Organic Cookbook: 5 delicious organic recipes

Pan-Roast Chicken with Herbed Goat’s Cheese
You can prepare the chicken breasts up to 1 day in advance. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate. If possible, leave to stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking.

Serves 4

125g fresh creamy goat’s cheese
2 tbsp fresh herbs, finely chopped (choose one, or a combination, of parsley, basil, chives, thyme, oregano, tarragon)
1 garlic clove, crushed
4 boneless chicken breasts (with skins)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt, black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6.
2. Combine the goat’s cheese, herbs and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. With one hand on a chicken breast to hold it in place, slice through the middle horizontally to cut almost in half. Open out flat. Spread a quarter of the herbed mixture over the opened out breast. Fold over and secure by threading on a bamboo skewer or toothpick through the cut edges of each breast. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts and herbed mixture.
4. Heat the oil in a heavy ovenproof frying pan or cast-iron ridged grill pan. Add the chicken skin-side down and cook over a medium heat until lightly golden, 5 minutes. Turn the chicken skin-side up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Place the pan in the oven. Roast the chicken until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Serve hot on warmed plates with mashed potatoes combined with finely chopped fresh parsley, and Slow-Roast Tomatoes.

Source: Organic Cookbook by Renée Elliott and Eric Treuillé (Dorling Kindersley).

Slow-Roast Tomatoes
When cooking with fresh tomatoes outside peak season, it is well worth thinking ahead and buying the tomatoes a few days in advance of using. Set them on a tray by the kitchen window, making sure they are not touching. Never store tomatoes in the refrigerator, as refrigeration spoils their texture and aroma.

Serves 4 as a side dish

6 ripe tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, for serving
1 handful fresh herbs, chopped, such as parsley, basil, marjoram or a combination
salt, black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 120C/250F/gas mark ½.
2. Place the tomatoes on an oven tray, cut side up. Cut garlic cloves in half and cut each half into 3 slivers. Lay a sliver of garlic onto each tomato half. Sprinkle each tomato half with a pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle over the vinegar and oil. Slow roast until very soft and wilted, 2 hours.
3. Serve hot or at room temperature, drizzled with additional olive oil and scattered with fresh herbs.

Source: Organic Cookbook by Renée Elliott and Eric Treuillé (Dorling Kindersley)