Hey there, I’m Eileen.

Welcome to my site! This is a diary about food cultures, travelling and tons of recipes. Roam around and feel free to cook whatever inspires you – enjoy!

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Sunday Roast with Chicken and Cauliflower Cheese – a Proper British Family Feast

Sunday Roast (with Chicken) Recipe

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Prep Time: 120 Minutes
Total time: 2 Hour 15 Minutes
Servings: 6-8 People

Ingredients

Roast Chicken
  • 1 whole chicken
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • italian dried herbs
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Roast Potatoes
  • 600 g small potatoes (with skin)
  • 1 tbsp lard
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Veggies and Gravy
  • 750 g frozen peas
  • 500 g carrots
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  • some vegetable oil
  • 3 tbsp Bisto (gravy)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Start with the chicken: Wash the chicken and dry off with some kitchen paper. Rub the butter all over the meat and season with salt, pepper and herbs.
2. Also spread some seasoning inside the bird if you like. Pop it into an oven dish and fill up with water until you have the bottom covered up to 1 cm. Off it goes into the oven for about 1 1/2 hours.
3. Wash your potatoes and scrub any dirt off of them. Halve them if they are not small enough. Now cook them in salted water for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile heat the lard in an oven dish for 10 minutes in the oven.
4. Wash and peel your carrots. Halve them lengthways and drizzle some oil on top and season to your liking with salt and pepper, toss it well.
5. Increase the heat in the oven up to 200 °C. Drain the potatoes and place them carefully into the oven dish with the hot lard, add some salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes and turn halfway through.*
6. Also put the carrots into the oven now and roast for 15-20 minutes, turn halfway through.
7. Check whether the chicken is done by piercing a thigh with the tip of a sharp knife – if the juices run clear, it’s done. Otherwise return the tray to the oven and roast for a little while longer, repeat the process.
8. Once it's done, transfer the chicken to a board and cover it loosely with some aluminium foil to keep it warm.
9. In the last couple of minutes, cook the peas in some salted water and make the gravy. For the gravy use the leftover water from the peas and mix with the meat juices from the chicken, this should add up to approx. 300/350 ml of liquid. Add 3-4 tbsps of Bisto and stir until you get the desired thickness.
10. Add a knob of butter to the drained peas. Put all dishes onto the table and carve the chicken with a sharp knife. Now get digging into this lovely food. Enjoy!
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*If you want you could add the carrots to the dish, too but I prefer to roast them separately. If you would like to make Yorkshire Puddings, this would be the moment to prepare the batter (find the recipe on my blog).

Cauliflower Cheese Recipe

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Prep Time: 45 Minutes
Total time: 55 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 medium-sized head cauliflower
  • 300 ml milk
  • 1 1/2 tbsp flour
  • 1 heaped tbsp butter
  • 200 g cheddar cheese (or any other mature cheese)
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. Wash the cauliflower and separate the florets from the stem with a knife or rip them off with your hands. Parboil them for 5 minutes in salted water.
2. Prepare cheese sauce for the cauliflower florets. Make a roux by melting the butter in a small pan and then adding the flour while vigorously stirring with a wooden spoon.
3. Change to a whisk and add the milk (still whisking) and some salt and pepper, now add the cheese, reduce the heat and let it melt in the sauce, stir from time to time.
4. Drain the cauliflower and put it into another oven dish. Pour the sauce on top and sprinkle some reserved cheese on top. Bake for 20 minutes.
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