Something for the weekend – Chicken Curry

After forking out £20 on a lamb Bhuna, Keema Naan and chips last weekend I decided enough was enough. Today’s dish was cooked by my girlfriend Emma and is sure to get your taste buds going without emptying your wallet!

Ok guys n Gal’s lets get cooking!

First let’s break down what we are going to need:


400g Chicken Breast
1 Large Onion
2 Cloves of garlic
200g Mushrooms
Hand full of frozen peas
150ml Crème fraîche
2 Heaped tablespoons of medium curry paste
1 Teaspoon of Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon of Paprika
1 Tin of Chopped Tomatoes
1 Bunch of Fresh Coriander

















1. Peel the mushrooms and chop into quarters. Chop the onion coarsely. Now cut the chicken breasts into cubes. The reason this is done last is so that we are not at risk of getting uncooked chicken on our veggies.


2. Heat some oil in a large frying pan or wok and add the onions, then add the garlic using a crusher. Cook these until they are softened but not caramelised and then add the chicken cubes. Cook the mixture until the chicken is lightly browning. Now you can add the spices, please ensure the pan is on a high heat at this time to allow all of the flavours to be released. Once everything is mixed together reduce the heat to a medium setting and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Next you need to add the whole tin of tomatoes, the chopped mushrooms and the peas. Let the mixture simmer for 15-20 minutes.

4. Take the curry off the heat and allow it to settle. Now mix in the Crème fraîche and coriander.

If you were expecting something more complex then you’re in the wrong place because that’s it! Enjoy.

Vanilla Crème Brulee

Ok its Crème Brulee time! As promised I will be providing you food lovers with one of my favourite deserts, Vanilla crème Brulee. Its simplicity makes it an ideal desert for beginners but ensures your guests will leave with a smile on their faces.

Ok Guys n Gal’s lets get cooking!

First let’s break down what were going to need (some kitchen utensils may need to be bought for this to work):

6 Free Range Eggs
500ml Fresh Double Cream
170ml Semi Skimmed Milk
75g Caster Sugar
40g Demerara Sugar
1 Vanilla Pod

1. Preheat the oven at Gas Mark 1 (140c)

2. Separate the egg yolks from the whites as it is only the yolks we need for this recipe. To do this crack the egg and transfer the yolk from one side of the shell to the other over the sink until the white has oozed out.

3. Put the 6 egg yolks into a fairly large mixing bowl and pour in the caster sugar. Make an incision along the one side of the vanilla pod and open it up. Using a knife scrape the seeds from the inside of the pod and add this to the mix as well. Using a whisk gently mix the ingredients together. Once done, pour in the milk and cream and slowly stir the mixture together.

4. Pass the mixture through a sieve and then pour it into 4 ramekins. There maybe a little bit left afterwards but its better to have too much than too little! Now put them in the oven for 1 ½ - 2 hours. Please check them after at least 1 ½ hours by taping the ramekin. If the mixture ripples like a liquid then it is not yet ready. It is important that you do not overcook as the surface will crack and spoil the presentation.

5. Once cooked take the crème brulee out of the oven and cool in the fridge for an hour. This will allow it to set. Once set sprinkle on some of that pungent Demerara sugar on top and either use a small chef’s blowtorch or a grill to brown off the surface. That’s it your all done, need a hand eating it?

P.S Did I mention Calvados Brandy? No? Well watch this for an interesting alternative to burning the sugar with a blowtorch, any strong spirit will do but try and use one with some flavour like brandy!

!--

Lamb Shank with Bubble & Squeak

Ok Guys n Gal's lets get cooking!

First let’s break down what we are going to need:

2 Lamb Shanks
1 Bulb of Garlic
Fresh Rosemary (Loads!)
350g Chopped Swede
350g Chopped Potato
Sprouts
Carrots
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Plain Flour
Rock Salt & Cracked Pepper
Butter
Olive Oil
Chicken Stock
Fresh Bay Leaves

The amount of vegetables you use depends on how much Bubble and Squeak you want to make. I am going to make enough for 4 servings so I have some for dinner tomorrow.

Ok Lets get to it!

1. Preheat your oven to the maximum Heat.

2. We need to prepare the Lamb Shanks for the oven. Firstly score the fat with a sharp knife so the flavours of the rosemary and garlic and permeate the lamb. Throw a bunch of un-pealed cloves and some stripped rosemary into a large baking tray then cover them with a drizzle of olive oil. Once done add the two lamb shanks to the tray and add cover with some more rosemary and garlic and a little oil. Now cover the baking tray with foil nice and tight (scrunch it around the edges for a nice seal) and bung it in the oven. Once you shut the door reduce the heat to around gas Mark 3 (160c). The lamb will take approximately 3 hours to cook.

3. Peel all root vegetables and cross the bottoms of your sprouts. This helps them get nice and soft!

4. About an hour before the meat is due out of the oven boil the vegetables with about 3 bay leaves (remove these before frying).

5. Heat some oil in a pan and add a good knob of butter. Once melted add the vegetables. Using a potato masher gently crush the vegetables and mix them about. Eventually you will be a left with a nice vegetable mush. Leave on a low heat occasionally flipping/mixing them. Do this until the lamb is finished (about 30 minutes more).

6. Ok the 3 hours are up. Remove the lamb from the oven and carefully take off the foil (Steam is hot!). Brush off all the rosemary and garlic and remove the meat. At this point the meat should be fork tender. Keep the meat under some foil on a plate whilst we prepare the sauce.



7. Remove the bulk of the rosemary sprigs and all of the garlic cloves. Pour away half of the fat in the tray. Heat up the fat in the baking tray on the stove. Now squeeze the garlic cloves so that the gooey garlic centre oozes out. Add this to the fat along with a table spoon of plain flour. Using a wooden spoon crush the garlic and mix in. Now add 300ml of chicken stock and stir in until thickened. Take off the heat and strain into a jug.

8. Now that everything is cooked you can focus on presentation. Many people are just tempted to throw food onto the plate. Taste and smell are important but if the food looks awful people are likely to turn their noses up!

9. Add a generous pile of bubble and squeak to the centre of a warm plate, clean around the centre ensure the food is only in the middle. Place the shank on top of the vegetables and pour some sauce on. Add a sprig of rosemary for garnish and serve. Enjoy.