Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Cook in Batches

Lasagne 











CATERING FOR A CROWD
Lasagne is a great dish to prepare for a crowd or family gathering.

Or MAKE AHEAD & FREEZE
just make bigger quantities then freeze for other meal times
Or use as lunch portions

Then you’ve got dinner in a flash another day!


Think about BATCH COOKING things like
Lasagne, Ragu, Shepards Pie, Stew or Meatballs.

Cullens Quality Butchers
Main Street, Wicklow Town

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Roast Chicken turns into Pasta Bake....

Using up leftovers... 

When roasting meat consider buying a bigger piece,
have a Roast Dinner one day
and create a 2nd dinner from the leftovers, ready  to use the next evening.
Cooking a roast brings out lots of flavour and means that half the work is already done for the following meal.

For example
A Roast Chicken is very versatile- 
Chicken Pasta Bake
any leftovers you can have cold next day, use for lunches, add to curry, a broth, make a pie or a pasta bake.

Whole Chicken 
-From a Roast Chicken Dinner the leftovers can become:
to name but a few...

Chicken Pasta Bake
Chicken & Mushroom Puff Pastry Pie
Chicken Curry
Chicken Pitta Pocket with Salad
Chicken Noddle Soup
Chicken Tortillas with grated cheese, tomato and lettuce
Chicken Quesadilla with spring onion and cheese

Here's a delicious recipe
for Fraser's 
CHICKEN PASTA BAKE:


Keep Any leftovers from your Roast Chicken Dinner,
...the Meat, the veg & stuffing.
Cook the Penne Pasta until slightly underdone,
remember you are going to finish it off in the oven as a bake.
Make a white sauce, starting by making a roux with equal amounts of flour and butter.
Heat the milk in another pan.
Next add the heated milk to the roux, stirring to prevent lumps.
Simmer the sauce.
In a bowl add the leftover chicken that has been shredded.
Add any leftover veg.
Season with Salt & pepper.
Throw in the almost cooked pasta (that has been allowed to cool).
Grate some cheese over such as parmesan & edam.
Put the mixture into an oven proof dish.
Pour over the white sauce.
Let it sit and soak up the sauce, topping it up.
Put a layer of breadcrumbs over the top.
You can add herbs and garlic if using plain Breadcrumbs or use any left over stuffing instead.
Grate more cheese over the top.
Put in the oven at 180 deg for 20 mins.
Serve.

Also Remember to use the carcass or bones from your Roast to make FLAVOURSOME STOCKS. It will enrich anything to which it is added.

CHICKEN STOCK
Chicken carcass
2 Onions in chunks
2 Carrots cut in chunks
2 Celery sticks cut in chunks
10 peppercorns
3 Bay leaves
2 Sprigs Thyme
2 Sprigs Rosemary
3-4 litres Water

Place all the ingredients into a large stock pot.
Cover with the water and bring to a boil.
Then simmer for 2 hours.
Strain the stock into a clean pan leave to cool
then remove the fat from the top and discard.

The stock is now ready to use or freeze.
Use in Gravy, Paella, Casseroles or Soups.