Braised Duck

Takes: 4.5 hours
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 duck
• 3 tsp sea salt
• 4 star anise
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• 3 spring onions
• 4 slices fresh ginger root, crushed
• 60g honey
• 3 tbsp organic ginger wine
• 1.2 litres water
• 1 cucumber, to serve

Method:

1. Clean the duck well, then blanch in boiling water.  Remove and rinse in cold water, and rub the cavity with the salt.
2. Put all the remaining ingredients in a large saucepan, add teh water and bring to the boil.  Add the duck, breast-side down, bring back to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.  Turn the bird over and cook, still covered, for a further 20 minutes.
3. Turn off the heat and let the bird cool in the liquid, without lifting the lid, for at least 4 hours.
4. Remove the duck and drain.  Pull the meat off and use a little of the strained liquid as a sauce. 
5. Serve with sliced cucumber and rice.  The cooking liquid can be served as soup.

'White-Cut' Chicken

Takes: 4.5 hours
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken
• 2 spring onions
• 2 slices fresh ginger root, crushed
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• 2 tsp sea salt

SAUCE

• 1 tsp sea salt
• 3 tbsp water
• 1.5 tbsp organic ginger wine
• half tsp honey
• 2 tsp sesame oil

Method:

1. Clean the chicken and place in a large saucepan with enough water to cover it.  Add the spring onions, ginger and peppercorns; bring to the boil and skim.  Add the salt, then cover with a lid and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and leave the chicken to cook gently in the hot liquid, without lifting the lid, for 4 hours.
3. To serve, remove the chicken and drain well, reserving the cooking liquid.  Pull the meat off the bone.
4. Combine the sauce ingredients with 3 tbsp of the cooking liquid and bring to the boil.  Pour evenly all over the chicken and serve cold.

 

Berry and Apple Muffins

Takes: 35 mins
Makes 12

Ingredients:

• 125g buckwheat flour
• 125g brown rice flour
• 2 tsp gluten-free bicarbonate of soda
• a pinch of salt
• 8 tbsp honey
• juice of half a lemon
• 175g goat's yogurt
• 4 tbsp goat's milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 duck egg, beaten
• 50g goat's butter
• 250g apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into small pieces
• 4 tbsp water
• 150g blueberries or blackberries

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C, fan 180C.  Place muffin cases in the muffin tin.
2. Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a blow, then stir in the honey and lemon juice.
3. Heat the apple pieces in a pan over a low fire with the goat's butter and water for 15 minutes.  Add 1 tsp of honey to the pan.  Leave to cool.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the yogurt, milk, vanilla extract and egg.
5. Add all the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and mix together.  Gently stir in 75g blueberries.
6. Pour the mixture into the muffin cases and scatter 75g blueberries on top.  Sprinkle with 2 tbsp sesame seeds.  Bake for 20 minutes, until the muffins are risen, firm and golden.
7. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

 

Chicken Stir-Fry

Takes: 25 mins
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless chicken breasts, diced
• 1.5 tbsp Chinese five-spice powder
• half tsp sea salt, dissolved in 2 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 inch piece root ginger, sliced
• 3 peppers, deseeded and diced
• 150g green beans, sliced into 2 parts each
• 100g beansprouts
• 1 tbsp honey
• 4 spring onions, shredded
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander leaves
• half tbsp sesame seeds

Method:

1. Season the chicken with 1 tbsp of Chinese five-spice powder and 1 tbsp of salt water.
2. Heat the sesame oil in a wok over high heat and stir-fry the chicken for 5 minutes until golden.  Add the garlic, ginger, peppers, remaining Chinese five-spice powder and stir-fry for 2 minutes more.  Add the green beans and beansprouts, remaining salt water and honey; stir-fry for 1 minute.
3. Stir through the spring onions and coriander.  Serve scattered with sesame seeds.

 

Chicken Cacciatore

Takes: 50 mins
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 50ml olive oil
• 40g goat's butter
• 8 chicken legs and thighs
• 2 onions, finely sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 200g celery, chopped
• 800g tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tsp sesa salt
• 100ml water
• 1 bay leaf
• sprigs of rosemary, to garnish

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot over a moderate heat until melted.  Season, and then sear the chicken legs until goledn in colour all over.  Revmoe from pot.
2. Lower the heat a little and add the onion, garlic and chopped celery, stirring occasionally until the onion has softened but not coloured.  Add the tomatoes, water, bay leaf and sea salt.  Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Return the chicken legs to the pot, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Remove the cover and simmer for a further 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked.  Allow to stand for 5 minutes.  Garnish with sprigs of rosemary before serving.

Chicken Salad with Kiwi Fruit and Cashews

Takes: 15 mins
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 pieces of chicken breasts, grilled then thinly sliced
• 4 kiwi fruit, peeled, halved and sliced
• 4 spring onions, sliced
• 100g watercress
• 50g cashews, toasted

Method:

1. Arrange the chicken, kiwi slices, spring onions and watercress in a large bowl.  Sprinkle over the cashews.
2. Mix the ingredients together and serve.

Stir-Fried Chicken with Vegetables

Takes: 15 mins
Serves 4

Ingredients:

FOR THE MARINADE

• 1 tsp tapioca flour
• half tsp sea salt, dissolved in 1 tsp hot water

FOR THE STIR-FRY

• 350g chicken fillets, sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 100g green beans
• 2 spring onions, sliced, whites and greens separated
• 100g beansprouts
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 tsp ginger, grated
• 1 tsp honey
• 2 tbsp water

Method:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the marinade.  Add the chicken and toss until well coated.  Set aside while you prepare the vegetable.
2. Place a large wok over a high heat.  When the wok is hot, add 1 tbsp of oil and swirl around the pan.  Add the chicken fillets to the wok.
3. Keep the chicken moving around the wok, until it is cooked through and no pink meat remains.  Remove from the wok and set aside.
4. Pour the remaining oil into the wok and swirl around, as before.  Add the red pepper and cook for a minute.  Add the green beans and cook for 2 minutes more until just tender, stirring all the time.  Add the spring onion whites and the beansprouts and cook for another minute.  Stir in the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
5. Add the chicken back to the wok.  Pour the 2 tbsp water and 1 tsp honey in, and continue to cook, stirring often, until the chicken are heated through.  Sprinkle over the spring onion greens and serve straightaway.