AVIE'S SPICE AND HERB MIX

Having made lots of bread yesterday meant that tonight,s dinner would certainly incorporate one or other of the new loaves,my son loves chicken club sandwiches and as the wheel loaf lends itself well to this dish it seemed a good opportunity to indulge the preference.

To say that Pa dislikes chicken is a gross understatement, as a consequence I have become an adept at disguising the despised bird and for this dish invented a dry spice and herd marinade which makes the meat palatable,even to poor old Pa.

AVIES CAMOFLAGE FOR CHICKEN

2 teaspoons of cumin seed

2 teaspoons of coriander seed

1 teaspoon of fenugreek seed

2 teaspoons of Italian herb,

1 teaspoon of dill seed

8 peppercorns

pinch of salt flakes or coarse sea salt.

Grind all the ingredients together until a fine powder in formed, a mortar and pestle or a spice mill does the job equally well. I never worry about a few larger bits but if you do sieve them through a tea strainer.

Mix the powder with a tablespoon of corn meal or plain flour and pour into a plastic bag, add the chicken either whole breasts of cut into goujon and shake until all the meat id covered,then seal the bag and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Pan fry,griddle or roast until the juices run clear. Remove from the heat and serve at once.

The spice mix can also be made in to a paste which can be rubbed in to chicken or fish before cooking.

Put a little olive oil in to a small frying pan and heat. Add a tablespoon of tomato purree and the spice mix. Cook until sizzling ,reduce heat and cook for minute. Remove from the heat and allow to cool,the paste is then ready for use.