Hello food lovers and happy Father’s Day to the dads among you! Father’s Day is one of the few days of the year when I get to really relax, put my feet up and make a point of not cooking.
I am incredibly lucky to have three gorgeous children who spoil me, and a grandson now too. We always celebrate Father’s Day at my favourite pub restaurant, and the whole Zilli family will get together.
CHICKEN & CHORIZO TRAYBAKE
• 500g baby Maris Peer potatoes, evenly chopped
• 1 mixed bag of 3 peppers, deseeded and each cut into about 16 chunks
• 300g bag of shallots, peeled and cut in half
• 200g chorizo ring
• 1 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 8 chicken thighs
• Crusty bread, to serve
SERVES: 4
PREPARATION: 10 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 1 HOUR
Heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.
Place the potatoes around the edge of a large roasting tray and scatter the pepper chunks evenly within them. Mix the shallots with the peppers.
Remove the ends of the chorizo, cut the ring into thick slices, roughly the width of two £1 coins, and add to the tray.
In a cup, mix the paprika, chilli and olive oil. Pour half the mixture over the vegetables.
Use your hands to ensure they are all coated in the oil and move the potatoes back to the edges of the tray.
Place the chicken thighs on top of the peppers, chorizo and onion, skin side up. Drizzle the remaining oil over the chicken. Cook in the oven for 1 hour, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Drain any excess oil from the chorizo from the tray before serving with some fresh crusty bread.
APPLE & BLACKBERRY CRUMBLES
• 200g blackberries
• 2 eating apples, peeled, cored and cut into small chunks
• 2 tbsp water
• 3 tsp sugar
• Double cream, to serve
For the crumble topping:
• 75g plain flour
• 45g sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 20g almond flakes
• 30g butter
SERVES: 4
PREPARATION: 15 MINUTES
Add the blackberries, apples, water and sugar to a large saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes until the apple is tender, stirring regularly. Divide the cooked fruit between 4 ramekins and allow to cool a little.
Meanwhile, make the crumble topping. Put the flour, sugar and cinnamon into a mixing bowl. Using your hands or a rolling pin, gently crush the almond flakes before adding them to the bowl.
Work the butter through the dry ingredients with the tips of your fingers, until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the crumble mix to a dry, non-stick frying pan and on a medium heat, toast it for 5 minutes, shaking the pan regularly so that it doesn’t burn.
Divide the crumble topping among the ramekins, covering the fruit. Allow them to sit for a couple of minutes to get crisp, before serving with a dollop of cream.
