Lizzie's Easy Chutney Chicken

A really quick and easy recipe and a firm family favourite - you can have all the ingredients in the pantry (except for the chicken!) - mix them all together, add the chicken, and cook in the oven for 40 minutes. (serves 4)

Lizzie's Easy Chutney Chicken

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750g chicken (thighs or breasts) salt and pepper

1 packet cream of mushroom soup 2 cloves garlic (chopped)

1 tsp worchestershire sauce 1⁄2 cup mayo (optional)

1 tbsp curry powder 1 cup mango chutney

1 cup tomato based pasta sauce handful of olives (optional)

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Mix all the other ingredients together and pour over the chicken in a casserole dish. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes at about 180 degrees or until the chicken is cooked. Season to taste. Serve with rice or baked polenta (page 76) and a fresh green salad.

Coq au Vin

The original recipe for coq au vin called for a rooster who was well past his crowing days. Although full of flavour, an old bird is rather tough which is why it needs to be cooked in wine and for rather a long time. This is an slightly adapted version of Julia Child’s famous recipe (serves 4).

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​Coq au vin

1/2 cup lardons (or smoked bacon), cut into chunks

2 or more tablespoons olive oil

2 chicken legs, 4 thighs and 2 breasts, skin removed and thoroughly dried

1/4 cup Cognac or Armagnac (or brandy if you can’t find either)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

20 small white onions, peeled

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups good red wine

About 2 cups chicken stock,

2 garlic cloves, mashed or minced

About 1 tablespoon tomato paste

250g fresh mushrooms, quartered

fresh parsley, chopped

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Sauté the bacon in 2 tbsp oil in a heavy-bottomed casserole until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer it to a side dish, leaving the drippings in the pan. Add the chicken, being careful not to crowd the pan. (You may need to work in batches). Cook the chicken, turning frequently, until nicely browned on all sides. Carefully pour the Cognac or Armagnac into the pan until it sizzles and starts to evaporate.

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Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add the bay leaf and thyme to the pan and place the onions around the chicken. Cover and simmer gently, adding a splash of water if you need to, turning the chicken once, for about 10 minutes. Uncover the pan, sprinkle the flour over everything, and turn the chicken and onions so the flour is absorbed by the sauce. Cover and cook, turning once or twice, for 3 to 4 minutes more.

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Remove the pan from the heat and gradually stir and swirl in the wine and enough stock to almost cover the chicken. Add the bacon, garlic and tomato paste to the pan, cover, and gently simmer for about 40 minutes. Test the chicken for doneness (there should be no trace of pink and the juices should run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife). The sauce should be just thick enough to lightly coat the chicken and vegetables. If it is too thin, boil it down rapidly to concentrate; if it is too thick, thin it with spoonfuls of stock. Taste the sauce carefully, and correct the seasoning accordingly. Fry the mushrooms quickly in a little olive oil and butter (add a dash of cognac too if you like) and scatter over the chicken, with some chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

Chocolate, almond and cumquat tart

I saw Maggie Beer make this on one of her Christmas specials and as I’d just bought some South African candied kumquats for Christmas it seemed the perfect time to make it.  I have changed it up a little and used a chocolate pastry base for the tart.  I used my favourite Careme dark chocolate pastry which was just right, but here’s a chocolate shortcrust pastry recipe for those who don't have access to a great pre-made chocolate pastry.  Next time I am going to try to make my own candied cumquats from our cumquat tree.

Almond and cumquat tart

for the pastry :

125g chilled butter, diced
1 cup plain flour
1/3 cup icing sugar
1/4 cup almond meal
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 egg yolk

for the filling :

120g butter, softened
150g castor sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 tbs plain flour
2 tbs sherry
200g ground almonds
1⁄2 cup candied cumquats, chopped
 
for the glaze :

175g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), grated
1⁄2 cup thickened cream
2 tbs sherry
1⁄4 cup candied cumquats to garnish

Place the butter, flour, icing sugar, almond meal and cocoa powder in a food processor and process until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and process until mixture just comes together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead with cool hands until it’s almost smooth. Cover with cling wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

Preheat the oven to 210°C.  Roll out the pastry until 2mm thick on a lightly floured board. Cut it to fit a greased and lined 24cm tart tin.  Blind bake the pastry using baking beans or uncooked rice for 10 to 15 minutes.  Reduce the oven to 180°C.

For the filling, place the butter and sugar in to a mixing bowl and beat until pale and creamy, then add the eggs and yolk one at a time. Add the flour and sherry and mix well. With the motor running slowly add the almond meal and candied cumquats until well combined.  Pour the filling into the tart shell and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the centre is just cooked. Set aside to cool totally.

For the chocolate glaze, heat the cream until nearly boiling. Put the chocolate in a glass mixing bowl and pour the cream over and leave it for 3 minutes before swirling it around so that the chocolate melts and is well combined. Stir in the sherry and smooth the glaze over the tart with a spatula. Once the glaze as firmed up slightly garnish with the candied cumquats.  Serve with cream.

Candied Cumquats

1 cup orange juice

1 cup caster sugar

1 kg cumquats

Place the orange juice and castor sugar in a large saucepan and stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring to the boil and add the cumquats. Bring back to the boil and simmer until the syrup is thick and the cumquats have collapsed and appear slightly translucent. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.  Bottle in a sterilised jar and keep in the fridge.