Chicken Cacciatore

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I have been experimenting with chicken cacciatore recipes for about 7 years now, and they have always disappointed. You see what I am trying to emulate is the chicken cacciatore that was made at the Hilton lunch buffet where I grew up – I could never get enough of it. Each recipe I tried had something wrong with it, either the chicken itself tasted funny, or there was not enough of an olive flavour, or the tomato sauce was too tangy. What i have done here is start by making a mellow tomato sauce (mellowing it out by allowing to simmer on low heat) then refreshing the tastes by adding red and green pepper. Mushrooms add texture and olives give it the final finish.

This is an extremely family friendly dish, I hope that you enjoy. Happy cooking xx

1 size 16 chicken (jointed into 4 pieces – ask your butcher to do this for you to save time)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
¼ cup plain flour
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup olive oil
1 medium onion, roughly chopped

½ cup dry white wine
800ml (28 oz)  diced Italian tomatoes

2 teaspoons dried oregano,
2 cups white mushrooms, sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

½ cup pitted kalamata olives

  1. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
  2. Dredge the pieces in flour, coating them lightly and tapping off excess flour.
  3. In a deep, wide saucepan, heat the oil with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until a piece of chicken dipped in the oil gives off a very lively sizzle.
  4. Add as many pieces of chicken to the pan as will fit without touching. Do not crowd chicken; if skillet is not wide enough to fit all of the chicken, brown it in batches. Remove the chicken from the skillet as it browns,
  5. Once all the chicken has been browned and set aside, Add the chopped onions to the fat remaining in the pan and cook, stirring, 5 minutes.
  6. Pour the wine into the pan, bring to a boil, and cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
  7. Add the tomatoes and oregano, season lightly with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
  8. After 20 minutes, tuck the chicken into the sauce, adjust the heat to a gentle boil and cover the pan. Cook, stirring a few times, 20 minutes.
  9. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and peppers and toss until the peppers are wilted but still quite crunchy, about 8 minutes. Season the vegetables with salt.
  10. Stir the peppers and mushrooms and the olives into the pan with the chicken. Cook, covered, until the chicken and vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
  11. Check the level of the liquid as the chicken cooks. There should be enough liquid to barely cover the chicken. If necessary, add small amounts of water to maintain the level of liquid as the chicken cooks.
  12. Adjust your seasoning and serve!

Happy cooking xx

Om Ali – Egyptian bread and butter pudding

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Om Ali is a traditional egyptian dessert that comprised of layers of pastry, nuts and cream, spiced with cinnamon and rosewater, in other words this is heaven in a plate. THis is a recipe that has been passed down from generations in my husband’s family – they do not use coconut or sultanas (and i don’t either) but I have added the options in there in case those ingredients take your fancy.

This is a highly warming and satisfying dessert – usually served after an equally decadent main meal with tea. I hope that you enjoy! happy dessert making everyone ! xx

  • Ingredients

    for the pudding
    4 sheets frozen puff pastry
    3 cups chopped mixed nuts (hazlenuts, almonds, pistachios)
    1/2 cup of dessicated coconut (optional)
    1/2 sultanas (optional)
    1 1/2 cups white sugar
    1 -2 teaspoons cinnamon
    1 tablespoon rosewater (optional)
    5 cups milk
    1 cup heavy cream

    for the topping
    300 ml heavy cream (I like to use the Nestle canned cream for this recipe because the flavour reminds me of my childhood)
    1 tsp cinnamon
    2 tablespoons sugar

    Directions

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

    2. Place the pastry sheets on a baking tray and place the dish in the oven. When the top layer turns crunchy and golden, remove it.

    3. In a bowl, combine nuts, coconut, sultanas,  1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon.

    4. Butter a 9 x 13 inch pyrex baking dish

    5. Break cooked pastry into pieces and Spread 3/4 of it evenly the  baking dish

    6. Tp this with the nut mixture and cover with the remaining 1/4 of the pastry on the top.

    7. In a saucepan, bring 4 cups milk, 1 cup cream and 1 cup sugar to scalding over medium heat. (scalding is just before it boils, where there are little bubbles at the side of the saucepan)

    8.  Pour the milk mixture over the dish and Spread evenly .

    9. Place dessert in the oven until all the liquid has been absorbed and it is starting to becoming golden  brown on the top

    10. Mix together the ingredients for the topping, remove the dessert from the oven and spread the topping evenly on it, then return to the oven until the top is golden brown.

    From my family to yours, enjoy and happy cooking!

Lemon and Mustard chicken

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My husband has a fondness for all savoury things that are lemony, so naturally I try and create new lemony things and experiment with flavours that go with lemon a lot. In this recipe, the mustard and herb marinade infuse the chicken thighs with flavour, and the lemon sauce tenderises it so that it is super succulent. People have asked if they can use chicken breasts rather than thighs – the results would be much less succulent and moist but you can definitely do it. I personally prefer thighs as they are more flavoursome and juicier.

I hope you enjoy, happy cooking ! xx

Ingredients

• 1-1.5 Kg chicken thighs, no skin, trimmed of fat
• 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 3 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup (100 ml) lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 2 cups (500ml) chicken stock
• 4 large garlic cloves, bruised
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons plain four
• ¼ cup thick cream

Method

1. Heat oven to 200 degrees Celsius (400 F)
Start by marinating the chicken
1. Combine mustard, 2 teaspoons of the lemon zest, oregano, thyme, salt and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small bowl. Dip the chicken into this rub, ensuring both sides are coated well
Prepare the lemon base
2. In another bowl or measuring jug, combine remaining lemon zes, lemon juice and the chicken stock. Set aside.
Start cooking
1. Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in a large oven-safe skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add the briused garlic then cook about 1 minute or until you can smell toasted garlic and the garlic has browned around the edges. Remove and discard the garlic, but leave the oil.
2. Add chicken, skin-side down into the hot garlic-infused oil and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until the skin has turned golden brown.
3. Flip the chicken then add the lemon juice mixture from before. Stir then slide the pan into the oven and bake 25 to 35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked Prepare the lemon sauce
1. Remove pan from oven then transfer the chicken to a plate and cover with aluminum foil. Place the pan over medium heat and bring the remaining liquid to a gentle simmer.
2. In a small bowl, use your fingers to mix butter and flour together, making a dry, crumbly paste. Whisk the flour and butter into the sauce. The sauce will thicken slightly and look glossy.
3. Add the cream to the sauce and adjust the salt and pepper seasoning
4. Place the chicken back into the lemony sauce and serve.
Happy cooking!

Kebab Hala – Egyptian Pot Roast

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IMG_6115All day I have been thinking about the English equivalent to the word “mesabeka” which is the perfect arabic word to describe the sauce in this dish. This traditional Egyptian casserole is made with humble chuck or gravy beef. This budget friendly cut of meat is perfect for cooking on low heat for an extended period of time. While it cooks, the onions, garlic and spices transform into a rich, caramelised, sticky thick sauce that is  rich with the taste of onions and garlic, in short ‘mesabeka’. The meat itself becomes so tender and soft, you can cut it up using a spoon, its not fork tender, its spoon tender! The best thing about this dish is that the prep time is next to nothing, only one vegetable to chop and off you go. You do need the time to be able to leave the dish to do its thing for a few hours while you get on with more exciting things about the house (in my case, laundry woot woot) . I was feeling particularly decadent today (you see I’m on a sugar detox so I have to get my taste jollies elsewhere) so I served this extremely rich dish with the equally rich Creamy Rice (Roz Me3amar) however it goes very well with plain boiled rice to soak up the amazing sauce. I hope you try this dish and enjoy! Happy cooking xx

Ingredients

1 kg (2.2 Lb) chuck beef, cubed 3 Tablespoons oil 500g (1.1 Lb) Onions (about 3 large) sliced 2.5 tsp minced garlic 2.5 tsp arabic 7 spice (allspice) 2 tablespoons ghee (or butter) 1/4 cup flour Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Add salt and freshly cracked black pepper to the flour and mix well 2. Add the flour mixture to the beef while it is in a plastic bag, and shake it all about hokey pokey style 3. Heat the oil in a heavy cast iron casserole pot, and when hot start adding the meat in batches and browning on both sides, setting aside each batch as it is done browning.  Ensure that you do not overcrowd the pan, as this will cause the meat to cook it its own juices, resulting in grey ‘boiled’ meat rather than nicely browned flavoursome meat. 4. When all the meat is browned, put it all back in the pot and add the sliced onions and garlic, all spice and ghee. (can’t be a traditional egyptian recipe without ghee!) add salt and pepper to taste and mix very well 5. Lower the heat as far as it will go, and cover. Stir the casserole every few minutes to ensure the meat doesn’t stick to the bottom 6. Leave to cook for at least 2 – 2.5 hours. If at ANY time you feel the mixture is becoming too dry and in danger of burning, add 1/2 cup of water, stir will, cover and repeat. This is for emergencies only, I dont expect this to happen as the meat and onions release their juices and turn into the amazing sauce. 7. Check seasoning again before serving Enjoy and happy cooking xx

Konafa with Mango and Cream

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This recipe was inspired by a good friend of mine who is always looking out for indulgent desserts. Konafa is an egyptian dessert which is traditionally made with cream or nuts. The addition of fruit especially my favourite summer fruit the mango takes it to a transcendent level. The konafa pastry is crisp in your mouth and oozing with mango syrupy goodness. The pastry cream is lighter than air and the delicious mangoes finish it all of. Very difficult to stop at just one. Happy cooking xx

Ingredients

500 g Konafa (kataifi) pastry
100 g icing (powdered) sugar
100g ghee
500 g of ripe mango (i used frozen), cut into bite sized chunks and placed into a seive

for the pastry cream

1 cup thickened cream
300 ml milk
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup caster sugar
2 tbspn plain flour
2 tbspn corn flour

For the syrup

1.5 cups of sugar
1 cup water
1 tbpsn lemon juice

Method

Start by making the pastry cream

1. Mix the sugar and egg yolks together in a large bowl.

2. Sift the flour and corn flour into the egg mixture, mixing well.

3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan bring the milk and vanilla bean paste just to scalding.

4. Remove from heat and add  VERY slowly to egg mixture, one ladleful at a time whisking constantly to prevent it turning into scrambled eggs

5. Pour this mixture into a clean  saucepan and cook over medium heat until boiling, whisking constantly. When it boils, whisk mixture constantly for another 30 – 60 seconds until it becomes thick. 

6. Cool to room temperature

7. In a separate bowl, whip the thickened cream and fold into the cooled custard

8. Refrigerate your pastry cream at this point

make  syrup

1. In a saucepan over low heat, add the water, sugar and lemon juice and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved, and allow to almost come to a full boil.

2. Set the syrup aside to cool, while you add the mango flavour. If you are using fresh juicy mangos, put the mango peels into the syrup while it cools (and for as long as possible) for the syrup to infuse with mango flavour. If you are using frozen mango like I did, thaw the mango in a sieve over a bowl, add the liquid that is released from the mangoes into the syrup and voila – mango syrup

Bake the konafa

I like make the konafa individual sized so I can exercise some portion control, but you can make one big cake by making a top and bottom layer using the sam sized pan

1.  Shred the konafa pastry well

2. add the melted ghee and mix well

3. add the sugar and mix well

4. Place into cupcake tins – you want the mixture to be about a centimetre high after pressing down on it with a small round object that can fit in the cupcake tin. You want the pastry to be very tightly pressed together (it should make 2 dozen cupcake sized discs)

5. place the cupcake tin into a 180 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown

assembly

1. As soon as the baked Konafa pastry comees out of the oven, put about a tablespoon and a half of the syrup on each disc and allow to absorb while cooling

2. when cooled down to room temperature take each disc, top with the pastry cream and a few chunks of mangoes

IMG_6036

3. Then top with another disc

IMG_6040

Serve and enjoy!

Happy cooking everyone xx

Vegan aniseed biscotti

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IMG_5988

Aniseed biscotti is a traditional and simple biscuit to make. When perfectly brown the crunch is so seductive, its the perfect thing to dunk in tea or to grab as you are running out the door. Since the beginning of time this biscuit has served as a staple during vegan fasts, and I think that despite the most indulgent desserts I have made my husband over the years, this classic will always be one of this favourites. I should say that even if you are not fond of the harsh liquorice flavour ( I am certainly not) the aniseed flavour in this biscotti is mild and desirable. I hope you enjoy. Happy baking xx

Ingredients

400 ml orange juice
350g plain flour
125 ml vegetable oil
240g granulated sugar
10g baking powder
20g aniseeds

Method

1. Grease a swiss roll sponge cake pan and line with baking paper and pre heat the oven to 180

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange juice, sugar and oil until well combined and the sugar has dissolved.

3. In a separate bowl sift the rest of the dry ingredients (not the aniseeds) and pour over the orange juice mixture while continuing to whisk

4. Add the aniseeds once the biscotti batter has come together

5. Pour the batter into the swiss roll tray.

6. Bake on 180 degrees for 25 minutes or until starting to golden brown

7. remove from oven, cool slightly and using a serrated knife cut into evenly sized biscuits

8. Place the biscuits bake into the oven for around 15-20 minutes depending on your oven, turning often for even browning.

Wait until cool and serve with a hot mug of tea for dipping!

Enjoy happy baking xx

Coriander and Almond Pesto with Prawns and Linguine

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IMG_5974

As I have said in my earlier post, coriander is my all time favourite herb and this pesto is one of my favourite ways to enjoy it. It is zesty, garlicky, lemony and the chilli flakes add an incredible zing that make you want to bathe your tastebuds in it. This stuff is soooooo good, its addictive, and it is a bit dangerous as it can make everything else taste bland in comparison.

The best thing about it is that it’s extremely versatile. I have used this pesto successfully on plain pasta, on white fleshed fish, with prawns, and the simplest most indulgent way to enjoy it is on a toasted piece of sourdough bread, buttered with a vegan margarine and thickly spread with this pesto. I think this pesto would work very well with chicken and i personally cannot wait to stuff button mushrooms with it on the barbecue yummoooo

I hope you enjoy experimenting with this pesto. From my family to yours, happy cooking xx

Ingredients

For the pesto
2 bunches fresh coriander (stems and leaves)
100 g sliced almonds, lightly toasted
3 cloves fresh garlic
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/3 cup olive oil (could require more)
salt to taste

For the prawn linguine
400g frozen prawns
250 g linguine (or your preferred pasta)

Method

Start by making the pesto

1. Combine all the ingredients for the pesto in a blender or a in a jug if using a hand held blenders
2. Blend until smooth, drizzling in the olive oil – adding more to achieve the desired consistency. I like to maximise the flavour by minimising the oil used

3. Adjust the salt to your taste

Making the pasta

1. Marinate the prawns by taking 2 tablespoons of the pesto and mixing it with the prawns as they thaw and in the meantime boil the pasta in salted water

2. Heat a pan with a few tablespoons of olive oil, and when very hot, put the prawns in the pan and saute until they begin to turn pink

3. Create a hotspot in the middle of the prawns and place the rest of the pesto, with about a ladleful of the pasta water to soften the mixture

4. add the cooked linguine and stir to combine

5. Serve immediately!

Happy cooking all xx

Coriander and almond pesto

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Coriander is my most used and favourite herb. I love the zest that only fresh coriander can provide, whether it’s in a mexican dish, a salad or an indian curry. When i first heard about the idea of an indian style pesto, I was immediately intrigued, and when I tried it out myself I immediately fell in love, it is zesty, garlicky, lemony and the chilli flakes add an incredible zing that make you want to bathe your tastebuds in it. This stuff is soooooo good, its addictive, and it is a bit dangerous as it can make everything else taste bland in comparison.

The best thing about it is that it’s extremely versatile. I have used this pesto successfully on plain pasta, on white fleshed fish, with prawns, and the simplest most indulgent way to enjoy it is on a toasted piece of sourdough bread, buttered with a vegan margarine and thickly spread with this pesto. I think this pesto would work very well with chicken and i personally cannot wait to stuff button mushrooms with it on the barbecue yummoooo

I hope you enjoy experimenting with this pesto. From my family to yours, happy cooking xx

Ingredients

2 bunches fresh coriander (stems and leaves)
100 g sliced almonds, lightly toasted
3 cloves fresh garlic
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/3 cup olive oil (could require more)
salt to taste

Method

1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender or a in a jug if using a hand held blenders
2. Blend until smooth, drizzling in the olive oil – adding more to achieve the desired consistency. I like to maximise the flavour by minimising the oil used

3. Adjust the salt to your taste

4. Use and enjoy xx

Vegan apple and cinnamon cake with apple jam

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This is a moist and fluffy cake, which you absolutely cannot tell is vegan. I would make this even when I am not observing a vegan fast. Apple-y and cinnamon-y it is the perfect cake with a cup of tea, and does well even without the additional layer of apple jam.

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Ingredients

For the apple jam
4 granny smith apples, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup water
3 tbsps sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1.5 tsp cinnamon
1 squeeze lemon
For the cake
1/2 cup vegan butter (I use Golden Canola LIte)
1 cup caster sugar
1 cup soy milk
2 tsp white vinegar
1 cup apple jam
1/4 cup vegetable oil (do not use olive oil, use canola or sunflower)
2 1/2 cups plain flour
1.5 tsp bicarbonate soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Method

For the apple jam

1. Combine all the ingredients in a pot over low heat, and cover until the apple softens
2. Remove the cover, and continue to stir from time to time until the apples breakdown completely
3. Test the seasoning for sweetness and adequate cinnamon levels and leave to cool
recipe yields apprx 600ml apple jam

For the cake

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius non fan forced
1. In a non reactive jug, combine the soy milk and vinegar and leave aside to curdle
2. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Gradually add the curdled soy milk mixture while continuing to mix slowly in the mixer (mixture will look lumpy at this point – do not fret)
4. Add the oil and mix until combined
5. Add the apple jam and mix until combined
6. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, salt, bicarb soda, and cinnamon
7.Gradually add the flour to the cake batter while mixing on low speed. The mixture should start to become smooth and look like a regular cake batter and it should smell pretty amazing!
8. Oil and flour 2 x 9 inch round cake pans and divide the batter equally among them
9. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes (checking in after 20) the cake is done when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean

10 Remove the cake from the oven and invert onto a wire rack to cool

Assembly
1. Once the cake has cooled decide which of the 2 cakes you will use on top, and cover the bottom cake with 1/2 cup of the apple jam mixture
2. Then cover the top cake with 1/2 cup of the jam mixture (optional)
3. Serve and enjoy!

Happy vegan baking everyone xx

Vegan Oreo Cheesecake

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oreo cheesecake

God bless the creator of Oreo’s – although they were created or lactose and dairy intolerant children in the first instance, they are a staple in our household when we are observing a vegan diet. I developed this recipe because I tasted a ‘regular’ oreo cheesecake that was amazing, and since the invention of Tofutti cream cheese, baked vegan cheesecake is no longer a thing of the imagination.

I invite you to try this one, the cheesecake fillling is sweet but not to sweet, scented with vanilla and dotted exquisitely with crushed oreos. The base is a dense mess of crushed oreos and the whole thing comes together beautifully. From my family to yours…happy cooking xx

Ingredients

3 x 150g packet oreos

2 tablespoons vegan margarine (melted, I use Golden Canola Lite)

2 x Tubs of Tofutti cream cheese (try to find Tofutti cream cheese it tastes much better than other cream cheese substitutes out there)

Egg replacer for 2 eggs (Found in the health food isle of supermarkets I used Orgran No Egg)

¾ cup caster sugar

1.5 teaspoons of vanilla

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (not fan forced, if all you have is fan forced then bake it at 160)
  2. Line the bottom of a 9 inch (or similar) springform pan with baking paper and spray the sides with a touch of oil.
  3. In a food processor, combine 1.5 packets of the Oreos and process until fine. Add in the melted butter until combined and press into the bottom of the springform pan.
  4. Using an electric mixer, Beat the cream cheese, egg replacer, sugar and vanilla for about 2-3 minutes until smooth and combined
  5. Coarsely chop remaining oreos and fold into the cream cheese mixture and then pour onto the base
  6. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until only a slight wobble remains. Turn off oven, open the door of the oven slightly and let the cheesecake cool in there for another 10 minutes. Then remove from the oven and refrigerate for a few hours.
  7. Serve with soy ice cream. Enjoy!! Happy cooking xx