Mother's Day menu

If you are wondering what to cook for your mom tomorrow, look no further, my menu is easy, can be made ahead of time and is a sure crowd pleaser.

Chicken is a great favourite and when roasted and dressed with a guava rum glaze it elevates itself to exotic, pair that with a creamy, herby potato salad and your meal is complete, add some fancy rice if you wish or a simple green salad and finish with a chocolate layer cake topped with a meringue frosting. Don’t forget the ice cream.

Happy Mother’s Day to all!

Split roasted chicken with guava rum glaze

1 4½ lb chicken, split into two, washed and cleaned

Marinade

2 tbs red wine vinegar

4 cloves garlic minced

2 tbs fresh oregano, chopped or minced

2 tbs minced chives

1 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tbs olive oil

Combine all the marinade ingredients and rub onto the chicken, taking care to get the marinade under the skin as well.

Cover and refrigerate for about one hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Place the chicken on a baking rack and place in oven, cook for about 40 minutes until browned on both sides.

Baste chicken with guava glaze, turn and baste other side.

Do not leave too long in the oven with the glaze it will burn easily.

Guava rum glaze

1 cup guava paste

2 tbs ketchup

4 tbs white vinegar

2 tsp yellow mustard

1 tbs brown sugar

1 tbs molasses

¾ tsp cumin

¼ tsp each allspice and nutmeg

2 tsp grated onion

2 tsp minced garlic

4 tbs rum

salt to taste

2 tbs vegetable oil l

In a small sauce pan, heat vegetable oil, add onion and garlic, stir to combine, add the rest of the ingredients, cook slowly until well combined and smooth.

Cook until bubbly.

Remove from heat and baste chicken.

Makes about 1 cup.

Refrigerate unused glaze, it would keep for up to 2 weeks

You can use this on grilled mahi mahi or kingfish fillets or grilled steak as well.

Herby potato salad

1 tbs olive oil

2 tbs red wine vinegar

8 cups diced peeled cooked potatoes about 10 potatoes

1 cup mayonnaise

⅓ cup sour cream or yoghurt

1 tbs Dijon mustard

1½ tsp salt

1 tsp freshly freshly ground black pepper

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 pimento peppers finely diced

¼ cup chopped celery

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tbs chopped fresh dill

1 cup chopped chives

1 cups steamed green peas or green beans, thinly sliced

Combine olive oil with one tbs vinegar and toss with potatoes

Combine mayonnaise with one tbs vinegar, sour-cream, Dijon and salt and pepper combine.

Add peppers, herbs, and green peas to potatoes.

Mix, then pour on mayonnaise dressing and stir to combine.

Taste and adjust seasonings.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves 10 to 12

Double layer chocolate cake

1 cup butter

2 cups granulated sugar

2¼ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup chocolate 70 per cent, melted

1 cup powdered cocoa

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla essence

4 eggs

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350F.

Grease sides and base and line 2 nine-inch cake tins with waxed paper.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy and doubled in volume.

Sift flour three times add baking powder and baking soda sift cocoa and combine with flour.

Add eggs one at a time to creamed butter mixture, making sure to beat well between additions, batter must be fluffy. Add vanilla to milk.

Add flour to batter alternately with milk in three additions.

Beginning and ending with the flour/cocoa mixture.

Spoon batter evenly into prepared tins, bake for 35-40 minutes until done and cake pulls away from the sides of the tin.

Makes 2 nine-inch cakes

Meringue frosting

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tbs corn syrup

2 egg whites

⅓ cup water

⅛ tsp cream of tartar

With an electric mixer beat egg whites until fluffy but not dry add cream of tartar.

Combine sugar with water, stir gently to combine, place in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil, boil sugar until bubbly and spins a thread when lifted from a fork.

Poor syrup into egg whites with mixer running, continue to beat until all the syrup has been incorporated, beat for a few minutes longer until mixture loses some of its gloss.

Frosts 2 nine-inch cakes.

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