Cannellini Beans with Thyme

A Claudia Roden recipe.  She pairs it with hake but it's a quick and versatile store-cupboard accompaniment

• 400g Tin of Cannellini beans
• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• Fresh thyme
• 100ml water
• Olive oil

Fry the chopped onion in olive oil over low heat until soft. Drain and rinse (?) the beans,  add to the onion and season with salt and pepper and some fresh thyme leaves to taste

Add 100ml water and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.

Serve with 1-2 tbsp olive oil drizzled over

Alternatives: e.g. add crushed whole seeds (coriander, cumin, fennel, mustard, etc.), woodsy herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage), red pepper flakes, crushed garlic cloves, parmesan cheese

SPICY CHICKEN COUS COUS

 Originally a Leon recipe - delicious

Ingredients

SCALE

• 4 chicken breasts (cut into big chunks)
• 2 tsp dried chilli flakes (don't hold back)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 8 cloves garlic (peeled and chopped)
• 8 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 tbsp curry powder
• 300 g cous cous
• 2 tbsp butter
• 25 g raisins
• 500 ml chicken stock
• salt
• 2 tbsp sunflower seeds or flaked almonds
• handful chopped fresh mint
• handful chopped fresh coriander
• lemon to serve
• FOR THE GARLICKY TOMATOES
• 200 g cherry or plum tomatoes (halved)
• 3 cloves garlic (chopped)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

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Instructions

1. Put the chicken pieces into an ovenproof dish. Mix the chilli, cinnamon, garlic, salt, half the olive oil and curry powder together. Coat the chicken and leave it for 20 minutes.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 220c. Mix 2 tbsp olive oil, and 3 cloves chopped garlic together in a bowl and stir in the tomatoes, coating with the oil. Lay these out in a single layer on a baking tray. Season well with salt and pepper.
3. Put the cous cous and raisins into a bowl and stir in the remaining olive oil thoroughly until the grains are coated. Cover with chicken stock. lay a tea towel over the top and leave for 5 minutes.
4. Mix the cous cous well into the chicken, pushing the raisins below the surface (so they don't burn),  dot the top with knobs of butter and cook on the top shelf of the oven for 25 minutes. (Cook the tomatoes at the same time)
5. Place the tomatoes on the middle shelf of the oven for 25 minutes.
6. While these are cooking, lightly toast the sunflower seeds or flaked almonds (just dry fry them in a frying pan)
7. To serve, scatter the seeds/almonds and chopped herbs over the top, and then serve with a generous wedge of lemon on the side.