Sailing into the sea of my memories
I love sailing into the sea of my memories, waving ashore the thoughts of culinary memories from past travels, welcoming them like children coming home from school. This week, I was in the studio and had the opportunity to recreate a favorite garlic shrimp recipe.
Gambas al Ajillo is a wonderful dish I mastered in La Boqueria, a market located on La Rambla in Barcelona, Spain. I spent time with a little man named Ponixio who had devoted his life to making austere Spanish foods in his unpretentious booth. La Boqueria, simply stated, is paradise for the senses. The market boasts a diverse selection of goods: fruit, seafood, meats, cheeses, nuts, vegetables, even bags of snails – and sprinkled throughout the market, are small, yet bustling bar-restaurants. My culinary senses awakened to the smells, sounds and colors of La Boqueria as I drifted down the small market lanes. I spied a multitude of different types of mushrooms in one stall and a little shop that offered 25 different types of olives! Just ask, and they will let you try. With overwhelming excitement, similar to an artist visiting the Louvre for the very first time, feelings of exhilaration ran down my spine as the explosion of colors lined the market luring me in to experience each stall one at a time.
With this shrimp recipe, you can experience the world feel of Barcelona without leaving your kitchen. What I really love about this simple dish is the intense garlic flavor, coupled with its mass crowd appeal. When it comes to shrimp, I actually prefer to cook them with their shells on, which helps protect the shrimp. While they simmer in the pan, their shells infuse the oil with a taste of the ocean, perfecting a delightful savory shellfish flavor. Layering upon piquant flavors is the sensory experience of eating with your fingers, peeling back the shells, and letting the taste buds unlock the aroma and textures of the dish.
If you have the opportunity to recreate this recipe in your own home, be sure to close your eyes with the first bite and let all five senses take over just like Ponoxio taught me in Barcelona years ago. Vamos a comer!
Garlic Shrimp Tapa Recipe – Gambas al Ajillo
lb shrimp, 25 count to a pound
4 large cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 tsp sweet Spanish paprika
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup virgin olive oil
3 tsp chopped fresh parsley
1 lemon for juice
1 Baguette
Preparation:
In a sauté pan or heavy frying pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for about one minute or until they begin to brown. Be careful not to burn the garlic!
Raise the heat to high and add the shrimp, lemon juice and paprika. Stir well, then sauté, stirring briskly until the shrimp turn pink and curl – about 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and transfer shrimp with oil and sauce to a warm plate or serve right from the pan. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with fresh warm crusty bread.
Serves 4
PORK BELLY WITH GARAM MASALA AND HONEY
A nice layer of meat, a nice layer of fat, another nice layer of meat, another nice layer of fat and shatteringly crisp skin.
Once upon a time, in a far off land, not so long ago, you could only find pork belly hanging in windows in Chinatown or found on Korean menus. Now, every menu aspiring to be gastronomic chic showcases pork belly prepared in many fashions. Every scallop in town wants a punch on pork belly’s dance card. The humble piglet’s tummy has finally been given the attention it most certainly deserves.
The key to the recipe below is alternating between two different cooking temperatures. The alchemy involves the pork skin slowly crisping to a magnificently crunchy and crackling top layer. As the fat from the individual tiers dissolve, it is essential to baste the pork continuously so not to underestimate the slowly caramelizing onions underneath. The sweet, spiced glaze serenades the taste buds with a melt in your mouth feeling. After licking your lips, you are left wanting more.
PORK BELLY WITH GARAM MASALA AND HONEY
1 piece pork belly, boned, rind left on and scored with razor or sharp knife.
2 tsp olive oil
3 large yellow onions, sliced
2-3 tbsp clear honey
1 tablespoon garam masala
Heat oven to 320F. Lay the pork, skin-side up, on a rack in a roasting tin. Brush with a little olive oil, season with sea salt and freshly milled pepper. Place in the oven, then cook for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and baste with the juices. Continue to cook for another 1½ hrs, basting every 20 minutes or so.
Put the sliced onions in the roasting tin under the pork. Mix the honey together with the garam masala, brush it over the pork, and increase the oven temperature to 390 F. Cook for another 30-40 mins, basting occasionally, until caramelized with a rich, golden glaze over the pork. Once cooked and tender. Remove pork from the oven, then leave to rest for 10-15 mins.
While the pork is resting, heat the tin on the stove with the onions, adding 2 tbsp water. This will lift any residue from the pan, creating a moist, cooking liquid. Season the onions with salt and pepper, then divide between six plates.
Cutting the crackling off the pork makes the meat ready to snap into deafeningly crispy shards of crunchy delight. Cut the pork against the grain into serving pieces, which will be meltingly juicy. Serve with salad, veggies, or make a scallop’s day.
Serves 6
Recipe of the week: Chicken tikka masala
Chicken tikka masala is the dish most often ordered in Indian take-aways and restaurants across the world. This recipe it tremendously flavorful and it is sure to knock the socks off of anyone who takes a bite.
For the chicken
4 boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 lemon, juice only
1/2 tsp red chili powder
Marinade
1 teaspoon cumin powder
4 large cloves garlic
1 inch ginger
1 red onion
2/3 cup plain yogurt
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
For the sauce
2 tsp tomato paste
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1 inch ginger, grated
1/2 tsp sugar
juice half lemon
4 tablespoons butter
1. Place the chicken in a ceramic dish.
2. Mix the lemon juice and chili powder and spoon over the chicken, coating well. Leave on one side for 20 minutes.
3. Roughly chop the garlic cloves, ginger and onion and grind in a food processor until smooth – feel free to add a spoon of yogurt to help it on its way.
4. Stir in the remaining yogurt, garam masala, cilantro and ground cumin.
5. Pour this yogurt marinade over the chicken. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for a couple hours in the refrigerator. If you can, turn the chicken once while it’s marinating.
7. Make sauce. In a large pan, whisk the tomato puree with chicken stock. Stir in the cream, cilantro, ginger, sugar lemon juice and cumin.
8. Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat, and add a little oil. Take the chicken out of its marinade and sauté for 5 minutes.
9. Now add the cooked chicken pieces and accumulated juices to pan with sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook on a low heat for about 8-10 minutes.
10. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with a stack of naan bread or fluffy basmati rice.
Mother’s Day is a simple reminder to honor the kindness, affection, and spirit of moms everywhere. For many, this is an important day to come together and show our gratitude for all the little things mom does for us from wiping away our tears, cheering us on, and loving us unconditionally. Mothers have the uncanny ability to give us the strength and courage to be our best selves. For some, including me, it’s a day of loss, reflection, and a video reel played on repeat filled with special memories, togetherness, and laughter.
The one thing that my mom, Victoria Ashton, surely taught me was how to laugh, granting me the grace to embrace every moment of my incredible life. Without her knowing, this gift got me through times of betrayal and extreme pain, and changed my attitude toward any obstacles that crossed my path. I feel her presence every time I hear a funny joke or take stage and deliver a humorous story. I feel her lean in to watch Victoria Mei and I giggle when we bake together. Her love shines on us as we make funny faces while patiently watching our cupcakes rise in the oven. I carry her memory around in my heart and share her hearty laughter every chance I have. Even in her absence, laughter is our common language of love. No matter how hard things get, mom continues to remind me that the panacea to every hardship is a good belly laugh.
If you are fortunate enough to enjoy time with your mom on Mother’s Day no matter what your personal dynamic is, make sure to appreciate the moments. Cherish and accept all the imperfectly perfect parts of her. Sprinkle in some compliments or share your favorite stories from growing up. Bake together. Take stock in your roots. Plant some colorful tulips as a reminder of love that continuously blooms. Change your Facebook picture to celebrate your relationship.
If you’re like me and you’re missing your mom, take a long walk, call a close friend, open up an old photo album and share your favorite story about mom with your own children, or volunteer for the day in her name. The kindness you show will come back to you in countless ways. Mending a broken heart isn’t always easy and although time does seem to fill in some of the empty spaces, you’ll never stop missing her, especially on Mother’s Day.
To honor my mom, I’d love to share her favorite English dessert. Here’s to you, mom. I love you today and always. For all the moms out there, thank you. You are an exceptional gift.
Vicky’s Sandwich Cake
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
4 large eggs, beaten
1 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tbsp milk
FOR THE FILLING
1 stick butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioner’s
sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
strawberry jam (I use Smucker’s)
confectioner’s sugar, to decorate
Heat oven to 350 F. Butter two 7 inch cake tins and line with non-stick baking paper. In a large bowl, beat all the cake ingredients together until you have a smooth, soft batter.
Divide the mixture between the tins, smooth the surface with a spatula or the back of a spoon, then bake for about 20 minutes until golden and the cake springs back when pressed. Turn onto a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
To make the filling, beat the butter until smooth and creamy, then gradually beat in icing sugar. Beat in vanilla extract if you’re using it. Spread the butter cream over the bottom of one of the sponges, top it with jam and sandwich the second sponge on top. Dust with a little icing sugar before serving. Keep in an airtight container and eat within 2 days.
Victoria Mei’s Royal Wedding Tea Party!
As the world tunes in to the fanciful Royal Wedding this Friday, I will be creating my own charming tea party for my four-year old princess, Victoria Mei. With watchful speculation over cakes, apparel, and guest lists, America continues its love affair with royalty.
The last Royal Wedding I recall celebrating was the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana. The street I grew upon, Howden Drive, in Liverpool celebrated via a block party. Back then Granny Ashton was still alive. Always a fan of the monarchy, she prepared a feast fit for the Queen herself. Looking back, I remember the parade of trifles, scones, and sandwiches with the crusts cut off floating down the street. (This was something we reserved for posh events or when wealthy people visited). It was a celebration that joined all the neighbors together, as we honored our country’s history and shared family recipes.
Speaking of family recipes, Victoria Mei and I will be celebrating on Friday afternoon complete with Daddy’s tea and Mei’s fairy wine (pink lemonade). I will certainly teach her how to make Granny Ashton’s scones so we can share with the neighbors.
With magical twirling ribbon sticks, Victoria Mei dances around the kitchen regularly. Her two favorite things, at four years old, include the color pink and princesses. She is at the perfect age to find the Royal Wedding exciting as she curtseys and plies around the house in her pink ballet slippers. To that end, the Royal Wedding has inspired creativity and playfulness in our house this month, and we’ll transform our living room into a mystical garden tea party on Friday. It will be a day that will truly make some beautiful family memories.
If you would like to create your own delightful tea party and view my top five favorite English recipes, please pop along to www.Relish.com
Jon xox.
Stir It Up….
Jamaica Cove Grilled Jerk Chicken
Famished from a long travel day and grueling media schedule, I wanted to grab something to eat before returning to my hotel. Tired of the same ole’ same ole’, I drove along praying something would grab my attention and satiate the hunger pangs rumbling in my belly. And then, out of nowhere, Jamaica Cove appeared. I turned into this modest roadside jerk shop and immediately knew I had made the right pit stop.
As much as my head was telling me I didn’t need to be eating a heavy Jamaican dinner, my stomach took over. As I walked in the front door, I nearly fell to my knees in olfactory overload from the aromas calling seductively from the kitchen. An intoxicating combination of onions, thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg, and chilies lured me in as stewed meats settled in large cast iron pans over a piping hot stove.
As head chef, Sherry, a Jamaican native, has been cooking Caribbean food for over 50 years. After a few minutes of chatting, I learned Sherry’s mum passed away when she was a young girl, and it forced her to take the helm and learn how to cook for her siblings. When I asked her what makes her food taste so good, she gave the perfect answer.
“I have preached for years about love. I start all my recipes with equal amounts of love”.
With a dash of Jamaican humor, she presented her dishes with flair and imagination. Each item that came out of the kitchen was delicately spiced and flavored with jerk sauce! My heart started pounding as I tried to resist ordering one of every item from the menu. Oxtail, jerk chicken, curry chicken, beef patties, and plantains all looked equally delicious. The Braised oxtail was tender, flavorful, and had a sweetness I most closely associate with Chinese takeout. The rice & beans were light and tender and the cabbage and plantains were both cooked perfectly. The smoky jerk chicken and crispy skin were in complete contrast to each moist morsel. One might call it “allspice baked chicken” instead of jerk, but I recommend it all the same.
Unlike many chefs, Sherry was more than willing to share some family secrets.
“Any tips?” I asked.
“When it comes to oxtail stew, most people don’t trim the fat. It’s important to dredge the oxtail in flour before browning. Stew slowly. Put on some music and make ya home smell good.”
“Sprinkle a little extra allspice on your Jerk chicken before grilling it”
With these culinary gems, I downloaded two Bob Marley cds (I know…cliché) and headed to the kitchen to master jerk chicken. The following recipe is a true winner. My 70-year old father found it a tad bit spicy for his taste buds, but I hope you’ll try it for yourselves.
Every city has its diamond in the rough, and I want to try every single one of them. If you find yourself in Atlanta and you want to “Stir it Up”, why not pop along to Jamaica Cove?
Jamaica Cove
610 S Central Ave
Hapeville, GA 30354
I promise you won’t be disappointed. My dinner with a ginger beer only cost $9.00. As a side note, real jerk chicken washes down particularly well with an icy cold Red Stripe.
Jon’s Jerk Chicken
To me Jerk is Jamaica to the bone. My goal in creating this recipe is for you taste the fresh thyme and bold allspice with every bite.
For Jerk marinade:
3 scallions, chopped
5 plump garlic cloves, chopped
3 shallot onions, peeled
2 – 4 fresh Scotch bonnet or habanero chilies, stemmed and seeded
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
4 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons ground allspice
2 teaspoons black pepper
3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 pounds chicken thighs or chicken breasts.
Make marinade:
At least 1 day before cooking, pat chicken dry with paper towels. Combine remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor and grind to a coarse paste. Slather all over chicken, including under skin. Refrigerate 2 sealable plastic bags 12 to 36 hours, turning once or twice a day. Bring to room temperature before cooking and lightly sprinkle with more salt and ground allspice
To cook chicken:
Open vents on bottom of grill and on lid. Light a large chimney of charcoal briquettes and pour them evenly over one side of bottom rack (depending on how much you are cooking, you may add a double layer of charcoal).
When charcoal turns grayish white and you can hold your hand five inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds, sear chicken in batches on lightly oiled rack over coals until well browned on all sides, about 3 minutes per batch. Move chicken as seared to side of grill with no coals underneath, then cook, covered with lid, until cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes more.
One Bite Won’t Kill You.
“One bite won’t kill you, Ann,” I said to my 70 year old dad’s significant other as I passed on a bowl of shrimp curry.
“But I don’t like shrimp, Jon,” Ann stammered at the thought of trying something new.
We all know our share of finicky eaters. My favorite is when someone claims not to like something before ever actually trying it. This is Ann. She has made up her mind she doesn’t like onions, shrimp, most vegetables, and of all things, cake.
I decided to take it on myself to win Ann over and show her how cooking is fun and new ingredients can be yummy. My first attempt was a complete debacle after making the devilish mistake of moving too fast and serving up sashimi. As I grabbed my gas torch to slightly sear a beautiful piece of hamachi, Ann’s eyebrows raised in outright suspicion. I topped the fresh fish with a tangy, yet sweet, citrus soy sauce and creatively arranged the pieces on Ann’s plate. Her response?
“You’ve got to be joking. I am not a cat.”
Back to the drawing board! Next stops, in order, included chicken pot pie, Spanish style garlic shrimp, and a really lovely lemon and mushroom pasta so enticing it had the power to even awaken a zombie’s taste buds.
“I’m not eating that,” Ann said in protest.
Day four and 16 cups of tea later, I recalled Granny’s favorite phrase. “Find someone’s food weakness, and you will always have a friend forever.”
A light bulb clicked on as I recalled Ann saying she loved lemon meringues. As I started to replay the DVD of times I have been in Ann’s company, I remembered her always saying she didn’t like cake. Interestingly enough, she has a remarkable way of making it disappear! With Granny’s sage words echoing in my ear, I set off in the kitchen to create a lemon vanilla butter cake complete with lemon/lime glaze drooling down its sides.
I purposely invited Ann to grate the zest of the lemons and the limes to arouse her culinary senses. She was love struck at the first whiff of fresh Florida citrus mixed with vanilla. With the batter mixed and ready to be poured into a loaf pan, I questioned if I should let her lick the spoon. Why Not?
I expected “MMMMM, Yummy!” Instead, I was met with a stoic Mona Lisa face. Was it a smile? A frown? And then silence.
We stood by the oven and switched on the interior light to watch the magical transformation of flour, sugar, butter, and eggs into a perfect pound cake.
“This smells gorgeous,” Ann exclaimed in delight.
Frosted and ready to serve, I invited the neighbors over to join us for a pot of tea and a slice of cake. To Ann’s delight our dessert was met with rave reviews. Rightly so, this divine cake can convert the most finicky eater.
Completing my week’s culinary conquest, I left Ann with a steaming cup of tea in the kitchen and the quickly vanishing cake. T-R-I-U-M-P-H-A-N-T!!!!
Lemon Butter cake with zesty drizzle
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
zest 1 lemon, finely grated
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Lemon & Lime icing
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lime
Juice 11⁄2 lemons
3/4 cup powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 325°F with rack in middle. Butter an 8 1/2- by 4 1/2-inch loaf pan.
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
Mix together sugar and zest with an electric mixer at low speed until sugar is evenly colored, then add butter and beat at high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Add eggs 1 at a time at medium speed, scraping down side of bowl frequently, then add in vanilla. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just incorporated.
Spread batter in loaf pan and rap pan several times on counter to eliminate air bubbles. Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool in pan on a rack 30 minutes.
While the cake is cooling in its tin, mix together the lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar to make the drizzle. Prick the warm cake all over with a skewer or fork, then pour over the drizzle – the juice will sink in and the sugar will form a lovely, crisp topping. Leave in the tin until completely cool, then run a knife around edge of pan and invert cake onto rack. Cool completely, top side up.
As a teenager, the allure of bold, aromatic fragrances wafting around my dear friend, Kamal’s home hooked me on Indian food from the start. I was captivated by slow simmering curries and the brilliance of ginger, garlic, and onion diving into a pot of Tandoori Chicken. Being from an English meat and potato family, I was slightly scared by the pungent wafts of turmeric and cumin. Without knowing anything about these exotic spices, I thought I had walked straight into a circus arena complete with smelly non-house broken elephants. Little did I know my first dinner invitation at Kamal’s home would oen my world to bold spices and fiery layered flavors. Kamal’s family enchanted me with their complex cuisine and I instantly fell in love with Indian food.
Speaking of Indian cuisine, I spent last weekend in the kitchen with two of my dear friends, Pretti and Sujatha, who are both from different regions in India. It was an honor for them to share family recipes passed down through generations. There is nothing cozier and more charming than spending the day in the kitchen cooking family style. With my insane travel schedule darting around the world, I don’t often have the chance to cook at home with friends. It was wonderful having the opportunity to share tips and laugh over a bunch of ingredients. As a chef, I’m a sponge for learning new techniques and enjoyed Sujatha’s musings over family memories and Southern Indian delicacies.
Sharing casual, home-style Indian food is perfect for everyday cooking. The ingredients are fairly inexpensive and most recipes are approachable. Sujatha’s seductively spiced dal was on the weekend menu and her version included dried red chilies, mustard seeds and curry leaves we lovingly picked from a curry tree growing in my garden. The aromatics from the large enamel pots were fresh and bright and we agreed upon five core spices to have readily available in your pantry when preparing Indian food. If you can stock your cabinet with turmeric, cumin, garam masala, mustard seed, and curry leaves you’re well on your way to understanding the fundamentals.
Cooking together was a labor of love. I especially enjoyed watching Sujatha gingerly prepping her spices without measurement. It seems the best cooks don’t follow recipes verbatim but use them directionally as a springboard. I have always said no recipe should be placed in a straitjacket. Your culinary passport awaits your direction.
With that I give you the scroll to find your own Indian treasure. Here are a few recipes we shared in my kitchen this past weekend. The congee I dedicate to Victoria Mei. She calls it her special rice.
As always, remember happy memories are always made in the kitchen. Share, Eat, and Enjoy!
Sujatha’s Dal
Smash 6 garlic cloves blended with a little water to make garlic paste; Set aside
Rinse 1 package of red dal
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 pieces of ginger-julienned
6 green chilies; minced
Mix in 2 Tbsp garam masala
½ tsp turmeric
1 ½ tin of whole plum tomatoes
½ yellow onion, diced
Mixed together with hands
Add curry leaves and cover with water
Boil until water is absorbed
Add Salt to taste
In a separate frying pan while dal is cooking:
2 ½ onions in the pan with 1/3 cup oil
Add garlic /ginger paste
Curry leaf
Add ¼ cup mustard seed until it pops
Pinch Red Pepper
Pinch turmeric
Pinch salt
Add fried onion mixture into dal
Coconut Potato Curry
One yellow onion, diced
2 chilies diced
5 potatoes peeled and quartered
Add all to a saucepan
Roast Fenugreek with dry curry leaves in a separate pan
Add ½ tsp to curry mix
1 tsp turmeric
2 pinches salt
Mix with hands
Add garlic clove
Cover with water
Bring to boil; reduce until thickened
Add a curry leaf near end.
Add ¼ cup coconut milk and bring back to boil
Enjoy Jon xoxo
Sunday Roast Dinners and Family Celebrations.
With blizzard warnings looming, ice storm threats impending, and howling winds wrapping on our windows, nothing remedies a case of the deep freeze like Sunday roast dinner.
As the snow continues to fall, why not take comfort in a kitchen filled with the savory aromas of mouth watering pot roast dripping over a medley of caramelized root vegetables? On the back burner of the stove, the distinctive sweet perfume of roasted turnips intermingles with the wafting steam of freshly cooked broccoli begging to be a saddled with a pat of butter. Yorkshire pudding stands tall like a solider protecting Buckingham Palace and rise in oversized metal muffin tins while Yukon potatoes are mashed and whipped into creamy clouds. Simply stated, Sunday dinner is a true labor of love best enjoyed with family and friends on a chilly winter’s evening.
Growing up in Liverpool, Sunday dinners were a weekly staple. From as a far back as I can remember, Granny Ashton would take me into the kitchen to prepare our weekly feast. I was her loyal taste tester. Mum and some other family members would nip to the local pub for a good ole sing along and a dinky poo or two, while Granny and I baked the bread and prepared the roast. We would sit down around a table filled with traditional English fare. My brother, Derrick, would poke me under the table, but Granny’s watchful eye was enough for us to stop fidgeting, sit up straight, and keep our elbows off the table. Looking back, It was a day full of great food and family stories.
In the virtual world of social media and in a time of multi-tasking through our work responsibilities and other obligations, the family table is becoming something of the past. I like the idea of recreating family traditions of Sunday roast dinner as a way to reconnect and create a weekly event to look forward to. The dinner can be simple. Many hands can help prepare. Sometimes slicing, dicing, and peeling, side by side, with music streaming from the stereo presents an opportunity to relax and invite laughter and camaraderie. Get the little ones involved. There’s always room for jobs like stirring the gravy, setting the table, and of course, washing the dishes!
The winds may howl and scream, the snow may softly fall, but nothing makes a house a home more than filling it with close friends and family, a perfectly braised roast, and a homemade apple pie. Memories are flashes of photographs we store in our minds. As adults, we feel a sense of nostalgia when we fondly look back at our happiest moments of childhood. Sunday dinners were that for me.
Whether it’s an Italian supper, a tasty table filled with tapas, or a traditional roast dinner, be sure start your own Sunday dinner tradition. Invite friends, share recipes, and make it potluck. Here’s my simple roasted chicken with veggies recipes to get you started.
Roasted chicken
1 x 3½ lb free range chicken
1 large yellow onion, peeled
3 whole cloves
4 leeks, trimmed and washed
4 carrots, peeled
4 sticks celery, halved
6 parsley stalks
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic, crushed
Butter
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
Preheat the oven to 450°F
First rub the inside of the chicken with salt and pepper and a little butter. Then place the onion stuck with the cloves inside the chicken and rub some butter and seasoning over the outside. Now put the chicken in a roasting tin and bake in the top half of the oven for about 30 minutes, by which time it should have developed a nice golden brown skin. Then remove it from the oven and transfer it, together with any juices, to a deep pot.
Surround the chicken with the vegetables, herbs and garlic, and pour over sufficient water to not quite cover the bird, adding the giblets as well. Bring to boiling point and simmer very gently with the lid on for about 1 hour, or until the chicken is tender. Then remove the chicken and vegetables and cut the chicken into 4 portions; place the portions on a warmed serving dish surrounded by the vegetables, cover and keep warm. Now discard the giblets and boil the remaining stock briskly until it has reduced and the flavor has concentrated. Spoon some of the juices over the chicken and vegetables, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
Herb roasted Vegetables
1 lb baby roughly chopped carrots, peeled
1 lb baby roughly chopped parsnips, peeled and sliced in half lengthways
12 oz small red potatoes, unpeeled, each cut into 8
1 medium onion, peeled and cut into 8, through the root
1 head celery, cut 3 from the base and then lengthways into 8
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
salt and freshly milled black pepper
Pre-heat the oven to 400°F
Whisk oil and vinegar together in a bowl. Now fold the piece of foil in half, then lay one half along the length of the roasting tray, brush it with a little of the oil mixture, and lay all the vegetables on the foil on the tray. Season them well with salt and black pepper.
Add the sprigs of herbs and the bay leaf, then spoon the remaining vinaigrette over and toss all the vegetables around so they get a good coating – you’ll need to do this quite carefully so as not to break the foil. Now fold over the other half of the foil and turn over all the edges 2 or 3 times to seal it all round. What you should end up with is a parcel that fits the tray exactly but with some air space between the foil and vegetables.
When you’re ready to cook the vegetables, place them in the pre-heated oven, one shelf higher than the middle, for 45 minutes. To serve, carefully unwrap the foil and tip the vegetables into a warm serving dish.
The Raw Deal.
As a recap from last week, I decided as a chef highlighted in the media, I owed it to myself to learn more about the raw food experience. I wanted to create a new portfolio of delicious foods and understand the health benefits boasted by this type of eating regimen.
Although I’m happy I put my body to the challenge, I can say, without hesitation, a completely raw diet is not for me. I like the variety of balanced foods including dairy, whole grains, and protein from chicken and meat. I really missed my daily cup of coffee, milk in my smoothies, and overall selection.
However, the past seven days has given me a renewed appreciation for raw veggies as well as cooked ones. Mother Nature’s gifts are all around us, and the pure taste she offers should be incorporated into all of our diets. I’ve compiled a few of my honest findings over the past week on why it was hard to stay raw.
1. Expensive- In order to receive the full benefits from eating raw, it is suggested you eat 100% organic. Ca-Ching. I’ve never spent more money on groceries than what I’ve spent in the past week. Whilst I certainly am a fan of pesticide-free, locally grown foods, I understand how many families simply cannot afford them. In tough economic times, putting a meal on the table is already a struggle without adding the higher prices for organic foods. I found ordering vegetable/fruit juice at my local fresh food store was more economical than purchasing a juicer and buying organic kale, apples, and lemons for each drink.
2. Inconvenience: As a traveling chef, it is hard to find raw foods in an airport. It takes dedicated prep time and creative solutions to keep on track. You can imagine the TSA attendant’s face when I tried to get through security with a beet/carrot juice elixir. Many raw foods involve extra hours of dehydrating or chilling foods, which adds a great deal of commitment. The hustle and bustle of daily life between work, kids, and other obligations makes the diet fairly inconvenient for the average working mom or dad.
3. Moody – Maybe it comes down to the old adage that you want what you cannot have? It seemed that by Day 3 I had a headache from the detoxification, and I was about to snap if I had to ingest one more snap pea. Plus, I was under siege with MMS messages from chef friends sending me scintillating photos of fabulous dishes. Were they trying to lure me back to the other side? I also received many disapproving emails and phone calls from folks wondering if I had either lost my mind or had turned my back on the food industry as a whole.
4. Lack of Choices when eating out– Unless you plan on bringing a refrigerated bag around with you at all times with raw snacks, there is a limited supply of restaurants that cater to the raw lifestyle. Most restaurants do offer salads but most are spruced up with croutons, cheese, and other toppings. This made eating out with clients very hard. No rice. No dairy. No alcohol. No sugar. No cooked foods=a lonely life for a chef with a passion for food.
If a journalist asked me if I was glad I tried this diet, I would definitely say yes! I like setting challenges for myself. In the end, I did walk away with a five-pound weight loss. I appreciate the role that dairy and cooked foods add to the overall nutrients in my daily life.
So what makes for a good diet? I’d probably advise a well balanced meal program full of veggies and other nutrient rich foods. I stick to the eat less, exercise more mantra. Portion control and an active lifestyle will certainly take off the holiday pounds this winter without sacrificing all of your favorite foods.
Going for a walk several times a week with your partner should be added to every diet plan. It is amazing what a walk with someone you love can add to your emotional and physical well being. In the end, I added a few new raw recipes to my repertoire. Here is a sauce recipe I found to be a favorite staple from this past week. If you’d like to give it a try, I’ve included below.
Spinach Puree:
1 cup spinach
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons olive oil.
Filtered water
Celtic sea salt
White pepper
Puree in blender with enough water to make a nice purée. Season with salt and pepper to flavor to your own liking.
chefjonashton 