Braised Chicken Thighs

I love comfort food and this dish definitely falls into that category. 

A few weeks ago I was watching the fabulous Donal Skehan cooking this dish and had to give it a go.

This is my version of the recipe because I wasn't feeling too well when I was shopping and forgot the vegetables but I can say it is a dish that everybody in our home really enjoyed and have asked for it to be done again. That's a sure sign that this is a great little recipe to have up your sleeve for those days when you don't know what to make or are in a complete hurry. You can check out the full recipe here along with some other great recipes at the Donal Skehan Blog.

Try it out for yourself and let me know what you think. I served it with some plain boiled rice and a little glass of wine for myself.

Ingredients

1 tblsp olive oil

100g streaky bacon, chopped

6 boneless chicken thighs

1 tblsp butter

Grated zest of 1 lemon

Glass of white wine

Thyme 

50ml chicken stock

6 spring onions, trimmed and sliced

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the bacon pieces and fry until crisp.

2. Add the chicken thighs and fry on each side until golden and crisp.

3. Add the butter and allow it to foam, then stir in the lemon zest and fry it in the butter.

4. Pour in the wine and then add the thyme and chicken stock.

5. Add the spring onions.

6. Cover with a lid and simmer for about 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

Serve with boiled rice or fresh crusty bread.

Tuesday's Kitchen Homemade Sausage Rolls

This week I want to share with you the most simple recipe for sausage rolls which I made for my oldest son's birthday a few weeks ago.

Everybody loved them and kept asking where I bought them so I think it's fair to say that once you have made your own you won't want to buy one again.

It's quick and easy using ready made puff pastry and sausage meat with a few extra bits to transform the flavour.

I think the combination of flavours you could add are endless but I was mindful of smaller children who can sometimes be a bit fussy.

Ingredients

Sausage Meat

Ready Made Puff Pastry Sheets

1 Clove Garlic finely chopped

1 Small Onion finely chopped

2 Teaspoons Mixed Herbs

Salt and Black Pepper to season

Beaten egg or milk

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF/Gas 7

2. Place your sausage meat into a large bowl along with the chopped garlic, onion and herbs.

3. Add some salt and pepper to season and mix everything together with your hands.

4. Lightly flour your work surface and unroll out the ready made pastry.

5. Cut the sheet of pastry in half.

6. Divide the sausage meat in two and roll each piece into a sausage shape.

7. Place the sausage meat down the middle of the pastry and wash over the edge of the pastry

 with the beaten egg or milk and fold it over - the beaten egg or milk will make sure that the edges stick together.

8. Next brush over the whole length of pastry with the beaten egg and then divide into small rolls - you should get about 8 good sized sausage rolls from each piece.

9. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 mins until the pastry is golden and the sausage meat is cooked through.

10. These are lovely on their own, or served with pickle, mustard, tomato ketchup.

I'm linking in with Townsend House What I am Eating click on the link to have a look at what everybody else is eating this week.

Tuesday's Kitchen - Wholemeal Bread

I love the smell of freshly baked bread, there's nothing more homely and comforting.
I remember my grandmother always made her own bread.
You just can't buy it like that anywhere.

This loaf is perfect any time of the day, but it's especially good with soup or one of my own favourites butter and jam.

The recipe is tried and tested many times by me, it's taken from one of those recipe cards I picked up in Supervalu by Irish chef Kevin Dundon.

Kevin's recipes are all family friendly favourites and better still they work.

Give it a go and it won't disappoint.

Ingredients

350g Wholemeal Flour

50g Plain Flour

50g Porridge Oats

Pinch of salt

2 Level Teaspoons Bread Soda

2 Large Eggs

1 Dessert Spoon Vegetable Oil

500ml Buttermilk

1 Tablespoon Treacle

Method

Preheat oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3

Put the flours, sieved bread soda, salt and porridge oats into a large mixing bowl and combine well

In a separate bowl beat the eggs,oil, treacle and add to the dry mixture

Add in the buttermilk and mix to a sloppy consistency

Pour into a greased 2lb loaf tin and smooth the top with a wet spoon

Bake in the oven for 45 minutes and remove the bread from the tin.

Return to the oven inverted and bake for another 15 minutes - this makes a lovely crust all around the loaf

Remove from oven and test - if the loaf is cooked there should be a hollow sound when you tap the bread with your knuckles.
 Allow to cool.

*If you like you can add a sprinkle of seeds or porridge oats before baking - this adds a nice touch*

Joining in with Townsend House What I am Eating Linky. Follow the link back and check out some of  the other great recipes.

Tuesdays Kitchen - Honeycomb Crunchies

With too many Easter Eggs about the house I always end up making goodies with them just to use them up - there really is only so many eggs you can actually eat and it's a pity to let them go to waste!

This recipe is taken from The Great British Bake Off Learn to Bake Book. 

My husband bought it for me and I'm making my way through the recipes which are all fabulous and you don't have to be an expert to get through them!

It was very exciting to try something new here, making honeycomb which is pretty amazing partly because I didn't think it would work and partly because it tasted so good!

For this recipe I've substituted the chocolate with two medium sized Easter Eggs.

For the Honeycomb

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

75g caster sugar

2 tablespoons golden syrup

To Assemble

250g dark/milk/mixture chocolate

100g unsalted butter

2 tablespoons golden syrup

150g digestive biscuits

Method;

1. Make the honeycomb first.

 Before you start make sure you have an oiled baking tray and bicarbonate of soda ready. 

Put the sugar and golden syrup into a heavy saucepan and warm gently for 10 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally.

2. When the sugar is completely melted, turn the heat to medium and once it starts to boil, leave it to bubble until it turns golden brown - do not stir at this point.

3. Turn the heat off and making sure you cover your hand with a cloth, take hold of the pan handle.

Add the bicarbonate of soda quickly whisk for a couple of seconds. 

The mixture will froth quickly

and you need to be very careful here.

4. Pour this mixture into the oiled baking tray and leave it to cool and harden for about 20/30 minutes.

5. Put the chocolate, butter and golden syrup into a heatproof bowl. 

Melt gently and remove from heat when the mixture is smooth, set to one side.

6. Break up the biscuits in a plastic bag using a rolling pin, and then break up the honeycomb in the same way. 

Add both to the chocolate and mix well.

7. Spread the whole of this mixture evenly into a lined square tin, cover with clingfilm and chill for about 2 hours.

This should cut into 16 squares and stored in the fridge will keep for 2 days.

Tuesdays Kitchen - Homemade Curry

This is a simple curry that can be used with chicken, lamb, beef, vegetables or prawns. Since I've been off on maternity I have more time to experiment with food and try out different recipes. I know there are great recipes out there for great curries but this is super easy and no fussing.

I don't think I would go out and buy a jar of curry sauce now that I've tried to make my own and it's not too shabby!! You can mix up different spices to find the ones that suit you best but this is my mix and is a firm family favourite.

If you haven't tried to do this before give it a go now, there's nothing like the glorious smell of spices throughout the kitchen - it's so comforting especially in this cold weather!

Ingredients;

* 4 Chicken fillets (or whatever meat you are using)
* 1 onion
* 2 cloves garlic
* 2 teaspoons chilli powder
* 2 teaspoons garam masala
* 2 teaspoons curry powder
* 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
* 1 can coconut milk (300ml)
(you can add a can of chopped tomatoes with a small amount of water or chicken stock if you want to omit the coconut milk)


Method;
1.  Peel and slice the onion finely.

2.  Peel and crush the garlic.

3.  Cut the chicken into strips.

4.  Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy saucepan, add the chicken. Once this is browned off remove to a side plate.

5. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and fry for about 2/3 minutes.                                                       
6. Add the chicken back in along with the garam masala, chilli powder, tomato ketchup and stir for another minute.

7. Pour in the full can of coconut milk and bring to the boil.

8. Let this simmer for a further 20 minutes until the sauce is nice and creamy and season to taste.

Serve with boiled rice and freshly chopped coriander.

As with most curries this will be even nicer if left overnight to let all the flavours infuse.