A Roast Chook

It dawned on me recently when my Twin sister called me to inquire about cooking a roast chicken, that I hadn't yet embarked on penning my thoughts on a cooking a classic roast chicken. A roast chick is something everyone should know how to do. They can be simple or as elaborate as you like, and are always best shared especially when you see the smiles on everyone's faces when you pull off a good one! Standard questions were thrown my way from the Twin, 'how long does it take to cook?' and 'what do you stuff it with?' which reminded me of the time about a year and a half ago when I called my Mother with the same questions. I now have the answers and think cooking a roast chicken or any type of roast takes a bit of practice but a roast they will always be a kick-ass meal.

For starters you can stuff the chicken with anything but it always requires something to moisten the meat. A lemon for instance is a great moistener, it provides subtle flavour and nourishment to the meat. And fresh herbs are always a good accompaniment to provide a fresh fragrance to the meat. As for veges, colour is always a key ingredient for me (my Mother taught me well! Thanks Jannie!).

Embark on cooking my beginners Roast Chook and you'll be on your way to flying colours. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 1 lemon
• 1 handful of fresh herbs (rosemary, parsley, thyme etc)
• Schwartz Garlic Italian Spices
• Salt and Pepper to garnish
• Olive Oil
• Potatoes, kumara, parsnip, red onion, pumpkin, carrot, garlic cloves

Gravy

• 2 tablespoons of Gravy Granules
• 2 cups boiling water
• Salt and pepper

Method

• Turn the oven on to 180 degrees
• Cooking times may vary depending on the size of your chicken, check the packet information first
• Squirt some olive oil in the bottom of a roasting pan
• Pierce a lemon with a toothpick and place in the microwave for 40 seconds, this will help to enhance the flavour whilst the chicken cooks
• Place the chook in the pan and separate the legs, carefully place the lemon inside the chickens cavity and stuff the fresh herbs in the hole
• Rub over with extra oil, salt and pepper and the garlic Italian spices
• Cover with tin foil and place in the oven breast side up for the allocated time, checking about half way through
• If the chicken takes about an hour and a half place the washed and chopped veges around the chicken after 1/2 an hour, these should take roughly about an hour to cook through
• Throw all veges into the pan (whole garlic cloves and a couple crushed). Ensure you cover the veges with oil, salt and pepper and to make them crunchy check them every 20 minutes and turn the potatoes, kumara and pumpkin around, 
• To check the chicken is cooked through, pierce through the breast with a sharp knife then press down lightly, if the juices are clear then the chicken is cooked
• Remove the veges and set aside, remove the chicken and wrap in foil, set aside whilst you make the gravy

Gravy

• Move the roasting dish onto a low-medium heat on the stove
• Add the gravy granules to the meat juices and stir to combine, add the water as needed
• Continue to stir until gravy is thick, adding more water, granules, or flour to your desired thickness
• Add salt and pepper to taste

Serve this roast with peas, beans, peppers, Yorkshire puddings or any other veges that tickle your fancy.

Enjoy with a nice bottle of wine and great company!

LoveBites Lamb Steaks served with Roast Potato Bites and a Rocket Salad

This recipe brewed from a Sunday afternoon watching Nigelessa Nigella Lawson's new cooking show. This dish caught my eye as it consisted of two of my favourite things : roast spuds and rocket.  With my LoveBites spin on it, this recipe is simple and delicious with an oomph of flavour. A perfect alternative to a summer BBQ or a quick dish to impress.

Ingredients:

• 2 lamb steaks
•  olive oil
• pinch of oregano, chilli flakes, and celery salt
• garlic pepper and salt to taste
•  tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley
• packet of rocket
• 3 medium potatoes cut into cubes
• balsamic vinegar to dress

Method:

• Boil potatoes in a pot until cooked through
• Whilst potatoes are cooking place lamb in a dish and cover with a lug of oil
• Add spices and garlic pepper and salt, mix so lamb is covered in mixture
• Once potatoes are cooked, drain and add to a frying pan of oil and fry until golden over a medium heat, you will need to keep turning the potatoes to ensure they get cispy all over
• Fry the lamb steaks 2-3 minutes each side until browned but still pink in the middle
• Arrange the rocket on a flat platter
• Remove the potatoes from the pan, drain on a paper towel and arrange over the rocket
• Arrange lamb on the platter, scatter chopped parsley
• Dress with balsamic vinegar

Great served with mashed beetroot and feta salad, or slowroasted tomatoes.
Or add chopped cherry tomatoes and fresh red onion and feta to the salad for a Greek mix.

GuestRecipe : Coriander Chicken

My darling mother Jan introduced us to this Family Favourite over ten years ago. Since the day she ate this delicious dinner at a friends dinner party it has been a staple in the Tait Family's diet.

Jannie describes the first of many Tait Family GuestRecipe's as;

 

"This Family Favourite is a versatile recipe. It is a popular meal for the summer served on skewers on a barbecue or stir-fried and served over rice or couscous for a winter warmer.  I would suggest using whatever veges are in season as zucchinis can be a bit expensive in the winter!
This is always a exciting dish that never fails just make sure you check that your visitors like coriander before deciding to cook this family favourite!"
 

 Jannie recommends "always make lots of the sauce as there has been known to be fights if there is not enough! It’s also a good idea to make the sauce at the same time as the marinade or it is double the work (as the ingredients are very similar)".

 

 Serve with pita breads, rice and salad or serve as a one pot dish with stir-fried meat and veg over the rice. 

  

INGREDIENTS

 

Marinade

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• handful of coriander roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup natural unsweetened yoghurt
• juice and rind of half a large lemon
• 1 tsp of paprika and cumin
• pinch of chili powder and salt

Sauce

• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• small handful of coriander roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup natural unsweetened yoghurt
• juice of half a lemon
• 1 tspn of paprika
• salt to taste

Chicken Kebabs

• 2 chicken boobs, cut into cubes
• 1 red capsicum, seeded and cubed
• 1 small red onion, quartered and separated
• 1 large zucchini, sliced into 0.5mm slices

METHOD

•  Soak approximately 6 kebab skewers in cold water, set aside
• Make the sauce and the marinade at the same time
• Mix the marinade ingredients in one medium-sized bowl and combine with the chicken, cover and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes or overnight
• Combine the sauce ingredients in a smaller bowl and mix well, garnish with a few leaves of coriander, set aside
• Thread the chicken, zucchini, pepper and onion onto the skewers
• Grill or BBQ until chicken is cooked through - approx 10-15 minutes (make sure to turn the skewers half way through)
• Serve the kebabs over a bed of basmati rice and with a green salad and drizzled with the sauce!

Variations

• Stir fry the chicken and add the veges
• Serve over a couscous or Bulgar wheat vege medley

(This recipe has been derived from a Simon Holst Yoghurt and Coriander Chicken Kebab recipe from his book Fast and Fantastic Recipes)

LoveBites Chicken Ceaser Salad

This recipe is a great way to use up leftover chicken or ingredients in the fridge. It makes a tasty light meal for dinner or a hearty lunch. This is one even the guys won't mind "Just having a salad!!"

Ingredients
1 chicken boob or 2-3 escalopes
3 rashes of bacon
5 sliced mushrooms
1 clove garlic crushed
salt and garlic pepper to taste
2 eggs, soft boiled
mesculin and crunchy baby lettuce
1/2 diced avocado
Ceaser dressing, sliced parmesan and lemon juice to garnish

Method

• Heat a lug of oil in a pan over a medium heat
• Coat the chicken in salt and pepper and a bit of garlic pepper, add to one side of the pan
• Add the crushed garlic and sliced mushroom to other side of the pan
• Stir fry the mushrooms until soft, and remove from pan (may be reheated in microwave before serving if necessary)
• Add bacon rashes and turn the chicken over once browned on one side
• Cook bacon and chicken until cooked through, remove from heat (drain excess oil and fat on a paper towel)
• Slice chicken and bacon
• Serve mesculin, baby lettuce, red onion, and avocado in a bowl, top with chopped chicken, mushrooms, and bacon, slice eggs in half and place astheticingly around edge of bowl
• Grate parmesan to garnish and drizzle with Ceasar dressing and lemon juice.

LoveBites Poached Salmon with Green Veg Medley

This was a first attempt of mine recently. I have lately been intrigued by the poaching of salmon instead of frying it, making it a softer texture and less rich on the stomach. This recipe is a quick and easy answer to a healthy high protein meal. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

• x2 salmon fillets
• white vinegar
• x1 clove of crushed garlic
• three small potatoes each (or a packet of Tesco Herby Potatoes)
• small bunch of asparagus and snow peas
• half a lime
• x2tblspns of basil pesto
• x1tblspn capers
• 1/2 red onion finely diced
• salt and pepper to garnish

METHOD

• Cook the potatoes in a microwave safe container with some water (if using the Tesco potatoes follow instructions on the pack of the packet)
• Saute the asparagus and snow peas in crushed garlic and a lug of oil, salt and pepper
• Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Add a lug of white wine vinegar and salt and pepper to the water
• Rinse the salmon fillets under cold water and add to the pan. Simmer for five minutes

• Once the potatoes are cooked add some chopped herbs and butter.  Once slightly cooled slice the potatoes (about three pp) and arrange them on a plate
• Serve the green veg on top of the potatoes, then drain and add the salmon
• Squash the capers, and pesto together on a chopping board with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lime. Spoon this mixture on top of the salmon
• Serve with a lime wedge.

LoveBites Tandoori Chicken Wraps

These wraps are a great idea instead of takeaways and a tasty alternative to their Mexican cousins fajita and burrito.

Recommendation: Marinate the meat over night for a intense flavour hit.

This recipe serves 2 people.

INGREDIENTS

Marinade:

• Two small chicken breasts sliced into small pieces
• 2-3 tbspns Pataks Tandoori Paste
• 1 glove of garlic crushed
• salt and pepper to taste

• Handful of Mesculin pp sliced again with a knife
• Three small diced tomatoes
• 1/2 red onion sliced
• 1/2 red and yellow capsicums lightly stir fried
• Small bunch of coriander roughly torn
• Sour cream and juice of a lime to garnish
• 2-3 chapatti wraps pp

Method:

• Combine all marinade ingredients Ian bowl, cover and refrigerate for as Lin as possible (either 1/2 hour to overnight)
• Lightly fry capsicums and set aside
• Prepare salad ingredients on a serving platter and set aside
• Fry the chicken in batches so the chicken doesn't stew
• Lightly fry the chapattis so they are warm but not crisp so you can't wrap them!
• Set all ingredients on the table and get people to prepare their own wraps.

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