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Posts Tagged ‘Recipetin eats’

Loaded Chicken Pasta Bake

Posted in Food, Pasta, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 5 September 2024| Leave a Comment »

We’ve made this a few times for and it’s never failed to impress. Reliable comfort food with lots of tasty additions!

Wine suggestion: we opened a velvety Côtes du Rhône red by Domaine Roche. A charming and quite sophisticated Grenache, Syrah and Carignan that we’ve enjoyed before. If you’re looking for a step up from this, their Cairanne is a joy and really shows the class of this under-sung appellation near Chateauneuf du Pape.

Loaded Chicken Pasta Bake – serves 6

  • 350g penne pasta
  • 150g streaky bacon rashers
  • 100g baby spinach
  • 80g sundried tomato strips in oil, drained and roughly chopped
  • 2 tsp chopped parsley, to serve

FOR THE CHICKEN:

  • 500g skinless and boneless chicken thigh fillets
  • ¾ tsp each cooking salt and black pepper
  • 30g unsalted butter

FOR THE SAUCE:

  • 30g unsalted buter
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 60ml dry white wine
  • 50g plain flour
  • 500ml full-fat milk, hot
  • 250ml double cream
  • 375ml chicken stock
  • ½ tsp each onion powder and garlic powder
  • 1 tsp cooking salt
  • 100g finely grated Parmesan
  • 250g grated mozzarella

Heat the oven to 180C/160C Fan.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add plenty of salt. Cook the pasta according to the timings on the pack, then drain and leave to cool.

Place the bacon rashers in a large pan over a medium-high heat and cook for a few minutes until golden, then turn them over and cook for another 2 minutes. Drain on some paper towels, then chop into 1cm pieces. Discard the bacon fat in the pot.

Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Melt the butter in the same pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 4 minutes on each side, then set aside to rest for 5 minutes before slicing into 1cm thick slices.

Melt the butter for the sauce in the same pan over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 20 seconds before adding the wine. Simmer rapidly for a couple of minutes or until almost evaporated. Lower the heat to medium, add the flour and stir for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk and keep stirring until thickened, then add the cream and stock. Bring the sauce to a simmer and stir for about 5 minutes or until thick enought to coat the back of a wooden spoon.

Stir in the onion and garlic powder, salt, pepper and two-thirds of the Parmesan and mozzarella. Stir until the cheese has melted.

Stir in the spinach, chicken, sundried tomato, most of the bacon and all of the pasta. Pour into a 30 x 22cm baking dish, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan, then the mozzarella and bacon. Bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden.

Leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving sprinkled with parsley.

(Original recipe from Recipetin Eats Dinner by Nagi Maehashi, Pan Macmillan, 2023.)

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Swedish Meatballs

Posted in Beef, Food, Pork, tagged , , , , , , on 6 February 2024| Leave a Comment »

We can see why this is eaten in across the world in Swedish furniture stores: it’s light, homely, and a total child-pleaser (sans sprouts for some).

Wine Suggestion: we love a creamy white to go with this dish; that means a touch of oak and if possible a little battonage to bring structure and a toasty, creamy texture. A little left field, we chose the Dominio de Tares Godello from old vine Godello, wild fermented in oak. With a lemony core layered with pears and stonefruit this has hints of white flowers, brioche and a gentle toasty/nutty character.

Swedish Meatballs – serves 4

  • 1 onion, peeled and grated (use a box grater)
  • 2 slices soft white bread, crusts removed and cut into 1cm cubes
  • a splash of milk
  • 300g beef mince
  • 300g pork mince
  • 1 egg
  • a little freshly grated nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground allspice
  • ¼  tsp black pepper
  • ¾ tsp cooking salt
  • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil

CREAMY GRAVY:

  • 50g unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp plain flour
  • 500ml beef stock
  • 125ml double cream

TO SERVE:

  • finely chopped chives (only if you have them)
  • lingonberry jam or cranberry sauce (also not essential)

Put the grated onion into a large mixing bowl. Add the bread and mix well – if the bread doesn’t turn soggy you can add a splash of milk. Set aside for a minute, then add the rest of the meatball ingredients, except the oil. Mix well with your hands to combine.

Roll the mixture into about 25-30 meatballs.

Heat the oil in a deep frying pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches – they should be nicely browned all over but not cooked through. Set aside.

Lower the heat to medium.

Melt the butter in the meatball pan and wait until it foams. Add the flour and stir for a minute, then gradually add the beef stock, stirring constantly until you have a smooth sauce.

Turn the heat up slightly and bring the sauce to a simmer. Add the meatballs and any juices on the plate. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the liquid has thickened to a thin gravy. Stir in the cream and simmer for a couple of minutes, then remove from the heat.

Sprinkle the meatballs with chives if you like and serve with creamy mash and some greans. Ligonberry or cranberry optional.

(Original recipe from Recipetin Eats Dinner by Nagi Maehashi, Pan Macmillan, 2022.)

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