Amina's Traditional English Roast Dinner Challenge

Amina’s traditional English roast dinner challenge.

So hanging with my daughter, Amina, one evening and I was compelled to ask her what your favorite dinner to eat is. Well since she has Caribbean and African parents, I was thinking something along those lines but she said a traditional “English Roast Dinner” with Roasted Chicken, Roasted Potatoes, White Rice and Gravy. I said really that’s it, she replied that’s it Daddy and I want it on Thursday night if you don’t mind, please, ever so polite.

So late Thursday afternoon, I set out to Publix on Biscayne for my weekly therapy and relaxation session, I love groceries shopping, fresh fruits, spices, vegetables, the meat, fish (though I go to Casablanca on the river for my fresh fish) and the personalities you encounter along the way with their various pickings in  their trolleys. You can always tell the single ladies, single guys, couples by the way they shop and those looking for dates in Publix, I must say there are a lot of fine women in that Publix, so fellas, you know where to go. So I digress, so what, it’s my blog lol.

I started off picking a big enough whole chicken and moved along to pick up some small red potato bags, cloves of garlic, red onions, and my favorite. In the spice section, its Parsley, Jamaican curry, I use curry for everything, lol. Basil, Oregano and close by comes Lemon Pepper marinade. I threw a bag of Basmati rice, Classic Chicken gravy and two cans of coconut milk in there. Wondering where that comes in hey be patient.

Moved along home now with Amina helping me with the dishes as I always like a clean kitchen and sink before I cook, I started the preparations for the English Roast. Washed the chicken and take out all the parts like neck, heart, gizzards etc into a sauce pan, with some water, garlic and maggi cubes (bullions), let it cook away. I bet you are wondering for what, patient is a virtue.

Next up is marinade the chicken with basil, oregano, and curry dry rub inside and out. Stuff the inside with lots of garlic cloves, I love garlic. Then I massaged the Lemon pepper marinade all over the chicken, moved this to my roasting tray and heat the oven to 400 degrees for the first 30 mins. Next up, the potatoes. Cut all the baby red potato in half, wash and add some sea salt and then parsley, move this into baking dish with Olive oil in the pan and on the Potato, in the oven they go. While my chicken parts are still boiling, by the way I added some garlic to that too.

I then proceeded to wash the basmati rice add some water just to cover it a little then add a can of coconut milk, stir it all up and add some salt to taste. I normally cover this with a dry cloth or towel and then the cover to really slow cook it, this brings out the fluff in basmati rice and it does not become sticky.

The whole house smelled with all types of deliciousness and in walks in the queen herself, my Brie, hmm, smells good in here and I am hungry as if I am her Private Chef, some women do have all the luck and fun. I am not mad at you babes. They helped me set the table at least.

Now back to the cooking. I poured out the chicken parts through a sieve to drain the stock and save the onions I added later, with the same pot back on the stove, I added some olive oil, lots of garlic, the cooked onions and some cut raw onions, let this fry for about 3 mins, then add the classic chicken gravy with some of the stock from the chicken parts, by this time the chicken is calling my attention with crispy skin and very juicy parts, especially the breast and Mr. Basmati is whistling for attention too. Had to wait for Mr. Potatoes to be roasted for another 10 mins. It all came together very nicely. Left the Roasted chicken out to breathe a little after cooking then I carved out to my waiting ladies. Coconut Basmati rice, Roasted parsley Potatoes and Roasted chicken!! 

Dinner was served and the ladies enjoyed it. Amina had a big plate and finished the whole thing with a big smile and Brie made a smart ass comment that I should cook more traditional English cooking with this type of spices often, who asked you, but this took me back 12 years as the last time I made this Roast dinner was in London with Beef. I got thumbs up from my dinner guests. Job well done. LOL in my big haha deep voice.

Please don’t call me for a recipe, cooking it’s the way you feel that day and you should always cook with your soul and love, anything else is not cooking or food. I always know when someone cooks without a soul; it’s an insult to the ingredients and the people you are cooking for. Remember FOOD FUN PEACE & LOVE. Where is my Jacobs Creek Shiraz!!