Roasted Peri Peri Chicken (Nando's copycat)

All of sudden I crave Nando's peri peri chicken and of course we don't have Nando's in the country. To satisfy this craving I simply followed this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3LLD5R995s) and boy, it turned out so good!

Roasted Peri Peri Chicken

Chicken - either whole, drumsticks, wings or thigh, your choice

Blend together and marinate :-
Red sweet pepper
Red onion
Garlic, a lot
Lemon juice
Bird's eye chilli , to taste (I used dried)
Smoked paprika powder
Oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sugar
Red wine vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)
Olive oil

Please watch the link given above for detailed instructions.

Beef shank with game sauce { Vadas marhaszelet }

https://cookpad.com/hu/receptek/1924563-vadas-marhaszelet?fbclid=IwAR3JqsEYBBJZvgL6jK3e3Y6NLA-7x3L2EPaccH9bnWDHfVOUxjHtioKALxk

Quiche Lorraine without crust base

Quiche Lorraine without pastry crust
source : Taste
Ingredients (serves 6)
1 tablespoon olive oil  1 brown onion, finely chopped  4 rashers bacon, rind removed, finely chopped  1 cup grated tasty cheese  3 eggs  1 teaspoon plain flour  300ml cream  1/2 cup milk
Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a fluted 3cm deep, 23cm (base), loose-base flan pan.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and bacon. Cook for 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Cool. Sprinkle over pastry. Top with cheese.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 180°C. Whisk remaining ingredients and salt and pepper in a jug. Pour over bacon. Place onto tray. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until set. Stand for 5 minutes. Serve.

Pearl Barley Risotto

Hungarian style Pearl Barley Risotto 
serves 4 pax
 
Ingredients
150gm pearl barley
150gm smoked sausage
oil, if needed
1 Onion, finely chopped
ground smoked paprika, to taste
ground cumin, to taste
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp tomato puree
2 fresh tomatoes, peeled sliced or chopped finely
splash of white wine
1 hungarian pepper , sliced
1 carrot, chopped
1 bay leaf
300gm chicken stock
salt & pepper, to taste
sugar, to adjust the acidity if needed
parley, finely chopped, to sprinkle
 
Method
1) Heat sauce pan with little oil, and fry smoked sausage to render out some fat. Remove smoked sausage from sauce pan and set aside
2) Use this fat (remove excess if desire) to sauté onion until translucent. Put in the pearl barley and cook it for a bit. Remove sauce pan from heat and sprinkle to taste ground smoked paprika, ground cumin & chopped garic. Stir it and add a little bit of the chicken stock before putting back sauce pan to the heat. Let it boil.
3) Next add in chopped tomatoes,  tomato puree and splash of white wine. Cook off the alchohol.
4) Then pour in the rest of the chicken stock, followed by carrot, Hungarian pepper & bay leaf. Cook for 25 mins. but stir on and off to avoid sticking.
5) After 25 mins. stir in the parsley and smoked paprika, check for seasoning, remove from heat. It is ready to serve

Broccoli and Lemon chicken with toasted seseme

Bikini season is soon ; so, time for lighter foods!

Broccoli Lemon Chicken with Toasted sesame seeds
Inspired by BBC Good Food

Ingredients
1 tbsp groundnut oil or sunflower oil
340g pack of chicken breast fillets , sliced into strips
2 garlic cloves , sliced
1 tsp ground cumin
200g broccoli florets
200ml chicken stock
1 heaped tsp cornflour
1 tbsp clear honey or 2 tsp golden caster sugar
the zest of half a lemon and the juice of a whole one
a large handful of toasted sesame seeds


Method
Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok. Add the chicken and fry for 3-4 minutes until golden. Remove from the pan and add the garlic, ground cumin and broccoli. Stir fry for a minute or so then cover and cook for 2 minutes more, until almost tender.
Mix the stock, cornflour and honey or sugar well, then pour into the pan and stir until thickened. Tip the chicken back into the pan and let it heat through, then add the lemon zest and juice, and sesame seeds. Stir, then serve straight away with basmati rice or noodles.

Israeli couscous {Tarhonya} w bacon and Peas

I had planned to make risotto one day , then changed my mind due to shortage of time. Since I still wanted to use peas and bacon as the complimentary ingredients, I thought that Tarhonya (a type of Hungarian granulated pasta ... almost similar to couscous) would make a very good substitute for risotto.

This dish can not be easier while the result is so satisfying!! - I just LOVE the nuttiness from the oven-toasted tarhonya :)

Tarhonya with bacon and peas

Ingredients
Oil , for sauteing
Bacon, about 2.5cm cube - sliced
1 onion, sliced into half ring
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp smoked paprika
Tahonya pasta , I didn't measure ... it was enough for 3-4 servings
peas, 2 handfuls
chicken / vege stock - double the measure of pasta (or according to liquid required per package's instructions)
salt, pepper - to taste
Ewe's cheese

Method
1) Brown tahonya pasta in pre-heated oven at medium heat for about 10 mins or until brown. Set aside.

2) Heat oil in pan , sauté bacon until slightly brown. Add in onion and cook until translucent. Lower heat and put in the minced garlic and smoked paprika. Stir until fragrant.

3) Pour in chicken / vege stock and bring it to a boil. Once stock is boiling, pour in the pasta and stir it couple of time while it is cooking. Cook until pasta is ready.

4) When pasta is ready, adjust seasoning at this point. Next pour in the peas, stir and switch off the heat, put on the lid and let it rest for a bit. Check for readiness of peas before serving with sprinkle of ewe's cheese.

Risotto with peas

I've read that risotto is quite an intimidating dish to cook. After a few recipes cooking risotto, I am really getting the hang of cooking this grain ; it is quite enjoyable!
How creamy the end result should be is still a a question mark for me, but this last risotto was a real treat.

I simply used the previous recipe as the base and substitute the squash with peas, served with camembert and sprinkled fresh dill .... yum!

Pumpkin Risotto

In an effort to learn to cook risotto, we've been eating it once a week for the past three week! I have to say, this recipe is the best tasting thus far. I already planned to cook it again next week ;)

Simple Squash Risotto

recipe from BBC GoodFood

Ingredients

1 butternut squash

4 tbsp light olive oil
600ml vegetable stock
50g unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped **omitted, not avaulable
2 garlic cloves , crushed
1 bay leaf
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, picked ** used a pinch of dried thyme instead
140g risotto rice (we like carnaroli) ** used 100g of arborio rice
100ml white wine
50g Parmesan, finely grated ** sprinkled with feta instead
** added fried bacon for sprinkling

Method

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Peel the squash and separate the bulbous seed-bearing section from the slender end. Chop the slender end into 2cm cubes, toss in half the oil, season lightly and roast in the oven, stirring occasionally, until golden brown on the outside and soft in the centre, about 30 mins. Cut the bulb in half and scrape out the seeds with a spoon - you can keep these to toast in the oven and sprinkle over salads. Chop the flesh into 2cm pieces. Warm the vegetable stock in a small pan, set over a low heat. Drop in squash and leave to gently poach.
2. While the squash is roasting, warm a medium-size frying pan over a gentle heat. Add the remaining olive oil and half the butter, followed by the onion. Cover and cook for 3 mins until the onion turns translucent. Stir in the celery, garlic, herbs and a few turns of pepper (no salt at this stage). Cover again and cook for a further 2 mins. Increase the heat slightly and stir in the rice. Stir, uncovered, for about 5 mins - this will help to develop the toasty aroma of the rice without burning the veg.
3. Turn up the heat, stir in the wine and let it bubble away to almost nothing. Reduce the heat and start adding the stock. Add one ladle at a time, stirring gently but constantly during each addition. The idea is to encourage the rice to absorb the liquid and soften, but also give up its starch to thicken the remaining broth. Don't stir too aggressively or you will end up with a pan of mush. When the stock has been absorbed, it's time to add the next ladleful and so on. It will take about 15 mins to reach the final ladle of stock. By this time the squash in the stock should have softened. Mash it up with the remaining stock and stir into the risotto.
4. Turn off the heat, dot the top of the risotto with remaining butter and most of the Parmesan, cover, leave to rest for 2 mins, then stir through and check the seasoning. Spoon the risotto into shallow bowls and sprinkle the roasted squash and leftover Parmesan on top.

Pancake Hortobágy style { Hortobágyi palacsinta }

The other day I taste for the first time Hortobágyi palacsinta. It was melt in the mouth pancake and filling, drizzled with velvety sauce. The next day I've decided to recreate it in my own kitchen. I've got to say, it wasn't far from what I remember!
Hortobágyi pancake
serves 4 pax
Video tutorial by Miele cooking school http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO8_maUoWEc
Crepe/ Pancake via No salty
Ingredients
Filling (Chicken paprikash/stew)
Vegetable oil, for cooking
5 pcs of chicken thigh meat, bone-in, cleaned
1 onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
4-5 tsp smoked paprika, to taste
1 tomato, diced
1 Hungarian wax pepper
salt, to taste
water, just enough to cover meat
To thicken
100ml sour cream, room temeprature
1 Tbsp flour

Crepe/pancakes
2 large eggs, room temerature
125gm flour
a pinch of salt
250ml cold milk, room temperature
40g butter, melted
oil for cooking
Method

For stew :-
1)  Heat oil in sauce pan, sauté onion and garlic until translucent. Add in diced tomato, diced paprika and smoked paprika. Stir it a bit and put in the chicken thigh meat and salt to taste. Pour in enough water to cover meat, not too much as the meat will release some juices as well. Put on the cover and cook for 30 mins.
2) Once chicken is fully cooked and tomatoes and paprika have cooked down. Remove chicken thigh meat from the sauce, and by using a strainer remove the bits and pieces of onions,tomatoes etc from the sauce. Put the sauce back on the heat. We need to thicken the sauce by mixing together soul cream and flour, mix well before pouring into the chicken stew sauce. Bring it to boil for few minutes. Once thicken the sauce is ready.
For crepe/pancakes
1) In mixing bowl, crack in the eggs, mix in the salt. Then gradually add in flour and milk , alternately until the mixture is well combine, no lumps. Finally pour in the melted butter. Let the batter rest in fridge for at least 30 mins.
2) Take out batter from fridge after 30 mins. Mix it a little. Heat a flat pan over medium heat with some oil. Brush away excess oil. Use a ladle, pour the pancake batter onto the hot pan and swirl it around the pan to get a thin and even batter around the pan. Cook the pancake until just colour, not too much as the pancake should be soft with just a little bite to it. Cook until the batter is finish.
Assembling :-
1) Warm up the chicken meat and sauce by using microwave or stove.
Place chicken pieces onto pancake. Not too much. Wrap it. up and pour sauce over the pan cake, and serve immediately!

Barley and Sausages

Barley is usually prepared as sweet drink back home, never have I seen it being used in savoury dishes until I came here. I have to say that it took me some time to get used the savoury barley. Then last winter, I came accross this recipe and I am loving the savoury option more and more :)
I've just eliminated potatoes from the original recipe but added zuchinni and roasted pepper (not added yet in the photo). Simple ingredients but full of flavours !
 
Barley & Sausage
recipe via 80 Breakfasts 

Ingredients
1/2 cup barley, cooked as per package instructions 
200 grams country sausage, sliced 
1 medium potato, peeled and cubed 
1 big white onion, sliced into half moons 
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
a pinch dried thyme 
a pinch fennel seeds 
olive oil 
sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Method
1) Cook barley as per package instructions. Set aside.
2) Heat olive oil in a pan. Add onions and potatos and sautee for a couple of minutes. Add garlic, dried thyme, and fennel seeds. Toss. Add sausage and sautee until potatoes are soft, onions are slightly golden, and sausage is nice and seared in places.
3) Add cooked barley and toss so everything is evenly mixed. Season to taste with salt and pepper and sautee a bit more just to mingle flavors. Take of heat and serve.
4) Serves 2.