QUEEN VICTORIA'S GARLIC ROASTED CHICKEN

 by: MisS VictoriA DaviD

I like eating delish meat!

Cooking food at home is my magic wand and they all appreciate everything about it; from the preparation of ingredients to eating together. This is one great reason why I don't buy processed food or indulge myself in buying instant products at the supermarket. It doesn't mean I dislike them!

I have eaten Roasted Chicken that was cooked and bought from the supermarket, in particular, Garlic Roasted Chicken. The taste was really finger licking good; scrumptious!

When I was at the supermarket last time, I bought a whole chicken and challenged myself to cook my own recipe version of Garlic Roasted Chicken.

Sauce Ingredients: 

• 5 cloves of garlic, crashed 
• 2 slices of onion, chopped 
• 3 tbsps. of Wine Vinegar 
•  ½ tsp. Ground pepper 
• 2 tsps. of honey 
• a pinch of mixed herbs 
• 3 stalks of lemon grass, cut each into 2 (ginger is an option) 
• salt to taste

Sauce Preparation:

1. Mix the garlic, onion, vinegar and honey in a saucepan. Stir well.
2. Add the pepper and mixed herbs. Stir well again. 
3. Add and soak the lemon grass in the mixture. 
4. Once all mixed, bring it to the boil for 3 minutes on a moderate heat. 
5. Let it cool for 5 minutes before adding it to your chicken.

Main Ingredient:

• A whole chicken (free range, if possible as the extra flavour is worth the money)

Marinating Procedure:

1. Wash and rinse the chicken. 
2. Prepare a container and lay the meat in it. 
3. Use a spoon to pour the sauce mixture over the meat. Turn-over and do the same. 
4. Cover the container and leave it for a night (marinating process). 
5. After marinating the chicken, don't throw the sauce mixture. Bring it to the boil and use it as a greasing ingredient when roasting the chicken.

Roasting Procedure:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC. 
2. Prepare a roasting tray with rack on it and lay the marinated chicken. As we are using an oven, the tray will hold the excess oil while roasting. 
3. Roast it for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown. 
4. Check it every 25-30 minutes and turning it occasionally. Brush the chicken with the boiled sauce mixture.

This is a flavoursome way of roasting a whole chicken and an addtional recipe to be served on the table for your loving family and closests friends this Christmas season as well as the New Year!

QUEEN VICTORIA'S BAKED BATTERED AUBERGINE

by: MisS VictoriA DaviD

It was surprisingly tasty...

A soft bulbous shiny purple or white skin that varies in different sizes. Don't be too green as I am talking about a commonly used nightshade vegetable.

Aubergine or in some countries known as eggplant is a nightshade plant closely related to tomato and potato. It is a delicate perennial (more than 2 years) plant that grows in temperate climates of China, India, Egypt, Turkey and Indonesia.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-sized aubergine
• 2 cloves of garlic, crashed and finely chopped
• 1 small-sized onion, finely chopped
• a dash of mixed herbs
• 2 medium-sized eggs, beaten 
• salt, pepper and vegetable stock granules to taste
• 2 tbsps. of Extra Virgin oil

The aubergine was burntly- grilled that made it easier for me to tear-off its skin and also it cooked some of its pulp. After I have scraped its burnt skin, I divided it into two and crashed each pulp (the size of United Kingdom's aubergine is four times bigger than in Asia) using a fork.

 

Baking Procedure:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 150ºC (electric) and then, dazzle the oil into the pyrex glass to cover the bottom .
2. Prepare you marinating mixture by whisking and mixing up together the following ingredients. Such as cloves of garlic, finely choppped onion, mixed herbs, 2 eggs and the condiments.
3. Place the pyrex glass inside the pre-heated oven for 10-12 minutes. 
4. While waiting, pour and coat your prepared aubergines with the egg batter mixture in step 2. This is the marinating time!
5. Take-out the pre-heated pyrex glass in the oven and then, lay and arrange your marinated aubergines. Be careful not to touch the surface of the pyrex glass as it will be sizzling hot (NOTA BENE!).
6.  Place it back in the oven and bake it for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Check it every 10-12 minutes or adjust the temperature, if necessary and to avoid burnt food!

*Photo courtesy of topfoodfacts.com