Chicken Piccata – serves 4
A fresh and zingy one-pan chicken dish, adapted from a recipe by chef Holly Nilsson. Serve with a carb of your choice and a seasonal green vegetable such as asparagus or French beans.
- 4 skinless chicken breasts, about 175g each;
- 4 tablespoons plain flour, plus 1.5 tablespoons set aside;
- 1 teaspoon each of salt and ground black pepper;
- zest and juice of 1 lemon;
- 2 teaspoons sugar;
- 75g butter;
- 1 tablespoon olive oil;
- 450ml chicken stock using 2 cubes;
- 2 tablespoons capers (soak briefly in a little milk then drain);
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley.
Method:
Flatten each chicken breast by placing in between two sheets of greaseproof paper and gently bash with a rolling pin until about half an inch thick.
Mix the 4 tablespoons of flour, salt and pepper and tip onto a dinner plate.
In a large frying pan, gently melt the oil and half the butter then bring to a medium heat.
Dip each chicken breast in the flour and fry in batches for around 5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the remaining butter to the pan. Once melted, add the flour, stirring briskly into the butter, scraping up any brown bits, and cook for 2 minutes.
Gradually add the stock, whisking until smooth after each addition.
Add the lemon zest and juice, sugar, capers and half the parsley, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Return the chicken to the pan, and simmer in the sauce for around 5 minutes or until heated through.
Stir in the remaining parsley, season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
Quick Upside-down Fruit Tarts – makes 6
More of an assembly job than a recipe, these have gone viral on the internet recently. You can use a wide variety of fruit – here I’ve used seasonal strawberries (nearly time for the amazing Forde Abbey ones to land in the village shop!). Children love making these as they can get creative with the fillings – pear and marzipan, raspberries and Nutella, etc.
- 1 sheet puff pastry;
- maple syrup;
- brown sugar,
- butter;
- 1 punnet strawberries or fruit of choice;
- Nutella or similar (optional)
Method:
Heat oven to 200°C (Fan 180°C).
Cover a large baking sheet with greaseproof paper. Cut the sheet of pastry into 6 even rectangles and set aside.
Roughly calculate where the centre of each piece of pastry will be on the greaseproof paper, then drizzle a little maple syrup in the imaginary centre of each square.
Sprinkle a small teaspoon of brown sugar on top.
Finally, place thick slices of strawberries on top, to form small rectangle shapes smaller than the pastry.
Dot with a little butter then cover each pile with a rectangle of pastry, like a blanket.
Press down and crimp the edges, brush with beaten egg, and cook in the oven for around 15 minutes or until golden brown.
When ready, remove from oven and leave to cool for 5 minutes before turning over with a wide spatula.
Serve with ice cream or cream.
Bon Appetit!
Ann’s previous recipes:
- May ’25 – Brie and Roasted Vegetable Galette / Blueberry Cheesecake squares
- Apr ’25 – Wild Garlic Pesto / Hot Cross Bun & Butter Pudding
- Mar ’25 – Carrot & Coriander Soup / Feta & Beetroot Soda Bread
- Feb ’25 – Keema Curry / Salted Caramel & Chocolate Mousse
- Jan ’25 – Lentil and Mushroom Ragù / Quesadillas
- Dec ’24 – Prawn Linguine with Crispy Bacon / Mince Pie Strudels
- Nov ’24 – Bonfire Pizza Beans / Rocky Road
- Oct ’24: – Tarragon Chicken / Pear and Ginger Upside Down Cake
- Sept ’24 – Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa / Guacomole
- Aug ’24 – Davesburgers / Summer Fruits Cake
- July ’24 – Salad Days – (a trio of salads, ideal for barbecues)
- June ’24 – Roasted Vegetable Ratatouille / Jean’s Tea Loaf
- May ’24 – Garlic Prawns (Gambas al Ajillo) / Tortilla española
- April ’24 – Slow cooked Chinese Beef with Ginger / Saucy St. Clements Pudding
- Mar ’24 – Macaroni Cheese with Leeks and Mushrooms / Welsh Cakes
- Feb ’24 – Quick Fish Chowder / Raspberry Cheesecake Hearts
- Jan ’24 – Scouse (or Lobscouse) / Ginger Cake
- Dec ’23 – Salmon in Filo / Easy Chocolate Mousse
- Nov ’23 – Squash & Sausage Pasta / Pear & Apple Sponge
