Monday, August 19, 2013

A Culinary Monday

Happy Monday!

Great comments yesterday about friendship - I am always so blown away by the thoughtful discussions here!

We had a lovely Sunday - my dreams of lazing were only partially achieved as I actually did some well-needed housework.  However, in the evening we went to see some friends that we have not seen in a while.  They had just put in the most amazing water feature in their garden - it looks like a little brook - so we went to see and drink Rose and listen to the babble of the fake brook which looked anything but fake..

I know it's not Miller Time Friday, but I must share a cocktail recipe before the summer is out.

The August issue of O had a recipe for a summer cocktail, The Berry Patch, I had been dying to try:

Ingredients

  • 1 sprig mojito mint
  • 1 sprig pineapple sage
  • 1/2 lime
  • 4-5 strawberries
  • 1 1/2 ounces white rum
  • 1/2 ounce St-Germain elderflower liqueur
  • Sparkling wine, optional

Directions

 Squeeze lime juice into a cocktail shaker and add all the other ingredients. Gently crush the strawberries and herbs with a muddler. Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Top with sparkling wine, if desired.

I had all the ingredients in my garden and on my liquor cart, so I was away to the races.

What it looked like in the magazine:

Berry Patch Cocktail

What it looked like Chez Wendy:


Hmmm.....that was refreshing....

I also decided to roast some chicken breasts last night.  I am a big chicken breast girl (insert your own joke).  I looked around the kitchen to see what I had and came up with this recipe of my own design which was quite tasty and a big hit by the three eaters (myself included!)

Wendy's Lavender-Rose-Cape Gooseberry Chicken
  • Chop up sage and lavender (not the buds)
  • Put under the skin and then salt and pepper the chicken
  • heat olive oil and some butter in a pan, medium high heat
  • brown, take chicken out of frying pan and put in roasting pan.
  • Add rose wine to the frying pan and toss in a bunch of lavender buds, boil down by half
  • Add more rose (just a bit) and toss in champagne (or regular grapes) and cape gooseberries
  • pour over chicken pieces.  You shouldn't have made more than 1/2 cup of sauce
  • roast in 375 oven till done - I always use a meat thermometer as I want my chicken moist
  • eat up!
A picture of it going into the oven:

you can see the roasting potatoes above.  I served these with a mesclun salad
And all done:


Have you ever eaten a cape gooseberry?  We got a box of them in our farm box this week and they are very good!


Apparently, they were originally cultivated in the Andes (though another site mentioned South Africa, so I am really not sure) and they have a sweet tartness that I love.

I rarely use a recipe now when I am doing chicken this way - just see what I have and try to make it as tasty and interesting as I can.  I am sharing this one as it was quite a hit!

Have you cooked anything great lately?  Do tell!

Have a great Monday and stay safe out there!

17 comments:

  1. Thanks for another great recipe, that looks so good and easy to do. Last night I made cioppino. I like soup-based dishes that you just put together and simmer. Looking forward to another week of fabulous WMM posts.

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    1. Well there will be posts Marie, can't promise fabulousness! I hope you like the chicken! I love soup-based dishes as well! Have a great day!

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  2. Ooh, your drink and dinner look so good Wendy! I wish I could have you come and whip up some of these in my kitchen.

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    1. And then we could go play in your garden! Sounds fun!

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  3. The chicken looks amazing, the most I muster is plain roast chicken, I'm too lazy to cook, and also, all of a sudden my belly says : hungry, must eat now, or else" I can rarely wait to eat once hunger strikes.

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    1. ha! I cook every night though I am sure that is a product of having three or four or five people to feed nightly!

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  4. I've never had those cape gooseberries. Love the color and I bet they were good with that chicken. I roast chicken with a lemon in the cavity--skewered with holes-- and some garlic, sea salt and pepper. Easy peasy.

    I made Ismail Merchant corn, channeled by the late great Lori Colwin : cut some corn off the cob, simmer gently in some butter, add half and half or cream and cayenne and salt to taste. Crazy good.

    I've never though to actually put pineapple sage in anything but iced tea. Must try that drink!

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    1. I have a ton of pineapple sage, so plan to dry a lot and use in in chickens all winter! Love the idea of the corn!

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  5. I LOVE cape gooseberries! I used to have a huge bush of it years ago.

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    1. I have never seen them on a bush! That must be so pretty!

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  6. This all looks delicious. I'm coming over for dinner, though between flights and drives, I probably won't be there until tomorrow. Oh, and I am bringing George as my +1!

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  7. Sob. Sob..Sniffle. Sniffle. I will take two of those drinks, please.

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  8. Nyummy of all counts there! I love the look and ingredients for that cocktails sounds very refreshing and fwooty! I am a big chicken breast and thigh girl too (oh er missus) I even eat roast chicken for brekkie, in fact I just did this morning

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    1. You know - I have never done chicken for breaky...

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    2. Well, then you have to go down south and have chicken and a biscuit. Not healthy, but pretty nom.

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