Tag Archives: Year Round Dairy Cookbook

Foodie chuckles

There has been many a food-related chuckle this week. I am loving Jamie Oliver’s adverts for his new Channel Four TV show, Jamie Does, they are gloriously Fast Showesque.

Let’s hope the actual program is as amusing and tempts us with some delicious regional delicacies from around the world – I’m afraid his American Road Trip, though entertaining, did little to inspire the cook in me.

I also read this little anecdote in my Graze box this week. To propose to a woman in ancient Greece, a young man would simply have to throw her an apple. If she caught it, he knew she had accepted his offer.

Well thank goodness I wasn’t born in ancient Grecian times! I would have remained a life-long spinster, such are my catching skills. I must admit, I am much more impressed by a proposal on a gondola in Venice – just call me fussy!

This week, our Year Round Dairy Cookbook has been reduced to less than half price. It’s a staggering £2.99 for gorgeous seasonal inspiration. Here’s my favourite recipe from the spring section, Lemon Chicken with Potato Wedges, an easy and healthy dinner – good enough to cook for friends.

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Lemon chicken with potato wedges

This recipe is a good alternative to roast chicken, especially if you have visitors, as it looks great and is easy to double up on ingredients for more people.

Lemon chicken with potato wedges

Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 50 minutes
Serves 4

426 Kcal per portion
20.5g Fat per portion of which
6.9g is saturated

Potatoes, 4 medium (about 800g) peeled and cut into wedges
Olive oil, 3 tbsp
Lemons, 2, 1 cut into 6 wedges and the other into 8 thin slices
Garlic 4 cloves, unpeeled
Thyme or oregano sprigs, handful
Chicken breasts 4, skin left on
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Nutmeg, freshly grated
Parma ham, 4 slices
Chicken stock 150ml (¼ pint)
Crème fraiche 4 tbsp

1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5. Put a large baking tray in the oven to heat up. Add the potato wedges to a pan of boiling salted water and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain the potatoes well, dry for a few seconds in the pan.

2 Put 2 tablespoons of oil on the hot baking sheet, add the potatoes and toss in the oil. Gently squeeze each lemon wedge over the potatoes and add them the baking tray, along with the garlic cloves and herb sprigs. Roast near the bottom of the oven for about 50 minutes, turning them after about 25 minutes and then once again to crisp and brown all over.

3 Meanwhile, put the chicken breasts in a roasting tin, rub the skin with the lemon ends then season well with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Arrange a slice of ham on each piece of meat, ruching it to look attractive, then put 2 lemon slices on top. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil. Put the chicken above the potato wedges in the oven and cook for 20 minutes, then pour the stock into the tin and cook another 20 minutes.

4 Transfer the chicken to a hot platter. Pour the roasting tin juices into a small pan, bring to the boil and reduce to about 90ml (3fl oz) then whisk in the crème fraiche to make a thin creamy sauce. Spoon some sauce onto 4 hot dinner plates and place a chicken breast on top. Serve with the lemon flavoured chips, garlic cloves  and some green vegetables.

Cook’s tips
If you want less fat in this recipe, take the skin off the chicken and  don’t add the crème fraiche to the sauce – it still takes good.

Variations
The recipe works well with chicken leg portions too – cook them for 50 minutes.

Recipe taken from Year Round Dairy Cookbook. Available for just £2.99!

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Fruity coffee pancakes

This dessert is wonderfully light and fruity and so works well after a heavy main course. If you make the batter in advance, it is quick to cook, too.

Fruity Coffee Pancakes15 minutes preparation time
20 minutes cooking time
305 Kcal per portion
8.3g fat per portion of which
4.5g is saturated
4 servings
Suitable for vegetarians

Plain flour 110g (4oz)
Instant coffee granules 1 tsp
Egg 1, beaten
Milk 300ml (1⁄2 pint)
Butter 25g (1oz)
Oranges 2
Cornflour 2 tsp
Clear honey 2 tbsp
Bananas 2, peeled and chopped
Greek-style natural yogurt to serve

1 Place the flour and coffee granules in a mixing bowl and gradually stir in the egg and then the milk to form a smooth batter.

2 Heat a little butter of the in a frying pan. When hot, pour in 3 tbsp of the batter, tilting the pan to cover the base. Cook the batter until the pancake moves freely, then flip it over and cook until the other side is golden. Repeat to make 8 pancakes, keeping them warm while making the filling.

3 Remove the rind from the oranges with a zester. Using a small, sharp knife, take away as much of the pith as possible. Holding each orange over a bowl, slice in between each segment to release the flesh and juice into the bowl. Mix the orange juice, cornflour and honey and heat in a small pan until thickened. Add the fruit.

4 Fold the pancakes into triangles and fill with the fruit. Serve immediately with the Greek yogurt.

Cook’s tips
Use a heavy frying pan with a diameter of up to 18cm (7in) – the batter won’t spread as evenly in a larger one.
Use only a little fat (butter is best), but re-grease after cooking each pancake.

Recipe taken from Year Round Dairy Cookbook

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