Mainly because (a) we had a roast chicken yesterday, so there's still some left and (b) we're inundated with parsley - last year's seeds have lodged in the cracks in the paving in the front garden, and have turned into a forest.
You'll need:
cooked chicken (a little per person)
rice - about a mugful for three people
an onion
raisins
flaked almonds
a handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped
Put the rice in a pan with double the amount of water (ie 2 mugs). Bring to the boil, and simmer (don't let it stick to the bottom of the pan). It should be ready when all the water has been absorbed - if it's still a little chewy add a bit more.
In the meantime, chop up your onion reasonably finely, and fry in a pan with some olive oil until it becomes translucent.
Once the rice is cooked, add to the onion. Stir in the cooked chicken, chopped parsley and a handful of raisins. Decant onto some plates, and scatter a few flaked almonds on top.
It's nice with some green salad, or maybe cucumber and yoghurt. We ate this on the balcony today, although it threatened to rain any minute, and I had to make a run for it to get the washing in.
30 July 2008
29 July 2008
Roast chicken with lemon
This is about the easiest thing you could ever hope to make.
one chicken (for lots of people) or one pouissin (for one)
one lemon
Cut the lemon into quarters. Squeeze a bit of juice over the chicken, and stick three of the quarters inside. Leave the other one in the roasting dish. Grind black pepper over the top of the chicken.
Put either a lid on, or a bit of foil over the top, and put the chicken in the oven (around 180 degrees) for an hour. If it's a small chicken, it'll probably need another half an hour, with the foil/lid taken off - if it's bigger, just keep testing it until the juices run clear (that means stick a knife in it, and if the stuff that comes out is pink, it needs cooking for longer!).
Bring out of the oven and leave to rest for a few minutes before carving.
We ate this with boiled new potatoes from Grandma and Grandad's garden, a green salad, and some lime pickle. Oh, and a bottle of La Ressaudie 2007 - but that bit went way over your head.
one chicken (for lots of people) or one pouissin (for one)
one lemon
Cut the lemon into quarters. Squeeze a bit of juice over the chicken, and stick three of the quarters inside. Leave the other one in the roasting dish. Grind black pepper over the top of the chicken.
Put either a lid on, or a bit of foil over the top, and put the chicken in the oven (around 180 degrees) for an hour. If it's a small chicken, it'll probably need another half an hour, with the foil/lid taken off - if it's bigger, just keep testing it until the juices run clear (that means stick a knife in it, and if the stuff that comes out is pink, it needs cooking for longer!).
Bring out of the oven and leave to rest for a few minutes before carving.
We ate this with boiled new potatoes from Grandma and Grandad's garden, a green salad, and some lime pickle. Oh, and a bottle of La Ressaudie 2007 - but that bit went way over your head.
28 July 2008
Courgette, tuna and lemon pasta
We have lots of courgettes in the pots on the balcony at the moment. And we were starving after going for a swim this afternoon, and needed a really quick tea (this should take about 12-15 minutes, beginning to end).
Makes enough for three. With maybe a bit left in the fridge for lunch tomorrow.
a couple of medium-sized courgettes, sliced thinly lengthways
a large onion, sliced
maybe a clove of garlic
a little dried thyme, Mediterranean herbs, or similar
juice of a lemon
a small tin of tuna, in oil (preferably olive, but sunflower will do)
Pasta - we had twists today, but that's mostly because Morrisons does some surprisingly good 'value' ones at 19p, when the rest of the world is charging a fortune for bows and the like.
Drain the oil from the tuna into a jar - pour some into a frying pan, and use to saute the onions (and garlic if you feel like it) over a low heat. While this is going on, add the pasta (about three handfuls per person) to a pan of boiling water (this should take about 7-8 minutes until it's al dente).
Once the onions are translucent, add the courgettes and herbs, and cook until the courgettes have softened. Drain the pasta (keep back a couple of spoonfuls of water), and then add to the courgette/onion mixture, with the lemon juice and the tuna. Swish it all round in the pan for a few seconds - add the couple of spoonfuls of pasta water to loosen the pasta/sauce if necessary.
Dish up. With lots of black pepper and grated parmesan.
Makes enough for three. With maybe a bit left in the fridge for lunch tomorrow.
a couple of medium-sized courgettes, sliced thinly lengthways
a large onion, sliced
maybe a clove of garlic
a little dried thyme, Mediterranean herbs, or similar
juice of a lemon
a small tin of tuna, in oil (preferably olive, but sunflower will do)
Pasta - we had twists today, but that's mostly because Morrisons does some surprisingly good 'value' ones at 19p, when the rest of the world is charging a fortune for bows and the like.
Drain the oil from the tuna into a jar - pour some into a frying pan, and use to saute the onions (and garlic if you feel like it) over a low heat. While this is going on, add the pasta (about three handfuls per person) to a pan of boiling water (this should take about 7-8 minutes until it's al dente).
Once the onions are translucent, add the courgettes and herbs, and cook until the courgettes have softened. Drain the pasta (keep back a couple of spoonfuls of water), and then add to the courgette/onion mixture, with the lemon juice and the tuna. Swish it all round in the pan for a few seconds - add the couple of spoonfuls of pasta water to loosen the pasta/sauce if necessary.
Dish up. With lots of black pepper and grated parmesan.
25 July 2008
Omelette (cheese)
For a small person, use one egg - you'll need two or more for larger folk.
an egg
a little bit of butter
a couple of skinny thinny slices of whatever cheese you have
Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan. Crack the egg into a bowl, and whisk it with a bit of black pepper (and some herbs if you're feeling fancy). Pour it into the pan, and move it around a bit, adding the cheese on top once it starts to set a little. Cook on a lowish heat until it's nearly set, then flip over in half and give it another 10 seconds or so.
Slide onto a plate, add salad of some description (you had mange tout, celery, carrot and cucumber tonight), and a couple of slices of bread.
You had yours on your own today, sat at your little table in the kitchen, as we had to drop your Dad in town for a night out. I had exactly the same later on, but with a few fried mushrooms as well as cheese in the middle, and a much-needed glass of wine...
an egg
a little bit of butter
a couple of skinny thinny slices of whatever cheese you have
Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan. Crack the egg into a bowl, and whisk it with a bit of black pepper (and some herbs if you're feeling fancy). Pour it into the pan, and move it around a bit, adding the cheese on top once it starts to set a little. Cook on a lowish heat until it's nearly set, then flip over in half and give it another 10 seconds or so.
Slide onto a plate, add salad of some description (you had mange tout, celery, carrot and cucumber tonight), and a couple of slices of bread.
You had yours on your own today, sat at your little table in the kitchen, as we had to drop your Dad in town for a night out. I had exactly the same later on, but with a few fried mushrooms as well as cheese in the middle, and a much-needed glass of wine...
24 July 2008
Banana ice cream
We made banana ice cream this afternoon. It was going to be strawberry, but when I walked down to the supermarket last night there were none to be seen.
The original recipe came from Nigel Slater's Real Food - but I had to adjust the quantities because our freecycle ice cream maker is tiny.
Don't forget, you have to stick the bowl in the freezer for a few hours, or overnight.
150ml cream (I used double cream, but whipping would probably be even better)
2 ripe-ish bananas
60g caster sugar
juice of 1/2 a lemon
Chop up the bananas, and stick in the blender, together with the lemon juice and sugar. Remember to put the lid on. Whizz round for a bit (your favourite part). Pour in the cream. Whizz round a bit more.
Decant into the bowl from the ice cream maker. Fiddle about for ages with the lid/paddle combination. Leave to churn for 45 minutes (or until the motor threatens to blow up). It'll probably be still quite soft - stick it in a tub in the freezer to finish it off.
We had chocolate/toffee sauce on top today - there were going to be hundreds and thousands but then I realised the best before date was October 2003...
The original recipe came from Nigel Slater's Real Food - but I had to adjust the quantities because our freecycle ice cream maker is tiny.
Don't forget, you have to stick the bowl in the freezer for a few hours, or overnight.
150ml cream (I used double cream, but whipping would probably be even better)
2 ripe-ish bananas
60g caster sugar
juice of 1/2 a lemon
Chop up the bananas, and stick in the blender, together with the lemon juice and sugar. Remember to put the lid on. Whizz round for a bit (your favourite part). Pour in the cream. Whizz round a bit more.
Decant into the bowl from the ice cream maker. Fiddle about for ages with the lid/paddle combination. Leave to churn for 45 minutes (or until the motor threatens to blow up). It'll probably be still quite soft - stick it in a tub in the freezer to finish it off.
We had chocolate/toffee sauce on top today - there were going to be hundreds and thousands but then I realised the best before date was October 2003...
Lamb, aubergine and apricot tagine
When you were really tiny, you used to like this (and throw it all over the floor). Today was a rather more sedate affair round the big glass table in the dining room table (it was too cold and windy for the balcony), but the couscous still went everywhere.
This makes enough for six (or four really greedy people).
500g lamb mince
an onion, chopped
about 1/3 of a 250g bag of dried apricots
one small-medium aubergine, diced (cut into pieces about 2cm across)
some water, or a tin of chopped tomatoes
spices - 1 teaspoon each of cinnamon, ground cumin and turmeric, and a good screw of black pepper
Heat the mince in the frying pan until it goes from pink to brown. Add the onion and aubergine, and fry for 5 minutes, until the onion goes translucent, and the aubergine has started to soften.
Add the spices, and fry for a couple of minutes.
Add the liquid - today I had 3/4 of a can of chopped tomatoes lurking in the fridge, so I stuck that in, together with some water. I usually add enough to just cover the mixture. Chuck in the apricots - I sliced them up today, but you could halve them, or even add them whole.
Bring to the boil, and then simmer for however long you have. You need at least 20 minutes, I reckon, but an hour would be more like it. The longer you leave it, the more liquid you may need to add - the apricots and aubergines absorb quite a lot, so keep checking to make sure it hasn't boiled dry...
Serve with some couscous, and whatever green salady stuff you've got in the fridge/garden. If you're feeling very fancy, you could shred some mint and scatter it on top. I haven't managed to persuade you that's a good idea yet...
This makes enough for six (or four really greedy people).
500g lamb mince
an onion, chopped
about 1/3 of a 250g bag of dried apricots
one small-medium aubergine, diced (cut into pieces about 2cm across)
some water, or a tin of chopped tomatoes
spices - 1 teaspoon each of cinnamon, ground cumin and turmeric, and a good screw of black pepper
Heat the mince in the frying pan until it goes from pink to brown. Add the onion and aubergine, and fry for 5 minutes, until the onion goes translucent, and the aubergine has started to soften.
Add the spices, and fry for a couple of minutes.
Add the liquid - today I had 3/4 of a can of chopped tomatoes lurking in the fridge, so I stuck that in, together with some water. I usually add enough to just cover the mixture. Chuck in the apricots - I sliced them up today, but you could halve them, or even add them whole.
Bring to the boil, and then simmer for however long you have. You need at least 20 minutes, I reckon, but an hour would be more like it. The longer you leave it, the more liquid you may need to add - the apricots and aubergines absorb quite a lot, so keep checking to make sure it hasn't boiled dry...
Serve with some couscous, and whatever green salady stuff you've got in the fridge/garden. If you're feeling very fancy, you could shred some mint and scatter it on top. I haven't managed to persuade you that's a good idea yet...
23 July 2008
Salad nicoise
An easy one to begin with, mainly because it was so hot today that I couldn't be bothered to cook.
You'll need (if you want to make enough for all three of us):
three eggs (hardboiled)
a tin of tuna in oil (drained)
some olives
little gem lettuce
parsley from the garden
a handful of sugar snap peas
some chopped up pepper
a few sticks of celery
cucumber
Put the eggs in a pan, and cover them with cold water. Heat until the water boils, then try and remember to turn them off after 8 minutes or so. Peel when they've cooled down a bit, and chop in half.
Chop up all the salady stuff. If you were making a more traditional salad nicoise you'd have green beans in there somewhere, and maybe some cold sliced potato. Oh, yes, I forgot about the anchovies today - a couple of those each would be rather nice too.
Arrange all the ingredients on a plate. Or slide it all into a bowl, and mix it all up. Presentation is everything, apparently.
You might want it with some vinaigrette, although the oil from the tuna's quite nice drizzled on top too.
We ate this on the balcony today, because it was so warm and sunny. The courgette plant tickled your back as you sat there, and made you jump.
You'll need (if you want to make enough for all three of us):
three eggs (hardboiled)
a tin of tuna in oil (drained)
some olives
little gem lettuce
parsley from the garden
a handful of sugar snap peas
some chopped up pepper
a few sticks of celery
cucumber
Put the eggs in a pan, and cover them with cold water. Heat until the water boils, then try and remember to turn them off after 8 minutes or so. Peel when they've cooled down a bit, and chop in half.
Chop up all the salady stuff. If you were making a more traditional salad nicoise you'd have green beans in there somewhere, and maybe some cold sliced potato. Oh, yes, I forgot about the anchovies today - a couple of those each would be rather nice too.
Arrange all the ingredients on a plate. Or slide it all into a bowl, and mix it all up. Presentation is everything, apparently.
You might want it with some vinaigrette, although the oil from the tuna's quite nice drizzled on top too.
We ate this on the balcony today, because it was so warm and sunny. The courgette plant tickled your back as you sat there, and made you jump.
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