Roast Chicken

I've been roasting quite a few chickens recently, I love cooking the veggies under the chicken and then potato wedges around the side to crisp up, I also think they must be a healthier option to the roast potato.

 This one was a Duchy Originals Organic chicken and it tasted goooood.

 Even better as left overs the next day ..

 The easiest way to roast a chicken is to stick lemon and garlic into its cavity and smother with rose harissa, I guess it's also good for a bit of variety.

Kale Crisps

My friend Nancy asked me if I had ever made Kale chips before, as apparently they are very easy to make and addictive. So, I picked up a bag of curly kale and tore the leaves into smaller pieces and snipped out the hard stems. 

All you do then is toss the leaves in a little olive oil (or spray) and sprinkle with sea salt. I mixed in a big splash of teriyaki and then spread them out on a tray and put in the oven for 5-10 minutes at 180C Fan. 

Not only are these crisps crunchy and addictive but they are crammed full of vitamins and calcium. They also taste nothing like the kale you may be used to in all its bitter brussel sproutiness.

 

Teriyaki beef rolls

This is such a simple but impressive starter I learnt from Reiko. Start off with a big slab of sirloin steak. Then freeze it.

 Once frozen, it will be easier to slice really thinly.

 Lay two slices next to each other and with a rolling pin, flatten out the steaks even more.

 Now, sprinkle with seasoning and a little cornflour and roll, tucking in tightly- fresh enoki mushrooms and blanched green beans and carrots.

 At this stage you can keep in the fridge overnight even before you take out and fry in a hot pan. Pour a little teriyaki glaze over (or sauce and heat until reduced and sticky)

Slice into three and cut two in half diagonally. I popped mine on a shiso leaf but no need. Aw, this is delicious.

Spanish Villa Cake

Last night my cousins threw a fantastic surprise party for my Auntie Sue's Birthday. I made her a cake as a mini replica of her house in Spain. On the 5th pic down I feel like I'm outside the house and could jump in the pool. Dream soon to be reality as am back in Spain next week. Horah!

Japanese ginger meatballs

I think the fact that I've already cooked over half of the dishes that I have learnt with Reiko at Hashi cooking classes (http://www.hashicooking.co.uk) at home, speaks volumes about her classes. I have yet to blog them all so here is the first.

 

First put all the below ingredients into a bowl and squelch together in your hands (best way to describe it!)

200g  minced beef

200g  minced pork

6 stalks of spring onion (white part for meat balls, green part for sprinkling as garnish)

1 tbsp  grated ginger

1 egg

2 tsp  sesame oil

Salt & white pepper

 Now add 1 tbsp  corn flour, little by little until the mix is slightly elastic.

 Heat wok to 180C and meanwhile shape the meatballs and dust with cornflour.  Drop the meat balls into the oil and deep fry them until the surface becomes crispy. This may take 2-3 minutes, depending on the size of the meat balls. Take the meat balls out onto the plate with kitchen towel.

 These are the ingredients for the sweet and sour sauce.

100ml  soy sauce

1 tsp  dashi powder

3 tbsp  sugar

2 tbsp  sake

4 tbsp  rice vinegar

100ml  water

1 tbsp  corn flour, plus 3 tbsp water

 

Put all the ingredients for the sauce except for the corn flour & water mixture into a large frying pan. Turn the heat to medium. When the sauce mixture starts to bubble, add the meat balls into the pan.

Cook the meat balls for one minute by shaking the pan. Then pour the corn flour & water mixture into the pan and shake until the sauce becomes thick.

   

Transfer meat balls with the sauce and sprinkle sesame seeds and chopped green part of spring onion on the top. Serve with rice. 

I have cooked these twice now and it seems kids and adults both love them, they also freeze very well.