Balmoral Chicken With Clapshot and Whisky Cream Sauce

Balmoral Chicken - Ingredients:

• 2 large skinless chicken breasts (pref. organic)
• 85g (approx) haggis
• 6 rashers back bacon, smoked or unsmoked
• 10g melted butter
• salt & pepper

Method:

1. Place the chicken breasts on a board and with a sharp knife, slice along the length to make a pocket in each.
2. Form two long sausages of haggis and tuck these inside the chicken breasts, then cover with the flap of meat.
3. Wrap the chicken breasts in bacon, covering as much of the chicken as possible.
4. Brush with melted butter and season.
5. Wrap in tin foil and bake in the oven at 200C for 30 mins.
6. After 20 mins open the tin foil parcel so the bacon can go crispy.

Clapshot - Ingredients:

• 250g potatoes, preferably a dry and floury variety e.g. Kerrs Pink
• 250g turnip, peeled and diced
• 50g butter
• 1 tablespoon of fresh chives, finely chopped
• salt & pepper

Method:

1. Boil the potatoes and the turnips for about 20 minutes, or until they are soft and fully cooked.
2. Drain, and return to the pan.
3. Mash them together thoroughly.
4. Add the butter and seasoning, fluff up with a fork and serve hot.
5. Garnish with chives.

Whisky Sauce - Ingredients:

• 250ml chicken stock
• 2tbsp of whisky
• 100ml double cream
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 20g butter

Method:

1. Mix the chicken stock and whisky together in a pan and bring to the boil, reducing the volume of liquid by half.
2. Add the mustard and cream stirring all the time.
3. Then add the butter so that it melts completely and thickens the sauce.
4. Serve over the chicken.

Citation

This recipe was found at http://www.scotlandontv.tv/scotland_on_tv/experience/recipes/balmoralchicken.html

Lentil Base Quiche

Ingredients

• 1 cup of lentils
• 1 ½ – 2 cups porridge oats (adjust to soak up all the water)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp grated cheese
• Quiche filling, (e.g. tomato, spinach, sunflower seeds)
• Salt and pepper to taste

How to Cook

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6. Add the lentils to hot water, bring to the boil and then simmer until the lentils have disintegrated. Add water to cover the lentils by 1cm.
2. Add enough oats until the mixture becomes thick and forms a stiff dough.
3. Roll it out and put into a shallow oven proof dish and blind cook for 5-10 minutes, until it feels hard to the touch.
4. Mix 2 eggs with salt and pepper and the milk. Add some grated cheese and any other fillings. Pour this mixture into the base and cook for 15-20 minutes until golden on top.

Preparation: 20 min / Cooking: 15-20 min Serves 2-4 Lisa's Note: Good! Used mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach and sunflower seeds. Next time should try with two more eggs and more veggie fillings.

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, chopped into medium dice
• 1 red peppers, seeded and chopped into medium
• dice
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 large sweet potato, cut into l-cm (1/2-in) cubes
• zest and juice of 1lime
• 4 4OO-g (14-oz) cans black beans; rinsed and drained
• 2 4OO-g (14-oz) cans chopped tomatoes
• 1 jalapeiio pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 lime cut into wedges
• 60g (2 oz) fresh coriander leaves, washed and dried

How to Cook

1. Warm the oil in large lidded saucepan set over a medium heat, then add the red onion, red pepper (capsicum), garlic and salt. Saute the vegetables until soft, about 4 minutes.
2. Add the sweet potato cubes and lime zest, and cook for a further 1~15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the black beans, tomatoes, jalapeno, lime juice, cumin, chilli powder and cocoa, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Serve over brown rice with lime wedges and chopped fresh coriander.

Serves 4

Per serving: 518 calories/2165 kJ: Protein 30 g; Carbs 80 g; Sugar 15 g: Fat 8g (of which saturates 1.5g); Fibre 14 g; Sodium 1287 mg

From: Alex Jamieson's The Great American Detox Diet

Applet Walnut Gorgonzola Risotto

The temperature is falling so that means it is risotto time! Lisa and I are big fans of this recipe. We use Jamie Oliver's recipe. We got this from his book Cook.

Ingredients

Risotto Base

• 1 3/4 pints of vegetable or chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 4-5 sticks of celery, trimmed and finely chopped.
• 600g risotto rice
• 250ml vermouth or dry white whine.

Risotto Ingredients

• 700ml hot vegetable or chicken stock
• 100g butter
• 1-2 small handfuls of parmesan cheese
• 200g gorgonzola cheese, diced
• 100g soft goat's cheese, crumbled
• 2 apples, cored and finely chopped, tossed in lemon juice
• small bunch of marjoram leaves, chopped
• a handful of walnuts
• salt and black pepper to taste

How to Cook

Bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan. Put the olive oil and butter in a separate pan. Add the onion and celery and cook very gently for about 15 minutes without coloring, until soft. Add the rice (it will sizzle) and turn up the heat. Keep the rice and veg moving in the pan.

Add the vermouth or white wine. Stir the rice until the vermouth or white wine has evaporated.

Add the stock to the rice one ladle at a time stirring and waiting until it has been fully absorbed before adding the next. Turn the heat down to low so the rice doesn't cook too quickly. Continue until all ladles of stock have been added and the rice is cooked, but still a little al dente.

At this point you will need the additional stock. Continue to add additional stock until the rice is cooked. It should hold its shape but be soft, creamy and oozy. Turn off the heat and beat in the butter, Parmesan, gorgonzola, goat's cheese, apple, and marjoram. Add salt and pepper to taste. Put a lid on the pan and leave the risotto to rest for a minute so the cheese can ooze into it. While you are waiting, heat the walnuts in a pan. Add walnuts or bring to the table for others to add.

Traditional Apple Pie with whipped cream

THE FILLING

• 900 g of Bramley apples, (had they been in season at the filming John would have liked to have used his own apples which were Bascombe Mystery and Lanes Prince Alberts.)
• Salted water (stop cut apples going brown)
• 2 tsp quince marmalade or to taste.
• Lemon juice to taste
• Caster sugar to taste for the filling and a little more to sprinkle over the pie and sweeten the cream.

(Quantities of quince marmalade, sugar and lemon juice will depend on the apples used so make sure you taste the filling before putting it in the pie. )

PASTRY

• 175g self raising flour
• 85g lard
• 85g block baking margarine
• 1/2 pint Sour milk (2-3 days in warm kitchen)
• A pinch of Salt
• ½ pint double cream

For best results all ingredients and equipment should be chilled in the fridge before use. JOHN AND ED’S MASTERCLASS John and Ed had no changes to make to John’s Apple pie but they thought he might like to learn how to make a fantastic vanilla ice cream as an alternative to whipped cream to serve it with.

INGREDIENTS 250 ml double cream 250 ml full fat milk 3 vanilla pods, split and seeded 8 egg yolks 150 g caster sugar

METHOD

1. Pour the milk and cream into a pan with the vanilla seeds and pods and bring to the boil.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the caster sugar and the egg yolks.
3. Remove the vanilla pods from the milk and cream them pour the mixture slowly into the egg mixture whisking all the time.
4. Once combined, pour the mixture back into the pan and cook, whisking all the time until thickened.
5. Pour into an ice cream machine and churn until frozen.

METHOD

1. For the filling, peel, core and chop the apples
2. Place in pan of salted water to prevent from turning brown until ready to use.
3. Drain the water put apples in pan over medium heat and add quince marmalade and part cook for about ten minutes.
4. Add the lemon juice and sugar to taste. Drain and set aside to cool.
5. To make the pastry, sieve the flour into a bowl and add the margarine, lard and salt. Cut the mixture with a knife until it combines then add about 1/3 a pint of soured milk until you have a dough. Do not use your hands. The dough should be elastic and not be too wet or too dry.
6. Dust the surface with flour and put on 2/3 of dough. Roll out the pastry into a rectangular shape. Fold in three by folding the ends into the middle. Turn the pastry 90 degrees and repeat the process twice more. Keep your rolling movements very light.
7. Roll out the pastry and line a greased pie plate. Cut off the trimmings and set aside for the lid.
8. Put the apple onto base leaving clear edge around and brush with sour milk.
9. For the lid, roll out the remaining pastry (not the trimmings) again. Fold in the ends and turn 90 degrees.
10. Cut margarine into small pieces and dot onto the pastry.
11. Roll out the trimmings and place on top of the rolled out dough. Dot more margarine on 2/3 of the pastry.
12. Fold the non-margarine dotted end into the middle then fold the other end over it. Turn and repeat with twice more.
13. Roll out and place on top of the pie. Cut a vent hole in pie and work around edges lifting and pinching them to seal joint. Glaze top with sour milk and sprinkle with sugar.
14. Place in oven for 20 to 25 minutes at 210 degrees Celsius until the pastry is a rich, golden brown. It is important not to under cook the pastry.
15. Cut a slice of the pie and serve with a dollop of sweetened whipped double cream or ice cream as desired.

Reference: From ITV's Britain's Best Dish

Spiced Butternut Squash Stew with Couscous

Ingredients

Squash Stew:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 6 canned plum tomatoes, crushed
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 (16-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups chicken broth, low-sodium canned
• 1-inch strip lemon zest
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 4 cups chopped spinach (about 5 ounces)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

Couscous:

• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, low-sodium canned
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup couscous

How to Cook:

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatoes, and spices and cook until the cinnamon stick unfurls and the tomatoes are cooked down, about 3 minutes. Add the squash, chickpeas, broth, lemon zest, and raisins and bring to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, until the squash is fork tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the lemon juice and season, to taste.

Meanwhile, make the couscous. Bring the broth to a boil with the salt and pepper in a small saucepan. Stir in the couscous, pull the saucepan off the heat, cover, and set aside until the water has been absorbed and the couscous is plump, about 5 minutes.

Fluff the couscous with a fork and mound it in 4 soup bowls. Spoon some butternut squash stew over each portion, top with almonds, and serve.

Butternut squash muffins with a frosty top

Ingredients

• 400g butternut squash, skin on, deseeded and roughly chopped
• 350g light soft brown sugar
• 4 large free-range or organic eggs
• Sea salt
• 300g plain flour, unsifted
• 2 heaped teaspoons of baking powder
• A handful of walnuts
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 175ml of extra virgin olive oil

For the frosted cream topping

• Zest of 1 clementine
• Zest of 1 lemon and juice of ½ a lemon
• 140ml of soured cream
• 2 heaped tablespoons of icing sugar, sifted
• 1 vanilla pod, split lengthways and seeds scraped out
• Optional: lavender flowers or rose petals

How to make butternut squash muffins with a frosty top

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Line your muffin tins with paper cases.

Whiz the squash in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the sugar, and crack in the eggs. Add a pinch of salt, the flour, baking powder, walnuts, cinnamon and olive oil and whiz together until well beaten. You may need to pause the machine at some point to scrape the mix down the sides with a rubber spatula. Try not to overdo it with the mixing - you want to just combine everything and no more.

Fill the paper cases with the cake mixture. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Check to see whether they are cooked properly by sticking a wooden skewer or a knife right into one of the cakes - if it comes out clean, they’re done. If it's a bit sticky, pop them back into the oven for a little longer. Remove from the oven and leave the cakes to cool on a wire rack.

As soon as the muffins are in the oven, make your runny frosted topping. Place most of the clementine zest, all the lemon zest and the lemon juice in a bowl. Add the soured cream, icing sugar and vanilla seeds and mix well. Taste and have a think about it - adjust the amount of lemon juice or icing sugar to balance the sweet and sour. Put into the fridge until your cakes have cooled down, then spoon the topping on to the cakes. Serve on a lovely plate (on a cake stand if you're feeling elegant, or on a rustic slab if you're more of a hunter-gatherer type!), with the rest of the clementine zest sprinkled over. For an interesting flavour and look, a few dried lavender flowers or rose petals are fantastic.