smoky chipotle chicken nachos

The base of this meal is Jonas’ amazing Shredded Chipotle Chicken. I cannot emphasise how amazing it tastes after 6 hours of slow cooking in our wonderful NewWave 5 in 1 MultiCooker.

The chicken absorbs the wonderful spice of the chipotles (smoked jalapeños) and Jonas breaks it apart into shreds that soak up the sauce it sits in.

The shredded chicken recipe will make enough nachos for a group of 8 people, but if there’s only a few of you then the leftover chicken is a beautiful filling for another meal like tacos, enchiladas or burritos. It’s as versatile as it is tasty.

The best part is just how easy it is to make. Fry up some garlic, onion and chilli, throw all the ingredients into a slow cooker and then shred. That’s it.

Shredded Chipotle Chicken

Jonas’ very own recipe.

Ingredients:
½ brown onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 chipotle chillies in adobo, finely chopped
1kg chicken thighs (no bones)
800g canned organic tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Olive oil, for frying
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Fry onion and garlic until soft.

2. Added chillies and fry until softened.

3. Add all ingredients to slow cooker, cook for 6 hours.

4. Remove chicken, shred into fine strips.

5. Return to sauce, stir through and keep warm until ready to serve.

Smoky Chipotle Chicken Nachos

Jonas’ very own recipe. Serves 8.

Ingredients:

Jonas’ shredded chipotle chicken
Tortilla chips
Cheese
Guacamole
Pico de Gallo
Sour cream
Salsa verde or salsa de chipotle y tomato

Method:

1. Spread tortilla chips over baking tray covered in baking paper. Scatter with cheese and grill until cheese has melted.

2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat the chipotle chicken until warmed through.

3. Once the cheese has melted over tortilla chips, remove from oven and place on serving dish.

4. Top with shredded chicken, guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo and sauce of your choice.

5. Eat blissfully, perhaps with a tamarind margarita.

toasted marshmallow fudge on valentine's day

I’m not a big believer in St Valentine’s Day. I hate the expectations it brings.

As a modern woman, I disdain the idea of chocolates, roses and a dinner date just because it’s February 14th, but I nonetheless fall into the morose of disappointment when the husband does exactly as I tell him and doesn’t make a fuss.

Poor thing. But he ought to know better after all these years!

So if you want to be sweet to your sweetheart, homemade truffles and treats are always well-received.

Try this toasted marshmallow fudge and see if it doesn’t win you a few sweet kisses.

Toasted Marshmallow Fudge

Adaptation of a Solo Foods recipe. Makes 35 small squares.

Ingredients:
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste (I use this one)
170g (6oz) white chocolate, finely chopped
230g (8oz or 1 cup) sugar
100g (3.5oz) evaporated milk
1 tablespoon milk powder
100g (3.5oz) marshmallows*
60g (1.5oz) butter
1 teaspoon cocoa, for dusting

Method:

1. Mix vanilla and white chocolate in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

2. Toast marshmallows over an open flame until they are melting and slightly browned on edges, which gives a smoky flavour.

3. In a medium saucepan mix sugar, evaporated milk, milk powder and half the butter.

4. Bring to full rolling boil over a medium-heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning, until a candy thermometer reaches 110’C (233’F).

5. Add the toasted marshmallows and remaining butter and stir until ingredients are melted and the mixture is smooth.

6. Bring to the boil then pour over chocolate and mix continually to melt chocolate through mixture.

7. Pour fudge into tin, sprinkle with cocoa, then set to room temperature before cutting into squares.

* Or you can cheat and use this toasted marshmallow fluff.

pollo en salsa verde

Chicken Baked in Green Tomatillo Sauce

I am a sucker for Mexico’s salsa verde (green sauce). What’s not to love? Tang, acidity, spice and salt.

It’s great on anything and everything, but this is one of my favourite applications. In fact, this is quite possibly one of the tastiest and easiest dinners you’ll ever make.

Either prep your own salsa verde or buy it in a can or jar. If I am feeling lazy and just want to use a can, I love Las Palmas Green Chile Enchilada Sauce. Those living in the Americas (north, central or south) will no doubt find Mexican ingredients on their regular supermarket shelves but those of us in Australia are not so lucky. Fireworks Foods is a brilliant online store that ships nationally across Ausland and, if you’re in Sydney, Fiji Market in Newtown is a great supplier.

I serve this with Arroz Verde, which is basically rice cooked in a green stock of puréed chillies and coriander, finished with lime.

My Mexican friends jokingly call this meal “chicken rice” due to its sheer simplicity, but this belies the astounding flavours. I think of this as comforting homely food with a wonderful punch of gutsy Mexican sabors.

Pollo en Salsa Verde (Chicken baked in Green Sauce)

Anna’s very own recipe. Serves 4.

Ingredients:
8 chicken thigh fillets (deboned)
2 pickled jalapeños, chopped
750ml salsa verde
Olive oil, for browning
Coriander, for garnish
Queso freso (or crumbly feta), for serving
Arroz Verde, for serving

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180’C (360’F).

2. Put salsa verde in a sauce pan on the stove and heat over high.

3. Heat the olive oil in a pan and brown the chicken thighs to give them a little colour. No more than a minute or two on each side.

4. Remove from pan and place them in a large baking dish. Scatter with chopped jalapeños.

5. The salsa verde should now be at boiling point, so pour over chicken thighs and place baking dish in oven.

6. Cook for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and salsa verde has thickened slightly around the edges of the baking dish.

7. Sprinkle with coriander and queso freso, then serve hot with arroz verde.

smoked trout & potato salad w horseradish-crème fraîche dressing

Fabio, his gal pal + Jonas and I recently ate at Eathouse Diner and were inspired by their fantastic smoked trout salad. Jonas and I decided we had to replicate it at home and this is what we came up with.

As was the original, this salad was DELICIOUS.

We did make a few changes, for instance they used watercress and we switched our greens to baby spinach. It’s not as crunchy as the watercress, but it works well nonetheless.

This is a perfect summer dinner. You can serve it as your entree (starter) but Jonas and I happily ate it as our main course. It would be wonderful at a picnic too.

Smoked Trout & Potato Salad w Horseradish Crème Fraîche Dressing

Jonas & Anna’s very own recipe. Serves 4 as an starter.

Ingredients:
½ cup (125ml) crème fraîche
3 tablespoons (60ml) lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
3 teaspoons grated horseradish
700g potatoes, boiled then cubed
400g smoked trout, chopped
50g baby spinach
6 radishes, finely sliced

Method:

1. Make the dressing by whisking together the crème fraîche, lemon juice, lemon zest and grated horseradish.

2. In a large bowl add to the potatoes, radishes, chives and parsley enough dressing to suit your tastes and toss gently.

3. When you’re ready to serve, add the spinach and combine well. Top salad with trout.