Slob's Cooking

Just in case you think it's all haute cuisine Chez Kemp, some recipes from this past weekend.

Chicken Provencale-ish

1 packet skinless, boneless chicken thighs (from the reduced shelf if you really want to to be true to my recipe)
1 jar of tomato-based spicy pasta sauce from your cupboard (I used a Lloyd Grossman 'Puttanesca' that had been languishing for about a year because I don't eat pasta anymore)

Put these 2 ingredients in a casserole dish (I used a small Le Creuset), put the lid on and bung it in the oven (180c) and forget about it for roughly 40 mins.

Eat it out of the pan in front of the TV - with some rice and a salad if you can be bothered (definitely a packet of microwave rice is called for here!)

Have the left-overs for Sunday lunch with some other strange dishes made from what you can find in the fridge.  Invite some un-fussy and lonely friends who will eat whatever you put on the table and be grateful for it.

Marrow ratatouille-ish (best served for Sunday lunch with other unidentifiable dishes)

Find 3 nearly mouldy aubergines in the fridge, cut off the bad bits, cut them in half lengthways and bake in the oven, drizzled with olive oil, until soft. Leave until cool enough to handle.

Finely chop 1 onion and 1 clove garlic and seat in some olive oil in a saute pan.

Peel 1/3 of an overgrown marrow, remove the seeds and chop into 1/2 inch cubes. Add to the pan.

Scoop out the aubergine flesh and add to the pan.  Use up any passata or tinned tomatoes that you have lying around and add to the pan, season with salt and pepper, some dried herbs (I used marjoram), 1/2 tsp sugar and a slug of worcester sauce. Cover and simmer until the marrow is soft.  Serve lukewarm.

Salad Un-Nicoise

Use up old sprouted potatoes from the bottom drawer.  Cut of the eyes and peel them, then boil until tender.  Estimate when they have 5 mins to go, and add 4 eggs and a handful of frozen green beans and cook for a further 5 mins then drain and refresh everything in cold water.

Chop the potatoes into bite sized chunks, mix with the beans then 1/4 the eggs and arrange on the top.  Drizzle with a vinaigrette dressing.  If you had any tuna, fresh tomtoates, black olives or anchovies you could add them to make a proper Nicoise!