Dalston Cola

I''ve got a new commission, a poster for Dalston Cola an organic locally made drink for the masses. So far i'm playing with an American Cowboy macho theme with wooden type coming out of the bottle, like this cola is bigger than the bottle. http://treehousekitchen.co.uk/products

Addictions

I hear sugar is more addictive than cocaine.

You won't be wanting any of my cake then. 

Chicken Za'atar

Za'atar has been hiding in my larder. I've been pining for some Middle Eastern inspired chicken after watching Ottolenghi's Jerusalem show so here goes....

I've used lots of chicken stock so the dish has its own natural gravy and have used chicken off the bone so that it is easy to serve. In italy they often have bread salads with roasted chicken, so i've included toasted stale bread which soaks up the juices from the chicken. I'm a massive Zuni Cafe fan and have had my eye on their roasted chicken bread salad. This dish is basically the love child of that with Ottolenghi and a pinch of Spain. Pearl barley takes ages to cook making it perfect to soak up roasted chicken juices. Originally i wanted to use some sumac for the bright red colour and intense flavour but i couldn't get hold of any so have used some slices of lemon indstead. This dish is great finished off with a spoon of yogurt and a little parsley, enjoy.

Ingredients

Chicken

1 chicken - divided into quarters

2 red onions, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves 

200ml chicken stock

4 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp za'atar

1.5 tsp harrisa paste

salt/pepper

Barley

150g Pearl barley

500ml chicken stock

1 onion diced

1 garlic clove chopped fine

Handful of sultanas

Bread

Slice some stale bread into 1 inch chunks and coat with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Roast in the oven for 5 mins until golden, then add 1.5 tbsp of sherry vinegar. 

Almonds

Saute 30g of sliced almonds in butter until golden.

Directions

1

In a pestle and mortar crush the garlic with the allspice, cinnamon, salt/pepper, za'atar, harissa and olive oil. Rub the spice mix into the chicken pieces and pour over the chicken stock. Top with the red onion and a few slices of lemon and leave to marinade for two hours.

2

Saute the onion and garlic until soft. Add the stock and simmer with the lid off for 25 mins. When done add the sultanas and spoon underneath the chicken (include the juices).

3 

Roast the chicken and barley for 40 mins at 200 deg. Centigrade. When the chicken is done toast the bread in the oven and add sherry vinegar. Assemble the dish by mixing the bread with the barley and juices. Add some salad leaves, toasted almonds, and chopped parsley and top with the chicken. Serve with a spoon of yogurt. 

Nervous

Its that time of the year, nervous time, how much? how little? getting a haircut, its stressful.

Backwards

Salted Maple Pecan and Caramelised Banana Porridge

This is why i get up in the morning.

The key to porridge is good quality oats. I use Scottish Whole Rolled Porridge Oats which keep their shape when cooked and have just the right amount of bite. I had some banana's which were a little starchy, so i decided to caramelise them. If your feeling adventurous you could start the day like you mean it and add some rum to flambe them.

Ingredients

1 just about ripe banana

Caster and brown Demarara sugar

A handful of pecan nuts

Maple syrup

1/2 a small bowl of oats

1/2 a bowl of soya milk

1/2 a bowl of water

Yogurt

Grating of nutmeg

Pinch of cinnamon

Directions

1

Heat an oven to 175 degrees and roast the pecans for 6 minutes. Mix a tablespoon of maple syrup with the cinnamon and a little pinch of salt. Pour over the cooled pecans and mix well.

2

Pour the milk, water and oats into a pan and put on a low heat. Stir occasionally, the oats should take around 10 minutes to cook, add the grated nutmeg midway through and more water as the water is absorbed.

3

Slice the banana at an angle into 1cm thick oval coins and coat with a little caster and brown sugar. Heat some butter in a cast iron pan until foaming and then add the banana, allowing to caramelise on both sides.

 4

When the porridge is ready serve with the banana, pecans and a spoonful of yogurt.

If a voice could melt butter.......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjGcGw2Bqrc