Eunice Power - Outside Catering Company, Waterford, Ireland.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Autumn Chicken with Garlic & Red Wine

For the best result cook the day before you need it, allowing the flavours to develop over night.

1.5kg chicken pieces
3 tbsps seasoned flour (plain flour with salt & freshly ground pepper)
8 - 10 tbsps olive oil
4oz / 100g bacon lardons
12 button mushrooms
3 carrots, peeled and diced
12 bay leaves
3 whole heads of garlic, broken into cloves, skins left on
¾ bottle red wine, such as Rioja

1. Coat the chicken pieces in seasoned flour.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed shallow pan, then brown the chicken pieces in batches, turning so they turn golden brown all over.  Set aside and keep warm.
3. Add the mushrooms and lardons of bacon to the pan and cook for a few minutes.  Remove any excess fat and return the chicken pieces.
4. Add the bay leaves, garlic cloves, diced carrot and red wine.  Bring to simmering point and cook for a further 20 - 25 minutes, uncovered, turning occasionally until the wine has reduced by a third.
Serve with crusty bread to soak up the juices.

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Garlic Crostini

1 large French stick, cut into 16 thick slices on the diagonal
2 fl oz / 50ml extra virgin olive oil
1 whole garlic clove, peeled

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas 6

1. Brush each slice of bread with olive oil, and then bake in a hot oven until golden and crispy.
2. Rub the clove of garlic over each slice.

These can be made 1 -2 days before and stored in an airtight container.

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Goat's Cheese baked in Spicy Tomato Sauce


This tomato sauce has many uses, a great way to use up the leftovers from your tomato crop..mine are only ready to eat now! If you plan to entertain, this is a perfect starter as it can all be gone a day before hand, just pop on the goats cheese and bake before serving.

Serves 6

9oz / 250g fresh goat's cheese log, with rind on - Ardsallagh Goats cheese is perfect for this recipe.
2 ¼ lb / 1kg ripe plum tomatoes, halved
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsps balsamic vinegar
3 tbsps runny honey
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 - 2 tsps dried crushed chillies
5 - 6 thyme sprigs
3 tbsps tomato puree
salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas 6

1. Place the tomato halves in a shallow baking tray and drizzle with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and honey, then scatter over the garlic, chillies, half the thyme and seasoning. Bake for 30 minutes.
2. Place the roasted tomatoes in a food processor and blend. Add the tomato puree then taste and add more honey if needed and salt & pepper to taste.
3. Place the tomato sauce in a medium-sized, ovenproof baking dish or 6 individual ramekins. Slice the goat's cheese into rounds and place on top of the sauce. Drizzle a little olive oil over; strip the leaves from the remaining thyme sprigs and sprinkle over the top with some black pepper.
4. Bake at 200°C / 440°F / Gas 6 for 10 - 15 minutes until the cheese turns brown on top and the sauce is warm.

This is delicious served with garlic crostini or homemade bread sticks.

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