Pot-roasted Chicken with Mustard

Ingredients

3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp vegetable oil
one 3-1/2-lb free-range chicken
3/4 cup dry white wine
10 oz button mushrooms, wiped
6 tbsp Cognac
salt
black pepper

Sauce

1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
3/4 cup creme fraiche
2 tbsp whole -grain mustard
2 tbsp strong Dijon mustard
2 tbsp Savora mustard
1 bunch of fresh tarragon, finely chopped

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Melt the butter and oil in a roasting pot or flameproof casserole dish on the stove top. Season the chicken, then add it to the pot, and color it on all sides.
3. Put the chicken in the oven to roast for 1-1/4 hours, but every 15 minutes turn the bird, baste it, and add some white wine until you’ve used up all the wine. Once the chicken is cooked, take it out of the pot and set it aside to rest.
4. Slice the mushrooms, add them to the pot, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Pour in the brandy and flambe briefly, then set aside to keep warm.
5. For the sauce, melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan, add the flour, and cook for 3 minutes.
6. Pour in the milk, whisking well, bring to a boil, and cook for 7-8 minutes.
7. Stir in the creme fraiche, then take the pan off the heat and whisk in the mustards and tarragon. Add the mushrooms and any liquid from the roasting pot to the sauce. Do not boil the sauce again, or it may separate and taste bitter.
8. Disjoint or carve the chicken and serve with the mushroom sauce.

Makes 2 to 4 servings.

Source: The French Kitchen

Cider-roasted Pork Belly with Fennel

Ingredients

1 kg pork belly
sea salt flakes
8 sprigs lemon thyme
4 bulbs fennel, halved
1-1/2 cups apple cider

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F) or the hottest your oven will go.
2. Dry the pork well using absorbent paper. Score the skin at even intervals using a sharp knife.
3. Place the pork in a baking dish and generously rub salt into the skin.
4. Tuck the lemon thyme under the pork and roast for 45 minutes or until the skin has crackled and is crisp.
5. Reduce the heat to 120°C (250°F).
6. Add the fennel to the pan and carefully add enough cider to almost cover the meat but not touch the skin of the pork. Bake for 1 hour, turning the fennel once, or until the pork is tender and the cider has reduced.
7. To serve, slice the pork into pieces and serve with the fennel and pan juices.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Fast, Fresh, Simple.

Pork Loin with Cheese, Port and Honey Glaze

Ingredients

1 kg pork loin rack
sea salt flakes
12 sprigs oregano
2 large sweet potatoes (kumara), peeled and quartered
150g stilton cheese, thickly sliced

Port and Honey Glaze

1 cup port
1/4 cup beef stock
2 tablespoons honey

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F).
2. Score the skin of the pork at 1 cm intervals using a sharp knife.
3. Rub the skin with salt and place in a baking dish on top of the oregano.
4. Roast for 20 minutes, reduce the heat to 180°C (350°F).
5. Add the sweet potato to the pan and cook for a further 30 minutes or until pork is cooked to your liking.
6. To make the port and honey glaze, place the port, stock and honey in a saucepan over medium heat. Allow mixture to simmer for 12-15 minutes or until glaze is reduced and syrupy.
7. To serve, slice the pork and place on serving plates with the sweet potato. Top the pork with the stilton and spoon over the port and honey glaze.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Fast, Fresh, Simple

Roasted Lamb with Broad Bean Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup cooked fresh broad (lima) beans
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
about 1/2 cup olive oil
rosemary sprig
4 fresh sage leaves
1 leg of lamb, about 1 kg
salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C.
2. Pound the beans to a smooth paste with 1 clove of garlic, cheese and half the oil.
3. Put the other clove of garlic, rosemary, sage and remaining oil into an ovenproof casserole. Cook gently on top of the stove for 5 minutes.
4. Add the lamb and brown on all sides. Season with salt and pepper, then roast for 1-1/2 hours, turning and basting the meat occasionally.
5. When the meat is done, transfer to a serving dish and keep warm.
6. Put the bean puree into the juices in the casserole, stir and heat through. Pour into a sauce boat and serve with the lamb.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: The Complete Italian Cookbook

Roasted Stuffed Lamb

Ingredients

1 (4-1/2 1b) boneless leg or shoulder of lamb (not tied)
2 tbsp butter, softened
1-2 tbsp plain flour
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken or beef stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
watercress, to garnish
sauteed potatoes, to serve

Stuffing

5 tbsp butter
1 small onion finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/3 cup long grain rice
2/3 cup chicken stock
1/2 tsp dried thyme
4 lamb’s kidneys, halved and cored
10 oz young spinach leaves, well washed
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. To make the stuffing, melt 2 tbsp of the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until just softened, then add the garlic and rice and cook for about 1-2 minutes until the rice appears translucent, stirring constantly.
2. Add the stock, salt and pepper and thyme and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce the heat to low and cook for about 18 minutes, covered, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
3. Tip the rice into a bowl and fluff with a fork.
4. In a small frying pan, melt about 2 tbsp of the remaining butter over a medium-high heat. Add the kidneys and cook for about 2-3 minutes, turning once, until lightly browned, but still pink inside, then transfer to a board and leave to cool.
5. Cut the kidneys into pieces and add to the rice, season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
6. In a frying pan, heat the remaining butter over a medium heat until foaming. Add the spinach leaves and cook for 1-2 minutes until wilted, drain off excess liquid, then transfer the leaves to a plate and leave to cool.
7. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F.
8. Lay the meat skin-side down on a work surface and season with salt and pepper.
9. Spread the spinach leaves in an even layer over the surface then spread the stuffing in an even layer over the spinach.
10. Roll up the meat like a Swiss roll and use a skewer to close the seam.
11. Tie the meat at 1-inch intervals to hold its shape, then place in a roasting tin, spread with the softened butter and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 1-1/2 to 2 hours until the juices run slightly pink when pierced with a skewer, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 57-60°C/135-140°F (for medium-rare to medium).
12. Transfer the meat to a carving board, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for about 20 minutes.
13. Skim off as much fat from the roasting tin as possible, then place the tin over a medium-high heat and bring to the boil.
14. Sprinkle over the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes until browned, stirring and scraping the base of the tin. Whisk in the wine and stock and bring to the boil, then cook for 4-5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Season and strain into a gravy boat.
15. Carve the meat into slices, garnish with watercress and serve with the gravy and potatoes.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Source: Taste of France