23rd November, 2005

JAMIE CROOKIVER (aka JAMES CROOK)

Tarragon is a herb I don't cook with very often, but since finding a ready source of fresh sprigs at our local grocer, I've given it a go. It's used in French cooking, known there as the "King of Herbs". Tasting a little like peppercorns but with less heat, it works very well in this dish when combined with the tang of yoghurt. I’ve chosen vegies on the side to complement this peppery tang, with sweet caramelised onions, zucchini, sun dried tomatoes and feta cheese.

PICTURE: James Crook   Tarragon is used in French cooking, known there as the "King of Herbs". Tasting a little like peppercorns but with less heat, it works very well in this dish when combined with the tang of yoghurt.

TARRAGON YOGHURT CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS:
2 chicken breast fillets
1⁄2 cup Greek-style natural yoghurt
2 sprigs fresh tarragon
Salt and fresh-ground pepper

METHOD:
Cut the chicken into long strips about two centimetres in diameter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roughly chop the tarragon and combine in a bowl with the yoghurt. Spread all over the chicken strips and put in the fridge.
When the vege part of the meal is nearly ready, take the chicken out and put it under a hot grill on a length of foil. Turn once after about 10 minutes and leave for another 10. The yoghurt will get slightly scorched for a barbeque kind of flavour.

VEGETABLES

INGREDIENTS:
2 small zucchini
4 large yellow onions, caramelised
Scoop of sun dried tomatoes
Block of good crumbly feta
Olive oil

METHOD:
Caramelising the onions: Caramelising onions is one of the easiest and tastiest ways to enhance flavour, but it does take some forethought to prepare. The large yellow onions available right now are the best: buy at least four, slice them into a hot pan with a generous dollop of olive oil and then turn the pan down very low. The onions should stop sizzling after a minute or two but will stay warm. If you leave them like this for about three hours, stirring occasionally, they will reduce and become brown and sweet, almost like dried fruit. If you’ve got a slow-cooker you can leave them going for the whole day: slice them in and put the pot on low before you go to work, and when you arrive home your house will smell like heaven and the onions will be perfect. If you’ve got any caramelised onion left over you can keep it in the fridge for a week or so and add it to all sorts of other things. It makes a killer pizza topping.

The other vegetables: Slice the zucchini and fry in some olive oil for about 10 minutes or until they are just starting to go soft. When they're nearly ready put a couple of generous spoonfuls of the caramelized onions in the pan to warm up. After a minute or two layer the zucchini, onions and sun dried tomatoes on the side of the plate and crumble the feta over. Add the grilled chicken and you've got a fantastic summer meal with just a hint of France.
Enjoy with a full-bodied white wine like an oaked chardonnay.