So if you’re keeping track… it’s definitely not Caribbean Food Week anymore. But sometimes memory cards go on different vacations from you, and you only see them again after they’ve done a road trip through Europe. Either way, do you really need an excuse to make some succulent, spiced baked chicken? I’d like to think not.

Jerk chicken is what you make of it, and as long as you’ve got the basics and time to marinade, you can tweak it as you please. Just make sure you have some citrus, some (all)spice, and some saltiness. By the way – allspice goes by a few other names, including pimento. If you have a spice mix that includes pimento, you are in the right place. Don’t worry, it won’t make your chicken taste like pumpkin pie or Christmas pudding.

Technically, to get the closest to real Jamaican jerk chicken, you’d need to slowly smoke it over pimento wood. But if you’re like me and live in an apartment, or don’t have the resource to slow smoke, you can bake it and still have some really good chicken.

So there’s one more thing I need to tell you about. I got the spices I used from Grace Foods, who gave me the chance to play around a bit with some Caribbean flavors. I used their hot curry spice and ginger pimento in this recipe. You can find their products in British supermarkets, particularly in the international food section. (Plus… they’re usually more affordable than even the store brands, with just as much, and often even more quality.)

On the Counter

1 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
½ tbsp ginger pimento spice
½ tbsp hot curry spice
¼ tbsp ground nutmeg
1 green or spring onion, finely minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1.5 tsp table salt or 2 tsp kosher salt
2 (or 4 if you like it really spicy) scotch bonnet peppers, finely chopped
juice of ½ lime
One 1 kg/2.2 lb free range chicken, cut into eighths, skin-on, OR 4 skin on drumsticks and 4 skin on thighs, OR 12 wings, OR any mix you want!

What to Do

Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl. If you don’t feel like chopping up the ingredients, you can chop coarsely and put everything into a food processor until it’s combined and as close to a paste as you can get. There might still be some bits, which is ok.

Coat the chicken outside and under the skin. Getting it under the skin is important so that your actual chicken tastes great, and not just the skin. Cut through the skin to make some pockets, if you need to.

Put all the chicken pieces into a big zip-top bag, and let it marinade for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator, and ideally for 8 hours if you can. You can make the marinade the night before and get the chicken ready in the morning for night-time cooking.

When you’re ready to cook, heat the oven to 200C/395F. Rub a little bit of oil on the inside of a roasting tray or baking dish that’s big enough for all the chicken to be in one layer. Get the chicken out of its bag and into the roasting tray.

Bake the chicken, uncovered, for 25-35 minutes, or until the juices run clear and the temperature inside is 74C/165F. The time difference depends on the size of the pieces you use – wings and boneless breast pieces will take less time, while thighs and bone-in breast will take the longest.

Serve it up with some coconut rice and beans and garlicky sautéed spinach for a full on Caribbean-inspired feast.

If I had to pick a night when I was least interested in cooking, I would have to say Wednesday night. It’s the middle of the week and there is no weekend in sight. It’s usually not the most inspiring work day, but it’s not quite takeout-Friday. The Wednesday slump is all too real.

Anyway. Wednesday, at least in my world, is the day where I want something comforting and tasty, but without much hassle.

I introduce to you: marmalade roasted chicken.

All you need to make this on a dreadfully dull Wednesday night is: chicken (legs/things), whole grain mustard, orange marmalade. That’s it. I swear.

And hear me out on the marmalade thing. I really didn’t think I would like it, but for whatever reason, I got myself a jar of rhubarb and orange marmalade from a jam maker in Edinburgh. I tried it on chicken. Sold. Then the next time I went back, I got their orange and chili marmalade. Another winner. I wrote the recipe with the expectation that you won’t have chili and orange marmalade hanging around… but if you do, even better.

I wish I could take credit for this recipe, but really it’s inspired by Nigel Slater, one of the major names in UK food writing. I think one of the best things about Nigel Slater’s recipes is that they range from the super-easy and totally satisfying to the complex and..  well… still satisfying.

All you have to do is…

Season the chicken.

Mix the marmalade and mustard… then coat both sides with marmalade and mustard

And put it in the oven to bake!

Marmalade Roasted Chicken

On the Counter
Serves: 4

4 chicken thighs or leg quarters
4 tbsp orange marmalade
2 tbsp whole grain mustard
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
black pepper

What to Do

Season both sides of the chicken with black pepper. Set aside. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200 C/400 F.

In a small bowl combine marmalade, mustard and chili flakes.

Coat the chicken pieces on both sides with the marmalade mustard mix. Start with the bottom.

Place the chicken on a roasting tray covered in foil (this stuff gets sticky!), skin side up.

Bake the chicken for 30 minutes, but start checking at about 25 minutes for a golden brown color. Once the glaze browning, it doesn’t take long before it burns.

If you’re looking for a side dish, might I suggest some roasted broccoli?

The best-laid plans…

Lately I’ve come to discover that I’m inspired to blog at the wrong times. I have about 3 or 4 posts in draft form, some with photos, and some just with recipes.

I have some that seem like they would be ready for prime time – until I try to write something about them. Then, I have times when I can’t be bothered to take the camera out for something I’m just whipping up quickly. Of course, lately that means as soon as I take my first bite, I realize I should have been ready to blog about it.

Like in this case. For now, all I have are photos snapped quickly on my iPhone, too hungry to bother getting a photo this time.

But this is the kind of meal I should have had my camera ready for – inspired by a recipe that was inspired by another recipe, and similar to many meals before it.

It also tastes a bit decadent, which, maybe it is, but it has coconut milk … and coconut milk is good for you. And tasty. And dairy-free. And creamy. And usually pretty cheap.

While I can’t say it’s Thai food, I can definitely say that it has Thai-inspired vegetables and flavors, plus some other fun ingredients that don’t sound like they’ll work, but they do. The creamy coconutty chicken sauce, the soft and meaty shiitake mushrooms and the sweet and colorful red peppers all hang out together in harmony.

PS: My Kitchen Counter has an instagram account now! Check me out @mykitchencounter.

Note: If you’re hard-up for star anise, you can skip it, but even for a liquorice-hater like me, it added a nice dimension that I wouldn’t miss out on.

Inspired by the Kitchn.

Serve (over rice, if using rice) with sauce and vegetables on top. Garnish with chopped scallions (spring onions) and cilantro (coriander leaves), and with lime wedges on the side.

January is definitely the month of tight budgets, both money-wise and diet-wise, and I can’t say that I’m the exception. While it’s nice to imagine that while traveling between New York, London and Edinburgh over the holidays, I ate well, didn’t spend much money and therefore don’t need a quiet January, that’s just not true. (Then again, my January hasn’t been as healthy and frugal as I’d have liked either.)

This meal, however, is something no one has to feel guilty about. I first grabbed this recipe from The Kitchn, and went back to it for a great January meal. (By the way … how is it nearly February? When did that happen?)

For what it is, this panade is way tastier than I expected. It has deep, rich flavors and is super-hearty. One portion is a lot more filling than it looks!

I had some whole wheat bread loaf butts hanging around in my freezer waiting for such an occasion, and it worked perfectly. Worth noting: I tried freezing and reheating, and while it needed a little bit of water before going in the microwave, it worked out really, really well. Also, if you want to make this vegan, you can leave out the cheese without losing too much. Just be willing to adjust your herbs and spices to compensate.

Hopefully your 2013 resolutions have gone well so far! And if it involves using up bread butts, now’s your chance.

Adapted from: The Kitchn

Serves: 4 (at least!)

On the Counter

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 14.5 oz.(400g) cans of tomatoes, whole or diced, undrained
1 cup (240 mL) hot vegetable broth
2 tablespoons Demerara sugar
1 bay leaf
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
2 thick slices old whole wheat bread
1 16 oz. (400 g) can of white beans, such as cannellini or navy, drained and rinsed
2 cups (50 g) fresh spinach leaves
1/2 cup  (40 g) grated cheddar cheese, plus extra for garnishing
salt and pepper

What to Do

In a thick-bottomed soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute until translucent and soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add in garlic and saute for another minute.

Add in canned tomatoes. If using whole tomatoes, crush them with a wooden spoon. Follow it up with the broth, one tablespoon of sugar, bay leaf, red pepper flakes and salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon is a good place to start).

Stir and increase the heat until it boils, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf. Add in bread and beans, and stir. Make sure the bread is well covered.

Simmer for at least 5 minutes, or until the bread has become soft and mushy. Break it up with a wooden spoon.

Remove from heat. Add in spinach, and let it sit until just wilted, about 1 minute.  

Stir in the cheddar. Add more salt and black pepper to taste. If it tastes bitter, add
the remaining sugar and stir.

Serve in bowls, topped with a bit of freshly grated cheddar.

I love this dish!  It’s so easy and filling, and it really feels hearty and comforting. Plus, there’s pretty much no guilt in this dish. With only two slices of bread in the whole thing, it’s definitely not a calorie deal-breaker.

This is an easy one. I like making this when there’s a beautiful trout sitting at the fishmonger waiting to be taken home and treated right.

With a nice piece of fish, I prefer to do as little as possible so that it shows just how tasty it can be. I know there are still a lot of people out there who don’t like fish, but I really think that a lot of times, that’s a case of mistaken identity. Badly-prepared fish can turn anyone off. That stinky smell of old fish turns me off just as fast as even the most ardent fish-hater. But a good piece fish… heaven.

This baked trout looks beautiful on a plate and whispers “elegance”, without much work on your part.

I served it with fresh steamed peas tossed in a tiny bit of butter, but if I’d had petit pois (little peas), I would have definitely used them. The butter is also optional!

Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy

On the Counter

4 trout filets, with skin
1 lemon, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tbsp herbes de provence
       (or a mix of dried thyme, rosemary, savory, basil, whichever you have)
kosher or ground rock salt
freshly ground black pepper

What to Do

Preheat oven to 350F/150C. Line a baking tray with foil and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil. 

Pat the trout filets dry with a paper towel, then place them on the foil and season them, skin-side down, with salt and pepper. Let them sit for 3 minutes. 

Drizzle them with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, then top with the herbes de provence.

Lay the lemon slices atop the filets, and if there are any extras, along the sides of the fish. 

Roast in the oven for 1o minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily. 

Serve! 

I usually squish the lemon onto the fish with a fork. The lemon juice works really well with the trout and herbs.

Chicken and butternut squash! It seems so obvious, once you’ve had it. Butternut squash complements chicken, a meat that takes a lot of cues from whatever it’s served with. The beautiful orange of butternut squash is such a symbol of autumn food for me.

Even though the weather here in London and back home in the Northeast has been flirting with freezing, I am not yet willing to let go of my orange vegetables and spiced desserts.

Because of how much time it takes to cook, it is really great for slow one-pot dishes. For me, chicken fits that really well, too. (One of my favorite meals is Coq au Vin.)

This recipe takes a bit of a time commitment, but the results are so good and so hearty that it’s worth it. If you’ve never butchered a butternut squash before, a bit of elbow grease and a good knife should sort it you out.

First, halve it and scoop out the seeds and slimy bits.

Then, peel or cut the skin off the outside of the pieces (I did 2 rounds of peeling) and chop it into rows, then cubes.

Recipe adapted from Serious Eats: Pan-Cooked Chicken Thighs with Butternut Squash

Serves: 4

On the Counter

1 tablespoon olive oil
8 chicken drumstick and thigh pieces (about 2 pounds [1kg] total)
1 cubed butternut squash
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 tbsp dried sage (or 2 tbsp fresh sage)
1 cup (235 mL) chicken stock (gluten free, if needed)
1 tbsp (14g) butter
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice 
kosher or ground rock salt and black pepper

What to Do

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is shimmering, add chicken pieces, skin-side down and cook, without moving the chicken.
When they are golden brown and the skin is crispy, (about 8 to 10 minutes),  flip the pieces and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on the other side.
Set the chicken aside on a plate.

Add the squash into the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown and soften. If it starts to burn, lower the heat and keep cooking.
Next add the onion and stir frequently, until slightly softened.
Sprinkle  the sage and a pinch of salt over the onion and squash.
Add chicken broth slowly to deglaze the pan, scraping up brown bits.   
Move the squash to the sides, leaving as much open space in the pan as possible and return the chicken to the skillet, skin side up.
Bring everything to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook it all, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through, and the stock has reduced to about 1/2 cup (120mL). This should take between 15 and 20 minutes. 

Remove the skillet from the heat and, once again, set the chicken aside.
Stir butter and lemon juice into the squash/broth mixture until combined.
Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve with the chicken.

I chose a side of wilted spinach with garlic and lemon.

A few months ago, I went to a social media week event here in London about food. It was a great event, I met some interesting people, had thought-provoking conversations and ate free burritos.

The best presenters, in my mind, were the funny, interesting and passionate people behind Great British Chefs, an all-encompassing food site, to say the least.

I started following them via my newly-created blog twitter and a while later, along came this mushroom risotto recipe.

It is good. Very good. It’s thick with mushroom flavor, hearty and autumnal. I’m definitely into the autumn foods right now.

If you like mushrooms, this is the risotto for you. You can tone down some of the intense mushroom flavor by using milder mushrooms, or just picking one variety. You could also mix up the proportions of mushrooms. I, however, am on a fresh shiitake kick, so they were very welcome to the party. And on sale.

And try not to be intimidated by the stirring required for risotto. Put a good TV show on your laptop or tablet and get stirring. (I watched Castle this time.)

Adapted from Great British Chefs

Serves: 4

On The Counter:

5 tbsp (75g) butter
10 oz (300g) of assorted fresh mushrooms, cut in similar-sized pieces (shiitake, oyster, chestnut, for example)
1 small shallot, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
10 oz (300g) of Arborio risotto rice
1/2 cup (120ml) of white wine
3 cups (700ml) of vegetable stock, plus more if needed
2 tbsp (40g) of grated Parmesan
olive oil
salt
black pepper

What to Do:

Melt half the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, season lightly with salt. Sautee until light brown and soft. Add shallots and garlic and cook until soft, but not brown. (About 30 seconds to 1 minute.)

Stir in the rice and turn up the heat to medium-high. Keep stirring and cook until transparent, about a minute. Pour in the wine and continue stirring.

Add the stock, one ladle-full at a time. Stir constantly, nearly all the wine is absorbed and the rice is creamy and cooked through. This takes about 15 minutes. If the rice is undercooked, add water and continue.

Season with a little more salt and fresh pepper. Add the remaining butter and the Parmesan cheese, and stir until well combined. Serve.

Autumn is probably my favorite food season. While summer is my favorite season overall, and the vegetables and fruits available in the summer make for some amazing meals, I look forward to the beginning of the comfort food season… and the pumpkin.

It’s tough to find canned pumpkin here in London, though not impossible. (Pro-tip: Waitrose and Whole Foods. Waitrose is much cheaper.) I love including it in all sorts of dishes, including the traditional (pumpkin pie), and the quirky (spiced pumpkin oatmeal). You could definitely use fresh pumpkin purée but that’s a time investment I’m not always willing to make.

And then there’s the cheese! Invest in a nice cheese, cuz it will make your macaroni that much tastier. I don’t use the most expensive cheddar on the block but I try to find the one on the best sale that I know tastes delish.

I first tried this recipe a few years ago, and have since honed my mac & cheese technique from when I used to end up with grainy and too-runny sauce. (Thankfully I’m over that now, and hopefully my instructions can help with your cheese sauces too.)

Every year I look forward to making this! It’s so seasonal and warming, and it reminds me of multicolored trees, warm wooly blankets and hikes on crunchy leaf-covered paths.

The pumpkin removes a tiny bit of the guilt of eating a big heaping portion of mac & cheese, but don’t worry, it’s not going to start tasting like a big sweet hunk of pie. There’s also panko on top to add a crunch that just makes me happy. Check out that crumbly topping!

I’ll post my regular mac & cheese recipe soon, but you can get away with making this without the pumpkin, if you’re really not keen.

Serves: 4

On The Counter:

For the Cheese Sauce
1/2 lb (250g) whole wheat tube/twist pasta (I used rigatoni)
1.5 tbsp butter
1.5 tbsp flour
2 cups milk, divided into 1 cup and 2 1/2 cups.
3/4 cup grated mature cheddar
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp nutmeg

For the Topping
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup grated mature cheddar

What To Do:

In a pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta to al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400F (200C).

Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan on low heat, melt butter. Once the butter is nearly all liquid, sprinkle the flour on and whisk together until there are no lumps. Cook for another 30 seconds.

Add 1 cup of milk and whisk until smooth. Add 1/2 cup and continue to whisk. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, whisking constantly, until it thickens up.

Add the grated cheese slowly, whisking as you add it in. Keep stirring until the cheese melts. Add salt, pepper, cayenne, nutmeg, the pumpkin and finally the last 1/2 cup of milk. Keep stirring until everything is smooth.

Remove from heat and mix in pasta. Pour the whole mix until a casserole dish.

In a separate bowl, combine the panko, saved cheese, cayenne and salt. mix together til well combined.

Sprinkle crumb mixture on top of the macaroni.

Put casserole dish into the oven for 20 minutes. It should be warm and bubbly, with a golden crumb topping.

Macaroni & cheese is one of my favorite comfort foods, which also means that I judge it quite harshly in restaurants. Just last week I had a mac & cheese that was more leeks than macaroni… and the cheese tasted like nothing more than hot goo. Don’t let bad restaurant mac happen to you, too!

There are times when walking into the supermarket with no plan is a disaster. Other times it’s an inspiration. Thankfully, this recipe transpired from an inspirational trip.

I was wandering through the meat department, as I do, and spotted a beautiful set of lamb steaks. And then I spotted the lovely sticker on the package. 2 for £7. Armed with my 2 lamb steaks and a nice pair of beef rump steaks (to use in a later post), I was ready to go.

There was also a bag of fresh peas languishing in the fridge, which offered the perfect opportunity for… pan-seared lamb steaks and minted mushy peas.

Even though I’ve lived in London for 1.5 years, I haven’t spent much of that time cooking British food. It’s been too tempting to take advantage of all the continental European ingredients – the Italian cheese, French cream and Greek olives. After this success, though, I might have to rethink that stance.

A nice piece of tender lamb (not mutton) is quick to cook (and just as quick to ruin). I pan-seared this, but it would be just as lovely on the grill. You could also make this a pea puree, rather than mushy peas. To do that, just replace the mushing with food processing.

Serves: 4

On the Counter:

the lamb:
4 lamb steaks
6 sprigs-worth of fresh thyme, leaves only
kosher or ground rock salt
1 tsp olive oil for marinade
2 tsp olive oil for pan
the peas:
3 cups (400 g) fresh or frozen peas
4 springs fresh mint
4 tablespoons melted butter

What to Do:

Chop thyme leaves and combine them with a few grinds of salt and olive oil. Mash them up with a mortar and pestle. Rub or brush onto both sides of your lamb steaks. Let them sit for at least 30 minutes. (Don’t skip the marinading – it’s worth it!)

Boil the peas in lightly salted water until tender (about 3 minutes). If using frozen, heat them according to the package directions. Chop mint finely. Once the peas are finished, drain them and combine butter, mint and a pinch of salt. Mash them up with a mortal and pestle, until they are mushy to your taste.

Drizzle olive oil onto a griddle or flat-bottomed frying pan. Heat (on medium-high) until the oil shimmers. Flick a few drops of water onto the skillet to test; if they dance and sizzle, it’s ready. Place your lamb steaks onto the pan and press them down. Don’t crowd the pan; make sure each one has some space. For medium rare, cook them for 4 minutes on each side. Medium: 5 minutes, then 4 minutes. This obviously depends on the thickness of your pieces. Mine were about 3/4 inch thick (2 cm).

As soon as the timer goes off, take them off the heat and let them rest for 2 or 3 minutes on a plate.

On a warm plate, serve peas and lamb. This is also lovely with some french fries or a salad, but I’ll leave that to you!

I had a lot of fun taking photos of this one, so here are two extras that I just had to share. Check out that beautiful piece of lamb!

I love cooking. I find it relaxing, fun and satisfying.

That said, I also like sitting, watching the Olympics and ‘me time’. On those days, I love cooking quick, easy meals that have way more flavor than they have any right to.

This post is about one of those meals.

The vegetables were flavorful, juicy and gave the fish an amazing sauce, keeping it moist. The flavors really compliment this firm but mild fish. You won’t have to worry about too much competition between the fish and tomatoes like you would with tuna or salmon.

I bought haddock filets for a friend’s barbecue, and conveniently left them at home. When Sunday night rolled around, I wanted something that would satisfy my desires to: watch the Olympics, paint my nails and relax. I wasn’t in the mood for cooking a long, complex meal, but I knew I wanted something fresh and flavorful for a summer evening.

Conveniently, it was also a “counter-cleaner”, and now I have an excuse to buy more veggies. While my tomato looked good, it had been sitting, waiting for me, for more than a week. I’m impressed it lasted that long, but maybe it knew what was in store.

If you can’t find haddock, look for pollock or cod, which have similar flavors.

After digging out my last tomato and the final shallot and snipping herbs from the garden, I was in business. The whole meal took me about 25 minutes including cooking time. (And I would not win any speed-chopping competitions.)

I served it with a potato salad I whipped up using some extra herbed crème fraîche from a previous recipe.

Serves: 2 people with minimal sides or 4 with extra side dishes.

On the Counter:

2 skinned haddock filets, about 3/4 inch thick
2 vine ripened tomatoes
1 shallot
1 clove garlic
Fresh herbs: I used dill, thyme, parsley
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 200C (390F).

What to Do:

Chop tomatoes, shallots and herbs. Mince garlic. Combine in a small bowl. Drizzle with of olive oil and gently mix it all together. Let it sit for 5 minutes, to allow flavors to meld.

Season the fish with salt and pepper on both sides. Drizzle fish and cookie sheet or oven pan with oil. Spoon the salsa on top, and any remaining around the fish.

Bake for 15 minutes.

This holds up pretty well to eat the next day, so if you somehow have any leftovers, don’t let them go to waste!