I’m going to have to cheat this week and buy some lettuce seedlings. Our Green Salad Bowl lettuce is still going well and our Cos lettuce is ready to eat but the warm weather has brought with it lovely eager insects and anything could happen over the next few weeks to my lettuces if the insects start to win the war. So as a safety measure I am going to bridge the gap between my plants and my seed growing by planting some shop bought seedlings. It is still cheaper than buying lettuce from the supermarket to eat – I was given gardening centre vouchers from my workplace when I left my job so it won’t affect the budget buying seedlings. Hubby was so excited with his eating his first Cos leaves on Sunday that straight after dinner I went out and sowed some more for him. Our spring onions have taken off and we love having them ready to toss into everything – last night they were perfect for chicken fried rice. If you don’t have a recipe try Simon Holst’s one Simon Holst’s fried rice – I stole his grated carrot idea, it adds lovely texture and colour to the fried rice.
Chicken Fried Rice – Simon Holst
250g boneless and skinless chicken breast or thighs, 2 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp grated fresh ginger (optional) , 3 Tbsp canola or other oil, 1 large egg, 1 Tbsp water, 1-2 spring onions, finely chopped 1 medium carrot, grated 1/4 cup frozen peas, 1 1/2-2 cups cooled cooked rice, 1/4-1/2 tsp salt.
Place the chicken in a sturdy plastic bag and add the soy sauce, sesame oil and ginger (if using), then massage the bag to coat the chicken. Leave to marinate for 15 minutes or refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil in a large non-stick frypan. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 3-5 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until cooked through, then remove from the pan and set aside.
Lightly beat together the egg and water, then pour into the pan. Cook until it sets into a thin omelette, then lift out and set aside.
Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan. When it is hot add the spring onion and carrot and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the peas, rice and the last tablespoon of oil. Cook, stirring frequently, for another 3-4 minutes or until the rice is heated through (add a little extra oil if the rice sticks).
Slice or dice the chicken and the omelette and stir into the mixture. Season to taste and serve.