Chicken in Applesauce

If you are in a hurry to prepare lunch for your family like me today, here is the perfect dish!  Easy and quick to prepare - tastes great when served with whipped potato or rice!  My two boys gave their thumbs up!

Ingredients (serves 2):
4 or 5 chicken thighs
1 big onion, to be peeled & cut into wedges
2 apples, to be peeled, deseeded & cut into wedges
300 ml apple juice (you may add apple cider if you wish)
1 tsp instant chicken stock granules
2 tbsp oil
salt & pepper to taste

Method:
Remove fat and skin from chicken meat.  Wash and dry with kitchen paper.  Then, season with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in a pan over medium/high heat.  Fry chicken meat until both sides are browned.  Remove to a plate.

Add onion wedges to pan and stir-fry over high heat for two minutes.  Then, add apple wedges and stir-fry until almost golden.

Pour apple juice and add chicken stock granules.  Simmer on high heat for 5 minutes.

Add chicken pieces to pan and let it simmer with the lid on for another 10 minutes or until chicken is half-cooked.  Remove lid and continue to simmer until the sauce thickens.  Check seasoning.

Serve hot with whipped potato or rice!

Bon Appetit!

Turkey Leg with Apple & Sour Cabbage (Putenkeule auf Apfel-Sauerkraut)

A low cost and healthy roast dish for your family which is perfect on a cold autumn day.  I sauteéd stewed apples (Apfelkompott) and fresh sour cabbage (Sauerkraut) in the roast juices together with tiny cubes of turkey bacon, spices, onions and apple juice.   Tastes excellent when served with boiled potatoes!

Ingredients (serves 4):
1 kg Putenkeule (turkey leg), boneless
80 g turkey bacon, to be finely diced
1 medium-size onion, to be peeled & finely diced
700 g fresh Sauerkraut (sour cabbage) - you may use the canned ones
6 pcs Wacholderbeeren (juniper berries), to be crushed just before adding to pan
2 pcs bay leaves
370 ml Apfelkompott (stewed apples) - you may use the canned ones
250 ml apple juice
salt & ground black pepper to taste
80 ml vegetable stock (instant)

Method:
Wash and dry the Putenkeule.  Please note that I normally buy 2 turkey legs of 500 g each.  Season with salt and ground black pepper on both sides.  Then, roll the meat together and bind with strings as shown below.

In a large pan, heat about 2 tbsp of cooking oil over medium/high heat.  Pan-fry the meat bundles and brown on all sides. Once done, remove to a tray.

Remove about 4 tbsp of fat from pan.  Add onion & bacon cubes and stir-fry for about 3 minutes. Then, add Sauerkraut, Wacholderbeeren and bay leaves.  Stir-fry for about a minute before adding the stewed apples and apple juice.  Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.

Arrange meat on top of Sauerkraut and cover with lid or aluminium foil.  Bake in a preheated fan oven at a temperature o 150° C for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes are up, add apple juice all over the Sauerkraut and continue baking for another 30 minutes.

After that, remove lid or aluminium foil and bake for another 30 minutes.  Total baking time is one and a half hours.  Once done, remove from oven and check seasoning. Cut and remove the strings before serving.

Slice meat before serving with Sauerkraut and boiled potatoes.

Bon Appetit!

Baked Chicken & Penne with Alfredo Sauce

In order to use up some left-over roast chicken from yesterday, I cooked this easy peasy noodle dish for lunch today.  I prepared a low calorie Alfredo sauce by using the same quantity for both chicken broth and low-fat milk instead of only milk.  Firstly, I sautéed minced garlic before adding the flour, chicken broth and milk followed by shredded chicken (skinless) and canned mushrooms. There are two options in serving this dish.  Serve it immediately once the noodles are mixed with the hot Alfredo sauce. Alternatively, add noodle mixture to a casserole dish and bake in a hot oven for half an hour. Tastes delicious both ways and I think the kids would love it!

Ingredients (serves 4):

250 g Penne noodles

15 g grated parmesan cheese

Ingredients for Alfredo Sauce:

3 pips garlic, to be peeled and minced

2 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp flour

250 ml chicken broth or instant stock

250 ml low-fat milk (1.5%)

50 g grated parmesan cheese

salt & pepper to taste

250 g shredded chicken (cooked)

1 glass (280 g) sliced mushrooms

Method:

Cook noodles according to packet instructions.

In a medium-size pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté minced garlic until fragrant.  Add flour and mix well by using a whisk.  Then, add chicken broth followed by milk and grated parmesan cheese.  Season with salt and pepper before adding the mushrooms and shredded chicken.  Bring to a light simmer, remove from heat and set aside.

Once noodles are done, pass through a colander and return noodles to pot.  Add Alfredo sauce and mix thoroughly.

At this stage, you may serve the noodles immediately.

Alternatively, add half quantity of noodle mixture to a casserole (24 x 19 cm) and sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese on top.  Repeat procedure with the remaining noodle mixture and parmesan cheese.  Bake in a preheated fan oven at a temperature of 180° C for 25 to 30 minutes.

Serve while it is hot!

Bon Appetit!

Baeckeoffa

A hearty stew for dinner on a cold Saturday evening.  This dish is very popular in Alsace, France and it is usually cooked with pork meat.  This time, I added goose meat along with cabbage, carrots, potatoes, onions, marjoram, parsley, thyme & bay leaf.  I used a traditional Baeckeoffa casserole which can be served directly on the dining table.   Otherwise, one can use a normal casserole with a lid. Tastes great when eaten with a crusty baguette.

Ingredients (serves 4):
2 goose legs (about 950 g)
40 g ghee or Butterschmalz
650 g potatoes, to be peeled and soaked in cold water
a bunch of flat parsley, to be washed, dried & plucked
a bunch of marjoram, to be washed, dried & plucked
200 ml chicken or poultry fond
300 ml Alsatian Silvaner or any non-alcoholic cooking white wine
300 g big onions, to be peeled & cut into wedges
500 g big carrots, to be peeled, halved & cut into 5 cm pieces
800 g cabbage, to be cut into strips (trunk removed), washed & drip dry
1/2 bunch of thyme, to be washed & dried
1 tiny bay leaf

250 g plain flour
2 tbsp cooking oil
125 ml water

Method:
Wash and dry goose legs.  Remove fat and skin - these are to be cooked in a saucepan over medium heat in order to extract the goose fat.  Remove meat from bones and cut into about 5 cm cubes. Leave aside.

Prepare onions, carrots and cabbage as shown.

Grease the base of casserole with 10 g ghee.  Thinly slice potatoes and arrange on the base of casserole in two layers:  sprinkle salt, pepper, parsley and marjoram on each layer.  Then, add poultry fond.

Heat 2 tbsp of goose fat in a big pan over medium heat and add goose meat.  Brown on all sides and season with salt & pepper, followed by 100 ml Silvaner.  Let it simmer lightly before adding to the casserole.

Wipe pan clean with kitchen paper.  Heat 10 g ghee over medium heat and add onion wedges. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes.  Then, season with salt and a good pinch of sugar, followed with 50 ml of Silvaner.  Let it simmer lightly before adding to the casserole.

Wipe pan clean with kitchen paper.  Heat 10 g ghee over medium heat and add carrots.  Stir-fry for about 2 minutes.  Then, season with salt and a good pinch of sugar, followed with 150 ml of Silvaner. Let it simmer lightly before adding to the casserole.

Wipe pan clean with kitchen paper.  Heat 10 g ghee over medium heat and add cabbage.  Stir-fry for about 2 minutes.  Then, season with salt and a pinch of sugar. Then, add to casserole and place the bunch of thyme with the bay leaf attached.

In a mixing bowl, knead flour, cooking oil and water together to form a pliable dough. Roll dough into a long roll, enough to line the lid of the casserole.  Position dough between the casserole and its lid as shown.  Press dough lightly.

Bake in a preheated slow fan oven at a temperature of 140° C for about two and three quarter hours.

Remove thyme and bay leaf before serving it hot with a crusty baguette.

Bon Appetit!

Chicken Drumsticks in Baked Beans Gravy

A perfect healthy dish for a cool autumn or winter day which is rich in fibre.  Most ingredients can be found in a well-stocked kitchen.  One just need to buy the chicken drumsticks in the nearby supermarket.  Baked beans lovers will definitely love this dish!

Ingredients (serves 4):
8 chicken drumsticks, skinless
1 tbsp flour
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, to be peeled and cut into wedges
1 pip garlic, to be peeled and crushed
1 bay leaf
1 tin (400 ml) baked beans
1 tin (400 ml) chopped tomatoes
salt & ground black pepper to taste

Method:
Coat chicken drumsticks in flour and leave aside.

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium/high heat.  Add chicken drumsticks and brown all sides. Remove to an ovenproof pot.

Add onion wedges to same pan and stir-fry for a few minutes.  Then, add crushed garlic and stir-fry for two minutes.  Lastly, add bay leaf, baked beans and chopped tomatoes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer to ovenproof pot and put on lid.  Bake in a preheated fan oven at a temperature of 190° C for about 35 minutes.  Once done, serve hot with baguette slices.

Bon Appetit!

Putenfleisch Pudding (Turkey Meat Pudding)

I prepared this simple comfort food for our younger son's lunch today.  The ingredients for the batter, which is similar to those of Yorkshire Pudding, is poured over the meat and baked in a hot oven for half an hour.  I am sure this dish will be a hit with the kids!

Ingredients (serves 2):

250 g turkey meat, to be cut into big cubes

125 g plain flour

1 medium-size egg, to be slightly beaten

200 g fresh milk

90 g water

salt & ground black pepper to taste

a little butter for greasing baking dish

a rectangular (22 cm x 16 cm) baking dish

Method:

In a bowl, add flour and salt.  Mix well and make a well in the centre.  Add beaten egg and a little milk at a time.  Whisk batter and make sure that there are no lumps are formed.  Then, add water and mix well.  Lastly, season with salt and pepper to taste. Leave batter aside to stand for about one hour.

Season meat cubes with salt and pepper to taste.  Arrange meat in greased baking dish.  Place dish in preheated fan oven at a temperature of 200° C for about 10 to 15 minutes or until meat changes colour.  Remove from oven and pour batter over meat. It is important that there is enough room for the batter to rise during baking.

Return baking dish to oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until top is golden brown.  Do NOT open the oven door during baking or else your pudding will collapse. Once done, remove from oven.

Serve warm with any kind of vegetables and sauce (optional).  Today, I served this dish with steamed brussel sprouts and gravy (instant) as per our son's request.

Bon Appetit!

Mediterranean Ayam Penyet

Almost true to the original preparation, the chicken was roasted to a perfect crispiness.  The addition of rosemary and cherry tomatoes brings up the mediterranean aroma.  This dish is perfect for a lazy day where cooking preparations are kept to a minimum.

Ingredients (serves 4):
1 whole chicken (about 1.5 kg)
4 stalks rosemary, to be washed & patted dry
salt & ground black pepper to taste
500 g small potatoes, to be peeled
10 shallots, to be peeled and cut into wedges
300 g small courgettes, to be washed, dried & sliced
100 g cherry tomatoes, to be washed & halved
1 can (425 ml) large white beans, to be drained
olive oil

Method:
By using a sharp poultry shears, cut chicken along the centre back bone.  Wash and pat dry chicken. Then, cut the breast bone in order that the chicken lies flat.  Season with salt and pepper to taste on both sides.  Slight loosen the skin on the breast and leg areas.  Insert some plucked rosemary needles under the skin.  Rub all over with 1 tbsp olive oil and place chicken on a deep baking tray.  Season peeled potatoes with salt, pepper & a little olive oil and add to baking tray.

Bake in a preheated fan oven at a temperature of 190° C for 30 minutes.  Season cut vegetables with salt, pepper & 1 tbsp olive oil.  After 30 minutes of roasting, add seasoned vegetables and 2 stalks of rosemary to the baking tray.

Cook for a further 30 minutes before adding the drained white beans. Cook for another 10 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown in colour.

Once done, remove from oven and serve immediately.  Best eaten with ciabatta bread.

Bon Appetit!

One-Pot Chicken Chasseur

A great family dish which shows how tasty a simple casserole of chicken thighs can be - succulent mushrooms and melt-in-the-mouth chicken - all served in a fragrant and delicious gravy.

Ingredients (serves 4):
4 chicken legs, to be washed and pat dry
salt & ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp olive oil
20 g butter

300 g small button mushrooms or brown mushrooms, to be cleaned and left whole or cut into 4
1 medium-sized onion, to be peeled and cut into fine wedges
3 pips of garlic, to be peeled and crushed
150 ml red wine (optional - I omitted this)
2 tbsp tomato puree
2 sprigs of thyme or 1 tsp of dried thyme
500 ml chicken stock

Method:
Season chicken legs with salt and ground black pepper to taste.  In a large pan, heat olive oil and half of butter over medium heat.  Add chicken legs and fry for about 5 minutes each side or until golden brown.  Remove to a tray and set aside.

Melt rest of butter in pan and add onion wedges.  Fry until soft before adding the crushed garlic.  Fry for about 1 minute before adding the mushrooms.  Cook for a further 2 minutes and then, add wine.

Add tomato puree and let gravy simmer and reduce for about 5 minutes.  Then, add in thyme and chicken stock.  Return the chicken legs to pan and put on lid.  Simmer over low/medium heat for about an hour.

Remove chicken from pan and keep warm by covering with aluminium foil.  Boil gravy for about 10 minutes or until the flavour is concentrated.  You may add a mixture of cornflour/water mixture to thicken the gravy a bit, if you wish.

Return the chicken legs to pan and heat through.  Serve with baguette or potato dumplings.

Bon Appetit!