The recipe I am sharing with you today comes from the pages of my Big Blue Binder. This is a binder full of collected recipes that I have been using for over 45 years now. It has travelled all across Canada and back with me and even across the Atlantic ocean and back.
It is filled with my tried and trues and family favorites. Recipes shared with me from family members through the years and from good friends. You just know everything in it is going to be delicious.
Recipes just like this one that I am sharing today for a fabulous side dish that is simple and delicious and that can be whipped together very easily at the last minute. Company Green Beans. Trust me when I tell you these are well worth sharing with Company.
Everyone loves these green beans when I serve them. There is a beautiful smokiness from the bacon, and a delightfully rich gooey tang from the use of a good cheddar. Chopped fresh tomato adds a touch of color and sweetness. Add to that the savory goodness of onion and garlic and you have a really winning combination.
Canned green beans dressed up beautifully. Ain't nobody going to be turning up their noses at these! I really hope that you will want to give them a go. I think you will agree that these are quick and easy to make, delicious, and the perfect side dish for sharing with the people you love!
WHAT YOU NEED
TO MAKE COMPANY GREEN BEANS
A few simple store cupboard and fresh ingredients. I don't do complicated.
- 3 slices of streaky smoked bacon
- 1 small red onion, peeled and finely minced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
- 1 (14 1/2 ounce/411g) French cut green beans, well drained
- 1 fresh tomato, chopped
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup (120g) grated cheddar cheese
A slice is the same as a rasher. I have specified smoky bacon here as in the U.K. bacon comes smoked and unsmoked (or green as it is also known.) If the rind is still on, remove and discard it. You want streaky bacon with a nice layer of fat in it. I would use dry cured if I could get it.
My onion was about the size of a gold ball. Peel it and really mince it up as finely as you can. The same with the garlic.
I used French style cut green beans, in the can. Drain them really well. If all you have are tinned whole green beans or cut green beans, they will work as well. Just make sure you drain them really well in a sieve.
Alternately you can use fresh beans, trimmed, slivered/sliced and blanched until crispy tender in some lightly salted water and then drained well.
My tomato was about 3 inches in diameter. Just remove the core. There is no need to peel.
I used a good cheddar. I used Coastal British Cheddar which is available at Costco. I also like Cathedral City which is available here. Both have a lovely flavor. What I like most about the Coastal brand is that it is creamy, but you still get lovely salt crystals in it, which tells me it has been aged beautifully.
HOW TO MAKE
DELICIOUS COMPANY GREEN BEANS
This is a very quick and easy dish to make. Not a lot of effort and only one dish to clean when all is done and dusted. I like recipes like that.
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6.
- Add the bacon to a cast-iron, or oven-proof skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove (saving the drippings in the skillet) and set aside, leaving it to drain on some paper towels.
- To the bacon drippings, add the onion and the garlic. Cook, stirring often, until softened.
- Remove from the heat. Stir in the well drained green beans, chopped tomato and seasonings. Crumble the bacon and stir it in as well.
- Sprinkle the grated cheese over top and cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
- Uncover and reduce the temperature of the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Bake for a further 15 minutes until hot and bubbly. Delicious!
HOW TO STORE ANY LEFTOVERS:
Remove from the skillet and transfer to a tightly covered container. Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
You can reheat gently in a skillet over medium low heat until heated through. Alternately you can reheat in the microwave. I do not recommend freezing this.
You could put this together earlier in the day and then pop into the oven about 45 minutes prior to wanting to serve it.
DO I HAVE TO USE CANNED GREEN BEANS?
Absolutely not! When fresh beans are in season, by all means use them. Wash well, trim, julienne and then blanch for several minutes in lightly salted water just until crispy tender.
You can use string beans or runner beans. All are delicious. Simply use the equivalent that you would find in two cans of beans. About a pound and a half will do it.
It is easier and quicker to use the tinned beans and trust me when I tell you that this is a really delicious way of presenting them.
A FEW OTHER VEGETABLE
SIDE DISHES THAT YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY!
CRUSHED MACARONI & VEGETABLES - A vibrant, rustic casserole born from humble pantry staples and elevated with a touch of Italian magic. Tender crushed macaroni soaks up a garlicky tomato broth, nestled between layers of juicy sliced tomatoes, wilted spinach and aromatic pasta. Olive oil along with a whisper of Balsamic add a tangy surprise. Baked until the pasta turns creamy and the vegetables melt together in savory harmony, this dish transforms every day ingredients into something extraordinary.
ROOT VEGETABLE TIAN - Layers of perfectly sliced sweet potatoes, parsnips, celeriac, and white potatoes come together in a rustic, yet elegant dish that celebrates the best of root vegetables. Blanched until crispy tender, and then layered in a baking dish, drizzled with a good olive oil and a whisper of sea salt. The vegetables transform into golden caramelized bites of flavor. Each mouthful is earthy, slightly sweet ad wonderfully satisfying.
Don't forget to Pin this recipe to your Vegetable, Casserole, or Side Dish Boards on Pinterest and remember to FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST, FACEBOOK or INSTAGRAM.
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Yield: 4 servings
Company Green Beans
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 40 Min
A simply delicious way to jazz up green beans. A real favorite, this recipe can also be cut in half very easily. Ask me how in the comments section.
Ingredients
- 3 slices of streaky smoked bacon
- 1 small red onion, peeled and finely minced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
- 1 (14 1/2 ounce/411g) French cut green beans, well drained
- 1 fresh tomato, chopped
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup (120g) grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6.
- Add the bacon to a cast-iron, or oven-proof skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove (saving the drippings in the skillet) and set aside, leaving it to drain on some paper towels.
- To the bacon drippings, add the onion and the garlic. Cook, stirring often, until softened.
- Remove from the heat. Stir in the well drained green beans, chopped tomato and seasonings. Crumble the bacon and stir it in as well.
- Sprinkle the grated cheese over top and cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
- Uncover and reduce the temperature of the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Bake for a further 15 minutes until hot and bubbly. Delicious!
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One of the things I really enjoyed in the over 20 years that I lived in the U.K. was going to National Trust properties. Usually (but not always) they consisted of a beautiful historical house and gardens. In most cases there was always a gifts shop, and a tea-room or restaurant attached. A place to relax and enjoy a hot drink and a cake or some other delicious bite after the exhaustion of walking through and exploring everything.
Their tea rooms are exemplary and are well known for their baked goods and sandwiches, soups, etc. Having a treat in the tearoom was always something that I looked forward to on these excursions, and the goods on offer usually had an historical context attached to whichever property we were visiting.
I really miss being able to visit places like this. There is nothing like that where I live now.
Today's recipe comes from the Vyne, a 16th century house in Hampshire. It has a working kitchen garden, the produce of which features on the menu of the restaurant. As well there is a very pretty tea garden.
Traditionally shortbread was not meant to be a really sweet biscuit/cookie. Short and crumbly, with a buttery almost sand-like texture, this bake gets almost all of its sweetness from an abundance of sticky pieces of chopped dates which pepper it in abundance.
These are very rich and go beautifully with a nice hot drink. I adapted the recipe from one I found in a cookbook I own entitled Good Old-Fashioned Teatime Treats as inspired by the National Trust and their properties and edited by Jane Pettigrew. A delightful little book, it contains more than 60 recipes having been gathered from the National Trust Properties which dot the U.K.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE DATE & CINNAMON SHORTBREAD
There is nothing complicated here.
- 3 1/2 cups (350g) sifted plain, all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup + 1 1/2 TBS (250g) butter, softened
- 3/4 cup +2 tsp (175g) soft light brown sugar, packed and put through a sieve
- 1 1/4 cups (175g) stoned dates, chopped small
Make sure you use plain, all-purpose flour, NOT self-raising. There is no leavening to be used in these. That is what gives the characteristically short, crumbly texture to these.
I used Saigon ground cinnamon and salted butter.
I put the sugar through a sieve to remove any lumps from the sugar. As it not being creamed into the dough and is only being stirred into the flour and butter mixture after you have rubbed them together, this is important.
I used medjool date that I cut with a really sharp kitchen knife. I cut each date into quarters and then cut the quarters crosswise into smaller bits.
HOW TO MAKE DATE & CINNAMON SHORTBREAD
The rubbing in of the butter and the cutting of the dates into small pieces is a bit labor intensive, but, aside from the time taken, these not really very difficult things to do. The best things in life often require a bit of patience.
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter a 7 X 11-inch Swiss roll tin and line with baking paper, leaving some overhang for lifting out. (See note below about pan sizes.)
- Whisk the flour and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Drop in the butter and rub it into the flour mixture using your fingertips until the mixture resembles sand. (Just put some of your favorite music on to listen to and rub away. It will go quickly.)
- Whisk in the brown sugar and the dates, mixing everything together very well. (Make sure your dates are chopped fairly small. A sharp knife makes short work of this.)
- Tip the mixture into the prepared pan and press down firmly and evenly. You can use the bottom of a metal measuring cup or a palate knife to do this.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until golden brown.
- Leave to cool completely in the tin.
- Lift out and cut into evenly sized fingers with a sharp knife.
- Store in an airtight container. (I used an empty chocolate tin, lined with baking parchment, with more parchment between the layers.)
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ABOUT THIS RECIPE
Can this be made ahead of time: Certainly. This is the type of bake that keeps very well and can be made well ahead of the time you with to serve it.
Can this be frozen: Absolutely. Cut into the fingers and then place into a tin or other airtight container which you have lined with baking parchment, placing baking parchment between the layers. They will keep for up to 3 months.
What kind of butter is used: I used salted butter. As there is no salt in the recipe, this keeps this bake from tasting too bland.
Can I make the dough in a food processor: You could, up to the point of adding the sugar and the dates. I believe for authenticity and the best texture, however, that you are better off rubbing the butter into the flour mixture by hand.
Must I sieve the sugar: Only if you don't want lumps of brown sugar in your mixture. Sieving it removes that possibility and gives you a much nicer and more uniform result.
WHAT IS THE NATIONAL TRUST
Founded in 1895, the National Trust is a British institution which was begun with the purpose of preserving places of historic and national beauty for the enjoyment of the public. They operate as both a charitable and a membership organization which focuses on the conservation of parks, gardens, wetlands, and historic homes/castles/buildings across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Without their help many of these properties would have been lost forever. You can read more about the National Trust here.
A FEW OTHER SWEET DELIGHTS
ADAPTED FROM NATIONAL TRUST SITES
CORNISH BANANA CAKE - A deliciously moist banana cake layered with a buttery banana filling and iced with a cocoa banana icing. This authentic British Tea Cake originated in Cornwall and can be found in the National Trust Tea Rooms situated on the historic properties of Cornwall.
DOLBURY PUDDING - This steamed pudding recipe comes from the restaurant at Killerton, which is an 18th century house set in the countryside of East Devon, situated in the South West of the UK. It was so named as it is said to resemble Dolbury Hill which rises above the back on the house. What you have here is a beautifully moist and stodgy sponge cake, studded throughout with lots of lovely bits of apple and the fruit from the mincemeat which is used in the batter. This is delicious served warm with lashings of custard.
Don't forget to Pin this recipe to your Baking, Teatime, Cookie or British Food Boards on Pinterest and remember to FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST, FACEBOOK or INSTAGRAM.
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Yield: 16 fingers
Date & Cinnamon Shortbread
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 45 Min
Everything a good shortbread biscuit/cookie should be. Not too sweet they are quite rich, with a short, buttery, crumbly texture. The sweetness comes from the dates which pepper these bars in abundance. Perfect to enjoy with a hot cup of tea.
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups (350g) sifted plain, all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup + 1 1/2 TBS (250g) butter, softened
- 3/4 cup +2 tsp (175g) soft light brown sugar, packed and put through a sieve
- 1 1/4 cups (175g) stoned dates, chopped small
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter a 7 X 11-inch Swiss roll tin and line with baking paper, leaving some overhang for lifting out. (See note below about pan sizes.)
- Whisk the flour and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Drop in the butter and rub it into the flour mixture using your fingertips until the mixture resembles sand.
- Whisk in the brown sugar and the dates, mixing everything together very well.
- Tip the mixture into the prepared pan and press down firmly and evenly. You can use the bottom of a metal measuring cup or a palate knife to do this.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until golden brown.
- Leave to cool completely in the tin.
- Lift out and cut into evenly sized fingers with a sharp knife.
- Store in an airtight container.
Notes
The equivalent of a 7 x 11-inch pan can be achieved by using:
- One 9-inch round pan
- One 9 x 9-inch square pan
All rights reserved The English Kitchen
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
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A while back I bought a large package of chicken leg quarters that I got for a fairly good price. I brought it home and divided up into single pieces, wrapping each one individually in plastic wrap and then putting it into a small zip lock baggie. I then popped them all into a large zip lock baggie and into the freezer. Double bagging. It's the best way to prevent freezer burn!
Dividing my meat and poultry up like that and freezing it individually means that any time I want to cook myself just one piece of meat or chicken, I can just thaw out one, or if I want more, I can thaw out more. When you are a person living on your own, these are the kinds of things that save money and time in the long run.
I took one out this morning and decided to cook it in my air fryer because it is hot as heck out there and humid. I did NOT want to turn on my oven. I am sure that if you are in North America at the moment, you can empathize! We are all in the same hot and sticky boat.
I borrowed this recipe from Kitchen Sanctuary. and downsized it to cook only one chicken leg quarter, because, there is only me in the house and I didn't want or need any more than that.
I was intrigued as it used baking powder to help to crisp up the skin. I wondered if you would be able to taste the baking powder in the end product, and amazingly, you do not. It did specify aluminum-free baking powder, so that is probably key to not tasting it.
I have a real sensitivity to aluminum in the baking powder used in baked goods. It's like my cilantro. It makes my mouth feel all weird and that is all I can taste. That means that I enjoy very few ready-baked goods. If all I can taste is baking powder, it spoils the experience for me. I did add some paprika for color.
Altogether I was very pleased with how it came out. You do have to babysit it a bit by shaking it in the basket every 10 minutes, but that is basically all the effort it takes. The air fryer does all the work, your kitchen stays nice and cool, and at the end you have a tasty piece of chicken with a crisp skin. Juicy and delicious.
WHAT YOU NEED TO
MAKE AIR FRYER CHICKEN LEG QUARTERS
Aside from an air fryer, only a few simple ingredients. There is nothing complicated about this.
- 1 chicken leg quarter (a piece of chicken that is the thigh and leg joined together)
- 1/2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground paprika
Mak sure you use an aluminum-free baking powder. Make sure you use baking powder and not baking soda. The two are not the same thing.
You can use smaller pieces of bone in chicken, i.e. the legs and or the thighs.
Feel free to add your own combination of spices and herbs to make this your own. Although the quantities are given for one chicken leg quarter, you can certainly multiply everything to air fryer as many pieces of chicken as you wish to cook.
I don't recommend air frying any more than four at a time. My air fryer has two thin baskets that would enable you to cook in two layers. What you don't want to do is to crowd anything.
HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER
CHICKEN LEG QUARTERS
It's not rocket science.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400*F/200*C. (Only if your air fryer requires you to do so.)
- Remove your chicken leg quarter from the packaging and pat dry with some paper kitchen toweling. (Don't skip this step as it is integral to the crispiness of your chicken skin.)
- Whisk together the baking powder, salt, pepper and paprika. Sprinkle this all over the chicken coating it on both sides as best as you can. (Alternately you can shake the seasonings and the chicken together in a zip lock baggie.)
- Place into the air fryer basket.
- Cook for 35 to 40 minutes. Give the basket a shake every ten minutes. (Mine did not stick at all. No need to spray the basket first with any non-stick spray.)
- When done the chicken should be golden brown and the internal temperature at its thickest point should register 165*F/75*C.
WHAT I ENJOYED ABOUT THIS RECIPE
- I enjoyed the fact that it went together quick and easily and didn't use a lot of complicated or hard to find ingredients.
- I enjoyed the fact that I didn't have to turn on my oven and my kitchen stayed nice and cool.
- I liked the crispy skin on the chicken. I was quite surprised that you could not taste the baking powder at all. For that reason, it is important that you use an aluminum free one.
- I love that you could easily tailor the seasonings used to things which you and your family really enjoy.
- The chicken was perfectly cooked without being dried out in the time it took to cook.
- You can easily multiply the ingredients to make as many chicken leg quarters as you wish, or even a combination of smaller cuts, ie. legs, thighs.
- Simple, simple, simple.
WHY I THINK YOU WILL ENJOY THIS RECIPE
1. These chicken leg quarters are quick and easy to make without a lot of effort and a load of dishes to wash afterwards.
2. Your kitchen will stay nice and cool.
3. They cook simply and quickly without any frying in oil. This makes them healthier than conventional fried chicken.
4. The end result is chicken that is succulent and juicy inside with a crisp and flavor-filled skin on the outside. Not greasy in the least. Super juicy and flavor-filled!
DELICIOUS SIDES
TO SERVE WITH THESE CHICKEN LEGS
FRENCH ONION RICE - My sister and I fell in love with this delicious rice dish the very first time we made it. This has become a favorite in both of our households. This savory rice dish combines what we love about French Onion Soup with the heartiness of rice. It is really tasty and not at all difficult to make. I cannot think of anything it wouldn't go with. I could actually sit and eat just a dish of this and be quite happy.
PERFECTLY CREAMY MASHED POTATOES - Nothing goes better on the side of anything than a pile of fluffy and creamy mashed potatoes. Top with gravy or a pat of butter and you have the perfect side!
DILLED CARROTS - Julienned carrots are cooked first in some butter for a few minutes. You then add some chicken stock, honey and dill, cover and cook them for a few minutes longer, until they are lightly glazed and crispy tender.
SWEET POTATO BROCCOLI & CHEESE BAKE - Colorful, delicious and filled with fiber. This dish is low in fat and high in taste! Well, so long as you use a low-fat cheese. If you are not watching your fat, by all means use the full fat cheese.
Don't forget to Pin this recipe to your Main Dish, Chicken or Air Fryer Boards on Pinterest and remember to FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST, FACEBOOK or INSTAGRAM.
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Yield: 1 serving
Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Leg Quarters
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 45 Min
These come out nice and crispy without being dried out. A good basic chicken leg quarter. Quantities are given for one. You can multiply to cook as many as you wish.
Ingredients
- 1 chicken leg quarter (a piece of chicken that is the thigh and leg joined together)
- 1/2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground paprika
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400*F/200*C.
- Remove your chicken leg quarter from the packaging and pat dry with some paper kitchen toweling.
- Whisk together the baking powder, salt, pepper and paprika. Sprinkle this all over the chicken coating it on both sides as best as you can.
- Place into the air fryer basket.
- Cook for 35 to 40 minutes. Give the basket a shake every ten minutes.
- When done the chicken should be golden brown and the internal temperature at it's thickest point should register 165*F/75*C.
All rights reserved The English Kitchen
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing to/following me on Grow? You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right-hand side of the screen.
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