summer | oliveoilandlemon

Escalope of Chicken – a family summer favourite

I have been told that this is the tastiest chicken recipe ever full with full on flavour and a bonus for these lovely summer evenings is it’s really easy to prepare. Most recipes for this cook the chicken fully on the pan in oil but I just do this to make the crumb topping golden then I finish the cooking in the oven which is much healthier and yet still delicious.

Serves 4
4 chicken breasts, skin off
100gr fresh breadcrumbs, I always use gluten free
3 tbsp grated parmesan
zest of 1/2 lemon
25gr pine nuts
2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
3tbsp plain gluten free flour
1 egg
100ml milk
2 tbsp rapeseed or coconut oil

Oven at 180
Place chicken between 2 pieces of cling and bash until nice and flat
Combine the breadcrumbs herbs lemon zest and pine nuts and season well
Place flour on a flat plate
Whisk egg and milk together
Put milk and breadcrumbs in separate wide bowls
Heat oil in a medium hot pan, meanwhile coat chicken in flour then dip into egg milk mixture then dip into the breadcrumbs
pressing well to coat each side
Place on a plate and repeat with all the chicken
Cook the chicken in the pan for 1 minute each side until the breadcrumbs are golden
Place on a flat baking tray and into the oven to complete the cooking
Serve with a rocket salad and lemon wedges

Summer Drinks – Limoncello and Elderflower

Summer is here, temperatures are soaring and plans for eating outdoors and summer cocktails are all being made. 2 weeks ago I collected a bag full of elderflower (when there was still plenty of rain about) and now I am delighted to have this in the fridge ready for any callers. Those wanting something stronger can try the other bottle, also equally good on a summer evening. Limoncello brings memories of a lunatic driver from Naples to Amalfi careering round hair pin bends and stopping at the side of the road in blistering heat to offer us granita to cool down.

There is still elderflower about if you fancy getting up in the morning to collect it otherwise try recipe #2.

Limoncello
1l bottle vodka
5 lemons (unwaxed and washed)
700gr sugar dissolved in 700ml water

Make sure you have big enough bottles to hold nearly 2 ltrs of liquid. I used old lemonade bottles which I sterilised.
Take the zest from all the lemons making sure not to include any white as it will add bitterness.
Put the zest in a large clean jar and pour over the vodka. Cover with a tightly fitting lid and leave for a week, shaking the jar each day.
When the vodka is ready add the syrup to it, leave for a further week shaking the jar regularly.

Elderflower Syrup – Delicious with sparkling water and loads of ice.

2kg white sugar, either granulated or caster
1.5 litres water
2 unwaxed lemons
About 20 fresh elderflower heads (stalks trimmed)
85g citric acid (from chemists – used for flavouring)

Put the sugar and water into a pot and gently heat until the sugar has dissolved. Give it a stir every now and again. Pare the zest from the lemons then slice the lemons into rounds. Add to the sugar and water.
Once the sugar has dissolved, bring the pan of syrup to the boil, then turn off the heat. Fill a washing up bowl with cold water. Give the flowers a gentle swish around to loosen any dirt or bugs. Lift flowers out, gently shake and transfer to the syrup. Add the citric acid, then stir well.
Cover the pan and leave to infuse for 24 hrs.
Line a colander with a clean tea towel, then sit it over a large bowl or pan. Ladle in the syrup – let it drip slowly through. Discard the bits left in the towel.
Use a funnel and a ladle to fill sterilised bottles (run them through the dishwasher).
This ready to drink straight away and will keep in the fridge for up to 6 weeks.