Paella

Paella is a dish that is versatile and moves with the seasons, it can be meat, veg or fish based or all three. It's a great dinner party dish. I first ate Paella in France about 22 years ago. An odd place to first eat Spanish food but it was cooked by a couple of Spanish guys. During my years at university some friends had a year out in Rennes, so I spent a lot of time going over and back visiting them. 

During this time the people I met came from all over Europe and we often got together to eat at one another's apartments. I used to look forward to going to the Spaniards for dinner as they would cook these amazing paellas on huge pan with all sorts of ingredients. It was placed in the middle of the table and everyone helped themselves.

The market in Rennes (back then, not sure what it is like now) was an every day market and you were spoilt for choice for fresh and seasonal ingredients. I used to love wandering around planning my menu for the evening as I saw what was available that day in the market.

So here's my trip down memory lane.

4 rabbit legs or if you can't easily get rabbit, chicken thighs on the bone will suffice

2 cloves garlic chopped

100g chorizo sausage sliced

200g paella rice

100g tinned tomatoes or three fresh tomatoes finely chopped

10g tomato purée

2g saffron soaked in 10ml water

50ml madeira wine or 50ml white wine

400ml chicken/veg or fish stock

3 sprigs of thyme

1 bay leaf

1 onion finely chopped

10 ml lemon juice

Salt and pepper to season
Oil for frying

Fry off the onion and garlic in the oil on a low heat until soft 

Add the chorizo and fry off until the chorizo starts to release its oils

Add the tomato purée and cook for 1-2 mins

Add the Madeira or wine and cook on a high heat for 1 minute

Next add the tomatoes and the rice and stir for 1 min

Place the rabbit in the pan and pour over the chicken stock, add the thyme and the bay leaf

Give the pan a quick stir and then leave on a gentle heat for 30 - 40 minutes 
Season to taste and serve
This dish also works well on the BBQ as it will infuse with the smoky flavours from the coals
Set your BBQ up for indirect cooking at 150c and cook for 30 - 40 minutes

I like to leave the pan in the middle of the table and people help themselves

Chicken tacos Al Pastor style with achiote marinade

Al pastor is a central Mexican (Oaxacan) style of cooking either on a spit or grill. It is typically made using pork but in this recipe I went for chicken. The marinade for this dish consists of achiote paste and pureed pineapple which give it its unique flavour.

Achiote is mentioned in many al pastor recipes, it is a paste made from herbs and spices blended with oil and lemon juice or vinegar. It is also known as Recado Rojo, and is a combination of cumin, all spice, oregano, black pepper, salt, garlic, clove, cinnamon and annato. When using this paste, bear in mind the annato is what imparts colour to the paste and will stain your skin (and your clothes). It also provides a good spicy and sour foil to the sweetness of the pineapple juice in the marinade. 

Pineapple is also good for tenderising meat as it contains the enzyme bromelain which digests protein. You need to be careful on two points when using pineapple. First the marinating time, leave your meat too long and you'll end up with mush as the enzyme will break down the meat very quickly. The length of time will also depend on the thickness of the meat. Second the flavour, pineapple has a strong flavour, use too much and it will dominate. You need a good balance in this recipe, so keep that in mind. 

I also use lime in this recipe as a seasoning, rather than in the marinade. Lime contains citric acid which can toughen and cook the meat if you use it in the marinade.

Serves 2
4 chicken thighs, cut into halves
2 slices fresh pineapple 

Marinade
100g achiote paste 
10ml sherry vinegar
20ml rapeseed oil
2g chipotle chilli powder
1g salt
50ml pureed pineapple to be added about 15 minutes before cooking

Mix the achiote paste, with the vinegar, oil, chilli powder and salt to form a loose paste
Coat the thigh meat in the paste and marinate for 6 hours in the fridge
About 15 minutes before cooking, remove the chicken from the fridge to come up to room temperature and pour over the pineapple juice, mix in well 

Set your barbecue up for direct cooking at 220c
I like to use a cast iron griddle for extra flavour, allow the griddle to heat up for at last 15 minutes so it's nice and hot for cooking
Place the onion and the pineapple slices on the griddle and cook for 2 minutes each side
Once cooked, remove to one side and keep warm
Cook the chicken pieces for 5-7 mins, constantly turning them to ensure an even char and cook

I like to serve these in corn tortillas with sprinkled with lime juice, chopped coriander and smoked feta.

If you want to purchase the achiote paste for this recipe you can order it online from the Cool Chile Co 

This is not a sponsored post, I just like the products from Cool Chile and have been buying from them for over 20 years now.

Chicken Saltimbocca

I was introduced to the dish some 20 or so years ago as a student. It was a favourite dish of an Italian friend of mine and one of his dinner party staples. The dish is traditionally made with veal and back then it wasn't easy to find in the butchers in the UK, so he used chicken thighs instead. If you do want to use veal, use rose veal fillet. This is my tribute to his dish and hopefully I've done it justice.

This serves 2 people, I allow one thigh per person

2 Chicken thighs flattened slightly

2 slices parma ham

2 medium size sage leaves

2 cloves garlic bruised

4 sprigs fresh thyme

100ml white wine or vermouth

50ml chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

5g butter to thicken the sauce

5ml lemon juice to finish the sauce

Place the sage leaves on the thighs and wrap with the parma ham
In a pan add the wine, garlic, thyme and chicken stock, cook on a high heat briefly for 1 minute to cook off the alcohol
Lower the heat and add the thighs, place a lid on the pan and cook for 10 minutes 
Remove the thighs to one side and keep warm
Reduce the sauce until it is half of its original volume
Lower the heat, add the butter and lemon juice and stir through
Season with salt and pepper
Place the thighs back in the pan to warm through before serving

I like to serve this with simple steamed veg.

Chicken in paprika sauce

This used to be a staple dish of mine when I was a student, I always liked to cook it when friends came to dinner. I've played around with the recipe over the years, but the essence of the dish remains the same. I revisited the dish recently when a friend gave me some excellent paprika from Hungary.

4 chicken thighs bones and skin removed
20ml creme fraiche
5ml dijon mustard
5ml sherry vinegar
30ml vermouth 
30ml chicken stock
5g butter to enrich the sauce
Heaped teaspoon sweet paprika
Salt and pepper to season
Finely chopped chives to garnish
5ml rapeseed oil for frying


Place the chicken thighs in a plastic bag, add the paprika and shake until the thighs are coated in the paprika
In a pan on a high heat brown the thighs quickly on both sides
Lower the heat to medium, add the vermouth and chicken stock
Place a lid on the pan and cook for 10 - 15 minutes depending on the size of the thigh or until they reach a temperature of 74 - 80c
Remove the thighs place to one side, cover with tin foil and keep warm
Ensure the pan is now on a low heat, add the mustard to the pan liquid and stir through
Add the creme fraiche and butter and swirl the pan until the butter has melted into the sauce
Last, but not least, add the sherry vinegar and season to taste
Serve the chicken thighs with the sauce and the chive garnish.

This goes well with creamy mashed potatoes.

Summer chicken and vegetable casserole

When I used to go camping with friends this is one of the dishes that I cooked for a large group. It's a great one pot dish, which it kind of had to be as I only had one pot and a two ring camping burner. Its also light and summery with lots of seasonal ingredients which are at their best this time of year. It doesn't require much in the way of effort to make which some of you will be happy to hear.

1 leek finely chopped
1 small onion finely chopped
4 chicken thighs cut into inch long strips or kept whole if on the bone
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
100g small new potatoes sliced
50g chantenay carrots or small normal carrots peeled and sliced
1 courgette sliced 

100g asparagus (when in season)
100g green beans, trimmed and chopped into ½ inch pieces
100ml pot of crème fraiche
10ml oil for frying
Salt and pepper
100ml white wine or vermouth
300ml chicken stock
Sprig of tarragon

Salt and pepper to taste

Fry the onion and leeks on a low heat until soft and glossy, add the chopped garlic and cook for a further 5 minutes

Add the chicken and sauté for 5 minutes

Add the stock and white wine and bring to the boil for 1 minute

Add the rest of the prepped veg and herbs, cover and simmer on a low heat for 40 minutes

If there is too much liquid reduce slightly by turning up the heat to high for 5 minutes
Lower the heat before adding the crème fraiche

Season and serve

Chicken noodle soup Japanese Style

Who doesn't like chicken noodle soup? 

For years my guilty secret was to turn to the packet knorr soup when feeling ill or fancied a pick me up. In the last few years, I started to make this version with soba or ramen noodles and my own stock. If you don't have home made stock then I would advise to buy a good ready made version and not use a stock cube. 

This soup is very easy to make and also a good way of using up leftover roast or grilled meats. It's also a take on the ramen soups I used to eat when I travelled around Japan many years ago.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Serves 2

250g meat from leftover roast chicken sliced (or whatever roast meat you have)
 Alternatively you can use breast or thigh meat just make sure it is pre cooked
100g cooked soba or ramen noodles (follow the instructions on the packet)
400ml chicken stock 
10g konbu 
4 dried shiitake mushrooms
50g sliced button mushrooms
10g bonito flakes
20ml soy sauce or 20g red miso paste
2 scallions finely chopped
Half a carrot finely sliced


Place the stock, konbu, shiitake and bonito flakes into a pan and bring to the boil, lower the heat and then simmer for 15 mins
Strain the stock removing the konbu etc..
In 2 bowls layer the carrot, noodles, chicken/roast meat and scallions
Pour over the stock and serve

If you want to make it more Japanese ramen style you can serve it with half a hard boiled egg on top

Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Tortillas with salsa and guacamole

On my to-do list is to travel to Mexico. I'm a big fan of Mexican food and love to cook it at home.The perception of Mexican food is of "tex-mex", greasy tacos, but that is far from the reality. So far my culinary trips have been through cook books and what you always read about are fresh ingredients. There's nothing better than nicely grilled chicken fresh off the BBQ with a spicy salsa sauce.

So here's my tribute to Mexican food with my take on tortillas.


Chicken Tortillas

4 chicken thighs kept whole, but bone removed, 
Flatten them slightly to tenderise and ensure an even size for cooking (you can use a meat tenderiser or a rolling pin to do this)
I like to use a spice rub before BBQing, my favourite is the chicken rub from Ataro's food and spices which has a nice kick to it or you can use the following recipe

Spice Rub
15g sweet paprika
5g smoked sweet paprika
5g pimenton
5g garlic powder
5g onion powder
5g Cumin seeds (ground)
2g Cinnamon stick (ground)
2g black peppercorns (ground)
10g oregano (dried)
5g chipoltle chilli flakes
5g brown sugar
5g celery salt

Mix all the above ingredients together to make the rub


Oil the thighs and then sprinkle the rub over and massage in, leave to marinate for 2-3 hours


To cook the thighs
BBQ - Cook on direct heat at 250C for 2-3 mins each side, using hickory chips for extra smokiness
Grill - the chicken can be cooked on a high heat for 2-3 mins

Cover with foil and allow to rest before serving with the salsa and tortillas

For the salsa sauce
3 tomatoes finely chopped or 200g tin of tomatoes
70ml Madeira wine or Port
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
3 scallions sliced
1 tablespoon of tomato purée
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1 red chilli or as many as you like for flavour and heat, finely chopped

Salt and pepper
Oil for frying

BBQ tip
For those of you cooking on the BBQ,  keeping the tomatoes, chillies and scallions whole, you can chargrill these while cooking the chicken. 
It will add a nice smoky flavour to the sauce.
 Allow to cool before chopping up and continuing with the salsa.

Add the garlic to some oil in the pan, cook out on a medium heat for 5 minutes
Add the tomatoes and the tomato purée, continue to cook on medium heat till the “sauce” has reduced to a thickened consistency
Add the paprika and fry for a couple of minutes
Add the scallions and chillies and mix
Turn the heat up high; add the Madeira wine and flame (if you feel brave enough), once the flames have subsided, transfer the ingredients to a bowl to serve or if not flaming cook for 1-2 mins on a high heat

Season with salt and pepper

To serve
Slice the chicken thighs and serve wrapped in warm tortillas with grated cheese, the salsa and guacamole

Guacamole 

1 avocado
Few dashes tobasco
Half clove of garlic crushed
Juice half lemon
Salt and pepper to season

Peel and de-seed 1 avocado, remove the flesh and mash with a fork
Add the crushed garlic and the juice of half a lemon, a few dashes of tobasco, salt and pepper and mix well