Category Archives: Dinner

Whole Roast Chicken in Yoghurt and Herbs

This is a super simple recipe I make quite often, the results are spectacular with hardly any effort, the marinade does all the work and the result is a very tender and juicy chicken seasoned throughout.

Leftovers are amazing in sandwiches or salads.

Ingredients;

3 lb. Chicken
2 onion quartered with their golden skins still on
a few carrots, peeled in chunks
2 celery stalks, cut in to large pieces
2 bay leafs
1 garlic head separated

For the marinade;

1/2 C. Greek yoghurt 10% fat
20 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. prepared mustard
1 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. onion powder
1/4 C. fresh parsley chopped
1 tsp. each dried thyme and tarragon
1 tbsp. fresh basil chopped
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed

Mix the marinade ingredients.

Rub the marinade all over, including under the skin of the breast. Marinate in the fridge for up to 24 hrs.

Heat oven to 200 C / 350 ° F. Put the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, rosemary and the torn up bay leafs in a roasting tin. Sit the chicken on top.

Put a small oven proof container in the bottom of the oven filled with water, about a cup is enough. This will ensure a moist Chicken.

Place the chicken in the oven and roast for 1 and a half hours to 1 hour and 45 minutes or until the thigh juices run clear when tested with a skewer. lf the chicken get to dark by the legs or the top of the back, just cover that small area loosely with tin foil.

When the chicken is done, lift out of the tin, sit in a new dish, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with the roast onions, carrots, garlic cloves and pan gravy.

Enjoy!

Endive Gratin with Baked Apples, Blue cheese and Thyme

5 Replies

Serves 4 as a side dish

Who disliked Endives as a kid?… raise your hands….

Well I don’t know about you, but I really really disliked Endives when I was a child. Always prepared so very over cooked. Boiled and then rolled in some cheap ham and covered in cheese. It was bitter and the consistency was just aweful.

Thank goodness we have come a long way since then when it comes to being creative with endive. Really there is more than just Waldorf salad and the typical gratin.

I actually love this dish and some times I eat it with just some steamed new potatoes, it’s that satisfying. But I think it goes particularly well with white meats like chicken or pork.

Ingredients;

6 Large heads of Endive, about 1.5 lbs.

3 tbsp butter

2 tbsp. pine nuts

2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thin.

1 tablespoon fresh Thyme leafs

1/4 C. white wine

5 oz. blue cheese, 2 medium apples, peeled, core removed, cut in wedges

2 tbsp. honey

2 – 3 tbsp. pine nuts

Method;

In a large frying pan, melt one tablespoon of butter and when hot add the apples. Fry for about 5 minutes then add 1 tbsp. of honey, cook for another 3 to 5 minutes until golden brown. Transfer the apple slices to a plate and reserve.

Cut the endive in half lengthwise and remove bruised outer leafs if necessary. Slice away a small bit from the bottom.

In the same pan, add the remaining two tablespoons of butter. Add the endive cut side down and sprinkle over the thyme, season with salt and pepper.Cook for about 5 minutes before adding the garlic and the remaining honey, and turn them once in a while. Add the white wine. Depending on how thick they are, cook for about 10 to 15 minutes. Pierce with a knife to check if they are tender but still a little bit firm.

Turn on the grill.

Transfer the endive to a baking dish and gently place the baked apple wedges around the sides.

Cut the blue cheese in slices and divide over the endive. Sprinkle over the pine nuts.

Grill the endives for about 5 minutes until nice and melted and golden. Keep an eye on it!

Enjoy

Myra Xo

Not quite what you were looking for? How about a Beet Salad

Sticky Shrimp and Pineapple with Jasmin Rice.

7 Replies

A super quick Sticky Shrimp and Pineapple dish that everyone is going to love. It’s very easy and so fast and also so much healthier than take out.

Serves 4

Ingredients;

1 lb. cleaned and de-veined Jumbo Shrimp

1 C. Fresh Pineapple Chunks

2 tsp. Ground nut oil, or canola
2 cloves garlic peeled and grated
1/2 thumb sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled, finely chopped or grated

1 piece of stem ginger in syrup from a jar, chopped
1 tbsp. Soy sauce

1 tbsp Ketjap manis
½ cup chicken stock
2 tbsp. Shaoxing Wine, or Dry Sherry
2 tbsp. tomato paste
2 tsp. hoisin sauce
2 tsp. honey or coconut sugar

1 tsp. Sambal Oelek
1/3 C tbsp. cold water mixed with 2 tsp. corn starch.

Method:

In a bowl mix the ingredients for the sauce; Soy sauce, Ketjap manis, chicken stock, Shaoxing Wine, tomato paste,Sambal Oelek, hoisin sauce and honey or coconut sugar.

In a wok heat the oil and fry Garlic and ginger for a minutes or so on medium heat. Turn the heat to high before adding the shrimp. Fry for a minute, add the pineapple and the sauce, lower the heat again to medium and let come to a simmer.

Dissolve the cornstarch in cold water and add to the sauce.

Gently cook for about 3 minutes until sauce has thickened and shrimp a cooked. If the sauce is too thick add a little more water, taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve immediately over some Jasmin rice or noodles. I serve this with cucumber sticks.

Soft Baja Fish Tacos with charred Corn, Serrano ham crisps and Avocado Crema.

4 Replies

Serves 4

Prep time: 15 – 20 min.

Can you believe the end of Summer is almost here? For me, or us I should say since we discussed this the other day here in our home, summer has really flown by so quickly. It seem like just yesterday we were baking Summer Cupcakes to celebrate the end of exams and the beginning of a long warm summer of lazying about.

The kids are back in school and we are all just getting into the rythm again of school life.

The weather however is still warm for this time of year, so I figured we should still enjoy some light dinners while we can.

This dish definitely has a summer vibe about it. It’s really quick to make so there’s no unnecessary over time in the kitchen when you could be sitting out in the garden with a glass of wine or a cold beer instead.

I have used tortillas with Nopalitos for this recipes, which adds an extra bonus. If you can find them I really recommend them. The Serrano ham could be substituted for Parma ham if you prefer or happen to have it in the fridge, the crispy saltyness of the ham goes really well with the fish and adds a nice crunch.

WARNING!!! Once you taste the Avocado crema you might finish it all before dinner!

Ingredients Fish Taco’s;

8 Soft Tacos shells, I used ones with nopalitos in them

1 lb. firm white fish, cut into chunks (snapper, tilapia, halibut, catfish, sea bass)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp. Taco Seasoning

1/4 tsp. Fennel seeds

1/4 tsp anise seeds

Salt and pepper

2 ears of corn, cleaned

4 slices Serrano ham

1 – 2 C. Shredded lettuce

1/4 C. sliced spring onions and coriander for garnish

Ingredients Avocado Crema;

1 Avocado, skin and stone removed

2 oz, cream cheese

1/2 C. greek yoghurt

1/4 C.mayonaisse

a squeeze of lime juice

salt and pepper

a small handful Coriander

Let’s make the Avocado Crema first;

Put all the ingredients for the crema in a blender. Blend until creamy and season to taste. Put in a small serving bowl and cover with cling film and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Let’s prepare the Corn;

Put a griddle pan on the stove and heat to medium high. Spray the corn with some cooking oil and place on to the griddle pan. Cook for about ten minutes turning often. Lower the heat a bit if it chars too fast. When cooked, remove from heat and place on a cutting board. Let cool a bit. When you can handle the corn, hold it upright and cut down with a sharp knife to remove the kernels. Reserve until ready to add to the fish.

In a pestle and morter place the Taco Seasoning , Fennel seeds, anise seeds and salt and pepper. Bash until fine.

Season the fish chunks with the seasoning.

Heat a large frying pan on high heat, add 1 tbsp. olive oil, add the Jamon Serrano ham slices and fry for a few minutes until very crispy. Remove from pan and drain on kitchen paper until ready to use.

Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and fry the fish chunks for about 4 to 5 minutes.

Meanwhile heat your tortillas according to package instructions.

To serve put a bit of shredded lettuce on the tortilla topped with crsipy fish chunks, corn, and avocado cream, sprinkle over some chopped coriander and serve straight away.

Serve with some grilled tomato slices

Not quite what you’re looking for? How about this Cajun Jumbo Shrimp Tacos with Corn, a Peach & Koriander Salsa and Roasted Pepper Aïoli