Coronation Chicken - Quick

(not my picture)

This is almost cheating it's so quick and easy. Alternatively, to make a super quick snack you can just use leftover cold chicken, but the curry powder infusion does make it better. Gita's Mango Chutney is great.

INGREDIENTS

• Chicken breast
• Mayonnaise
• Mango chutney
• Chili sauce
• Chili powder and curry powder/garam masala...whatever you like
• Salt & pepper

METHOD

1. Simmer chicken breast in water with salt, curry powder, chili powder, for about 12 minutes
2. Mix in a bowl: mayo, mango chutney, chili sauce
3. Once cooled, shred the chicken and mix with the dressing.
4. Sprinkle a pinch of curry powder on top
5. Eat

VARIATIONS

• Add finely chopped celery
• Add spring onion
• Add fresh coriander
• Add a few raisins (or maybe not)

Cardomom Chicken Masala

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After discovering the wonders of using dry-rub marinade in Jamaican and Mexican cooking I thought of trying it with Indian. Good move! This curry has layers of flavour, and I usually do something on these lines if I'm cooking Indian for guests.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE MARINADE

• 3 large chicken breasts patted dry and chopped
• Cardomom seeds, about 3/4 teaspoon
• Coriander seeds, about 3/4 teaspoon
• Garam masala, 1 heaped teaspoon
• Chili powder, about half a teaspoon depending on heat
• Salt

METHOD

1. Using a mortar and pestle, grind the cardomom and coriander seeds for a few seconds. Add the garam masala, chili powder and salt
2. Make sure the chicken is dry then put it in a large ziplock bag with the spices. Shake it around to coat as evenly as possible I find it helps to keep some air in the bag
3. Set aside. If you leave this to marinate the day before or just earlier the same day, the flavour will penetrate more. To be honest I don't usually remember until a couple of hours before and it still works out fine.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE MASALA

• 1 large onion, pureed in a food processor. (You can keep portions of this in the freezer.)
• Tin of chopped tomatoes - or use some pasata
• Garlic puree, 1 heaped tablespoon
• Ginger puree, 1 level tablespoon
• Garam masala, 1 heaped teaspoon
• Turmeric, 1 level teaspoon
• Ground cumin, 1 level teaspoon
• Ground coriander, 1 teaspoon
• Curry leaves, about a dozen if you like them
• Veg oil
• Butter

METHOD

1. Heat the oil and 1/3rd of the butter in a Dutch oven or similar, and brown the chicken on all sides. Do this in 3 batches, adding a bit of butter each time. If you crowd the pan it won't brown, just poach. The chicken should be still undercooked inside. Set aside on a plate for later
2. Carefully add the pureed onion to the pan (careful, it will spit if it's wet.) Cook for a few minutes, then add the ginger and garlic for a further 2 minutes
3. Add the dry spices and mix into the puree for a couple of minutes. Don't let it stick and burn - add a little water if it starts sticking
4. Add the tomatoes and curry leaves and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the chicken and any juices from the plate. Bring back to the boil, then lid on, and put in oven at 180C for about half an hour. If you get the timing right the chicken will be lovely and soft inside, with an aromatic outside
6. I always chuck loads of fresh chopped coriander over it to serve

Caramelized Shallots

(not my picture)

Quite impressive yet really easy. Once you've had these you'll want them again.

INGREDIENTS

• Shallots
• Butter
• Sugar
• Good vinegar - I like red wine vinegar for this
• Salt & pepper
• Fresh thyme or parsley to garnish

METHOD

1. Peel off the dry outer layers and sauté in butter and sugar for 10 mins
2. Add some red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, toss around for a bit
3. Transfer to a small baking dish
4. Put in pre-heated 200 C oven for 20 mins or so...

Caper Butter Sauce (for fish)

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I had this at a dinner party and begged the recipe. It's nice and easy, but classy (ie contains butter and cream) making it a great choice for impressing people.

INGREDIENTS

• 1x tbsp Butter
• 60ml cup drained Capers
• 2x Garlic cloves, minced
• 60ml cup dry white Wine
• 300ml cups Cream
• Do Not over-salt (maybe none)

METHOD

1. Melt butter
2. Add capers, garlic, 1 minute
3. Add wine, simmer, reduce 1 minute
4. Add cream, bring to boil, 
5. Lower heat and thicken to coat back of a spoon (10 mins)
6. Season, and serve

Caesar Salad

(not my picture)

It's all about the dressing. After that, it's just piling things on a plate. You need to like anchovies and garlic for this one. It will have people saying wow. I started years ago with the Joy of Cooking recipe and messed about with it 'til I arrived at this:

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cloves garlic
• Salt - a good pinch
• Juice ½ lemon and a little of the zest
• 1 egg 
• 1 tbs mayonnaise
• 3 or 4 anchovy fillets
• Olive oil - about 120ml of the good stuff
• Black pepper
• PLUS: Romaine lettuce, croutons, parmesan

METHOD
If you don't have croutons ready, start by making some:

1. Cut slices of bread into cubes
2. Sprinkle with extra virgin olive oil (don't soak 'em to death) 
3. Put on a baking tray in a medium hot oven for 10 minutes, then shake about, and keep checking and shaking until they're just right. 
4. Season with salt and pepper

DRESSING

1. Chop the garlic and mash using the flat of a knife with salt on a chopping board to make a paste. 
2. Chop the anchovies and combine with the garlic paste. Scrape into a bowl.
3. Whisk-in lemon juice and zest, then the egg, then the mayo. 
4. Slowly add olive oil, whisking constantly to emulsify. 
5. Add pepper (you probably won’t want to add salt due to the anchovies being salty) 
6. Taste and adjust with more lemon, or oil, or mayonnaise to taste.

Arrange romaine lettuce (whole or chopped) on serving plates and add a handful of croutons, then spoon-over the dressing and finish with grated parmesan.

Let's see if I can think of a variation. Oh yes, that's it. Add chicken.