Chicken Breasts with Balsamic Peppers

2 large Chicken Breasts (with skin on)
2 large Orange Bell Peppers
2 large Red Bell Peppers
1 large sweet Red Onion
4 cloves of Garlic
4 sprigs of Rosemary
1 cup of Chicken Stock
3 tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

In a dish that can go from stove top to oven, gently brown both chicken breasts in a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.

While the chicken is browning, slice the peppers and onion and finely chop the garlic.

When the chicken breasts have been browned on both sides for 5 minutes each side remove them from the dish and put to one side, after removing and discarding the skin.

Fry the garlic and onions in the residue left in the dish, adding a little stock if needed for 3 or 4 minutes.

Remove from heat and add the sliced peppers, stock and balsamic vinegar and stir to coat.

Add the chicken breasts and cover them with the onions and peppers.

Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and place the sprigs of rosemary on the top.

Cover loosely with foil and place in a preheated oven at 375°F, 190°C or Gas mark 5 for about 35 minutes. The chicken needs to be fully cooked and your peppers soft.

About halfway through cooking gently stir the ingredients, adding a little more stock if needed.

Lemon Chicken Breasts

4 small boneless chicken breasts with skin removed and cut into small cubes
1 sliced medium onion
2 crushed garlic cloves
2 lemons
1/4 pint of chicken stock made using a low fat chicken bouillon cube
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Remove a slice from the middle of each lemon and retain to use as a garnish. Zest and juice the remaining parts.
Dry fry the onion and garlic in an non stick casserole dish over a low heat for 4 or 5 minutes adding a little water if needed.

Add the chicken pieces and turn up the heat and brown the meat for 3 or 4 minutes.

Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar and cook for another couple of minutes.

Add the chicken stock and season to taste.

Place lid on casserole dish and simmer gently for 40 to 45 minutes.

Serve garnished with a slice of lemon.

Garlic-Dill Chicken Breasts

4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts
1 large or 2 medium finely diced Onion
2 teaspoons of olive oil
4 cloves of minced garlic
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh dill
1 cup of chicken stock
2 teaspoons of cornstarch
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
Salt & freshly ground Pepper, to taste

Put a teaspoon of oil in a pan over a medium to heat heat and then add the chicken breasts.

Brown on both sides for three or four minutes each side.
Remove the chicken to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm on both sides

Turn down the heat and add another teaspoon of oil.

Add the garlic and onion and cook for three or four minutes
In a jug mix the chicken stock, lemon juice one tablespoon of dill and corn starch/corn flour

Add to the pan and continue cooking, stirring continuously until the sauce has thickened slightly.

Season to taste.

Return the chicken pieces and any juices from the plate to the pan.

Turn the heat down and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes.

Put into a warmed serving dish or serve straight to warmed plates and garnish with the remaining tablespoon of chopped fresh dill.

Spicy Moroccan Chicken Breasts

4 skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of ras al hanout
2 cloves of finely diced garlic
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of chili flakes (optional to spice things up if desired)

Make your marinade in a large bowl using all of the ingredients except the chicken breasts.

Add the chicken breasts and coat well.

Cover the bowl with cling film and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Either cook on BBQ or broil/grill on a medium-high heat, turning a couple of times until the chicken is cooked through.

Piri Piri Chicken Breasts

8 chicken thighs or 4 chicken breasts
2 teaspoons crushed chilli flakes
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup cider vinegar
Juice of half a lemon
Juice of half a lime
Sea salt and black pepper

Mix the cider vinegar, chilli flakes, lemon juice, paprika, garlic and oregano in a bowl to make a marinade.

Place the chicken in the marinade, fully coating each piece.
Cover the bowl with cling flim and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours but preferably overnight.

Remove the chicken from the marinade andseason with salt and pepper to taste

Barbecue or grill on a medium heat until cooked throughly.

Serve with yoghurt and a squeeze of lime juice.

Tandoori Chicken Breasts

2 Skinless chicken breasrs
2 tablespoons tandoori masala
2 tablespoons Yogurt
Juice from one lemon
1 green chile
1 clove of garlic
Small piece of peeled ginger

Finely dice the chiks, ginger and garlic glove and place in pestle and mortar with the masals spice mix and lemon juice.
Grind to a smooth paste.

Place yogurt in a bowl and stir in the paste to complete the marinade.

Score each breast 2 or 3 times to help it absorb the flavors ( or cut chicken breast into or cubes).

Place the chicken in the bowl and cover well with the marinade.
Put cling film over the bowl and place in the refrigerator overnight.

Bake, grill or barbecue making sure that the meat is thoroughly cooked.

Serve with a little yogurt.

Quick Sesame Noodles (Single Serving)

4 oz. fresh wheat noodles (or 1 serving of dried noodles)
1/2 tablespoon sesame paste / tahini
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1-2 teaspoons rice vinegar (optional to taste)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
5 tablespoons hot water (or braised meat sauce)
A small handful of chopped scallion
Chili oil (optional)

Cook the noodles according to the package instructions.

While the noodles are cooking, make the sauce by mixing together the sesame paste, peanut butter, light soy sauce, rice vinegar (optional), vegetable oil, sugar, and water. Stir in one direction until it turns into a smooth, even paste.

Once the noodles are cooked, drain them and toss with the prepared sauce, chopped scallions, and chili oil (if desired).

Green and Wax Beans with Tomato Vinaigrette

1/2 pound green beans, trimmed
1/2 pound yellow wax beans, trimmed
1 overripe large tomato
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon kosher sea salt, plus more as needed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup thinly sliced pitted kalamata olives
1/3 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Drop green and wax beans into boiling water for 1 to 3 minutes or until just tender. Drain and immediately transfer to the ice bath. When cool, drain and dry with a towel and place in a large bowl.

Cut tomato in half across its equator and squeeze out seeds (use for another purpose or discard). Using the largest hole on a box grater, grate the tomato flesh. Discard skin and transfer grated flesh to a medium bowl. You should have about 1/2 cup.

Stir in vinegar and salt, then stir in olive oil and garlic. Taste and adjust vinegar and salt as needed.

Add just enough vinaigrette to coat beans, add olives, then toss well. Let sit for at least 10 minutes (and up to 4 hours) before serving. Add torn basil and serve.

Apple Crumble

12 tablespoons/170 grams unsalted butter, melted, plus more for buttering the pan
1 1/2 cups/180 grams all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cup/300 grams packed dark brown sugar, divided
1 cup/80 grams old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup/113 grams pecans, chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 1/2 pounds mixed apples, such as Granny Smith, Macintosh, and Pink Lady, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch wedges (about 8 medium apples)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, 1 cup/200 grams of the brown sugar, oats, pecans and salt. Add the butter, and stir with a fork until the crumbs are evenly moistened.

Add the apples to the buttered baking dish and toss with the remaining 1/2 cup/100 grams brown sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice. Spread the apples into an even layer.

Press the crumb mixture together to create clumps of different sizes, and sprinkle on top of the apples.

Transfer to the oven, and bake until the apples are tender and the crumb topping is crisp and deep golden brown, about 50 to 60 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pimento Cheese

8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated with a food processor or hand grater (not pre-grated)
1/4 cup softened cream cheese (2 ounces), pulled into several pieces
Scant 1/2 cup jarred pimento or other roasted red peppers (from a 7-ounce jar), finely diced
3 tablespoons Duke’s, Hellmann’s or other high-quality store-bought mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon dried red chile flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a large mixing bowl, place the cheddar cheese in an even layer. Scatter the cream cheese, pimentos, mayonnaise and chile flakes over the cheddar cheese. Using a spatula, mix the pimento cheese until it is smooth and spreadable, about 1 1/2 minutes.

Transfer the pimento cheese to a plastic container or bowl, cover tightly, and store in the refrigerator. Pimento cheese keeps in the refrigerator for 1 week.

Roast Beef for Sandwiches

2 small garlic cloves, grated
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons rosemary leaves
2 1/2 pounds boneless beef top loin (top sirloin) roast (leave the fat on top)
Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed

In a small bowl, stir together the garlic, salt, pepper and rosemary. Spread the paste all over the meat. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.

When you are ready to prepare the meat, remove it from the fridge and let stand at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes.
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet.

Coat the roast lightly with olive oil. Transfer to the wire rack and roast for 75 to 95 minutes, until an instant thermometer inserted into the center of the roast registers 125 to 130 degrees for medium-rare.

Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let cool completely before carving (trim off the fat cap if you plan to serve it cold). The meat can be roasted three days ahead; cool completely before refrigerating.

German Potato Salad

2 pounds boiling potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled
4 strips bacon
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and cut into thin slices, including some of the green
1/2 cup minced celery, including some leaves
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

Cut the potatoes in half if they are large, put them in a pot and add enough lightly salted water to cover them by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, and boil gently, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, until just tender. Drain.

While the potatoes are still warm, peel and slice, or cube them, into a large serving bowl.

In a skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Drain. Pour out all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat. Add scallions and celery, and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Mix with potato pieces.

In the same skillet, mix 1/4 cup of water with cider vinegar, sugar, salt, paprika and dry mustard. Stirring with a whisk, bring to a boil and pour over salad. Crumble bacon over the top, and serve warm.

Braised Eggplant with Minced Pork

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
2 pounds eggplant, cubed
8 ounces ground pork
2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
2 teaspoons, plus 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (divided)
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
10 ounces dried spaghetti or noodles
1 tablespoon, plus 3 tablespoons oil (divided)
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 red chili, chopped
2 tablespoons ground bean sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)

Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt into 8 cups of water in a large bowl. Soak the cubed eggplant in the salt water for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, drain the eggplant, and use your hands or a clean dish towel to squeeze the water out of it. Set aside. This step helps the eggplant cook faster and absorb less oil later on.

In a separate bowl, mix the ground pork with 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine, 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, 2 teaspoons light soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch, and 2 teaspoons water. Marinate for 15-20 minutes.
Next, cook the spaghetti (or noodles) according to the package instructions. Drain, and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a clean wok over medium heat, and cook the bell pepper for about a minute. Transfer the peppers to a dish, and set aside.

Next, heat 3 tablespoons of oil in the wok over low heat. Cook the ginger and garlic for about a minute. Add the chili, and cook for another minute. Add the ground bean sauce, and cook for another minute. Then add the pork, and turn up the heat. When the pork is browned, add the eggplant, and stir-fry everything together thoroughly.

Cook for a couple of minutes before adding 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, and 2 cups water. Mix everything together well, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes over medium heat, or until the eggplant is tender. At this point in the cooking process, there should be plenty of sauce in the wok. The starch from the spaghetti or noodles will help thicken it.

Lastly, add the bell pepper, cooked noodles, and chopped cilantro to the wok (if using). Mix everything well, add salt to taste, and serve immediately!

Cantonese Supreme Soy Sauce Pan-Fried Noodles

1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
2 scallions
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon shaoxing wine
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
8 ozs fresh thin Hong Kong Style Egg Noodles (like they have at Wegman’s, for pan-frying, not to be mistaken for wonton noodles)
3 tablespoons oil

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Rinse the bean sprouts in cold water and drain.

Julienne the scallions.

Mix the soy sauces, sesame oil, salt, sugar, wine and white pepper into a small bowl and set aside.

Boil the noodles. Fresh noodles should be boiled for about 1 minute.

Heat the wok to high and add a tablespoon of oil to coat the wok. Spread the noodles in a thin, even layer on the wok and tilt the wok in a circular motion to distribute the oil and crisp the bottom layer of the noodles evenly. It should take about 3-5 minutes for the first side.

Flip the noodles over and add another tablespoon of oil around the perimeter of the wok and let the other side crisp up. Don’t stress if you can’t turn the noodles over in one shot, The goal here is just to get an even, light crispiness and to dry out the noodles during this cooking stage. In our pictures for this post, we used a large non-stick pan, which also works nicely.

Set aside these noodles on a plate.

Heat the wok over high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil and all of the white parts of the scallion to the pan and cook for about 15 seconds. Next, add the noodles to the wok and toss them well, breaking up the noodles so they’re not all in one big clump. Add the soy sauce mixture and toss continuously (don’t stop!) for a couple minutes using a pair of chopsticks or a set of tongs. Keep the heat on high.

After the noodles are uniformly golden brown, add the bean sprouts and toss. Add the rest of the scallions and toss the mixture again for another 1 to 2 minutes until you see the bean sprouts just starting to turn transparent. You want the sprouts to be cooked but still crunchy. Be careful not to overcook them or they will become limp and soggy. High heat is a key
requirement for this dish.

Plate and serve!

Pan-fried Noodles

1 package Hong Kong Style Pan-Fried Noodles (the kind they have at Wegman’s)
Soy sauce
Sesame oil
Lao Gan Ma spicy black bean sauce
Vegetable oil, for cooking

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in the noodles and boil for one minute. Drain.

Heat a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Take about a quarter of the noodles and spread them evenly in the pan.

Let them cook until golden brown on both sides. Slide onto a serving plate and toss with about two teaspoons of soy sauce, a teaspoon of sesame oil, and some hot sauce.

Supreme Soy Sauce

2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon vegetable or canola oil
1 teaspoon oyster sauce

Put everything in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Stir to dissolve the sugar. Once the sauce starts to boil, turn off the heat, and it’s done.

Let it cool completely before storing it in an air-tight container.

Banquet Fried Rice

3 cups cooked rice
Oil
2 eggs, beaten
handful of chopped carrot
handful of chopped onion
handful of chopped ham
1/2 cup frozen peas
salt and white pepper
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 scallion, chopped

Heat a splash of oil in your wok over medium high heat.

Scramble your eggs and set aside.

Add a bit more oil to the pan and cook your onions and carrots for about 2 minutes, or until slightly soft.

Add your ham and stir-fry for an additional 2 minutes.

Add peas and rice. Stir-fry to warm everything through.

Season with salt, white pepper, and soy sauce. Stir in scallions.

Continue to stir fry for another 3 minutes. Serve!

Egg Fried Rice

5 cups cooked rice
5 large eggs (divided)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
3 tablespoons oil (divided)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 scallions, chopped

Use a fork to fluff up the rice and break it apart. If you’re using freshly cooked rice, let it stand on the counter uncovered until it stops steaming before fluffing it. If you decide to refrigerate the rice overnight in advance of preparing this recipe, it will clump up; you can then use your hands to break up the cold rice clumps into individual grains.

Beat 3 eggs in one bowl. Beat the other 2 eggs in another bowl, along with 2 tablespoons water, the paprika, and the turmeric. Set these two bowls aside.

Heat a wok over medium high heat, and add 2 tablespoons oil. Add the 3 beaten eggs (without the spices), and scramble them. Remove them from the wok and set aside.

Heat wok over high heat, and add the last tablespoon oil. Add the diced onion and bell pepper. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.

Next, add the rice and stir-fry for 2 minutes, using a scooping motion to heat the rice uniformly. Use your wok spatula to flatten out and break up any rice clumps.

Next, pour the uncooked egg and spice mixture over the rice, and stir-fry for about 1 minute, until all of the rice grains are coated in egg.

Add the peas and stir fry continuously for another minute. Next spread the salt, sugar, and black pepper over the rice and mix. You should now see some steam coming off the rice, which means it is heated through.

If the rice looks a little dry, feel free to sprinkle in some water or chicken stock. Adding some liquid directly to any remaining clumps of rice will also help to break them up. Mix in the scrambled eggs and scallions and serve!

Supreme Soy Sauce Fried Rice

For the soy sauce mixture:
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon vegetable or canola oil
1 teaspoon oyster sauce

For the fried rice:
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
Salt, to taste
3 tablespoons oil, divided
6 cups of cooked rice, cooled
Your Soy Sauce mixture (see above)
3 scallions, finely chopped

First, make the soy sauce mixture. Put all the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar.

Once the sauce starts to boil, turn off the heat, and it’s done. It’s ready to use for the fried rice, or you can let it cool completely before storing it in an air-tight container. To clarify, the amount of sauce here is just enough for this recipe. If you’re making more, double or triple, as needed.

To your beaten eggs, add 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine and a pinch of salt. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in your wok over high heat. Quickly scramble the eggs, and transfer to a dish. Set aside.

Now turn the heat down to medium, and add 2 tablespoons of oil to the wok. Add the rice, stir for a couple of minutes to make sure the rice is heated through.

Now add the soy sauce mixture and the scrambled egg. Stir fry everything until combined. Pause for a taste test to see if additional salt is necessary. Lastly, toss in the chopped scallion, stir fry to combine, and serve!

Chendu-Style Sichuan Fried Rice

5 ounces Jinhua ham or any standard Asian salt cured ham
5 tablespoons oil
1 packet of suimi ya cai (2.8 oz./80g)
6 scallions, chopped
7 cups cooked jasmine rice
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
4 eggs, beaten

Place the jinhua ham in a heatproof bowl or plate. Heat up your choice of steaming device (e.g., an actual steamer pot, a wok with water and a metal rack, etc.), and steam the ham for 15 minutes.

Remove from the steamer and cool. Chop up the ham and then mince it finely.

Next, heat 5 tablespoons of oil in the the wok over high heat. Add the ham and stir fry until it’s lightly crisped at the edges. Add the suimi ya cai and stir fry for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the scallions and stir-fry until the scallions get lightly blistered.

Add the rice to the wok and stir fry to distribute the ingredients evenly. Spread the rice out in one layer and let “fry” for 2 minutes. Add the white pepper and Shaoxing wine. Stir the rice to combine.

Spread out again and let the rice fry for another 2 minutes. Stir to combine, and spread it out and let it fry again. Next, drizzle the beaten eggs over the rice. Stir fry the rice, allowing the egg to cook and distribute throughout. Serve!