Masala Chicken -Madhur Jaffrey but slightly changed again...

My Pleasure is *Cooking*

Ingredients
For the marinade

• 4 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp Veg Ghee or Oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp garam masala

For the chicken

• 1.75 kg whole chicken, skinned
• ½ tsp chilli powder1
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C

2. For the marinade: Place all the marinade ingredients in a blender and process to a paste.

3. Using a sharp knife, make two deep, diagonal cuts into each breast of the chicken, going all the way down to the bone. Make two equally deep slashes in the thighs and two in the drumsticks as well.

4. Place the chicken, breast side up, on a roasting tray lined with enough foil to cover the bird completely. Pour the marinade paste over the chicken, rubbing it well into all the cuts. Put in the fridge for 30 minutes.

5. For the chicken: Sprinkle the chilli powder and black pepper over the chicken evenly. Wrap up the chicken in the foil so it is completely covered, with the tightly closed seam at the top. Bake in the middle of the hot oven for 1 hour.

6. Unwrap, without letting the juices run out, and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes, basting two or three times with the juices.

7. Check the chicken is cooked by inserting a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh, between the leg and the body. If the juices run clear with no trace of pink, it is cooked. Continue to cook for a little longer if needed.

8. Set the chicken in a warm place to rest for 10-15 minutes, then carve and serve.

.एपीटिट बॉन Bon Appétit

Back Writing and testing Recipes

My Pleasure is *Cooking*
 I have not done anything on here this summer, been so busy back and forth to the UK
Then renovating on the new apartments!
Then Facebook, I have written loads of notes on my facebook *Notes* section and also been writing for one of the local magazines here in France, which has been brilliant, but I have let my blog laps, so going to copy from *Notes* to My Blog...
Also hooked on Twitter, brilliant way to keep up with Chef's


.एपीटिट बॉन Bon Appétit

Family visiting us here in France

My Pleasure is *Cooking* .

Well had a busy couple of weeks,
One week in our Camping Car (as they call them here in France) Motor-home or Camper van to the rest of Europe.
We went down to the Dordogne, had brilliant weather and visited the Vineyards and chateau's around the area. One Ville that stood out was Saint-Émilion, it was the buying season and all the buyers in their dark suits were in town, so lots of tastings of wine or dégustations as it is called here. If you come to France this one of the place's I would recommend a visit.

Bon Appétit

Barbecued Whole Mackerel

My Pleasure is *Cooking* .

We have brilliant weather at the moment, Spring has finally sprung, So we are having a BBQ with friends this afternoon, So I bought Mackerel on the market yesterday, This is a recipe we use a lot in the summer, because we love fish.

4 Whole Mackerels	Gutted
Handful of Rosemary Sprigs
1 Head of Garlic
Rosemary – Infused Olive Oil	To Drizzle
Sea Salt & Black Pepper
2 Lemons	Halved

Directions:

Mackerel spoils quickly and you should really cook them on the day of purchase, or if you’re lucky enough to live by the sea, freshly caught. It is much easier to grill a whole fish on the bone, rather than filleted, but you do need to score the thick flesh to ensure even cooking. Oily fish always go well with robust herbs such as rosemary.

1.     Preheat the barbecue or grill. Wash the mackerel well and dry both the inside and outside of the fish with kitchen paper. Score the skin of each fish with a few diagonal slashes on both sides and scatter over rosemary sprigs. 

2.     Break the garlic into individual cloves and push the cloves through four long sprigs of rosemary. Stick a sprig inside each fish and season all over with salt and pepper and a generous drizzle of rosemary-infused oil.

3.     Lay the fish on top of the hot barbecue or grill and cook for about 5 minutes until the flesh is firm and opaque. Carefully turn over the fish and grill for another 4-5 minutes until cooked through. (Don’t worry if a few rosemary leaves fall into the hot coals – they will provide an aromatic smokiness to the fish.) Add the lemon halves to the barbecue, cut side down, for a couple of minutes until lightly caramelised.

4.     Serve each fish with a caramelised lemon half and a drizzle more of rosemary oil.

Lots of Salad and crusty bread


 Bon Appétit