Italian Herbs Chicken with Creamy Peppercorn Sauce & Mashed Potatoes

Italian Herbs Chicken with Creamy Peppercorn Sauce & Mashed Potatoes

Italian Herbs Chicken

Ingredients:

• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper
• 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
• 1 lemon, halved

Method:

• Combine all the ingredients garlic, olive oil, basil, thyme, rosemary, parsley, salt & crushed red pepper and coat chicken breasts in it and chill 30 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• Preheat grill pan. Grill chicken, covered with lid, 7 minutes on each side or until done.
• Remove from grill; squeeze juice from lemon over chicken.

Note: If you don’t want to buy separate herbs, buy mixed dried Italian herbs of any good brand but with preferably fresh Italian parsley.

Creamy Pepper Sauce

Ingredients:

• 150ml chicken stock (made from a cube or meat)
• 1 tsp crushed peppercorns
• 1 tbsp Worstershire sauce
• Pinch of salt
• 200ml single cream

Method:

• Pour the chicken stock into a pan and bring to a rolling boil.
• Add the peppercorns and Worstershire sauce and a little salt to taste.
• Reduce the heat and add the cream in a thin stream, whisking as you do so.
• Heat through without allowing to bubble and serve with Italian Herbs Chicken steak you just prepared.

Note: Alternative of cream in sauce is 1tbsp all-purpose flour and 200ml of milk. I have made this sauce both ways.  Another method is, you can take 100mls of milk and 100mls of cream and ad a little flour to thicken the sauce to your liking.

Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into quarters
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 Tbsp (60 ml) heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp (30 g) butter
• 1 Tbsp milk (or more)
• Salt and Pepper

Method:

• Place the peeled and cut potatoes into a medium saucepan.
• Add cold water to the pan until the potatoes are covered by at least an inch.
• Add a half teaspoon of salt to the water.
• Turn the heat on to high, and bring the water to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to low to maintain a simmer, and cover.
• Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until you can easily poke through them with a fork.
• While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter and warm the cream. You can heat them together in a pan on the stove or in the microwave.
• When the potatoes are done, drain the water and place the steaming hot potatoes into a large bowl.
• Pour the heated cream and melted butter over the potatoes.
• Mash the potatoes with a potato masher.
• Then use a strong spoon to beat further.
• Add milk and beat until the mashed potatoes are smooth.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve with your steak.

Assorted Vegetables

Ingredients:

• Broccoli florets
• Carrot, slices
• Green beans
• Baby corn
• Knorr Aromat seasoning
• 1tsp olive oil

Method:

• Steam veges in a steamer for 5-10 mins (depending upon how crisp you want them).
• Heat oil a little in a pan (we don’t heat olive oil much) and add the veges.
• Add seasoning and stir-fry for 1-2 mins.
• Serve with steak & mashed potatoes.

Garlic Shrimps

Garlic Shrimps 

Recipe:

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pound shrimps
• Salt to taste
• 6 cloves garlic, minced fine
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp cold butter, cut in 4 pieces
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/3 cup chopped italian parsley, divided
• Water as needed to thin sauce
• 1tbsf capers brine 

Method:

• Heat skillet full blast highest heat
• Add olive oil and heat it till first wisps of smoke (we don't heat olive oil much)
• Add shrimps, cover the pan with shrimps and let them sizzle in that position

• Sprinkle salt and wait for one minute before tossing
• Toss them. Stir fry. Shrimps are coloured from outside
• Add garlic and chilli flakes and toss and stir for a minute. We don't want garlic to get browned

• Dump in lemon juice, one cube of butter and half of chopped parsley

• Stir and toss till first piece of butter is melted
• Turn the heat to low and toss rest of the butter
• Stir and toss and when butter is melted, shrimps are ready to eat

• Transfer the shrimps to your plate of rice or pasta
• The remaining sauce in pan is thickened coz of heat. Add a little splash of water and heat until sauce texture is just to your liking.
• Pour the sauce over shrimps and rice / pasta.

Bon Appétit! J

Creamy Broccoli, Chicken Breast, and Pasta in homemade Alfredo Sauce

Creamy Broccoli, Chicken Breast, and Pasta in Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 chicken breast, boneless and skinless
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup milk
• Shredded cheese (use Parmesan, or Mozzarella, or 4-cheese mix)
• Rigatoni or fettuccine or whatever pasta you like
• Light steamed & fried broccoli florets
• salt and pepper
• Knorr all purpose seasoning (for chicken)
• Finely diced chives & parsley

Method:

First prepare chicken: 

• Heat olive oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet.
• Season chicken breast with salt and pepper or Knorr all purpose seasoning mix.
• Cook chicken breast on high heat for 5 minutes on each side, until browned.
• Now turn the flame to low and keep the chicken covered to continue cooking it in its own steam until no longer pink. 
• Remove chicken from the skillet & cut it into pieces. You can also use pre-cooked chicken as well.

Now prepare pasta & Alfredo sauce:

• Cook pasta according to instructions. Drain.
• For sauce, melt butter in a medium sauce pan and add garlic. Saute for 30 seconds and add heavy cream & milk. Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add cheese and whisk quickly till it completely melts.
• Add cooked pasta in Alfredo sauce you just prepared. At this step you can mix in cooked broccoli or you can serve it separately in the platter like I have. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Top with sliced cooked chicken.
• Sprinkle with chives and parsley.

Bon Appétit! J

One Pan Chicken & Potato Bake

          One Pan Chicken & Potato Bake               

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• One chicken leg quarter
• 1tsp ginger garlic paste
• ½ lemon juice
• 3-4 tbsp oil
• Shan / National Chicken Broast Mix, ½ pack
• 2 medium or 3 small potatoes, sliced
• Salt and chili flakes – to taste
• ½ tsp crushed dried parsley

Method:

• Pre-heat oven at 180’C.
• Marinate chicken leg quarter in ginger garlic paste & lemon for 30 mins.
• Mix broast mix in 2-3 tbsp oil and coat chicken in this mixture and marinate further for 30 mins.
• Line a baking tray with foil and spray it with oil.
• In a bowl, toss potato slices with salt, chili flakes, crushed dried parsley and 1-2 tbsp oil.
• Place chicken piece in the middle of baking tray, cover the rest of pan with preferably single layer of potatoes.

• Bake it for 15-20 mins.
• Take the tray out, flip the chicken over carefully and stir & turn potato slices too. You’ll see the juices running which will enrich the potatoes.
• Return baking tray into the oven and bake for further 15-20 mins or until cooked.

~ Enjoy! J  

Chicken Vegetable Stir-fry

Chicken Vegetable Stir-fry

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1tsp finely chopped ginger & garlic 
• 1 chicken breast, cut into thin slices
• Spring onions,
• Green chilies,
• Red, yellow and green capsicum,
• Snap beans
• Cabbage
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1tbsp cornstarch
• ½ cup chicken broth (or 1 Knorr chicken cube)
• 2 tbsp oil

* all veges combine, may make 1-1.5 cups.

Method:

• Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add garlic & ginger and cook for 1 minute.
• Add chicken and stir-fry for 3-4 mins till it starts turning golden brown.
• Add cabbage & black pepper powder and stir-fry for further 3-4 mins.
• Add rest of the vegetable and keep stirring for 2 mins.

• Add soy sauce and cook for 2 mins until vegetables are crisp-tender.
• Dissolve cornstarch in chicken broth in a small bowl and add to wok.
• Simmer 2 minutes until sauce is transparent and thick.
• Serve with fried rice.

Lunch / Dinner Platter - Grilled Chicken with Vegetable Pulao & Aaloo ki Bhujia

Lunch / Dinner Platter - Grilled Chicken with Vegetable Pulao & Aaloo ki Bhujia

Recipes:

Grilled Chicken:

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts cut in half
• 1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
• 1tsp red chili powder
• Salt, to taste
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 lemon juice
• 1-2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
• 2 tbsp oil

Method:

• Make diagonal superficial slits on chicken and marinate the pieces in all the above spices for 30 – 60 mins.
• Heat oil in a non-stick grill pan.
• Grill chicken pieces on medium-low flame, each side for 10 mins, covering the pan in between to allow the steam to build and cook the chicken well.
• Serve with vegetable pulao.

Vegetable Pulao

Ingredients:   

75-80% cooked rice, just before going on steam

• 1.5 cups long grained or basmati rice soaked for 30 minutes
• ¼ heaped cup each of chopped carrots, chopped bell peppers, green peas (fresh or frozen) and cabbage. Or 1 to 1.5 cups chopped veggies of your choice.
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 medium size tomato, chopped
• ½ inch ginger + 2 to 3 medium garlic cloves + 1 green chili, all crushed to a paste
• 6 to 7 drops of lime juice
• 2.5 to 3 cups water
• ½ tsp ground whole coriander
• 2.5 tbsp oil
• Salt as required
• Whole Spices:
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 4 to 5 whole black pepper
• 1 Indian bay leaf
• 2-3 cloves
• 1 black cardamom
• 1 inch cinnamon 

Method:

• Rinse rice till the water runs clear of starch and soak them in enough water for 30 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
• In a deep thick bottomed pot or pan, heat oil and fry all the whole spices mentioned above, till the oil becomes fragrant
• Add the onions and sauté them till golden. Separate half of fried onion and keep aside.
• Add the ginger-garlic-green chili paste and ground whole coriander and sauté for 30 seconds.
• Add the tomatoes and sauté for 2-3 minutes on a low flame.
• Add all the veggies and sauté again for 2-3 minutes on a low flame.
• Add drained rice and sauté gently for 2 minutes on a low flame, so that the rice gets well coated with the oil.
• Pour water and stir.
• Sprinkle 6 to 7 drops of lime juice. Season with salt and stir again.
• Cover tightly and let the rice cook on a medium flame, till the85% water is absorbed check in between a few times to check if the water is enough. Depending on the quality of rice, you may need to add less or more water. With a fork too, you can gently stir the rice without breaking the rice grains.
• Now turn the flame low and let the rice cook in their own steam.
• Once the rice grains are cooked, fluff and let the rice stand for 5 minutes.
• Serve the veg pulao hot with raita and sides. You can also garnish veg pulao with chopped coriander or mint leaves.

Aaloo ki Bhujia:

Ingredients:

• 2 large potatoes
• 1tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp crushed red pepper
• Salt, to taste
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• 3-4 tbsp vegetable oil

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan and add cumin. Sauté till it gets aromatic.
• Add potatoes and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
• Add remaining spices and turn the flame medium-low.
• Cover the pan for 7-10 mins. The steam produced inside the covered pan will help the potatoes cook.
• Stir the potatoes, cover again and continue cooking till soft and ready to eat.
• Serve hot with vegetable pulao.

~ Enjoy! :)

White Fish on Popiote with Oven Baked Chips

White Fish on Popiote with Oven Baked Chips 

Recipe:

Fish:

Ingredients:

• 1 white fish fillet (I like cod)
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 4-5 cloves garlic, chopped fine
• 1 tsp oregano and mixed dry herbs
• Knorr Aromat Seasoning, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste

Method:

• Mix all the ingredients and coat the fish with it.
• Wrap it up in a foil paper.
• Leave some space on top for it to fluff up.
• Be careful not to leave any gaps.
• Heat a non stick pan.
• Place it on pan at medium flame for 5-7 mins each side.
• Remove paper carefully (so as to not break the fish and serve with oven baked chips & sauce of your choice (I love salsa ketchup with this). 

 (Popiote is a method of cooking in which the food is wrapped up paper or foil and then cooked.)

Oven Baked Chips:

Ingredients:

• A packet of frozen steak cut potato chips

Method:

• Pre-heat oven at 180 ‘C.
• Spread required quantity of chips on baking tray and bake for 20 mins or as directed on the packet. 

~ Enjoy! J