Category Archives: Rice

Beans, Grains and pulses, Middle Eastern food, Rice, Soups and stews, Vegetarian main dishes

Harira (Moroccan Chick-Pea and Lentil Soup)

I love eating new foods and try to cook or bake a couple new things each week. People ask a lot about where I get all the new recipes. Usually I take a look in my pantry to see which ingredients are taking up the most shelf space, then check my fridge to see what produce is losing freshness the fastest. I can then search for recipes based on those ingredients. I use the Epicurious website and iPad app quite a bit. It allows me to pull up recipes by ingredients and gives me access to back issues of Gourmet as well as other cooking magazines like Bon Appétit. I first discovered this soup recipe when looking for a way to use up huge bags of bulk chickpeas, lentils and rice.  The saffron and fresh herbs brighten up these humble ingredients, making it one of my favorite “go to” recipes for winter.

I’m always on the lookout for new recipes. Feel free to send your favorites my way. I’d also love to know how you pick out new recipes.

harira

Harira

adapted from Gourmet, March 1994

The original Gourmet recipe is made with a whole chicken breast, which is simmered than shredded into the soup. I’ve adapted that recipe to make a vegetarian version.  Find the chicken-based recipe here.

4 cups (950 ml) broth (vegetable or chicken)
4 cups (950 ml) water
a 28-to 32-ounce (800-to 950 ml) can whole tomatoes, drained and puréed coarse
1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
2 medium onions, chopped fine
1 1/2 cups cooked dried chick-peas (recipe follows), or a 15-ounce (425 g) can, rinsed
1/2 cup (100 g) raw long-grain rice
3/4 cup (160 g) lentils
a large handful of fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
a large handful of fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped

In a large heavy kettle with a lid bring the broth and water to a boil. Add to the kettle the tomatoes, saffron, onions, chickpeas, rice, and lentils and simmer, covered, 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Soup may be prepared up to 4 days ahead (cool uncovered before chilling covered). Just before serving, stir in the coriander and parsley.

 

To Cook Dried Chickpeas:

To make about 2 cups cooked chick-peas begin with a scant cup (180 g) dried.

In a bowl soak the chickpeas in water to cover by 2 inches overnight and then drain. In a saucepan combine the drained chickpeas and water to cover by 2 inches and simmer, covered partially, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. Drain the chickpeas before using.

Indian food, Rice, Vegetarian main dishes

Vegetable Biryani

When I dine out, I almost always order the dish that I can’t make (think soufflé) or one that is too labor intensive to make at home. Invariably, that means a mole sauce at a Mexican restaurant, sushi at our favorite Japanese place, or biryani when we’re eating Indian. For those not familiar with biryani, it’s a fragrant rice-based dish popular in Pakistan, India, and beyond. I’ve tried several biryani recipes at home over the years, with mixed results. Traditional recipes involve several steps and multiple pans. This version is easier and less fattening than other recipes. The taste is just as good, if not better, than many restaurant versions that I’ve had. Great for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, don’t be afraid of the long ingredient list and feel free to swap in whatever vegetables you have handy. The original recipe calls for a small head of cauliflower and small red potatoes instead of zucchini. My fridge was pretty bare, but it didn’t stop me from getting a decent meal on the table.

Although substitute vegetables will work in this dish, the basmati rice is essential. If you don’t normally buy basmati, consider adding it to your shopping list. It can elevate the most humble of rice dishes and I find it more forgiving to cook than other rices and grains. I recently bought a 20 pound bag from Costco. My husband thought I was crazy but my fellow Costco afficiandos can appreciate a good deal when they see it. Speaking of Costco, check out my friend Outlaw Mama’s funny posts on the subject.

Vegetable Biryani
adapted from foodnetwork.com

I think biryani tastes best served with raita. Here is an easy raita recipe or, if you are out of cucumbers, just serve some plain yogurt alongside.

serves 4–6 as main course

For the rice:
1 cup (180 g) basmati rice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons raisins
2 tablespoons sliced almonds (blanched or toasted)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
3 whole cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1 3/4 cups (400 ml) water
1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the vegetables:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon peeled, minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons  raisins
2 tablespoons sliced almonds (blanched or toasted)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
5 whole cardamom pods
1 large or 2 small zucchini, diced
6 ounces green beans, cut into 1‑inch pieces
1 medium carrot, diced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup (160 ml) water
2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds

Make the rice: Place the rice in a sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, over medium-high heat. Add the golden raisins, almonds, turmeric, cumin seed, coriander seed, cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick and cook, stirring, until toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until toasted, about 1 minute more. Add the water and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, (wrap the lid tightly with a kitchen towel), cover, and steam until the rice is tender, 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

Meanwhile, make the vegetables. Melt the butter in a medium straight-sided skillet with a tight-fitting lid, over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the golden raisins, almonds, coriander seed, cumin seed, and cardamom and cook, stirring, until toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the zucchini, green beans, carrots, and salt. Raise the heat to high, pour in the water, and cook, covered, for 4 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender and most of the water has evaporated, about 1 1/2 minutes more.

Add the rice to the vegetable mixture and, using a rubber spatula, gently stir to combine. Season with salt to taste. Divide the vegetable-rice mixture among plates and top with some of the almonds. Serve immediately.

Casseroles, Poultry, Rice

Chicken and Kale Casserole

I know this casserole is not the prettiest thing you’ve ever seen on this blog, but sometimes the most homely looking food is the best-tasting food. And for goodness sake, it’s a casserole. No one expects it to be photogenic, right? Despite it’s ho hum appearance, this baked chicken and rice dish is one of my favorite concoctions. It tastes like the delicious church potluck dishes that I loved as a child but without the Velveeta cheese and frozen broccoli that I detest as an adult. Except for the handful of shredded cheese tucked gently into the rice mixture, it’s healthy — kale, chicken breast, and brown rice — and doesn’t depend on sodium-laden canned soup for its creaminess. Best of all, it makes for an easy weeknight dinner. You can make the casserole in advance, store it in the fridge overnight and simply throw it into the oven half an hour before mealtime. You don’t even have to come up with a side dish since the casserole covers your four basic food groups.

Chicken and Kale Casserole

This recipe is highly adaptable. Experiment with different types or quantities of meat, cheese, and veggies. Broccoli and cheddar in place of the kale and mozzarella is a great combination. Omit the chicken and it’s an easy vegetarian meal. You can also substitute cooked white rice or pasta for the brown rice, though the texture of the casserole will be softer.

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, or 1/2 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large bunch kale, tough stems removed and leaves chopped roughly
8 oz (225 g) crimini mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoons (50 g) butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups (350 ml) milk
2 cups (200 g) cooked brown rice, small grain preferably
8 oz (225 g) cooked chicken breast, diced and if not already seasoned, sprinkled with salt, pepper, and paprika to taste
4 oz (100 g) mozzarella cheese, shredded
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 2 quart casserole or a 11 in x 7 in baking dish.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the onion becomes translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in the kale and cook 1–2 minutes, until it starts to wilt. Stir in the mushrooms and cook 5 minutes more, until the mushrooms start to soften. Season with salt and pepper and remove the pan from the heat.

While the vegetables cook, make the cream sauce. First, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly. The mixture should bubble and cook for 1–2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the mixture or let it take on too much color. Slowly pour in the milk to the flour/butter mixture, whisking constantly. The mixture should thicken as it cooks. You may need to add a bit more milk if the mixture seems too thick. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and freshly ground black pepper to the sauce. Let it simmer for about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat.

Gently stir in the rice and chicken to the vegetable mixture. Fold in the shredded cheese, then stir in the cream sauce. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed. Pour the mixture into the greased casserole or baking dish and cover with a lid or aluminum foil. If serving the next day, cool the casserole, then refrigerate.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking for 10 minutes more, until bubbly and slightly golden around the edges.

Cookbook reviews, One-pot wonders, Pork, Rice, Seafood

Scallop, Chorizo and Artichoke Paella

I’d like to think that if blogs had been around when Kelly and I went to high school and college together, we might have turned out like Cara Eisenpress and Phoebe Lapine, blogging our way through our first boyfriends, first jobs and first dinner parties as we learned how to cook along the way. We might have set up a blog like their popular Big Girls, Small Kitchen, landed ourselves a book deal and had the Barefoot Contessa write the foreword to it. If only, right? But failing all that, I wish someone had given me a cookbook like theirs, In the Small Kitchen, when I moved into my first apartment and started cooking for myself and my friends. It would have been a hell of a lot better than 1,001 Vegetarian Recipes.

The book is aimed at the twenty-something crowd just finding their feet in the kitchen, with chapters like ‘Cooking for One’, ‘Potlucking’, ‘Cocktail Parties’, ‘Dating and Food’ and ‘One Year Closer to Thirty’, but there’s plenty here to inspire complete beginners and more well-seasoned cooks alike. Also bookmarked to try are Provencal baked chicken, chipotle hummus, black bean dip, coconut peanut sauce, spiked lemonade and pumpkin cake with chai cream. With graduation season upon us, In the Small Kitchen would make the perfect gift for students heading off to college or moving out into their own place, or for any new cook who’s just starting to learn their way around the kitchen.

Scallop, Chorizo and Artichoke Paella
adapted from In the Small Kitchen by Cara Eisenpress and Phoebe Lapine

Serves 8

I made a special trip to the fishmonger to get scallops, only to be told that they didn’t have any because of the recent bad weather (typical!). After some quick thinking, I decided to substitute 1 lb (450 g) of prawns instead. I simply skipped the first step and added the prawns into the paella at the very end of the cooking time, letting the heat of the rice quickly cook them right before serving. This dish reminded me of one of our family favorites, oven-baked risotto with sausages and tomato, and was just as much of a hit with the kids.

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb (450 g) scallops
1 lb (450 g) chorizo, cut diagonally into 1 1/2‑inch pieces
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 to 10 scallions, white and green parts chopped separately
2 cups (360 g) Arborio rice
1/2 cup (125 ml) dry white wine or vermouth
1 x 15 oz (400 g) can of crushed tomatoes
1 x 9 oz (250 g) package frozen artichoke hearts, or jarred or canned artichoke hearts (rinsed and drained if using jarred or canned)
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
3 to 4 cups chicken stock
lemon wedges, for garnish

In a large cast iron skillet or a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over a medium-high heat until the oil is shiny and just about to smoke. While the oil is heating, quickly pat the scallops dry and remove and discard the tough side muscles. Sear the scallops in batches in the hot oil until browned and crusty on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. [Check out this post from The BA Daily blog about how to perfectly sear scallops.]

Transfer the scallops to a plate. Add the chorizo to the skillet and brown it, turning on all sides, for 2 to 5 minutes. Remove the chorizo with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium and saute the onion in the remaining oil until translucent, scraping up any drippings in the skillet. Add the garlic and the white part of the chopped scallions and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat it in the onion mixture, allowing it to get covered in the oil and begin to toast, which should take about 3 minutes. Add the wine and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by nearly half. Use your spoon or spatula to help deglaze the pan and lift up any caramelized bits.

Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, artichokes, paprika and salt. Return the chorizo to the skillet and add enough stock to submerge the rice mixture. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until the rice is cooked through, all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is beginning to become crusty around the edges.

Using the back of your spoon, make indents in the top of the rice and arrange the scallops in them. Pour the scallop juices over the skillet and cook until all the liquid has been absorbed. Garnish with the chopped scallion greens and lemon wedges. Serve warm, straight from the skillet.

30-minute meals, Grains and pulses, Lamb, Middle Eastern food, Rice, Salads

Spiced Lamb and Lentils with Cucumber-Tahini Salad

Sometimes I love being on the “mommy track” but recently juggling kids and a career seems like the craziest idea I ever had. The last few months have been terribly stressful at work. I’ve barely had time or energy to cook. You might have noticed this downward culinary slide due to my lack of recent posts (sorry, Kristin). Luckily, I have a handful of make ahead recipes to help me through these rough patches. This is my newest — and favorite.

Lamb might seem pretty rich for a weeknight springtime meal, but the lentils lighten up this dish and the cucumber salad lends just the right amount of tangy freshness. I like to cook the lentil and lamb stew the night before, after I put the kids to bed and pour a generous glass of wine. You can cool and refrigerate the stew right in the pan you cooked it in. A programmable rice cooker can take care of the rice for you the next day while you work. All you have to do when you arrive home is throw together the salad and reheat the stew. And that is how I managed (at least for one night) to put a healthy, incredibly tasty dinner on the table in 10 minutes.

Spiced Lamb with Lentils

Spiced Lamb and Lentils with Cucumber-Tahini Salad
adapted from Whole Foods Market

Serves 6

3 cups (700 ml) low-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb (450 g) ground lamb
1 3/4 teaspoons dried dill, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (175 g) green lentils
1 tablespoon sesame tahini
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
cooked brown rice, to serve

Bring 1/2 cup (125 ml) broth to a simmer in a large pot or high-sided skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender and translucent. Add the lamb, dill, oregano and cinnamon and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until browned, stirring to break up the lamb. Stir in the lentils and remaining 2 1/2 cups (625 ml) broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 45 minutes. If serving the next day, cool the stew then refrigerate it.

To make the salad, in a small bowl, combine the tahini, salt and lemon juice, then stir in the cucumber and tomato. If the lamb and lentils have been chilled, rewarm over a medium heat. Spoon the warm lamb and lentils over rice and top with the cucumber tomato salad.

Casseroles, Cookies, One-pot wonders, Poultry, Rice

Chicken and Bacon Pot with Oatmeal Freezer Cookies

I’m usually not a fan of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. In comparison to chicken thighs, I find chicken breasts too easy to dry out and dull in flavor, reserved only for dishes with lots of other “wow” ingredients. Maybe it’s the bacon in this dish or the top-quality chicken that I used, but this one-dish chicken recipe proved me wrong. The sauce is savory and satiny, the meat moist and tender, and it all meshes perfectly on top of basmati rice. My kids both asked for thirds and I hid the leftovers for myself. 

I took advantage of my already hot oven and put in a batch of oatmeal freezer cookies before we sat down to eat. Despite the fact that it’s May, it’s damp and gray here in Wisconsin — but good weather for baking cookies. Freezer cookies are ideal desserts for busy people. You can make the dough days, weeks, even months in advance, then store it in your freezer until you need it. On the day you want to bake the cookies, simply thaw the dough in the fridge, slice, and bake it. Hot cookies fresh from the oven in minutes!

Chicken and Bacon Pot
adapted from Easy Everyday: Simple Recipes for No-fuss Food

Serves 4

High-quality chicken is essential for chicken breast-based recipes like this one. I used chicken shipped to me from Springer Mountain Farms, which prides itself on their 100% natural, vegetarian-fed and humanely raised (certified by the American Humane Association) chicken.

1 tablespoon olive oil
8 oz (225 g) bacon, diced
8 oz (225 g) white, button mushrooms
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 shallots or 1 small onion, diced
1/3 cup (40 g) flour
2 cups (500 ml) chicken broth or stock
2/3 cup (150 ml) white wine
1 bay leaf
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
basmati rice, to serve

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Heat the olive oil in a casserole dish, add the bacon and mushrooms, and cook over medium heat until golden. Transfer the bacon and mushrooms to a plate.

Put the chicken breasts in the casserole and quickly brown on both sides. Set the chicken aside with the bacon.

Saute the garlic and shallots (or onion) over a low heat in the same pan for about 5 minutes. Add the flour and mix well. Stirring constantly, cook the flour mixture about 1 minute, until well blended and nutty smelling, being careful not to burn the flour. Remove the pan from the heat, slowly pour in the stock and wine, and stir or whisk until smooth. Return the pan to the heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sauce slightly thickens. Mix in the bacon and mushrooms, then add the chicken, bay leaf, and seasoning. Cover and cook in the oven for 30 minutes. Add the parsley just before serving with rice.

***

Grandma Dot’s Oatmeal Freezer Cookies
adapted from cooks.com

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

I freeze this dough in smallish logs, just enough to make about 8 cookies. By freezing smaller portions, the dough thaws more quickly. And because I only bake a few cookies at a time, they are always fresh.

1/2 cup (100 g) shortening
1/2 cup (85 g) brown sugar
1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup (90 g) flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups (120 g) rolled oats
1/4 cup (25 g) finely chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Cream the shortening and sugars. Beat in the egg and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking soda, oats and nuts. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture until just blended.

Shape the dough into 2‑inch rolls, like refrigerator cookie dough at the grocery store, on waxed paper. Roll up and twist the ends together. Chill until firm (at least 2 hours) or freeze for later use (place logs in a plastic bag before freezing). When ready to bake the cookies, thaw the dough (only if frozen), then cut into 3/4‑inch slices. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet with at least 1 inch separating the cookies. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for approximately 10 minutes.

Pork, Rice

Ham and Cheese Risotto

At dinner years ago with Matt’s old college friend and his wife and two-year-old daughter, I remember watching in amazement as their little girl gobbled up an appetizer of Gorgonzola-stuffed mushrooms. Coming from a family where my sister and twin brothers were classic picky eaters, I asked what their secret was in getting their daughter to eat so well. “We don’t make a big deal out of new foods,” they said. When I had kids of my own, I followed their advice and it’s matter of some pride that my kids now eat such a wide range of foods and flavors. When we were in Florida over Christmas, I picked up a tray of sushi from the grocery store and my mother couldn’t believe it when my daughter proceeded to eat most of it while my twin teenage brothers were having yet another dinner of chicken fingers and fries. But even though my kids will happily eat a dish like sole meunière or gnocchi with blue cheese and walnut sauce, I do still like to make explicitly kid-friendly things that I know are sure to appeal to them, like Parmesan chicken fingers or this risotto, which is basically a more everyday version of my favorite bacon, leek and Camembert risotto. But who am I kidding in saying this was for the children? The grown-ups liked it just as much.

Ham and Cheese Risotto
adapted from Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson

Serves 4

The original recipe is for cheddar and leeks only, but I couldn’t resist adding in some bacon to make it a ham and cheese risotto. Leave it out for the original vegetarian version.

1 tablespoon (15 g) butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 slices of bacon, chopped into lardons (or you could use chopped leftover ham)
2 small leeks, cut in half lengthwise and finely sliced
2 cups (300 g) risotto rice
1/2 cup (125 ml) dry white wine or extra-dry vermouth
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 pints (1 liter) hot vegetable stock
1 1/4 cup (125 g) grated mature cheddar
chopped fresh chives, to garnish

Melt the butter and oil in a large pan over a medium heat and cook the bacon and the leeks for about 5 minutes, until the bacon has browned and the leeks have softened. Add the risotto rice, stirring for 1 minute to make sure all the grains of rice are coated with the oil. Turn up the heat to medium-high and add the wine and mustard, stirring until the wine is absorbed. Start ladling in the hot stock, letting each ladleful become absorbed before adding the next one. Keeping stirring and adding a ladleful of stock at a time until the stock is all used up and the rice is al dente, about 20 minutes. Add the cheese, stirring it into the rice until it melts. Take the pan off the heat, still stirring as you do so, and spoon the risotto into warmed dishes, sprinkling with some of the chopped chives.

Desserts, Poultry, Rice

Homemade Parmesan Chicken Fingers and Rice Pudding

It was bound to happen sometime — we had our first trip to the emergency room with one of the kids last weekend after my five-year-old daughter fell off the slide at home and fractured her collarbone. She spent the week propped up on the sofa watching DVDs, and after letting her eat ice cream for dinner on the day it happened, I spent the rest of the week making all her favorite foods — spaghetti Bolognese, roast chicken, risotto, banana bread — and these Parmesan chicken fingers and a rice pudding full of milk to help that bone heal.

Homemade Parmesan Chicken Goujons
adapted from Rachel’s Favourite Food at Home by Rachel Allen

Serves 4

In most pubs or restaurants with a kids menu you’ll see chicken goujons on the menu — it took me awhile after moving to Ireland to figure out it was a fancy way of describing what we call chicken strips or chicken fingers in the US. I served the goujons with ketchup for the kids and a quick lemon mayo for the grown-ups (made by mixing in some lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper), but a sweet chili sauce would also be good for dipping. When making breaded chicken, you might find that you’ll need some extra flour, eggs and/or breadcrumbs.

4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup (120 g) flour
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup (100 g) breadcrumbs or panko
1/2 cup (50 g) finely grated Parmesan
3 tablespoons sunflower oil

Cut the chicken into strips the size of a big fingers. Place the flour in a bowl or a large shallow plate and add in some salt and pepper. Place the beaten eggs in another bowl/plate. Mix together the breadcrumbs and Parmesan in a third bowl/plate.

Toss each chicken strip first in the seasoned flour and shake off any excess. Dip into the beaten egg, letting the excess drip off, then roll in the breadcrumb mix until it’s evenly coated. Shake off the excess breadcrumbs and place the coated strips on a plate.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium to high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken strips in a single layer, making sure you don’t crowd the pan (cook the chicken in batches). Cook on one side for 3 or 4 minutes, until golden, then turn down the heat and flip the pieces over. Cook on the other side for a further 4 minutes, or until cooked through and golden. Place on a baking sheet and keep the finished strips warm in a low oven while you cook the remaining chicken.

***

Rice Pudding
adapted from How I Cook by Skye Gyngell

Serves 4 to 6

Skye Gyngell serves this rice pudding with stewed prunes. I made this dried fruit compote to spoon on top and the leftovers are equally as good on granola and porridge for breakfast.

1 1/2 cups (250 g) risotto rice, such as Arborio
4 cups (900 ml) whole milk
1 vanilla pod, split lengthways
zest of 1 lemon
small pinch of salt
1 1/4 cup (150 g) sugar
3/4 cup (200 ml) cream

Rinse the rice well under cold running water, then tip it into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the milk, vanilla pod, lemon zest and salt and bring almost to a simmer over a medium heat. Now turn down the heat as low as possible and put the lid on, placing it slightly off center so it isn’t quite covering the pan. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the rice is cooked but still retains a slight bite. When it’s al dente, stir in the sugar and cream and cook for a further 10 minutes. The pudding should be soft and creamy and should easily drop from a spoon. Allow to stand for 5 to 10 minutes and serve warm.