One-pot Moroccan Chicken.....no tagine required

Ok those fancy Moroccan tagines may look great but they're expensive and easy to break, which when you're a Jack Russell would be often.....so I've come up with this delicious, quick and easy to cook one-pot Moroccan Chicken Casserole  that's not only tasty and filling it's nutritious and inexpensive to make as it'll serve six.  Just chuck it in a casserole dish and top with feta, fresh mint and lemon for a fragrant taste of North Africa.....

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions , 1 roughly chopped, 1 sliced
• 100g tomatoes
• 100g ginger , roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp each ground cumin , coriander and cinnamon
• 1 large butternut squash , deseeded and cut into big chunks
• 600ml chicken stock
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 100g dried cherries

• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• To serve
• 
  
• 1 small red onion , finely chopped
• zest 1 lemon
• handful mint leaves
• 100g feta cheese , crumbled
• couscous and natural yogurt

Season the chicken. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a flameproof dish, then brown the chicken 
on all sides.

Remove the chicken to a plate. 

Whizz the chopped onion, tomatoes, ginger and garlic into a rough paste. 

Fry the sliced onion in the remaining oil in the dish until softened, then add the spices and fry for 1 min more until fragrant.

Add the paste and fry for another few mins to soften.

Return the chicken to the dish with the squash, stock, sugar and vinegar. 

Bring to a simmer, then cook for 30 mins until the chicken is cooked through. 

Lift the chicken out and stir in the cherries, then continue simmering the sauce to thicken while you shred the chicken into bite-sized chunks. 

Stir the chicken back into the sauce and season.

Mix the red onion, lemon zest, mint and feta. 

Scatter over the dish, then serve with some couscous and yogurt.

St Helens Feature Part 3.....Christmas Special

Christmas in St Helens Town Centre.....

Time to celebrate Christmas with a dazzling programme of entertainment!

St Helens Council is promising a Christmas to remember - as the countdown to the season of goodwill gathers pace.

The Council is again throwing its weight behind the Town Centre economy with a full, festive line-up that promises to deliver a range of seasonal goodies for young and old alike with music, fun and traditional fayre served up for everyone to enjoy.

The full festive line-up includes..... 




Christmas Craft Fayre
Tuesday 6th - Saturday 10th November
Over 30 stalls selling a fabulous range of craft items. Perfect for getting those early Christmas gifts with a difference.

Bradley Johnson

Christmas Lights Switch On (supported by Merseytravel)
Saturday 17th November

The Loveable Rogues

Come and celebrate the launch of the new, magical Christmas lights - some of the most spectacular in the region. St Helens promises a fabulous evening of free music and entertainment. The Loveable Rogues, The Mend and the Lancashire Hotpots will generate lots of excitement as they prepare to light up the Town Centre.   Hot of the press is that Rainford's own Bradley Johnson will be joining in the fun! Don't miss the fantastic light and fireworks special effects show. To complete this Christmas extravaganza there will be a host of other well-known performers, music, pantomime acts and family fun.

The Mend

Postman Pat's Children's Mini Shows

Saturday 24th November
Popular Cbeebies characters, Postman Pat, Jess and Ben bound into town - bringing their own brand of entertainment in four shows throughout the day - all with free admission and based in Parish Church. Tickets are available by calling 01744 675492.


Festive Street Day
Saturday 1st December
Festive entertainment with a hint of humour. Come and see our joy-riding reindeers and dancing Christmas puddings plus much, much more!




Christmas Train
Saturday 8th December
All aboard the Santa Express! Festive train ride around the town centre, with various pick-up and drop-off points.


Real Reindeer & Santa Visit
Saturday 15th December
Santa arrives in St.Helens, along with his real reindeer and accompanied by his Christmas elves. Make sure Santa gets your letter by giving it to him yourself.

Christmas Band
Saturday 22nd December
A festive treat of traditional music around the Christmas tree.

Late Night Shopping
Late night Christmas shopping in St.Helens Town Centre makes it easier to browse for longer, and perhaps pick up a few goodies for yourself along the way! There are a number of shopping offers available, so there's always the chance to picking up a bargain.

Late night shopping - every Thursday from the 22nd November and between Monday 17th - Friday 21st December. Sunday trading will start from Sunday 25th November (10.00am - 4.00pm).





Car Parking
All town centre car parks (except the Millennium Centre car park) will be free on the five Saturday's before Christmas - November 24th, 1st, 8th, 15th & 22nd December. In addition, all car parks will be open late during the run-up to Christmas. Closure times may vary throughout the Christmas Shopping period. Please check signage on car parks for details of closing times.


The Christmas offers complement the council's popular 'free after three' scheme, which allows motorists who arrive after 3pm on Birchley Street, Chalon Way and St.Mary's car parks to use the car parks free of charge.


Public Transport
For public transport information visit www.merseytravel.gov.uk to plan your trip or call Traveline on 0871 200 22 33.

St Helens Feature Part 2.....World of Glass

You might not think that glass, one the products of St Helen's biggest employers would attract a lot of attention, but it's actually responsible for the town's major visitor attraction The World Of Glass.  Popular with coach trips and locals it's a £14 million Pilkington PLC and Heritage Lottery funded urban regeneration project.  You can see live demonstrations or even try your hand at blowing a glass bauble at one of their glassblowing courses.  They've an amazing special effects film show and if history is your thing they've two galleries that give you an insight into Victorian life.

You can re-live St Helens past and find out what life was like in the town in the last century, or there's Glass & Glamour where you can reminisce about the age of glamour and air travel with the help of the outstanding 2 tonne chandelier that used to grace Manchester Airport.  It's educational, entertaining and guaranteed to capture your imagination.








After why not indulge in some retail therapy in the Artisan Gift Shop or take a load off, and enjoy some delicious home cooked food in St Helens only canal-side cafe.  


Organised groups of all ages can get some great deals on entry including school visits and it's a unique venue for corporate events, award ceremonies, product launches, receptions and other events.  Why don't you find out more.....If you don;t believe me ask Trip Advisor who have awarded The World of Glass a certificate of excellence!

“unbelieveable”

Reviewed 2 November 2012 NEW

watching them blowing the glass to different shapes was amazing all the different things they made and you could ask questions as well

“Well worth a visit”

Reviewed 27 October 2012 via mobile

My son had been on a school trip and has been asking to go back ever since. He got to make a calendar for next year, watch glass blowing, see a short film and do the maze and funny mirrors. He really enjoyed it and so did we. All the staff were lovely and couldn't do enough for you.

The Griffin Inn at Eccleston.....

Now if you've enjoyed your visit to The World Of Glass and are looking to continue your day out why not head for The Griffin Inn at Eccleston.  

It's a privately-run hotel, restaurant and pub which caters for weddings, parties, functions, funerals and many other occasions. The Griffin has Sky Sports and ESPN which can be watched on several plasma TVs as well as a large screen TV.  They also now offer free Wireless Internet Access.

As The Griffin Inn is a privately-owned establishment, they can offer the business traveller a relaxed alternative to the corporate-style hotel, without compromising on the quality of service expected.  For further information on bookings, accommodation or restaurant reservation, you can call them on 01744 27907.

The Griffin Inn has 11 ensuite bedrooms and cater for both the business and leisure travellerAll their rooms are maintained to the highest possible standards. All rooms are ensuite and include telephone, trouser press, hairdryer, television and hospitality tray.  

Here's a comment from Trip Advisor.....

“Great place to stay”

Reviewed 30 July 2012 via mobile

We had all the rooms booked for wedding accommodation and would highly recommend The Griffin for atmosphere, friendliness, food and accommodation. Nothing was too much trouble for the staff even though the place is very busy as both pub and restaurant the staff did everything they could to make our stay exceptional. The staff quite often make a place and...

The Venue Nightclub.....

Looking for a great night out?  Head to The Venue one of St Helens Premiere nightspots.....it has a seductive retro feel which oozes chic and glamour. The Venue boasts a plush seated VIP area for small private parties with its own sectioned bar area.....

The bar menu offers a wide selection of imported bottle beers, wines and spirits, an exceptional cocktail menu and a exclusive selection of champagne. They host two large external seated and heated smoking terraces with easy access from the ground floor..... 

They are dedicated to bringing you some of the world’s finest club brands, DJ’s and producers.....so why not follow them on Twitter.....

THE FRIDAY NIGHT MASHUP @ THE VENUE Join them on a Friday playing a selection of the biggest R&B grooves, funky vocal house and loads of club classics. All bottle beers from £2 all night include Budweiser, WKD, peroni, smirnoff, Corona and 2 4 1 on all champagne cocktails! you can’t go wrong. Free admission all night!!!

SATURDAY’S @ THE VENUE Join them every Saturday for St Helen’s première night out with special guest djs and weekly entertainers raising the standard and creating that perfect atmosphere, plus Playing the Biggest Funky Vocal and electro house and free entry all night!!!!!! its what the perfect Saturday night is all about!!

Here's The November Mix from DJ Ben Anderson.....check it.....

St Helens Feature.....Part 1

As a relative newcomer to St Helens, Ralph has decided to take a walk around and feature some of the venues, businesses and community life that are available and that make St Helens the place to be.....Now the obvious starting place is Langtree Park but seeing as Ralph likes his music it's got to be The Citadel Theatre.  

The Citadel building has a fascinating history, and is today rated by the Theatre Trust of Great Britain an extremely rare survivor of the early British music hall.  The building which is home to The Citadel today was originally constructed in 1861. It was commissioned by a local solicitor, Mr Thomas Haddock and was designed by architects E Beattie & Sons. In 1861 the building stood opposite a school and surrounded by rows of Victorian terrace houses.  It's gone through several guises since and opened in it's current format in 1988.  



In 2009 The Citadel celebrated its 21st birthday. In that time they had achieved an awful lot. This anniversary provided an ideal time to highlight their reputation for being the place to come and see something extraordinary, engaging and emergent, with past performers including Candy Staton, The Verve, Kiki Dee, Midge Ure, Geno Washington, The Stone Roses, Oasis, Peter Kay, Dave Spikey, John Bishop, Alan Carr, Paul O Grady, Happy Mondays, The Bluetones, Nine Below Zero, Ralph McTell, Wishbone Ash, Jah Wobble, Hazel O'Connor, Dr Feelgood, Rich Hall, Sean Hughes, Jo Brand and Jenny Éclair to name but a few.

Today The Citadel is as vibrant as ever and providing an eclectic array of talent.  Find out what's on at The Citadel here..... 





Now if you've been to a show then why not pay The Pacifica-Cantonese Restaurant a visit.....

They have taken the most well-known and popular dishes from parts of China and adapted the various styles to their own recipes and created an extensive A la Carte Menu.  The combination of Dim Sum, a great choice of vegetarian dishes and classics mixed with the more unusual waft temptingly past you. A delicious menu, cool relaxed interiors and efficient service. The Pacifica-Cantonese has staked its claim as a premier destination restaurant in this buzzing part of town. Still looking to finish off your night?  Then head to The Zoo Bar where you can hit the dance floor 'til the early hours of the morning.   ★★★ It's FRIDAY!!! ★★★ They're open until 3am TONIGHT!!! ★★★ Playing Chart, Indie, Dance, R&B, Classics and all your big party tunes! ★★★ ★★★ IT'S SATURDAY!!! ★★★ Open until 3am ♪ ♫ ♩ ♬ Playing Chart, Indie, Dance, R&B, Classics and all your big party tunes! ♪ ♫ ♩ ♬ PLUS Zoo Lounge - A touch of class mixed with funky world beers!

Blackrock Ceramic Knives.....a sharp buy

So there I was Twittering away when Black Rock Knives tweeted about the benefits of ceramic knives over your trusty stainless steel blade.  Now being a Jack Russell I was sceptical as ever and being the proud possessor of a set of Michael Chiarello's NapaStyle Santoku knives that I could shave my coat off with I challenged their assertion.


Well low and behold two days later the postman brought a Black Rock Knife to my kennel.....what's the chances!  Now it's Jack Russell by breed inquisitive by nature so I went and grabbed the nearest yellow pepper and started slicing.....and low and behold they're probably the sharpest knife in the box!  If you're looking to julienne paper thin then one of these bad boy's is for you.


BlackRock® ceramic knives are a market leader in high quality ceramic knives, with their origins in the Far East it's amazing that these knives have been kept a secret in Europe for so long. Once the reserve of professional chefs and now available to all.
The blade is produced using the finest quality pure zirconium oxide ( also known as Zirconia), a material that is extremely hard, wear resistant and chemically inert. It is important to highlight that our pure compound comes from Japan which is considered the best available and is produced by one of the oldest manufacturers of this product in the world. 

Zirconium oxide has a hardness second only to diamond.This produces a product with an ultra-sharp blade.BlackRock blades are hand sharpened at the factory, unlike many mass produced models which are done by machine.This gives our knives a superior blade edge.

All BlackRock® ceramic knives come with a protective sheath to ensure the blade maintains it's optimum performance. The ceramic blade is stain & microbe resistant and cannot rust. It leaves no metallic taste or smell on foods and you'll also notice that fruit and vegetables stay fresher for longer when cut and do not turn brown as quickly. The BlackRock® range of ceramic knives goes from a small 3" blade through to a 7" blade at 1" intervals and we also offer a ceramic peeler.

You can't put them in the dishwasher but as they're so easy to clean that's not a problem, and for me the only disadvantage is you can't use them on their side for crushing garlic as you might crack the blade. However that's a minor moan as they're so sharp they will cleanly slice very thinly and wont need sharpened for years.  It does also reduce browning when cutting lettuce and I did notice a marked reduction in tears when I used it to slice an onion!

Pricewise they're very competitive with knives of a lesser standard of cutting ability which makes them an absolute bargain and whilst I'm not sure they'd be robust enough for a commercial kitchen, they are ideal for domestic use.  Best value for money is the three piece 5", 6" and 7" set at £59.99.  Don't just take my word for it.....

Julie Brice-

" I have been most impressed by my ceramic knife; it glides through vegetables much better than my old steel knife. (I used to use a steak knife for tomatoes!) And best of all it doesnt need sharpening. Now Ive just got to convince my husband to buy me the set!"

Tracey Howell 

"Absolutley loving my blackrock knives!! when i mentioned them to a friend she asked if it passed the tomato test? she explained how she hates knives that squish rather than cut,so i tried myself.And they certainly pass with flying colours!!Youve gotta try them!!Brilliant!"

Margaret Mary Devaney

"Amazingingly sharp!!! LUCKY TO HAVE TEN FINGER TIPS INTACT! Cooking made easy! x"

Stuart Thompson

"I bought the 4" knife to try out these knives and to see if they lived up to the claims , I have since purchased the 3 set and so have 2 of my friends as they loved mine so much". keep your fingers out the way though as they take no prisoners "

Fergus Martin - Executive Chef  was given a 7" Knife to trial for us and these are his thoughts:

"Very Sharp and good for all general veg prep apart from Aubergines as they tended to stick to the blade. Very good for lettuce as the ceramic blade reduced oxidization"

"Good for cutting small peice of meat but not as good on large pieces, very good for fish once it had been filleted"

"Cheese and dairy was very very good"

"Texture and comfort of handle was very good for long tasks"

" These knives could certainly be used in large professional enviroments although they could get abused and damaged. 
They are perfect for the domestic market and my wife loved it and now uses it all the time "

Karen Bright 

"These knives are amazing I use mine almost every day "

Mariachi.....Authentic Mexican food in Edinburgh's Old Town

There are any number of Mexican Restaurants in Edinburgh and out of the many I've visited very few can actually live up to their boast of 'authentic Mexican cooking'. 


The food in Mariachi on Victoria Street by The Grassmarket on the other hand is as authentic as any I've had south of San Francisco, and that includes Casa Guadalajara in San Diego.




Mariachi is a family run restaurant which has been in business for over ten years and a favourite of mine at Festival time as it would have to be exceptionally busy for the ever pleasant staff not to find you a table.


They are committed to sourcing the finest quality ingredients and their food represents many of the different styles of Mexican cooking, whether it be traditional 'family style' home-cooked or street food or the more stylish 'Californian' favourites such as Burritos, Nachos and  of course the ever popular sizzling Fajitas.





They also stock a wide range of imported Mexican beers, Premium Tequilas and mix a mean cocktail!

So if it's for a celebration, a family meal, a romantic rendezvous or just to wind down after a hard day at the office why not let the staff at Mariachi take care of you.




 

Don't take my word for it, here's some reviews from the mighty Trip Advisor.....

“Excellent service & Fantastic food”

Reviewed 2 October 2012

This photo of  Mariachi 
is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Visited here on Sat night, we were a group of 9, each one of us were impressed with the food and the service and left there feeling very happy, we all had something different, personally I had the Fajitas and they were the best I have ever tried. Would definately recommend it if you are looking for a nice Mexican...More 

“Fantastic food and service”

Reviewed 5 October 2012

This photo of Mariachi
is courtesy of TripAdvisor

I recently visited Edinburgh with a large group of friends. We were slightly worried about dining out due to our vast numbers, however Mariachi were very accommodating and provide us with excellent food and service. We were all very impressed with the excellent authentic Mexican fare, and I couldn't get enough of the grilled steak burrito. Our meals were washed...
More 

                                                            Mariachi Christmas Menu 

                                               Three course dinner              £22pp 

                                    

                                                       Three course lunch (before 5pm)    £16pp

Starters

nachos

corn torillas / pickled jalapenos / white cheddar / salsa pico de gallo / sour creme

buffalo wings

jumbo chicken wings / chipotle chile / bar-b-que glaze

ceviche

lime-cured fish (ask for today’s choice) / onion / cilantro / fresh jalapeno / tomato

chiles rellenos

whole japaleno peppers / cream cheese / coriander/ garlic / crispy batter (HOT!)

Mains

enchiladas roja

marinated chicken or roasted vegetables

rolled, soft corn tortillas / rancheros sauce / cheese / sour creme

chimichanga

marinated chicken or slow cooked chilli beef

deep fried flour tortilla parcel / cheese / salsa pico de gallo / sour creme

soft tacos

marinated chicken or bbq pulled pork

white corn tacos / shredded lettuce / salsa roja / sour creme 

fajita

chicken breast, grilled steak or vegetables

sizzling platter / peppers / onion / mariachi seasoning / sour creme / cheese/ jalapenos / salsa roja

chili con carne

spiced, slow cooked, scottish beef mince / mexican rice / sour creme

chicken breast

garlic and lime marinated chicken breast / mexican rice / mixed leaf salad

steak £4 supplement

10oz aged scottish sirloin / potato wedges / mixed leaf salad

Dessert

key-lime cheesecake

with raspberry coulis and sorbet

warm chocolate pudding

with vanilla ice cream and raspberry coulis

ice cream

vanilla / chocolate / raspberry

sorbet

lemon / raspberry / mango 

If you have any special dietary requirements please ask your server for advice before ordering.

Please note a 10% service charge will be added at your discretion.

Call them on..... 

01316230077

Mon	Open	5pm - Late
Tues	Open	5pm - Late
Wed	Open	5pm - Late
Thu	Open	5pm - Late
Fri	Open	12 Noon - Late
Sat	Open	12 Noon - Late
Sun	Open	2pm - 10pm