Almond Relish
This relish is included in the first week’s diet as an accompaniment to chicken. It is delicious with most poultry, so suggestions for varying the flavour are given. Lemon juice would normally be used in such a recipe but in this version the wonderful herb lemon balm is used, along with lemon grass.
| Ingredients | SERVES 4-6 |
| METRIC (IMPERIAL) | AMERICAN |
| 2 tablespoons olive oil | 2½ tablespoons |
| 1 medium onion, finely chopped | 1 |
| 50g (2oz) raisins | 1/3 cup |
| 1 large barely ripe dessert pear, peeled and finely diced | 1 large |
| 115g (4oz) tenderized (ready to eat) dried apricots, finely chopped | 2/3 cup |
| 115g (4oz) whole or blanched almonds, chopped | 1 cup |
| 50g (2oz) ground almonds | ½ cup |
| 1 lemon grass stalk, finely chopped | 1 |
| 1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon balm or ½ tablespoon dried lemon balm | ¼ tablespoons |
| sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste |
Method
- Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the onion for 5 minutes; remove from the heat. Stir in the remaining ingredients and season.
- Some of the stuffing can be inserted under the skin at the neck end of the bird and the remainder cooked in a separate dish, which should be covered.
- Cook for 40 minutes in a preheated oven set to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5 or 180°C for a fan (convection) oven.
Variations
If you find that citrus fruit does not affect your arthritis substitute 1–¼ (¼–1½) tablespoons of lemon juice for the lemon grass and lemon balm.
This stuffing is equally good with turkey or guinea fowl. You could use walnuts instead of almonds.
With duck or goose: substitute a large apple for the pear. Use a cooking (baking) apple to give a sharper flavour and a dessert apple for a sweeter taste.