Spicy Jerk and Ginger Chicken with Mango Salsa

Spicy Jerk & Ginger Chicken with Mango Salsa

Summer time usually means one thing… barbeques (weather permitting of course)! After a while we all get a little sick and tired of the usual burgers and bangers, this is an alternative that is sure to tickle the taste buds. Taking a bit of inspiration from the flavours of the Caribbean, here is a spicy jerk and ginger chicken recipe, with mango and sweetcorn salsa served with sweet potato wedges. It’s a great mix of flavours, the hint of spice of the sticky marinated jerk and ginger chicken and the fresh zingy mango salsa is surprisingly complimentary, not to mention the contrast between hot and cold.

Preparation time approx 1 hr  
Cooking time approx 30 mins

Ingredients: 

• 400g Chicken (any cut you prefer, breast/thighs/legs).
• 1 inch piece of Root Ginger
• 1 x Lime
• 1 tin of Sweetcorn
• 1 Mango
• 2 Red Chillies
• 2 x Sweet Potatoes (or approx 1 per person)
• 1 clove of Garlic
• 2 tbl spn Jerk seasoning
• 2 tbl spn Honey
• 1 pinch of Cayenne
• Olive oil
• handful of fresh Coriander

Method:

If cooking on skewers slice chicken into bite size pieces, or if cooking whole breast fillets, butterfly cut them so they cook evenly throughout, place into an oven dish, dry rub the meat with the jerk seasoning. For the marinade, finely chop the garlic and one of the chillies, grate the ginger and zest and juice half of the lime, add the honey, spread over the chicken, then add 4 tbl spns of olive oil or until the meat is lightly coated. Leave in the fridge for minimum 30mins, or ideally for around 2+ hours.

While waiting for the marinade to infuse you can start on the salsa. Start by peeling and deseeding the mango then finely chop and tip into a bowl, drain the sweetcorn and add to the mango. Deseed and finely chop the other red chilli, zest and juice the other half of the lime, chop a large handful of fresh coriander then mix everything together in a bowl and place in the fridge until ready to serve.

Peel and slice the sweet potatoes into wedges, coat in olive oil and season with the cayenne pepper, bake in the oven for 15-20 mins @ 200°C (Gas Mark 5), or if barbequing, parboil for 2-3 mins and finish on the barbeque.

Remove the chicken from the fridge and cook on the barbeque, or alternatively, you can always grill or even fry in a pan if the weather doesn’t play ball.

Once the chicken is cooked through and the marinade starts to caramelise, you’re ready to plate up with the sweet potato and mango salsa.

Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake

Here's my version of the all time classic carrot cake. 

Popularised during the second world war due to food rationing, as carrots were a cheaper and more plentiful alternative to flour and sugar and could therefore both help sweeten and bulk out the mix. It has seen a resurgence during the economic downturn, but you can't really say for the same reasons, more just the fact that it never ceases to put a smile on the face of anyone who scoffs a mouthful.

Preparation time approx 25mins

Cooking time 40mins

Ingredients:

• 175g light brown sugar
• 175ml Sunflower oil
• 3 large Eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 Carrots grated
• 100g Raisins
• 50g Pecans
• grated zest of 1 Orange
• 175g Self-raising Flour
• 1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
• 1 tsp ground Cinnamon
• ½ tsp grated Nutmeg (ground is also fine) 
• ½ tsp ground Ginger

Cream Cheese Icing/Frosting

• 175g icing sugar
• 150g soft cheese (Philadelphia, other brands are available :)
• zest of lemon or orange

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Grease and line the base and sides of a cake tin with greaseproof paper. For mine I used a 20cm (8in) round cake tin and an already fluted greaseproof cake tin liner, can pick them up in most cookery shops and large supermarkets.

Tip the all the wet ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Sugar, oil and the eggs. Lightly mix together with a wooden spoon (you can use a mixer on a low speed if you prefer). Stir in the grated carrots, raisins, orange rind and crushed pecan nuts.

Separately mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices together; then sift into the bowl containing the wet mix. Lightly beat all the ingredients together until well mixed. The mixture should still be quite wet.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for approx. 40 minutes @ 180°C (Gas mark 4) or until it feels firm and springy when you press it in the centre (best way to test is to insert a skewer into the deepest part of the cake and it shouldn’t have any trace of wet mixture when removed). Remove from the oven and allow it to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then turn it out, peel off the paper and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Beat together the soft cheese and sifted icing sugar in a mixing bowl, add the zest of a lemon or orange to add flavour and help cut through the sweetness. The icing should be of a double cream consistency, if you find it is too thick add a teaspoon at a time of warm water to help liquify a little. Pour the icing over the top and spread liberally.

Store in the fridge to keep moist… and enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee!

Pear and Blue Cheese Tart

-->Pear & Blue Cheese Tart

A classic salad combination of Pears and Blue Cheese, normally served on a bed of dressed salad leaves with some walnuts for added crunch. This recipe is using the same core ingredients but cooking them all in a tart.

Short crust pastry

Ingredients :

200g Plain Flour

100g Butter

2 tbl sp water

Pinch of salt

1 egg

Method:

Crumble (cold) butter and flour together until bread crumb consistency. Once it binds together into a dough, wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for 20mins.

Flour a work surface and rolling pin, roll out until large enough to line a flan tin and aim for approx 5mm thick.

Lightly grease tin, and place dough over the top, gently press down into the corners/edges of the tin.

Beat one egg and brush the base and sides of the pastry, prick the base with a fork and bake in the oven for 15-20mins @ 180°C (Gask Mark 4), or until lightly golden.

Tart filling

Ingredients :

2 Pears

1 Red Onion

150g Blue Cheese

2 Eggs

50g Walnuts or Pecans

Method:

Slice Red Onion and fry in a pan in a small amount of butter or oil. Peel and slice pears and remove any seeds, add to onions once they’ve softened, fry for a 3-5 mins, season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Beat two eggs and season with salt and pepper.

Place sliced pears and onion onto base, crumble blue cheese and crushed nuts over the tart contents, pour the beaten eggs over the top. Bake in oven for 25mins @ 180°C (Gask Mark 4).

Serve hot or cold.