Easter week-end recap

[london1967]

Well it's the end of the 4-day Easter week-end for this year too.

I didn't leave Penge for the whole 4 days: I didn't leave home at all on Good Friday, and didn't go out of the estate today; but nevertheless, I had a great time!

Friday was tidying up day.
Saturday was cooking day as we had a few friends (Martin & Utku, and another Martin) round for dinner.



I did most of the cooking and rather enjoyed it as when all our guests arrived, everything was under control  and only the main course was left.


Adrian's bread to go with creamy almond and tomato soup.


A new recipe found in a Sicilian cookbook: "Black chicken".
The sauce is made of dark chocolate, onions, fennel seeds, chilli, cloves and vinegar and the chicken marinated in wine for 2 hours. 
Wonderful flavour, I must say!

Dessert was boozy zabaglione cups with strawberry, served with walnut shortbread biscuits.





Sunday: a quick trip down to the allotment with Lynne and Miranda, then Easter afternoon tea at Bobby's (cheese scones, homemade hot cross buns, chocolate cake and simnel cake, all very good). 

Monday: big dinner at Lynne's!

I've also spent quite a lot time last night and today working on the residents' association's "magazine" and I'm sure it'll require quite a few more hours.
Now if only I didn't have to go to work tomorrow!

Comments

[danthered.livejournal.com]

Black chicken

Can haz recipe plz kthx

[london1967.livejournal.com]

Sure! Here it is.

Black chicken (or rabbit)

Serves 4

1 chicken or rabbit, cut into portions
500 ml/187 floz dry white wine
1 medium onion, chopped
4 tbsp olive oil
25 g/1 oz bitter chocolate, grated
1 tbsp sugar
2 cloves
2 tsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp vinegar
salt
peperoncino [I used chilli flakes]
potato flour (optional)

Marinate the chicken [we used chicken mini-fillets] or rabbit for 2 hours in the wine, turning occasionally. Remove and dry well.

Fry the onion in the olive oil until soft but not coloured. Add the chicken or rabbit and cook until golden brown.

Stir in the chocolate, sugar, cloves, fennel seeds, vinegar, salt and peperoncino. Make sure the meat is well coated with sauce. Cover and cook over a moderate heat for 30/40 minutes.

If the gravy is too thin, take out the meat and make it denser with a pinch of potato flour [I didn't have to].

(From "Cucina Siciliana" by Clarissa Hyman who took it from "Boca" by Franca Colonna Romano)

[danthered.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Looks really delicious, like an interesting variant on Mexican molé.

[london1967.livejournal.com]

Bon appetit!
Please let me know if you enjoyed it.

[tilia-tomentosa.livejournal.com]

And OF COURSE the flowers drew my attention. LOL

[london1967.livejournal.com]

Hooray! it worked! :-)

[tilia-tomentosa.livejournal.com]

Evil plan? :)

[london1967.livejournal.com]

Of course! LOL!

[muriel-puce.livejournal.com]

Next Easter: I'm coming to the UK.

[london1967.livejournal.com]

Oh, you shouldn't wait until Easter! lol

[allanh.livejournal.com]

Might I bother you to post the recipe for the Sicilian black chicken, which sounds wonderful? Never mind, I see someone else has already beaten me to it. :) Thank you!

[london1967.livejournal.com]

My pleasure!
Hope you'll enjoy it.

[london1952.livejournal.com]

It was a LOVELY weekend, mainly because it was all spent with you ! X

[london1967.livejournal.com]

Thank you Sweetie!
And likewise!!!
xx

[london1967.livejournal.com]

The Easter Bunny? ;-)