the stock, onion, carrots, thyme and mustard, and season well with salt and pepper.

Cover with a lid and place in the oven for two hours.

Remove from the oven, check the seasoning and set aside to cool.

Remove the thyme.

When the beef is cool and you’re ready to assemble the pie, preheat the oven to 200C.

Transfer the beef to a pie dish, top with the circles of potato and brush with the butter.

To serve, place a large spoonful of pie onto each plate with some green beans alongside.

#autumnalrecipies #beefcasserole

RK Paella

RK Paella

Paella

Having spent a month in Spain, I ate a few lush paella. The key to paella is the crust or ‘Socarrat’ from the Spanish word ‘Socarrar’, meaning to toast lightly. Anyone familiar with cooking a risotto will be tempted to stir…resist!! I admit that I do give the veggies a quick mix in, after that I leave it to Socarrar!

If like me, you don’t have a proper paella pan, just use a pan with a nice heavy base.

Serves 5

1 Onion finely chopped
500g Paella Rice
A Large Handful Green Beans, chopped into small pieces
2 Big Handfuls of Petit Pois
1.2l Chicken Stock
4 Chicken Breasts cut into small slices
Olive Oil
Sazonador paraPaella or
A Large Pinch of Saffron
2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Garlic Salt
Salt and Pepper to taste
Flat Leaf Parsley chopped
1 Lemon Cut into Segments

Heat the oil (3-4 tbsp) and then add the onion for 5-8 mins to soften.

Add the Chicken and cook until it has a golden colour.

Add the rice and stir until well covered in the oil.

Add all of the seasoning and the stock and stir.

Turn the heat down and. Cover with tinfoil for 15 mins.

Add the veggies, give them a cheeky stir.

Cover with the foil again and leave on the low heat for around another 15 mins until all the stock is absorbed.

Turn off the heat and leave covered for another 10 mins.

Sprinkle with parsley and arrange lemon pieces.

Serve with a nice glass of Rosé!
I have stuck to chicken as my kids don’t like prawns, feel free so add some huge big raw prawns around 10 mins before the end.

Tomato Chilli Jam

Tomato Chilli Jam

This wee number is fairly quick to throw together and definitely worth it!  I served it with the Yoghurt Spiced Chicken Kebabs I put on my blog a couple of days ago, but it works with so many different things!  Gorg with a gourmet burger, a posh dog or even some nice white fish to add a bit of extra special flavour! 😋❤️

Tomato Chilli Jam

4 Punnets Cherry Tomatoes, halved
220ml White Wine Vinegar
4 tbsp Caster Sugar
½ tsp Dried Chilli Flakes

For the jam, place all the ingredients into a saucepan and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer for up to an hour until jam-like.

Cool and serve with spicy chicken, burgers or hot dogs for something a little bit different!

Yoghurt Spiced Chicken Kebabs

Yoghurt Spiced Chicken Kebabs

Spiced chicken kebabs

I live in Belfast, so you kinda have to forget about the weather when planning a barbecue! Pick a day and go for it!!😂 These wee babies are tastalicious and super healthy….result!

Serves 6

6-7 Chicken Breasts

For the Marinade

900ml natural yoghurt
4 tsp Ground Cumin
4 tsp Ground Coriander
Large Pinch Maldon Sea Salt
2 tsp Turmeric
3 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
4 tsp Ground Ginger
3 tsp Onion Powder
2 tsp Ground Cloves
1 tsp Chilli Powder
Wooden Skewers*
For the marinade, mix all the ingredients together.

Slice each chicken breast into five strips, and add them to the marinade.

Stir to combine, and leave to marinate overnight.

Remove from the fridge and thread the chicken strips onto wooden skewers.

Heat a large griddle pan until hot or a barbecue, then add the chicken skewers.

Cook for three minutes on each side until browned and cooked through.

*A handy hint for wooden skewers is to soak for at least an hour in water, then freeze them in order to have them prepped ahead ready to use!

#chicken #healthyeating #barbecue

A Little Random Stir Fry

I’ back!!  Home from a month away and not as organised as I normally am hence the need to rock up this simple little beauty!

A Little Random Stir Fry

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serves 5-6

4 Chicken Breasts, finely sliced
1 Red Onion, finely sliced
1 Red Pepper, finely sliced
12 Spears Asparagus, finely sliced
8 Tender Stem Broccoli, cut into pieces
250g Chestnut Mushrooms Sliced
1 Red Chilli, finely sliced
1 Clove Garlic, sliced
1in Fresh Ginger, finely chopped
5 Nests of Fine Egg Noodles
1 tbsp Top Quality Black Bean Paste – the Chinese supermarket one! Mix this with 2 tbsp water
2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
Chicken Stock Cube
Pure Coconut Oil
Begin with the noodles. Bring 2 litres of water to the boil, add the noodles and boil for one minute.

Add the broccoli and boil for a further three mins.

Drain and set aside.

Add some coconut oil to a wok (I try to get away with as little as possible) heat well and add the chicken.

Stir fry until well browned then remove.

Heat a touch more oil and tip in the rest of the veg, garlic and ginger and quickly stir fry for a couple of mins. Add a dash of water to prevent them burning. It keeps it healthier as it requires less oil. A kind of steam, stir fry approach!

Return the chicken to the wok and heat through.

Add the soy and the black bean mixture and stir well.

Finally tip in the noodles and broccoli and make sure it is well combined.
You may need to add a dash of water to loosen.

Put in a bowl and top with chilli. Simple and delish!