First Birthday of this Blog Today and Catalan Chicken with Chickpeas to Celebrate!

Crikey I can hardly believe it is twelve months ago today that I made my first post for a Hamburger! I started the blog really to catalogue recipes for family and friends, a more modern version of a recipe book. I was surprised that other people actually managed to stumble upon it and thrilled when 12 visitors a day grew and grew and people I had never met from all over the world were making my recipes and I theirs. I have had 53,002 visitors since I started, mind boggling.

I love cooking and entertaining but it has become more difficult to post as often as I still go back to the old favourites that I have posted before, what the blog has done is to make me attempt new dishes and try new things more often, and I have made a great many friends in the food blogging and twitter world.

One of my great highlights of the year was to have Nigel Slater actually reading some posts and rather liking them. Surreal.

 Anyway this is based on a recipe I saw in Saturdays Financial Times only they used Quail! I marinated the Chicken with Salt Pepper a squeeze of Lemon and a tbsp of sweet Paprika only an hour or so, then in a Casserole dish melted some butter with a glug of Oil and browned on both sides the Chicken Breasts and set aside.

I added just a touch more butter and added finely chopped Onion Garlic about two cloves and finely diced celery and Carrot and sweated them off gently for about 20 minutes

 Then add some finely chopped Chorizo and a finely chopped Red Chilli and cook out for a further few minutes I added a generous glass of dry White Wine, and of course poured a glass for myself, all cooks should drink whilst they cook simply rude not too!

Now add about a pint of chicken stock let it simmer...I made in a mortar and pestle a very simple Picada, I dry fried some almonds added them to my mortar and pestle along with a garlic clove some rock salt and a touch of Lemon juice and drop of olive oil and crushed them into a paste which I added to the pot and stirred in.
It helps thicken the sauce and gives a lovely depth of flavour

Now add a jar of Chickpeas (cooked) and top with the Chicken put it on a slow low simmer covered with a lid and cook on the stove for around 20 minutes.

Serve on a plate with freshly chopped Parsley and season to taste Delicious only would be better I think with Quail!

Paprika Chicken with Charred Red Peppers and Chilli

Dont get me wrong I am relieved and delighted to be very busy at work but gosh my twitter and blog life has come to a standstill! Time is in short supply and the dishes I am cooking, when I have been cooking which has not been often of late have been very quick and simple affairs.

 This is typical of my recent cooking exploits so quick and yet still packs a punch with flavour, Simply marinate the chicken breasts in Lemon juice Paprika Picante and a pinch of Chilli Powder and a glug of Olive Oil and let them marinade at least an hour, I did these in the morning for Dinner in the evening

Get your Griddle pan smoking hot and I added some sliced Red Peppers and fresh chillies just dressed in Salt and Pepper and a little Oil and blacken them for 3 or 4 minutes, set aside to keep warm.

Then char your Chicken breasts 3 minutes either side and put in a preheated oven for around 15 minutes at 200c. meanwhile take a tub of Greek yoghurt and the juice of a Lemon and a glug of Oil.

Serve the chicken on top of the Peppers with a spoonful of the Yoghurt...It doesn't get simpler than that really quick and very tasty.

Lemon Marinated Pork Chops

 I have been a bit absent of late from my little blog for two reasons really firstly just manicaly busy at work, which is a jolly good thing given the economy, seem to be bucking the trend for now anyway so making hay whilst the sun shines. Secondly as I have posted over a hundred different dishes over the year do tend to find the dish I am making I have already blogged or it got late and just couldn't be bothered!

 Anyway here is one of those dishes I made the other day when I really was a bit pressed for time and wanted a one pot wonder!
It couldn't be easier I marinated some pork chops over night in Lemon juice and Garlic then quickly pan fried them to give a bit of colour and added them to a clay pot which I had put some sliced Potato

 some sliced Onions a chopped Tomato a crushed clove of Garlic and a sliced Courgette, Mixed them all together with a glug of Oil some Oregano and plenty of Salt and Pepper and a glass of White Wine and put them in a pre heated Oven for around 45 minutes before adding the Pork Chops at 200c

 After 5 minutes added some frozen Peas and cooked for around another ten minutes so the chops are just cooked through.

Take the dish out the oven add the zest of a Lemon and a little squeeze of Lemon Juice and sprinkled over some Freshly chopped Parsley for Colour. Really tasty great flavours from humble little ingredients and hassle free to make!

Entrecote with Lemon and Herb Butter

 There is nothing nicer than a beautiful Griddled Steak with Salad very French and a firm favourite in our house. To a large extent you are very much at the mercy of your butcher, I am so fortunate to have finally found an excellent butcher this steak has been matured for 60 days weighed around 225gms and cut like butter.

 The butter is taken from Daniel Galmiche's excellent book "French Brasserie Cookbook" to make the butter put butter, 2tbsp of chopped Parsley 1tbsp of chopped Tarragon some Lemon Zest and a squeeze of Lemon Juice in a bowl and mix together in a bowl then place on cling film in a sausage shape and roll to make a butter sausage place in the fridge to set, then you can cut a slice off for Barbecues and Grilled Meats as and when you need it

To cook the steak, and these were big, get your griddle pan scorching hot and make sure you have taken the steak out of the fridge at least an hour earlier so they are at room temperature, rub in some Olive Oil on both sides a sprinkling of Thyme leaves and a squeeze of Lemon Juice and season well with Salt and Black Pepper.

I seared couple of minutes each side turning every minute and finished in the oven for 10 minutes which gave them a blushing Medium Rare. If your steaks are thiner 5 minutes would do

Let them rest for 5 minutes makes all the difference and add a slice of your herb butter.

I served with Salad and Boulangere Potatoes Heaven!

Osso Bucco with Risotto alla Milanese

It seems like yesterday that there wasn't a decent Italian Restaurant in London that didn't have this on the menu, how things have changed and not really for the better.

This is one of the great classic dishes of Northern Italy traditionally served with a Risotto alla Milanese, truth is the original dish created in the Osteria Restaurant in Milan did not include Tomatoes that was a somewhat later addition of 40 years ago but in my view a welcome one.

Osso Bucco is cross cut veal shank, the marrow hole at the centre of the veal shank oozes a rich flavour and a glossy appearance.

Start by seasoning well your meat and dust in Flour.

 Then in a lidded pot on a medium to high heat with Olive Oil and butter, brown the meat both sides, takes a couple of minutes each side, then reserve to a plate.

 Now reduce the heat and add finely chopped onion and a Celery stalk and two cloves of garlic and sweat on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

Once the onions are sweet and translucent add a glass of white wine or Vermouth a tin of Tomatoes and a pint of Chicken Stock. Top with a Bay leaf and season generously bring to the boil add your reserved veal, put on a lid and place in the oven in a preheated oven at 150c for at least two and a half hours

 To make a proper Risotto alla Milanese takes around 50 minutes, Start by sweating at low heat finely chopped Garlic and Onion for around twenty minutes in Olive Oil and Butter.

Then off the heat add your Risotto rice and stir with a wooden spoon until they are coated and glossy then put back on a medium to low heat and add your first ladle of the top quality Chicken stock, let the stock completely absorb before adding another...

Keep stirring adding ladle after ladle very slowly. after 30 mins your rice is cooked add a generous pinch of saffron, and a glass of White wine.

As it absorbs add a good grating of fresh parmesan and 2 tablespoons of room temperature Butter and stir in.

Make a quick Gremolata which is no more then chopped Parsley Garlic and the zest of a couple of Lemons combine it all together

Serve the risotto on the plate topped carefully with the Osso Bucco being careful to keep in one piece and not to loose the marrow.

Now sprinkle over the fresh vibrant Gremolata

Perfection on a plate well worth the wait

Fresh Raw Artichoke Salad

 I think Spring is my favourite season, everything coming to life and the climate in Spain is perfect not to hot but blue sky's ever day. I love the new seasons Artichokes Asparagus, Strawberries and Peas and do try to make a point of eating whats in season and when I saw these little artichokes I just had to have them.

I wont pretend they are my favourite vegetable but these were young and crisp so I peeled off the harder spiky outer leaves to reveal the inner leaves, covered them instantly in Lemon juice to retain there colour chopped some fresh Mint a glug of your very best Virgin Olive Oil and sprinkled generously with Salt flakes and a grind or two of Black Pepper just delicious vibrant and so fresh. I preferred them in this crisp raw state to cooking them.

Give them a try, you won't be disappointed but make sure they are young and fresh

Blanes de Poulet au Legumes et Lardons

 Don't all dishes sound so much more delicious in French, This is a Charred Chicken Breast with a little Ragout of Spring vegetables with crispy Pancetta and a gorgeous little Spring or Summer treat it is too.

I cook Chicken a lot and I am always looking for different ways to do it, this is my own invention but the inspiration comes from the great Daniel Galmiche. One of the real treats in Spring is the first of the Seasons new Asparagus absolutely one of my favourite vegetables at this time of year the later part of the Season the Asparagus becomes a bit stringy and firm, now is the time to enjoy it, along with Peas and Spring Onions.

 Start by marinating your Chicken breasts in Lemon Juice, Garlic and Olive Oil with a sprig of Rosemary an hour or two before cooking.

Now get your Griddle pan scorching hot, takes about ten minutes to get to temperature at full heat and sear your chicken breasts a minute or so either side so that they have taken on those brown scorch lines, then place in a roasting tin with the marinade and Rosemary poured over them and put in a preheated oven at 200c for 20 to 30 minutes depending on the size of your Chicken breasts.

Now put a Frying pan on a medium to high heat add a good dollop or two of butter and when it foams add some chopped Carrot, keep shaking the pan for 4 minutes or so then add chopped Spring Onion cook for a minute and add a glass of White Wine, it will sizzle and bubble up place a lid ajar on top to let the veg steam.

Every 3 minutes or so check to see when the wine has reduced add a Ladle of Chicken stock then add your sliced Courgette and Asparagus, couple of Minutes remove the lid and add Frozen Peas and some pre boiled New Potatoes, another 3 minutes and they are ready Add the Zest of a Lemon and a Handful of Fresh chopped Mint and Parsley stir it in 30 seconds and serve onto your plate. In a separate pan fry at high heat some Pancetta only takes a couple of minutes and drain on kitchen paper, scatter these around and over your Vegetables and top with the griddle Chicken spooning those delicious Roasting Juices from the Pan over the Chicken Breast.

A very simple but vibrant flavoursome dish, give it a try