Caponata

This is great with fish. I served it in the restaurant last week as an accompaniment to baked sea bass it went down very well. If you like the dish please leave a comment.

I actually got the idea from my local Chinese restaurant who do a traditional aubergine dish with black beans, sea weed, chili and celery. I subsequently learned  that the Sicilian dish Caponata also follows a similar theme where the saltiness of capers replaces the black beans and seaweed with the other ingredients appearing in both dishes; the crunchiness of the celery is a perfect complement the soft aubergine.

For 3 - 4 portions you'll need:

Olive oil or Peanut Oil
1 Aubergine cut into 1 cm x 7cm batons
1/2 Onion sliced
1/2 Red Pepper cut into 3 mm julienne
1/2 Stick of Celery (stringy bits peeled off) cut into 3 mm Julienne ( Fennel would be a nice alternative)
1 tsp Crushed Garlic
1/2 tsp Chili Flakes
1 tsp Paprika
1/2 tin 200 ml chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp Salt
Handful of Pine Nuts

I start with a hot pan and a generous amount of oil (100ml). When oil is smoking hot quickly fry the aubergine until the batons start to take on some colour. The aubergine will absorb the oil so add more if the pan goes completely dry.

Reduce the heat before adding the red pepper, onions and garlic which should be softened not browned. After a few minutes I add the paprika, chili and then the tomatoes cooking for a few minutes. I want the onions and peppers to be soft. I want the celery and pine nuts to give a crunch to the dish so add these items last of all.

Add capers and olives if you like although I leave them out because I don't want to overpower the sea bass. With a stronger flavoured fish or fryed fish I would be tempted to add them in.

Cook out for about 3 - 4 minutes and adjust seasoning.

Serve with baked or grilled fish.

Duck a l'Orange

This is the same recipe that we use at Nicholsons. You can try other recipes but I this one is a winner every time. The most important aspect of this dish is the Orange sauce.

My sauce recipe is for about 10 portions but you can refrigerate the sauce or freeze it in an ice cube tray for rapid deployment.

100g Golden Granulated Sugar
50 ml red wine vinegar or cider vinegar
500ml Orange Juice
1 chicken stock cube or 1 tsp chicken stock powder
To finish:
1 Tbls cornflour
Pinch of salt
Zest of 1 Orange
Orange segments
2 Tbls Gran Marnier
Juice of lemon


Caramelise the sugar until its a deep amber colour - if it turns black strat again. Add vinegar (stand back as the sugar may spit and splutter). Add orange juice (use a good quality one), and chicken stock powder or stock cube dissolved in a little water. Alternatively use about 100 ml of fresh chicken stock. Mix well and cook out for a few minuets.

Thicken the sauce with cornflour mixed with a little water. At this stage you can sieve the sauce although I don't find it's necessary. Adjust the seasoning adding a little salt enhances the flavours. Finely julienne the zest of an orange. I do this using a potato peeler carefully removing the the layer of zest scraping off any pith and then cutting into long julienne.


When zested remove the orange segments and add both the zest and orange to the sauce. Finally a couple of Tablespoons of Gran Marnier and a squeeze of lemon completes the job.

At Nicholsons we serve the sauce with Gressingham Duck breast, diamond scored and rubbed with salt and ground black pepper. The duck is then pan fried skin side down in a hot pan NO OIL to give a golden brown skin. We then place in an oven (190) skin side up for 8 - 9 Minutes and remove and leave to rest for a further 5 Minutes.

The duck is served sliced on a bed of wilted spinach with dauphinoise or saute potatoes and the sauce.

Chicken and Chickpea Cassoulet

Nicholsons Restaurant, Southsea

A rustic dish inspired by the French dish Chicken Chasseur or (Hunters Chicken) made with mushrooms and tomatoes, but with a Spanish twist. All my recipes are unique ones created by me.

Many have been tried in my restaurant http://www.nicholsonsrestaurant.co.uk/ so if you don't have time to do it yourself pop along and it may be on our menu!!


For two people, estimated cooking time 45 mins:

2 Chicken Supremes (or about 400g of Chicken Pieces - thigh meat is good )*
1 Shallot  - finely chopped
2 tsp (10g) Flour
2 tsp (10g) Paprika - Sweet, Hot, Smoked or not the choice is yours
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
200 ml White Wine
1 Tbls Paprika Paste - available in good 'Eastern Stores'
200 ml Demis Glas - use a good quality gravy like Bisto as a good alternative
100 g Chick Peas (1/4 tin)

* For a rustic dish and better flavour leave the bone on and the skin on a few pieces of chicken. For a formal dinner take the bone off and remove the skin or simply use chicken breast.

Mix the flour, paprika, salt and pepper in a bowl and lightly dust the chicken pieces with the mix. Brown the chicken in oil until you achieve a nice golden brown colour on  the chicken. Put the chicken pieces in a casserole dish in warm oven on low about 160.

Sweat the shallots in a little butter and add the white wine reduce by half.  Add the paprika paste and mix briefly then add the demis glas. Mix and cook until  a gravy consistency is achieved. Add water to thin, cook out to thicken. Season to taste.

Finally mix in the chickpeas and pour over the chicken. Finish off in the oven for about 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked.

Finish with freshly chopped parsley (or fresh tarragon), cracked black pepper and a dollop of creme fraiche.

Serve with mashed potato or rice.

Enjoy.