This week I have made three new dishes from Pinch of Nom, which have really helped my diet focus. We started with a new Jambalaya, then I made a Chicken Dopiaza with Cumin potatoes and last a classic Beef Bourguignon.
However, rather than focus on one of those, I wanted to pay tribute to an old favourite that I have been cooking for many years now. It is really designed to use up some left over turkey and ham. When I started cooking this, getting turkey thigh or breast from supermarkets was cheap cheap, so I did use turkey, but now, I should really call it chicken ham and sweetcorn bake, as I always use chicken breast now.
As I have mentioned I cooked loads when I was younger, but this recipe was the first time I ever made a roux, which is the base of this sauce. It took me a good few attempts before I got use to making it and how you have to thin it down with stock and get the sauce just perfect. My secret now is a plastic coated bell whisk. Melt the butter, add the flour and beat it with the bell whisk, as it comes together start getting the hot stock in slowly and mix, mix, mix. Once you have all the stock in, it might look thin, but get it back on the heat and it will thicken up.
This is a perfect Monday dish after you have had a Sunday roast chicken. Get a bigger chicken, and set the spare to one side, you can even cook extra spuds and sweetcorn with the roast, to make it quick the next day.
The base recipe follows, but remember to change to what you want. I normally use a little more meat now (two bigger kids) so make more sauce, I always serve with julienne carrots, but you could serve with broccoli if you like that kind of thing!
Turkey Ham & Sweetcorn Bake
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
350g Potatoes
150 ml Skimmed Milk
25g Butter
25g Plain flour
150 ml Chicken stock
175g Cooked chunky Turkey
25g Cooked Ham chopped
50g Sweetcorn
Salt and Pepper
Directions:
- Cook the potatoes in plenty of lightly salted boiling water for about 15 minutes until just tender. Drain and mash well, adding a tablespoon of the milk. Season with a little pepper.
- Preheat the over to gas mark 6/200c (180c for fan oven). Spray a 1 litre shallow ovenproof dish with the low-fat cooking spray.
- Melt the butter, in a medium-size saucepan. Add the flour, stirring to blend, then cook gently for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and gradually blend in the remaining milk, then stir in the chicken stock. Return to the heat, brining to the boil, stirring continuously, and heat until the sauce thickens.
- Add the turkey, ham, sweetcorn and parsley to the sauce. Season to taste, then pour the mixture into the prepared banking dish and top with the mashed potatoes. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes are lightly browned.
Cooking by Matt 