Creamy Chicken With Fresh Peaches

It’s peach season in Western Australia and these beauties are from the Perth Hills, near where I live.

Don’t be tempted to put the peaches into the sauce for longer, they are just warmed through or they go to mush!

If you want make this ahead of time cook up to the stage of the cream thickening and then turn the heat off.

Once you are ready to eat, bring up to a gently simmer, add an extra 100mls cream, simmer gently until heated through and then continue as below.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

40g butter

40mls olive oil

6 chicken thighs, bone in skin on

1 brown onion, finely diced

4 garlic cloves, sliced

400mls cream

300mls chicken stock or water

3-4 large peaches, skinned, stoned and diced

1-2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

Method

In a large frying pan with a lid, heat the butter and oil over a medium to high heat.

Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.

Once the fat is hot, add the chicken, skin side down. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the skin is crisp.

Turn the chicken and again cook for 4-5 minutes.

Remove the chicken and set aside. Drain most of the fat out of the pan, leave a couple of teaspoons worth in the pan.

Heat the pan over a medium heat and add the onion, cook until soft, scraping the dark bits off the bottom of the pan as you go.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Return the chicken to the pan, turn a few times in the onion mixture.

Turn the chicken skin side up.

Pour in the cream and stock, bring to a gently simmer, cover and simmer for 30minutes.

Check that the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened. If the sauce is still a little runny, remove the lid and simmer uncovered.

Stir in the peaches, just heat them a little, sprinkle over the parsley and serve.

Greek Meatballs

What’s not to love with these meatballs, sneaking veggies into the kids, they freeze really well for dinner another night, baked, not fried and dinner served in a pitta, flat bread or roll is always a winner in our house!

If you are in barbcueing season, lucky you! These cook well on a BBQ, squeeze them onto skewers to make your own kofta or flatten them to make delicious patties.

Makes 28-30 balls. Serves 6.

Ingredients

70g gluten free fresh breadcrumbs

500g minced lamb

280g baby spinach

3 garlic cloves, peeled

15g fresh parsley leaves

100g spring onions/scallions/green onions

Zest of 1 lemon

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

If you have time, make the meatball mix a few hours before cooking but if not just carry on!

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Centigrade, line a baking tray with baking parchment.

Cook the spinach until just wilted, I use the microwave. Allow to cool enough to handle it and then squeeze the water out of it.

Blitz the bread in a food processor. Tip into a large bowl.

Now add the cooked spinach, garlic, parsley and spring onions to the processor and blitz again, tip into the breadcrumbs.

Now grate the lemon over the spinach, add the lamb and season well.

Using your hands, combine all of the ingredients really really well.

Form into small walnut sized balls. Lay on the prepared baking tray.

Slide into the oven and turn the heat down to 200 degrees Centigrade.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until the outside has coloured and the meatballs are cooked through.

Serve with salad and fried haloumi in wraps, pittas or rolls or allow to cool, pour them into a zip lock bag and freeze for another day.

Smoked Garlic Potato Salad

Everyone loves a good potato salad and although I’ve posted a recipe before this one incorporates my new favourite flavour of smoked garlic.

Although I tend to use a whole clove, and they are big, maybe start with half a clove and work up from there to suit your taste buds.

Serves 6.

Ingredients

500g cooked baby potatoes, skin on, cut into 1-2cm chunks

180mls sour cream

200mls mayonnaise

1/2-1 clove smoked garlic, crushed

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper

Method

Combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, smoked garlic, parsley, salt and pepper in a bowl.

Add the potatoes, stir through and serve with a little extra parsley sprinkled over the top.

Garlic And Herb Lamb Fillets

This is a great speedy way of preparing meat and leaving it to marinade through the day until you cook it in the evening.

I like my lamb pink as you can see but really cook it the way you like it, the marinating in garlic will make it soo tender and tasty.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

4 lamb fillets, around 450g total

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons olive oil

salt and pepper

Method

Combine all of the ingredients in a zip lock bag and leave to marinade in the fridge for 6-8 hours.

Heat a non stick frying pan or a barbecue plate until very hot.

Pop the lamb fillets onto the hot pan or barbecue plate and turn regularly until cooked the way you like them.

Allow to rest somewhere warm for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Steamed Salmon And Lemon Mould

I have made my Grannie’s salmon mould many times over the years but it’s time to update it a little. I should maybe change its name too to something fancy like a terrine!

This is served at room temperature or chilled, fantastic for picnics and leftovers are great in sandwiches!

Serves 8.

Ingredients

450g tin of red salmon, skin and fat discarded

300g smoked salmon, cut into thin strips

75g fresh gluten free breadcrumbs

5 eggs, beaten

zest of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

freshly ground pepper

50g butter

Method

In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients except the butter.

In a heat proof pudding bowl, melt the butter in a microwave. Swirl the butter around the bowl to grease it and pour the excess butter into the salmon mix, stir well.

Spoon the salmon mix into the greased bowl.

Cover with foil and tie with a piece of string to seal it.

Take a pan with a lid and fill it a third deep with water, pop the pudding bowl in and bring up to the boil.

Simmer for 50-60minutes. Keep an eye on the water level and top up with freshly boiled water as needed.

Allow to cool and serve at room temperatures or chilled.

Garlic and Lemon Fishburgers

Fish, lemon, garlic, parsley and butter, simple and delicious!

This is my version for our families fast food Friday challenge, making fast food equivalents at home.

The pan juices are delicious and not to be wasted, I just spoon them over each open burger as a sauce, no ketchup needed!

I have used sweet lip and baby snapper in the past, really any white mild fish is popular with the boys. Cooking times vary depending on the thickness of the fillets. I like to cut my fillets in two and remove bones and dark flesh.

My gluten free option is to serve this with a green salad and still spoon the pan juices over the top, they really are the highlight of the meal!

Serves 6

Ingredients

6 fillets white fish, bones and dark flesh removed

150g salted butter

2 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed, still in one piece

2 lemons, juiced

3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

freshly ground pepper

Method

Heat a large frying pan over a low heat with the butter and garlic in the pan, swirl the garlic through the butter as it melts.

Once the garlic is fragrant, turn the heat up to medium high and once hot add the fish fillets.

Cook for 1-2 minutes depending on thickness and then flip the fillets over.

Pour over the lemon juice and parsley, cook through.

Layer the buns up with your fillings of choice, I’m a fan of avocado and spinach!

Place the fish on the prepared bun, season with pepper and then spoon over the pan juices, don’t worry if it drips off, it’s so yummy and garlicky you can mop it up with the bread!

Meatballs With Sour Cherries And Herbs

A bit of an odd combination to some people but it does work very well giving these meatballs a hint of sweetness in amongst the fabulous herb flavours.

I quite often make the meat mix in the morning and come back and make the meatballs for our evening meal, it sits quite happily in the fridge.

Makes 36 meatballs, serves 6-8 depending on sides. We have these as a mezze meal and I serve them with some yogurt flavoured with garlic and mint.

Ingredients

1kg minced beef

1/2 red onion, very finely diced

4 garlic cloves, crushed

4 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

15g chopped fresh dill

15g chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper

150g drained sour cherries

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade.

Line two baking sheets with baking parchment.

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. the cherries will get all mushed up, don’t worry!

Form into balls and lay on the baking sheets, spread a little apart.

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until browned and cooked through.

Pork Fillet Parcels

So simple and so effective, perfect for making ahead of time and popping in the oven when you need them, these little parcels have tons of flavour thanks to the whole grain mustard and sage.

If you have any leftovers, slice thinly and use them as sandwich fillings!

Serves 6.

Ingredients

800g pork fillet, two large fillets

75g whole grain mustard

1 teaspoon fresh finely chopped sage

2 tablespoons fresh finely chopped parsley

freshly ground pepper

10 large slices of prosciutto

Method

Cut the fillets into large thick slices, around 16-18 pieces.

In a bowl, combine the mustard, sage, parsley and pepper.

Cut the prosciutto slices in half, let the shape of the slices dictate whether you go lengthwise or width wise. They need to fit around and under the pork to seal.

Take a piece of pork, smear a little mustard mixture over one cut side and then wrap in half a slice of prosciutto, set aside, mustard side up and repeat.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade and line two baking sheets with baking parchment.

Spread the parcels over the baking sheets, try not to over crowd the tray.

Pop in the oven and bake for 18-25 minutes, depending on the thickness, try not to over cook them as they dry out so remove thinner slices and keep warm while thicker slices finish cooking.

Baked Cheesy Avocado With Chimmichurri Tomatoes And A Spicy Egg

I defy anyone not to like avocado cooked this way!

This is one of my favourite brunch or supper dishes. I happily sit down to have this while the boys are having a gluten laden meal!

I usually make up a big batch of chimichurri dressing and have it in the fridge for a couple of days, great over barbecued chicken and steak! I’ve popped my chimichurri recipe below if you want to give it a go.

Serves 2.

 Ingredients

4 medium tomatoes, deseeded and diced

2 tablespoons chimichurri dressing

2 small avocados, sliced

50g Parmesan, finely grated

salt and pepper

a little oil or ghee

a pinch of chilli flakes

3 eggs, 1 beaten

Method

Preheat the oven to 210 degrees centigrade. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.

Take the avocado slices, dip them in the beaten egg and then into the Parmesan.

Lay on the baking sheet and once they are all coated, pop them into the oven for 10 minutes until the cheese is crispy.

While the avocado bakes, mix the chimichurri dressing and tomatoes, spoon onto your serving plate.

Heat the oil or ghee in a frying pan and once hot, add the chilli and cook for 30 seconds.

Crack the eggs into the pan and fry until the white is set and the yolk is still runny.

Lay the baked avocado over the tomatoes and top with the eggs.

CHIMICHURRI DRESSING

25g parsley leaves

25g coriander, leaves and stalks

140mls olive oil

2-3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 clove of garlic

salt and pepper

Process all of the ingredients to form a paste.

Baked Salami Eggs

As popular as bacon and eggs are I think that a really good, home style salami can be a knock out with eggs.

This is a great way of using up the last few slices of salami to make a filling meal, serve with a green salad and maybe some baby potatoes and for breakfast, asparagus spears to dip are a treat!

If we are having these at home, I bake them for 12 minutes for a soft yolk, for the lunch boxes and picnics they get 17minutes to avoid burst yolks in the lunch boxes, there is nothing worse apparently!

The salami slices will shrink considerably so make sure you have a bit of over hang, large muffin trays work well too.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

12 large slices of salami

4 eggs

40g gluten free breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

1 teaspoon olive oil

salt and pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 210 degrees Centigrade.

Line each hole of the Yorkshire pudding tin with three slices of salami, spread out to come up the edges.

Break an egg into each salami case.

In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, parsley, oil, salt and pepper.

Sprinkle the breadcrumb mix over each egg.

Pop in the oven for 12-17minutes depending on how soft you like the yolk.