Hi Guys

Hope you all had a fab weekend? I spoilt myself last week and purchased a new book called Ottolenghi, well when next you are in a good bookshop go and find this recipe book and purchase it, or even better if you are in London go to the shop in Notting hill! I think you will be blown away by everything, especially the passion these guys have with food and flavours!

I am going to share a couple of their recipes with you, and hope that you enjoy them as much as I am, both eating and savouring the taste of their freshly prepared food and pastries.

Roast chicken with saffron, hazelnuts and honey:

8 Large chicken thighs, or 1 large chicken divided into quarters
2 onions, roughly chopped
4 TBSP Olive oil
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
a generous pinch saffron strands
juice of 1 lemon
4 TBSP cold water
2 tsp coarse sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
100 gr unskinned hazelnuts
70gr honey
2 tsp rosewater (london supermarket baking department)
2 spring onions roughly chopped

Method:

In a large bowl mix the chicken pieces with the onion, olive oil,ginger,cinnamon, saffron, lemon juice,water, salt and pepper. Leave to marinate for at least an hour or overnight in the fridge (This is better)
Preheat the oven to 190* D and spread the hazelnuts out on an oven tray and roast for 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Chop roughly and set aside.
Transfer the chicken and marinade to a roasting tray large enough to accomodate everything comfortably. Arrange the chicken pieces skin-side up and out the tray in the oven for about 35 minutes.
WHile the chicken is roasting, mix the honey, rosewater and nuts together to make a rough paste. Remove the chicken from the oven, spoon a generous amount of nut paste on to each piece and spread it to cover. Return to the oven for 5 - 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the nuts are golden brown.
Transfer the chicken to a serving dish and garnish with the chopped spring onions.

Roast potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes with lemon and sage:

500 gr small potatoes
500 gr artichokes (tinned)
4 cloves garlic crushed
50 ml olive oil
2 tsp roughly chopped sage
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 lemon
250 gr cherry tomatoes
170 gr black olives, pitted
2 tsp roughly chopped parsley

Pre-heat the oven to 200*D Wash the potatoes well and put them in a large saucepan and cover with plently of salted water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes until semi-cooked, drain cool slightly and then cut each potato in half lengthways. Put them in a large roasting tray.
Drain the artichokes, cut them into 5mm slices and add to the potatoes. Add the garlic,olive oil,sage,salt and pepper. Mix everything well with your hands and put in the oven.
Meanwhile, thinly slice the lemon and remove the pips. After the vegetables have been roasting for about 30 minutes, add the sliced lemon, stir with a wooden spoon and return to the oven for 20 minutes. Now add the cherry tomatoes and olives, stir well again and cook for a further 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and stir in the chopped parsley. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the remaining parsley!

Enjoy these flavours they are absoloutly delicious!

Cheers
Sue x