Fennel salad

 Mid week meals and i am run off my feet and need something fresh fast and healthy to fix for dinner and i am loving my veg ottolenghi style, we normally eat fennel and sweetcorn but this has been pimped up with beautiful fresh flavours from all the added herbs.

Another fresh crunchy delicious side is this wonderful fennel dish, i love fennel and this has a feta in it however i found a wonderful smoked feta which i added to my salad.

1/2 pomegranate
1 fennel
11/2tbsp olive oil
2 tsp sumac
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 bunch of each fresh tarragon, flat leaf parsley chopped
70g feta

use a mandolin to fine slice the fennel add the chopped herbs, pomegranate and feta, olive oil, lemon juice and sumac, simple and fast as that.

This is why i love Ottolenghi he really does do fast easy recipes that are full of flavour unlike some other celebrity chefs that bleat on about their supposed fast recipes.

Saffron and Orange chicken

 Ar another wonderfully fresh and tasty meal from my new Jerusalem cook book by Ottolenghi. The left over from this made amazing wraps the next day.

Saffron and Orange chicken

Ingredients to serve 6
50g honey
1/2tsp saffron
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
300ml water

1kg of chicken breast although i used theighs
4 tbsp olive oil
2 bulbs of fennel
15g coriander
15g basil torn
15g mint leaves torn
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 red chilli thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves crushed
salt and pepper

pre heat the oven to 200c

Top and tail an orange then cut into wedges place into a small saucepan with the honey, saffron, vinegar and enough water to cover.  Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 hour top up with water if needed.  After the hour the orange will be cooked and there will be about 3 tbsp of syrup. at the end.  Process the orange and syrup with a bit more water to make a smooth paste.

Toss the Chicken in the oil, salt and pepper and place skin down on a griddle to crisp up the roast off in the oven for 20 - 30 mins till cooked cover and allow to rest and cool.  Pull off the skin and shred then shred the chicken and coat with half of the orange paste, save the rest for another dinner such as salmon.

To make the salad thinly slice the fennel add the herbs olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper.  Top with the shredded orange chicken and then top off with crispy chicken skin.