Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Pot Roast
Cold, very cold... Most of continental Europe is freezing in temperatures well below zero, but even our -2 to 5 degrees is more than I would like to have to handle. This morning I cycled to work past frost covered cars on frost covered roads, slightly worried about Ireland's unlicensed drivers and their abilities to manoeuver a vehicle in such conditions, but mostly just longing for my warm bed, a nice big cup of café au lait, a freshly baked almond croissant and a good book. Instead, when I finally made it to the office without either being harmed or harming any of my motorised co-strugglers (albeit not without fantasies of harming the odd vehicle itself), I settled for a caffè latte, a banana and a bowl of Oxfam's (very reccommendable) fair traded musli (for more information on Oxfam Fair Trade Food, click here). In fact, I can reccommend most things I have bought in my local Fair Trade Shop on South King Street. The only exception has been Teadirect Earl Grey Tea, which was a tad to weak for my taste. I prefer Clipper. Anyway, now that I have advertised my pet project, fair traded food (OK, I can't resist to say it once more and put it even more bluntly: Don't make children work for tuppence so you can have a cheap cuppa!!!), let me get back to the day.It went by rather quickly and locked up in the office all day, I had no idea that the air had stayed clear and crisp until I got off. Accordingly, the ride home was a rather chilly experience, which needed to be compensated by a nice hot dinner. Unfortunately, our fridge was empty again. I must admit that I'm very bad when it comes to meal planning. I love to shop for food, I love to cook, but deciding today what I will want to eat on the weekend is impossible for me. I buy on impulse, I cook on impulse. What if I plan to have steak, but really fancy vegetable quiche? No, no, no, no, no. I can't let that happen. Anyway, an empty fridge in my place generally means that there is enough stuff still kicking about somewhere for at least another three to four dinners; it's just that these tend to be such things as pasta, risotto or stir fry. But tonight we needed something more substantial, something ... I dread to use the word remembering George Carlin's absolutely brilliant rant about it ... hearty. Scouring the fridge I found a few large button mushrooms, a carrot and some cream. I had some old potatoes slowly growing into plants and a few pearl onions going soft at the bottom of the cupboard. Along with some garlic (rule number one: never, ever run out of garlic! Freshly chopped and combined with spaghetti and some good extra virgin olive oil it constitutes a dinner in its own right, although you might want to consider what your plans are the next day.), sage, rosemary, a few bay leaves and two of the chicken legs that I tend to keep in the freezer for days like these, this mess started to look decidedly like a pot roast. And that's exactly what it turned out to be. So, if you next run out of food, have a cold day at the office or just fancy to provide George Carlin with someone to laugh about, try this chicken pot roast for two:
2 chicken legsObviously, if you don't have or don't want chicken, most poultry would work with this recipe, but you might have to adjust the cooking time according to the size of the piece of meat used. I'm sure even pork or lamb could be used, but I would advise against beef unless you like yours well done. Roast beef is a whole different chapter and is, in my opinion, best eaten rare to medium and definitely without the creamy sauce. Other vegetables that you could use with or instead of the carrots are celery and parsnips (although I admit, I hate both with a passion). I finished the meal with a nice cup of café au lait (I personally like filter Cafédirect's rich roast, which is meant to be an ordinary filter coffee, brewed in an espresso machine, which gives it a lovely crema and a very strong aroma, topped with hot foamed milk) and some chocolate thins. Now that's what I call a perfect evening.
4 to 5 cloves of garlic, halved or quartered depending on size
about 5 large pearl onions, halved or quartered depending on size
1 carrot, halved or quartered lengthways depending on thickness, and then chopped into 4 cm long chunks
2 large potatoes, cut into big chunks
2 handfuls of button mushrooms, chopped into large chunks (or left whole if small)
a small handful of dried mushrooms
a few fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped, or 1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp rosemary, chopped
4 small or 2 large bay leaves
½ cup white wine
1 oxo cube (or enough stock granules for 200 ml of water) dissolved in 100 ml of water
a know of butter (about 1 1/2 tbsp)
1 tbsp four
½ cup cream (more or thick cream if you like a creamier sauce, omit it if you prefer a clear, gravy-like sauce)
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celcius. Melt the butter in a casserole dish or ovenproof pan that you have a lid for over medium heat. Fry the chicken from both sides until golden. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Now add the onion, garlic, button mushrooms and bay leaves to the pot and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mushrooms are beginning to shrink.
Add the dried mushrooms, sage and rosemary, stir and add the wine. Reduce then add the stock. Take off the heat and put the chicken on top, skin side up. Cover with the lid and put in the preheated oven.
After 10 minutes add the potatoes. Pour some of the fat floating on top of the sauce over the potatoes to get the surfaces nice and moist. Replace the cover and continue roasting.
After another 10 minutes add the carrots, tucking them in under the chicken. Baste the potatoes again and put the casserole, without the lid, back in the oven. Roast for a further 40 minutes, basting the chicken and potatoes occasionally if necessary. If they don't appear dry, try to resist the temptation of basting though.
When the chicken is tender and the potatoes are lightly crisp, remove them and keep them in a warm place. Heat the sauce over high heat. Sprinkle the flour over it and, stirring rapidly bring the mixture to a boil. Add some water if it appeard dry or sticky, boil a little while if it appears too thin. Do not overdo the flour unless you want it to turn similar in consistency to cheap Chinese takeout! Remove from the stove and stir in cream. Do not bring back to the boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Arrange the chicken on two plates, put half of the cooked vegetables in sauce next to it and top the sauce with the roast potatoes.
Christine at 9:23 pm
