You are going to want to make these today! That way you will be able to enjoy them at the weekend, but in all truth, these delicious apricots get better tasting with each day that passes and they keep in the refrigerator for a very long time.
I had actually made these the week before Christmas and am only now getting to the point where I have the time to show them to you! They are very simple to make and oh-so-delicious!
A simple syrup is created and infused with green cardamom pods and a vanilla pod. You bruise the cardamom pods first and of course the vanilla needs to be split open.
There is also fresh lemon juice and zest to give even more flavour to the syrup, and I like to add a bit of Limencello liquer, but its completely optional to do that.
Once you have the syrup made you add the dried apricots to it and cook them for just a few minutes, and then leave them for several hours to plump up . . .
Popped into clean and sterile jars, these will keep in the refrigerator for several months.
They make a fabulous light dessert and are also delicious spooned out into fruit nappies and served cold with your breakfast . . . or on top of your morning oats. They are also fabulous served with some unsweetened thick Greek yogurt. Yum yum!!
*Dried Apricots in Cardamom Syrup*
Makes about 2 cups
Place the water, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, cardamom pods, vanilla
and Limoncello (if using) into a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil and
then simmer at a fast simmer for 5 minutes. Add the apricots and then
reduce to the lowest flame and simmer gently for 2 minutes.
Remove from
the heat and set aside for five hours to plump up the apricots.
Transfer to sterile jars and store in the refrigerator. Leave for
several days prior to using if possible. Discard the cardamom pods
before serving or using.
This is a really delicious way to get in one of your five a day! I hope you will give them a go. I do discard the cardamom pods when I serve them so that nobody eats one by mistake. The cardamom and vanilla really infuse the dried fruit with a lovely flavour.
Note - if you cannot find whole cardamom pods, you may use a quantity of ground cardamom. I would not use more than 1/2 tsp.
Bon Appetit!
As I mentioned previously I was sent some pork to try out near the end of December by The Black Farmer, some of his new range of fresh pork raised without anti-biotics. Leading the way in being the first mainstream brand to introduce the
products, The Black Farmer has worked closely with partner farms to
establish farming and production methods in response to the rising
resistance to antibiotics. The selection of fresh British pork cuts from
RSPCA assured pork can be easily identified by the blue Antibiotic Free
swing tag. Up today . . . a delicious Shoulder of Pork.
I have to say at the outset, that Pork Shoulder has never been my favourite cut of Pork, but I was very pleasantly surprised by this roast. It was not as fatty as the pork shoulders I have had in the past and there was none of that "piggie" smell which I generally associate with cheaper cuts of pork. I really don't like that smell and find it very off-putting, but happily there was none of that. Bonus!
It was rolled up, but I unrolled it to cook, and rubbed the flesh all over with a mix of spices and herbs. I scattered sea salt over the crackling to really help crisp it up.
Initially I roasted it at a high temperature, and then I reduced the oven temp and roasted it until it was tender and succulent.
I have never been a person who eats the crackling (for health reasons), but it is well prized amongst many people and this crackling turned out crisp and it looked incredibly tasty.
The meat was tender and delicious. Because I had unrolled it and rubs that spice mix all over, the flavours had permeated the meat beautifully, and I had some nice end bits that ended up being the cook's treat.
Every cook has their treats!
All in all we were very pleased with this beautiful piece of meat!!
(at room temperature) (about 6 pounds)
2 tsp coarse sea salt, divided
60ml apple juice or water (1/4 cup)
Unroll the pork. If the skin has been scored, great, if not, carefully score it with a sharp exacto knife. Pat dry. Mix together 1 tsp of the sea salt, black pepper, coriander, red pepper flakes, oregano, mustard, garlic, lemon zest and olive oil. Flip the meat onto its back and rub this mixture well into the flesh all over. Place into the roasting tin, flesh side down and skin slide up. Sprinkle the remaining salt over the skin. Pour the apple juice or water into the roasting pan around the meat.
Roast in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes until the skin is golden brown and the fat is beginning to render. Reduce the oven temperature to 165*C/300*F/ gas mark 3 and continue to roast for a further 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the meat is very tender and the crackling very crisp.
Let rest for half an hour before removing the crackling cap and slicing the meat to serve. Break up the crackling to serve as well.
The Black Farmer range comprises a Shoulder Joint; Fillet Medallions;
Loin Steaks; Loin Chops; Belly Joint and Belly Slices. Like many, The
Black Farmer loves good roast pork and the meat is not the same without
perfect crackling. His way is to score the fat, massage with oil and a
good rub of coarse sea salt, then 20 minutes at a very high heat in the
oven, before turning it down. Works every time! The Black Farmer Pork Range is available exclusively from the Online Grocery Ocado Shop.
About The Black Farmer
The Black Farmer
is one of the UK’s leading gluten free brands marketing a range of
higher welfare, award winning pork sausages, chicken, burgers,
meatballs, pork cuts, bacon, eggs and cheese. Launched 12 years ago the
brand has gone on to great success with its products available in all
the major UK high street and online retailers. The brand’s founder,
Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones is in his own words ‘a poor boy, done good’. He
was born in Frankfield, Clarendon, Jamaica and then, after his parents
came to the UK in the 1950s, was raised in inner city Birmingham. For a
number of years Wilfred worked as a chef before pursuing a career in
television. In 2000 Wilfred fulfilled a lifelong ambition to buy a small
farm in Devon. This inspired him to develop and launch The Black Farmer
– a name coined by his Devon neighbours. His Premium Pork sausages are
one of the country’s leading brands of super premium sausages.
Note - Although I was sent these products free of charge for the purpose of review, I was not required to write a positive review in exchange. Any opinions are quite simply my own.
These are great sandwiches to make and enjoy on nights when you have had a really busy day and just want something quick, hearty and delicious.
Or on those nights when a bunch of you are together and watching the game on the telly, be it hockey, footie or whatever sport floats your boat!
They are quick and easy to make, as easy as layering ingredients into split soft sub buns and baking them in the oven . . .
I like to spread the cut buns with some Parmesan Garlic butter first . . . just for added flavour, and if there is any leftover, you can also spread it on the tops of the buns here and there for added flavour.
After that you simply layer in four cheese blend (Mozzarella, Cheddar, Jack and Edam) with sliced Italian meats . . .
Thinly sliced salami . . . peppery pepperoni . . . rich italian herbed ham . . . or plain if you cannot get the herbed . . .
A hint of spicy sandwich slaw topping or Italian Giardiniera mix . . . and a final sprinkle of cheese and they are ready for the oven . . .
If you are in the UK, this is the pickle I used. Its got a nice heat and crunch without being over the top! You can leave it out altogether, but it really does add a nice touch and extra flavour.
How soft or how crisp you want depends all on you. Baked closer together you get soft sides . . . leaving a bit of space between and you get crisp toasty sides. Its your choice . . .
Ten to Fifteen minutes in the oven and you are rewarded with a delicious sandwich that everyone is going to love! Game day or not!
You can serve them with potato chips, or oven chips, potato salad, whatever you like to serve with hot sandwiches. All go down a real treat!
*Hot Italian Hoagies*
Serves 6
65g butter softened (1/4 cup)
1 tsp garlic Italian seasoning
3 TBS Parmesan Cheese
12 slices Salami
Spicy pickled salad mix like pickled Giardiniera Mix (optional)
(I used Baxter's Spicy Slaw Deli Topper)
Cream
together the butter, seasoning and Parmesan cheese. Spread a portion
of this onto the insides of the sub rolls. Layer 2 TBS of cheese blend,
2 slices salami, 2 slices Pepperoni, 2 slices ham, 2 TBS hot pickle mix
(if using) and 2 TBS of the four cheese blend into each bun. Place
into a large baking dish with the open side facing up.
We really enjoy these (even if my husband does eat his with a knife and fork all proper-like). These are filling, and delicious. I love the touch of heat from the spicy pickle. They are quick and easy to throw together which makes them winners all round! Bon Appetit!
I love recipes like this one I am showing you today. Recipes that are composed pretty much from what you have on hand, using up a bit of this and a bit of that.
My mother always said that I had the ability to make anything taste good. I don't know about that, but I do know that this is delicious!
It was a great way of using up some leftover roast chicken from yesterday. I just like to tear it into bite sized pieces.
I think that tearing it up like that adds interest and texture.
I also had some Brussels sprouts in the vegetable bin that needed using up. I love sprouts any way I can get them. Here today they are finely shredded.
I think lightly sauteed shredded sprouts can convert any sprout hater into a sprout lover. They have an almost nutty taste and a buttery texture.
Slivered garlic, cooked just until golden brown in a bit of oil. Take care not to burn it. Always remove any green sprouts if they are present.
These can be bitter. You can still use the rest of the garlic, just get rid of the green.
Plenty of rich and salty Parmesan Cheese and black pepper, with a bit of chicken stock and you have a dish fit for a Queen.
The King in this house doesn't like pasta, so he had something else, but . . .
I thoroughly enjoyed this today. I don't think you could make leftovers taste much better than this.
I did cut the quantities down by 2/3 so that there was just enough for me, myself and . . . I!
*Spaghetti with Roasted Chicken and Shredded Brussels*
Serves 4
Serves 4
Leftover roast chicken tossed together with buttery soft shredded Brussels sprouts, whole wheat spaghetti, garlic and cheese. Amazingly delicious! A great way to use up what's left of your Christmas sprouts and any leftover chicken you might have languishing in the refrigerator. (or a rotisserie chicken)
A large pot of lightly salted water on the boil
1 1/4 pounds fresh Brussels sprouts, bad leaves discarded, stems intact
2 TBS butter
6 TBS olive oil
2 fat fresh cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced (remove and discard any green shoot if present)
1 pound spaghetti (preferably whole wheat and good quality)
240ml hot good chicken stock (1 cup)
200g cooked chicken (about 1 1/2 cups)
(I like to tear it into chunks)
200g freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more to serve (7 ounces)
flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Holding your sprouts by the stem end, carefully cut into thin slices crosswise. The thinner you can cut them the sweeter they will be. Melt the butter in a large saucepan with 2 TBS of the oil. When the butter begins to foam, add the sprouts. Season generously with some flaky sea salt. Toss to coat with the butter, cover and cook over very low heat, stirring frequently, for about five minutes. Add 60ml (1/4 cup) water and cook overlow heat for a further 10 minutes, just until the sprouts are crispy tender. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet. Add the sliced garlic and cook until the garlic is golden. Drain off all but about 1 TBS of the oil and discard. Stir in the sprouts, and torn chicken and keep warm.
Cook the pasta until al dente in the boiling salted water. Using tongs remove the spaghetti to the skillet, tossing to coat it with the sprouts and garlic and oil. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and enough of the hot stock to moisten. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper and more salt if required. Serve hot with more Parmesan cheese for sprinkling over top.
I love it when dishes come together like this. You could use leftover roast chicken, or a bit of chicken left from a Rotisserie Chicken. I think it is something you are sure to enjoy! Bon Appetit!
This recipe today is for a recipe I saw via video on my daughter's facebook page. Most of the time what you cook doesn't end up looking like the video at all, but happy to say that this time it worked really well. Not only that it was really simple to do and very delicious!
The recipe involves the use of a bundt cake tin, some aluminum foil, a good roasting chicken (I use cornfed free range) a lemon, some herbs, fresh veg and salt and black pepper . . . oh and some olive oil. You just toss the veg with some herbs and olive oil and pop the into the bottom of the cake tin (after covering the hole with some foil) and then the chicken, well seasoned and stuffed with garlic and lemon gets placed on top, with the post of the bundt pan acting as a trivet of sorts.
It works really well! All the juices from the chicken's neck and heiny pouring down from the chicken on top of those roasting vegetables and flavouring them, rendering them rich and succulent and basting the chicken at the same time . . .
I was a bit worried it might fall over in the oven . . . but thankfully it didn't. (I put my cake tin on a baking sheet just in case.) It looks a bit odd and unorthodox, but it works perfectly well. I would tell you if you are using a chicken from over here, do remove and discard that last joint from the drumsticks before roasting and any trussing.
Beautifully crisped skin and perfectly cooked, moist & well flavoured chicken . . . I like it!
The vegetables were beautifully cooked as well . . . with a bit of stickiness from the chicken juices, and there was plenty juice from the chicken to spoon over the meat when I went to serve it.
And it cooks in a lot less time. I think having that metal post shoved up inside helps it to cook a bit faster which keeps it nice and moist! You get lovely crisp skin if you are into that sort of thing. I haven't eaten chicken skin in years.
And beautifully glazed and perfectly cooked veg. You can't ask for much more than that. Only one pan to wash (the cake tin). I did use a few more for presentation and serving, but they are a doddle to clean. Nothing stuck on there!
*Cake Pan Chicken*
Serves 4
For the vegetables:
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 cloves of garlic, peeled, left whole, but bruised
1 unwaxed lemon cut in half crossways through the centre
My chicken loving husband really enjoyed this, and I have pleny of leftovers to make another meal or sandwiches, and a carcass to make soup with. Ahhh . . . such tastiness and thrift. I love it! what a great way to start the new year! Bon Appetit and Happy New Year!
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