Chorizo Tortilla, Serrano Ham and Melon, Manchego Cheese

With this horrible weather I wanted to create some sunshine in the kitchen and make an inexpensive lunch that reminded me of Spanish holidays. I used three basic ingredients from Andrew's: 100g each of chorizo, Serrano ham, and Manchego cheese, all sourced from Spain. As the ingredients are quite rich, a small amount goes a long way; I was able to make a wholesome lunch for the four of us for around £10-£15 (salad and potatoes included).

The only cooking is in the Spanish tortilla: a thick omelette made with eggs, sliced new potatoes, and onions. The recipe I used is Delia's which can be found by clicking here. The only adaptation I made was to add the chorizo, which I diced and added to the pan with the potatoes and onion, and some fresh herbs added with the egg. I used a much bigger frying pan which meant the omelette was a lot thinner and took less time to cook, so think about that when considering your timings.

 I then just added the slices of Serrano ham to a board with sliced melon and the Manchego, and served alongside a salad; I really love these sorts of meals where everyone can dig in and help themselves.

Mediterranean Stuffed Chicken Breasts

First created to use up feta and olives in the fridge, this is one of my favourite things to cook all year round even if it does sound particularly summery.  Easy to cook when entertaining, as it can all be prepared before hand, you can adapt this recipe for individual tastes and budgets. We do a lovely range of olives at Andrew's and for this recipe I use the Mix Italia - a lovely blend of black and green olives as well as capers and peppers. The sweet flavours balance out the Greek feta we sell perfectly, but if you prefer say plain black olives, I would use some chopped cherry tomatoes in with the stuffing. I use Serrano ham to wrap the chicken breasts because of its robust flavour that is slightly stronger than Parma ham, but cheaper alternatives such as streaky bacon can also be used.

Ingredients for 6 people
6 chicken breasts, as large as possible.
6-12 slices of Serrano ham 
1 pack of Greek Feta finely diced
150 -200 grams of Mix Italia Olives finely chopped 
Dried mixed herbs 
Fresh basil finely chopped
Extra Virgin Olive oil, black pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 190°C. Then mix the chopped feta, chopped olives, and herbs in a bowl. Drizzle with plenty of olive oil and sprinkle with pepper for seasoning. 
Slice open your chicken breasts lengthways to butterfly them, being careful not to cut all the way through. 
The Serrano ham may be small slices it all depends in which case you may want to use two slices per chicken breast, this is up to you. 
Lay out your ham on a chopping board, place your open chicken breasts on top, and divide the mixture between as shown. This then makes it easier to close your chicken breast and wrap the Serrano ham around the breast to keeping the mix within. Secure with a cocktail stick if necessary. Place on baking tray and put into pre-heated oven for 30 minutes. Presenting the chicken breasts cut in half allows you to check they are completely cooked inside before plating up. Serve on a bed of salad for a light meal,  or with rice, vegetables and gravy for something a little heartier.