Coq au Vin

Ingredients

• 400g/14oz shallots, peeled and left whole
• 2 carrots, cut into chunky pieces, about 2½cm/1in
• 2 sticks celery, cut into 1cm/½in slices
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 100g/3½oz smoked, dry-cured thick bacon
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 4 whole chicken legs, cut into thighs and drumsticks
• 1 fresh bay leaf
• few sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 300ml/½pt full-bodied red wine
• 100ml/3½fl oz good quality chicken stock
• 150g/5½oz button or crimini mushrooms, or larger mushrooms cut in half

 

Preparation method

1. Put the shallots, carrots and celery into a slow cooker, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fry the lardons in a large frying pan over a low heat for 10 minutes until crisp, golden and the fat has run from the meat. Remove from the pan and tip most of the fat into a heatproof bowl.
2. Meanwhile, put the flour into a food bag or bowl, season with salt and freshly ground pepper, then toss the chicken pieces in the flour to coat.
3. Fry the floured chicken in the residual bacon fat until golden-brown, about five minutes each side. Put the chicken on top of the vegetables in the slow cooker and scatter with the lardons, bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
4. Add a little more fat to the pan if needed, then add the garlic and tomato purée. Cook for a minute, then add the wine and bring to the boil for two minutes. Add the stock, return to the boil, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then pour over the meat and vegetables. Cover with the lid then cook on low for six hours, until the chicken is very tender.
5. Just before serving, heat a little fat in a frying pan and fry the mushrooms over a high heat, until golden-brown. Scatter over the chicken and serve.

First time we made this recipe was: on December 27, 2013 in the new slow cooker!

Happy New Year 2014!

Merry Christmas to You!!!

Happy Christmas!!!

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Nicholas' Christmas Tarragon Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 chicken
• tarragon
• salt
• pepper
• olive oil

 Preparation

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Coat chicken with olive oil. Dust with tarragon on all sides and then salt and pepper too! Cook in oven about 90 minutes for a medium sized bird.

First time Nicholas made this for Robyn was: Christmas dinner on December 27, 2013 after a Wormwood Scrubs walk!

Nicholas' Christmas Veg

Ingredients

• carrots
• parsnips
• potatoes
• yellow, red and green peppers
• salt
• pepper
• garlic powder
• pepper
• olive oil

 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Drizzle veggies with olive oil. Dust with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cook in oven till done!

First time Nicholas made this for Robyn was: Christmas dinner on December 27, 2013 after a Wormwood Scrubs walk!

NIcholas' Secret of Life Part II: White Wine Gravy

 

 Ingredients

• All the juices in the bottom of the Christmas bird baking tray
• 1 tablespoon white flour
• white wiiiiiiiiiiine!
• water
• salt
• pepper

 

Preparation

Decant the juices into a small container and let it settle so that oil and fat rises to top. Spoon off as much of the oil as you can. Pour remainder into a small pot over medium heat. Add generous amounts of wine with a fluid wrist. Add 1 tablespoon white flour and stir with wooden spoon or whisk and stir continuously to eliminate lumps. Let simmer while flour thickens the gravy. Dilute with more wine and/or add more flour until desired consistency achieved. Serve!

First time Nicholas made this for Robyn was: Christmas dinner on December 27, 2013 after a Wormwood Scrubs walk!

Robyn's Secret Butter Shortbread

Ingredients

• 5 cups self-raising flour
• 1 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 cup butter (250g)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• Accompaniment: tea!

 

 

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 190°C.
2. Beat the butter and the sugar and salt together until smooth.
   
3. Stir in the flour to get a smooth paste.
   
4. Gently roll out in a glass tray, 9x13 inches. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
   
5. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Then cover with aluminum foil protector (so they don't get too brown) and bake another 25 minutes, or until pale golden-brown. Set aside to cool on a wire rack.
   

First time we tried this recipe was: on December 27, 2013!

'Welcome 2014!' Oranges

For dessert 
on December 27, 2013!

Baked Brie with Garlic, Apples and Walnuts

 

Ingredients

• 8-16 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 8 ounces Brie cheese, room temperature

• Fresh rosemary sprigs
• Walnuts
• Sliced apples
• Mushrooms

Preparation

Combine garlic, chopped rosemary and thyme, and oil in small jar 24 hours before. 

Preheat oven to 325°F. 

Drain off oil (and save for other baking - vegetables for example). Make incisions in Brie wheel and insert garlic cloves into cuts.

Place Brie wheel in baking tray. Clean and core mushrooms, brush with olive oil. Place mushrooms in baking tray around Brie. Bake until Brie is runny, about 20 minutes.

Remove tray from oven. Spread sliced apples or baked mushrooms with 1 garlic clove. Spread 2 teaspoons Brie over. Top with walnuts and herb sprigs.

First time we tried this recipe was: on December 17, 2013 while financial planning and brainstorming for 2014 revenue plans: A, B, C, D to porn. 

We tried this recipe right after warming up with a round of Instant Stilton and Chestnut Mushroom Canapés!

House Salad

Ingredients

For dressing

• red wine vinegar
• olive oil
• 1 teaspoon French honey mustard

For salad

• 1 head of bib lettuce
• red tomatoes
• yellow tomatoes
• 1 cucumber 
• 1 red pepper
• avocado
• parsley

 

Preparation

Make dressing:
Add all ingredients and mix. 

Make salad:

Chop all and arrange on bib lettuce in bowl. Drizzle dressing on top. Garnish salad with parsley!

First time we tried this recipe was: on December 17, 2013 while financial planning and brainstorming for 2014 revenue plans: A, B, C, D to porn.

Roast Lamb in Red Wine

Ingredients

• 8 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 4-pound boneless lamb
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups dry red wine
• 3-4 onions wedged to roast

Preparation

Preheat oven to 200°C. Finely chop garlic and rosemary with 1/2 teaspoon salt on a cutting board. Holding knife at an angle, drag blade over mixture until a coarse paste forms. Transfer paste to a small bowl and mix in oil. 

Place pork, fat side down, on another cutting board with a short end toward you. Holding a sharp knife parallel to board and about 1/2" up side of loin, make an incision along entire length of one side. Continue cutting, lifting meat with your free hand as you go, until loin is open and flat. Spread garlic mixture over inside of loin and season with salt and pepper. Roll lamb tightly; using kitchen twine, tie at 1" intervals.

Season lamb with salt and pepper; place, fat side up, in a large shallow baking dish. Add wine; add wedged onions to pot in the wine; roast lamb until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of loin registers 145°, 1 1/2-2 hours.

Transfer to a carving board; let rest at least 10 minutes. Spoon fat from surface of pan juices; discard. Slice lamb; serve with pan juices.

DO AHEAD: Lamb can be stuffed and tied 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before roasting.

First time we tried this recipe was: on December 17, 2013 while financial planning and brainstorming for 2014 revenue plans: A, B, C, D to porn.

Garlic Brushed Brussel Sprouts, Carrots and Zucchini

Ingredients

• carrots
• zucchini
• brussel sprouts
• garlic olive oil (from Baked Brie with Garlic recipe)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper

 

 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Spread vegetables in 1 layer in a large roasting pan and drizzle  olive oil. Roast in middle of oven, turning once, until golden, about 30 minutes. Toss with salt and pepper.

First time we tried this recipe was: on December 17, 2013 while financial planning and brainstorming for 2014 revenue plans: A, B, C, D to porn.