Sorted: a recipe for student survival

SORTED Xmas Dinner

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 6 chicken breasts
• 12 rashers of bacon
• half a small loaf of bread
• large onion
• orange
• handful of dried cranberries
• sprinkling of fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
• butter (200g)
• brussels sprouts
• whole, shelled chestnuts (200g jar)
• savoy cabbage
• 4 large carrots
• cream (250ml)
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 6 large potatoes
• chicken gravy granules (optional)

 

peel and chop potatoes into golf ball sized pieces. Dump into pan with cold salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

blitz or chop the stale bread into crumbs and mix with cranberries, parsley and juice and zest of half the orange.

dice half of the onion and cook in the microwave with 150g butter for 1 minute until the butter has melted and the onion softened. Add to the breadcrumb mix with salt and pepper and stir together.

trim any fat or sinew from the chicken before slicing a pocket into the thick side of each breast.

stuff with some of the orange and cranberry breadcrumbs, then wrap two rashers of bacon around the chicken to seal the pocket. Position on deep baking tray and pour in half a cup of water to keep the meat moist as it cooks.

drain the potatoes after the 10 minutes of simmering and shake them in the pan to fluff the edges (makes them crisp up a treat). Chuck them onto a baking tray and drizzle with oil & seasoning.

roast the potatoes at 200ºC for about 45 minutes until golden and crisp.

grate the peeled carrots and finely slice the cabbage. Leave them to one side and put a large pan of water on to boil.

chop the chestnuts into large chunks, dice the other half an onion and trim the hard stalk from the base of each brussel sprout, allowing any outer leaves to fall off.

place the prepared sprouts into a microwavable dish and pour over a cup of water. Cover with clingfilm and leave to one side.

cook the wrapped chicken in the same oven as the potatoes for approximately 30 minutes depending on size. (Check them before serving making sure there is no pink flesh and the juices oozing out of the chicken are clear.)

boil the cabbage and carrot in the pan of water for 5 mins. Drain them well and return to the same pan and heat with the cream, 100g of butter and the nutmeg. Season well.

microwave the clingfilm covered sprouts on full power for 6-8 mins.

fry the diced onion in a little butter until soft. Add the chestnuts and toss through to heat them up. Mix into the sprouts when cooked.

serve the meal by slicing the chicken breast in half to expose the stuffing and arranging it on a plate with a good portion of sprouts, nutmeg creamed cabbage and carrot and roast potatoes.

Price per portion = £3.80                               Time required = About 90 minutes (depending on how many flat mates chip in and help)

Posted by Ben on 05 Dec 2009

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