Tap into the tang of the season’s superb citrus in our sweet, salty and sour chicken thigh dish. 

Fennel and citrus roasted chicken thighs 

Serves 4 // Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients 

2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted 
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ orange, zested and juiced 
½ lemon, zested and juiced 
Salt and milled black pepper 
8 chicken thighs 
2 Tbsp olive oil 
400g baby fennel bulbs 
1 orange, sliced in rounds 
1 grapefruit, sliced in rounds 
1 lemon, sliced in rounds
2 Tbsp brown sugar 
500g baby potatoes, halved and parboiled 
300g Brussels sprouts, halved 
¼ cup cultured cream or sour cream 
1 Tbsp chopped fennel or dill  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. Crush fennel seeds, garlic and citrus zest using a pestle and mortar. 
3. Season chicken and rub with oil and fennel-citrus mixture. 
4. Arrange fennel bulbs and citrus slices on a greased baking tray. 
5. Place chicken on top and pour over citrus juice. 
6. Sprinkle with sugar and roast for 15 minutes, basting regularly with pan juices. 
7. Add potatoes and roast for another 10 minutes. 
8. Add Brussels sprouts and roast for 10-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. 
9. Mix cultured cream and herb fronds together in a bowl. Season. 
10. Serve chicken and vegetables topped with herby cultured cream.

 Words: Chad January

Photography: Fresh Living magazine

The post The best fennel and citrus roasted chicken thighs appeared first on MyKitchen.

Let’s get down to the root, and dig into why root vegetables are so good for our bodies. Plus, learn the best way to cook with them.

1. TURNIPS 
For cooking
Enjoy this veggie in salads and stir-fries, or roasted or steamed.
For your body
A fantastic source of vitamin C, an immune- boosting agent and essential dietary requirement.

2. GARLIC
For cooking
Its intense flavour complements most dishes.
For your body
It is said to lower blood cholesterol and prevent plaque build-up in arteries.
Did you know?
It’s a natural antibiotic.

3. ONION
For cooking
As with garlic, its a base for most dishes.
For your body
It lowers cholesterol, prevents diabetes and maintains skin health.
Did you know?
The outer layers of the onion contain the most nutrients.

4. TURMERIC
For cooking 
Used in curries and spice mixes.
For your body
It contains curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory effects and is a strong antioxidant.

5. CARROTS
For cooking
Wonderfully versatile option for many dishes and recipes.
For your body
They contain an incredible amount of the antioxidant beta-carotene and vitamin A, the minerals responsible for keeping your skin and eyes healthy.

6. BEETROOT
For cooking
The perfect side to meats or as added flavour in a salad.
For your body
It aids blood circulation and contains minerals such as iron, calcium, folate and potassium.
Did you know?
It has the highest sugar content of any veg.

7. FENNEL
For cooking
With its aniseed flavour and scent, it is often used in herb and spice mixes.
Did you know?
It’s one of the oldest cultivated vegetables.

8. POTATOES
For cooking
Everything, all day, any day!
For your body
High in potassium and low in sodium, while providing your body with a high source of energy.

9. RADISHES
For cooking
Sweet, pungent and peppery, these can be enjoyed cooked, raw or pickled.
For your body
A powerful detoxifier that assists with gut-related issues, weight loss and urinary disorders.

Words: Staff writer
Photography: Unsplash

Want to cook a curry at home, but don’t know where to start? Here’s our guide to essential curry spices that will help you understand how the flavours work.

The post Getting to know root vegetables appeared first on MyKitchen.

Unleash your wild side and impress your guests this evening with our fancy duck leg with orange, fennel and watercress recipe.

SERVES 4 // COOK TIME 60 mins

INGREDIENTS
4 duck legs
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper
5 oranges, 1 zested and juiced, 4 halved
¼ cup sugar
2 star anise
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 bulb fennel, sliced
90 g watercress

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
2. Place the duck in a bowl. Add 1 tbsp oil and season. Toss to coat. Place the duck skin-side down in a pan. Cook over high heat for 5 minutes until browned. Place in a roasting tin, skin-side up.
3. Place the orange zest and juice, sugar, star anise, fennel seeds and ½ tsp salt in the pan the duck was cooked in. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes to form a glaze.
4. Pour the glaze over the duck and add the orange halves. Bake for 20 minutes.
5. Remove the duck from the oven and transfer to plates to rest. Add the fennel bulb to the roasting tin, and bake for 8 minutes.
6. Dress the watercress with the rest of the oil, and season.
7. Serve the duck legs with the baked fennel and orange, and the watercress.

Quick tip: To check if your bird is ready, make a small incision near the bone. If it’s done, the juices should run clear. And this works with chicken as well!

There is no better dish to serve up to guests than a traditional French coq au vin. Cooking with wine guarantees you’ll have plenty of fun in the kitchen with this one!

The post Duck leg with orange, fennel and watercress appeared first on MyKitchen.

Stressed for time? It only takes a few minutes to throw together this fresh citrus slaw with fennel dressing and nut crunch.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 5 min

INGREDIENTS
For the fennel dressing
⅓  cup brown sugar
⅓  cup olive oil
⅓  cup red-wine vinegar
1 tbsp fennel seeds, toasted and crushed
For the citrus slaw
3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage (±⅓ cabbage)
4 radishes, julienned
3 mini cucumbers, sliced thinly
2 green apples, sliced thinly
For the nut crunch
1 tbsp sunflower seeds
1 tbsp candied almonds, chopped

METHOD
1. Whisk together all the dressing ingredients.
2. Toss the slaw ingredients with the dressing.
3. Serve the slaw topped with the nut crunch.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

Loving summer salads? Us too! Try this delicious sticky chicken and melon salad.

The post Citrus slaw with fennel dressing and nut crunch appeared first on MyKitchen.

Blood oranges are an orange variety that has red flesh or flecks of red in between the orange. This is caused by their amazing antioxidant pigments. Our blood orange salad will be a welcome and refreshing side with any meal, or as a light meal on its own.

 SERVES 4-6 // COOKING TIME 15 min

INGREDIENTS
40 g mixed baby salad leaves
8–10 radishes, sliced
3 blood oranges, peeled and sliced
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
½ cup shaved Parmesan
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp mustard
1 tbsp honey
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and black pepper
Micro-herbs, to garnish

METHOD
1. Arrange the salad leaves in a bowl or platter. Add the radishes, blood oranges, fennel and Parmesan shavings on top.
2. Combine the lemon juice, mustard and honey in a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Garnish the salad with micro-herbs and serve with the vinaigrette.

The post Blood orange salad with radishes and fennel appeared first on MyKitchen.