Bitten off more than you can chew? Hmm just a tad, we are stuffed!

End of exam celebration food definitely should be a tad more flamboyant than the average student dinner.  So in an effort to reward and impress some dear friends I concocted a somewhat ambitious menu for a quiet Wednesday evening... Dissertation put to one side and after a little deliberation, not to mention slight disappoint with the (until now) trusty co-op up the road I settled for this little ensemble: Lemon, Rosemary  and Garlic baked Chicken thighs, with sticky roasted carrots, savoy cabbage with bacon and parsnip seasoning and a decadent creamy mashed potato.  Then to follow, assuming that the pudding stomach can be located in the midst of all that gorgeousness - pancakes with homemade blueberry 'jam'.

Plated and looking yumtastic!

Using a flavoured butter worked really well with this chicken dish to ensure that the flavours penetrated deeply and but remained aromatic too.  The sweetness of the roasted carrots really enhanced and balanced with the other elements of the dish, the saltiness of the bacon and cabbage mix and the creamy mash and garlicky chicken.

The pre-oven ensemble.

The real crowning glory and surprise of this meal though has to be the impromptu decision to attempt a cheats blueberry jam.  Taking less than 10 mins and done alongside the pancakes it glams them up a treat and looks divine too with that rich, deep purpley sheen.  Here's a how to, if you fancy it!

Cheeky cheat's Blueberry Jam


100g Fresh Blueberries, washed
2 tbsp Runny Honey
Zest of half a lemon
Juice of half a lemon


1) Heat the blueberries in a saucepan on a moderate heat until their colour seems to darken. Then add the lemon zest and honey and stir gently.  (*Tip - A silicone spatula works really well for this as it sticks less than wooden spoons).  Maintain the heat and as soon as it starts to bubble add the lemon juice and continue stirring gently.
2) Let it boil for about 2-3mins until about half the fruit has burst and it has reduced by half, then turn off the heat and leave to stand on the hob.  As it cools it thickens up so don't be concerned if it still seems a little on the thin side.

After a couple of minutes it's ready to pour over pancakes, to pump up a vanilla cheesecake, or if you let it cool completely to spread on to freshly buttered toast. Nom!