Scots are expected to spend over £20 million on strawberries over the next few weeks as the nation gets ready to watch the world’s tennis greats compete at this summer’s Wimbledon Championships.
The Scottish strawberry industry provides a fifth of all berries eaten in the UK and has an unsurpassed reputation for taste and quality.
AVA Berries are extraordinary varieties of strawberries that offer the best flavour, sweetness and quality and are grown by an exclusive group of growers based across the north-east coast of Scotland, Perthshire and Fife, which have the ideal micro-climate for producing the perfect strawberry, enjoying warm days, cool nights, and just the right amount of daylight hours.
AVA Berries was the first brand of strawberries to be sold as premium lines in UK supermarkets and are currently available in M&S stores and as part of Aldi’s Specially Selected, Morrison’s The Best, Co-op’s Irresistible, and Sainsburys’ Taste the Difference ranges.
With Wimbledon fever gripping the nation, why not try these three, delightful recipes and enjoy the tournament from the comfort of your own home?
Macaroon Cake with Mixed Berries
The perfect serve for guests during the Wimbledon final weekend
Fed up with sponge cakes? Why not try this moreish meringue cake flavoured with ground almonds and toffee flavoured muscovado sugar and luxuriously filled with ruby summer berries and whipped cream.
Serves 6
Preparation time 30 minutes
Cooking time 35-40 minutes
4 medium egg whites
¼ tsp cream of tartar
150g/5oz caster sugar
75g/3oz light muscovado sugar
1 tsp white wine vinegar
50g/2oz ground almonds
For the filling
250ml/8fl oz double cream
150g/5oz Greek yogurt
350g/12oz AVA strawberries, sliced
100g/4oz raspberries
50g/2oz blueberries
1. Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl with an electric whisk until stiff but still moist looking peaks. Gradually whisk in the caster sugar, then muscovado sugar, a teaspoonful at a time until they have all been added, whisk for a minute of two more until the mixture is thick and glossy.
2. Fold in the vinegar and ground almonds with a large metal spoon then divide the mixture between two, lightly oiled 20cm/8in sandwich tins that have been base lined with a circle of non-stick baking paper.
3. Bake in a preheated oven set to 150°C/gas mark 2 for 35-40 minutes until lightly browned and crisp. Loosen the edges of the cakes carefully with a knife then leave to cool in the tins.
4. Loosen the edges of the cakes once more then turn out on to a sheet of non-stick baking paper. Peel off the paper from the bases.
5. Whip the cream until if forms soft swirls, then fold in the yogurt. Transfer one macaroon cake to a serving plate, spread with two thirds of the cream mixture. Arrange two thirds of the fruit on top then add the second macaroon cake. Decorate the top with the remaining cream and berries and serve within 30 minutes of assembly.
Cook’s tip
The macaroon cake can be made the day before and then turned out on to a tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Cover with a second sheet of paper and store in a cool dry place. The cakes are very fragile so handle with care, you may find it easier to transfer them to a serving plate by sliding the base of a loose bottomed cake tin underneath them rather than using a palette knife or fish slice. Decorate with cream and summer fruit at the very last minute.
AVA Strawberry trifle with Pimms
Who can resist trifle? This lighter more modern version is made with Pimms soaked strawberries and topped with reduced fat custard and a lighter, reduced fat creamy yogurt layer flecked with citrusy lemon and orange rind. If you have time leave the strawberries and Pimms to soak for 30 minutes or more so that the flavours seep into the sponge base before topping with the custard and cream.
Serves 6
Preparation time 25 minutes
Chilling time 2 hours
4 trifle sponges, about 100g/4oz in total
350g/12oz AVA strawberries, sliced
4 tbsp caster sugar
4 tbsp Pimms, undiluted
425g/15oz can reduced fat custard
200ml/7fl oz double cream
150g/5oz low fat natural yogurt
Grated rind half orange
Grated rind half lemon
To decorate
3 AVA strawberries, halved lemon and orange rind.
1. Break the trifle sponges into pieces and arrange in a single layer in the base of a 1.2 litre/2 pint glass dish. Arrange the strawberries on top, sprinkle with 2 tbsp sugar then spoon over the Pimms.
2. Spoon the custard over the top of the fruit and spread the top into an even layer.
3. Whip the cream in a bowl until it just forms soft swirls then fold in the yogurt and fruit rinds. Spoon over the custard and chill until required. Decorate with halved strawberries and lemon and orange rind curls made with a zester just before serving.
AVA Strawberry and Raspberry Ripple Eton Mess
Make up the AVA strawberry swirled meringues and fruit puree the day before, then just layer with whipped cream and extra fruit in recycled jam jars and screw on the lids, take out to the garden in a basket or pack into a cool box for a picnic pud.
1. Preheat the oven to 110°C (225°F), Gas Mark ¼. Line a large baking sheet with non-stick baking paper.
2. Puree the strawberries and raspberries in a liquidiser or food processor then press through a sieve.
3. Whisk the egg whites in a large clean dry bowl until they form stiff moist looking peaks and you feel confident that if the bowl was turned upside down the egg whites wouldn’t fall out! Gradually whisk in the sugar a teaspoonful at a time then continue whisking for a minute or two until really thick and glossy.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of the berry puree then very briefly mix until marbled. Spoon into a large piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm (¾ inch) plain piping tube, pipe small rounds on to the lined baking sheet. Bake for 1¼ -1½ hours or until the meringues may be easily lifted off the paper. Leave to cool.
5. To serve, lightly whip the cream until it forms soft swirls then fold in the fromage frais. Crumble the meringues then layer in jam jars or plastic containers with the remaining berry puree and diced strawberries. Decorate with the raspberries. Add the lids and keep in the fridge until ready to serve or transport to a picnic in a cool bag with a frozen ice block to keep them cold. Serve within 1½ hours or the meringues tend to lose their crunch.
Are you looking for some recipe and meal inspiration to impress the family and want to test your culinary skills to make restaurant quality dishes at home without breaking the bank?
Then you’re in luck because Aldi has partnered with award winning Scottish Chef and professional MasterChef contestant, David Hetherington, to help customers re-create a range of vibrant and delicious meals that will feed four people for less than £1.50 per person using fresh local Scottish produce.
David Hetherington, Head Chef at Glasgow’s Locker Hyndland, Provenance Chef of the Year 2018 and winner of Inspiring Chef of the Year 2020 has developed a variety of recipes using local Scottish produce from Aldi to help inspire customers to create high-quality and affordable meals from their own home.
Starting with a Mother’s Day Spring Pea, Thyme & Lemon Ricotta Tart and Berry Pavlova, over the next four weeks David will release a series of healthy meal ideas for four, with suggestions on how to spice up your lunch whilst working from home, as well as offering a step-by-step guide on how to create the ultimate Aldi Easter Sunday roast.
Weekly recipe suggestions and step-by-step cooking guides will feature across David’s (@chef_hetherington) and Aldi Scotland’s (@aldiscotland) Instagram and Facebook pages starting from 8th March.
David Hetherington, Head Chef at Glasgow’s Locker Hyndland said:“It has been brilliant to see everyone get more involved in cooking at home and by partnering with Aldi, who lead the way on Scottish provenance, I aim to build on this culinary excitement and share both affordable and nutritious recipe ideas for everyone to enjoy.
“By taking advantage of the selection of fresh Scottish produce available at Aldi, my weekly recipes will help guide both experienced cooks and kitchen novices to produce an array of tasty meals. Along the way, I will also provide some top cooking tips on how to find the best produce in your local Aldi store and how to be more adventurous in your own kitchen.”
Graham Nicolson, Aldi Scotland, Group Buying Director said:“We are thrilled to be able to help our customers test their culinary skills and experiment with cooking by using Aldi’s extensive range of quality fresh local produce and ingredients.
“As well as access to great quality Scottish ingredients we know that what matters to our customers is getting great value for money, and that’s why keeping our prices the lowest in Scotland is our number one mission.
“Over the past year, David has done an excellent job in engaging with people to encourage cooking at home but recognising at the moment that keeping dishes affordable is also of key importance, and for the next four weeks I hope our customer are excited to try out the new recipes that David has created.”
Full Recipe Calendar:
· W/c 8 March: Creating a restaurant-quality Mother’s Day feast for under £6
· W/c 15 March: How to spice up your lunches when working from home
· W/c 22 March: How to create a healthy meal for four for under £6
· W/c 29 March: The ultimate Aldi Easter Sunday Roast for £6
Mother’s Day Recipe:
Spring pea, thyme & lemon ricotta tart, mixed leaf and cherry tomato salad
Serves 4
Prep time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Difficulty
Total £3.30
1 bag frozen garden peas – 59p
1 lemon – 14p
2 sprigs of thyme/pinch of dried thyme – Store cupboard
Line a rectangular baking tray, or a round one, with baking parchment, then line with pastry.
Next up, line the puff pastry with baking parchment, and fill with baking beans (this could be lentils, raw chickpeas, or you can buy real baking beans online, I choose to use lentils), this stops the middle of the tart rising while you bake the pastry. Leave a little pastry lip hanging out the top for a wee bit of crunch. Pop the tart in the oven and bake for around 20 minutes or until the pastry is looking golden.
While the pastry is cooking, chuck the ricotta into a bowl, add some chopped thyme (or a pinch of dried thyme), squeeze of lemon juice, some lemon zest and some salt and pepper.
Put a pot of water on to boil. Once boiling add in the frozen peas and allow it to come back to the boil and immediately strain off the water and chill, this is important to keep the colour, nutrients and flavour in the peas.
Once the pastry is cooked, and cooled, fire in the ricotta mix, smooth it out to the
edges and fill the pastry, toss the peas with some olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme and a squeeze of lemon, and pile them on top.
For the salad, wash the salad leaves gently under cold water, toss in olive oil, salt, pepper, halved cherry tomatoes and serve up everything with love and a big smile.
Berry Pavlova
Serves 4
Prep time 10 mins
Cook Time approx 2 Hrs
Difficulty
Total £2.60
4 egg whites – 48p
250g caster sugar – 27p
250ml double cream – 71p
½ punnet of Wonky strawberries – 69p
½ punnet of Wonky blueberries – 45p
This recipe will always work better if you have an electric whisk.
In a clean dry bowl place the egg whites, and whisk on a high speed until they become stiff. Place the sugar onto a baking sheet, and place in a hot oven at around 180°C, you’ll want the sugar to heat until it becomes too hot to touch with the palm of your hand. This is a culinary trick so please be careful.
Carefully pour the sugar into the egg whites, mixing at a fairly high speed, again we are working with hot sugar here, so be careful and take your time.
Continue to whisk the eggs on a high speed once all the sugar is in and keep whisking until the mix is cold. It should be shiny and hold itself together.
We need to make a small meringue bowl for our pavlova, so divide the mix into four onto a parchment lined tray. Now the best way to do this would be to pipe a little nest, but you can plop a dollop on a tray and make a wee well in the centre with a hot spoon.
Now switch off the oven, it should still be hot from the sugar warming. Pop in the tray of meringues and wait for about 10 minutes before you close the door and leave overnight. It is really important we dry out the shells of our meringues without colouring them.
When you are ready to serve, whip up the double cream, and spoon into your meringue nests, chop up your berries and arrange on top.
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
Sticking to a healthy diet can be easier if you cook from scratch. Ready meals, takeaways and pre-packaged foods can be high in fat, sugar and salt. Home-cooked meals are often cheaper, tastier, healthier and better for the environment.
It may also be quicker to rustle up a home-cooked meal, than wait for a takeaway to be delivered.
Here we provide some tips to help you find and cook some healthy recipes:
Finding healthy recipes
There are lots of healthy recipe books and websites available. When looking for healthy recipes, make sure you choose a trusted source.
Our new cookbook includes plenty of delicious and healthy recipes from well-known names, such as Joe Wicks and the Hairy Bikers. The recipes have been carefully selected by our Nutritionist for their use of fresh, healthy ingredients that promote good heart health.
When looking for a healthy recipe, make sure you pay attention to the ingredients list. Avoid recipes that include a lot of fat, salt, sugar or processed meats and cheeses. Healthier recipes include:
Fruit and vegetables
Wholegrain ingredients (e.g. brown rice, brown bread or whole-wheat pasta)
Lean sources of protein (e.g. fish, chicken (without skin), beans, pulses or tofu)
Low-fat dairy products (or alternatives), such as skimmed milk, fat-free yoghurt or soya products
Choose healthy cooking methods
Find recipes that use healthier cooking methods, such as steaming, baking or grilling, rather than frying or deep-frying in oil. Avoid recipes that cook with animal fats (such as lard or butter) and coconut oil as these are high in saturated fats which can increase your risk of heart disease. Choose recipes that use plant-based oils, such as rapeseed, olive, sunflower or vegetable oils.
Adapt your favourite recipes
Eating healthily doesn’t mean giving up on all your favourite foods. Read through some of your favourite recipes and try to identify ways to make them healthier.
This could include adding extra fruit or veg, switching from white to brown rice or pasta, switching from cream to low fat yoghurt, reducing the amount of salt and sugar or switching to a healthier cooking method.
For more tips on how to improve your heart health, visit the ‘Healthy Tips’ page on our website and don’t forget to check out our new Cookbook.
In honour of Veganuary a time of year when vegan lovers can share the joys of all things vegan, Need2Know Books are looking for the best mouth-watering vegan recipes from members of the public.
Using a range of aromatic ingredients alongside a variety of vegan staples the hunt is on to find the best of the best in vegan cooking. So, if you fancy trying your hands at a bit of creative vegan culinary enter Need2Know Books’ Vegan Recipe Challenge.
There are lots of free giveaways for the best eight entries with the top two winners winning a free copy of the Essential Guide to Vegan Cooking and Food for Health, a must have guide on how to get optimal nutrition from food. A selection of the best original vegan recipe entries will be given a chance to be featured in a fully illustrated colour cookbook published by Need2Know Books.
Ian Walton, the director of Need2Know Books says: “We want vegan food lovers to explore new ways of cooking vegan food. Using a variety of flavours and textures the challenge is to create an original culinary masterpiece that is simple to make and can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
“So, whether you want to put a new spin on brown rice and lentils, or butternut squash with pumpkin seeds, creating something new is the challenge.”
Need2Know Books publishes a variety of essential guides that cover issues concerning health, mental health, fitness and diet. A range of essential guides are available that give dietary advice and guidance on children’s nutrition, weight loss, and food for health. All Need2Know Books highlight important ‘essential things to know’ written in easy to read language without unnecessary and confusing jargon.
Covid has certainly changed our home habits with many of us spending more time in the kitchen experimenting with new foods and flavours. Research has found that cooking at home has increased by 40% since the first lockdown in March 2020.
The love of vegan cooking has been growing in the last few years. Recent data revealed the number of vegans in the UK now exceeds three-and-a-half million, or 7% of the population. These figures indicate that veganism has seen a 700% growth in the UK in the last two years.
In the United States a similar pattern can be seen. A new study has revealed that the number of Americans following plant-based diets is up nearly 9.6 million over the last 15 years. This is a 300% increase and nearly 3 percent of the population in the United States are following a vegan diet.
Kelly Fairchild, a global business development manager from Ipsos Retail Performance said: “Plant-based diets are fast becoming mainstream, but the change hasn’t been a steady one.
“Recent years have seen rapid adoption of vegan diets and more meat-free products making their way onto shelves. As the dialog around veganism shifts from one of animal welfare, to wider concerns around climate change and personal health, we are seeing more and more people adopt this once minority dietary preference.”
The growing love affair with vegan eating and living is affecting all of our lives and can no longer be ignored. As more meat free products become available from the big chain supermarkets the opportunity to experiment with exciting new dishes will inevitably continue to grow.
To enter Need2Know Books’ Vegan Recipe Challenge send your recipe and a picture of your best dish. Remember to personalise it with a catchy title and a good quality photo. Shortlisted recipes will be featured on the company’s social media channels. Recipes need to be clearly written with appropriate ingredients, measurements and cooking time. All sorts of recipes will be considered from tasty dinner meals, to exotic breads, and yummy desserts.
Eight winners will be chosen in total with six given a book of their choice from Need2Know Books’ extensive book catalogue. The top two winners will receive a free copy of The Essential Guideto Vegan Cooking and Food for Health. The best entries will be eligible to feature in a new fully illustrated cookbook published by Need2Know Books.
Aldi has teamed up with three renowned Scottish chefs to inspire people to try an exceptional range of Scotch Galloway Beef joints this Christmas.
Tender and full of flavour, Galloway beef is rarely available in supermarkets and Aldi’s trio of joints offer incredible value for money.
Aldi’s Scotch Galloway Beef Sirloin Joint (£14.99 per kg), Scotch Galloway Beef Rump Joint (£8.99 per kg), and Scotch Galloway Beef Joint wrapped in Ayrshire bacon (950g, £10.99) will make the perfect centrepiece for your festive meal.
The supermarket has partnered with chefs from across Scotland to show customers how to re-create restaurant quality festive feasts using each of the joints from the comfort of their own home.
Each joint will be showcased in three video recipe guides created by renowned chefs Chris Walker, owner of the Selkirk Arms Hotel in Kirkcudbright, 2019 Masterchef finalist, Jilly McCord, and Craig Wilson, owner of Eat on the Green in Aberdeenshire, that will premiere on Aldi Scotland’s Facebook page this weekend.
Based in Dumfries & Galloway – the home of the Galloway breed – chef Chris Walker has developed a recipe using the Scotch Galloway Beef Sirloin Joint, which he serves with a hazelnut, mushroom and mustard crust and a mushroom and Port wine jus.
He commented:“Galloway Beef is the ancient native breed of my local area, so it was very exciting to be asked to help promote these fantastic quality Scotch Galloway Beef joints.
“One of the things that makes Galloway Beef stand out is its depth of flavour and tenderness. So I’ve developed a recipe that locks all those juices and flavour inside the joint, coating it in a stuffing-style crust that creates a mellow, festive accompaniment to the dish.
“Galloway has a reputation for being one of Scotland’s best kept secrets, and the beautiful flavour of Galloway Beef is also a hidden gem. I’m delighted that we can now share that local secret with the rest of Scotland, in the hope that everyone will appreciate the texture, the taste and the very special nature of Galloway Beef this Christmas.”
Travelling north, Masterchef finalist Jilly McCord has created a winter warming dish with the flavours of a classic Boeuf Bourguignon paired with the delicious Scotch Galloway Beef Joint wrapped in Ayrshire bacon – a real Auld Alliance. Served whole and beautifully pink in the middle, this dish is enjoyed with creamy mashed potatoes and lashings of the beautifully rich sauce.
Finally, the trio is rounded off with Aberdeenshire’s Craig Wilson, aka The Kilted Chef. Craig has developed a recipe using Aldi’s Scotch Galloway Beef Rump Joint, which he roasts with rapeseed oil, fresh thyme, sea salt, cracked black pepper and Orkney Brewery’s Clootie Dumpling Ale (or any Innes & Gunn beer) for a scrumptious festive centre piece.
Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland said:“We’re thrilled to be able to offer our customers these three fantastic cuts of one of the finest types of beef Scotland has to offer at our everyday amazing prices.
“Scotch Galloway Beef is of the highest quality and enjoyed in restaurants around the world, and we wanted to show our customers exactly how some of Scotland’s top chefs would cook it this Christmas.
“Chris, Jilly and Craig have created three deliciously indulgent recipes that our customers can easily follow at home using quality produce stocked in our 96 Scottish stores.”
Aldi is the biggest retailer of Scottish origin beef* and regularly tops NFU Scotland’s ‘shelf watch’ surveys, which means customers are guaranteed to find the highest quality, locally sourced meat all year round at Aldi stores in Scotland.
Dorothy Goldie, Breed Secretary of Galloway Cattle Society, said: “By championing the Galloway breed over Christmas Aldi is providing people with an opportunity to experience the rich flavour of one of Scotland’s oldest and most environmentally sustainable native breeds.
“We are absolutely delighted to be working with Aldi and Scotbeef, and we’re looking forward to knowing that Galloway Beef will be the centrepiece of festive dinners across Scotland.”
The Scotch Galloway Beef Sirloin Joint, Scotch Galloway Beef Rump Joint and Scotch Galloway Beef Joint wrapped in Ayrshire bacon, which was recently commended at the Christmas Quality Food Awards 2020, will be available from Aldi stores in Scotland from 19th December.
In a small bowl, mix together crushed hazelnuts, thyme, salt, pepper, garlic, French mustard and olive oil to make a paste, add finely chopped mushrooms and blitz in a blender
In a large oven-proof skillet, sear the beef joint in a dry pan over high heat until golden all over. This does several things; it adds colour and flavour to the outside of the meat by crisping it up. Secondly it helps seal in the moisture.
Let it cool slightly and cover evenly all over with crust mixture using French mustard as a base to allow the crust to stick to the joint. Transfer back to the skillet. Leave whilst you prep the potatoes
PREP THE ROAST POTATOES – 10 MINUTES
Peel 1kg Maris Piper potatoes and cut each into 4 even-sized pieces if they are medium size, 2-3 if smaller (5cm pieces).
Drop the potatoes into a large pan and pour in enough water to barely cover them.
Add salt, then wait for the water to boil. As soon as the water reaches a full rolling boil, lower the heat, put your timer on and simmer the potatoes uncovered, reasonably vigorously, for 2 mins.
Meanwhile, put 100g duck or goose fat or 100ml olive oil into a roasting tray and place in the oven at 180
Drain the potatoes in a colander then shake back and forth a few times to fluff up the outsides.
Sprinkle with 2 tsp flour and give another shake or two so they are evenly and thinly coated.
BEEF & BLANCHED POTATOES INTO THE OVEN FOR ROASTING – 1 HR 10 MINS
Carefully put the Galloway Beef joint into a roasting tray and Bake in a 325°F (180°C) oven for 40 minutes covered in tin foil and then a further 10 minutes without the tin foil to crisp up the crust.
Roast the potatoes for 15 mins, then take them out of the oven and turn them over.
Roast for another 15 mins and turn them over again. Put them back in the oven for another 10-20 mins, or however long it takes to get them really crisp and golden. The colouring will be uneven, which is what you want.
Remove the beef joint from heat and transfer the roast to a cutting board cover with foil for at least 20 minutes while you make the sauce.
MAKE THE SAUCE – 15 MINUTES
Heat 20g butter over medium high heat with any pan juices, add the 100ml of port and reduce, add the button mushrooms and cook until softened and starting to colour, about 5 minutes then add 500ml of beef stock.
Add a bay leaf and let sauce reduce and thicken slightly, about 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Thicken with cornflour if needed. Leave in a saucepan until ready to serve
PREP THE CARROTS – 15 MINUTES
Peel the carrots and remove both ends. Slice the carrots diagonally into 2-inch-long batons or carrot sticks. Just remember to use the same cut for all the carrots, and keep them to about the same size so they cook evenly
Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
Add the carrots and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrots start to soften, about 5 minutes
Stir in the orange juice and maple syrup. Cook until the liquid reduces to a glaze, about 15 minutes, while stirring occasionally to coat all the carrots.
Taste and season carrots with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve immediately.
PREP THE CABBAGE – 5 MINUTES
Remove all the tough outer leaves from the cabbage.
Cut the cabbage into four, remove the stalk and then cut each quarter into fine shreds, working across the grain.
Put 2 or 3 tablespoons of water into a wide saucepan, together with the butter and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, add the cabbage and toss over a high heat, then cover the saucepan and cook for a few minutes.
Toss again and add some salt, freshly ground pepper and the knob of butter.
BRING THE WHOLE DISH TOGETHER & PLATE – 5 MINUTES
Re heat your saucepan of gravy
Carve the Beef and plate
Add your roast potatoes, cabbage and carrots and ladle the gravy on top and serve immediately.
Pot Roast Beef a la Bourguignon with creamy mashed potatoes
by Jilly McCord
This is a great warming dish with the flavours of the French classic Boeuf Bourguignon paired with delicious Scottish Beef – a real Auld Alliance. The joint of Galloway Beef will remain whole and beautifully pink in the middle. Slice and serve with creamy mashed potatoes and lashings of the beautiful rich sauce. Add some green beans on the side for a bit of colour.
For the Pot Roasted Beef
Prep time – 15 minutes
Total cooking time (including resting) – 1hour 15minutes
Take a large cast iron pan and heat the oil until very hot. Sear the beef joint – browning on all sides. Remove from the pan and keep aside.
Now sauté the finely chopped onion and celery until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for around a minute before adding the tomato puree and herbs. Cook gently in the pan for 2 minutes, then up the heat and add the red wine and de-glaze the pan. Simmer the wine and reduce by around a third. The add the beef stock dissolved in around 500ml of water. Place the lid on the sauce and cook in the oven for around 30 minutes. At the same time, place the potatoes in the oven to bake.
Now chop the streaky bacon into lardons, peel the shallots and wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth to ensure they are clean. Take a frying pan and heat to a high temperature. Fry the bacon until the fat has rendered and it is becoming quite crispy. Add the shallots and the mushrooms to the pan and colour on all sides.
Remove the sauce from the oven and place the beef roasting joint and the fried shallot mixture around the side of the casserole. The liquid should come around half of the way up the roasting joint. Remove the lid from the cast iron dish and place back in the oven to cook the meat. This should, take around 45 minutes. If you have a meat thermometer, the internal temperature should reach 55C for medium. Once the beef is cooked, remove the joint from the sauce and wrap in foil to rest for around 15 minutes (keep the sauce warm on the hob or in the oven).
Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Total cooking time – 1hour 15mins
1 kg Maris Piper potatoes
150g butter
150ml warm milk
Bake the potatoes in the oven for an hour until very soft. Scoop out the flesh and put through a potato ricer or mash with a masher until smooth. Place the mash in a pan and gradually add the butter and warm milk, whisking all the time until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
To Serve
Once the beef has rested, slice the whole joint into thin slices and place on top of the sauce. Finish with a little chopped parsley and serve with the creamy mashed potatoes and some green vegetables. I chose fine French green beans which are also available in Aldi stores.
Boozy beer beef with honey and chilli glazed root vegetables
by Craig Wilson, Eat on the Green
Ingredients:
300ml The Orkney Brewery Clootie Dumpling Ale (or any Innes & Gunn beer)
1 Galloway rump of beef
300 ml Beef stock (using Aldi Beef Stock melts)
5g Fresh thyme
1 clove of fresh garlic
3 tbsp Aldi Scottish rapeseed oil
600g Rainbow carrots
400g Parsnips
1 Red onion
1 Fresh chilli
1tsp Chilli flakes
1 tbsp Honey
Good grind of cracked black pepper
15g sea salt
Method
Get a large roasting tray, place the beef in the tray.
Crush the garlic and place in a bowl with the rapeseed oil, fresh thyme, sea salt, cracked black pepper and 3 tbsp of the beer. Mix together then rub all over the beef joint.
Place into the oven at 220 degrees Celsius fan for 15 mins
For the vegetables, roughly chop the parsnips, red onion and carrots.
Once the meat takes on a good colour, remove from the oven and scatter the vegetables around the meat, add the beef stock and the rest of the beer into the tray.
Cover with foil, reduce the heat of the oven to 200 degrees fan and put beef back in for around 1 hour.
Once ready, take out of the oven, remove the foil and take the vegetables out and put into another tray. Add the honey, the fresh chilli and the chilli flakes then put back into the oven at 200deg fan for 15 minutes.
Wrap the beef in foil and place onto a board and leave to rest. Pour the juices from the tray into a pan and reduce by 50% on a high heat, for a delicious, flavoursome gravy.
Carve the beef and serve with the vegetables, to finish pour over the lovely, flavoursome gravy.
New research has revealed the favourite cuisines of 15 UK cities.
Chinese food is the overall UK favourite after being named the most popular cuisine in Glasgow, Newcastle, Belfast and Plymouth.
239,000 additional searches for Chinese food recipes in April 2020, as lockdown Brits cook their favourite meals at home.
A new study has revealed the favourite global cuisines in 15 major cities in the UK.
The research, conducted by meal kit delivery company HelloFresh, has looked at the search demand for different cuisines in cities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland across a 12 month period.
Of the 15 cities analysed, Chinese food is the most popular in four cities — Glasgow, Newcastle, Belfast and Plymouth — making it the UK’s overall favourite cuisine.
Keen to make their favourite meals at home, chow mein is one of Britain’s best-loved Chinese dishes. On average, there are 5,900 searches for chow mein recipes and 4,400 for chicken chow mein recipes each month.
Italian food is the favourite cuisine in Leeds, Liverpool and Sheffield, securing second place in the overall rankings.
Lasagne is Britain’s best loved Italian dish, with 70,000 people searching for a recipe each month. Other classic Italian dishes followed in second and third place, with 54,000 searches for pizza dough recipes and 31,000 searches for spaghetti bolognese recipes.
Mexican, Indian and Japanese food were tied in third place, with each a favourite in two UK cities. Edinburgh and Bristol residents like Mexican food best, while Cardiff and Portsmouth prefer Indian cuisine. People in London and Manchester were found to favour Japanese food.
Mexican dips are the most popular to make at home; in an average month, 42,000 people browse for guacamole recipes online while 21,000 look for salsa recipes.
Chicken curry is the most searched for Indian dish at 23,000 times per month. With 9,700 searches, chicken tikka masala is the curry Brits crave most, while 10,000 people look for how to make a rice-based biryani dish each month.
Of the top three Japanese dishes that Brits want to make at home, 17,000 people search for ramen recipes each month, followed by 4,100 people looking for sushi recipes and 3,600 who want miso soup recipes.
The research also examined where different cuisines are most popular in the UK, including locations outside of the 15 major cities. The district of Hambleton in North Yorkshire likes Italian cuisine the most out of the whole of the UK, while the London Borough of Hounslow has the most fans of Indian cuisine.
With restaurants temporarily closing in lockdown, the number of Brits looking for recipes online skyrocketed in April 2020 compared to April 2019, as people attempted to make their favourite meals at home. In a single month, there were 239,000 additional searches for Chinese recipes, while Spanish recipes and Indian recipes were up 120,000 and 97,000 respectively.
Speaking of the data, HelloFresh commented: “It’s great to see that a range of global cuisines are so popular in the UK and that a growing number of Brits are cooking their favourite dishes at home.
“Lockdown changed the pace of life for many of us, giving us more time to explore our hobbies and interests. For some, this has meant spending more time in the kitchen, developing skills that we can benefit from long after the lockdown has ended.”
View the map in full and find more information about which recipes are most in-demand here.
– City centre café is on the hunt for 31 recipes for January –
AN EDINBURGH eatery is calling on proud home cooks to share their secret recipes for the perfect stovies – for them to be replicated by professional chefs and served to the public.
Café 1505 on Nicolson Street hopes to ignite the capital’s passion for the age-old comfort food by serving a new recipe each day in January, as part of its ‘Burns Month’ campaign.
At the end of the month, the café, which is operated by Surgeons Quarter, hopes to use customer feedback and sales figures to award the city’s ultimate recipe – crowning a member of the public as Edinburgh’s Stovies Queen or King.
The traditional potato-based stew typically contains leftover meat and onions, but recipes and ingredients vary widely across families and regions.
Scott Mitchell, Managing Director of Surgeons Quarter, said: “There are some fiercely proud cooks out there who have carefully-honed recipes passed down from generation to generation.
“Likewise, there are those who adapt the traditional formula by adding new, potentially controversial, ingredients and flavours.
“We’re urging the public to hand over their precious recipes for our catering team to prepare. Who knows, we might just settle the city’s ultimate stovies recipe once and for all.”
Café 1505 is owned by the Royal College of Surgeons (RCSEd) and owes its name to the year of the historic institution’s inception.
It is operated by the college’s commercial arm, Surgeons Quarter, and all food is prepared on site by the same award-winning catering team that serve the thriving conference business and Ten Hill Place Hotel, Edinburgh’s largest independent hotel.
Alan Dickson, Executive Chef is looking forward to working with his team to do justice to the public’s recipes.
Alan said: “I’m really intrigued to find out what resonates, and whether the traditional or modern take on stovies is more popular with customers.
“One thing is for certain, my money is on a granny coming in first place – I’d be amazed if any of the younger generation can compete!”
Applicants are encouraged to hand their recipes to the Café 1505 team, send them a message on Facebook (Café 1505 @ Surgeons Quarter) or email them to:
cafe1505@surgeonsquarter.com
between now and the 31st of January.
The winning recipe will receive a 2 night bed and breakfast stay for two at Ten Hill Place Hotel.
Surgeons Quarter promotes, sells and manages all commercial activities held within the RCSEd campus. All profits support the charitable aims of the College which are education, assessment and advancement in surgical standards worldwide.
Pilton Community Health Project’s ANITA AGGARWAL tells us about North Edinburgh’s new food forum … and rhubarb!
‘Food for thought’ – Pilton’s community food forum
It’s a winner of a name and an idea that is starting to bear fruit. The newly established community food forum is now called ‘food for thought’. John Muir, who works at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre, won the competition to name the group and a shiny new recipe book. We had plenty of other good entries, we thought this one summed up our ideas best.
Lots of people have told us they are interested in food and either want the chance to get involved with food projects or are already involved. The food forum aims to link up work which is already going on and work together to make more ‘foody’ things happen in the area.
At the next meeting we will be planning food events in the summer. Come along if you are interested in getting involved. It will take place on Thursday 24 May at 10am at Pilton Community Health Project. Call Anita on 0131 551 1671 for more information or to book a crèche space.
Watch out for more information from the food for thought forum.
Food things for you to get involved with:
Mondays for 6 weeks from 1 May 7 – 9pm Mexican Cooking course Craigroyston High School 538 7285
Every Tuesday, 10 -12 Barri Grubb’s cooking club Pilton Community Health Project 551 1671
Every Tuesday, 10.30 Granton Community Gardeners Meet at Salvation Army. gardengranton@gmail.com
Every Tuesday, 10 – 12 Food co-op West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre 551 3194
Community Cafes – North Edinburgh Arts, Royston Wardieburn and Muirhouse Millennium Centre.
Rhubarb Recipe
We have still got a way to go before there are lots of good fruit and vegetables growing in Scotland, but I have a friend who lives in Granton who is eating rhubarb from his garden already, so here is a lovely rhubarb recipe from the Love food, hate waste Scotland website http://scotland.lovefoodhatewaste.com
Rhubarb, Apple and Orange Compote
Serve this compote for a delicious breakfast with yoghurt and a bowl of muesli. This recipe also works well with pears instead of apples. Recipe author: Caroline Marson, Banbury.
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
250g rhubarb, sliced
1-2 apples peeled , cored and bruises cut away, cut into cubes
50ml orange juice
25g caster sugar
Yoghurt
Method:
Combine the rhubarb, apples, orange juice and sugar in a pan. Bring to the boil over a medium heat. Reduce heat, and simmer for 3 minutes or until fruit is tender.
Remove from heat and cool. Serve spooned over muesli with fruit juice and yogurt.
Gardening tips – Rhubarb grows like a weed in Scotland; you don’t even need to look after it and it is happy in a shady corner.
Healthy fact – It’s a great source of fibre, but don’t eat too much as it acts as a laxative!
Strange but true Rhubarb is the only vegetable used as a fruit.
