We had a great afternoon today for our Maggi Chefs who were treated to a demonstration from two visiting Ucol Chefs Ian Drew and Hayden. They produced a delicious meal for us to sample.
Some key tips not covered in the recipes, just from inside their heads!
Stuffing a chicken breast.
Using a sharp knife cut across the chicken breast so you can fold it flat and it doubles in size. Place between two sheets of plastic and hammer to flatten.
For the stuffing use an egg and bread crumbs as the base with sweated onions and flavourings of your choice.
Place on middle of chicken and roll up.
If you wish you can also roll up with streaky bacon as well. To do this lay bacon on glad wrap and then roll around chicken so it looks a bit like a sausage and the roll up all up tightly in glad wrap and secure ends. Poach this in chicken stock until the inside of the chicken reaches 75 C.
This is a great way to cook chicken as it is quicker than using the oven and keeps the chicken moist. (Poach add liquid chicken stock to a pot about half full and place chicken inside and boil.)
Once it is cooked fry in a frypan to brown the sides and slice up to and serve.
500 g floury potatoes
50 g salami, cut into small cubes
60 g smoked cheddar, firm, small cubes
35 g butter
25 g parmesan, ground
pinch nutmeg, ground
salt & pepper to taste
2 eggs, separated
20 g breadcrumbs, dried
Method
1.
Boil and mash the potatoes
2.
Add salami, cheese, 20g of the butter, Parmesan,
nutmeg, yolks and seasoning
3.
Beat egg whites until stiff then fold them into the
potato mixture
4.
Butter a flan dish or ring 22-24 cm in diameter and
coat with half the breadcrumbs. Shake
off excess crumbs
5.
Pour mixture into dish and spread evenly with a fork
6.
Sprinkle remaining crumbs on top and dot with
remaining butter
7.
Bake at 180°C for 20-30 minutes
8.
Cut into wedges to serve
Tomato Sauce
(this sauce is suitable for serving with pasta dishes)
50 g onion
diced
375 g tinned
tomatoes
½ tsp crushed garlic
30 ml olive
oil
5 g parsley,
chopped
5 g basil,
chopped
salt
& pepper
25 g tomato
paste
5 g brown
sugar
15 ml balsamic
vinegar
Method
1.
In a heavy-based pan, sweat onion with tomatoes,
garlic and oil.
2.
Add chilli, parsley and basil plus enough water to
thin the mixture.
3.
Simmer gently for 30 minutes.
4.
Add the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar for the last
5 minutes of cooking.
5.
Blend in a food processor and use as required.