I can remember the first time I tasted Honey Mustard. It was at my SIL's place in Toronto. It was Honeycup Mustard and I have to say it was love at first taste!
It was sweet and hot and I love, LOVE, LOVED it! I quite adore Honey Mustard anyways!
Honeycup Mustard is not something you find very often over here in the UK. In fact its not something you see at all.
I should really explore trying to make my own Honeycup Mustard. Adding another thing to my "honey-do" list!
Honey mustard has a wonderful affinity with chicken. I do enjoy it with ham also, but it really pops when you use it with chicken.
Today I have added it to a creamy sauce which has been adapted from a recipe I found on the Donna Hay site, and down-sized to feed only two people.
It only makes sense when I like to present you with something new and fresh every day!
This recipe uses skin-on chicken leg quarters, which contain the thigh and the drumstick. This isn't a cut of chicken that I use very often.
Personally I am not overly fond of chicken drumsticks . . . but they work really well here.
These get browned in a skillet, and then removed. After that you cook some streaky bacon and halved baby potatoes in the drippings. BACON! Count me in!
I only buy nitrate free bacon now. It is a rare treat to have bacon at all because we are trying to avoid processed meats, but its nice every now and then and when I do, it's always nitrate free. You are what you eat.
I used Jersey Royal baby potatoes, which are a special type of potato which is grown on the Isle of Jersey. I love them.
They have a nutty taste and a firm texture. They actually have a protected designation of origin. These potatoes only come from Jersey. You can substitute any new potato however in this recipe.
I got my potatoes nice and golden brown on all the cut edges . . .
Once they are golden you return the chicken pieces to the pan and you pour a mixture of mustard, cream, honey and water around them in the pan.
You will want to make sure you have used an oven-proof pan to begin with. (Sorry I should have mentioned that sooner!)
The whole thing gets covered and then popped into the oven where it is braised for a time . . .
then uncovered . . . and you stick some sprigs of thyme in amongst the chicken and potatoes and it is returned to the oven to braise for a while longer, uncovered.
This was TOTALLY delicious! Tender chicken, bacon and potatoes . . . with a fabulously tasty and creamy sauce. If you don't like to use cream, you could use no fat evaporated milk.
Honey Mustard Chicken & Potatoes
Yield: 2
Tender and succulent pieces of chicken and bacon with potatoes in a lush honey mustard cream.
ingredients:
- 2 tsp light olive oil
- 2 chicken leg/thigh quarters
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 rashers of streaky bacon, cut in half crosswise
- 8 baby potatoes, cut in half lengthwise
- 125ml single pouring cream (1/2 cup, half and half)
- 2 TBS Dijon mustard
- 1 TBS liquid honey
- 125ml water (1/2 cup)
- sprigs of thyme (3 or 4)
instructions:
How to cook Honey Mustard Chicken & Potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch oven proof skillet over medium high heat. (I use my cast iron) Season the chicken pieces all over with salt and black pepper. Brown on both sides in the hot oil, about 4 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and keep warm. Add the bacon to the pan along with the halved potatoes. Cook the bacon until crisp, removing as it gets down. Brown the potatoes all over.
- Return the bacon and chicken to the pan, nestling them around the potatoes. Whisk together the cream, water, mustard, and honey. Pour around the chicken in the pan. Bring to the boil, then cover. Roast, covered, in the hot oven for about 15 minutes. Uncover and stick the thyme springs in here and there. Return to the oven and cook for a further 15 minutes or so, until the chicken juices run clear and the potatoes are tender.
- Divide the chicken pieces, bacon and potatoes between two heated plates, spooning some of the creamy sauce over top.
I used my cast iron skillet for this. I love my cast iron skillet. It is only a 12 inch one, but that is the perfect size for us and in all truth with my arthritis I doubt I could do anything much heavier. I steamed us some broccoli, cauliflower and carrots to enjoy on the side!
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@aol.com
I think one of my favourite salad combinations has to be fresh greens tossed together with roasted beetroot (beets) and goat's cheese. For a girl who only ever ate processed cheese slices and Velveeta cheeses (if you can even call them cheese, lol) when I was growing up, I can say that I now have a very well developed cheese palate! That's what becoming a Chef did for me. It truly broadened my taste horizons . . .
Today (Saturday as I write this) we were able to watch the annual Trooping of the Colours on the television with the Birthday Parade for the Queen at the Horse Guards Parade in London, down the mall from Buckingham Palace.
NOBODY does pageantry, pomp and ceremony like the British! What a wonderful display this annual parade this is, filled with colour and tradition and music.
I just love it! I love seeing all of the Royal family and their children. Seeing what the girls are wearing . . .
Its always incredibly elegant! This was Megan's first appearance since the birth of little Archie and she looked lovely in Navy and White.
Kate did not disappoint in her lovely lemon coloured dress, and of course this was the first time we have seen little Prince Louis publicly in this way. He was charming with his waves and clapping from the royal balcony at the palace during the fly pass!
I took the opportunity to bake us some special cookies that we could enjoy with a hot cup of lemon tea as we watched the event. Lemon Lime Shortbreads!
You can't get much more elegant than shortbread cookies/biscuits! Crisp and buttery . . . they almost flake in your hands . . . perfect.
These are even more perfect because they are filled with little dimples of lemon curd prior to baking. Oh so tasty . . .
I use my own homemade Lemon Curd . . . but you can use any good quality store brand if you wish. Oh, I do so love LOVE Lemon Curd, don't you?
The biscuits themselves are infused lightly with the flavours of a good vanilla paste and the finely zested peel of a fresh lime, along with some of the juice . . .
A lime juice icing glaze gets flicked over the finished cookies . . . adding even more lovely citrus flavours . . . lemon & lime . . . a beautiful combination!
These truly are lovely . . .
The occasion also afforded me the opportunity to break out some of my vintage linens . . . the edges decorated in pink . . .
My Katie Alice tea service goes wonderfully with these delicate linens . . .
We almost felt like Royals ourselves . . .
We even practised the wave with each other . . . in another life maybe. I wonder what it feels like to grow up or live in such an atmosphere of privilege . . . a double edged sword I can imagine.
I am so happy that the two princes were able to marry for love . . .
Looking at them all on the balcony, at William and Harry and their wives . . . and William's children . . . I could not help but shed a tear for what Diana has missed out on . . . just wasn't to be I guess . . . so sad. I am sure she looks down on them often and is very proud of the men they have become.
I think this is largely because of her and her influence. I really do. They had the most "normal" of upbringings that any Royals ever had, and they are good men.
In any case do bake these cookies. You will quite simply adore them!
Yield: 42 cookies
Lemon Lime Shortbreads
Crisp, short buttery shortbread cookies, infused with lovely lime flavours, a lemon curd filling and a lime icing glaze. Seriously moreish!
ingredients:
For the Cookies:
- 230g unsalted butter, at room temperature (1 cup)
- 130g granulated sugar (2/3 cup)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla
- the juice of 1/2 fresh lime
- the finely grated zest of one small lime
- pinch salt
- 280g +2 TBS plain flour (2 cups + 2TBS)
- lemon curd to fill
For the Glaze:
- 130g icing sugar, sifted (1 cup)
- the juice of 1/2 lime
instructions:
How to cook Lemon Lime Shortbreads
- Cream the butter, sugar, vanilla bean paste/vanilla, salt, and lime juice and zest together in a bowl until creamy with an electric whisk, scraping down the sides of the bowl periodically. Add the flour in 3 parts until well combined. Cover and chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Line several baking trays with baking paper.
- Shape the chilled dough into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Make an indention in the centre of each, using the end of a wooden spoon. Don't try to push it in too deeply, only about halfway down. I rotate it a tiny bit to make the hole about 1/3 inch in diameter. Fill each hole with heaped 1/4 tsp of lemon curd.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, until puffed and the edges are golden brown. Leave to rest on the trays for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Whisk the icing sugar and lime juice together until you have a smooth drizzle icing. Flick over the cooled cookies and allow to set. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.
Yummity yummity yum yum yum! Betcha can't eat just one!
You are going to love this recipe I am sharing with you today. It is Irish Tea Brack, and as one would suppose hails from Ireland. (Have I ever told you our landlord is Irish?)
It is a very traditional Irish recipe which is kind of a cross between a cake and a bread. The word Brack comes from an old Irish word "breac" which means speckled, and this lovely bread/cake is certainly well speckled with fruit!
It used three vine fruits . . . raisins, sultanas (or golden raisins) and currants. These are soaked overnight in some cold tea.
I try to use a really strong tea to do breads like this so I tend to leave the tea bag in the water until it goes cold.
This recipe comes from the book "Homemade" by Irish cook Clodagh McKenna. It is the nicest brack recipe I have ever baked, and I have baked a few.
The book is largely out of print now, but you can still find it in some second hand shops as well as buy it from sellers online. Its a great book that I highly recommend!
You can also add the finely grated zest of a lemon to the mix.
Its not necessarily traditional, but it does add a nice flavour if you have it. I rather like it myself.
Its actually a very simple recipe. You begin by soaking the fruit overnight in the tea.
The next morning, you sift together flour, mixed spice, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Easy peasy.
Mixed spice is a very British thing . . . a mix of the warm baking spices . . . traditionally it is about half cinnamon . . . then ground coriander, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Some brands will also have ground pimento in it.
I have a recipe that you can make your own on separate page entitled "Make Your Own" here on the blog. You can access that here.
Once you get all the dry ingredients sifted together, you can stir in some sugar. Once you have done that you can add the soaked fruits, along with any tea left in the soaking bowl.
A beaten egg then gets stirred into the batter.
Mix all together until there are no dry areas in the dough and everything is well mixed.
Spoon the batter into a buttered and lined tin and bake . . .
One hour later you will be rewarded with a delicious fruity loaf that your family will love!
It smells absolutely gorgeous when it is baking.
My husband came downstairs yesterday morning sniffing the air thinking all of his Christmas's had come at once. Yes, it smells that good!
We like it sliced thinly and spread with softened butter. This goes down a real treat with a hot cuppa!
Irish Tea Brack
Yield: 1 loaf
You are going to love this traditional Irish tea loaf! Moist, delicious and fat free! You don't need to feel guilty spreading slices of it with butter because there is none in the bread!
ingredients:
- 350g mixed dried vine fruits (raisins, sultanas and currants) (2 1/2 cups)
- 300ml cold tea, strong (1 1/4 cups)
- 120g caster sugar (1/2 cup, plus 2 TBS)
- 1 large free range egg, beaten lightly
- 250g plain flour (1 3/4 cup)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- pinch salt
- 2 tsp mixed spice (see my recipe in the right hand side bar, or if on a mobile device down at the bottom of the page)
instructions:
How to cook Irish Tea Brack
- Place all the dried fruit into a bowl. Cover with the cold tea, cover and leave overnight to infuse.
- The next morning preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 1 kg loaf tin (2 pound) and line the bottom with paper. (I make an overhang so I can lift it out easily.)
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and mixed spice. Add the fruit along with any tea still in the bowl, and the beaten egg. Mix well. Spoon into the prepared tin, levelling it off.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour until risen, golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes before lifting out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cold store in an airtight container. This will keep up to two weeks. (Not that you will have it that long!) Serve cut into slices, spread with softened butter, if desired.
Properly stored, this lovely loaf will keep up to two weeks. I seriously doubt it will be around that long however. Yes, it is THAT good!
Make Your Own Mixed Spice: You can easily make your own mixed spice: Combine 1 TBS ground cinnamon, 1 tsp each of ground coriander and nutmeg, 1/2 tsp of ground ginger, 1/4 tsp each of ground cloves and all spice. Mix well and store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.
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 so much for visiting. Do come again!
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