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What do you do when you are on your own for the evening? I’ll tell you what I did last Friday. I bought some gorgeous ingredients for a main meal, a bottle of red wine and a melt in the middle chocolate pudding from Marks and Spencer and ice-cream. It was more than enough to make up for a night watching Sport Relief.
For diner I cooked an Asian Lamb salad al la Nigella. The recipe came from her Nigella Express book. A lot of people knock Nigella because she is not a chef and because her food is often very fattening or because she uses pre-made products. But I don’t think she deserves a hard time, her programmes are light entertainment if nothing else with her long sexy stares into the camera and constant sly smile.
Because she is a cook and not a chef she has devised lots of excellent recipes that can be made at home easily and she has created a whole book of gorgeous recipes for busy people without lowering herself to frozen mash potato, pre-grated cheese or tinned mince (we all know who I am talking about).
The Asian salad was just salad leaves laid on a plate with thin slices of rare lamb laid over the top, doused with a delicious zingy, spicy, sweet, Asian dressing and scattered with spring onions. It was quick, simple and very tasty.
I proceeded with the melt in the middle chocolate pudding, which really is as delicious as it looks on the M&S advert with soft vanilla ice-cream.
I rounded off the night by finishing off my wine (a beautiful Rioja tempranillo 2005 from Tesco £4.50 down from £8!!) and as if I wasn’t full enough some strong Cheddar cheese and a few Bertolli tomato and oregano focaccia bites.
Well what is a girl to do on her own but spoil herself?
This is a deliciously warming but vibrant dish that is both easy to make and very healthy. I love to cook on the stove, so I can stand over a pan of bubbling sauce or aromatic stock. I find stirring a relaxing activity that soothes the mind after a busy day. Having said that this dish takes little work and once the ingredients are in you just put the lid on and leave it.
As soon as you drop the spices and flavourings into the pan it gives of a beautiful smell that leaves your mouth watering until you finish your last mouthful.
This recipe was originally in a BBC Good Food book but I have adapted it for my taste and to get the right proportions. I find this is just right for two hungry people with a bowl of brown rice or couscous to share.
4 chicken thighs, no bones, no skin.
3/4 pint of chicken stock
2 white onions finely chopped (sounds like a lot but it isn’t)
1 tbsp of honey
Half a large courgette chopped into sticks
One can of chickpeas.
I usually guess the spices (you can add more chili for a bit more of a kick)
1tsp ground cumin
1tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
And to finish some chopped parsley and juice of 1/2 a lemon (very important)
Place the chicken thighs and all of the onion in a large pot and cover with the stock. Add all the spices and the honey and stir. Place the lid tightly on and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the courgette and chickpeas. Replace lid and cook for a further 10 minutes. Before serving stir in the parsley and lemon juice. Serve in a bowl with all the juices – and a spoon.
