Creamy Chicken Hotpot

 

MUNCH RATING: 4/5

 

This recipe is from an old issue of Waitrose magazine and you can find the original recipe on the Waitrose website.

 

CHANGES TO THE RECIPE:

I’ve made it quite a few times now, but I’ve adapted it as I found the pearl barley took quite a long time to cook. So I give it a head start by cooking it in the stock whilst I prepare all the other ingredients (de-bone the chicken, cut up the squash and leeks). I prefer to use crème fraîche rather than cream cheese as I find it a bit too tangy. I’ve also decreased the quantities for some of the ingredients so it will comfortably feed 2 if served on its own, or 4 people if served with something like mash.

 

TASTE TEST:

I really like this dish as I love butternut squash and the chicken is really tender. The pearl barley releases starch which thickens the sauce and the crème fraîche/cream cheese gives a lovely creaminess.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 500g chicken thigh meat (roughly 4 large thighs)
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 500g butternut squash (about ½ of a large one), peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks
• 1 large leek, washed and thickly sliced
• 750ml hot chicken stock (I used 3 teaspoons of Knorr Chicken Stock granules)
• 75g pearl barley
• 2 heaped Tablespoons ½ fat crème fraîche

 

Directions:

1. Place the pearl barley in a small saucepan with the hot stock and simmer whilst you prepare the other ingredients.
2. Heat the oil in a large pan. Cut each chicken thigh fillet into 4, dust in the flour and brown in the hot oil for 4-5 minutes. Add the squash and leeks, and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
3. Pour in the hot stock and the parboiled barley. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for another 10 minutes until the sauce has reduced slightly, the chicken is cooked and the barley is tender.
4. Stir in the crème fraîche and mix until melted.

Toad in the hole

FIRST ATTEMPT - MUNCH RATING: 3/5

I’ve never been a fan of toad in the hole, as I don’t really like that kind of batter, hence why I don’t like Yorkshire Puddings either. But Steve likes it so I thought I’d treat him to a British classic!

I used the recipe on the BBC Good Food website. I only used 4 sausages as I was only cooking for 2 people, but I made up the whole amount of batter as per the recipe as Steve loves the batter. But he likes it stodgy, so I used a smaller dish than the recipe called for so it would be thicker. This was a big mistake as it was all soggy and undercooked at the bottom and it was pretty inedible. The top part was lovely and crispy though and even I enjoyed eating it, so I would make this recipe again as it was really easy, but next time I will use the correct size dish (see below).

For the onion gravy that goes with it, I used 3 leeks instead as I had them in the fridge and it was still pretty tasty.

• Serves: 4
• Oven temperature: Gas mark 7/425°F/220°C
• You will need: a 20cm x 30cm shallow roasting tin

Ingredients:

• 100g plain flour
• ½ tsp English mustard powder (I used Dijon mustard instead)
• 1 egg
• 300ml milk
• 3 thyme sprigs, leaves only (I left this out as I used Cumberland sausages)
• 8 plain pork sausages (use 2 per person)
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 onions, peeled and sliced
• 1 tsp soft brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon plain flour
• 500ml beef stock

Directions:

1. Make the batter: Heat oven to Gas mark 7/425°F/220°C. Tip flour into the large mixing bowl and stir in the mustard powder with a good pinch of salt. Make a well in the centre, crack in the egg, then pour in a dribble of milk. Stir with a wooden spoon, gradually incorporating some of the flour, until you have a smooth batter in the well. Now add a bit more milk and continue stirring until all the milk and flour has been mixed together.
2. The batter is ready: You should now have a smooth, lump-free batter that is the consistency of double cream. Tip it back into the jug you measured your milk in, for easier pouring later on, then stir in the thyme. Use scissors to snip the links between your sausages, then drop them into a 20 x 30cm roasting tin. Add 1 tbsp of the oil, tossing the sausages in it to thoroughly coat the base of the tin, then roast in the oven for 15 mins (mine took more like 25 mins to cook!).
3. Cook the batter: Take the hot tray from the oven, then quickly pour in the batter - it should sizzle and bubble a little when it first hits the hot fat. Put it back into the oven, then bake for 40 mins until the batter is cooked through, well risen and crisp. If you poke the tip of a knife into the batter in the middle of the tray it should be set, not sticky or runny.
4. Make the gravy: Soften the onions with the remaining oil in a large nonstick frying pan for about 20 mins, stirring often, until they are golden brown. Sprinkle in the sugar for the final 5 mins. Add the spoonful of flour, then cook, constantly stirring, for 2 mins, so it coats the onions and there is no dry flour left. Gradually pour in the stock, stirring well to make a smooth sauce. Bubble for 4-5 mins to thicken, then season. Cut the toad in the hole into large wedges and serve with the gravy spooned over. 

SECOND ATTEMPT  – MUNCH RATING: 4/5

This is my second attempt and it worked much better. I used the correct sized dish so the batter was a lot more crispy and less stodgy, however there were still some soggy bits which Steve happily ate! I actually really enjoyed eating this, so it will become one of my staple recipes.

However, I used a ceramic dish as we didn’t have a roasting tin that was the right size. Quite a lot got stuck to the bottom of the dish. A roasting tin would give a much better result as it would conduct the heat much better, so I might have to buy one just for Toad in the hole! Actually, I think my Swiss roll tin might be the right size, if a little shallow, but it’s worth a try!

Oh and I made the gravy with onions and it was SO much nicer! The onions caramelized and were so much sweeter than the leeks.

Leek, Pea and Bacon Pasta Bake

MUNCH RATING: 4/5

This is one of those speedy suppers that doesn’t require any effort! The result is a really comforting dish of sweet leeks and peas, meaty bacon, pasta and a creamy cheese sauce – yum!

You will need: a large frying pan, a large saucepan

Ingredients:

• 3-6 rashers of bacon, chopped
• 1 leek, finely sliced into rings
• 1 Tablespoon oil
• 140g frozen peas
• 300g pasta shapes
• 200g tub of soft cream cheese (I used Tesco Value, only 45p!)
• 85g mature cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoon mustard (I used Dijon)
• black pepper

Directions:

1. Boil the pasta in plenty of salted, boiling water.
2. Meanwhile, fry the bacon in the oil until it is crispy and then add the leeks and gently fry for 10 minutes until they are soft.
3. Add the peas and gently fry until they’re heated through, about 3 minutes.
4. Reserve 150ml of the cooking water when you drain the pasta. Add this water, the cream cheese, half of the grated cheese and the mustard to the leeks and bacon. Stir until the cheese melts into a creamy sauce. Then stir in the pasta. Scatter the other half of the cheese over the top.
5. Heat the grill to high, then grill your pasta bake for 2-3 minutes until the cheese has melted and turned golden brown.

Leek and Bacon Quiche

MUNCH RATING: 4/5

I’ve never made a quiche before and even though I like Quiche Lorraine, I thought I’d do something a bit different by making a Leek and Bacon one.
I made some shortcrust pastry which was really easy to do and the recipe below makes enough pastry for 2 quiches if using an 8-inch flan tin.
Steve and I did like this quiche a lot as the pastry was really nice and the filling didn’t taste too eggy, but we were discussing different fillings and agreed next time I’ll make a Breakfast Quiche with sausage, bacon and mushrooms. I’d like to add some cherry tomatoes but Steve wasn’t keen on that idea, so I’ll add caramelised onions instead.

• Makes: 1 quiche but enough pastry for 2
• Oven temperature: Gas mark 6/400°F/200°C then Gas mark 4/350°F/180°C
• Prep time: 20 minutes
• Cooking time: 1 hour
• You will need: an 8-inch flan tin

Ingredients for the Shortcrust Pastry:

• 225g plain flour
• 55g butter, cold
• 55g lard, cold
• approx. 9 teaspoons water

Directions for the pastry:

1. Sift the flour and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl.
2. Cut the fat into small pieces and add to the flour. Rub the fat into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. If you shake the bowl, any big lumps of fat should rise to the surface, so you need to rub these in.
3. Make a well in the centre, then add the water and using a round bladed/palette knife, mix into a firm dough. Don’t force the mixture together, if you need to add another teaspoon of water to bring together the dry bits at the bottom of the bowl then that’s fine.
4. There is no need to chill this dough, so you can roll it out and use it straight away or store it in the freezer for another time.
5. You only need half the amount of pastry for 1 quiche, so split it in half and freeze whatever you don’t need - if you have a spare flan tin then it’s ideal if you line that tin with the pastry and then pop the whole thing in the freezer, then it’s ready to use for next time!
6. Preheat the oven to Gas mark 6/400°F/200°C.
7. Roll out your pastry to 2-3mm thick and use it to line an 8-inch flan tin, pressing it into the flutes, then neatly trim away the excess with a knife. If your tin has a lip then make sure it is covered with pastry as when it bakes it will shrink. Then line the tin with some greaseproof paper and fill with a layer of baking beans and bake blind for 15 minutes, it should be pale golden brown. Remove the baking beans and the paper and return the pastry to the oven for about 5 minutes to dry out the base.

Ingredients for the filling:

• 2 medium sized leeks
• 25g butter
• 2-3 rashers of bacon, grilled and cut into pieces
• 75g mature cheddar cheese, grated
• 2 large eggs
• 150ml double cream (I used Elmlea)
• salt and black pepper
• pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions for the filling:

1. Trim the leeks, discarding the dark green part. Wash the white part of the leeks and slice thinly into rings.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the leeks and mix well. Season with salt and black pepper. Cover with a piece of damp greaseproof paper and a lid and sweat the leeks until they are tender. Stir in the bacon.
3. Place the leek and bacon into the blind-baked pastry case and sprinkle on the cheese.
4. Whisk the eggs with the cream, salt and cayenne pepper. Pour the liquid into the pastry case, being careful not to overfill it (you might not need all of it).
5. Place in the top third of your oven and cook for 10 minutes at Gas mark 6/400°F/200°C , then reduce the temperature to Gas mark 4/350°F/180°C and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

I served the quiche with Vichy Carrots: allow one large carrot per person and peel and cut them into even sized batons. Place in a fairly small saucepan and add a generous knob of butter, a pinch of sugar and some salt and pepper. Add enough water to the carrots so that they are barely covered, then boil rapidly for about 10-15 minutes, until the carrots are tender and the water has evaporated so that you are left with a lovely buttery glaze.

Fish Pie

MUNCH RATING: 2/5

All the recipes I had for fish pie were for 6 to 8 people, so I've made a recipe to serve 2 which is easy to double/triple. I made individual pies using little tapas dishes.

They are an ideal dish to prepare in advance, as you make them and then refrigerate overnight. If you do this then I would let them come to room temperature before baking in the oven.

I used salmon and white fish, but some nice smoked haddock would be great in this too. If we'd had some small cooked prawns I would have added those too, but times are hard so we can't afford that luxury!

I served the pies with Creamy Cheesy Leeks which uses some of the white sauce for the pies and they're really delicious.

• Serves: 2
• Oven temperature: Gas mark 5/375°F/190°C moderate/hot
• You will need: 2 oven proof dishes that can each hold 1/2 pint (250ml) 

Ingredients:
FOR THE FILLING 

• 250ml (1 cup) milk
• 25g (1 oz) butter
• 25g (1 oz) flour
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped - green and white parts separated
• 250g (9 oz) fish (I used 2 salmon portions with skins removed and 1 portion thin white fish)
• Salt and pepper

FOR THE POTATO TOPPING

• 500g (17 oz) potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm dice
• 25g (1 oz) butter
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• Salt and pepper 25g (1 oz) grated cheddar cheese (optional) 

Directions:

1. First make the potato topping: Boil the potatoes in water until soft and tender. Drain then mash with the butter and milk over a low heat. Stir in the green parts of the spring onions. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Now poach the fish: Pour the milk into a pan and bring to the boil. Add the fish and gently simmer for about 5 minutes, until just cooked. Lift the fish onto a plate to cool slightly and reserve the hot milk. Break the fish into large chunks, putting them into your dishes.
3. Next make the white sauce: Melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the flour. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the reserved hot milk a little at a time, constantly stirring and simmer for about 5 minutes until you have a smooth, thick sauce. Add the white part of the spring onion. Allow the sauce to cool for a few minutes before mixing in the egg yolk. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Pour the sauce over the fish, reserving about 4 Tablespoons for the leeks. (If you're using prawns then you would add then at this stage).
5. Assemble your pies: spread the mashed potato on top of the pies and sprinkle the cheese over the top. Put the pies onto a baking sheet and bake them for 15-20 minutes until the piping hot and they are nice and golden brown.

CREAMY CHEESY LEEKS:

1. Wash 2 medium leeks, cut in half lengthways and then slice thinly into half-moons.
2. Melt a knob of butter in a pan and add the leeks. Gently fry until coated in the butter and then add a splash of water. Fry the leeks until nicely softened.
3. Add the reserved white sauce and a handful of grated cheese and mix well. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

PHOTOGRAPHY UPDATE: I used my new Photo Tent to take this photo and used 2 bedside lamps. I'm quite pleased with the result, but I am going to buy some angled desk lamps with trumpet bulbs as they produce white light (5000k daylight balanced neutral colour). Credit goes to Steve for a little Photoshop airbrushing!

Creamy chicken and leek pasta

I wanted to make a healthier version of a cream sauce because I've been making so many cakes recently and thought I should balance out my diet a bit! This recipe produces a lovely smooth sauce and has a lot of flavour. It would also be great piled on top of a Jacket Potato!

I have to admit I didn't take a photo because I was too focused on eating! But I will definitely be making this again so I'll take a photo next time before I wolf it down!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• Pasta for 2 people (I used Bucatini which is my favourite)
• 2 rashers of Bacon, cut into small strips
• 2 Chicken Thighs, cut into small strips
• 1 medium Leek, washed and cut into rings
• A few Mushrooms, washed and sliced
• 1 clove Garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp Plain Flour
• 300ml Stock (I used Marigold Swiss Vegetable Bouillon Powder)
• 1 tbsp Wholegrain or French Mustard
• Pinch Cayenne Pepper
• 2 tbsp Creme Fraiche or low-fat cream cheese

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to pack instructions whilst you make the sauce.
2. Fry the bacon in a little olive oil until brown and crispy. Add the chicken and fry until brown as well. Remove meat from the pan and put in a bowl, but retain the oils and juices in the pan.
3. Fry the mushrooms and leeks for about 5 minutes until softened, then add the garlic.
4. Return the meat to the pan, then stir in the flour.
5. Add the stock, mustard and cayenne and simmer until the stock has reduced by half.
6. Add the creme fraiche or cream cheese and simmer until dissolved and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
7. Drain the cooked pasta and reserve a couple of tablespoons of the cooking water.
8. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss until fully coated in the sauce. Add some of the cooking water if necessary to help bind and thicken the sauce.