Courgette and Tomato

 Ingredients

1 large courgette cut into quarters lengthways then into similar thickness slices

3 tinned tomatoes and 4 Tbspn of their juices, chopped.

1 Tbspn tomato puree

1 garlic coarsely chopped

small red chilli, cut into quarters lengthways, deseeded and finely cut into strips

3 fresh tomatoes, cut in half then each half in thirds.

2 Tbspn oil

2 Tbspn chopped parsley

Method 

Heat oil in large pan, put in garlic and chilli, stir and cook for a minute. Then put in courgette for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally so as to not colour. Put in tinned tomato, juice and puree, turn up heat high, stirring until all moisture has reduced. Put in fresh tomato, stir, as you lower the heat, until the fresh tomato begins to soften. Stir in parsley, check seasoning and serve.

 

Slow Cook Chicken with Celery and Apple

This is my version of this dish which is good for a slow-cooker. Put the aromatics into the pot, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, garlic and lemon peel. You can see the quantities that I used you must adjust to suit the size of your pot and servings. 

Peel and core brambly apples, I used three, coarsely chop two and scatter over aromatics. Slice the remainder apple and reserve.

Clean and coarsely chop a head of celery and finely chop the leaves, scatter into pan.

together with a medium onion chopped

Optionally I used 3/4lb of belly pork, scored at 35mm centres and buried into the apple and celery. Meanwhile brown off chicken pieces in olive oil. I used 8 wings I happened to have.

Pour 1L of cider, I used Scrumpy into the pot, remembering to slacken the frying pan residues and also add. Push the chicken pieces down into the sides and across the top. Then scatter the reserved apple slices across the top

Season well to taste, cover and cook! I used 5hrs at the low setting and I guess 3.5hrs on high.

 

 

All done, just enjoy. You might want to take off some of the liquid and reduce it but that is down to you.

Simple easy and tasty.

Bean Salad with Confit Duck

 Quick and simple yet turned out refreshing and tasty. A can of red kidney beans and a can of cannelloni beans, rinse well, drain and put into a bowl. Finely chop a medium onion, add to bowl with a Tblspn of white wine vinegar. Very finely chop a green chilli, without the seeds, together with half a cup of chopped parsley, add to bowl. Shred a duck leg confit into thin strips, add to bowl, season to taste add 2Tblspn olive oil and mix well. Leave to absorb flavours, enjoy

Sauteed Chick Pea

Take 200g of pre-cooked chick peas and their cooking liquor, set aside.

Evenly medium chop one large onion and sweat off in a pan over a gentle heat in 1Tblespn of olive oil and 30g of butter. Take your time. When soft and translucent turn heat up to medium, keep stirring occasionally until the onion is evenly golden brown You cannot rush this as you will end up with burnt bits.

Turn heat up to high and quickly put in 1/2tspn coriander powder, 1/8thtspn cumin and 1/4tspn of turmeric. Stir around and blend without letting it catch and burn. Put in the drained chick peas, stir around and coat them with the spices and onion. After a minute loosen with 1Tblespn of liquor, stir, dry off liquor, repeat a few times, turn down heat to very low, add a cup of liquor, cover and let barely simmer for 15 minutes.

Turn heat up to medium and drive off any remaining liquor, add eight coarsely chopped hot bell-peppers, 2 Tblespn of chopped parsley and the juice of 1/2 lime. Adjust seasoning and serve.

A very attractive colourful dish, mildly flavoured and with a sweet overtone.

Steamed Cabbage

This worked well for me. Another twist.
Half a head of a medium sized white cabbage. cut the half into six section along the core line,discard the outer leaf then very thinly slice radiating the cut around until the knife ends parallel with the core that is left.
Put into a steamer and steam for about 6 - 8 minutes, until the crisp edge has just gone, so still al dente.

Put into a bowl, pour over 1Tblspn of Rice Wine Vinegar, to taste. You might prefer Mirin which has a sweeter edge. A small handful of chopped parsley and three stems of basil, medium chopped so there are no large leaf segments. Fork well in and serve warm.