Coconut & Chilli Chicken

Wow. It's going to hard to make healthy food as the weather turns colder, i keep dreaming about Ox Tail Casserole, Steak & Ale Pie, Sticky Toffee Pudding... Salad is not getting a look in. I will however be trying to strike a balance, otherwise i will be giving the Christmas Turkey a run for it's money. Being 5'3 is extremely unforgiving at this time of year, a couple of extra kilos & a winter coat & i look like a lego man (with better hair). Ah the perils of a cold climate! A text from the Houseboy's mum in Australia (a much much better climate) asking me to make a wish while she stirred her Christmas Pudding has made me realise i have to get my behind in gear & crack on with this year Christmas Cake. It needs plenty of time to mature & to be dosed with brandy or whiskey (or whatever the Houseboy won't miss from the booze collection) I can't say that it' my favourite cake but i do enjoy making it &certainly gets you in the festive mood.   

Last weekend i was in York with Mrs Robinson for a retail therapy session & catch up. It's a great place for a weekend, small enough to cover in a couple of days, but enough to keep you interested. There was an amazing Fruit & Veg market which reminded me of Borough Market without the pretentious crowd & astronomical prices. The produce looked truly amazing & the choice of Meat & Fish would have a carnivore drooling. Unfortunately our hotel room didn't have a fridge otherwise i would have been boarding the train South with a bunch of Leeks & a Leg of Lamb! We had the most delicious Hot Chocolate at Monk Bar Chocolatiers in the heart of the 'Shambles' an acient street harking back to the fourteenth century with over hanging buildings & wooden beams. Who needs the history channel when you can see the real thing!

I'm a little obsessed with Nigel Slater at the moment. (sorry Nigel) I have had a few of his cookbooks for ages but they have been languishing at the back of the kitchen &, looking through them this week i have no idea why. So i am going to devote a little time to him over the next few weeks. This recipe received a resounding thumbs up from the Houseboy, it's not too hot, but does have a lovely warmth to it. I love apricots in savoury dishes & this is no exception, they take the edge off the spice & compliments the chicken perfectly. I also discovered it's great after three glasses of wine & a wobble home on the bike. So happy to find it in the fridge last night!  

Ingredients:

• 3 stalks of lemon grass
• 50g fresh ginger
• 2 hot red chillies
• 2 cloves of garlic
• a bunch of coriander
• 2 limes
• 2 tbsp ground nut oil (although i used vegetable oil)
• 200g fresh tomatoes
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 8 chicken thighs
• 400mls coconut milk
• 8 apricots halved

Method:

Peel and discard the outer leaves of the lemongrass- they can sometimes be tough. Cut the inner leaves into short lengths and put in the food processor. Peel the ginger, then slice into thin pieces and add to the lemongrass. Chop the chillies, discarding their stems and add to the ginger with the peeled garlic. Roughly chop the stems and half of the leaves of the coriander to add to the food processor, reserving the rest for later.

Grate the lime zest into the food processor, reserving the limes for later, then turn the machine on and let it chop everything to a coarse paste. Add a little groundnut oil and scrape the sides down with a spatula if it sticks. Add the fish sauce, soy sauce and the tomatoes and process for a few seconds longer.

Warm a further tablespoon of groundnut oil in a deep pan over a moderate to high heat and use it to brown the chicken pieces, turning them so they colour nicely on both sides. Lift the chicken pieces out and pour away anything more than a tablespoon of oil and juices. Add the spice paste and let it fry over a moderate heat for two minutes till fragrant, stirring almost constantly, then return the chicken to the pan. Pour over the coconut milk, stir, cover and leave to simmer over a low heat for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile halve and stone the apricots and leave them to one side.

Test the chicken for doneness making certain it’s cooked right the way through, then add the apricots. Leave to simmer for a few minutes, then add the juice of the limes and the reserved coriander leaves.