Chicken - Riverford style

Typical evening. Come home after busy day at college, it's chicken but not sure what to do with it.

Step 1

Low effort is the key, so one pot meal is a bonus.

Step 2

2 legs and 2 wings are left on the carcass, so start by jointing these into drumsticks and thighs.

Step 3

What veg are left to use up in our box from last week?

Yellow pepper, vine tomatoes, onion, sweet potato.

Step 4

Raid fridge - chopped chorizo

Step 5

Additions from supplies

Olive oil

Garlic

Passata

Chopped fresh basil

Begin recipe creation.

Lucious olive oil, frazzle onions, garlic and chicken, sauté pepper, add rest of ingredients, cook gently for 30 mins

Garnish with chopped fresh basil

Serve and wait for seconds to be demolished.

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Organic is good for you.....

Our mission

Our family believe that the food you eat, should be grown organically, have no pesticides, anti-biotics or steriods used in the growth, whether meat or vegetables. We changed what and where we buy from over 10 years ago, growing as much of our own produce as we can.

Why?

There has been a plethora of different TV programmes and debates about whether organic is better for you, is it worth the extra price. We've always believed that if a vegetable/animal takes longer to grow, has more sunlight and natural goodness in the soil, then it builds more nutrients in it. There was research last year that compared nutrient values taken from vegetables during the second world war and now, and the results were amazing.
Imagine my surprise today, to see an article on BBC Good Food that backs up the idea that organic is so much better.
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/clean-eating-shopping-tips-what-buy
The immediate comments on Facebook were about the costs of organic, to the point of simply rubbing dirt on veg and it will be the same. Depending on where you get the organic veg makes a difference to the costs too, I also posted the following comment below on the thread as I think we forget that growing our own is an option.

Time to get some veg growing at home, it doesn't need to be a full veg garden, I grow cut and come again lettuce in hanging baskets, also rocket, mizuna, beet leaves and land cress, slugs can't get to them, easy to pick and cheap. Also I use herbs in planters plus sugar snap peas growing up twigs (pinch out tips for pea shoots, mangetout or full sugar snaps), tomatoes in grow bags. Kids love being able to graze from the plant, can't get fresher.

So many children say they don't like vegetables, but what if you give them a vegetable that is grown for flavour not speed, cook it properly, help them learn to grow vegetables themselves, there is nothing like a sneaky pod of peas straight from the plant.

Find those green fingers, grab those seed catalogues, start looking gardening websites, I get lots of ideas from http://www.growveg.com/ 
I grow runner beans (stringless varieties are the best), sugar snaps, courgettes, tomatoes, lettuces, rocket and lots of herbs.
If you want to get started early, aren't so worried about organic seedlings, why not buy your growing lettuces and herbs from the supermarket, you can pot them straight into hanging baskets and tubs, keep them indoors until the weather improves, but a conservatory or enclosed porch may give enough protection for the moment.

Food is fuel, your body is important, you wouldn't put inferior fuel in a Lamborghini, so why your body.

Let's get productive.

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Yes, vegetables are exciting!

I've just started my Riverford veg deliveries again, and it's inspiring us to try new ideas. You get the freshest, organic vegetables that are full of flavour, packed with goodness and no pesticides hidden in them.

I change my order each week, depending on my fridge contents and this week ordered the large veg box which had potatoes, carrots, red onions, leeks, Spring cabbage, portobello mushrooms, avocados and broccoli. Also added tomatoes and watercress for our salad fix.

A recipe in the box for 'whole baked red onions' looks great, so that's on the menu for tonight, now to work out what to do with the chicken breasts.....

Cooking is fun, I love creating exciting meals to tantalise the tastebuds.

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Minestrone Soup

Ingredients
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 large celery stick (including leaves), chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
large handful of mixed beans/peas (french, runner, pencil podded)
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1 pint water
1 veg stock cube/pod
1 handful of broken spaghetti
salt and pepper
Optional
either fresh basil leaves or fresh red chilli 

Method
Put all the ingredients into a pan, bring to the boil and simmer until tender. If you want the soup to be a little thicker, then continue cooking until slightly reduced.

Tip
You can also add some finely shredded green cabbage to the pot 5 minutes before serving.

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Savoury rice with hake - and another update on hubby

I wanted to use basmati rice as it has low glycemic index and better than white long grain and hubby isn't keen on brown rice, so I did some research and developed the following recipe.

Waitrose Frozen hake fillets are amazing, they are perfect for this dish.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 banana red pepper, finely sliced

3 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 cup basmati rice

1 chicken stock cube

Water to cover by 1/2 inch

1 cup frozen peas

4 hake frozen fillets

Salt and pepper

Method

Heat oil in a large sauté pan (make sure you have a lid for it).

Add onion, garlic and peppers, gently sauté for 1 minute add tomato and cook until soft.

Add the rice and fry gently mixing for about 1 minute. Add the stock cube and water and bring to the boil. Season. Add the frozen peas, stir, then lay the hake over the top pushing the fillets just under the liquid. Cover and simmer very gently until all the liquid has evaporated. Don't stir, just leave the pan to steam. Carefully serve onto plates, fluffing the rice slightly with a fork.

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Tuna fishcakes

There was some riced (mashed) potato left after dinner the night before. Wondered what to make with it, bright idea, Tuna Fishcakes.
A light lunch served with salad.

Tuna Fishcakes (serves 3)

Ingredients

1 medium potato (mashed)
1 tin tuna drained and flaked
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 free range egg, beaten
1 tablespoons capers
2 oz self-raising gluten free flour
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Method

Mix the all the ingredients together in a bowl, lightly season. Divide into 6 and shape into patties about 1/2 inch thick.
Heat a heavy bottomed frying pan, add the oil and make sure you swirl around the pan covering all the base.
Turn heat to medium and add the fishcakes. Fry until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes then flip onto other side, again fry until golden brown. Flip a couple more times until cooked.
Serve with a mixed salad.

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Fish, Mash and Peas + Parsley Sauce (All-in-one White Sauce recipe included)

Time to raid the freezer, when fish is what you fancy, there is nothing like lots of different types available so everyone has what they want. Hubby = cod, daughter and me = plaice.

Yet again, the potato was put through the ricer, leaving it light and fluffy, so much easier to serve and less "claggy".

The fish can be backed in individual foil parcels in the oven. Peas can be boiled on the top.

If you like sauce then the following is so easy to make, I always use the all-in-one method, it's simple and lump free. Easier than a packet mix too.

White Sauce

Ingredients

1oz gluten free plain flour

1oz lactofree butter

1/2 pint lacto free skimmed milk

Method

Put the flour, butter and cold milk into a small saucepan, over a gently heat using a balloon whisk keep stirring until the sauce has thickened, let the sauce bubble for a couple of minutes until the sauce is thoroughly cooked. Season 

Parsley Sauce

add 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, stir and serve.

Cheese Sauce

add 1 teaspoon dijon mustard and 2oz grated cheese, stir until melted and serve

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Leek and Potato Soup - Simple can be all that's needed

Gently does it

When you aren't feeling quite as good as you should, slightly off colour then soup maybe all you fancy. A very simple Leek and Potato soup would be a failsafe, plus I could put into a pour and store bag and pop in the fridge for later.

Leek and Potato Soup

Ingredients

1lb Potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch slices
1 Leek, washed and sliced
1 Vegetable stock cube
Water to cover
Seasoning

Method

Put all the ingredients in the pan and cover with enough water so that there is 1/2 inch above all the ingredients.
Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are soft.
Remove from heat and then blend using a hand blender.
Season to taste. If serving at a dinner party, you can add a swirl of cream and a few chopped chives, but for convalescing leave out the cream.

If chilled, this is a great vichyssoise.

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Chicken Fajitas - when short cuts are good

A very successful dinner last night.

As our daughter has an intolerance to wheat, gluten and dairy, we had bought a Fajita Kit a couple of weeks ago. Tonight I used this to save some time and create a healthy dinner for all of us.
The kit came with the tortillas, salsa and the fajita spice mix.
I used one chicken breast, plus a red and a green pepper and one onion to make the fajitas.
I added some salad leaves and slices of avocado when building the fajitas with the salsa.
A big hit, the aromas in the kitchen were wonderful. A great store cupboard hit, full of nutrients and very low fat.

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Pasta with tomato, courgettes and tuna sauce.

Lunchtime Dilemma

Using leftovers!
What did I have left, 1/3rd tin tuna (well I did leave for daughter yesterday, but she didn't get back until tea time), also had a box of cooked pasta left from yesterday?
I didn't want to waste this and came up with the following dish and whilst it was cooking, I could nip outside into the garden to grab the fresh flat leaved parsley.

Pasta with tomato, courgettes and tuna sauce

Ingredients (serves 3)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1 courgette, cut lengthways into quarters, then chopped along the length
1 tin tomatoes
1 tablespoon capers
1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
1/3 tin tuna

Method

You need to cook the pasta if you haven't got any ready to reheat.
In a small pan, heat the oil gently and fry the onion until soft, add the garlic and courgette, fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes and break them up with a spoon as you cook (I prefer tinned tomatoes as they don't have as much water). Add the capers and parsley. Cook for 5 minutes. Just before serving carefully add the tuna, but try not to mask it, a couple of stirs will do. If using precooked pasta, add it to the sauce and heat through. If fresh cooked pasta drain and toss through sauce.
Serve

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