These 3 dishes practically cook themselves

Roast chicken looks impressive, but is actually a great, hands-off meal. Take yours to the next level with a home-made spice paste – don’t be intimidated – the blender does all the work! Served with green beans and jasmine rice, it’s a fragrant and flavourful meal that the whole family will love.

Ingredients:

• 1 x 1.2 kg pack Woolworths Free Range Chicken Pieces

For the Malaysian paste:

• 3 limes, zested and juiced
• 1 x 10cm piece ginger, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 x 5cm piece   fresh turmeric, peeled (or 1 t ground)
• 2 T brown sugar
• 4 shallots
• 3 lime leaves
• 1 stalk  lemongrass
• 6 pods green cardamom
• 2 sticks cinnamon
• 1 t fish sauce
• 1 T soya sauce
• 1 green chilli
• 150 g desiccated coconut, toasted

For the rice:

• 225 g jasmine rice
• 6 cups water
• Salt, to taste
• 2-3 T butter

For the green beans:

• 300 g fine green beans
• 2 limes, juiced
• ⅓ cup fish sauce
• 10 g mint, chopped
• 5 g basil, chopped
• 5 g parsley, chopped

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Blend the Malaysian paste ingredients, except the desiccated coconut, until smooth. Fold in the coconut. Marinate the chicken pieces in the paste for 1 hour. Drizzle with a little olive oil and roast for 1 hour.
2. To make the rice, soak the rice in 1 cup water for 15 minutes, then drain. Bring the water to the boil and add the drained rice. Cook for 15–20 minutes. Once cooked, drain and season to taste. Stir in the butter.
3. To make the green beans, place the beans in a mortar and pestle or Ziploc bag and bash to bruise. Mix the lime juice and fish sauce. Pour over the beans and marinate for 20 minutes. Top with the mint, basil and parsley.
4. Serve the chicken with the rice and beans.

(Serves 4)

SHOP THE RECIPE

Transform Sunday lunch with this scrumptious roast. Everything is made in the roasting tray – even the lentils! Serve with toasted naan or pita breads.

Ingredients:

• 2.5 kg free range lamb shoulder on the bone
• 4–6 sprigs rosemary 
• 6 cloves garlic, halved
• 1 t cumin seeds, toasted
• 1 T coriander seeds, toasted
• 1 T smoked paprika
• 1 t dried chilli
• 6 T olive oil
• 4 sticks celery, cut into chunks
• 2 red onions, cut into chunks
• 2 x 400 g cans  cherry tomatoes
• 2 sticks Woolworths Lamb or Vegetable Stock Concentrate
• 250 g red lentils
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 650 g Woolworths Baby Beetroot
• 1 T sherry vinegar
• Tahini, for drizzling
• Plain yoghurt, for serving
• Lemon, for serving
• Woolworths naan bread or pita bread, toasted, for serving
• Fresh mint, for serving

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Make small, deep incisions into the lamb using a small, sharp knife and stuff ­the rosemary and garlic into the incisions.
2. Crush the cumin and coriander seeds, then mix with the paprika, dried chilli and 4 T olive oil and rub onto the lamb. Season to taste.
3. Place the celery, onions, tomatoes and stock in a deep roasting pan. Top with the lamb and cover tightly with tin foil.
4. Reduce the oven’s temperature to 180°C and roast for 3½ hours. Uncover and roast for a further 30 minutes, increasing the oven’s temperature to 200°C. Remove from the roasting pan and rest for 30 minutes before serving.
5. Add the lentils to the roasting tray and stir through. Add 1 cup water if necessary and roast for 30–45 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked.
6. Place the beetroot on a sheet of tin foil, drizzle with the sherry vinegar and remaining olive oil and season. Wrap up and roast for 1 hour. Peel and drizzle with the tahini and scatter with mint.
7. Serve the lamb with the beetroot, yoghurt, lemon juice, lentils and toasted naan or pita breads.

(Serves 8)

SHOP THE RECIPE

It only takes 10 minutes to prep this recipe and then you can go off and relax while it roasts in your oven. You can also do lots with the leftovers.

Ingredients:

• 2 Woolworths Fresh Free Range Duck with Chinese 5 Spice
• Sea salt, to taste

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Pat dry the ducks using kitchen paper. Divide one of the five spice sachets between the ducks.
2. Rub the spice and salt onto and inside the ducks, then place on a cooling rack over a deep baking tray and roast for 15–20 minutes. Reduce the oven’s temperature to 180°C and roast for a further 1–1½ hours, or until the ducks are cooked. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 minutes.

(Serves 8)

Cook’s note: Serve with cauliflower mash and teriyaki wok-fried greens.

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