Marmalade and Mustard Chicken with Creamy Mashed Potato

By Diana

When I was a school girl, I remember we had a carefully designed yet repetitive lunch menu, every week from Monday to Friday. Although I cried out for a change during those years of routine, we had little choice but to stick to what the old man planned; steaks on Mondays; Venezuelan's national dish on Wednesdays - beef skirt, black beans, plantain and rice; fish on Thursdays (which ruined my entire day) and home-made burgers on Fridays. My favourite routine lunch days though were Tuesdays, since this was the only time of the week that we had chicken (and you all know how much I love chicken) especially as it was no ordinary chicken, but my mum's sweet recipe!! Although I would have preferred spontaneity in the lunch menu, the certainty that I was always going to have my mum's chicken on a Tuesday, made it the best day of the entire week for me!! ♥

Now this original recipe calls for guava marmalade. Don't panic! This is the Venezuelan equivalent of British strawberry jam that can be found on offer at every supermarket. However, feel free to use any flavour of your choice. As a side dish I am suggesting a creamy mashed potato with grated cheese. Some people might find the combination of ingredients quite weird! "Marmalade and mustard with chicken? She is probably mistaking her English again" I hear you say, but no; Trust me and just give it a try, as it is fantastic!

© Diana Chaccour

Saffron, Orange Blossom and Caramel Ice-Cream

by Diana

This nuts allergy of mine has become a little bit of an annoying obstacle. Every time I gain courage to buy ice-cream in the supermarket I have to pathetically read the contents and allergy advise, just to discover with disappointment that 90% of the flavours that are object of my affection, contain nuts and traces of nuts. Moreover, to push the limits of my frustration, I have to witness my husband -whose blessed body tolerates everything produced in nature- returning sadly to the shop's freezer, his carefully selective choice, in exchange for the classic chocolate or vanilla that we end up buying with regret.

This is why, I decided to try out making our own distinctive and personalised ice cream, capable of pleasing us both. I searched in the Leiths Techniques Bible for a vanilla ice-cream recipe, just to obtain an Ice-cream base and then incorporated the flavours that I had in mind. To replace the crunchiness of the nuts, I made caramel and broke it into pieces, which I later combined with a choice of orange blossom water, honey and saffron. An exotic delight that I hope you will enjoy!

© Diana Chaccour

Fusilli Beef Stroganoff

By Diana

One of my favourite dishes when I was a child was Stroganoff -yes, I had a strong appetite for a little girl- and the reason why I knew then what Stroganoff was is because my Syrian grandma used to make the delicious Russian dish from time to time on Sundays, when we visited her. Although her Spanish was impeccable and I cannot question her Arabic, she never got right the name of the Siberian dish! When we arrived to the front door and asked her what was for lunch she replied proudly Astrogoal!!! an answer always followed by a loud collective laugh that for me -and I am sure that for all of us- it constituted the best moment of the day! 

As all her recipes, her version of Stroganoff was exquisite but unfortunately she did not leave it in writing. The only thing I am sure about is that she used to mix the Stroganoff with fusilli - short pasta that in Venezuela we call little screws, in reference to its shape-. So after a week or so of research, and of digging into the reminiscences of my grandma's dish tastiness, I came up with an integration of recipes for Stroganoff that I am sharing here with you today! I can happily say that the recipe matches in 98% with the flavours of my childhood, and for me, that's all it takes! Enjoy! 

© Diana Chaccour