Easy Chicken Liver Pate

Makes 3 ramekins         Soaking time: 1 hour          Prep & Cooking Time: 10 minutes

I have made a couple of changes to my old recipe.
The two major ones are: a) soak the liver in milk, salt and water for about 1 hour to draw out most of the blood, which could make the livers bitter and
b) cover the ramekin dishes with melted butter/lard or a mix of.
I used Sherry & Brandy, and because I evaporated too much of the liquid I added another gass of sherry, and it was very nice.

• 300ml milk plus 1 heaped tbsp salt
• 50g Goose Fat (or butter)
• 400-450g Chicken Livers (trimmed)
• 1 large Spring Onion (approx. 2cm) finely chopped
• 1 large clove Garlic (finely chopped)
• 1 small tsp Salt and Black Pepper (to your taste)
• 1 tsp fresh Thyme leaves only or
  a couple of 2-3cm lengths of sprays
• 75-100ml Red Wine (or Sherry or Chicken Stock)
• 1-2 tbsp Brandy
• 50-100g butter, melted (for the finishing touches)
• 1-2 Bay Leaves (for decoration)
• Some fresh Cranberries (for decoration)

1. Remove the sinew from the chicken livers and halve the larger pieces. Place in a bowl with the salted milk and a little water, enough liquid to cover the chicken liver totally to soak for 1 hour.
2. Place the thyme leaves or stalk pieces into a mortar. Add the salt and grind – the salt will help removing the thyme leaves from the stalks. Don’t overdo it. Then remove all the stalks and add the pepper.
3. After 1 hour drain the liver from the milk. Rinse and dry the liver.
4. I prefer to use a wok as the heat surface is smaller but the cooking is easier to deal with. Melt the fat in the wok (or a frying pan) over a medium heat; add the onion and the garlic; fry until softened, but not coloured.
5. Add the herbs and fry for ½ minute
6. Add the chicken livers and fry for 1-2 minutes to seal, constantly turning the livers so that they do not get brown.
7. Now stir in all the liquid and let the live cook vigorously for 3-4 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated/boiled away.
8. Place everything in the food processor or use a stick-blender and blend until smooth.
9. Transfer the pâté into 3-4 serving ramekin or small dish flatten the top surface with a teaspoon. Spread the melted butter between the ramekin dishes. (This is to prevent the pâté from oxidising and discolouring).
10. Set aside until cooled to room temperature then cover with cling film and place in fridge.

Decorate with a couple of cranberries and a bay leaf when serving.

The pâté can be frozen and will keep for up to 3 months.

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Chicken Lasagna without pasta

Prep time max 10 minutes	Cooking time 20-25 minutes
Serves 2-3	Calories 755 in total

• 150g cooked skinless chicken, cut or torn into bite size pieces
• 100g grated cheese, lactose free
• 1-2 courgette thinly sliced slightly on an angle to be used instead of lasagna
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1 tin of peeled tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• Salt and black pepper.
• A prise of mixed herbs, thyme.
• Sweet Spanish paprika Grated nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 200° C.
2. In the meantime, use a food processor to chop the onions, garlic and tomatoes.
3. Spread the chicken pieces in a large lasagna dish.
4. Spread the tomato mix over the chicken pieces.
5. Cover the dish with a layer of sliced courgettes.
6. Finish with a layer of grated cheese
7. Dust with paprika and a touch of nutmeg
8. Place in oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes at 200°C.

Super healthy dinner for one

Calories: 380 cooking and prep time max 15 minutes

For the stir-fry:

• 100g cooked chicken, diced roughly.
• ½ medium sized onion, chopped
• ½ courgette, julienned
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• 3 cherry tomatoes, halved and quartered
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 5g butter
• Salt, pepper and herbs to taste.

For the rösti:

• 1 medium potato, grated and washed (after grating)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 5g butter
• Salt, pepper, garlic salt and onion salt.

Start the stir-fry:

1. Melt the butter and oil in a wok.
2. Add the onions, garlic, tomatoes and herbs; let simmer for 2 minutes stirring now and again.
3. Lower the heat and add courgettes and chicken, stir it, cover with lid and leave simmering for 5 minutes.

In the meantime, make the rösti.

1. Rinse the grated potato in cold water, squeeze as much water from the rinsed potato.
2. Heat the oil and butter on a separate frying pan.
3. Shape the potato on the pan like a pancake. Use a spatula to press and shape the rösti.
4. Sprinkle the potato pancake (one side only) with the herbs.
5. Fry on medium heat for 5 minutes on both sides.

Quick Healthy Lunch

Serves 1

Time from start till finish: 5 minutes

I was hungry and didn’t have any bread for a sandwich.
So, a rummaged in my fridge and freezer
and this was the result of my finds.

Ingredients:

½ Onion, chopped finely

1 Tomato, chopped not too finely

100g lardons

100g leftover chicken, cut into cubes

100g frozen mixed vegetables.

1 tsp olive oil

15-30g butter

Salt, pepper and whatever other herbs you want or none.

Method:

1. Heat the butter and the oil in wok (or frying pan).
2. Add the onions and lardons, and fry until the onions are translucent.
3. Then add the frozen vegetables, stir, cover and leave for 1-2 minutes.
4. While the vegetables thaw and cook, chop the tomato and chicken meat.
5. Then add this to the wok, stir and add your herbs.
6. Cover and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.
7. Serve and enjoy.

Chicken Stock

Preparation time 5-10 minutes         unattended simmering time 3-5 hours

Nowadays not many young people know how to make their own chicken stock, so I thought that I would show how easy it actually is to make chicken stock for instant usage or the freezer. This can also be cooked in a slow-cooker just add all the ingredients, and cook on high for eight hours.
I tend to make this after I’ve had a rotisserie chicken − I just throw the carcass in a pan with any root veg and herbs I happen to have; but, you’ll get a cleaner-tasting stock if you use a raw chicken or chicken pieces.

• 1 chicken carcass, skin and bones
• 2 onions peeled and quartered
• 3-4 garlic cloves, bashed, unpeeled and halved
• 4 large carrots cut in 2cm slices
• 1-2 leeks cut into 2-3cm pieces
• 3 litre water
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp whole black pepper corns
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp mixed herbs
• 3-4 bay leaves
• Anything from the fridge that need to be used

• Break the carcass into at least four pieces and place in a large saucepan.
• Chop the onions, carrots and leeks and add to the saucepan.
• Use a wide knife to bash the garlic. Place the flat side of a chef’s knife over the garlic clove. Do this on a flat, stable surface. Make sure to face the sharp edge of the blade away from you. Place your outstretched palm over the blade and push downward with a quick, light blow. The goal here isn’t to completely pulverize the garlic clove, but rather to break apart the peel from the rest of the garlic.
• Now add the water and the herbs and anything else.
• Bring to boil.
• Lower the heat to 1 (the lowest setting) cover the saucepan; but leave it just open. Leave it to simmer for 3-5 hours (nearly unattended).
• After an hour or so, remove any scum that rises to the surface with a ladle or a large spoon. Repeat as necessary.
• After 2 hours taste if you need more salt, pepper. If you feel it’s too salty add 1-2 raw quartered potatoes to the stock, to absorb the salt.
• Strain the stock, discarding the vegetables and chicken pieces when finished cooking.
• Allow to cool for about half an hour then refrigerate or divide it into small plastic containers at this point and freeze, leave about 1cm air below the lid, for the soup to expand when freezing. Remember always write the contents and date on the containers, as you can’t see what’s in the containers once frozen.

PS. The stock will keep in the fridge for about 4 days and in the freezer for 2-3 months.

1 rotisserie chicken – 7 different meals

Today I purchased one rotisserie chicken; which of course, for one person, is rather extravagant. I decided to dissect the chicken into: 1 portion of deboned chicken legs; 2 portions of skin-less chicken breast; scrape and cut all remains of chicken meat off the carcasses and bones, split this in 2 portions roughly ¼ and ¾; and finally place all the bones, skin and carcasses in a large saucepan for stock.

For the stock (makes upto 4 portions):
• the bones, skin and carcasse
• 1.5-2 ltr water
• 1-2 roughly cut onions,
• 2-4 chopped carrots,
• 1-2 potato roughly cut
• Herbs to taste
• 200g green/mixed lentils

• Let it simmer gently for 1-2 hours.
• What I also did was hang a strainer into the pot/stock placing the lentils in the strainer; thus still part of the stock but without them getting mixed into the stock
• Drain the stock; then add the lentils and set aside to cool.
• Portion into 4 small containers; freeze when cool enough

As I had a portion of Bombay cooked lentils I use the ¾ chicken bits and mixed it to the lentils, added some spices, and had my lunch.

The ¼ portion of chicken meat went into a chicken mayo, spiced with garlic and chilli powder and a drop of lemon, ready for spreading tomorrow.

The 2 portions of chicken breast went straight into a small freezer bags each, and when they are cold enough, place them in my freezer.

Now – I ask – am I still extravagant? No, I think not. For £4 for the chicken & £1 for the vegetables getting food for 5-7 people depending what I do with the chicken breasts; not bad if I say so myself.

Turkey Steak in Mushroom Cream Sauce

Serves 1

Total time 10 mins

• 1 turkey steak
• 4-6 tbsp double cream
• ½ tin of mushrooms
  or 5-10 fresh mushrooms sliced *
• A small glass of brandy *
• 25g butter
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 nest of 4 minutes rice noodles

(*optional)

1. Melt the butter in a frying pan
2. Add the mushrooms when the butter is melted, cook until soft then remove from butter and set aside
3. Make sure the pan is hot then fry the turkey steak for 2½ minutes on each side
4. Lower the heat to ½ and return the mushrooms to the pan
5. Remove pan from heat, and add the brandy; light it with a match, wait for flame to die before retuning pan to heat
6. Add the cream and stir to make sure the cream is mixed with the frying juices
7. Simmer on low heat for max 2 minutes.

Serve the turkey steak on top of the rice noodles, drizzled with the sauce
At the same time as starting the above cook and prepare the rice noodles

1. Bring water and a little salt in a sauce pan to boil
2. Add the rice noodles to the boiling water and cook for 4 minutes
3. Drain and rinse the rice noodles (do not leave in drainer; leave in water, until you are ready for the next step)
4. Heat another frying pan with a little butter, and toss the drained rice noodles in this pan

I added some peas to the sauce (see picture)

Chicken, Leek & Rice Pot

Prep 5-10 mins   –    Serves 2-4

unattended cooking 30-35 mins

• 4-6 Chicken Thighs
• 2 medium Leeks
• 10-15 cherry tomatoes
• 1 chicken stock pot
• 100g Basmati Rice
• 10g Butter
• 400-500 ml boiling water
• Salt, Pepper
  (Onion salt, Garlic powder, mixed herbs)

1. Season the thighs to taste.
2. Heat a wok, when it’s hot add the butter; when this is melted add the thighs skin side up, make sure they don’t overlap, when sealed turn over (approx. 2min per side).
3. In the meantime finely chop the leeks (cut once length wise and finely slice cross ways); halve the cherry tomatoes; boil the water.
4. Dissolve the stock pot in the hot water in a bowl/jar.
5. When the thighs are sealed, evenly add the tomatoes; then the leeks.
6. Add the dissolved stock, use a little extra water to rinse the bowl/jar and add that to the wok.
7. Stir a little, making sure all is covered with the liquid. Cover with a lid and leave simmering for 10 mins.
8. Add the basmati rice, stir making sure the rice is evenly spread and covered with liquid.
9. Cover again and let simmer for 16-18 mins depending on the rice (if you use brown & white mixed basmati rice cook for 20-22 mins).

Flying Jacob (in Swedish Flygende Jacob)

When I was in Sweden in November 2012 and was served this extremely popular Swedish dish.
I wrinkled my nose at the look of the ingredients and thought “who can eat a mixture of
chicken, bananas, bacon, cream, salted peanuts, chilli ketchup and rice?”
I was very sceptical with my first helping, but believe it or not, this dish was actually
very nice, so nice that I will share it with you my readers.
I was told that every household in Sweden has its own variation; and this is the one I was served.

Flying Jacob

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

• 280g sliced bacon
• ½ roasted chicken
• 200-250ml of single cream
• 150ml Heinz Hot Chilli Ketchup or use “Ketchup and a dash of liquid Chilli sauce”
• 3 large bananas – cut into 6 pieces (once lengthways; 3 times across)
• 100g salted peanuts

1. Cook the bacon while the oven is preheating. See Perfect Bacon
2. Preheat the oven to 220° C
3. Debone the chicken and tear the meat into coarse pieces and spread evenly in a large oven dish.
4. Spread the banana pieces evenly over the chicken
5. Fry the bacon until crisp, remove from the pan and set aside on kitchen paper. Break into small pieces.
6. De-glaze the pan with the cream and the chilli sauce, stir for 1 minute
7. Pour the sauce over the dish of chicken and bananas.
8. Place in the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes. (no cover needed)
9. Serve with rice and 1 dish each of nuts and bacon and possibly a side salad.

It was originally created by Swedish Air Freight worker Ove Jacobsson, who published it in the Swedish cooking magazine, “Allt om Mat” in the sixties.

Chicken Liver Pâté

I just didn’t believe I had not published my special Chicken Liver Pâté, so her it is. Preparation and Cooking time: max 10 minutes

• 50g Goose Fat (or butter)
• 400-450g Chicken Liver (trimmed and sinew removed)
• 1 large Spring Onion (approx 2cm) finely chopped
• 1 large clove Garlic (finely chopped)
• Salt and black Pepper
• 1 tsp fresh Thyme (leaves only)
• * The following are optional
• 75-100ml Red Wine (or 75-100ml Chicken Stock)
• 1-2 tbsp Brandy
• 1-2 Bay Leaves (for decoration)
• Some fresh Cranberries (for decoration)

1. Remove the sinew from the chicken liver and halve the larger pieces
2. In a mortar add the salt and cut the thymes into 2-3cm length, grind this and the salt will help removing the leaves of the thyme. Don’t overdo it. Then remove all the stalks and add the pepper.
3. I prefer to use a wok as the heat surface is smaller but the cooking is easier to deal with
4. Melt the goose fat in a pan over a medium heat; add the onion and the garlic; fry until softened, but not coloured.
5. Add the herbs and fry for ½ minute
6. Add the chicken liver and ensure it has been sealed all over, fry for 1-2 minutes constantly turning the liver so that it does not get brown.
7. Now stir in the alcohol (or the chicken stock) and let it cook vigorously for 3-4 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated/boiled away.
8. Place everything in the food processor and blend until smooth.
9. Transfer the pâté into a serving ramekin or small dish and cover with cling film.
10. Keep the pâté refrigerated
11. Decorate with a couple of cranberries and a bay leaf when serving.