Lemon and herbs roast chicken

This is what a real, lemon and herbs, juicy, tasty roast chicken looks like.

Simple as it is, I coud not help but taking some photos of this beauty as it went out from the oven and share them here. I had not planned a blog post at all. I was just in the middle of a lazy Sunday roast at home, but could not stop myself from taking the camera and improvise a shooting before we ate it with a large, green leafy salad.

Real food is made of this. Simple, unexpected pleasures popping up from the ordinary. The sharp citric juice notes of a couple of lemons and the delicate aroma of rosemary and thyme did wonders for the otherwise bland meat of a whole chicken.

 

I know, you can hardly call this a recipe. But it was so, so good I just wanted to have it here. And share the joy of enjoying this little wonder in the middle of a cold winter day. Easy, honest homemade food full of flavour with just a few ingredients. How could anyone resist this?

Lemon and herbs roast chicken
Ingredients (4-5 people)
1 whole chicken (1.5 kg)
2 medium lemons
2-3  sprigs rosemary
1 sprig thyme
Olive Oil
Salt



Preheat oven at 190º/170º Fan
Put a teaspoon of oil in a roasting pan and spread it to coat the pan. Put the chick on top of it, with the breast side touching the base of the pan. Add some olive oil on top of the chicken (a couple of tablespoons), salt, and the sprigs of rosemary and thyme and put in the oven for 45 minutes.
Take the pan out of the oven, turn the chicken arround so that the breast are now upwards, coat with the juices from the pan, and add the juice of 1 lemon. Cut the other lemon in quarters lenghtwise and add to the pan. I usually put one in the cavity, but this is optional. Add a bit of salt, and put again into the oven for another 45 minutes. Check from time to time and in case the chicken is getting too brown, cover with foil.
Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving with a green salad.

(For cooking time, add 20 minutes per 500 grams, plus 20 more minutes)

Ciabatta stuffed with sauteed mushrooms, ham and cheese

I love flavored breads. Actually, I love then just plain. I do love bread in all its shapes and forms, and since I've tried to do at home, I do not need any excuse to get to it.

Flavored breads are magical. They have the ability to transform any meal into something special. They can be a starter, a side dish for a main meal, an accompaniment for dipping, or a wonderful surprise for a  picnic.

Unfortunately,  the weather has been too bad this summer in here.  Anyway, even inside, I will organize a picnic just to take this bread with me. 
 

Ciabatta stuffed with sauteed mushrooms, ham and cheese

Ingredients (for 1 large loaf)

For the ciabatta

320 ml of water
30 ml olive oil (2 tablespoons)
10 grams of salt (2 teaspoons)
10 grams of sugar (2 teaspoons)
600 grams of bread flour
5 grams of dried baker's yeast

For the filling

Olive oil
2 cloves garlic
300 grams of mushrooms
4 slices of ham
4 slices of cheese (Cheddar or similar)

Preparation

Place ciabatta ingredients in the order listed in the baker machine basket. Select the program for bread, and remove it before cooking begins (after the second raising). Alternatively, if you do not use the bread machine, knead the ingredients, put the dough in a bowl and let rise in warm place, covered by a cloth, until doubled in size (about one hour).
While dough raises, put a couple of tablespoons of oil in the skillet and sauté two cloves of sliced ​​garlic. Saute the mushrooms, cook over medium-high heat to toast, salt and pepper.
Once you have weighed the dough, place on a floured work surface and knead lightly to remove excess gas. Pin out into a rectangle, leaving the dough to a thickness of about one centimeter. Spread the slices of cheese, ham, and mushrooms in the center, forming a central line, without covering the entire surface so that the filling does not overflow the shape.

Roll the dough over itself to make a cylinder. Fold the ends under to seal properly so they do not open during baking. Preheat oven to 180ºC  degrees and put in an oven tray covered with a sheet of silicone or parchment paper, placing the fold of the dough in contact with the tray, so the smooth side is up.
Put in the oven for about 40 - 45 minutes, or until hit the base sounds hollow.

Chicken chilli

I am quite sure that I were Mexican I 'd hardly enjoy those strange distortions on my traditional dishes that you often find as junk food anywhere. Well, most probably, not a single Italian native would recognize in cheese macaroni or American style pizza any familiar flavor, either. Actually, I think I had a similar feeling when some local friends drove me in Munich to eat at an allegedly Spanish restaurant. I'll save you the nasty details, it is not worth remembering such a culinary  aberration.

I have to say that I have rarely eaten better than during a working visit to Mexico City. I truly felt for Mexican cuisine during that trip. What I tried there had little to do with what I had experienced before as an alleged Mexican food anywhere outside Mexico. I especially remember a cold coriander soup (which is shocking, as I can't stand coriander, I am one of those people to whom coriander tastes like detergent instead as like a wonderful herb), but everything, absolutely everything  of what I eat there exceeded my expectations by far.

I am trying to reduce fat and calories on my dishes, so I'm sure that my Mexican friends would eventually think that this adaptation is another unseemly aberration. In advance, my apologies. But I do not want to eat just a bit of lettuce while trying to eat healthier. It's more than possible to eat tasty, or at least modified versions of these dishes as flavorful as the originals. And just one more thing: if you choose to try this option, please, please: just control yourself with your servings of rice or corn tortillas.  If  you manage to do so, enjoy it fully, because it will not disappoint you at all.

Chicken Chili

Ingredients (for 2 people)

1/2 white onion
1 red pepper
1 green pepper

Jalapeño peppers (to taste)
Cayenne pepper powder
2 chicken breasts
400 grams of tomato (skin and seed cleaned) and diced -(you can also use canned ones)
Olive oil (if you get used to spray, it will save you many calories!)
Half cup chiken broth (or the same amount of water with quarter a cube of stock)

1 teaspoon soda bicarbonate

Preparation

Put a few olive oil sprays into a deep saucepan. Heat and slowly fry the chopped onion, very smally diced. Add a few tablespoons of water when onion starts to get brown, and let it cook slowly. Add the peppers, chopoped into very small cubes, and if necessary, add a little more water, so that they cook slowly over medium heat. Chop the chicken breasts in a blender or by knife, until they have the consistency of ground beef. Add to skillet and brown over medium-high heat, stirring continuously. When browned on the outside, optionally, add half a cup of broth (or half a stock cube and half a glass of water), reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes. Add  diced tomatoes (fresh or canned, but not puréed), and cook about 15 -20 minutes over medium heat with some chopped jalapenos and half a teaspoon of chilli powder (or more, depending on how spicy you like your chilli) Add a teaspoon of soda bicarbonate instead of sugar if your tomato is acid. Test, add salt and pepper if necessary (if you use broth or chiken stock, check it out because it is already salty and it would probably be enough). Enjoy!

Light moussaka

Even before I got familiar with the expression "comfort food" I already knew it existed.

Not the expression itself, but the feeling of food that automatically warms you up, food that makes you feel good when you first taste it, food that can solve almost, almost any problem, present or future; Food that will warm your body and soul at once.

In my personal comfort food category there are quite many things, as to get into that category all they need is just to put a smile in my face.

In this category there is always a place for moussaka.

What I have done in today's recipe is just a leaner, cleaner version of the traditional one, but still with all its comforting filling –and taste! So, I have significantly reduced the fat by substituting beef for chicken and turkey, and I have changed béchamel by a sauce made with yogurt. Although you might think that it does not sounds appealing at all, believe me: you should give it a chance. Even as light and reduced in fat, this version is still one of those dishes that will cheer your stomach every time.

 It will be nice as prepared, but will get into perfection overnight. It  freezes wonderfully (with the only precaution of freezing it without the yogurt sauce). You can double the amount and freeze one moussaka without the yogurt sauce. When you want to have it, add the sauce and re-heat as needed.

Just one tip: as you will need some time for the yogurt to release the serum you have to do this step at least a few hours earlier. Best if you leave it running down overnight in the fridge and prepare directly the following morning.

Then, just prepare to open your comfort food repertoire to a clean take on the traditional moussaka.

Light moussaka
Ingredients (4 to 6 people)

250 grams plain non-fat yogurt
500 grams ground turkey (or chicken or mix of both)
1 onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (1/2 if you are not too fond of spice)
1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for the aubergines
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 can (400 grams) chopped peeled tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried oregano)
2 medium aubergines (about 500 grams)
50 grams grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg plus 1 large egg white
Olive-oil cooking spray

Directions

Drain the yogurt in a cheesecloth-lined sieve until thickened, (2 hours or overnight). Place the turkey in a medium saucepan over medium heat; cook until browned, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a medium bowl. Add onion, garlic, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and pepper to the saucepan; cook until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Return turkey to saucepan with tomatoes and oregano. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium low; simmer until sauce has thickened, about 1 hour. Remove from heat; set aside.
Preheat your grill. While the stuffing cooks, cut the aubergines into slices, longitudinally. Sprinkle with salt on both sides. Place in a colander over a bowl; let stand to drain. Discard liquid; rinse each slice under cold running water to remove all salt and juice (this is the classic way, as they say aubergines will be bitter unless you do this. However, in my experience, you can perfectly live skipping this step, so, if you do not have the time, just skip it altogether without fear of any catastrophe).  Dry the slices on  paper towels. Lay the dry slices on a clean baking sheet; coat with olive-oil spray; grill until browned, about 2 minutes. Turn; coat with olive-oil spray; grill again until browned, about 2 minutes more. Repeat until all aubergine slices have been grilled; then, set them aside.
Place the drained yogurt in a small bowl. Add parmesan and the eggs. Whisk together briskly with a fork and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 180ºC degrees. Then, assemble the moussaka: Place a layer of aubergine on the bottom of an 20 cm by 20 cm baking pan. Cover with half the turkey sauce. Place another aubergine layer, then the remaining turkey sauce. Add a final aubergine layer; cover with the reserved yogurt mixture. Bake until the mixture is bubbling and the top starts to brown, (about 30 minutes). Transfer to a heat-proof surface; let sit until the moussaka cools slightly and firms, about 10 minutes. Cut into squares; serve.

Spaghetti with capsicum peppers sauce, anchovies and capers

This is one of those recipes that help you to prepare a meal in a couple of minutes, and make it absolutely extraordinary.  In the time that it would take you to make a call to your local take away, you´ll have a pasta dish with a twist, and totaly homemade.

I just need to warn you: This sauce has a really intense flavor. So, if you do not absolutely adore piquillo pepper (hence the color of the sauce) better add a few tablespoons of tomato sauce to the mixture to soften its intese flavour. Otherwise, this recipe is suitable for anyone who knows how to switch on the stove. All the difficulty lays on cooking pasta al dente.

Spaghetti with capsicum peppers sauce, anchovies and capers

Ingredients (serves 4)

200 grams spaghetti
150 grams of canned piquillo peppers
8 to 12 units of anchovies in olive oil (about 2 or 3 anchovy per serving)
capers
3-4 tablespoons of tomato sauce (optional, only if you love the flavor of the peppers)

Preparation

The truth is that with the list of ingredients and the pictures, few directions are needed. The only precaution is to follow the instructions for cooking the pasta al dente and leave it loose. While pasta cooks, put in a blender the drained piquillo peppers, stir and season. (If you find the flavor too strong, you can add a splash of olive oil or a couple of tablespoons of tomato sauce to soften the taste of peppers). Drain the pasta and serve with the sauce of peppers, cut anchovies and drained capers on top.

Dill scones

Today I am leaving you this dill scones recipe. They are perfect warm with cream cheese and smoked salmon. If you are having them on the following day, you can toast them, as they hardly keep fresh more than a day. 

Have a great time.

Dill scones 

Ingredients (for 7-8 units)

400 grams plain flour

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon salt

15 grams dried dill (or 20 fresh)

50 grams butter, very cold, and diced.

300 ml milk

Preparation

Heat oven 210º. Mix the flour, bicarbonate, dill and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl, then rub in the butter until it disappears. Add milk and sitr briefly to a sticky dough. Scrape the dough onto a floured surface, dust the dough and your hands with more, then fold the dough over 2-3 times to smooth a little. Form small balls and flatten slightly with your palm. Brush with milk and bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden and well risen. Cool on a rack. 

St Lucia saffron buns

There is something in the Scadinavian bakery that makes me love it every time. It is so honest, so truthful, so made for confort that you simply cannot beat it. I particularly love their sweet breads. This buns, to celebrate St Lucia on 13th December are simply a bread dough enriched with butter and egg. But you will need the time and the star ingredient, saffron, to make them the right way. Once you have tried them, you will repeat, as they are simply delicious. 

I would only warn you about the saffron. It will add a gorgeous colour to the buns, but it is a really powerful spice, so you'd like to be caoutious with it, or its flavour will overpower all the other flavorus in these buns. Once you adjust the exact quantity, you will have these beauties once and again. They are simply perfect, for St Lucia, or any other day in the year.

St Lucia Saffron Buns

Ingredients
 
300ml whole milk

3 or 4  saffron threads

75g unsalted butter, cut into cubes

500g strong white bread flour

100g golden caster sugar

7g sachet fast-action yeast

A teaspoon of salt
1 large egg, beaten, plus extra for egg wash

A little oil, for greasing

Directions 

Put the milk in a small pan and gently heat until it’s steaming. Use a pestle and mortar to grind the saffron into a powder. Add this to the pan of milk along with the butter. Swirl to melt the butter, then set aside until lukewarm. 

In a large bowl, mix the flour, caster sugar, 1 tsp salt and the yeast together, and make a well in the middle of the bowl. Pour in the milk mixture along with the egg. Mix together to form a sticky dough, then turn out onto the work surface and knead until smooth and elastic (this will take about 10 mins). Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with oiled cling film. Set the bowl in a warm part of the house and allow to rise for about 1 hr until doubled in size. 

Knock back the dough and divide into 12 equal portions. Cover the pieces with the oiled cling film while you make the rolls – this will stop the dough from drying out. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll out into a 30cm-long strand. Roll up one end into the middle, turn over and roll the other end into the middle, forming the dough into an S-shape. Place the buns on a large (or 2 smaller) parchment-lined baking tray. Once all the buns are made, lightly cover with oiled cling film and prove until almost doubled in size (if making ahead, keep the dough in the fridge overnight and bake in the morning). While the buns prove, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. 

When ready to bake, brush the buns with beaten egg and press a currant into the centre of each spiral. Put the trays in the oven and bake for around 15 mins. Allow to cool before serving. These are best eaten on the day they are made but will keep for a couple of days.