P is for Prawns

I love seafood and think it makes a great starter.   This recipe is another of my standbys as the raw prawns are frozen and so can be dug out when needed.  And at this time of year, I always have tomatoes and rocket around.

Gather:

• 7 king/tiger prawns per person
• 2-3 cloves garlic*
• 2 tblspn fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tblspn ground cumin
• Pinch of cayenne
• 1 tblspn ground coriander
• 1 teaspn (sweet) paprika
• Zest and juice of a lemon

• 4 cherry tomatoes per person, cut in half
• ½ red bell pepper, skinned and cubed
• Handful of rocket per person
• 1 teaspn caster sugar
• 1 tblspn sherry vinegar
• 3 tblspns light olive oil / rapeseed oil
• S&P

* if you're using chopped garlic from a jar, then use a level teaspoon per clove

Then...

1. Mix the frozen prawns in the garlic, herbs, spices and lemon zest and one tablespoon of the oil and leave to defrost
2. Soak wooden skewers in water for 20 mins so they don't burn when cooked
3. Thread the defrosted prawns on the skewers
4. Pan fry the skewers (easier than pan frying individual prawns) until the prawns turn pink/are cooked
5. Meanwhile toss the tomatoes, pepper cubes (if using) and rocket in the remaining oil, vinegar and sugar
6. Season the salad to taste
7. Pour the marinade over the prawns for the last minute of cooking
8. Un-skewer the prawns and toss them in the lemon juice
9. Arrange seven prawns and some salad on each plate as desired^

^ Arranging uneven numbers of food on a plate for some reason looks more appealing.

C is for Chelsea Flower Show

It's been a couple of weeks since I've been able to post due to the lovely weather and work in the garden, but I wanted to put up some pictures from RHS Chelsea as it was so lovely again.

Here are a few phone pictures of my favourites...am taking my better camera next year!

The Telegraph Garden by Tommaso del Buono and Paul Gazerwitz

Love the euphorbia next to the clipped box balls.

The Viking Cruises Norse Artisan Garden by Sadie May Stowell

Liked the runes in the stepping stones

The large Imari china balls in the Arita Artisan Garden by Shuko Noda 

The mini tree sculptures in the Hillier Nurseries section in the Pavilion

But one idea that will be easy to recreate was from the estate agents on the way to the show, using Wellington boots as plant holders.  This would be great by the back door.

And if you missed the show entirely, have a look at the pictures online either on The Telegraph site or elsewhere.

C is for Chicken Salad

As the weather starts to warm up, I have to rethink most of my weekend meals.  On the vast majority in the winter, I cook up a roast.  They're just so easy.  And it means I get time to relax and do other things.

However with the weather warming up, I have to start to rethink my weekend repasts and 'summer' up my recipes.

And this roast chicken salad is one of my favourites as the chicken is really well flavoured and moist.  Note the roasties so it still 'eats' like a good meal.

Gather:

• 1 roast chicken (size depending on number of people being fed)
• ½ an onion, skinned, top and tailed
• 1 pack of Boursin (150 gms size, or any other soft flavored creamy cheese)
• 2 rashers of streaky bacon per person
• 2 tblspns pine nuts
• Salad leaves
• Spring onions
• Cucumber
• Radishes
• 2 teaspns dijon mustard
• White wine vinegar
• S&P

Then...

1. Unpack the Boursin into a disposable piping bag / large freezer bag and leave to soften
2. Take the chicken and using a wooden spoon, carefully part the chicken skin from the breast so it doesn't tear  
3. Use a pair of scissors to snip the membrane holding the skin to the breast bone without cutting through the skin
4. Put the half onion in the bird cavity
5. Snip the end / a corner off the Boursin bag and pipe the cheese into the space between the chicken and the skin.  Massage through the skin to check it evenly covers the whole breast area
6. Rub the skin with oil, season well and then layer over the bacon rashers to form a protective cover for the chicken/cheese
7. Roast the chicken @ 180℃ for 1½ to 1¾ hours until the internal meat temperature reaches 72℃
8. Once cooked, take out the chicken and remove the bacon strips from the chicken and set to one side (don't cover else they'll go soggy)
9. Leave the chicken to rest
10. Pour the cooking juices and the fat from the roasting tin into a clean jam jar and leave the lid off to cook a little
11. Roast the pine nuts for 3½ mins @ 200℃
12. Prep the salad cutting the spring onions into chunks, and slicing the cucumber and radishes
13. Add the Dijon mustard to the cooking juices in the jam jar and add half as much vinegar as there are juices (or to taste)
14. Season the vinaigrette, pop on the lid and shake together vigorously in the jar
15. Toss the salad leaves, veggies and nuts together with the vinaigrette and serve with chicken carved into slices on top (making sure people get a bit of the cooked cheese), roasties* on the side and two bacon strips in a cross on top of the chicken

* New potatoes tossed with butter and fresh dill work well too.