English Recipes

Ingredients

2.3kg (5lb) chicken
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 small, finely chopped onion
1 tbsp curry paste
1 tbsp tomato puree
100ml red wine
1 bay leaf
1/2 lemon juice
4 finely chopped apricot halves
300ml (1/2 pint) Mayonnaise
100ml (4 fl oz) whipping cream
Salt and pepper
Watercress to garnish

Method

1. Remove the skin from the chicken and cut the meat into small pieces.
2. Grill the chicken pieces until cooked.
3. In a small saucepan, heat the oil, and fry the onion for about three minutes, until softened.
4. Add the curry paste, tomato puree, wine, bay leaf and lemon juice.
5. Simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes until well reduced.
6. Strain the mixture and leave to cool.
7. Puree the chopped apricot halves in a blender or food processor or through a sieve.
8. Beat the cooled sauce into the mayonnaise with the apricot puree.
9. Whip the cream to stiff peaks and fold into the mixture.
10. Season, adding a little extra lemon juice if necessary.
11. Fold in the chicken pieces, garnish with watercress and serve.

Definitions:-

To beat: To thoroughly combine ingredients and incorporate air with a rapid, circular motion. This may be done with a wooden spoon, wire whisk, rotary eggbeater, electric mixer or food processor.

To fold: A method of gently mixing ingredients. The lighter mixture is placed on top of the heavier mixture, then the two are combined by passing a spatula down through the mixture, across the bottom, and up over the top. This process continues until the mixtures are combined.

To fry: To cook in hot fat.

To grill - To cook by direct radiant heat.

To purée: To press raw or cooked food through a fine sieve or blend in a food processor or liquidiser to produce a smooth mixture.

To reduce: To simmer or boil a liquid in an uncovered pan until it thickens. Reducing concentrates the flavour of the liquid. We say the liquid has been reduced.

To simmer: To keep a liquid just below boiling point, usually in a pan on the hob, e.g. simmer the sauce until it starts to thicken.

To strain: To pass wet ingredients through a sieve to remove lumps or pieces of food, eg strain the stock to remove any small pieces of meat or flavourings.

To whip: To beat rapidly using a fork, hand or electric whisk to introduce air into a mixture or single ingredient to increase the volume.