Chicken, bacon and mushroom filo pie

Chicken, bacon and mushroom filo pie

Ingredients:
1 onion finely chopped
Frylight spray/oil

3 chicken breasts diced
6 rashers of bacons chopped roughly
250g chestnut mushrooms
Sprinkling of ina parmaan chicken spice
Sprinkling of garlic and herbs seasoning (alternatively just use 2 cloves of garlic chopped)
2 tsp of dried tarragon
1 tsp of dried thyme
5 sheets of filo pastry
3 tbsp of plain flour
500g chicken stock made from one stock cube or a stock melt
Salt and pepper to taste

Melted butter to brush on the pastry


Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170C fan oven. In a large frying pan over a medium heat spray fry light. Add the onion and a little water and cook until transluscent. Add the herbs and spices. Next add the mushrooms for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the bacon next until it has cooked. Toss the flour into the chicken cubes and add to the pan.

2.  Next add the chicken stock, and you should get a nice lovely sauce. If it is too thick or thin for your liking either add more stock or a little more flour. Season with salt and pepper.

3.  Place the filling in a medium pie dish. Brush filo with butter and place on top of the pie dish. Repeat until all sheets are used. Overlap layers slightly and roll and scrunch pastry round the sides. Cook for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately with fresh vegetables and new potatoes.

Slow Cooker Beef Curry

Slow Cooker Beef Curry

Ingredients:

800 stewing beef
1 onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed or finely chopped
2 large green chillis deseeded and finely chopped
4 tsp of ground cumin
4 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground tumeric
5 tsp garam masala (or tandoori masala)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 x 400g chopped tomatoes
Freshly chopped coriander
400ml coconut milk
Enough cornflour to make a thick curry consistency
200g  greek yoghurt mixed with chopped cucumber and finely chopped coriander to make the raita

Method:

1.Combine all the ingredients into the slow cooker except the coconut milk and garam masala and coriander. Fill one of the empty cans of tomatoes with water and add to the mixture ensuring everything is covered evenly.

2. Cook on low for 5 hours, or on high if you are short of time.  Taste throughout, adding salt and pepper if needed or more chilli. If the sauce is thin add some cornflour and cold water, enough until you achieve the right consistency. 30 minutes before you are about to serve add the coconut milk,chopped coriander and the garam masala stirring occasionally. Serve immediately

Variations: Spinach 15 minutes before the end would also work perfectly. Alternatively cubed uncooked potato could be added at step one.

Tarragon chicken with peas and rice

Tarragon chicken with peas and rice

Ingredients:

8 chicken thighs skins removed
300ml good quality chicken stock
250ml white wine
1 onion chopped and finely diced
2 cloves of garlic chopped
2 tsp of fresh tarragon/dried tarragon
Lemon juice to taste
Salt and pepper to season
1 packet of chestnut mushrooms roughly chopped
Enough rice for four people cooked according to packet instructions
1 cup of peas
 2 tbsp of plain flour
1 tbsp sunflower oil
Philadelphia cream cheese


Method:

1.  Preheat the oven to 160 (fan). Place the chicken thighs into a casserole dish and sprinkle over the mushrooms.

2. Meanwhile heat a frying pan with a little oil, over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until transluscent. Turn down the heat,  and add the flour until it makes a sticky paste coating all the mixture. Add the wine and stock and stir frequently until the sauce thickens. Add the tarragon. Turn off the heat and place to one side.

3.  Add the sauce mixture to the chicken and mix thoroughly. Place lid on the casserole dish and cook for 1.5 hours.

4.  Cook the rice according to packet instructions and stir in the peas, salt and pepper and a dash of lemon juice. Mix well.

5. Serve immediately with a dollop of creme fraiche or philly cheese if desired.