Gently simmered for tender textures and mellow flavours, these wonderful recipes are worth taking your time over
Slow-cooked soy-glazed chicken
Try serving this recipe as two courses: shred the leg and thigh meat and wrap in lettuce leaves for a starter. Then, slice the breast meat and serve with rice and the roasting juices as your main.
SERVES 4-6 PREP 30 mins plus 1 hr 20 mins marinating and resting COOK 1 hr 30 mins EASY
1 chicken (about 2kg)
For the marinade
small piece of ginger, peeled and
finely grated (peel reserved)
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
3 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 tbsp Shaohsing wine or dry sherry
2 tbsp soy sauce
For the sauce
150ml chicken stock
1 tbsp honey
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 star anise
To serve
2 Little Gem lettuces,
leaves separated
1 bunch of spring onions, trimmed
and finely shredded
½ cucumber, cut into thin strips
1 red chilli, sliced
small bunch of coriander, chopped,
50g roasted peanuts or cashews,
roughly chopped
cooked rice
1 Put the chicken in a casserole. Mix the marinade ingredients together in a bowl, then rub this over the chicken and put the ginger peel in the cavity. Cover. Marinate at room temperature for 1 hr, or chill overnight.
2 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Combine the sauce ingredients in a jug, then pour over the chicken. Roast for 1 hr, uncovered, then baste with the liquid in the dish. Roast for 30-40 mins more, basting every 10 mins until the chicken is deep brown. Keep an eye on the glaze in the base of the dish – you may need to add a splash of water to keep it from burning.
3 Leave the chicken to rest for 20 mins, then transfer to a board. Skim the fat from the juices, bring to the boil, then turn off the heat. Shred the thigh and leg meat and wrap in the lettuce leaves along with the spring onions, cucumber, chilli, coriander and nuts. Slice the breast meat and serve with the rice and warm roasting juices.
PER SERVING (6) 439 kcals • fat 24g • saturates 6g • carbs 6g • sugars 5g • fibre 2g • protein 47g • salt 2.4g
Stout-braised short ribs with horseradish & carrots
This braise is easy to portion, and it looks good on the plate as everyone gets a whole short rib and carrot. Any leftovers make a rich beef pie filling. In fact, try cooking a few extra short ribs to keep as future pie filling in your freezer.
SERVES 4 PREP 30 mins COOK 3 hrs 30 mins EASY
2 tbsp sunflower oil
4 short ribs on the bone
1 onion, chopped
3 celery sticks, chopped
4 bay leaves
1 tbsp dried mixed herbs
1 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp brown sugar
500ml stout
300ml beef stock
3 tbsp horseradish cream
4 carrots
1 Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole over a medium-high heat and brown the short ribs we
