STEPHEN FRY

What would you cook for his Eminence the great Omniscient FRY if he were coming to your house ?? here's my choice...

How to FRY - Chicken in Calvados

Greedients

4x Tbl spoons real homemade Chicken stock (NOT cubes you heathens)
4oz plain flour
4x shallots cut really fine
1x finely chopped small white onion
20x small button mushrooms sliced finely
4x boneless chicken breast cut into small goujons
Sprig of fresh parsley
Sprigs of fresh Thyme to taste
1x bottle of Apple brandy (Calvados)
1x bottle of Cognac
2x large peeled Granny Smith apples peeled and finely sliced
1x tsp Onion Salt
1x tsp Celery Salt
2x tsp ground black Pepper corns
1x tbl spoon double cream
Butter
Groundnut oil

Science of FRYing

With mortar and pestle grind down half the Thyme, all Celery Salt, all Onion Salt, and all Pepper until dust and add to flour. Coat chicken well in the seasoned flour – really rub it in.

Get a Medium sized FRYing pan melt some butter with a little groundnut oil
Brown the chicken for 4 to 5 mins on medium heat just so chicken is sealed and cooked through adding shallots as you go – do not burn (butter goes dark brown if you do this )
Place chicken on small plate and cover in foil.

Add a little more butter and a tiny few drops of Groundnut – on low heat add the onions and shallots stir and add a little chicken stock – add apples and mushrooms – stir until apples just start to go tender and stock will naturally reduce a bit through evaporation. Stir in 3x tabl spoons Calvados and 1x tablespoon of plain Cognac (otherwise it becomes an all apple tasting dish) add a bit more thyme, natural salt and pepper to taste, bring to simmer. Return chicken to pan cook low heat for about 10 mins – if liquid looks too reduce add a little more Calvados and a tiny bit more chicken stock and let it reduce into a sauce – stir in cream on very low heat until thickened (don’t use too much) 2mins

Serve as a light starter before a heavy main course or serve as a main course with Duchess Potatoes and FRY’d mixed vegetables – see below …

FRY’d mixed veggies

Greedients

2x Bell peppers Orange and Green
½ Tblspoon Cognac
1x Strong onion
2x medium sized courgettes
3x sticks celery
6x baby sweetcorns
3x medium carrots
1 big tomato
1x crushed garlic
Little ginger paste (can be overpowering so always use tiny amounts)
pinch salt
pinch pepper
little clear honey as a light glaze (do not overdo it otherwise you end up with sickly sweet veggies)

Science of FRYing

Partially precook by steaming the hardier vegetables …carrots, sweetcorns and courgettes to slightly tenderise.
A little Olive oil and butter into FRYing pan and lightly stir and gently FRY everything until just beginning to turn tender add cognac – then stir in half teaspoon of honey and tiny bit of ginger paste …adding a little at a time for personal preference

Duchess Potatoes (No FRYing in this one)

Greedients

5 or 6 large Potatoes
A little dash of salt
A little milk
Knob of butter
A good 4 or 5 big sprigs of Parsley finely chopped straight off the plant (Fresh NOT dried)

Good old English tatties peeled and cut to boil prior to mashing
Heat in water until soft
Drain water away add butter a tiny bit of milk and mash until creamy adding the parsley

Get baking tray covered in buttered grease proof paper
Place mash into big icing bag with large serrated nozzle (the one with all the spikes in) Make towers of Potato by forming concentric rings starting at about 7 centimetres diameter and work inwards and build upwards until pyramid shaped. Make 6 or 7 of these or how ever many you can make with what mash you have.

Bake in oven until just begin to show browning on edges

Serve up with the Chicken in Calvados and FRY'd mixed veggies

Crack open a chilled Cloudy Bay or other fine Sauvignon Blanc and destroy your diet with your fine living