Jo's Jerk

I've been umming and ahhing about sharing this one but it's sooo good and I'm constantly getting asked for the recipe,  simple, quick and delicious and not just for BBQ's. Just as good straight from the oven!

Top Tip Essential: Leave the skin on and roast till it's blackened!
It's always good to marinade the night before but if you don't then it's still just as yummy and if you make too much then freeze the chicken before you cook it for another day!

Crucials

• One pack of chicken thighs and drumsticks (approx 8-10 pieces)
• One tub of Island Sun Jamaican Jerk seasoning
• Good glug of olive oil
• Two limes
• Two spoonfulls of honey
• Pepper

Jerkin the chicken...

• Mix three quarters of the tub of jerk seasoning with the olive oil to form a thick paste
• Squeeze one whole lime (roll the lime vigorously on the side before you cut it in half and squeeze)
• Add the honey and season with pepper
• The paste will be thick and rich
• Prepare the chicken by making pockets under the skin and slicing through the meat on each piece
• With a spoon, fill each pocket and rub over the top of the skin too
• Place the chicken into a roasting dish and smother with any remaining paste
• Squeeze half the other lime over the chicken 
• Place into the middle shelf of the oven and roast at 200 degrees for an hour and half
• Check after an hour and with a spoon cover the chicken with the juices
• Roast for half an hour more or until chicken is black and looks like it's falling away from the bone (don't be scared by it looking black and burnt, it's supposed to!)

Serve with basmati rice cooked with coconut milk and kidney beans and a squeeze of lime over the chicken.

Always a favourite at the Annual Spoons BBQ x

Spooner's Special Spare Ribs

I wanted this to be the first recipe that I share, cos it's special! My mum has been making this dish for years, originally it was given to her by my Aunty Liz but mum adapted it slightly and it seriously is amazing, she scribbled it down for me on a post it note and only half of the instructions, 'do it to taste' she said. I made them for the first time a few weeks ago and jeeeesus they were soooo good, actually think they were better than hers.

We invited Kandy over last night for a Halloween Rib Night, and they were devoured...and we're just about to tuck into the leftovers tonight yum. 

Honestly it's perfect for those Autumn / winter nights and so easy! Sweet sticky and spicy!

Top Tip Essential: Make it the night before

Crucials

•  One Onion
•  Six Spare Ribs (combine with pork belly strips, rind removed)
•  Three Garlic cloves (whole)
•  Four big spoonfulls of light brown sugar
•  Two big spoonfulls of tomato puree
•  Half a pint of chicken stock 
•  Three quarters of a bottle of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
•  Black Pepper

Day One:

Prepare the ribs...

•  Wash the ribs & place them straight into a roasting tray 
•  Heat at 200degrees for 30 mins

Make the sauce...

•  Chop and fry the onion in a saucepan with the whole garlic cloves on a low heat until they're soft and see through - season with pepper
•  Add the sugar and tomato puree and stir to form a paste with the onions
•  Pour in the chicken stock and the worcestershire sauce and simmer for approx 30mins
•  Remove the ribs from the oven and drain off any fat
•  Pour the sauce over the ribs and cover with foil 
•  Place back in the oven for at least an hour and a half at 150 degrees
•  Remove them from the oven and take off foil and turn the ribs, put the foil back on and allow them to cool down (i leave them outside overnight)

Day Two:

•  Uncover the ribs and put them in the middle of the oven for an hour
•  Make sure you keep turning them every 15 mins so they roast evenly on each side in the sauce

Serve with Basmati rice and buttery sweetcorn....the meat just falls from the bone....Divine!

Forking love food I do!

Right so here it goes my first ever blog post... have been meaning to do it for ages got put off by Wordpress (apparently it's easy! I will learn) then got inspired by Disneyroller Girl (http://blogger.disneyrollergirl.net/) over a venison puff at Yauatcha! 


Where shall I start hmmm what to write guess a quick introduction to why would be good!!! Why... Cos I forking love food that's why!!

I've known for a long time of my love for food, from blokes thinking it's useful to point out their portion size is equivalent to mine (to mine!! Not theirs ha) to me knowing by the time I leave the house in the morning at 7:30am what I'll be having for dinner that night, is that right? 
Apparently not I've been told! My amazing boyfriend Mirek (have to say that cos he actually is) heard on the radio and pointed out that the average person decides what to eat for dinner at 4:30pm that day that's PM not AM Jo he said!! Who cares better to be organised I guess but it is starting to concern me a little, especially when I saw Karen's fb update a while back saying if anyone else puts up another photo of their dinner I'm gonna de-friend them, then I realised that I actually take a photo of every single meal I make and I send them to Karen! Ha! Sorry hun!

So a few things I want you to know about my relationship with food:

• I love minced beef oh and now pork (errrr amazing why have i only just discovered it!)
• My best dinner ever on a hangover is anything consisting of minced meat or bizarrely fish pie with mash
• I don't actually have a fave fave dinner cos I have too many favourites
• I will eat a mans portion for lunch and dinner FACT - my reasoning behind this is not having breakfast! I know I know! 
• I get upset If someone has more than me on their plate
• I will eat grated cheese with pretty much everything! (Sainsburys west country reserve is currently my fave)
• I am known for my jerk chicken BBQs
• I think that following recipes word for word is a sin and I just can't do it, use it as a guide
• I never really use measures apart from 'spoonfulls'
• I think that eating pasta twice a day is fine
• Mushrooms can be used in every dinner oh and I don't understand mushroom haters
• I would much prefer to eat a pack of Parma ham or a lump of cheese than a chocolate bar
• I actually don't like chocolate much and don't enjoy eating it
• I made myself eat mussels
• I make a mean Paella
• I have made Mirek LOVE food (apparently he never used to eat) still not more than his love for beer..I'm working on it!
• I'm a feeder!
• I compare everything to my mums cooking cos in my eyes she is the best! apart from her roast potatoes! sorry mum!
• Apart from Mirek I am more passionate about food then anything else in the world! Oh and my dog Missy cos she is the cutest most amazing dog ever!
• I am currently cooking spare ribs for 'wib night' tomorrow with Kandy! That's Karen and Andy not the sweet stuff
• I have just eaten a chinese, shared my prawn crackers with Missy and my fortune cookie said 'My talent will be acknowledged' hmmm talent of eating???

Oh and finally I'm starting this blog so I can share my recipes and archive them instead of scribbles on a pieces of paper and emails sent to Lou at work... although for Xmas this year I have asked for this....