Category: Roasts

#Parchment #Roasted #Chicken

Roasted a whole organic chicken in a “parchment“ (baking paper) parcel after tucking slithers of garlic and butter under the skin and filling the cavity with Fresh Thyme and Rosemary.

Liberally rubbed with salt and pepper.

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Made a parchment “packet” by using baking paper double the length of the roasting pan, and placing a piece to overhang the pan horizontally. Then place chicken on the paper and wrap up the parcel, allowing some room above the chicken like a small tent. Make sure the grill is not on and the paper doesn’t touch the top of your oven when you put it in.

Roasted for 1.5 hours and checked that it was 83 degrees Celsius with meat thermometer. (If you like your skin super crispy, you can return chicken to oven, removing pan juices first, and cutting baking paper back so it won’t burn. Turn on top grill and grill until skin is crisped to your liking but make sure you don’t forget it in there!)

Our roast was super juicy. The juices left in the parchment made the perfect base for a quick gravy thickened in a pan with some flour mixed with water, cooked out in a pan. Serve with roast vegetables and salad. Simple and delicious.

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Talking #Turkey #brine #xmas

In our family, we know it’s almost Christmas when the Turkey is in the brine overnight.

It’s all about salt, water and aromatics and a great way to throw I. The last of those star anise, juniper berries, cinnamon quills and the like that you have lying around in your spice cupboard! A few fresh ingredients like oranges, onion, spring onion tops, ginger, thyme and Rosemary will add delicious flavour to your Christmas bird.

You will need a nice clean bucket or tub. We buy a cheap, new one each year, wash it out well and fill with the turkey, cover with water, salt and aromatics. It doesn’t need to go into the fridge overnight.

Here’s the link to the original blog and Nigella’s recipe if you would like a bit more guidance.

Brining the Turkey makes ALL the difference if you want a plump , juicy roast on Christmas Day.

Merry Xmas everyone!!

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Oven roasted #beef #short ribs with corn

These beef ribs were delicious with corn and a spinach and brocccoline salad with quick pickled onions. Inspired by a friend in Brisbane who made them last night!

Prep time: 2 hours Cooking time: 3.5-4 hours

Ingredients:

Beef short ribs, trimmed – about 1kg bone in for 2 people

Spice rub: 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon cummin powder, 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder, 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1.5 tablespoons olive oil

Homemade bbq marinade sauce: 1/4 cup tomato ketchup, 2 tablespoons smoky bbq sauce, 1.5 tablespoons cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce

Salad; Broccolini, baby spinach, 1/2 red onion, 3 tablespoons cider vinegar, salt pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil

Corn: corn on the cob, salt, water to cover, salt, pepper and a dob or two of butter to finish

Method:

1. Make spice rub, then massage well into beef short ribs, allow to marinate at room temperature for just on 2 hours (or overnight in fridge but bring to room temp before cooking).

2. Heat oven to 120 degrees celcius

3. Cover roasting pan in foil, then put another layer of foil and place ribs on it, then cover with another piece of foil and crimp edges to create a tented sealed foil package. Place in oven. (Slice half a red onion and pickle in 3 tablespoon cider vinegar)

4. Make bbq sauce and marinade/brush with bbq sauce every hour for 3 hours.

5. Uncover tops of beef, raise oven temp to 200 degrees Celsius, brush with bbq sauce and cook for 1/2 hour to melt fat on top and crisp. While finishing beef boil corn and make green salad, adding drained pickled onions. I used baby spinach and blanched broccolini with a dash of olive oil, salt and pepper.

Slow oven roasted beef short ribs

6. For last ten minutes add thyme leaves, and turn on top grill to finish cooking off top layer of fat.

7. rest beef for 10-15 minutes and serve with corn and salad!

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Easy Duck Confit #Cassoulet

This is comfort food at it’s best. There are so many variations on the traditional cassoulet and in France there is much debate as to it’s origins and many towns that claim it as their creation.

Carcassonne in the South of France is one that claims it as their own most fiercely and it is featured on almost every tourist restaurant in the old Castle town. The traditional versions of course require days of preparation and cooking.

My version speeds up the process using now widely available products that replace the need for making your own duck confit or cooking beans for hours. (yes, I use canned beans and lentils!!) I have also tried to cut down the calories by removing as much fat as possible by cooking the meats separately first, before combining into the finished dish.

I use brown lentils as well as beans which absorb the cooking liquids faster and help to “combine” all the ingredients and sauce together in the end result.

Preparation time: 1.5 hours Cooking time: 35 minutes, serves 4

Ingredients

  • 2 pre-made Duck confit Marylands (leg and thigh cutlets) in Australia I use Luv A Duck brand available in good butchers.
  • 1 carton of pre-made oven roasted Coles Pork belly bites – or similar pre-cooked pork belly squares
  • 2 Toulouse or other garlic and herb pork sausages
  • 1 can cannelini beans
  • 1 can brown lentils
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 carrot diced
  • 8-10 cherry tomatoes halved
  • 6 cloves of garlic finely diced
  • 2-3 stalks of celery diced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1.5 cups of chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup or so of Panko or fresh breadcrumbs for topping
  • 1/4 cup Pumpkin seeds for topping
  • Black pepper
  • Salt

Method

1. Pre-heat oven goes 180 degrees Celsius.

2. Take duck confit from package and place on baking paper lined oven tray, along with the 2 sausages. When oven is hot, roast for 35 minutes until duck is warmed and sausages are just cooked. Halfway through the cooking time, add the halved cherry tomatoes cut-side up into the roasting pan.

3. While duck and sausages are in oven, fry pork bites in a non-stick pan over medium to high heat for 15 minutes until golden brown on all sides. This will also render a lot of the fat from the pork belly. Place fried pork belly on paper towel to absorb as much fat as possible.

Using Pre-cooked pork belly cuts down the time…check your local supermarket for a product like these Pork Belly bites.

4. Prepare vegetables if you haven’t done so already. Dice garlic, onions, carrots and celery. Drain cannelini beans and lentils and keep in separate bowls.

5. Remove duck and sausages from oven, reserving the fat and cooking juices in the pan. Place duck on paper towel to rest. Reserve cherry tomatoes in seperate bowl. Slice sausages into pieces and keep aside.

6. Throw out all but 1 tablespoon of the pork fat in the frying pan, add the reserved duck fat and cooking juices from cooking the duck and sausages.

7. Heat pan juices in frying pan and add garlic, cook for a minute or so until starting to just turn colour, add bay leaves, onions, celery and carrots, salt and pepper… and cook until softened and starting to caramelise. (Don’t forget Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius again if you turned it off)

8. Add thyme, cannelini beans, sausage slices and half a cup of hot chicken stock and simmer for 5 minutes, add lentils, pork belly, and another half a cup of stock and simmer for a further 5 minutes.

9. Put the base mixture into a snug casserole dish. Place cherry tomatoes throughout the mixture, and then the duck maryland right on top. Add 1/2 cup of stock to just come to the top of the mixture.

Place duck right on top and only put just enough stock to come up to the top of the base mixture.

10. Sprinkle breadcrumbs and pumpkin seeds on top to from a crust, avoiding covering the duck.

Super crispy but still juicy duck confit with a delicious hearty bean, lentil, pork and sausage base and crunchy breadcrumbs and pumpkin seed topping.

11. Cook in oven for further 35-40 minutes until breadcrumbs and pumpkin seeds are golden and crispy. (Check a few times to see that consistency of base is to your satisfaction ie not too watery, not too dry. Add extra stock if necessary) Allow to stand for 5 minutes, then serve garnished with parsley and with zesty lemon and rocket salad and crunchy bread. Ps, I cut the Maryland’s into halves to make 4 serves.

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Chicken with Leek, Peas, Dill and Chilli

Inspired by Nigella Lawson’s chicken traybake recipe

Here’s a link to the original recipe: https://www.today.com/recipes/nigella-lawson-s-chicken-pea-traybake-recipe-t127442

I have tweaked it to add a hint of chilli and replace the vermouth with dry white wine. My recipe also takes into account just cooking for two and cooking with our larger Australian leeks. The dill, garlic and chilli flavours somehow seep into the chicken and the peas and leeks are so yummy cooked in the juices of the chicken.

This is such a fabulous weekday, no fuss but delicious and different combination. After this first try I have to say it will definitely not be the last.

Thanks Nigella for the inspiration.

Preparation: 5 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 3-4 chicken thigh cutlets or thigh fillets – skin on
  • 1 kg bag of frozen peas
  • 1 leek
  • 4-5 stalks of dill with extra for garnish
  • 1/4 cup of dry white wine
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 red chillies (optional)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

Method

1. Pre-heat fan forced oven to 200 degrees celcius

2. Empty bag of frozen peas into flat casserole dish or oven tray that will fit chicken on top snugly

3. Slice leeks into thickish rounds

4. Pound garlic and 1 chilli into a paste in a mortar and pestle,adding 1/2 teaspoon of salt to help.

5. add 3/4 of the garlic chili paste, the leeks and dill torn into pieces to the peas

6. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the peas, add white wine, and mix all the base ingredients thoroughly

7. Rub leftover garlic chilli paste on chicken

8. Place chicken on top of peas and drizzle minimally with olive oil and sprinkle with some salt

9.Place in oven for 15 minutes or until skin starts to turn golden

10. Remove from oven and push peas down and mix peas around, removing chicken for a moment if needs be, so peas are slathered in the liquid and juices.

11. Roast in oven for further 45 minutes until chicken is cooked and most of the liquid is evaporated and peas are soft and juicy. Peas will lose their “greenness” but it‘s worth it, trust me!

12. Serve chicken garnished with extra dill, with peas on the side and accompany with a green salad and with or without roast potatoes for a delicious dinner

5.

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Annie’s Festive #Duck Roll Recipe

My friend Annie has made this beautiful duck roll for a number of years as part of our family Christmas feast and this year I noted down the recipe and took photos as we went.

It is stunning addition to the table and can of course be enjoyed at anytime of the year. The combination of duck, chicken mince, pistachios, cranberries and sour cherries is delicious and looks festive and is quite delicious.

Ingredients

1 duck skin-on deboned by your butcher

450g chicken mince

250g unsalted peeled pistachio nuts

100g cranberries chopped

1 can (400g) sour cherries drained

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Skewers and kitchen twine

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees celcius

Lay duck flat on a board skin-side down, season skin with slat and pepper

Mix chicken mince with oregano, pistachios, chopped cranberries, season with salt and pepper

Spread chicken over inside (middle part) of duck in an even layer

Stud chicken with sour cherries, about four across, laying evenly in rows “down” the duck.

Roll the duck and secure pulling “skin” across the duck and through the wing holes on the other side

Tie the duck together with kitchen string.

Rub duck sparingly with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and a dusting of dried oregano.

Put duck roll in roasting tin, along with wings and leftover chicken mixture formed into a patty.

Roast for an hour (about 40 minutes a kilogram) and until duck is golden brown.

Allow to rest for 20 minutes then slice into thin slices and place on a serving tray.

Serve with glazed carrots and a green salad for a lovely summer meal.

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