Rosemary and Lemon Roast Chicken

I haven't made roast chicken in a very long time, I think I worked out it was about 3 years. Living on my own means that I usually wouldn't bother but I really wanted the leftovers this time. After going to Vietnam and seeing literal nose to tail eating, I was inspired. So I bought a reduced 2kg chicken just for me and set about making lots of yummy things out of the leftovers.

My first leftover dish was the Banh Mi on Sunday, swiftly followed by a Chinese Chicken Salad, then a Greek Lemon Chicken Soup, which was stunning, I didn't take a picture but will definitely be making this again. Then my favourite sandwich; chicken, mayo and cucumber yesterday and tonight I am having Chicken, Chickpea and Spinach Coconut Curry. I have also frozen two portions and I made stock out of the bones. So all in all I got 11 portions out of my £9.71 chicken! Not bad value.

Rosemary and Lemon Roast Chicken (from Good Food Magazine February 2011)
(Serves 2)

20g pack rosemary
3 tbsp butter
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 lemon, zested and then halved
1¼kg whole chicken

Pre-heat the oven to 190C. Very finely chop 2 sprigs of the rosemary and mix with 2 tbsp of the butter and the garlic and lemon zest.

Gently lift the skin away from the breast of the chicken and press the butter underneath on both sides. Rub the remaining butter on the outside of the chicken. Stuff the lemon inside the cavity.

Oil a roasting tin and sit the chicken in the tin. Season, then scatter with the remaining rosemary leaves. Roast the chicken for 1 hr 10 mins or until the juices run clear, then remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 mins before carving. Serve.

Meal Planning Monday

So last week was fantastic, the two plays however, were both a bit odd! On Wednesday I met a friend for dinner and we went to Honest Burger, I tried the Tribute burger, which I forgot to take a photo of, but we both agreed that it was a bit bland and nowhere near as good as Patty & Bun which is still my top burger! Afterwards we went to L'Eto for cake, I had Honey cake and it was delicious. I will definitely be going back to try some more of their cakes.

On Saturday evening I made roast chicken for the first time in about 3 years! I don't do roasts, well at all, but I really wanted the leftovers. So I made lemon and rosemary roast chicken, roast veg, bread sauce, kale and broccoli from the garden and gravy. It was delicious! I think I'm going to try doing pulled pork or barbacoa next time.

With some of the leftover chicken I made a kind of banh mi. I've been craving Vietnamese food since I got back and I loved the banh mi in Vietnam. So this was chicken liver pate, leftover roast chicken, pickled carrots and cucumber. It was so good.

Then on Sunday I met a friend and went to the Vogue 100 exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, which was absolutely stunning with some very iconic images. Afterwards we went to The Crypt of St Martin's in the Field and I had a Pastel de Nata, or Portuguese Custard Tart. It was so good but I bet not a patch on eating one in Portugal. One day!

This week is also busy. Tomorrow I am going to see The Truth at Mernier Chocolate Factory, Wednesday is Cyprus Avenue at Royal Court Theatre, Friday I have a work social at Black Cat Caberet and then on Saturday I am going to York for the Leeds Symposium on Food History. The theme this year is Eating on the Move and looks like it is going to be a fascinating day. Then on Sunday I am going out for Korean food at JinJuu.

There is a lot of chicken featured this week in the meal plan. I had a 2kg chicken so I have a lot of leftovers. i am so looking forward to devouring it!

Monday
Chinese Chicken Salad
Halloumi Pasta Bake with Salad

Tuesday
Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
Out before the theatre

Wednesday
Pesto Chicken Sandwich
Out before the theatre

Thursday

Chicken and Chickpea Green Curry

Friday
Salmon and Prawn Cauliflower Chowder
Out at Work Social

Saturday
Out at Historic Food Symposium

Sunday
Out for at JinJuu for Korean Food
Squash and Lentil Burger

Foodies Read: The Chocolate Apothecary by Josephine Moon - Chocolate Balsamic Glaze

I read this book whilst on holiday. It is set in both Tasmania and France and follows the story of Christmas Livingstone as she breaks her rules and falls in love.

One of the meals that Christmas makes to take to her sister's house is BLT sandwiches with a chocolate balsamic glaze, as I had all the ingredients in the cupboard I knew I had to try this out. I found a recipe in The Telegraph newspaper that usually goes with ribs and I made enough so that I can try it with ribs in the near future. It was sticky and sweet and lovely with the bacon.

Chocolate Balsamic Glaze (from The Telegraph)
(Serves 6)

40ml balsamic vinegar
70g honey
35g brown sugar
20ml light soy sauce
1 sprig rosemary
2 cloves garlic, crushed
50g dark chocolate

Blend or whisk together the balsamic vinegar, honey, sugar and soy sauce until the sugar has dissolved. Put the liquid into a bowl with the rosemary and garlic. Cover and leave at room temperature for one hour or in the fridge overnight.

Pour the mixture into a pan and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook on a low heat for about 10 mins until it has a honey-like consistency. Add the chocolate and stir to melt. Pass through a fine sieve and leave to cool.

When it is cool test the thickness – it should have the consistency of single cream; if it is too thick, add a little warm water.

Beetroot and Farro Burger

Delicious pink burgers, full of beetroot and wholegrain.

Beetroot and Farro Burgers (from What's Cooking Good Looking)
(Makes 4-5 burgers)

65g farro
2 beetroot, roughly chopped
2 carrots roughly chopped
3 spring onions, chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
salt and pepper
35g oats
45g sunflower seeds
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp oil

Cook the farro according to packet instructions and drain well.

Add the cooked farro, beetroot, carrots, spring onions, garlic, salt and pepper to a food processor. Pulse several times until everything is pureed. Add the oats, and pulse until combined. Add the sunflower seeds. Pulse a few more times. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, and add in the eggs, stirring until combined.

Put the mixture in the fridge for at least 30 mins.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Once the mixture has been chilled, remove and divide the mixture into 4-5 burgers. Place onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 25-30 mins.

Char Siu Duck with Mantou

So I had a hankering for duck and steamed buns, so at the weekend that is exactly what I made. I used this mantou recipe and filled them with the delicious char siu duck and broccoli and kale from my garden. Topped with a bit of extra hoi sin sauce it totally hit the spot.

Char Siu Duck (from GirliChef)
(Serves 4)

4 tbsp hoisin sauce
4 tbsp brandy
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp Sriracha
1-1/2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
3 fat cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
4 duck legs

Put the duck legs into a large zip-loc bag.

Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add half the marinade mixture to the duck legs, turning to coat. Seal the bag and  put into the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 150C.

Put the duck legs on a rack over a roasting pan and cook for 1 hour. Brush with some of the extra Char Siu sauce, then turn the legs over, put them back into the oven and cook for 20 mins longer. Brush with more sauce, turn, then repeat twice more at 20 min intervals, for a total cooking time of about 2 hours. Serve.

Cauliflower Fried Rice

So, on the whole, I don't hold with this replacing carbs with veg, my philosophy is everything in moderation and always has been. However, just before I went on holiday I had a cauliflower that needed using and I thought I would experiment. So I made "rice" out of it. This is actually really tasty, no it doesn't taste like rice but it wasn't as bitty and unpleasant as I had feared. I used a mix of leftover veg and you could pretty much use what you like, which is why the recipe doesn't state specific veg, this is a brilliant clear out the fridge meal.

Cauliflower Fried Rice (from Steamy Kitchen)
(Serves 4)

4 slices bacon, chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 head cauliflower, grated
1 tbsp water
4 handfuls mixed veg, chopped small
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 egg
4 tsp Sriracha

In a wok or large saute pan over medium heat, cook bacon until almost crispy. Add the onions and stir fry until translucent.

Turn the heat to high. Add the grated cauliflower and stir fry for 1 min. Add the water and mixed veg, stir well, cover the pan and let the cauliflower mixture steam for another 3 mins or until tender.

Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil and poach an egg.

Uncover and add the fish sauce. Toss well to combine. Serve with sriracha drizzled over the top.

Meal Planning Monday

So after a fantastic 2 weeks away it is back to reality and a Meal Planning Monday post. The two photos below totally sum up my trip to Vietnam for me. New friends, giggles and of course food.

Whilst I was away my veg bag arrived on Wednesday as normal. I got red cabbage, carrots, leek, celeriac and salad leaves. I have no plans for any of it as I am out most of this week but I'm sure it'll get used one way or another!

On Sunday I went out for dim sum with friends at New World Chinese restaurant on Gerrard Place. It is, I think, the only restaurant in London which still serves it's dim sum from trolleys, we had a lot of food and it was absolutely delicious. We then went to Gail's for cake and tea.





















This week is busy! Tonight is pilates as normal, Tuesday I am off to the theatre, Wednesday I am going out for burgers with a friend, Thursday is theatre again and on Sunday I am going to the Vogue 100 exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery and I might sneak in to the Dutch Flowers exhibition at the National Gallery beforehand.

Monday
Chicken and Ham Sandwich Pie with Crisps
Beetroot and Farro Burger

Tuesday
Yellow Thai Chicken Soup with a Scone
Out before the theatre

Wednesday
Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with a Scone
Out at Honest Burger

Thursday
Smoked Salmon Pasta Salad
Out before the theatre

Friday
Spinach and Mushroom Quiche with Salad
Pasta with Mushrooms and Camembert

Saturday

Ribs with Chocolate Balsamic Glaze

Sunday

Fish Pie Stuffed Pancakes with Salad

Food Trip to Vietnam

On Friday I came back from Real Food Adventure Vietnam, run by Intrepid. I had a fantastic two weeks sampling the delights of Vietnamese food and making new friends. Instead of posing hundreds of photos of my trip I thought I would take you through some of my foodie highlights and oddities of the trip.

We started our adventure in Hanoi and the first morning we went to a local cafe for pho, the traditional noodle soup, which although odd for breakfast for me, is a staple for the Vietnamese. We chose from beef or chicken and I went for chicken. I have to say it was delicious and I would definitely eat noodles for breakfast again!

We then went on a food and market tour of Hanoi run by the Hanoi Cooking Centre. One of the highlights of this for me was Yoghurt Coffee, given that I don't actually like coffee, I really enjoyed this.

We went back to the centre in the evening and did a cookery class, my first of four! We made Banana Blossom Salad with prawns which was delicious.

Prawn and Omelette Spring Roll with a dipping sauce. We also made ginger chicken and were shown Sweetcorn and Coconut Soup. 

The cooking class was really good and the market and street food tour were fascinating. I also tried silkworms and a tiny bit of fertilised egg that night.

We took a boat to Halong Bay and saw the wonderful caves. The surroundings were spectacular and the seafood on the boat one of the highlights.

The chef also came out and made a carrot net, it was incredible to watch but I definitely don't have the patience!

On the way back from Halong Bay we stopped at a craft centre and I had my first western meal, a grilled cheese and ham sandwich! It was unlike any grilled cheese sandwich I have ever had!

On our morning in Hue we went out for Bun Bo Hue for breakfast, spicy noodle soup this time! A bit too spicy for me but the underlying flavour was great. Beef this time with thinner round rice noodles and crab and pork meatballs.

Then it was on to Hoi An. Our first meal in Hoi An was at Banana Leaf I started with the Hoi An speciality of White Rose, which are little steamed dumplings.

Then I had Mackerel with Turmeric, which was sublime. I wish I knew what went in it so I could recreate it. 

The following morning we went on a bike tour of Hoi An and the surrounding countryside. Stopping to visit a man who grew bean sprouts in sand and a nursery garden. We then went to the cookery school and did a cookery class, learning to make, white rose and vegetable dumplings,

Crispy Pancake Spring Roll

And Cao Lau, the special Hoi An noodles, with barbecue pork were done as a demonstration. 

For dinner that night we went to Lantern Town in Hoi An's Old Town. I had white tuna with a celery sauce, pomelo salad and mashed potato. The fish was incredible, I'd never seen white tuna before so it was a bit of a revelation.

On our final night in Hoi An I did an optional cookng class run by Mr Hai of Green Mango. This class as very much a team effort and instead of making individual dishes by ourselves we all chipped in doing different bits to form a whole meal. We made, spring rolls, pho, bun cha (pork patties), squid, green papaya and mango salad and pickles. 

Then it was on to Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon. The photo below shows Saigon in rush hour, whilst we were being peddalled around the city on a tour. The driving was crazy but it all seemed to work!

We took a trip out to the Mekon Delta and saw people making coconut candy

and rice paper for spring rolls. 

They also made rice wine with all sort of interesting things in it, including snakes!

At the homestay where we stayed, I got to relax in a hammock and I made a friend!

Before leaving the Mekong we went to a tree nursery where they were growing everything from jackfruit (pictured below) to durian.




Our guide made us a snack of prawns coated in young green rice and then fried, with a chilli mayonnaise dipping sauce. They were fantastic, something very different an the rice almost puffed up.

We then helped the family to prepare dinner, helping to stuff squash flowers, grate veg, chop loofah and make spring rolls. They was also this rather spectacular fish, which was made into spring rolls amongst a host of other dishes.

We then returned to Saigon and on our last evening did our final cooking course with Mrs Cam Van who is something of a celebrity chef in Vietnam. It was very short and we made a squid salad and prawns for the main course. We were also shown how to make an egg and tomato soup.

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Vietnam. If I was to sum up the food, it is quite sweet, they use a lot of sugar, but that is counteracted with chilli. The seafood and fish is spectacular and I still love noodle soup!

Squash Gnocchi with Creamy Mushrooms

I made a whole pile of squash gnocchi a little while ago and froze them. Now I'm starting to use them in dishes. I have never tried fried gnocchi before, but it totally works, these were absolutely delicious. The sauce didn't go creamy but it was a passable sauce and the mushrooms an squash mad a lovely combination. You could, of course, use normal gnocchi.

Squash Gnocchi with Creamy Mushrooms
(Serves 2)

25–30 gnocchi
120gr mushrooms, roughly chopped
1/2 onion, sliced
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
4 tbsp Greek yogurt
4 tsp oil

Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the gnocchi and cook until they all float, about 1–2 mins. Drain.

Heat 2 tsp oil in a medium frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the gnocchi and sauté until light brown, stirring occasionally, 12–15 mins.

Heat the remaining 2 tsp oil in a medium frying pan. Add the onion, mushrooms and paprika and sauté until mushrooms start to brown. Add the mustard and stir to combine.

Remove from heat and stir in yogurt. Arrange gnocchi on small plates. Spoon over the sauce and serve.

Hidden Cauliflower Cheese Pasta Sauce

I found this recipe at Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary, whilst looking for something to do with cauliflower that had been languishing in the bottom of the fridge for a week or so. I'm not the biggest fan of cauliflower but one appeared in my veg bag so I had to do something with it! Usually I mash it but this pasta sauce is a perfect way of adding more veg secretly. I sprinkled some chopped tomatoes and olives over the top and voila, perfect supper!

Hidden Cauliflower Cheese Pasta Sauce (from Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary)
(Serves 4-6)

300g cauliflower florets
35g unsalted butter
35g plain flour
300ml milk
100g mature cheddar cheese, grated
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
pinch cayenne pepper
salt and pepper

Put the cauliflower in a saucepan and cover in water. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender, about 10-15 mins.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large saucepan until it is melted. Stir in flour and cook, while stirring, for one min. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually whisk in the milk. Return pan to heat in between each addition and stir until the sauce thickens. Remove pan from heat.

When the cauliflower is cooked, drain and purée with a blender. Stir the cauliflower purée, cheddar, mustard and cayenne into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper and serve over pasta.