Strawberries at My House

Hello! Happy Food Revolution Day Eve! Here's another great idea for tomorrow night. 

Here's our menu:

Tray Baked Chicken

Squashed Potatoes

Creamed Spinach

Strawberry Slushie

So, how about a trip to your local farmer's market tomorrow morning for some fresh ingredients including yummy local strawberries and make this for your family and friends tomorrow night? We have big strawberry news at my house! The strawberry plant that we planted in a pot and neglected all winter has come back and has lots of berries. The Kid squealed with delight last night when she tried the first red one! Happy cooking!

from Jamie Oliver's Meal in Minutes page 102

Ingredients:

Potatoes:
1 1/2 pounds small red-skinned potatoes or baby white potatoes
A few sprigs of fresh rosemary
A couple of fresh bay leaves
6 cloves garlic

Spinach:
A bunch of scallions
3 cloves garlic
A few fresh thyme tips
1 whole nutmeg, for grating
A large pat of butter
1 pound prewashed baby spinach
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 ounce Parmesan cheese

Chicken:
Dried oregano
Sweet paprika
A pat of butter
4 (6-ounce) skinless chicken breasts
1 lemon
2 ounces cherry tomatoes
4 slices smoked bacon
A couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary

Seasonings:
Olive oil
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt & black pepper

Drink:
1 pound strawberries, fresh or frozen
A few sprigs of fresh mint
1/2 lemon ice cubes
Sugar, to taste

Directions:

TO START: Get all your ingredients and equipment ready. Fill and boil the kettle. Put a medium saucepan on a medium heat, a large frying pan on a low heat, and a large shallow pan on a medium heat. Turn the broiler to full blast.

POTATOES: Wash the potatoes, then halve lengthways (or leave whole if using baby white potatoes), and add to the saucepan with a pinch of salt. Cover with boiled water, put the lid on, and boil hard for around 12 to 14 minutes, or until cooked through.

SPINACH: Trim and thinly slice the scallions. Add to the large shallow pan with a splash of olive oil. Crush in 3 cloves of unpeeled garlic and add a slug of boiled water. Pick in the leaves from a few sprigs of thyme, finely grate in 1/4 of a nutmeg, and add the pat of butter. Leave to tick away for around 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

CHICKEN: Turn the heat under the empty frying pan to high. Get out a large sheet of parchment paper. Sprinkle over a good pinch of dried oregano, salt & pepper, and paprika, then drizzle over some olive oil and add a lug to the hot frying pan now too, along with the pat of butter. Lay the chicken breasts on top of the parchment paper and roll them in the flavors. Add to the hot pan and fry for 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden on both sides. While this is happening, clear away the parchment paper and wash your hands.

SPINACH: Pile the spinach into the pan with the scallions and leave to wilt. You may need to do this in batches, but it will wilt quickly. Keep stirring so nothing sticks.

CHICKEN: Get out a nice roasting pan, then quarter the lemon and chuck it in the pan along with the tomatoes. Tip in the chicken breasts and any juices from the pan. Use tongs to arrange everything nicely, then lay the bacon on top of the breasts. Put the frying pan back on a medium heat, add the sprigs of rosemary to the pan, and move them around so that they get coated in the juices. Pop them into the pan, then put the pan under the broiler for at least 14 minutes.

POTATOES: Check the potatoes are cooked, then drain and let them steam dry for a minute or two. Add a couple of lugs of olive oil, leaves from a few sprigs of rosemary, and the bay leaves to the empty frying pan. Put the potatoes on top of the herbs in a flat layer, drizzle over some olive oil, and sprinkle over some salt. Crush in 6 unpeeled cloves of garlic, then turn the heat up to high. Get a flat lid from a smaller pan and really press down so you burst and squash the potatoes. Leave to color, then toss after about 3 minutes and squash down again.

SPINACH: Stir to help it along. Pour in the cream. Turn down the heat to low. Finely grate in the Parmesan and stir well.

POTATOES: Keep checking, squashing, and turning so the potatoes get golden all over.

DRINK: Hull the strawberries and add them to the blender with a handful of ice cubes, a few mint leaves, and the juice of 1/2 lemon. Add enough water to cover and whiz. Meanwhile, half fill a large pitcher with ice. Taste the mixture in the blender and sweeten if necessary. Pour into the pitcher and stir with a wooden spoon. Take to the table.

POTATOES: Check and squash down again.

TO SERVE: Take the pan of chicken out from under the broiler. Check the breasts are cooked through, then take straight to the table with the pan of spinach. Tip the potatoes onto a platter, take to the table, and tuck in!

Serves 4

Meals cooked: 4

Meals left: 46

Weeks left: 48