French-style chicken with peas & bacon

Ingredients:

6 rashers smoked streaky bacon, chopped
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 bunch spring onions, roughly chopped
300ml hot chicken stock
250g frozen peas
1 Little Gem lettuce, roughly shredded
2 tbsp crème fraîche

Method:

1. In a large frying pan, dry-fry the bacon over a medium heat for 3 mins until the fat is released and the bacon is golden. Transfer the bacon to a small bowl, leaving the fat in the pan. Add the chicken and brown for 4 mins each side.
2. Push the chicken to one side of the pan and tip in the garlic and spring onions, cooking for about 30 secs, just until the spring onion stalks are bright green. Pour in the chicken stock, return the bacon to the pan, cover and simmer for 15 mins.
3. Increase heat under the pan. Tip the peas and lettuce into the sauce and cook for 4 mins, covered, until the peas are tender and the lettuce has just wilted. Check chicken is cooked through. Stir in the crème fraîche just before serving.

Chicken Marengo

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

300g pack cup mushrooms, halved
4 chicken legs, skin removed
500g jar garlic & herb passata
1 chicken stock cube
100g pitted black kalamata olives
chopped parsley, to serve (optional)
pasta and a salad, or mash and green veg, to serve (optional).

 

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large flameproofcasserole dish and stir-fry the mushrooms until they start to soften. Add the chicken legs and cook briefly on each side to colour them a little.
2. Pour in the passata, crumble in the stock cube and stir in the olives. Season with black pepper – you shouldn’t need salt. Cover and simmer for 40 mins until the chicken is tender. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with pasta and a salad, or mash and green veg, if you like.

Chocolate Espresso Pirouette Parfaits

These rich Italian-style stirred custard desserts are spiked with coffee and garnished with cookies and shaved chocolate.  They're very easy to make and make a beautiful presentation.

 

Ingredients

1 canister (14.1 ounces) Pepperidge Farm® Pirouette® Chocolate Fudge Rolled Wafers 

4 egg yolk 

1/4 cup granulated sugar 

1/4 cup prepared instant espresso 

regular coffee 

2 tablespoon sweet Marsala wine 

4 ounce mascarpone cheese (about 1/2 cup) 

1 cup heavy cream 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar 

1/4 cup grated bittersweet chocolate

 

Method

Reserve 8 whole wafers for garnish.  Cut the remaining wafers into 2-inch-long pieces.

Beat the egg yolks and granulated sugar in the top pan of a double boiler over hot water with a whisk for 5 minutes or until the mixture is thickened.

Stir the coffee, wine and cheese in the pan.  Cook and stir with a whisk for 10 minutes.  Remove the pan from the double boiler.  Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes.

Beat the heavy cream, vanilla extract and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.

Divide the espresso cream among 8 glasses.  Top each with about 1/2 cup wafter pieces.  Divide the whipped cream and the chocolate among the glasses.  Garnish each with 1 whole wafer.

Tip: For a chic serving idea, serve this dessert in wine or martini glasses.

Provençal omelette cake

Vegetarian mains don't get better than this. Perfect for garden parties, packed lunches, or a mid week meal. This versatile dish will please all palates

Ingredients

10 eggs

1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for frying and drizzling

2 courgettes, finely chopped

3 spring onions, thinly sliced

4 roasted red peppers from a jar, drained and finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

For the filling

300g soft cheese, such as light Philadelphia

5-6 tbsp milk

4 tbsp snipped chives

2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

rocket leaves and shaved Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), to serve 

 

Method

1. Break the eggs into two bowls, five in each. Whisk lightly and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a pan, add the courgettes and spring onions, then fry gently for about 10 mins until softened. Cool, then stir into one bowl of eggs with a little salt and pepper. Add the roasted peppers to the other bowl of eggs with the garlic, chilli, salt and pepper.
2. Heat a little oil in a 20-23cm frying pan, preferably non-stick. Pour the eggs with courgette into a measuring jug, then pourabout one-third of the mixture into the pan, swirling it to cover the base of the pan. Cook until the egg is set and lightly browned underneath, then cover the pan with a plate and invert the omelette onto it. Slide it back into the pan to cook the other side. Repeat with the remaining mix to make two more omelettes, adding a little oil to the pan each time. Stack the omelettes onto a plate. Make three omelettes in the same way with the red pepper mixture, then stack them on a separate plate.
3. Now make the filling. Beat the cheese to soften it, then beat in the milk to make a spreadable consistency. Stir in the herbs, salt and pepper. Line a deep, 20-23cm round cake tin with cling film (use a tin the same size as the frying pan). Select the best red pepper omelette and place in the tin, prettiest side down. Spread with a thin layer of cheese filling, then cover with a courgette omelette. Repeat, alternating the layers, until all the omelettes and filling are in the tin, finishing with an omelette. Flip the cling film over the omelette, then chill for up to 24 hrs.
4. To serve, invert the omelette cake onto a serving plate and peel off the cling film. Pile rocket on the top and scatter over the cheese, a drizzle of olive oil and a little freshly ground black pepper. Serve cut into wedges.

 

Chicken Cordon Bleu II

'Cordon Bleu' is a French term, literally translated as 'blue ribbon', that originally referred to an award for culinary excellence given to women cooks! The term can now apply to any superior cook (yes, men too), and also to this dish (chicken, ham and Swiss cheese slices, breaded and sauteed). This yummy version adds paprika and a creamy white wine sauce worthy of its own blue ribbon. Two blue ribbon tastes in wedded bliss -- Chicken Cordon Bleu II!"

Ingredients
 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
 6 slices Swiss cheese
 6 slices ham
 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
 1 teaspoon paprika
 6 tablespoons butter
 1/2 cup dry white wine
 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Directions

Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick. Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast within 1/2 inch of the edges. Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. Mix the flour and paprika in a small bowl, and coat the chicken pieces.
Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Add the wine and bouillon. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
Remove the toothpicks, and transfer the breasts to a warm platter. Blend the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken. Serve warm.