The Menu
Roast chicken with preserved lemon
Citrus Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables
Rhubarb sponge pudding
The Recipes
Roast chicken with preserved lemon
Serves 4
* 1.8 kg (4 lbs) free-range chicken
* 1/2 preserved lemon
* 2 tbsp butter, softened
* about 1/3 cup coriander leaves, washed and chopped
* salt and pepper
* 1 orange
* 3 fresh bay leaves (optional)
* 2 cinnamon sticks
* about 2 tbsp olive oil
* 1 tsp paprika
* 1 tbsp butter, extra
Pre-heat oven to 180C.(356F)
Rinse the chicken in cold water and pat dry with kitchen paper.
Chop the preserved lemon and combine with the butter, coriander and a little salt and pepper. Now gently separate the skin from the breast by pushing two fingers between the skin and the meat. Push the lemon-butter mixture underneath the skin on each side.
Season the cavity with a little salt and pepper.
Pierce the orange several times with a knife to release its flavors, and fill the chicken cavity with the orange, bay leaves and cinnamon.
Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and season liberally all over with salt, pepper and paprika. Place a few dobs of the extra butter on the breasts and place in a baking tray.
Roast for 60-70 minutes*, basting with pan juices every 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and leave for 10 minutes in a warm place before serving.
* To test if the chicken is done, insert a skewer into the thigh; the juices should run clear, not pink.
Citrus Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables
1/2 lb. asparagus, trimmed & cut into 2" pieces
1/2 c. red onion, coarsely sliced
1 small bulb fennel, cored and sliced crosswise
cooking spray (or olive oil)
3/4 c. quinoa
1 1/2 c. water
1 orange, zested and juiced
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon olive oil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Spray a sheet pan with cooking spray and add asparagus, fennel, red onion, and garlic. Spray vegetables with cooking spray and bake for 12-18 minutes until vegetables are tender and beginning to brown/caramelize.
While vegetables are roasting, rinse the quinoa in water for 1-2 minutes. The outer layer of the quinoa can be bitter and thoroughly rinsing will remove this bitterness.
Place quinoa and water into a pan on the stove top and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat, simmering for 15 minutes or until water is fully absorbed. Turn off burner and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
To prepare the citrus dressing, combine the orange juice, orange zest, lemon juice, honey, soy sauce, and olive oil. Whisk to combine.
Add the dressing to the quinoa then toss in the roasted vegetables, sprinkle with a few chopped fennel fronds before serving. Although I ate this immediately, allowing it to sit for a few hours or overnight will greatly enhance the flavors.
Rhubarb sponge pudding
Serves 4.
* 100g soft butter (1/2 cup)
* 100g caster sugar (1/2 cup)**
* 3 eggs
* 100g self-raising flour, sifted (1/2 cup)
* 300g ripe rhubarb stalks (1 1/3 cups)
* 300g cooking apples (1 1/3 cups)
* 2 tbsp orange juice
* 100g extra caster sugar (1/2 cup) **
* 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 180C (356F).
Beat the butter and caster sugar in a bowl until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well. Gently fold in the flour until you have a thick, smooth batter.
Cut the rhubarb stalks into 2cm lengths. Peel and core the apples, then cut into small chunks. Arrange rhubarb and apple loosely in a buttered 1-liter (1-quart) pie or baking dish, add the orange juice and scatter with the extra caster sugar and cinnamon.
Spoon the batter mixture on top of the fruit and bake for 50-55 minutes, until the top is golden and cakey. Serve with ice-cream.
** Superfine, ultrafine, or bar sugar (aka. castor or caster sugar) is a more finely granulated sugar which dissolves almost instantly. It's crystal size is the smallest of all granulated sugars, making it ideal for extra fine textured cakes, meringues and iced drinks.
Roast chicken with preserved lemon
Citrus Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables
Rhubarb sponge pudding
The Recipes
Roast chicken with preserved lemon
Serves 4
* 1.8 kg (4 lbs) free-range chicken
* 1/2 preserved lemon
* 2 tbsp butter, softened
* about 1/3 cup coriander leaves, washed and chopped
* salt and pepper
* 1 orange
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* 3 fresh bay leaves (optional)
* 2 cinnamon sticks
* about 2 tbsp olive oil
* 1 tsp paprika
* 1 tbsp butter, extra
Pre-heat oven to 180C.(356F)
Rinse the chicken in cold water and pat dry with kitchen paper.
Chop the preserved lemon and combine with the butter, coriander and a little salt and pepper. Now gently separate the skin from the breast by pushing two fingers between the skin and the meat. Push the lemon-butter mixture underneath the skin on each side.
Season the cavity with a little salt and pepper.
Pierce the orange several times with a knife to release its flavors, and fill the chicken cavity with the orange, bay leaves and cinnamon.
Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and season liberally all over with salt, pepper and paprika. Place a few dobs of the extra butter on the breasts and place in a baking tray.
Roast for 60-70 minutes*, basting with pan juices every 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and leave for 10 minutes in a warm place before serving.
* To test if the chicken is done, insert a skewer into the thigh; the juices should run clear, not pink.
Citrus Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables
1/2 lb. asparagus, trimmed & cut into 2" pieces
1/2 c. red onion, coarsely sliced
1 small bulb fennel, cored and sliced crosswise
cooking spray (or olive oil)
3/4 c. quinoa
1 1/2 c. water
1 orange, zested and juiced
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon olive oil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Spray a sheet pan with cooking spray and add asparagus, fennel, red onion, and garlic. Spray vegetables with cooking spray and bake for 12-18 minutes until vegetables are tender and beginning to brown/caramelize.
While vegetables are roasting, rinse the quinoa in water for 1-2 minutes. The outer layer of the quinoa can be bitter and thoroughly rinsing will remove this bitterness.
Place quinoa and water into a pan on the stove top and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat, simmering for 15 minutes or until water is fully absorbed. Turn off burner and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
To prepare the citrus dressing, combine the orange juice, orange zest, lemon juice, honey, soy sauce, and olive oil. Whisk to combine.
Add the dressing to the quinoa then toss in the roasted vegetables, sprinkle with a few chopped fennel fronds before serving. Although I ate this immediately, allowing it to sit for a few hours or overnight will greatly enhance the flavors.
Rhubarb sponge pudding
Serves 4.
* 100g soft butter (1/2 cup)
* 100g caster sugar (1/2 cup)**
* 3 eggs
* 100g self-raising flour, sifted (1/2 cup)
* 300g ripe rhubarb stalks (1 1/3 cups)
* 300g cooking apples (1 1/3 cups)
* 2 tbsp orange juice
* 100g extra caster sugar (1/2 cup) **
* 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 180C (356F).
Beat the butter and caster sugar in a bowl until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well. Gently fold in the flour until you have a thick, smooth batter.
Cut the rhubarb stalks into 2cm lengths. Peel and core the apples, then cut into small chunks. Arrange rhubarb and apple loosely in a buttered 1-liter (1-quart) pie or baking dish, add the orange juice and scatter with the extra caster sugar and cinnamon.
Spoon the batter mixture on top of the fruit and bake for 50-55 minutes, until the top is golden and cakey. Serve with ice-cream.
** Superfine, ultrafine, or bar sugar (aka. castor or caster sugar) is a more finely granulated sugar which dissolves almost instantly. It's crystal size is the smallest of all granulated sugars, making it ideal for extra fine textured cakes, meringues and iced drinks.