Boxing Day Hash

If you want your leftovers to taste as delicious as the main event then try this recipe using up excess ham off the bone.  If you are like our extended family there was not much left of the turkey, loin of pork or whole fillet of beef but there was still an excess of ham. We have made this dish for the last 10 years or so and is always a favourite. Don't think Christmas time is the only time to try this dish it works well any time of year.

Ingredients

2 large potatoes

1 small red onion or 4 shallots 

1 clove garlic crushed

Oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 cups diced ham

3 tablespoons of sour cream

2 teaspoons dried mustard powder or 1 large teaspoon of Dijon mustard

Salt & Pepper

Serve 

Toasted fresh bread, garnish with chopped chives

Method

Peel and cut potatoes into cubes.

Cook in salted boiling water until par cooked.

Drain.

Heat a tablespoon of oil and butter in a heavy based frying pan.

Add drained potatoes and cook until brown, tossing gently to fry each side.

Then add diced onion or chopped shallots and fry till soft. 

Add garlic and stir.

Tip in chopped ham and warm through.

In a small bowl combine sour cream and mustard of choice.

Add to pan and gently toss to combine.

Season with Salt and Pepper

Serve warm on freshly toasted quality bread.

Top with chopped chives.

Yum

Mamma Marmalade

Pfeffernüsse Scandinavian Pepper Spice Biscuits - Happy Christmas!

Christmas is a time to pause, reflect, share, appreciate life, our community and loved ones. 

We wish you a truly Happy Christmas.  May we all be a little kinder to each other - small gestures of thoughtfulness can change a person's day.

Unleash the kindness,  feed your Inner Cook -  and Happy Christmas 

with love and good Cheer from Colleen and Mamma Marmalade   ...   and Millie! 

ps. If you fancy a doggy cravat as cute as Millie's  - plus gorgeous artisan products pop into Handmade Uki in the beautiful Northern New South Wales township Uki in Australia - such an enjoyable drive through the Destination Tweed region  - cheers

Pfeffernüsse Biscuits by Feed Your Inner Cook

Pfeffernüsse biscuits are made throughout many European countries, but I like to think of them as Scandinavian!  Fragrant spices, citrus and pepper combine for an aromatic delicious festive treat - and they are perfect for homebaked gifts.  
Your kitchen will smell divine - Enjoy!  Colleen

Preparation   10 minutes and allow 10 minutes to roll dough
Cooking         10 - 15 minutes
Makes             50 - 60 small yummy biscuits

Ingredients
1/2 - 3/4 cup Icing Sugar - sifted with pinch of cinnamon  Do this first and set aside in a bowl

125 gram butter - softened
110 gram (1/2 cup firmly packed) brown sugar - dark if possible
fine zest of 1 large lemon and 1 large orange
I also add a half pinch of Gin Gin & Dry - Lemon Powder to boost the citrus if needed 
90 gram (1/4 cup) good flavoursome honey
1 egg 
40 gram (1/4 cup) Candied Mixed Citrus Peel - I substituted 1/3 for uncrystallised ginger - chop these up very very finely before adding. Don't want big chunks in the small biscuits
350 gram (2 1/3 cups) Plain Flour  - sifted 
1/2 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda -  sifted with the following spices
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder - sifted
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper  (when tasting might want to add a dash more)
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon  ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground Allspice   Note Allspice is a specific type of spice berry
1/8 teaspoon ground Cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground Aniseed preferred but  If not available substitute ground Fennel seed
Pinch good quality Salt

Method
Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and set aside for later.
Preheat oven to  155-160◦C  and line 3 biscuit trays

With an electric mixer, cream the butter, sugar and citrus zest.
Gradually beat in the honey then the egg until just combined.
Mix in the chopped candied peel/ginger
Gently Stir through the combined Flour, Bicarb, Baking Powder, spices, pepper and salt until soft dough texture.  Only takes a couple of minutes.

Roll teaspoon sized balls of dough in your hands and place on the trays a few centimetres apart.  They spread about double size.
Bake for approx 10-12 minutes. Turn trays at halftime.
Biscuit tops should start to crack and be just cooked trough, not overbaked.
Remove from oven.
Whilst biscuits are still warm - toss 5 or 6 at a time in the icing sugar and coat generously.
Cool on wire rack.  Dust with a little remaining icing sugar and store in airtight containers.

Millie loves Feed Your Inner Cook

Happy Christmas from Millie and Feed Your Inner Cook Team!

Cheers !   Colleen

Grilled Peach and Prosciutto starters

Ho Ho Ho it's that time of year where you need a few good platter crowd pleasers up your sleeve and this one is fresh and light as well as looking sophisticated.  I went to a little more trouble by creating a wreath look with fresh olive tree foliage and raspberries.

Ingredients

2 large peaches, destoned and quartered
8 slices of prosciutto
1/2 French stick, sliced on an angle 1 cm thick
Olive oil
120g goats cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon thyme

Method

Heat a gridle pan.
Wrap each peach slice in prosciutto.
Drizzle a little olive oil on each bread slice and cook on gridle until toasted and brown.
Add a little more oil to the pan and cook peach wedges.
When toast has cooled spread a thick layer of goats cheese, sprinkle on lemon thyme.
Top with a peach wedge wrapped in prosciutto.
Season with salt and pepper.


Merry Christmas
Mamma Marmalade

Almond and Lemon Ricotta Biscuits

I previously posted a delicious Lemon Ricotta Biscuit recipe from Giada de Laurentiis which I really enjoy making and sharing.  
Recently, I had some leftover ricotta and decided to make an almond variation. They were a great success and perfect with a cuppa.  Hope you enjoy making them too!  
Great for a little 'thank you' or 'visiting friends' gift too!   
Either recipe would make for a yummy homemade gift for Festive giving!
                                              Cheers Colleen 

Almond Lemon Ricotta Biscuits by Feed Your Inner Cook 

Almond Lemon Ricotta Biscuits: Feed Your Inner Cook

I have little frozen icecubes of lemon juice on standby but sometimes don't have a fresh lemon for a hit of lemon zest or the zest lacks zing.  I found (and personally paid for) an amazing fruit product at Regional Flavours in Brisbane from GinGin and Dry  GinGin and Dry FaceBook - foil packed, dried powder lemon zest.  I think it is such a wonderful standby in the pantry - I have added the tiniest pinch when baking, cooking salmon, sauces - so versatile and the flavour/aroma hit is sublime.  I love supporting products from local towns - click on the names for the links for more information.  Excellent stuff. Plus their lime zest is a knockout too.  

Ingredients
makes  approx 40 small biscuits
Baking   12 - 15 minutes.     NB  need to allow cooling time before icing biscuits.

handful flaked almonds - toasted (for garnish)  (pop them on the biscuit tray and do this for 2 minutes whilst oven preheating - watch -  as they burn quickly )

200 gram fresh ricotta - mashed with a fork
60 gram butter - softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 egg
1/2 cup almond meal
1 cup Plain Flour  (sifted)     
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Lemon Icing
1 cup pure icing sugar - sifted
1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice  (amount depends on sugar absorption)

Method
Preheat oven to 180 -190 oC.
Prepare 2 biscuit trays.  
While oven is preheating - pop the flaked almonds on a biscuit tray and toast (approx 2-3 minutes - Don't Burn them! ) remove almonds and reserve for garnish after biscuits iced.

Beat the ricotta, butter, lemon rind and sugar until smooth in an electric mixer bowl.
Add the egg and beat again to combine.
Fold in with a metal spoon by slowly adding the sifted flour and baking powder along with the almond meal.
Use two dessert spoons to dollop small portions of the dough onto the trays (1 get 20 per tray)
If you want them to look nicer - dampen hands with a dash of water and roll the dough balls into small balls.  Then flatten just a little with the side of a table knife.
Bake 12 -15 minutes until golden around edges.
Allow to cool on tray at least15 minutes.
When completely cool - drizzle with the prepared icing and scatter with the flaked almonds.

Icing
Sift the icing sugar into a bowl.  Add the lemon juice gradually (amount needed depends on the sugar absorption rate) until a thick paste with a bit of runniness.
Beat the mixture really well (I use a fork) and ensure no lumps.  
Drizzle over the cooled biscuits and scatter with the flaked almonds.

                                           Enjoy!  Colleen

Fresh Bread Rolls in 30 minutes

So many times we would like a fresh dinner roll with our lunch or dinner but have not invested the previous 2 hours or so in making the dough, letting it rise twice and baking. So the solution is this very clever recipe from my favourite podcast "Dinner Sisters".

Ingredients

1 cup + 2 tablespoons warm water

1/3 cup Oil

2 Tablespoons of dried yeast

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Egg

3 1/2 cusp of bread or "000" flour or plain flour

Method

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water, oil, yeast and sugar.

Allow the mixture to rest for 15 minutes

Add 2 cups of the flour, salt, egg into the yeast mixture using a dough hook to mix.

Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour 1/2 cup at a time.

Shape dough into 12 balls and place in a 9x13 pan.

Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.

Bake for 10 minutes or until the tops are just golden.

It's as easier as that.

Mamma Marmalade

Star Anise Chicken

Another simply delicious Belinda Jeffery  recipe. Her cookbooks are such a delight to read and evoke the natural delights of her home in Northern New South Wales.  If you are touring around there be sure to stop in Uki  and explore the gorgeous range of beautiful artisan gifts at Handmade Uki  
I love the ease of preparing Belinda's thoughtful recipe and this method is a brilliant timesaver. Apart from making one flavoursome meal, the Braising Liquid can be re-used again and again - saving you so much effort on a busy day!  Be sure to check out the end of the post for How to SAVE the BRAISE. 

                                                                     Enjoy!   Colleen

Star Anise Chicken by Feed Your Inner Cook 

Preparation       10 minutes including stovetop time
Cooking            30 minutes
standing            20 minutes

Ingredients

8 to 10 chicken Marylands  (skin on)  or chicken chops  (leg/thigh partly boned portion)
depends on size of pieces and your pot.  (I like to use my big oval cast-iron casserole)

Braising Liquid  - can be re-used :  check end of post for How to Save the Braise
250 ml Kecap Manis  (sweet soy sauce)
1/3 rd cup Low Salt Soy Sauce
2/3 rd cup Soy Sauce
250 ml water
1/3 rd cup Brown Sugar
5 whole star anise
2 tablespoons Dry Sherry
2 cloves garlic - crushed
3 slices fresh ginger 
1 stick Cinnamon
Serving options:  Greens, mint, lime cheeks, rice.

Method
Preheat oven to 170 ℃
Use a large stovetop flameproof casserole dish with a lid.
Pour the Braising lngredients together and stir to dissolve the sugar over medium heat.
Increase heat and bring to the boil
Gently slip chicken pieces (skin side down) into liquid
Allow to return to boil then remove from heat.  Cover with lid and place in oven.
Cook in oven 30 minutes.
Remove casserole dish from oven, lid stays on and chicken remains in pot.
Leave to cool in the liquid for 20 minutes.
Remove chicken pieces and place on serving platter over some cooked beans, bokchoy or similar greens.  Add some slivers of cucumber if you like.
Ladle out some of the braising liquid into a small saucepan and boil over high heat until thickens into syrupy sauce.  Watch and stir so it does not burn!
Spoon or brush the thick sauce over the chicken pieces.
Serve with the above-mentioned greens, rice or Asian style salad.
Scatter with optional mint leaves and lime cheeks.

How to SAVE the BRAISE
when liquid has cooled, strain through a fine sieve then pour into a clean freezer-proof container with an airtight lid.  
When ready to re-use:
The fat will have solidified on top.  Scrape the fat off then boil .  It is ready to use again.
Please NOTE
Like master-stocks,  it must be re-boiled every four weeks if you are using it this way.
The flavours will start to lose their intensity, so just add a little more of what you think it needs during each use.  I find (because I remove some for the syrupy sauce each time) I can get about 3 uses out of the original braising stock.  
                                        Enjoy!   Colleen

Chocolate Chip and Maybe Macadamia Biscuits

Sometimes you just want to thank your "earlier" self for making your life easier - my freezer always contains a few rolls of this biscuit dough ready for instant baking when unexpected family or friends drop by.  Based on an Annabel Langbein  recipe, this recipe is my go-to quick mix biscuit base.  For a change, I might add chunks of macadamia for a nutty flavour indulgence.  Quick, easy and delicious - a great standby recipe!  Enjoy!   Colleen

Choc Chip Biscuits by Feed Your Inner Cook

Choc Chip Biscuits by Feed Your Inner Cook

Choc Chip Biscuits by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation   10 minutes plus 15 minutes chilling time (the dough ... and you!!)
Cooking         15 minutes
Makes             70 - 80 biscuits  - I bake about 20 on the day and store the remaining dough                           in long rolls in freezer - wrapped individually, bagged - include instructions!     
Ingredients
500 gram butter - softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla extract
1/2 cup condensed milk  
tiny pinch sea salt flakes
4 1/2 cups Plain Flour - sifted
4 teaspoons Baking Powder - sift in with the above flour
500 gram dark chocolate - chopped into rough chunks
Option - add a handful of roughly chopped macadamia nuts

Method
Prepare biscuit trays (I get about 12 small biscuits to a sheet) Chill the trays to help crisp up the biscuits later on.
Preheat oven 155 - 160℃ 
Cream the butter and sugar (use a stand mixer if you have one) until light and creamy.
Beat in the vanilla, condensed milk and salt flakes
Gently stir through the sifted flour and baking powder until just combined.
Stir in the chopped chocolate and if using, macadamia nuts.
Chill in a covered bowl for about 15 minutes to firm a bit.
Then remove the amount of dough you want to bake with today, leaving rest in fridge for now.
Roll into small walnut sized balls  and place on trays giving room to spread.
Press with the tines of a fork so they flatten a bit.  If you want really thin crispy biscuits flatten out a bit more.
Bake approx 12 - 15 minutes until lightly golden.
Allow to cool on trays.  Remove and store in airtight container.

To Freeze biscuit dough.
shape the dough into rolls about 4 cm across and about 20 or 30cm long.  I make a number of rolls so I only need bake about a dozen at a time so there is no overindulgence!
Wrap each roll very firmly in clingwrap, removing air and securing the ends.
Place the rolls into a freezer safe bag and be sure to include a brief cooking instructions note.
To defrost.
remove from freezer until dough begins to soften.  Leave in fridge to defrost if desired.
Whilst dough is still firm, either cut into rounds or pull off and roll into walnut sized balls as instructed above.  Cook as per above.
                                                            Enjoy!  Colleen

Coffee Walnut Muffins

These sweet muffins are lovely and fluffy due to the Buttermilk.   If caught short and you don't have any Buttermilk, simply stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a cup of milk.

Ingredients

2 cups self raising flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1 Tablespoon instant coffee
1 Tablespoon boiling water
1 Organic/free range egg, lightly whisked
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 vegetable oil

Coffee Icing
1 Teaspoon instant coffee
2 Teaspoon boiling water
1 cup icing sugar mixture

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

Pop paper cases into 12 hole muffin tin

Combine flour, sugar, walnut and chocolate chips in a large bowl.
In a medium bowl combine coffee and boiling water, stir until coffee dissolves.
Add egg, buttermilk and oil, whisk to combine.
Fold in the flour and stir until combined.
Spoon mixture into each papercase.
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

 Cool

To make coffee icing, combine coffee and boiling water in a bowl.
Add icing mixture and stir to combine.
Drizzle over cooled muffins and top with a walnut half.

Best eaten on the day they are made, but they freeze very well.

Mamma Marmalade (Gi Gi)

Strawberry and Pepper Yoghurt Cake

Fragrant, juicy, in season strawberries are a joy so I was pleased to stumble across this David Herbert recipe. Simple to prepare and easy to make.  You use half the startup mixture as the base then add the yoghurt, eggs etc to the remaining half.  When cooked, the base forms a soft crust and the filling tastes similar to a baked cheesecake.  The aroma is so tempting – the family will gather in anticipation. I suggest serving it with a berry coulis and cream.  Decadent but yummy. Also depending on brand of baking powder this could be a gluten-free recipe.

Best eaten the same day or next day.     Enjoy!  Colleen

 

Strawberry Yoghurt Cake:Feed Your Inner Cook

Strawberry Yoghurt cake:Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation    15 – 20 minutes

Cooking           50 – 70 minutes

Serves              8 – 10  

Ingredients

125 gram softened butter

225 gram Brown Sugar

350 gram Ground Almonds

Pinch salt

2 eggs

250 gram Greek yoghurt

Grated zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon Baking Powder.  Check brands if you need this to be Gluten Free.

250 gram Strawberries, quartered – pop in a small bowl tossing with the pepper

Freshly ground Black Pepper

Handful flaked almonds to generously sprinkle over top

1 tablespoon sugar to sprinkle over top

Icing sugar to dust (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 165-170 ˚C

and prepare a 22 -24 cm springform tin with baking paper or greased well.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and pale, approx. 3 min

Mix in the sugar, ground almonds and pinch salt.

Remove half the mixture from the mixer bowl – then gently spread that one half over the tin base.

Into the remaining half still in the mixer bowl – whisk in the eggs then yoghurt, zest and baking powder until combined.

Pour all the batter into the tin.

Scatter the peppered strawberries over the top, letting them sink into the batter a little.

Sprinkle with the flaked almonds then the sugar.

Bake for 50 – 70 minutes, until skewer comes out clean from middle.  Check at 30 minutes and turn tin around if necessary.

Allow to cool in tin for 15 minutes then remove from tin and cool on a cake rack.

Dust with icing sugar if desired (I don’t)

Serve with a berry coulis, fresh berries and cream.

                                                                   Enjoy!   Colleen

Nothing in the fridge Pasta

This was a Friday night staple when we would pack the 3 boys and Max the schnauzer into the station wagon and head to our cabin at Uki in the stunning northern New South Wales hinterland.  Just a quick visit to the vegetable garden to collect rocket, chilli and lemon and dinner was ready in no time.

Ingredients

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 lemon (not waxed)

1 long red or green chilli finely diced (including seeds)

2 handfuls of baby rocket

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Parmesan cheese, finely grated, approx 1cup 

Pasta, good quality dried or fresh

Salt and pepper

Method

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, then add salt (if you add the salt first it takes longer to come to the boil).

Add enough salt to "taste like the Mediterranean"

Add pasta and cook according to directions on the packet.

Whilst the pasta is cooking arrange the remaining ingredients, I like to have them in small individual bowls ready to combine.

Zest the outside of one lemon and squeeze the juice.

Once pasta is drained (reserve 1/4 cup of cooking liquid) tip into a large serving bowl.

Add retained pasta water, olive oil (sufficient to coat), lemon juice, zest, garlic and chilli. 

Toss to combine season with a good grinding of black pepper and salt.

Add rocket and then grated Parmesan.

Serve with a simple green salad and crusty bread, and hey presto dinner is served in no time at all.

Mamma Marmalade

Pear, Maple Syrup and Cinnamon Crumble

One of my favourite Australian Cookery authors is Belinda Jeffery who lives in beautiful Northern New South Wales and shares nourishing, delicious recipes encouraging home cooking using fresh, seasonal produce. Her simple yet flavoursome fruit crumble recipe is easy to prepare and a delight to bake.  The kitchen smells so inviting and Wilbur is always happy when dessert appears. 

If you want to read more about Belinda Jeffery – check out Belinda Jeffery website – thoroughly recommend all her cookbooks too!  And another little gem , Handmade Uki  is located in lush Northern New South Wales near Mt Warning in the Uki township filled with gorgeous handmade, artisan products lovingly sourced for the perfect gift.  

Enjoy!  Colleen

Pear Crumble by Feed Your Inner Cook 

Pear Crumble by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation           10 -15  minutes including peeling fruit

Cooking                  30 – 40 minutes

Serves                      6

Ingredients

1 and a bit kilos pears (6 approx) peeled, cored and cut into 1.5cm cubes.

1 small apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1.5cm cubes

100 ml  pure maple syrup

20 gram butter – melted

Zest of 1 lemon and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ½ tablespoons plain flour

Crumble

120 gram plain flour

80 g sugar

¼ cup rolled oats

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

120 gram butter – grated or cut into tiny chunks

2 teaspoons iced water

Garnish -  Handful flaked almonds

Method

Preheat oven to 190 ˚C and grease a ovenproof pudding dish approx. 24x16x5cm

Make the crumble

In a bowl or a food processor combine the flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon and salt then either rub the butter into the flour mixture or pulse to combine until it resembles crumbs.  

Don’t overprocess or   you could overdo it into a paste.

If using the food processor- tip mixture into a large bowl

Sprinkle iced water over the top and fork through gently for a few seconds until some lumps appear for the crumble

Make the fruit filling

In a large bowl, combine the pear and apple then pour over the maple syrup, lemon zest, lemon juice, melted butter and vanilla.

Sprinkle over the flour then fork through or use hands to mix through

Tip the fruit mixture into the prepared ovenproof dish

Sprinkle with the crumble mixture to cover, let a little crumble fall between the fruit

Then toss over the flaked almonds

Bake for approx. 30 – 40 minutes until top is golden and some of the juices bubble around the sides

Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly

Serve with custard or icecream

                                                    Enjoy!   Colleen

Lemon and Olive Oil Cake

I am always on the lookout for a cake recipe that doesn't require softened butter.  My mother baked every Friday, but I am a "cook on impulse" sort of girl. Which means, I don't have butter sitting at room temperature in my kitchen, when the desire to cook and eat cake hits.

This attractive cake is very easy to make and has a nice light flavour.  A small slice with a cup of tea is a treat not to be missed.  You can just as easily use a ring tin if you don't have a bundt cake tin.

Ingredients

1 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
150g Greek yoghurt
125g honey
150g caster sugar
finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
1 !/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
150g almond meal
2 cups self raising flour
1/4 cup limoncello to drizzle on top
extra grated lemon zest

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
Combine the oil. eggs, egg yolks, yoghurt, honey, sugar, zest, juice and vanilla in a large bowl.
Whisk until smooth.
Fold in the almond meal, and then the flour.
Pour into a greased and floured bundt tin or 23 cm ring tin.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, until an inserted skewer removes cleanly.
Cool in tin for 20 minutes, then he presto! Turn out.

Drizzle with the Limoncello and more grated zest.

Mamma Marmalade

Ginger and Apricot Spiced Chicken

My freezer usually has a container of this delicious spiced marinade chicken recipe ready for a quick fuss free dinner.  Inspiration comes from Nigella’s “African Drumsticks” recipe.  The sauce has a little bit of heat but is not too hot, if you prefer mild – reduce the mustard and ginger powders a little and before you add the raw chicken, add more mustard and ginger back in until you are okay with the flavour.  I find it such a quick flavoursome marinade, I often prepare a double batch and freeze it in small portions ready to add when I have bought chicken pieces for dinner.  I definitely recommend this time-saving tip as it is so easy and great to keep on standby.  Though, please be sure to label your freezer treasures – I am guilty of discovering carefully prepared frozen packages that are a total mystery but I am trying to get my act together - 90% of the time!   Enjoy!   Colleen

Ginger Apricot Chicken by Feed Your Inner Cook

Ginger Apricot Chicken by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation    10 minutes

Marinate         2 hours or best overnight

Cooking           40 – 50 minutes

Ingredients

10 – 12 chicken drumsticks   If you are using fewer drumsticks – my recommendation is to make the marinade and pour half into a freezer safe container or bag and freeze ready for next time (just be sure to label it !)

½ large red onion – very finely chopped

1 clove garlic – crushed    (or use some garlic powder)

100 ml Worcestershire Sauce

80 ml Tomato Ketchup (this is thicker than tomato sauce)

2 teaspoons Hot English Mustard powder    (I like to use Keens)

Good pinch ground white pepper

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground ginger     plus    add some fresh grated ginger if possible

1 ½ tablespoon Apricot jam

Splash of Olive Oil

Optional – 2 potatoes – cubed into very small pieces,     or    similar for sweet potato

Handful of pepitas (dried pumpkin seeds)      - added in last 5 minutes 

Some chopped parsley or coriander leaves for garnish if desired

Method

Marinade

Use a large freezer bag or suitable covered glass container and combine all the sauces, spices, mustard powder, jam, onions, and garlic together and mix well.  Add the chicken pieces and toss well to coat with the marinade.  Place in fridge and leave to marinate, preferably overnight.

Cooking

Preheat oven to 200 ˚C

Lightly oil a suitable sized ovenproof dish and arrange the chicken pieces in dish pouring remaining marinade over the pieces.   Sometimes I add some small cubes of potato or sweet potato to soak up the juices.  Toss to coat with the sauce.

Cook for approx. 40 – 50 minutes until chicken cooked and golden - being sure to baste a couple of times.

About 5 minutes before finished cooking – scatter over the pepitas for some crunch

Scatter over some chopped parsley or coriander leaves if desired before serving

Serve with veggies or salad and rice or noodles if desired.  Coleslaw is good too.

                                                         Enjoy!   Colleen