How To Entertain This Month – With Alexandra Dudley
BBQ weather in the UK is a blessing and should not be taken for granted, so when the forecast promises a bit of sun, I like to plan lunch or dinner around the BBQ as much as I can. This month’s menu is chicken marinated in a saffron-infused yogurt before being grilled on the BBQ until golden and browned. If you can, try to marinate the chicken overnight as it will be deliciously tender and juicy. Usually, I will throw some simple vegetables on there, too. Peppers, lettuce, onions and tomatoes are favourites of mine, but I’ve shared another peppy side too; peas and broad beans with confit garlic and lemon. This is something that can be prepped the morning of or even the evening before. The point being that there is absolutely no need for you to be stuck in the kitchen while your guests enjoy spritzes in the sun. Even the apricots can be made ahead of time. I like to do all the work in the morning so that when my guests arrive my only job is making sure that everyone’s glasses (including my own) are kept topped up.
Even when I am not in the Mediterranean I will pretend I am, so I am serving Campari spritzes or Campari and soda as an aperitif at the moment. For a spritz add 2oz of Campari to a glass filled with ice, followed by 3oz prosecco and top with soda water.
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Saffron Yogurt Chicken
Creamy yogurt is responsible for yielding perfectly juicy chicken in this recipe. Saffron may seem an extravagant ingredient for a BBQ recipe but a good pinch goes a long way. Paired with a hit of cayenne and a good dose of garlic, it brings a wonderful flavour to the marinade. This also works very well cooked in the oven.
In a small bowl, steep the saffron in 2 tbsp of just boiled water. Allow it to infuse for 10 minutes.
In a bowl large enough to hold all the chicken, combine together the yogurt, saffron infused water (ensuring all of the saffron strands go in too), spiced, grated garlic, lemon juice and a good pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Add the chicken and toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least four hours or ideally overnight.
Heat your BBQ to about 450ºC and cook the chicken for about 40 minutes, tossing occasionally and basting with the remaining marinade halfway through the cooking time until it has cooked through and golden, charred in places.
To cook in the oven, preheat the oven to 200°C Fan and cook for 40 minutes until the chicken has cooked through. The chicken will not char as it does on the BBQ but you will be left with a sticky saffron yoghurt sauce which is delicious.
Peas & Broad Beans With Confit Garlic & Lemon
Frozen peas have saved many a supper in our house. I tend to always have at least two bags in my freezer. This is a side dish that you can likely cook with what’s already in your kitchen, the key ingredients being frozen peas, garlic and lemon. I love the addition of broad beans and usually have a couple of bags in the freezer too. Shelling broad beans is a somewhat labour-of-love task that I enjoy immensely and tend to get on with as the garlic cooks. But, if you do not have the time nor patience do not worry, the recipe is equally good without it.
Begin by peeling the garlic cloves. It will seem tiresome but believe be it is worth it.
Using a sharp knife peel away the skin of the lemon in large strips. A knife is better than a peeler for this as the aim is to cut away thick pieces of yellow zest and white pith. Cut the pieces into julienne style strips (about 2mm thick).
Place the garlic and lemon strips into a small saucepan along with the rosemary sprig and add enough oil to cover the garlic and lemon. Place on a very low heat and cook for about 30-35 minutes until the garlic is soft and jammy, and the lemon strips have turned slightly golden and curled.
As the garlic cooks, cook the peas and broad beans. If you are podding the broad beans do this in separate saucepans. If not don’t worry. Refresh the peas and beans in cold water. Then pod the broad beans (if doing).
Once the garlic has cooked, fish out the rosemary sprig and allow it to cool to room temperature. Then, place the peas and broad beans in a large bowl and tear in the basil. Spoon out the garlic and lemon and add to the beans with about 5 tbsp of the confit oil. Add the juice of half a lemon and a good pinch of salt and toss. Taste to season and add a little more oil if you wish. Keep the remaining oil for tossing through vegetables, pastas, or dipping in bread.
Amaretti Baked Apricots
Amaretti and apricots are a perfect match for a summer pudding. Usually enjoyed with coffee, amaretti biscuits are crunchy Italian cookies made from apricot kernels and have a wonderful almost heightened almond flavour. Crushed with flaked almonds and a little sugar, they make for an excellent quick crumble topping to these baked apricots. I love to add a splash of amaretto liqueur for an added almond kick.
Preheat the oven to 180°C Fan.
Halve the apricots and remove the stones. Place them cut side up on a baking tray.
Roughly crush the amaretti biscuits using your hands (you are looking for an uneven texture and some larger pieces to create a good crunch). Combine them in a bowl with the flaked almonds, sugar, olive oil, amaretto and egg yolk to create a crumble.
Top the apricots with the amaretto mixture and bake for 20 minutes until the apricots have softened and the crumble topping is golden brown.
Serve warm or at room temperature with crème fraiche. Feel free to make slightly ahead of the dinner/lunch party if you like.
For more from Alexandra, follow her @AlexandraDudley or visit AlexandraDudley.com
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