Blood Orange, Beetroot and Chicken Salad

I’m not normally one to use a lot of citrus in my salads.  Apples are one thing – with a lovely crunch and their round sweetness I think they’re a great foil for the addition of meat or nuts in a big mixed salad.  Yet oranges have always seemed a little too overpowering for me.  I do love the combination of citrus and chicken – as my favourite dish of Chicken, Fennel and Orange with Olives will attest -, and certainly, given the right balance they can do  wonders for a dish, brightening them both to the eye and to taste.  Blood oranges though, seem a different matter.  They are, in fact, the most delicious and delicate of creatures: ruby and amber flesh and a tart sweetness that gives them a sophisticated edge over their rather more obvious cousins.  I spent a bit of time in Venice when I was younger where a popular drink amongst my group was a pouring of dark, deep rum followed by a juicy wedge of blood orange to take the edge off.  A sort of Veneto slammer and seriously one of my favourite things to do late at night (or early in the morning) in a wood panelled corner bar filled with swarthy Italians and friends.  Obviously.

So, blood oranges are clearly on my favourites list and this salad gives them an opportunity to stand proud.  I was inspired by this salad, with its lovely colour play and vibrant feel.  Bright citrus flavours, gently poached chicken, sweet steamed beetroot and the melodic tang of coriander.  It’s what my January needs: a little sparkle and pick me up and perhaps a little pouring of dark rum to follow.

BLOOD ORANGE, BEETROOT AND CHICKEN SALAD

Serves 2

2 skinless chicken breasts

The juice of 1 lemon

A small bunch of coriander 

500g beetroot

2 blood oranges

A pouring of extra virgin olive oil

Trim the stalks from the coriander and place in a large saucepan of water.  Add a large pinch of salt and the juice from the lemon, cover and bring to the boil.  Once the water is boiling, add the chicken breasts to the water, bring back to the boil and then cover and remove from the heat.  Leave the pan to sit for half an hour before draining the chicken breasts and patting dry.  This method allows the chicken to poach slowly, retaining the tenderness of the meat and adding a piquant flavour from the lemon and coriander. The chicken breasts will still be very hot when you remove them from the water so leave them to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220c.  Trim the leaves from the beetroot, place in a saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to the boil and then reduce to a gentle simmer and leave to cook for 45 minutes or until the beetroot are tender to a knife point.  Remove from the heat and drain, leave to cool for 10 minutes or so and then run under the tap while removing the skins – they should just slide off with ease. 

Peel the blood oranges and remove any excess pith and skin.  Slice the oranges and cooked beetroot into rounds approximately 1 cm thick.  Slice the cooked chicken diagonally giving into 1cm thick slices.  Layer the beetroot, blood oranges and chicken onto a large serving dish or bowl, scatter over the coriander leaves and drizzle generously with the oil.  Season well with sea salt and black pepper and serve.

Simple Chicken and Coconut Curry

I was preparing to make a simple salad for the blog this week.  A combination of finely sliced sprouts, caramelised roasted sweet potato and lightly toasted pecans, all drizzled with a light lemony herb dressing.  Fresh, crisp, full of flavour, I thought it was just the thing to help boost the immune system and banish the January blues.  Then I looked out the window.  It’s freezing cold, wet and miserable here, the sky is grey and each time I venture out I have to wrap my hands in whatever wool is to hand (that will be a pair of gloves then) and pace to my destination, breathing puffs of frozen air into my scarf to keep my lower face warm.  Lovely as I know it will be – and I may well work on it a little later - I don’t want a salad to eat, I want something warming, nourishing and hot!  Curry is the answer, of course it is – who, after all, doesn’t love a curry?

This is the quickest and easiest of curries: with a little prep, a little more marinating and a blast of cooking you have a delicious, rich and fragrant dish which I think does more for body and soul in January than any raw salad or seaweed juice ever could.  I’ve chosen to use chicken thighs because I think they hold the best flavour, but feel free to use whatever cut or indeed meat that you like.  The spices are a simple blend and are in no way gospel.  Use whatever you have and miss out whatever you haven’t - that’s the beauty of making a curry; you can flavour it to whatever heights you like.  I like this combination of spices and I think the coconut milk is key, adding creaminess and a buttery note.  You could however use cashew nuts to thicken the sauce, as I’ve done here in this Lamb Korma.  Serve with white basmati rice and a handful of coriander leaves – it’ll keep the cold and blues at bay.

SIMPLE CHICKEN AND COCONUT CURRY

Serves 4

8 skinless and boneless chicken thighs

1 large white onion

2 cloves of garlic

½ tin coconut milk

2 tsp garam masala

2 tsp smoked paprika

2 tsp ground coriander

½ - 1 tsp chilli powder – depending on how hot you like it

½ tsp black mustard seeds

¼ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp mixed spice

2 tbsp tomato puree

Juice of half a lemon

2 tbsp groundnut oil

A bunch of fresh coriander

Stir together the coconut milk, lemon juice and all of the spices in a large mixing bowl until blended.  Make a few diagonal cuts, about 1cm deep, on each chicken thigh and then place them in the marinade, leave to marinate for 2 – 24 hours. 

Preheat the oven to 220c (200c Fan).  Finely slice the garlic and cut the onion into thin half moons.  Heat the oil in a large, shallow heavy based casserole, fry the onion and garlic until softened and just starting to colour.  Add the chicken thighs and sauce into the casserole, season well and then bake in the oven for 30 - 35 minutes.  Serve on a bed of basmati rice with a scattering of torn coriander leaves over the top.