Light Chicken Jalfrezi

Jalfrezi is one of the most popular Indian curries in the UK. It includes a mixture of stir-fry vegetables, typically peppers, tomatoes and onions. Unlike many curries, vegetables are not cooked into a pulp, but left intact, making this curry a beautiful mixture of colours. I wanted my jalfrezi to be a bit lighter, so the sauce I prepared to go with it is not as thick as in most curries, but it has just as much flavour.

You'll need:

one double chicken breast 

3 tomatoes

1 green pepper

1 yellow pepper

2 onions

3-4 green chillis

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

4 table spoons of natural yoghurt

1/2 glass of water

turmeric

cumin

garam masala

salt and pepper

a pinch of sugar

sunflower oil

1. Chop 2 green chillis (remove the seeds if you don't want your Jalfrezi to be too spicy). I used two because in Italy green chillis are hardly ever very spicy, but if you find a spicy variety, one might be sufficient.

2. Chop 2 tomatoes. Cut the chicken breast into small cubes of around 3cm.

3. Heat up a deep pan and put some oil on it. Add chopped chillis and garlic.Allow them to fry for around 30 seconds and then add chopped tomatoes, tumeric, cumin, garam masala and a pinch of salt and sugar. Fry for another 3 minutes or so until the tomatoes get soft.

4. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes and then add water and yoghurt.Cut the remaining chillis alongside, without cutting them into half and add to the pan. Allow the mixture to simmer gently for around 10 minutes or until the sauce reduces. The yoghurt might separate at first, but it should be fine after a while.

5. Cut the peppers into 4cm slices and cut the onions into wedges. Stir-fry them together on another pan, adding some salt and garam masala. 

6. Cut the remaining tomato into wedges and add to the pan with the peppers and onions towards the end of stir-frying them.

7. Add the vegetables to the chicken with the sauce and serve with rice or naans.

Bon appétit!

Peach mousse with a hint of cardamom

You have guests and no time to prepare a dessert, but still want to show off a little bit with sth unconventional? Here's a dessert for you.

You'll need:

1 peach or nectarine (per head)

2 cardamom pods

2 tea spoons of brown sugar

50g of cream (cooled)

Kamis dessert spice mix (or self-made equivalent that contains vanilla, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon)

1. Cut your peach/nectarine into pieces and blend together with the seeds from the cardamom pods and sugar. Transfer into a glass or a bowl and cool down in a fridge.

2. Whip your cream and add it on top of your mousse.

3. Sprinkle with the spice mix on top, et voila!

 

Bon appétit!

Beef steak with gorgonzola with grilled mushrooms and cherry tomatoes on the side

Despite a continuous stream of articles on the hazards of eating red meet, I still believe that there are few things in life that are better than a beef steak for Sunday dinner. A little guilty pleasure from time to time can do no harm, right? Today I propose a simple beef steak with gorgonzola together with a few tips on how to make a perfect steak.

You'll need:

One beef steak

25g of gorgonzola

salt & pepper

5 mushrooms

10 cherry tomatoes

salad of choice 

tarragon

butter

oil

1. TIP: Remove your steak from the fridge at least half an hour before grilling/frying. It has to be at room temperature to remain tender after grilling.

2. Rub your steak with a generous dose of sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Make sure it's covered on both sides. Normally, I would also use garlic and some herbs (e.g thyme), but since this time it is to be served with gorgonzola on top I decided to keep things simple.

3. Heat up a grill pan with oil. Put your steak on the pan (always moving away from yourself) and grill it, making sure it spends equal amount of time on both sides. TIP: Add some butter for some extra flavour. TIP: the best way to get to know the temperature of your steak is by touching it. If it feels like the inner side of your palm - it's rare, if it feels like the inner side of your wrist - it's medium, if it feels like the mid-way point  to your elbow - it's well done.

 4. When you think that the steak is almost to your liking, put some crumbled gorgonzola on top and cover the pan with a lid. 30 seconds later it should be deliciously melted on top of your steak.

5. Remove the steak from the pan and allow it to rest for a few minutes.

6. Use the same pan to grill fry (previously washed and sliced) mushrooms and cherry tomatoes. This way you can get back some of that amazing flavour from the steak! Season with tarragon while grilling.

7. Assemble everything on a plate, together with some fresh salad in simple vinegrette, et voila!

Bon appétit!

Cheshire cheese and pineapple chicken

A slightly exotic combination of flavours that will bring freshness to your kitchen. I used to make it very often when I lived in the UK, it's a quick dinner idea that can satisfy even the most demanding palates. Cheshire cheese melts very easily, but since it's rather crumbly to start with it doesn't go chewy when melted. This dish works very well if served with rice.

You'll need:
one chicken breast
100g of Cheshire cheese, sliced (Lancanshire cheese also works well)
around a quarter of a pineapple (or half of a can), cut into pieces
tarragon
salt & pepper
olive oil

1. Cut the chicken breast into thin fillets. Season with tarragon, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. Warm up a pan and olive oil.
3. Fry the chicken on one side. Once you turn it to the other side, add sliced cheese and pineapple. Cover with a lid and fry for 2 more minutes, et voila!

Bon appétit!