London: Winter Vegetables and Chicken over Couscous

So with one week down in London, I finally started cooking my own meals this weekend. Here in England, people do not go on huge shopping trips to “stock up” but rather go to the grocery store or market etc. almost every day for small things. So didn’t I look silly on my first trip! But, come on, we had nothing at all!

And look how small my food cubby is! It's so full of food I have to keept my one set of dishes in my refriedgerator that I share with my two roommates.

So far for touristy things we’ve been to Buckingham Palace, The National Gallery (gorgeous!), walked by Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and Parliament, and gone to Kensington Gardens (only a short walk from my house!) Though a toy boat made the birds kind of crazy as seen below!

I have so many pictures and I will be sure to post them soon. But I wouldn’t be the College Cuisiner if I didn’t share the first recipe I made in my new house.

I didn’t make this until Sunday since Friday, Beth and Mary-Kate (my roommates) and I met my “cousin” Martin and his friends for his 28^th birthday drink. On Saturday I met my (real )Aunt Janet in (Royal)Tunbridge Wells, a “resort town” an hour outside London and the perfect meeting spot between her home outside Hastings. We have a lovely day with lovely weather and after an amazing lunch at a posh Italian restaurant, I wasn't really hungry for the rest of the day. Think Roasted Pumpkin Risotto and the most incredible Vanilla Panna Cotta dessert with fresh raspberry puree. Mmmm…. It would be worth the hour train ride just to go back for the dessert, as long as I have the same company to make it an enjoyable visit! I could kick myself for not taking a photos there!

So on Sunday after a walk past Kate and Williams’ new home at Kensington Palace and my essential purchase of black jeans as TK Maxx (yes, it’s “TK” here,”) I made my dinner. I was hoping to borrow a little bit of the white wine I though Beth had purchased, but alas when I wasn’t looking she put the bottle back so I had to make this recipe without white wine. I was very good without it so if you don’t have the wine, don’t worry. The meal has a much simpler, heartier taste to it without. If you want something with a really good intense flavor, use the white wine. Trust me. So, since I have posted recipes before with similar ingredients as this, I hope you will take my advice on the wine since it is amazing sautéed into sweet potatoes and mushrooms.

I’m not sure what to call this dish, maybe Sautéed butternut squash, sweet potatoes, spinach, mushroom, and chicken over mushroom couscous. Or how about Winter Couscous Meal? I guess that works. I originally only intended to use butternut squash without the sweet potatoes but when I went to Tescos (the grocery store,) the fresh bag of squash I had been craving for two days was mixed with sweet potatoes. And if I do say myself, I made it work. I made this in our proper maid’s kitchen and when I brought it up to the lounge/tv room everyone was salivating over it. I love the mushroom couscous packets at Tescos with real dried mushrooms and a delicious nutty flavor. It was a perfect accompany for the vegetable mix. Great Gluten-Free meal with rice instead!

I’ll be sure to post my pictures and WIAW on Wednesday along with my homemade chicken salad and a special dinner salad!

Winter Vegetables and Chicken over Couscous: Servings 2

 (I meant for one, but there was a lot! Adjust as necessary)

Ingredients:

1 packet of Mushroom couscous

Water

½ chicken breast, cut into thin strips

½ cup peeled pieces of sweet potatoes

½ cup peeled pieces of butternut squash

½ cup fresh spinach

½ cup sliced mushrooms

¼ cup of finely chopped onions

1 cup dry white wine

1 tbsp. butter

1 garlic clove, minced

Olive oil

Garlic salt

Pepper

Optional “brown sauce” for the chicken

 

 

Directions:

Prepare couscous as directed.

In a microwave-safe bowl, add squash and sweet potatoes with enough water to cover and a dash of garlic salt. Microwave for 4 minutes or until vegetable are soft.

In a large pan, heat butter and minced garlic over medium heat.

Begin to brown onions and mushrooms. Once lightly browned, add ½ cup of wine and begin to sauté, adding some garlic salt and pepper to taste. Once most of the wine is absorbed, sautéed spinach and then set mix aside.

In the empty pan, drizzle oil and brown chicken well. If applicable, add brown sauce and continue to cook until done adding a little garlic salt.

Set chicken aside and add cooked squash and sweet potatoes to pan with a little oil. Begin to lightly brown and add rest of white wine. Allow the vegetables to absorb wine and then add rest of vegetables, and chicken and heat together. Once done, add mixture atop couscous or rice.

Serve hot and enjoy the deliciousness. But make sure there are not five hungry college students awkwardly watching you eat it. That can get uncomfortable.

Enjoy! See you on Wednesday!

Love,

The College Cuisiner