Dinner Party Perfection - Coq Au Vin

I love entertaining and having people up for dinner.  I wouldn't say I'm a confident host or that I excel in anyway in this role but I try.  I love having people for dinner as it allows me to try make something really tasty and special.  So in the immediate excitement of having people for dinner, I get totally carried away and dream about producing a dinner that is super complicated, super out-there and that in real life, would be impossible for me to do at this stage.  Once I have calmed down and I realistically plan out my meal, a main like this is always ideal as it is simple yet still delicious and special enough to serve for a dinner party.

As I said, I am probably not a confident host yet so I am all about reducing stress by getting the gist of the meal prepared in advance and making a dish that is easy for me to time out.  One pan oven dishes are perfect for these occasions.  Pop it in the oven.  Set a timer before adding any finishing touches. That means the only thing you have left to organise is your side dishes and I have a great Sous Chef to help me with this.

I have made this Coq Au Vin a couple of times and while it might not look like much in the picture below, it tastes beautiful.  I really do love it.  I also think it looks quite impressive to serve.  While I make this for entertaining, I also think it is a handy dinner for a Sunday but if it is just for Conor and I, I'll make a few swaps (onion for shallots for instance).

This recipe is from Bill Granger and i promise, it is beautiful and easy!  I served with mashed potatoes, veg and a big glass of wine.

Ingredients

1.5kg chicken, jointed

150g diced bacon or lardons

10 french shallots

A few thyme sprigs

1 rosemary sprig

1 tsp dried chilli flakes

3 tbsp olive oil

250ml white wine

small knob butter

350g mixed mushrooms

3 garlic cloves, crushed

Method

Pre-heat oven to 220C / Gas Mark 7.  Put the chicken pieces into a large roasting tin.  Scatter the diced bacon, shallots, thyme, rosemary and dried chilli flakes over the chicken pieces and then season with salt and pepper. 

Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over the contents of the roasting tin and place into the oven to bake for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes and once the chicken has been roasted, add the white wine to the roasting tin and return to the oven for 20 - 25 mins.

How easy is this recipe??

In a large frying pan, add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the butter.  Once the butter has melted and is foaming, add the mushrooms and garlic.  Fry for 3 - 5 minutes then pour the garlic mushroom mix into the roasting tin.

Finish with a scattering of fresh parsley if you have any.  Serve with creamy mash and veg. 

I love this recipe because the main meal roasts away in the oven whilst you work away preparing your creamy mash potatoes and your preferred veg.  Perfect for when you are entertaining as it doesn't put you under too much pressure!

Easter Lemon Curd Pavlova

Pavlova - The fail safe dessert for my nearly in-laws!

My mum is the Queen of pavlovas!! There I said it. She has many varieties including one with cream and tinned cherries - Cherries on a Cloud and a pavlova roll that is filled with cream and pineapple chunks.  Immense.  Pavlova has always been a fave with my family and it turns out that Pavlova is a fail safe dessert for my nearly in-laws too.

With my mum - The Pavlova Queen

My future father in-law is quite particular when it comes to food. The most remarkable thing for me is that he doesn't like butter.... Really though.  Who doesn't like butter?  This means that most of my fave desserts are a no-go, even if you do make them with margarine (which he does eat!). And so it is - pavlova is my go-to.

I made this Pavlova for Mother's Day at Conor's mum's house and it went down a treat. I also made it for Easter last year. The original recipe is from Mary Berry and where Mary made her Lemon Curd - I cheated and bought some this time.  So this Pavlova is really easy peasy!

One I made earlier - Easter 2015

Ingredients

6 Free Range Egg Whites

350g Caster Sugar

2 Tsp White Wine Vinegar

2 Level Tsp Cornflour

Good Quality Lemon Curd

Double cream

Mini Eggs

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 160C / Gas Mark 3.  Prepare the baking tray by lining it with baking paper and drawing a 25cm circle on it.

Put the egg whites into a clean bowl and using an electric hand-mixer or a free-standing mixer, whisk on high speed until the the egg whites are stiff.  While still mixing, gradually add the sugar to the mixture. Add a tablespoon at a time until the mixture is thick and glossy and can stand in peaks.

Now for the test - tip the bowl upside down over your head.  If it doesn't fall out on top of you then you're doing well!!  If it does, you've just made a mighty mess and your pavlova is not right.... Do not let this define you.  You are more than your pavlova. 

In a cup, combine the cornflour and white wine vinegar and mix until smooth.  Stir this into the meringue mix.

Using a bit of the meringue mix in each corner, stick the baking paper on to the baking tray.  Put half of the meringue mix onto the baking sheet and spread it around to fill out the circle.  Next put the remaining meringue mix into a piping bag with a rose piping nozzle and pipe nests onto the top of your meringue.  

Mary Berry aims to put 10 nests onto the top of her meringue, I think I just put around 8 on it as my meringue was slightly smaller.  You can see from my photos that I have decorated this differently a couple of times so freestyle if you like.  Also, if you don't have a piping bag/nozzle you could maybe make a bigger pavlova or maybe make some smaller meringues that you could use later in a lovely Eton Mess. The great thing about Pavlova is that once you have the method sorted to this point, you can finish the pavlova whatever way you like!

Place the baking tray into the oven and turn the heat down to 150c / Gas mark 2.  Bake in the oven for 1hour.  After this time, check it regularly to ensure that it develops a pale creamy colour.

Mary Berry keeps hers in the oven for 1.5 hours to 2 hours but I like my pavlova to be lightly crispy on the outside and marshmallowy on the inside rather than crisp throughout so I have reduced the cooking time. 

As Mary is Queen, she makes her own lemon curd and candied lemon zest. Of course she does! I love lemon curd and I use it quite a lot in my baking but I just bought mine.  Buy a good quality lemon curd if possible.

Remove the pavlova from the oven and leave to cool.  Once cool, carefully peel the baking paper off the bottom of the pavlova.  I did this by separating the pavlova from the baking paper around the sides first then, with a plate ready, slide the pavlova onto the plate whilst removing the remaining baking paper. 

Whisk double cream until thick and then swirl the lemon curd in through this. 

In the pavlova pictured below, I put a layer of lemon curd over the pavlova then put the cream on top rather than swirling the lemon curd through the cream.  I think I prefer swirling the lemon curd through the cream as it is a little too much the other way.

I like to add a handful of marshmallows to the pavlova before adding the lemon curd cream.  This is totally optional.  I just do it for a little extra yumminess!

Add the lemon curd cream to the middle of the pavlova and if you can, put some into the little nests also.  Pop around 3 mini eggs into each of the nests or decorate as you like!  Your Easter Lemon Pavlova is complete.

Mother's Day 2016

Ready for my close up