Gluten-free Italian stuffed chicken and chocolate pecan brownie

Tags

chicken, chocolate, chocolate brownie, dessert, dinner, Gluten Free, italian chicken, pudding

It must be pretty difficult being gluten intolerant, watching everyone else tuck into whatever they fancy and missing out on tasty grub all the time. Which is why I decided to restore some balance when I cooked dinner for the first time in my new weasel den.

The trick was to find something everyone would enjoy, but that was also gluten free for my gluten-intolerant Mammy.

I decided a chicken dish would be most likely to please everyone’s palette and picked up this nifty little recipe from BBC Good Food, which I tweaked a bit to suit my own tastes.

Gluten-free Italian Stuffed Chicken (for five)

Ingredients

200g full-fat soft cheese

Handful chopped black olives

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 teaspoon of Oregano

Some chopped sun-dried tomatoes

5 ripe tomatoes

Olive oil

Recipe

1.)    First of all, mix the soft cheese, olives, sundried tomatoes, garlic and oregano in a bowl.

2.)    Next, use a sharp knife to cut a slit along the side of each chicken breast, then stuff with the soft cheese mix.

3.)    Pop on a baking tray and season the chicken. Top with sliced tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil.

4.)    Roast for 20 minutes at 220C, or until the chicken is cooked through entirely.

I served the Italian chicken with roast potatoes, side salad and some crusty bread, plus a bottle of my Portuguese favourite Vinho Verde. The trick with the roast potatoes is too cover in olive oil and season, then cook on a low heat for 2 hours until they are crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle.

Think making a gluten-free dessert is a bit of a challenge? Try this super easy recipe for a chocolate brownie from Delicious and you’ll see how easy it is.

Gluten-free Chocolate Brownie Dessert (makes 6 portions)

Ingredients

100g good quality dark chocolate

3 medium free-range eggs

70g caster sugar

75g ground almonds

25g pecans

1 teaspoon of ground coffee (I used Sainsbury’s Fairtrade Colombian Coffee)

Crème fraiche and raspberries for serving

Recipe

1.)    Use the vegetable oil to grease an 18cm square cake tin.

2.)    Melt the chocolate over a bowl of simmering water, stirring gently.

3.)    Separate the eggs, whisking yolks and sugar until pale.

4.)    Add melted chocolate, almonds, coffee and pecans and stir.

5.)    Whisk the egg whites until they form peaks, then gradually add to the mixture.

6.)    Pop in the oven for 18 minutes at 180C, keeping watch to make sure it doesn’t burn.

7.)    Leave to cool in the tin, then cut into squares and spoon some crème fraiche and raspberries on top to serve.

Let me know if you try out either of the recipes? Enjoy!

Beautiful, bother-free Balti

Tags

aubergine, balti, chillipapas, courgette, Curry, garlic, Home, indian, recipe

As you’ve probably gathered by now, I love me a good curry. But having just moved into my own lovely little weasel den, I’ve been a bit pressed for time to actually cook. Those boxes ain’t gonna unpack themselves you know (no they really aren’t, I’ve been sitting watching them and they haven’t moved one inch).

This is why Chilli Papas Balti sample mix came along at just the right time. Through my letterbox, a tantalising little sachet fell, filled with mysterious fresh spices the colour of a blazing Indian sunset.

There was nothing to tell me what was inside (well, they wouldn’t just give away their secrets would they?) but I sniffed out some cumin, turmeric and cinnamon…perhaps?
What the mix did come with was an ingredients list and some cooking instructions. I deviated slightly from the ingredients listed, using aubergine and courgette instead of peppers, and cooking whole chicken legs instead of chopped meat.

Thanks to Rachel for the kind flatwarming gift too, turns out it works even better with ginger!

Oh yes, and I left the seeds in the chilli peppers because I like it hot. The beauty was just throwing everything in a pan, sticking on some rice, and leaving it to cook.

Making sure the chicken legs were cooked through we were ready to dig in, the aromas already making our mouths water.

The curry was lovely. A hearty, warming meal – perfect for the darker, colder nights that are drawing in so quickly. And a great way to celebrate my new hungry weasel den!

Who’s the daddy of blended curry mixes? That would be Chilli Papas.

Curry, bhajis and dosa at Edinburgh Mela

Tags

bhaji, Curry, dosa, edinburgh, edinburgh mela, goan curry, indian food, lamb curry, paneer

Edinburgh’s annual Mela kicked off on Friday night with a stunning fireworks display in Leith Links, along with the story of Rama and Sita told through shadow puppetry. After an enchanting evening, I had one thing on my mind – tasty Indian food. And lots of it.

Leith Links was transformed into a bustling hive of festival activity, with heavenly scents wafting from each stall where chickpeas sizzled and fresh mango lassis were dispensed. Colourful scarfs and traditional Indian dress fluttered in the light breeze, while the infectious low beat of drums topped off the festival atmosphere.

After a little African storytelling it was time for lunch. I made a beeline for the Goan curry stand and opted for a deliciously spiced lamb curry with rice, salad, yoghurt dressing and lime pickle.

My friend picked a paneer dosa – like a pancake with cheese inside – along with some dipping sauces and some veggie bhajis with a yummy mild sauce. Everyone sat around eating on the grass, and the Mela had a really relaxed feel to it, with plenty to see for everyone.

Big tip for the Mela next year? Don’t arrive too late – as we left at around 4pm the queue was enormous!