Paprika and Maple chicken

What I'm cooking tomorrow night for Ruth R. Will serve it with a salad and then biscuits, cheese and fruit. May substitute smoked paprika for regular

PAPRIKA AND MAPLE CHICKEN

Ingredients (serves 4)
60ml (1/4 cup) maple syrup (see note)
1 tbs chopped fresh rosemary
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tsp ground paprika
2 (about 500g) single chicken breast fillets, halved horizontally
1 tbs olive oil
1 large Packham pear, cut into
1cm-thick slices horizontally
1 tbs white balsamic vinegar
1 tbs wholegrain mustard
100g baby spinach leaves

Method
Combine the maple syrup, rosemary, garlic and paprika in a bowl. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes to marinate. Drain the chicken, reserving the marinade.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken. Cook for 2 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil. Repeat with remaining chicken. Add the pear to the pan. Cook, turning occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until golden and tender. Transfer to a plate.

Add the vinegar, mustard and reserved marinade to the pan. Bring to the boil over medium heat. Cook for 1 minute or until the sauce thickens slightly. Divide the spinach, pear and chicken among serving plates. Drizzle over the sauce to serve.

taken from www.taste.com.au

The Humble Lemon ..

.. is a good friend in the kitchen. It gives acidity (sourness, tang) Some of the things the lemon will do:

# good with any kind of fish

# lemon juice and chopped fresh herbs (whatever -- parsley, dill, coriander, thyme ..) are enough to give flavour to plain chicken

# lemon juice with soy sauce forms a basic asian flavouring to which you can add whatever other flavours you wish, if you wish

# lemon juice, olive oil and a whisper of salt = basic salad dressing

# lemon + garlic + oregano or rosemary = basic Greek flavouring, lovely for lamb or chicken

Introduction

This blog is a mother/daughter conversation on how to make food more delicious. Lynne (the mother) lives in Sydney and loves to eat yummy food that diden't take too much effort. Lissy (the daughter) is living in London and wants to enjoy her own cooking more. This is an across-the-world exercise in making it all yummier, without making it hard work