This week I have been forcing myself to try to cook more meals and desserts from scratch.
We have dined well all week, and - thankfully - nothing has turned out terribly!
Now I must warn you....I will not be blogging about healthy recipes very often!!
So I have decided to share two of my recipes this week:
Roast Chicken with Braised Brassicas- 1 x savoy cabbage
- 250g8.75oz sprouts
- 50g1.75oz butter
- 200g7oz diced pancetta or streaky cured bacon
- 1 x large white onion - finely sliced
- Pinch of nutmeg or 1/2 tsp grated
- 100ml3.5fl oz cider
- 1 x large cooking apple, peeled cored and sliced
- 3 x sprigs of thyme
- 1tsp white mustard seeds
- 1tbsp flaked almonds
Start by putting in a whole chicken to roast as normal, and preparing the cabbage and sprouts. Quarter the cabbage and then finely slice. For the sprouts remove the stem and then peel off any outer leaves that look damaged...chop in half lengthwise, or into quarters if they are large.
Next melt the butter and add the pancetta. When the pancetta starts to brown add the onion and cook until soft.
Then add the cabbage, sprouts, almonds and apple.
After five minutes of cooking add the cider, nutmeg, thyme, and mustard seeds.
Cook on a medium heat for 20 minutes until all the vegetables are tender and the cider has been absorbed. Season with salt and black pepper.
Serve with a portion of your freshly roasted chicken and creamy mashed potatoes.
Toffee Apple Crumble
- 100ml/3½fl oz water
- 225g/8oz granulated sugar
- 30ml/1fl oz golden syrup
- 150g/5oz plain flour
- 150g/5oz demerara sugar
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4
Place the water and sugar in a saucepan, and slowly bring to the boil. Once the sugar has melted, reduce the heat and add the syrup and butter. Bring to the boil again while stirring constantly.
Turn down the heat and add the apples, stir gently and cook until soft then place in an ovenproof dish.
Make the crumble by rubbing the flour, butter and sugar together in a bowl with your fingertips until they resemble breadcrumbs. ..then evenly cover the toffee apple mixture with the breadcrumbs.
Place into the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the crumble is golden.
Serve with lashings of double cream.
