Newsletter September 2006
Modern Country Living - Domestic Bliss
Game On: September 2006
All
summer I have avoided the supermarkets – yes it can be done. (Waitrose
doesn’t count but as we do not have one, yet on the Isle of Wight
I didn’t go there either). I decided that I would shop only locally
so I put my trust in a local grocers called Orchards – Established
1860 in Totland. There I was greeted and served by Mark and the
girls. I bumped into loads of people I knew and was delighted
and surprised by all the wonderful foods Mark stocks. One of the
best things I found was Tiptree organic tomato ketchup it is brilliant
– something I would have never in a million years found if was
shopping at one of the “Big Boys”. And when I over heard a regular
shopper ask for her bacon to be sliced I nearly fainted – How
about that for service! Please support your local grocers, butchers
and bakers and shop at food stands along the road and buy only
what is in season you will be amazed at how good you feel and
how much more you contribute to your local community. All I can
say is that my life has changed for the better since I binned
standing in a faceless, nameless queue.
Baked Chicken Thighs in a Shallot Vinaigrette
You can also use a whole jointed bird if you prefer and it works
with pheasant as well
Serves 6
12 chicken thighs
Goose Fat – a must- 2-3 tablespoons
6 shallots, finely diced
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp sherry vinegar
Salt and pepper
1tsp sugar
Pre heat the oven to 200
Mix together the shallots, mustard, sherry vinegar, salt, pepper
and sugar. Whisk well and set a side.
Put the goose fat into a shallow baking try and
heat up on a hotplate. When it is really hot, brown the thighs
then bake in the oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, take the
chicken out and stir in the vinaigrette making sure every piece
is well coated. Cook for a further 5 minutes then remove the thighs
and rest while you scrape up the bits left on the bottom of the
pan stirring all the cooking juices, vinaigrette and fat together.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Pour the pan juices over the chicken
thighs and serve with a green salad.
Top tip:
Two tips this month- Come and see me at the Abergavenny
Food festival where I will be talking all about entertaining and
you can buy loads of delicious food and learn all sorts of fascinating
foodie facts. Food Festival takes place over the weekend of Saturday
16 and Sunday 17 September. www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com
To book tickets please call the Borough Theatre, Abergavenny on
01873 850805.
And the other tip is a great little cheat that is
the perfect pudding after the Chicken in shallot vinaigrette.
Duchy Originals are doing a fantastic Lemon Posset. It is made
with their delicious lemon curd (of which I am addicted to) and
it comes in individual glass ramekins so if you feel like pretending
you made them you will not be caught out! You can buy them from
Waitrose of course!
This article by Amy Willcock appears
in The Shooting Gazette September 2006, and is reproduced here with
permission.
Click here for more of
Amy's Newsletters