We had good friends over for dinner last night, friends we had not been able to get together with for almost a year, given a whole series of tedious scheduling complications, yada yada yada, so I was particularly keen to make them a great meal.
I pulled out my Nigella Lawson Christmas Cookbook and made some of my favourite treats.
We love Nigella in our house and our ardour has not been reduced one bit by her recent troubles.
The Menu for last night?
- baked brie with a grape/balsamic vinegar compote
- A red salad, comprised of red cabbage, radicchio, pomegranate seeds and red pepper with a honey mustard vinaigrette (a Nigella recipe from above)
- Christmas couscous with lovely middle eastern spices, fresh coriander and pomegranate seeds (a Nigella recipe from above)
- Champagne Chicken - I got this recipe from the biography of the Veuve Cliquot and whenever I found myself with exactly one cup of champagne left in a bottle (which causes me great distress that this even happens to begin with), I make this recipe!
- Spruced up Vanilla Cake (a Nigella recipe from above) with a strawberry compote, the recipe can be found here. People love this cake and I find it gauche to discuss calories around the holidays - check self-righteousness at door, take small piece if you must, but embrace the cake, my sweet embraceable you!
The recipe for the Champagne chicken is dead easy and is by Mireille Guiliano:
Chicken au Champagne
INGREDIENTS
4 chicken breasts (with skin and bone)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Chervil, tarragon, or thyme (optional)
1 shallot, quartered
1 cup Champagne (Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut recommended)
Yield: 4 Servings
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Chervil, tarragon, or thyme (optional)
1 shallot, quartered
1 cup Champagne (Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut recommended)
Yield: 4 Servings
RECIPE
Place the chicken breasts in a roasting pan, and season them. Pour 1/2 cup of the Champagne over breasts. Make a slit in each breast and insert a piece of shallot.
Place the pan under the broiler, skin-side up, for 3 minutes, until the skin is nicely browned. Turn and broil the other side for 5 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the broiler, baste with the pan juices, and add the remaining 1/2 cup of Champagne. Adjust the oven temperature to 475 degrees and bake the chicken for 30 minutes, basting once or twice.
Serve over brown rice. Sautéed mushrooms add a special touch and go beautifully with Champagne. (In a warm frying pan with a touch of olive oil, add clean, roughly chopped mushrooms, and cook for a few minutes. Add a few drops of lemon juice, freshly chopped sage, seasoning to taste and 1 tablespoon of butter.) Pour the cooking juices from the chicken over the meat and rice. Serve the remainder of the bottle of Champagne (about 6 glasses) with the meal.
Place the pan under the broiler, skin-side up, for 3 minutes, until the skin is nicely browned. Turn and broil the other side for 5 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the broiler, baste with the pan juices, and add the remaining 1/2 cup of Champagne. Adjust the oven temperature to 475 degrees and bake the chicken for 30 minutes, basting once or twice.
Serve over brown rice. Sautéed mushrooms add a special touch and go beautifully with Champagne. (In a warm frying pan with a touch of olive oil, add clean, roughly chopped mushrooms, and cook for a few minutes. Add a few drops of lemon juice, freshly chopped sage, seasoning to taste and 1 tablespoon of butter.) Pour the cooking juices from the chicken over the meat and rice. Serve the remainder of the bottle of Champagne (about 6 glasses) with the meal.
I swear you will thank me (and Mireille!). The chicken is the most golden hue and when you spoon the champagne chicken juices over (avert eyes Janet!), you are in ecstasy!
I spruced myself up too, opting for a black cashmere sweater, black taffeta skirt and new black suede studded Kikis. The latter filled a gap in my wardrobe, replacing the high heeled version I have had for several years which I never wear. I am now down to about 5 pairs of heels and that is it. Given my flat feet and desire for comfort and happiness in my everyday wardrobe, I may eliminate the heels, save one or two, altogether in 2014 - they simply hurt my back. Since my life is all about being authentic and true to myself now, I must admit that despite my wee height, 5'2", I no longer feel the need to try to become a 5'5" Amazon (!), content to believe that good things come in small packages!
Close up of the comfy shoes:
You will see I am actually wearing a the JCrew stone pendant. This was a very cheap "ride-along" during the big sale when I bought the shoes; it is nice pop of colour.
This is a REALLY comfortable outfit and so I will likely trot it out many times this winter!
How about you - are you dressing comfortably for your holiday shenanigans?
It is snowing AGAIN! I guess we will well and truly have a white Christmas! Have a great day and stay safe out there!
