Apricot Chicken Wings with Mango Salad

This is one of my hubby's favorite dishes.  It morphed out of another apricot chicken recipe which used chicken legs and thighs.  I used to love using chicken wingettes and drummettes when I could find them in my local supermarket in Oz but since I can't obtain them in Singapore, I happily settle just for standard wings. 

Because we enjoy the wings so much, we don't waste time with any other side dishes except for a very light salad.  The focus is always the wings and anything else is just a distraction.  The salad helps lighten the load and cleanses the palatte along the way.

It takes a while in the oven but it sure is quick to whip up.

Ingredients

Wings
1kg wings
1 can apricot nectar
Chicken stock powder

Salad
1 large butter lettuce, washed and sliced
1 ripe mango, skinned, seeded and chopped into small cubes
0.5 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
30ml virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (add more as needed)
1 teaspoon lemon juice (I used the bottled concentrated version)


Method


Wings
Preheat oven to 180°.

In a lightly greased oven tray place the wings, sprinkle enough stock powder to cover all the wings and add the nectar.
   
Bake for 30 minutes, then turn the wings over and bake for another 30 minutes.

Turn again and bake for approximately 10 minutes or until the skin is crisp and the chicken is fully cooked.

Half-way through baking.

Move wings to a serving dish.

Salad
In a salad bowl add the lettuce and mango.  Combine all other ingredients in a jug, stir and adjust dressing flavouring to suit your tastes.  Pour over salad and mix well.

Mango salad ready to go.



This looked like a civilised start
but there were only 5 wings left by the end.

Bread & Butter Pudding with Strawberries

This recipe is my sister's favorite breakfast when she visits.  I like that I don't need to insert the dish inside another water-filled tray which is typically how this pudding is made.  One of my previous recipes required the tray within a tray practice and I was happy to replace it for this option. 

When I used to make it back in Oz, I often made plum preserves using plums from my garden and it was incredibly delicious.  So if you make preserves at home then swap the strawberries for a jar of whatever fruit preserve you have.  I have also attempted to make it with shop bought fruit conserve but I was not happy with the result, so I don't recommend it.

Ingredients

10 slices bread
Margarine
500g fresh strawberries
½ cup raisins or sultanas
6 eggs
1½ cup milk
¼ cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence

Method

Preheat over to 180C.

Remove the hull from the strawberries and cut them in quarters.  Place them in a deep microwave oven proof dish, add a little bit of water and 2 tablespoons of sugar.  Cook in microwave for 4 minutes.  Drain the juice and set aside.

Spread one side of bread slices with margarine and cut in half.

My assistant demonstrating.

In a casserole dish (approx. 20x28cm), place half the bread slices in a single layer.  Cover with half the strawberry preserve and sprinkle half the raisins. Repeat process with second half.

First layer

Adding the strawberries and raisins.

Undertake the necessary taste test.

Whisk eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla in separate jug and pour over the bread. Cover with lid or aluminium foil and set aside for 10 mins to allow mixture to absorb.

 

 

Bake for 35 mins then remove lid/foil and bake a further 15 mins.  Remove from oven and let it cool off for about 5 minutes.

Serve and drizzle some of the strawberry juice across the top. 

Enjoy.