Sunday 25 March 2012

Good to "Meat" you again!

So I have this friend, let's call her Toe. She's the only hardcore non-vegetarian GUJARATI  I know!!
So of course, if she's visiting, we have to try and satisfy all food cravings!
Over the weekend, we made Appams and Chicken stew, Kerala beef, Crumb coated Oven fried chicken, Chemmeen Peera (a typically Syrian Christian Prawn and coconut dish!) and Pork Chops that I have been promising her since 2008!!
Except for the chicken and pork, I tried to cook mostly typical Kerala cuisine.... and what a weekend it was! I'll post pictures and recipes shortly - really need to get started on my work week! Cheers, Fifi. 

Monday 5 March 2012

Roast Chicken with Redwine Sauce

Yeah so those of you who know me know that i am a chicken fanatic, infact people close to me have predicted that my glorious life would probably end due to a condition that could be called Chickenitis.  Yes and i thoroughly live up to these accusations.  The picture shows Roast Chicken with Spaghetti, will cover the Roast Chicken in this post.



Ingredients:

2 Whole Chicken Legs (Skin on or skinless is a personal choice bit if oven roasting it then i would suggest skin on)

1tsp Chilli Flakes
1tsp Pepper
Salt to Taste
Olive Oil

For the Sauce:

1/2 Cup Chicken Stock (this could be from chicken cubes as well)
1/2 Cup red wine
Finely chopped garlic
1tsp Dijon Mustard
Pinch of dried Thyme leaves (if using fresh thyme then half a tsp)

Method:

Marinate the chicken for a minimum of 30 mins the marinade being chilliflakes,pepper,salt and olive oil (you can also marinate it much earlier)

If Pan Roasting it then:

Sear the Chicken on high heat both sides for a couple of minutes, reduce the heat and cook through.  Once cooked remove chicken and in the same pan make the sauce.

If Oven Roasting it then:

Sear Chicken on high heat on both sides for a couple of minutes and pop into a pre heated oven and cook at 200 deg C for 40 mins.  If you are using chicken which has skin on then make sure that when in the oven the skin side is up. Once cooked transfer chicken and use the same pan to make the sauce

Sauce:

On high heat and into the residual juice from the chicken add garlic, before the garlic burns add the chicken stock, after a couple of minutes add the wine.  Now allow this to reduce to half (this should be done on high heat) once reduced add the mustard and thyme leaves stir it in and in a minute take off heat.

This is a very thick and rich sauce so do not fully dunk the chicken into this just sprinkle on top of the chicken or serve as a side.

Bon Apetit from Mimi

Chicken Enchiladas

We got tired of eating chinese and regular everyday food and with a fridge full of goodies it seemed criminal to go out to eat hence decided to make mexican instead.  Hope you enjoy this as much as The Husband enjoyed it....



Ingredients:

2 chicken breast poached and flaked ( You can poach in hot water or throw in some aromatics likes pepper corns, bayleaves, cloves,garlic and ginger with some coriander, this liquid can be reserved and used as stock for other recipes)

2 tbsps sour cream
One medium sliced
1 cup cheese
4 flour tortillas (i used store bought but it is fairly easy to make at home as well)
1/2 cup kidney beans cooked with tomato. salt and pepper
Store bought salsa.

Method:

Mix the cooked chicken, onions,sourcream,half of the cheese and salt and pepper.

coat baking dish with butter or cooking spray.  Make rolls of each tortilla with filling of the kidney beans and chicken.  Lay the rolls with seam side down. top with the salsa.  Cover dish with aluminium foil and cook in 175 deg C oven for 40 mins.  Once done....sprinkle remaining cheese and bake for 10 mins (uncovered)

Bon Apetit from Mimi