Not sure if many of you have been following this, but it is truly amazing what crap children get served up with every day in some American schools. This teacher's (Mrs Q) "project" is a brilliant idea, a great grass-roots way to raise awareness of the issue. Is it any wonder kids have mood swings, ADD, don't pay attention etc etc?
OK - soap box getting put away :)
http://fedupwithschoollunch.blogspot.com/
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Roast Chicken
This recipe is pretty simple, with a bit of fussing, but not too much considering the end result!
I made this roast chicken for my wonderful friend (Hello Mrs Robertson!) and her gorgeous new hubbie.
A roast is always great because, you just put it in the oven and let it be, you don't have to keep checking on it etc, leaving you more time to spend with any guests etc.
Buy the very best chicken you can afford (free range, bio-dynamic are great, but as I discovered to my surprise at the check out, these chicks ain't cheap: around $20 - $25 (at Harris Farm even!). . . but totally, totally worth it, especially for a special occasion).
Roast Chicken (a bit decadent, but very good!)
1) Rinse your chicken inside and out (just open the bum-cavity & let the water flood in. . . charming I know), shake excess water off, and pat dry w/ paper towel.
2) Take some softened butter (about 100g I guess, not melted, just leave it out at room temp overnight, you want it to be 'squishy'); add the zest of 2 lemons & 2 crushed & sliced cloves of garlic to the butter. Mix it all together w/ a fork until you have created a lemon-garlic-spread kind of thing.
3) Take the 2 zested lemons, quarter them, and put them into the cavity (up the bum! Last bum reference, I promise. For today anyways.)
4) Place the chicken on its back & with your index finger gently 'raise' or separate the skin from the breast (one side at a time - you don't want to tear the 'barrier' between the 2 breasts . . .yes, from bums to boobs!).
You want it to still be attached at the side of the breast, but you are trying to separate the main part of the breast from its skin so you can then take the 'butter-spread' & put it into the space created between the skin & the breast.
Massage the skin (or use any other method you fancy) to spread the butter mix across the breast as evenly as possible . . . but it really doesn't have to be too exact: it is butter! It will melt anyways! Repeat w/ the other breast.
Don't worry if you pierce the skin, it doesn't matter that much (I mean, try not to, but if you do, don't despair).
6) With any extra spread, or just a little extra butter, rub the chicken all over. Then give a good glug of olive oil over the chicken & rub this all over: this will turn the chicken a gorgeous shade of brown when it is roasting (no, this is not the world's healthiest roast chicken, but damn it is good).
7) If you have a roasting rack, put that into your roasting pan, and pop the chicken on top. If you don't have a roasting rack, do you have a cake rack or similar? If the chicken is elevated, you can pop the potatoes (if doing roasted spuds) underneath so they cook with the amazing drippings falling over them from the chook. Not a big deal if you don't have one: of course they can all just sit in the same dish.
8) Put the chicken into an oven pre-heated at 180'c. Cook for apx 1.5hours, depending on the weight.
That's it!
Gravy
To make the gravy, remove the chicken & any veg from the pan, and skim off as much fat as possible (will not help the gravy come together: you want the chicken 'juice', not the 'liquid chicken fat').
Add about a 1/4 cup of plain flour to the remaining liquid in the pan, stirring to brown the flour & it becomes cobwebby. And any juices from the carved chicken, and if more liquid is required, dip a tea-cup into the boiling veg water, and add it to the gravy pan (adding more than 1 cup if necessary). Crumble in 1 chicken stock cube, and stir until well combined. Taste, season w/ S&P as necessary.
I made this roast chicken for my wonderful friend (Hello Mrs Robertson!) and her gorgeous new hubbie.
A roast is always great because, you just put it in the oven and let it be, you don't have to keep checking on it etc, leaving you more time to spend with any guests etc.
Buy the very best chicken you can afford (free range, bio-dynamic are great, but as I discovered to my surprise at the check out, these chicks ain't cheap: around $20 - $25 (at Harris Farm even!). . . but totally, totally worth it, especially for a special occasion).
Roast Chicken (a bit decadent, but very good!)
1) Rinse your chicken inside and out (just open the bum-cavity & let the water flood in. . . charming I know), shake excess water off, and pat dry w/ paper towel.
2) Take some softened butter (about 100g I guess, not melted, just leave it out at room temp overnight, you want it to be 'squishy'); add the zest of 2 lemons & 2 crushed & sliced cloves of garlic to the butter. Mix it all together w/ a fork until you have created a lemon-garlic-spread kind of thing.
3) Take the 2 zested lemons, quarter them, and put them into the cavity (up the bum! Last bum reference, I promise. For today anyways.)
4) Place the chicken on its back & with your index finger gently 'raise' or separate the skin from the breast (one side at a time - you don't want to tear the 'barrier' between the 2 breasts . . .yes, from bums to boobs!).
You want it to still be attached at the side of the breast, but you are trying to separate the main part of the breast from its skin so you can then take the 'butter-spread' & put it into the space created between the skin & the breast.
Massage the skin (or use any other method you fancy) to spread the butter mix across the breast as evenly as possible . . . but it really doesn't have to be too exact: it is butter! It will melt anyways! Repeat w/ the other breast.
Don't worry if you pierce the skin, it doesn't matter that much (I mean, try not to, but if you do, don't despair).
6) With any extra spread, or just a little extra butter, rub the chicken all over. Then give a good glug of olive oil over the chicken & rub this all over: this will turn the chicken a gorgeous shade of brown when it is roasting (no, this is not the world's healthiest roast chicken, but damn it is good).
7) If you have a roasting rack, put that into your roasting pan, and pop the chicken on top. If you don't have a roasting rack, do you have a cake rack or similar? If the chicken is elevated, you can pop the potatoes (if doing roasted spuds) underneath so they cook with the amazing drippings falling over them from the chook. Not a big deal if you don't have one: of course they can all just sit in the same dish.
8) Put the chicken into an oven pre-heated at 180'c. Cook for apx 1.5hours, depending on the weight.
That's it!
Gravy
To make the gravy, remove the chicken & any veg from the pan, and skim off as much fat as possible (will not help the gravy come together: you want the chicken 'juice', not the 'liquid chicken fat').
Add about a 1/4 cup of plain flour to the remaining liquid in the pan, stirring to brown the flour & it becomes cobwebby. And any juices from the carved chicken, and if more liquid is required, dip a tea-cup into the boiling veg water, and add it to the gravy pan (adding more than 1 cup if necessary). Crumble in 1 chicken stock cube, and stir until well combined. Taste, season w/ S&P as necessary.
It has been a long, long time, but here I go again!
An out of the blue email from an old friend who is hosting a dinner party, combined with successful Madeline & chocolate-mousse-cake making over the weekend has inspired me to start paying more attention to my blog again.
I promise at least one post a week.
My friend (shout-out: Mel T!) is having 3 foodies over for dinner, and wondered if I had any menu-suggestions.
To start:
Gordon Ramsay's Broccoli Soup.
This is just the yummiest soup in the world, and amazingly healthy. The most important thing is to buy the best, freshest broccoli you can. This should make 2 very generous serves, or up to 4 serves as a starter.
* 1 large or 2 medium broccoli heads
* Salt
* Ground black pepper
* water
* olive oil
For a slightly fancy version:
* toasted almonds slivers (to garnish)
* 2slices goats cheese (per bowl, to garnish)
1) Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add a large pinch of salt. Add broccoli and boil rapidly.
2) You will want to slice your goat cheese at this point if you’re making the fancy version. Dip the knife into the boiling hot water before each slice for even smooth cuts. Cut two slices of goat cheese per bowl being served.
3) Your broccoli is finished cooking when you can pierce it with little or no effort. Remove the pot from the stove burner. DO NOT POUR THE WATER OUT! Use a slotted spoon to put broccoli into a blender. Pour enough of the water left over from cooking the broccoli to fill the blender half way. Add a pinch (or more) of salt.
***Before you start to pulse, wrap a tea-towel around whatever hand is touching the blender jug itself (even the lid): the contents are SCOLDINGLY hot (painful experience talking here!). ***
Use several pulses on your blender to break the broccoli up and then puree for a few seconds, until you get a nice, creamy consistency. Add more water if necessary (shouldn't be).
4) If you are making the 'fancy version', place some almond slivers to the bottom of a bowl and then place pieces of goat cheese on top of them.
5) Pour the soup into the bowl. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and serve at once: Yum!
If you look on youtube (just search 'Gordon Ramsay Broccoli Soup) you will see a video of him making this (or try this link):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvc8Au4YO60
I promise at least one post a week.
My friend (shout-out: Mel T!) is having 3 foodies over for dinner, and wondered if I had any menu-suggestions.
To start:
Gordon Ramsay's Broccoli Soup.
This is just the yummiest soup in the world, and amazingly healthy. The most important thing is to buy the best, freshest broccoli you can. This should make 2 very generous serves, or up to 4 serves as a starter.
* 1 large or 2 medium broccoli heads
* Salt
* Ground black pepper
* water
* olive oil
For a slightly fancy version:
* toasted almonds slivers (to garnish)
* 2slices goats cheese (per bowl, to garnish)
1) Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add a large pinch of salt. Add broccoli and boil rapidly.
2) You will want to slice your goat cheese at this point if you’re making the fancy version. Dip the knife into the boiling hot water before each slice for even smooth cuts. Cut two slices of goat cheese per bowl being served.
3) Your broccoli is finished cooking when you can pierce it with little or no effort. Remove the pot from the stove burner. DO NOT POUR THE WATER OUT! Use a slotted spoon to put broccoli into a blender. Pour enough of the water left over from cooking the broccoli to fill the blender half way. Add a pinch (or more) of salt.
***Before you start to pulse, wrap a tea-towel around whatever hand is touching the blender jug itself (even the lid): the contents are SCOLDINGLY hot (painful experience talking here!). ***
Use several pulses on your blender to break the broccoli up and then puree for a few seconds, until you get a nice, creamy consistency. Add more water if necessary (shouldn't be).
4) If you are making the 'fancy version', place some almond slivers to the bottom of a bowl and then place pieces of goat cheese on top of them.
5) Pour the soup into the bowl. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and serve at once: Yum!
If you look on youtube (just search 'Gordon Ramsay Broccoli Soup) you will see a video of him making this (or try this link):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvc8Au4YO60
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