With the warm season upon us, it’s the perfect time to embrace the joy of cooking and the delight of sharing meals with loved ones. Summer brings an abundance of fresh ingredients and vibrant flavours, making it an ideal season to experiment in the kitchen and create memorable dishes. In this blog, we introduce a selection of recipes by Neff's The Ingredient designed to be enjoyed during these sunny months. Imagine indulging in delicious oven bakes that fill your home with enticing aromas, savouring fresh duck tacos bursting with flavour, and treating yourself to a refreshing vegan dessert that’s as satisfying as it is healthy. Each recipe is crafted to celebrate the essence of summer, encouraging you to explore new tastes and enjoy the process of cooking.
Cooking is more than just preparing food; it’s an opportunity to connect with others and create lasting memories. The kitchen becomes a hub of activity and a place where stories are shared and bonds are strengthened. As we gather around the table, the simple act of sharing a meal fosters a sense of community and togetherness. Summer, with its long days and warm evenings, is the perfect season to embrace this spirit of culinary adventure and communal dining. So, let's get inspired and make the most of the season’s bounty with these delightful recipes. Happy cooking!
Blackened Chicken with Dirty Rice
4 Servings
Cooks: Circotherm 170C 35-40 Minutes
Prep: 30 minutes
Ingredients
Blackened chicken:
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp garlic salt
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp white pepper
1 tsp oregano
½ tsp dried thyme
1 tsp paprika
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
6-8 chicken thighs (depending on how many will fit in your pan)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Dirty rice:
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 sticks of celery, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
1 red pepper, sliced into strips
100g chorizo, sliced in half-moons
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
250g basmati rice
2 tbsp white wine
900 ml hot chicken stock
To serve:
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
3 spring onions, chopped
1 jalapeno, sliced
Pinch of chilli flakes
Allergens are marked in bold
Step 1
Preheat the oven to Circotherm 170C. Mix together the spices for the blackened chicken and rub onto the skin of the chicken thighs.
Step 2
Heat the oil in a shallow, wide oven-proof pan (the pan should be big enough to hold the chicken in one layer with room to spare). Place the chicken thighs in the hot pan, skin-side down. Cook for 4-6 minutes until the skin is golden brown. Turn oven and cook for another couple of minutes.
Step 3
Remove the chicken from the pan and add in the onion, celery, jalapeno and red pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the onions are just starting to soften.
Step 4
Add in the chorizo and cook for a further two minutes. Add in the cayenne pepper, paprika and garlic. Stir, then add in the rice. Stir again to coat the rice in the oil. Add in the white wine and let it cook through for a minute, then add in the stock. Give the rice a stir, then nestle the chicken evenly amongst the rice, skin-side up.
Step 5
Place a lid on the pan and place in the oven to cook for 35-40 minutes – until the rice is tender. Take out of the oven and sprinkle with parsley, spring onions, sliced jalapenos and chilli flakes before serving.
Slow Roast Shredded Duck Tacos with Plum & Ginger Sauce
Serves 4-6
Cooks: to CircoTherm® 145°C with medium steam for up to 3 hours.
Prep 25 minutes
Ingredients
1 duck, approx. 1.8kg in weight
Pinch of salt and pepper
Plum and ginger sauce:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 red onion, peeled and chopped
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped finely
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
8 large ripe plums, de-stoned and cut into small pieces (leave the skin on)
6 tbsps soy sauce
4 tbsps honey
1 tbsp Chinese rice wine vinegar
2 tbsps sweet chilli sauce
Tacos:
8 Corn tortillas, warmed in the oven just before serving
1 red onion, peeled and finely sliced
12 baby tomatoes (I used a mixture of red and yellow tomatoes)
1 large Romaine lettuce, sliced
150ml sour cream
Small bunch fresh coriander, roughly torn
Allergens highlighted in bold
Step 1
Preheat your NEFF oven to CircoTherm® 145°C with medium steam. Place a wire rack on top of a large baking tin. Dry the duck skin with kitchen paper and lightly score the breast skin in a criss-cross pattern.
Step 2
Sprinkle with a good pinch of salt and pepper and place on the wire rack, over the baking tin, breast-side up. Place in the oven for 3 hours and 30 minutes. After one hour and ten minutes, carefully turn the duck over so that it’s breast-side down. After a further hour and ten minutes, turn over so that it’s breast-side up again (this helps the juices and fat to distribute evenly allowing for juicier meat and a crisper skin – without the need for basting).
Step 3
Sprinkle with a good pinch of salt and pepper and place on the wire rack, over the baking tin, breast-side up. Place in the oven for 3 hours and 30 minutes. After one hour and ten minutes, carefully turn the duck over so that it’s breast-side down. After a further hour and ten minutes, turn over so that it’s breast-side up again (this helps the juices and fat to distribute evenly allowing for juicier meat and a crisper skin – without the need for basting).
Step 4
Once the duck has been in the oven for 3 hours and 30 minutes, remove from the oven and brush 3-4 tbsp of the plum sauce over the duck. Place back in the oven and cook fora further 10 minutes until dark brown.
Step 5
Remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes, then place on a chopping board and shred the meat using two forks.
Step 6
Pile the meat up inside the warmed corn tortillas along with the sliced onion, chopped tomatoes and lettuce. Drizzle on sour cream and warm plum sauce then sprinkle with chopped coriander before serving.
Vegan Hazelnut Meringue
8 Servings
Ingredients
200g aquafaba (from 2 tins of chickpeas)
200g caster sugar
50g peanuts
300g coconut yogurt
200g mixed berries for the syrup (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries)
4 tbsp caster sugar
200g mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries)
Allergens are marked in bold
Step 1
Dry roast the hazelnuts in a pan for 2 minutes and then chop them up roughly. Leave it aside to cool.
Step 2
Drain the chickpeas and keep the water from the tin. Collect around 200ml of water. Measure the water once you have drained it from the tin and use the exact amount of sugar for the meringue. Start to whisk aquafaba in a clean bowl for 6-8 minutes until it’s fluffy and has soft peaks. Slowly add the sugar 1 tbsp at a time while whisking continuously. Now whisk for a further 5 minutes until glossy and stiff.
Step 3
Meanwhile, preheat the oven at 100 C CircoTherm®. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment and put eight portions of meringue on the prepared sheets. Sprinkle some hazelnuts on top and bake for 1 ½ to 2 hours until crispy and dried out. Leave it aside to cool completely.When you are ready to serve stir the yogurt until smooth.
Step 4
In a pan, add the sugar and the berries and cook on low heat for 2 minutes until they start to soften. Use a fork and mash them up and cook for another minute on low heat. Leave it aside to cool.
Step 5
Place the individual meringues on serving plates, dollop some coconut yogurt, drizzle the berry syrup and place some fresh berries on top then sprinkle some hazelnuts and serve immediately.The meringues can be made a few hours in advance but only assemble when you are ready to serve!
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