Wednesday 2 September 2009

Faggots In The Rain!

Hello! I hope this months recipe can bring a little Summer to your table as the weather outside certainly is not Summer! What is going on? I walked out of the supermarket today and thought I was in a monsoon, I dont think I have ever got so wet before, some say its good for the garden but hey how about us poor souls that need to feel the heat of the rays? My daughter and her partner have gone to work in Rioja Spain and phoned me to say it was so hot outside they had to go indoors , and they are only two hours away on an aeroplane!
I have just returned from cooking for the lunch club, they had home made faggots today with onion gravy mashed potato and mushy peas, real comfort food for a rainy day, it was surprising how many at first said" I dont eat faggots "but once they saw them and smelt the aroma were soon munching them up! These old recipes are dying out mainly because of offal scares in the past but if you get them from a reputable source are delicious, these ones had little offal in them and were mainly pork and bacon so dont forget to try these old favourites that we seem to be missing out these days they are quite delicious. I would recommend faggots from Oakley Butchers they make them fresh daily with real ingredients and no additives.
Well enjoy what is left of the good old English Summer and dont forget to try some good old fashioned English fare!

Cameliaxx

Tuesday 1 September 2009

Table for Two

My daughter's boyfriend produced this for her one evening. It looked so impressive I thought I would share his recipe with you. It’s simple, full of fresh flavours, and uses seasonal ingredients. You can use a different cheese if you prefer such as Roquefort or goats cheese, but the Tallegio seems to work very well with the creaminess of the risotto. Make sure you use a good risotto rice, such as Arborio or Carnaroli as it does make a difference to the flavour and texture. Enjoy!
Camelia xx

CHICKEN STUFFED WITH TALLEGIO WRAPPED IN PARMA HAM WITH SUMMER RISOTTO

Ingredients:
2 skinless chicken breasts
1 tblspn of olive oil
Approx 20 grms Tallegio cheese sliced
6 slices Parma ham
2 tspns ready made pesto
4 sun dried tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes on the vine (optional)
Salt and pepper

For the risotto:

4 tblspns of olive oil
200grms risotto rice
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
600 ml hot chicken stock
150 ml white wine
A handful of broad beans shelled, with outer skin taken off
A handful fresh shelled or frozen peas
6 asparagus tips snapped at the join and cut into three
A handful of chopped fresh basil, fresh mint and parsley
50 grms Parmesan cheese
A bowl of iced water
A lemon

Method
• Pre heat the oven to 180C/350F.
• Make a small pocket in each chicken breast, season inside and out with salt and pepper.
• Stuff the chicken with the pesto, sundried tomatoes and cheese.
• Wrap each breast tightly with 3 pieces of Parma ham ensuring the breast is sealed. Put the chicken to one side while you prepare the risotto.
• Heat one tblspn of the oil in a pan and quickly fry the beans, peas and asparagus until they start to brown. Place the beans, peas and asparagus in a bowl of iced water to refresh.
• In a heavy based saucepan heat the remaining oil and gently fry the onion and garlic together until soft and translucent.
• Add the rice, continuously stirring until the rice starts to crack. This will take 5 to 10mins. This is very important to prepare the rice for absorbing the liquid.
• Add the white wine, stir, and turn the heat down to simmer slowly for a few minutes while you pan fry the chicken.
• Heat the oil into a pan and quickly brown the chicken for one minute on each side to brown, being careful not to break the seal. Place the chicken and the cherry tomatoes into a preheated oven to cook for approx 20 mins.
• Once all the wine is absorbed, gradually add the hot chicken stock stirring all the time until the liquid has been absorbed. This will take approx 15 to 20 mins.
• Add the asparagus, beans and peas, stir through then add the herbs, cheese and a squeeze of lemon, season with salt and pepper.
• Take the chicken out of the oven ensuring it is cooked through. Serve the chicken on top of the rice.