Freycob

"Good Food Made Easy"

Chicken and Leek Stroganoff

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I’ve previously reviewed Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food book that I bought for my husband.  There are several recipes in there that have become firm family favourites and that my husband often cooks for us; this recipe being one of them as it’s quick, tasty and very easy to prepare. Leeks give a wonderful flavour to a meal – coming from the Allium family which includes the onion and garlic, their flavour is much more subtle and delicate.

This recipe is based on Jamie’s from his book.

2 Large leeks
4 Chicken breasts
2tbs Olive oil
20g Butter
250ml White wine (if it’s not good enough to drink, it’s not good enough to cook with)
100ml Water
15ml Wholegrain mustard
300g Basmati Rice
Bunch fresh, flat leaved parsley
300ml Single cream
1/2 Lemon
Salt & pepper

1. Put a large pan of lightly salted water on to boil.
2. Wash your leeks then cut them lengthways into quarters, from top to bottom, then slice across the stems (whites and greens) into 1cm thicknesses.

3. Cut the chicken breasts into bite sized pieces, approx. 1cm x 2cm .
4. Heat a large frying pan and add the olive oil and butter.  Heat until melted.
5. Add the leeks, wine, water, mustard, salt and pepper.
6. Stir together then bring to the boil and cover loosely with a lid or foil.
7. Put your rice in your boiling water, stir once and return to the boil.  Simmer uncovered for 10-12 minutes (according to packet instructions).
8. Chop the parsley, leaves and stalks, finely.
9. Add the chicken, parsley and the cream to the frying pan and simmer for 10 minutes.

10. Drain the cooked rice.
11. Add the juice of your lemon half to the stroganoff and stir just before serving.
12. Place a pile of rice on your plate and add a generous couple of spoons of the stroganoff.

Serve with a perfectly chilled glass of the white wine that you used to cook this dish with.

Roast chicken curry with Clearspring Organic Rice Trio

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Having spatchcocked the chicken, placed it on a trivet of sweet potatoes and onions and originally intending to make a roast dinner out of it, I changed my mind when the chicken was cooked and had come out of the oven, so I made a quick & easy chicken curry out of it instead.  Here’s how:



For the roast chicken:
1 large chicken
2 sweet potatoes, quartered
2 medium onions, quartered
200ml cold water
For the curry:
30ml/2tbs Mango chutney (or to taste)
To serve:
Fresh coriander, chopped

1. Heat the oven to 180C.
2. Turn the chicken onto it’s breast and, using a pair of robust scissors, cut down each side of the spine to remove it.
3. Turn the chicken over and open out the legs and the wings.
4. Press down on the ribcage until it cracks and the chicken flattens out.
5. Peel and quarter the sweet potatoes and onions.
6. Place into the centre of a large roasting dish and place the chicken on top, breast & skin side up.
7. Pour in 200ml cold water & cover tightly with foil.
8. Roast for 1 1/2-2 hours until well cooked.
9. Remove the chicken from the pan, cover and allow to rest.
10. Pour the meat juices, sweet potato and onions into a saucepan and add the Knorr Curry Flavour Pot.
11. Bring to the boil and then add the mango chutney, adjusting the quantity to taste.
12. Blitz the curry sauce with a stick blender until smooth.
13. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, then add the Clearspring rice trio.
14. Gently boil the rice for 10 minutes, or until cooked and then drain.
15. Meanwhile, flake the chicken into pieces.
16. Serve the rice, making a hollow in the centre.
17. Add the flaked chicken to the centre of the rice and spoon some curry sauce over the top.
18. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with naan bread.


The Clearspring Rice Trio was sent to me free of charge to sample.  All other ingredients were purchased by me personally and were not sponsored. I was under no obligation to publish content using the box of rice sent to me. We found the rice trio combination to be tasty, as well as enjoying the different textures of the Basmati, long grain brown and the Wholegrain rice.

Chilli for dinner

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Autumn is definitely on the way and what better meal to have than a warming bowl of fresh chilli. Not from a jar plucked from a supermarket shelf, but from your own fair hands and a few simple, store cupboard ingredients.

10ml Oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 Cloves garlic, finely chopped
500g Lean minced beef
1 Beef stock cube
5ml (1tsp) Chilli flakes (or more, if you’re feeling brave & like it hot!)
400g Can chopped tomatoes
15ml (1tbs) Tomato purée
10ml (2tsp) Oregano
1 can Red kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1. Heat your oil gently in a saucepan.
2. Add the onion & garlic and cook until softened.
3. Add your minced beef & cook until browned.
4. Add the stock cube, chilli flakes, chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, oregano and kidney beans.
5. Bring to the boil & cook on a gentle simmer for at least 30 mins (uncovered) or for an hour (with the lid on).
Serve with boiled rice, grated cheese, soured cream & tortilla crisps.
* if it’s not hot enough, you can add extra chilli flakes, a chopped fresh chilli, or some Tabasco sauce.
Basmati rice the Rosie way…
1. Tip the quantity of rice you want into a large jug.
2. Pour over boiling water to cover plus about 1-2cm above.
3. Stir to break up any clumps.
4. Leave it alone while you.
5. Bring a large pan of cold water to the boil.
6. Stir then drain your rice.
7. Add the rice to your boiling water, stir & return to the boil.
8. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
9. Cook uncovered for about 7 mins until the grains have started to fluff & it’s cooked (taste a few grains to check).
10. Drain & serve.
**You’re wasting your money if you add oil to the water. Oil is lighter than water and simply floats on the surface whilst your rice sits below the surface. It doesn’t stop your rice grains from sticking together (you pour it down the sink when you drain your rice)

Rosie’s Chicken Curry

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Welcome back, I really didn’t realise it had been so long since I last posted!

My creation for you this week?  CHICKEN CURRY!  Curry is a real favourite in my house (to adults and children alike) – not the jar, supermarket cook-chill or take-away kind but good, honest, home made using only the freshest and finest ingredients.

 I don’t use curry sauces or even curry paste from jars but blend my own spices then mix them with vinegar before cooking them off in vegetable oil.  At some point in the future, I’ll share my curry paste recipe with you, but for now, here’s the recipe for my chicken curry.  It feeds 4 in our household and there’s always a leftover portion for tomorrow.

1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 small chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1/2″ piece of ginger, finely chopped
Vegetable oil
3-4 chicken breasts, cubed into bite sized pieces
1tbs curry paste (or to taste) Pataks etc.
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 pint chicken stock
Tin coconut milk
2oz sultanas (handful or two!)
1 eating apple, cubed
1tbs Mango chutney
1 bunch fresh coriander
Basmati rice

1.  Add a little bit of oil to a large pan (I always use my wok to cook mine.

2.   Add the onion, garlic, chilli and ginger.

3. Fry until the onion is transparent then add the chicken.

4.  Cook until the chicken has browned

5. Add the curry paste and lemon juice.

6.  Cook for 2-3 minutes to flavour the chicken.

7.  Add the stock and boil rapidly to reduce by approximately 1/3.

8.  Add the sultanas, chopped apple, mango chutney and coconut milk.

9.  Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer while preparing your rice.

10. Measure your rice into a large bowl/jug.

11.  Cover with boiling water, stir and leave to soften the rice kernels.

12.  Bring a saucepan of water to the boil.  I always use the largest saucepan that I have to give the rice plenty of space to float about and therefore not stick together.

13.  Drain the rice from the bowl/jug and add to the pan of water.  Stir through.  Return the water to the boil and then reduce the heat to give a gentle simmer.  Cook uncovered for 7-8 minutes or until cooked.

14.  While the curry continues to cook, stir it occasionally and use the time to give your work space a good clean down.

15.  Roughly chop the coriander.

16. Add the coriander to the curry and stir through.  Turn off the heat.

17.  Drain the rice through a sieve.  Your rice should be perfectly cooked, light and fluffy with no starchy stickiness.

18.  Serve with naan breads, poppadums etc.

19. End result…..

Enjoy and if you do follow my recipe and like the result, then please return and leave me a comment.

Thanks.

Rosie
x

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