Baked Chicken with Prosciutto, Shallots and Grapes

A small piece of blue cheese, some fresh green beans, 2 shallots and some red grapes, as well as a day of cooler weather gave us this meal. The chicken was full of flavours and textures...fresh thyme and garlic on the inside; salty, crispy prosciutto on the outside; sweet, juicy grapes and tender caramelized shallots; a pan sauce that was based on red wine, along with the salt from the prosciutto and the sweet grape juice, and all the chicken juices.

Add into the equation crisp green beans  and soft, creamy polenta with sharp, tangy blue cheese melting into it. This meal was better than I hoped for, especially as it was only the second time I've roasted grapes (see the post Quinoa Salad with Roasted Grapes and Spiced Honey Roasted Almonds), which my husband thinks is weird. It's not really that different to raisins that are cooked for a while in a liquid and plump up!

Start by heating the oven to 375F and having an ovenproof dish ready.

Rub the inside of the 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs with:

3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Drizzle of olive oil

Roll the chicken thighs up as tightly as you can.

Wrap each chicken thigh roll in a thin slice of prosciutto, and skewer with a toothpick. Push the toothpick right through the chicken to hold the roll together.

Set aside while you cook the shallots.

In a bit of olive oil, cook over medium high heat, until starting to caramelize:

2 large shallots, peeled and cut into small wedges
Salt and pepper

Remove to a plate.

Add the wine to the hot pan:

1/3 cup red wine

Allow it to boil, scraping any bits off the bottom of the pan. Reduce by half.

Place the caramelized shallots in the bottom of an ovenproof dish.

Pour the reduced red wine in.

Place the rolled chicken thighs on top of the wine and shallots.

Place into the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, remove the dish from the oven and add:

3 handfuls of red grapes

Place the dish back into the oven and bake until the chicken is fully cooked, about 25 minutes.



The prosciutto will be crispy on the top, the grapes will be soft and some will have burst. The shallots will be very tender and all of the juices from the wine, grapes and chicken will have combined to make a delicious pan sauce. Allow the chicken to rest while you plate the polenta.

Place a portion of hot, soft polenta in the centre of each dish, and crumble blue cheese over the top.

The polenta recipe can be found in the post

Grilled Herbed Polenta. Serve it straight from the pot while it is still soft.

 

 

Add steamed green beans...

 

...and place the chicken thighs on top. Add some of the grapes and shallots, as well as sauce to the bowl.

• You can use bone in chicken thighs if you prefer, but remove the skin; it will go soggy. Chicken breast can also be used, as can pork or beef tenderloin.
• The chicken can be seasoned, rolled and wrapped up to a day ahead of cooking. Keep it well wrapped and refrigerated.
• Bacon or pancetta can be substituted for the prosciutto.
• Try other herbs such as rosemary or sage.
• The blue cheese can be put inside the chicken before it is rolled and wrapped.
• If you don't have grapes, or also think that roasting them is weird, use figs, plums, peaches or apricots. You can also omit them, but they add a lot of sweetness to the dish and sauce.
• I made the polenta using milk and olive oil, with a handful of Parmesan added in at the end. If you make extra you can use it to grill, as I did in the post Grilled Herbed Polenta.

Apricot Hoisin Chicken Thighs

Meals like this, that are invented based on all the bits and pieces in my fridge really make me happy when they turn out. There are the times when that is not the case...I just don't share those!

In my efforts to use as many apricots from our tree as possible, I had made a batch of apricot butter, and had a partial jar in the fridge. I used that in the marinade, along with a tablespoon of Balsamic vinaigrette (basically olive oil and Balsamic vinegar), some of the last few green onions and the last of the soy sauce.

The vegetables in the stir fry were all bits and pieces from other meals....8 spears of asparagus, a dozen or so snowpeas, half a red pepper, and the last 2 green onions. Add in some steamfried noodles, and a bit of the chicken marinade, and dinner is good to go.

The apricot  butter was not too sweet, and still had the tartness of the apricots coming through. Together with the Balsamic vinaigrette this offset the sweetness of the hoisin sauce.



To make the marinade, combine:

1/4 cup apricot butter
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Balsamic vinaigrette
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
3 green onions, minced
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Add:

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs.

Turn to coat on all sides, cover and leave for 30 minutes.




Heat and oil the grill when you are ready to cook the chicken. Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade for the stirfry.

I prepped the vegetables for the stirfried noodles while the chicken was marinating: thinly sliced red and yellow peppers, snow peas, asparagus and green onions along with minced garlic and ginger.
I cooked the noodles and vegetables when the chicken was grilling, and almost done. Not much time is needed for stirfried vegetables.

Cook the chicken on the grill, turning often and basting with the marinade.

When the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the grill and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

The chicken will be golden and slightly crisp on the outside; moist and juicy on the inside.




I served 3 chicken thighs per person, on a bed of stirfried red and yellow peppers, snow peas, asparagus and green onions tossed with steamfried noodles, and the last of the marinade. The chicken was sweet and sour from the hoisin and apricot butter. Delicious!

• Apricot butter is the same thing as apple butter. It is the fruit, cooked down along with a bit of sweetener. It uses a lot less sugar than jam does, so more of the fruit flavour comes through, in this case the tartness of the apricots. I used honey as the sweetener in my apricot butter.
• You can use other fruit butters for the recipe...apple, peach, pear, plum or pumpkin.
• The Balsamic vinaigrette I had in the fridge was extra from a salad. I use a ratio of 1:1 oil to vinegar to start and then adjust it to taste, depending on what is in the salad. I season it with salt and black pepper. Use 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon of Balsamic vinegar instead.
• I marinaded the chicken for half an hour, more to add flavour than to tenderize. The chicken can be marinaded overnight.
• Using the marinade as a baste is safe as long as each application gets well cooked. Cook the chicken fully on the last side to be basted before removing it from the grill.
• The same applies to the marinade added to the stirfry...make sure it boils for at least 30 seconds before you serve it.
• Add a spoonful of crunchy peanut butter to the stirfry if you wish to.
• Cook extra chicken and shred it to use for sandwhiches, wraps or pizza toppings.

Tandoori Turkey Burger with Apricot Chutney Mayonnaise

The other day I made a batch of apricot chutney and thought that it would be really nice on a tandoori
chicken burger. Of course, I only had ground turkey, but I did have some garlic naan bread in the freezer, so I used that instead of burger buns. Why not?!

Going with what I had to use the burgers had baby spinach instead of lettuce (last handful), roasted red pepper instead of tomato (no tomatoes, but lots of peppers) and caramelized onion instead of fresh (leftovers from another meal).

I used soft goat cheese, which added creaminess and tanginess; I find that it is a good choice with Indian spices.

As tandoori chicken is marinated with spices and yoghurt, I decided to use yoghurt instead of egg in the burger patty. These were nice and moist, and full of flavour.


Combine:

2/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 1/2 teaspoons tandoori masala
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup plain Greek yoghurt
3/4 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic

Add:

1 pound ground turkey thigh

Mix until well combined with the breadcrumbs and spices.




Divide the mixture into 4, and form into patties. If you are not planning on grilling immediately, wrap and keep the patties refrigerated. As I was only cooking for 2 people, I froze the 2 extra patties for another meal.

To cook the burgers, lightly rub both sides with olive oil, and grill on a well oiled grill.

When the burgers are almost fully cooked, add a piece of naan bread per burger to the grill to heat up.





While the burgers are grilling, gather the rest of the burger garnishes:

Fresh baby spinach
Roasted red pepper, thinly sliced
Caramelized onion
Crumbled soft goat cheese
Apricot chutney mayonnaise

To make the apricot chutney mayonnaise, combine equal amounts of mayonnaise and apricot chutney. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Spread each warm naan bread with the chutney mayonnaise.

Add a handful of spinach to one side of the bread.

Add the cooked turkey burger, and top it with roasted red pepper.

Next up, a layer of crumbled goat cheese...

...and finally a generous helping of caramelized onions.







Serve the burger open faced and allow people to fold the naan bread over, or fold it over and serve it ready to go. Either way, this is a delicious, spicy, sweet, tangy burger that will satisfy anyone's hunger.

• Use ground chicken, beef, pork or lamb if you wish to. You can also use chicken breast, marinated in the yoghurt and spices and either omit the breadcrumbs and grill the chicken, or use breadcrumbs as a crust and pan fry / bake the chicken.
• To freeze extra patties, layer each one with a square of parchment paper to prevent them from sticking to each other. Wrap well, place into a container or freezer bag and freeze until you are ready to use them.
• Other breads such as burger buns, different flatbreads or even no bread at all can be used instead of Naan bread.
• Use plain mayonnaise and add chutney instead of combining the two. You could also make a cucumber raita to add to the burger. Do this by mixing together plain Greek yoghurt, finely diced cucumber, chopped fresh mint and green onions and cumin (ground or seeds). Season with salt, pepper and a bit of lemon juice.
• Add fresh tomatoes, crispy chick peas or grilled paneer instead of goat cheese(see the post
  
  Paneer and Red Pepper Kebabs with Turmeric and Green Pea Rice).
   
   

Pesto Linguine with Grilled Scallops, Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes

This light, elegant pasta was the result of a fridge and cupboard cleanout...6 jumbo scallops left in the package I had bought for a previous meal; some fresh picked yellow and red cherry tomatoes from a neighbour that were at peak ripeness and wouldn't last if not used; 16 spears of asparagus; spinach, arugula and basil pesto that I had made and not yet frozen; lemon infused olive oil and some toasted pinenuts.

I asked my husband to make some fresh linguine, which he was only too happy to do, as linguine with pesto is one of his favourite dishes! The pesto I had made using basil and arugula that I had grown. The arugula had quite an intense peppery bite to it, which gave the pesto an extra kick.

I marinated the scallops very briefly in lemon infused olive oil and cayenne pepper, which complimented their sweetness. The fresh, homegrown cherry tomatoes marinated in some of the pesto; the heat from the pasta warmed them to room temperature, perfect for a summer night dinner.

This is a meal that can be prepared in the time it takes water to boil, and pasta to cook.

On a plate, combine:

1 -2 tablespoons lemon infused olive oil
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch of salt and ground black pepper

Add:

6 cleaned, jumbo scallops

Turn to coat on all sides. Cover and set aside while you prepare the pasta and vegetables.



Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Oil and heat the barbecue. Cut 16 spears of fresh asparagus into 3" lengths; these will be blanched in the pasta water when it boils. While the water and barbecue are heating, prepare the sauce...

Cut cherry tomatoes in half, and toss with pesto:

1 cup halved tomatoes
1 - 2 tablespoons of pesto

Set aside.




When the pasta water starts to boil, add the pasta. If you are using fresh pasta as I was, it only takes a few minutes to cook, so the scallops can be put onto the grill right away, and the asparagus can be added to the water when the pasta is half cooked.

If using dried pasta, allow it to cook until almost done before putting the scallops onto the grill and adding the asparagus.

Thread the scallops onto 2 bamboo skewers, as shown.

Grill the scallops on the hot grill, until just cooked. This only takes about 2 - 3 minutes per side.

Remove from the grill and plate your pasta.




Drain the cooked pasta and return to the pot.
Add:

the cherry tomatoes and pesto
the blanched asparagus
1/4 cup of pesto
salt and pepper to taste





To serve, divide the pasta, cherry tomatoes and asparagus between 2 plates, and place 3 of the grilled scallops on top. Garnish with grated Parmeasan and toasted pinenuts. Buon appetito!

• I had purchased a package of frozen jumbo scallops, and used some of them to make Thai Red Curry Crusted Halibut with a Lime Coconut Broth using scallops instead of halibut. There were 6 scallops left, so I used them for this meal.
•  Make sure to clean the 'foot' off the scallops before cooking them. This is a small muscle on the side of each scallop, and it can be very tough if cooked. It peels off very easily.
• The marinade for the scallops was really just to add flavour. The oil also prevents sticking on the barbecue.
• Any flavour infused olive oil can be used. If you don't have any, use extra virgin olive oil and add grated lemon zest.
• Using 2 skewers for the scallops stops them from swinging around when you turn them on the grill. It keeps them flat and they cook evenly.
• Any pesto can be used. As I mentioned, the fresh arugula in mine was quite peppery, which gave the dish a lovely bite.
• If your pesto does not contain spinach, consider adding shredded fresh spinach to the pasta with the tomatoes, asparagus and pesto.
• The asparagus can be grilled.
• Prawns, firm white fish such as cod, salmon or chicken can be used instead of the scallops.

 

Upside Down Blueberry Muffins

The last of the blueberries were getting slightly soft, better for suited for baking with than eating fresh, so I made these muffins with them, and the zest from the last lemon in the fruit bowl. I used the lemon juice to make a salad dressing for dinner.

The batter is flavoured with a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg, and has a light, tender crumb. The real star of the muffin is the sticky caramel and blueberries that are baked under the batter, and end up being the top of the muffin when unmoulded. A slightly different take on a blueberry muffin...a bit more fun, and a bit more messy!

As the muffins cook, the blueberries release their juice into the caramel, and also partly into the muffin. These were a very tasty breakfast with a fresh peach, and my coffee this morning...

Before you start, lightly grease a muffin pan. Place onto a baking sheet to catch any drips (the caramel can bubble) and set aside. Heat the oven to 250F.

In a small saucepan, melt:

2 ounces butter with
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Stir in:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Cook, stirring, until the sugar has melted and the mixture just starts to bubble.

Divide the caramel between 10 muffin cups in the greased pan.

Divide the blueberries between the 10 muffin cups. I used:

3/4 cup fresh blueberries

Set aside while you make the muffin batter.

Cream until light and fluffy:

4 ounces softened butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar

Add:

1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix to combine.

Add half of the dry ingredients, and mix on low to combine.







The full amount of dry ingredients is:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg

Add the wet ingredients and mix to combine:

3/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons milk






Add the remaining half of the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, scraping the bowl down well to make sure all the dry ingredients have been incorporated.

Divide the batter between the 10 muffin cups, being careful not to disturb the caramel and blueberries.

Bake until a skewer inserted into the middle of the muffins comes out clean and dry, and the tops of the muffins are golden and slightly cracked.

This should take 25 - 28 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave for 5 minutes before unmoulding the muffins from the pan.

 To remove from the pan, gently loosen the top edges of each muffin. Place a cooling rack over the top of the muffins and flip it over.

Leave for a couple of minutes, allowing the caramel and blueberries to separate from the pan.

Carefully lift the muffin pan away from the muffins.

Your upside down muffins are ready to serve!!!

• This muffin is a version of the classic pineapple upside down cake...smaller size, different fruit, still an amazing contrast of sticky caremelized fruit and soft, tender cake.
• Feel free to use any fruit you have available...peaches, plums, apricots, pineapple, banana, rhubarb.
• Add chopped nuts to the caramel...pecans, almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts.
• Other spices that can be used include fresh or ground ginger; aniseed; cardamom.
• If you have no sour cream, use plain yoghurt or buttermilk. You can also add the juice from the lemon to the equivalent amount of milk and leave it to curdle before adding it to the batter.
• If you use bananas or pineapple as your fruit, consider substituting rum for 1 tablespoon of the milk.
• It is important to leave the muffins for a minute or two before attempting to unmould them. This allows the hot caramel to firm up a bit. Don't wait too long, however as it will set too firmly and not come out as easily. If this happens put the pan back into the oven for a minute or two to soften it up.
• Remember hot caramel is sticky and burns! Do not serve these until it has cooled down enough to eat without burning any tongues.

Double Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies

This cookie recipe, adapted from Regan Daley's "In the Sweet Kitchen" is one of my favourite...

There is no better use for some dried cranberries that had been forgotten and dried out even more!
Add to that the last of a bag of dark chocolate chips....




I soaked my cranberries in hot water to plump them up a bit before adding them to the cookie dough. This step can be omitted if you have moist, plump dried fruit.

The cookies are best if removed from the oven when still slightly soft in the centre, as they will then stay chewy. If you prefer them crisper, leave them in the oven a bit longer.

There is not much more to say, other than ready...set...bake!

About half an hour before you start making the cookies, soak the dried cranberries in boiling water:

1/2 cup roughly chopped dried cranberries
Enough boiling water to cover them




When you are ready to make the cookie dough, drain the cranberries, lightly pressing to remove any excess water. Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside until needed. Turn the oven on to heat up to 350F.

To make the cookie dough, cream until light and fluffy:

1 cup soft butter
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar

Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl down in between:

2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

 Add the sifted dry ingredients:

2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda

Mix on low speed until just combined.

Add:

the drained cranberries
1 cup chocolate chips

Mix until combined.

Divide the cookie dough into 24 balls, placing them on the 2 prepared trays, and flattening slightly.






Bake for 15 - 18 minutes, until the cookies have puffed up and spread slightly. They should be set, but slightly soft in the centre when gently pressed. Allow the cookies to cool before removing from the tray and serving.

I like to serve them warm from the oven, with the chocolate still gooey and melting...

• The original recipe in the book uses dried cherries and toffee bits, but I have found that anything works well in the rich, chocolatey dough. Try nuts; white, milk or dark (or all three) chocolate chips or chunks; dried cranberries or cherries; toffee bits; spices such as cinnamon or cayenne pepper.
• I like to make a large batch of dough, divide it into the cookie sized balls and freeze them. It is then easy to defrost a few and bake them so that you have straight from the oven cookies every time!
• These would be excellent for ice cream sandwhiches.
• The cocoa can be replaced with flour if you wish.