New Family Favourite Dinner

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I have slowly been working my way through Jamie’s Ministry of Food Cook Book.  So much yummy goodness.   We have many family regular meals from this book.  But we had a stand out this week.  A  new family favourite .  It is finger licking good.  You really must try his Chicken Korma recipe.  I wasn’t sure if Ben would eat it…. but he loved it.

Jamie’s Chicken Korma

800g skinless and boneless chicken thighs or breasts (preferably free-range or organic)
2 medium onions
optional:1 fresh green chilli
a thumb-sized piece of fresh root ginger
a small bunch of fresh coriander
1 x 400g tin of chickpeas
groundnut or vegetable oil
a knob of butter
1/2 a 290g jar of Patak`s korma curry paste (opps I put the whole jar in and it was delicious!!)
1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk
a small handful of flaked almonds, plus extra for serving.
2 heaped tablespoons desiccated coconut
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
500g natural yoghurt
1 lemon.

Cut chicken into 3cm pieces, peel, halve and finely slice your onions. Halve deseed and finely slice the chilli. Peel and finely chop the ginger. Pick the coriander leaves and finely chop the stalks. Drain the chickpeas.

Put a large casserole-type pan on a high heat and add a couple of lugs of oil.  Stir in the onions, chilli, ginger and coriander stalks with the butter. Keep stiring it enough so it doesn`t catch and burn but turns evenly golden. Cook for arund 10 minutes. Add the korma curry paste, coconut milk, half your flaked almonds, the drained chickpeas, desiccated coconut and sliced chicken breasts. Half fill the empty tin with water, pour it into the pan, and stir again. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on . Check the curry regularly to make sure it`s not drying out, and add extra water if necessary. When the chicken is tender and cooked, taste and season with salt and pepper – please season carefully.

Serve with rice. Add a few spoonfuls of natural yoghurt  on top, and sprinkle over the rest of the flaked almonds. Finish by scattering over the coriander leaves, and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

Seriously YUM!!!

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Cooking with Jamie – The Finale!

Picnik collage Jamie\'s Ministry of Food Ipswich week 10

This week was our final week at the Ministry of Food – roast chicken, good gravy, easy chicken stock, and roast potatoes, parsnips & carrots.  We cooked roast vegetables, watched how to make good gravy, talked stock while  smelling the wonderful chicken roasting in the oven.   It all tasted super delicious and I already have a chicken in the fridge  to  roast this week.

We can’t thank the wonderful staff at the Ministry of Food enough (especially Louise) for their contagious enthusiasm in the kitchen.  I used to look at cooking as a chore but it’s amazing what a handful of new tasty recipes will do  to spark some excitement.  More importantly Louise has helped our little family with a ‘Wholefood’ approach to eating.

‘Wholefood  – food that is eaten as close as possible to its natural state, without unnecessary processing and refining…’ Jude Blereau

Wholefood to us is eating good fresh food (like we grew up on) and avoiding where possible highly processed and artificial foods.  We have big plans for our garden this spring!!

So thank you Louise, Danella and all the wonderful volunteers.  We will miss our cooking classes on Saturday afternoons.  Andrew and I have had a fabulous time.  We have enjoyed ourselves immensely and are truly thankful for the direction you have taken our family xo

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Week 9 with Jamie – Best Ever Fruit Crumble

Picnik collage Jamie\'s Ministry of food - week 9

We made fruit crumble this week.  Jamie’s recipe is called ‘Best Ever Fruit Crumble’.  That comes with  really big expectations.  It certainly was the best ever fruit….. pears, apples, ginger and lime….. SO GOOD!  But best ever crumble……sorry I can’t agree.  Crumble just isn’t crumble without oats,  brown sugar and coconut…. then it would be the ‘Best Ever Fruit Crumble’.  So apart from my difference of opinion with Jamie (heheheh), this week was fabulous fun.  Our cooking group and Instructors are just wonderful, so many lovely people.  Next week is our last week.  It will be sad to finish.  Andrew and I have really enjoyed cooking together in class.  I don’t think Andrew has made a meal at home yet though…… unless porridge counts xoxo

Next Week – Roast Chook!

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Linking up with Heather – Life Made Lovely Monday xo

Week 8 with Jamie – Fish

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This week the lovely Danella stepped us through three dishes – cucumber yoghurt, salmon tikka and evolution potato salad.  All incredibly simple quick dishes.  My fav was the evolution potato salad.  We are big fans of the evolutions salads…. the tomato and green salads….very tasty!

Next week – Baking….crumble…yummo!!

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Week 7 with Jamie – PIZZA!

What an amazing week.  Who knew you could have so much fun in the kitchen!!

Picnik collage Jamie\'s Ministry of Food Pizza week 7

This week we made tomato sauce, pesto and dough for pizza.  Every week we seem to have more fun, more laughs and feel more like we are amongst friends.

This week when Andrew and I were getting ready to go to cooking classes  Ben asked me if they would have an apron to fit him like the aprons Mummy and Daddy wear.  Ben comes with us to class and my parents pick him up – Yay for Grandparents xo. So he sees a little of how things run.  I told him that they only have big peoples aprons but reminded him that he has an apron of his own.  He proudly puts his apron on to go to cooking classes today….. a little bit cute! He also got a special tour of the kitchen from Louise today.  Oh he loved it!! He kept his apron on all afternoon with Grandma and Grandad and was still wearing it when we got home!

Picnik collage Jamie\'s Ministry of Food tour for Ben

It was pizza in our house for dinner tonight – with home made dough, pesto and tomato sauce.  Ben of course with his cooking class experience (a whole 5 minutes) was an expert pizza maker.  It is so lovely to see him helping cook and eating great food.  It makes for a very happy Mummy (& Daddy)!!

Picnik collage pizza making with Dad

Next Week – Salmon Tikka

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Linking up with Paisley Jade – Things I am Loving xo and Life Made Lovely Monday

Week 6 with Jamie – Meatballs & Pasta

Picnik collage Jamie\'s Ministry of food

What can I say……. another dinner hit with the family.  Jamie is making quite the impression in our house.   Meatballs and Pasta will become a regular dinner – super delicious!

Next Week – Pizza

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Photos taken on iphone…… not my lovely camera