Chicken picnic roll

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 300g flat mild pancetta or streaky bacon, rind removed
• 4 (about 180g each) corn-fed chicken breast fillets
• 500g chicken sausages (we used AC Butchery chicken and porcini)
• 1 cup large basil leaves
• 300g sliced ham
• 5 x 60g eggs, hardboiled, shelled
• 2 tbs honey

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Lay a large sheet of lightly greased foil on the workbench. Lay pancetta, slightly overlapping, to completely cover foil.
3. Place the chicken breasts in between 2 pieces of plastic wrap, then use a rolling pin or meat mallet to flatten. Lay the chicken over the pancetta. Remove the meat from the sausage casing and spread over the chicken breasts to completely cover. Place basil leaves over the sausage filling, then cover with slices of ham. Lay the hardboiled eggs just off-centre in a long line on top of the ham.
4. Fold in the long edge of the roll that's closest to the eggs, then, using the foil, roll up to enclose eggs. Make sure roll is covered tightly (if necessary, use another sheet of foil to cover), then twist ends to seal. Place in a baking tray and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Unwrap the top of the foil, drizzle with honey and return to oven for 15-20 minutes or until pancetta is golden. Cool, then rewrap and refrigerate overnight. To serve, bring to room temperature, then cut into thick slices.

Bouillabaisse

Preparation Time

10 minutes

Cooking Time

20 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

• pinch of saffron threads
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 leek, pale part only, washed, thinly sliced
• 750ml fish stock
• 3/4 cup (180ml) white wine
• 500g tomato passata
• 400g canned tomatoes
• 300g firm white fish fillets (such as ling), cut into 3cm cubes
• 12 green king prawns, peeled, deveined, tails intact
• salt and cracked black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

• Capsicum Rouille (sauce)

• 4 slices white bread, crusts removed
• 100g roasted capsicum, drained
• 1 birdseye chilli, deseeded
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• salt & cracked black pepper
• crusty bread, to serve

Method

1. Place the saffron in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon hot water and set aside for 5 minutes.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leek and cook for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Add the fish stock, wine, tomato passata and canned tomatoes and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, to make the capsicum rouille, place the bread in a large bowl. Cover with cold water and set aside for 2 minutes. Using your hands, squeeze the excess water from the bread. Place in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Add the capsicum, chilli, garlic, oil, salt and pepper, and blend until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl.
4. Add saffron mixture to the tomato broth and cook for 5 minutes. Add fish and prawns and cook for a further 3 minutes or until seafood is just cooked. Add the parsley and gently stir to combine.
5. To serve, divide the bouillabaisse among serving bowls and top with a dollop of capsicum rouille. Serve with sliced crusty bread.

Notes & tips

• To spice it up, add a few drops of Tabasco sauce.

Slow-braised chicken in white wine

Preparation Time

10 minutes

Cooking Time

125 minutes

Ingredients (serves 10)

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 20 (about 2kg) chicken pieces, such as drumsticks and thigh fillets
• 200g speck, coarsely chopped
• 2 brown onions, halved, coarsely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
• 500ml (2 cups) dry white wine
• 500ml (2 cups) chicken stock
• 2 tbs drained capers
• 6 sprigs fresh oregano
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped

Method

1. Preheat oven to 150°C. Heat half the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add a quarter of the chicken and cook, turning, for 5 minutes or until brown. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Repeat with the remaining chicken, reheating the pan between batches.
2. Add the speck to the pan and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until brown. Transfer to the bowl with the chicken. Add remaining oil to the pan. Add onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and anchovy and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Return chicken and speck to the pan with the wine, stock, capers, oregano and rosemary and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and add tomato.
3. Transfer to an ovenproof dish. Bake in oven, loosely covered, for 1 1/2 hours or until chicken is tender and the sauce thickens. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve with parmesan polenta (see related recipe).

Notes & tips

• Note: Make this recipe up to 1 day ahead. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, place in a saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring, for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
• Note: Speck (smoked pork) is available from the deli section in some Woolworths stores. If unavailable, use bacon instead.

Classic Cuban Midnight (Medianoche) Sandwich

This is one of the more famous sandwiches straight out of the island of Cuba. This recipe came from my uncle who used to work at a restaurant in Pinar del Rio, Cuba and now works at a Cuban cafeteria here in Miami. This sandwich is best served with fried plantain chips and a cold mamey milkshake!"

PREP TIME	15 Min
COOK TIME	8 Min
READY IN	23 Min
Original recipe yield 4 sandwiches

INGREDIENTS

• 4 sweet bread rolls
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup prepared mustard
• 1 pound thinly sliced cooked ham
• 1 pound thinly sliced fully cooked pork
• 1 pound sliced Swiss cheese
• 1 cup dill pickle slices
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

1. Split the sandwich rolls in half, and spread mustard and mayonnaise liberally onto the cut sides. On each sandwich, place and equal amount of Swiss cheese, ham and pork in exactly that order. Place a few pickles onto each one, and put the top of the roll onto the sandwich. Brush the tops with melted butter.
2. Press each sandwich in a sandwich press heated to medium-high heat. If a sandwich press is not available, use a large skillet over medium-high heat, and press the sandwiches down using a sturdy plate or skillet. Some indoor grills may be good for this also. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, keeping sandwiches pressed. If using a skillet, you may want to flip them once for even browning. Slice diagonally and serve hot.