Stuffed Jacket Potatoes with Leeks Cheddar and Boursin

I receive regular updates from http://www.eatttheseasons.co.uk/ and tonight tried this recipe found by following a link to what turned out to be Delia online at the following link http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/stuffed-jacket-potatoes-with-leeks-cheddar-and-boursin.

I have never (funnily enough) tried stuffing any vegetable, so this was a big adventure. It was deicious.

In case the link does not work, here is Delia's recipe;

Stuffed Jacket Potatoes with Leeks, Cheddar and Boursin
In this recipe the potato is scooped out, mixed with soft cheese and topped with leeks and melted cheese.

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 large baked potatoes
1 leek about 4 inches long, trimmed and cleaned
1 ½ oz mature Cheddar, coarsely grated
1 x 80g pack ail et fines herbes Boursin
1 Tbsp single cream
salt and freshly milled black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees

To prepare the leek, slice it almost in half lengthways, then fan it out under a running tap to wash away any trapped dirt.

Now slice each half into four lengthways, then into ¼ inch (5 mm) slices.

After that, put the Boursin into a medium-sized bowl and cut the potatoes in half lengthways.

Protecting your hands with a cloth, scoop out the centres of the potatoes into the bowl containing the Boursin, add the milk or cream and season well with salt and freshly milled black pepper.

Now quickly mash or whisk everything together, then pile the whole lot back into the potato skins.

Now scatter the leeks on top, followed by the grated Cheddar – pressing it down lightly with your hand – then place on the baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the leeks are golden brown at the edges and the cheese is bubbling.

Chicken with Yogurt and Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

This evening, after bridge and a cup of tea with the Scrabble people, I made a different evening meal. When I looked yesterday, I found a vacuum bag of 4 very large chicken thighs (corn fed and free range from the Farmers’ Market), so I took it out of the freezer.

Today, after the Scrabble cup of tea, I made a recipe which I picked up from elder son last week. I think the recipe may have originated in a Milk Marketing Board recipe book, but I have changed it to suit what I have.

One of the ingredients is a tin of Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup!

Umm, this is something I never have in my store cupboard – the only tins are Italian Tomatoes (much better than watery British ones in cooking) and Baked Beans (a childhood throwback!)

Ingredients

4 chicken portions
Most of a large carton of organic Greek style yoghurt (I had no cream).
1 tin of condensed cream of mushroom soup.
(3 smoked garlic cloves, chopped finely – if you can lay your hands on them. they are less strong than ordinary garlic, so you can use more.
Seasoning to taste
Some paprika

Method

Mix the ingredients (apart from the chicken) in a large bowl.
Lay the chicken portions on a flat dish (I use a lasagne dish)
Spoon the mix over the top.

Cook uncovered in the oven at 180 degrees for 45 - 75 minutes, depending on the size of your joints. (I found the 45 minutes suggested, not nearly long enough.)

I am not going to mention the blood blister caused by pushing the two arms of the can opener together when part of my palm was still caught in between!

Later:

I used rather large Farmer' Market chicken thighs for this recipe, and they were not cooked through at the end of the cooking time, so I had to put them back in the oven for almost half an hour.

By this time, of course, the coating was browning somewhat and drying out.

Also I found that, although smoked garlic is sweeter than usual garlic, it still benefits from frying before eating, so I shall make changes before the next time I cook this dish.

Any suggestions gratefully received!

Mini Pavlovas

As you will know, I bought 2 punnets of strawberries on Saturday. They are still doing fine. I had strawberries with a dusting of sugar on two days, so when I saw small meringue nests on Tuesday at the farm shop, I bought a set of four. I have never been able to make meringues (they always end up like toffee), and I am deeply envious of my elder son's mother-in-law who makes pavlovas at the drop of a hat (and swears that they are so easy, grr).

Anyway, back to the meringue nests...

I took half of a small carton of double cream and whisked it till thick, whisking in some pomegranate seeds (following advice from daughter) and filled two nests with the cream mix. I then sliced a couple of strawberries on top of each and left them for a while for the meringue to soften a little.

Scrummy and so easy.

PS, of course I ate both!