My Perfect Barbecue

It's getting to that time of year, when the evenings are getting longer, the weather is getting warmer and we're all realising that we can cook and enjoy the outdoors again.  With this in mind, and in association with the Central England Co-Operative, I've come up with some delicious ideas that you can use to cook yourself a tasty meal to enjoy outdoors with a cheeky glass of wine (or two).

Beef Burgers:
500g Lean minced beef
1 medium red onion
¼ Red pepper
¼ Orange pepper
Bunch coriander
Salt and Pepper to season
30ml Double Cream

1. Finely chop the onion and the peppers.
2. Chop the coriander.
3. Place the mince, chopped onions, pepper and coriander into a large bowl.
4. Add the cream and season with salt and pepper.

5. Mix together thoroughly and shape into 6 burgers.

6. Chill for 10 minutes in the fridge.
7. Cook on the barbecue until thoroughly cooked through.


Sausage Wheel:
1 Pack of Cumberland Sausages
3 long metal skewers (or use wooden ones that you've soaked in water)

1. Untwist the individual sausages and distribute the meat evenly throughout the skin.
2. Roll gently into a spiral.
3. Skewer through from one side, through the centre and back through the other side, evenly using your three skewers.

4. Brush the surfaces with oil and barbecue until cooked through.


Chicken, Pepper & Red Onion Skewers

1 Chicken breast, cubed
1 Red onion
¼ Red pepper
¼ Orange pepper

1. Cut the top and bottom off the onion, then stand it on one of the flat edges.
2. Slice vertically through the onion into 6 wedges.
3. Cut the peppers into pieces the approximate size of your onion wedges.
4. Thread the pieces of chicken, onion and pepper alternately onto the skewers.
5. Brush with a little oil and barbecue until the chicken is cooked.


Pineapple Salsa:
175 Pineapple in natural juice
4 Spring onions
50g Red pepper
15ml Cider vinegar
15ml Dark brown sugar
60ml BBQ sauce
5mm Root Ginger.

1. Chop the pineapple, onions and pepper.
2. Grate the ginger.
3. Place all the ingredients into a saucepan and heat through for 10 minutes.

4. Serve hot or cold with your cooked burgers and sausage wheel.


Soured Cream Mint Dressing:
100ml Soured cream
15ml Concentrated mint sauce

1. Mix the soured cream and the mint sauce together thoroughly.
2. Serve with your cooked meats and salad.

I served my burgers in warmed pitta breads, which I spread with the soured cream mint dressing and stuffed with salad.

I was provided with vouchers from the Central England Co-Operative to purchase ingredients to make my BBQ meal.

Chocolate Cake for Easter

The most indulgent chocolate cake to grace my table is this one that I made in collaboration with the Central England Co-Operative.  Unlike most chocolate cakes, it's not dry as it has evaporated milk in the recipe.  It's slathered in a rich and creamy chocolate ganache and is decorated with rather a lot of chocolate mini eggs along with some decadent praline animals.

It's certainly not a cake you'd make every week, but for special occasions and a little indulgent treat, this is the cake sure to be a hit with any chocolate lover.

All of my ingredients were sourced from my local Co-Operative, and where possible, FairTrade ingredients were used.

Cake:

300g Self raising flour

340g Caster sugar

40g Cocoa

150g Butter (room temp)

3 Large eggs

110g Evaporated Milk

80g Water

5ml Vanilla extract

Ganache:

200g Dark chocolate

100g Milk chocolate

250ml Double cream

Decoration:

Cadbury Mini eggs (my cake took 9 bags)

Box of Co-Operative Spring praline chocolates

1. Heat the oven to 180℃.

2. Grease and line two 20cm/8" cake tins.

3. In a large bowl place all the cake ingredients.

4. Mix together for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy.

5. Divide equally between the two cake tins.

6. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

7. Cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out into a wire rack to cool completely.

Whilst the cakes are cooling, now is the time to get your ganache ready. 

8. In a saucepan, break the chocolate into squares and add the cream.

9. Heat very gently until the chocolate has melted, stirring frequently.

10. Remove from the heat and pour into a large bowl, then set aside to cool and set.

11. When the cakes are cold and the ganache has set, use ¼ of the ganache to sandwich the cakes together.

12. Place the cakes onto a serving plate and use the other ¾ of the ganache to thickly coat the sides and top of the cake. Don't worry about it being perfectly smooth and pretty as you're going to decorate the sides and top with lots and lots of mini eggs.

13. Starting at the bottom, place a row of mini eggs all around the cake, adding extra layers until you either run out of mini eggs, or you've covered the sides completely. 

14. Decorate the top of the cakes with the spring praline chocolates.

You won't want a large slice of this cake unless you're a raving chocoholic with the sweetest tooth known to man, so this cake will certainly go a very, very long way indeed!  You could even (perish the thought!) share it with friends and neighbours, as I did!

Happy Easter, enjoy my recipe xx

I was sent a voucher from the Central England Co-Operative to buy ingredients with which to create a recipe for them.

    

Wine Review - Central England Co-Operative - Pic Saint Loup

My wine review this month for the Central England Co-Operative is a beautiful, peach coloured, Pic Saint Loup 2013 rosé from the Languedoc region of Southern France, close to Montpelier.

This wine is part of the Co-Operative's Truly Irresistable range of wines and is in the Top 100 wines produced from the South of France. It has 'appellation d'origine protégée' or 'protected designation of origin' which means that this wine can only be produced from grapes grown in this area (much as Champagne can only be grown from grapes grown in the Champagne region of France). It's produced from a blend of the Syrah and Grenache grapes.

This light, crisp dry rosé wine is perfect when served chilled to accompany light pasta dishes, such as my Fusilli Al Vegetali, pizzas, salads and charcuterie. Simply in a glass on it's own is a wonderfully pleasant drink too.

I can imagine sipping a glass (or two) of this, whilst sitting in the setting summer sun, eating some fabulous food and chatting to friends.  Cheers! 

I was sent a voucher to purchase a bottle of wine of my choice from the range available in the Co-Operative.  The review above is my personal opinion of the bottled wine that I chose.

Wine Review - Central England Co-Operative - Fair-trade Pinot Grigio

One of two wines I've chosen to review for Central England Co-Op We Like Wine blog is from their Fairtrade range which comes from the Famatina Valley in Argentina.  The Famatina Valley is situated from the Velazco mountain ranges in the East to the Andes in the West and is produced by the La Riojana Wine Co-operative.  This Co-Operative helps ensure that farmers receive a better deal for their grapes, thus improving their standards of living.

Argentinian wines benefit from the grapes being grown in very sunny summers, which allows the grapes to ripen fully, whilst the melting winter snows provide ample water to irrigate the vines.  It's a very reliable region, producing some very consistent wines. Argentina now produces some of the New World's "oldest wines" following investment from the Dutch, the Spanish, the Italians and the Austrians.

This 2013 Pino Grigio is a vibrant and fruity dry white wine with delicate floral aromas, refreshing apple and citrus fruit flavours which goes perfectly well with creamy pasta dishes, grilled fish or even a Thai green curry.

I chose to pair this wine with my potato topped chicken and leek bake, the recipe for which you can find by clicking on the link.  I'm a strong believer that you should only cook with a wine that you'd be prepared to drink on it's own.  So on that note, pour yourself a glass (or two), grab your ingredients and cook yourself a tasty dinner.  Cheers!

I was sent a voucher with which to purchase this bottle of wine, which currently retails at £6.99. (Price as at 08/02/2015).

Potato Topped Chicken and Leek Bake

A delicious meal of chicken and leeks in a white wine and cream sauce topped with thinly sliced potatoes, sprinkled with cheese and baked until golden.  What more can I say?  Except sumptuous!

25g Butter

15ml Rapeseed Oil

2 Leeks, finely sliced

4 Chicken Breasts, cubed into bite sized pieces

15ml Chopped fresh parsley

30ml White Wine

60ml Single Cream

Salt and Pepper to season

4 medium potatoes, thinly sliced (3-4mm)

25g Butter

50g Cheese, grated

1. Preheat the oven to 180℃.

2. Melt the butter and the oil in a large pan.

3. Gently sauté the leeks until softened.

4. Add the diced chicken and cook gently for 5 minutes.

5. Add the chopped parsley, wine and the cream

6. Season to taste.

7. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

8. Meanwhile bring a large pan of water to the boil and drop the sliced potatoes in.

9. Boil for 4-5 minutes until starting to soften.

10. Pour the chicken and leek mixture into a large ovenproof dish.

11. Drain the potato slices and layer on top of the chicken and leek to cover completely.

12. Dot with the butter and sprinkle the grated cheese on top.

13. Cook for 20-25 minutes until browned and bubbling on top.

14. Serve with steamed vegetables.

I cooked and paired this dish with a Central Co-Operative Fairtrade 2013 Pinot Grigio which I reviewed on my post {here}

Wine Review - Central England Co-Operative - Fairtrade Cabernet Sauvignon

One of two wines I've chosen to review for Central England Co-Op We Like Wine blog is from their Fairtrade range which comes from the Famatina Valley in Argentina.  The Famatina Valley is situated from the Velazco mountain ranges in the East to the Andes in the West and is produced by the La Riojana Wine Co-operative.  This Co-Operative helps ensure that farmers receive a better deal for their grapes, thus improving their standards of living.

Argentinian wines benefit from the grapes being grown in very sunny summers, which allows the grapes to ripen fully, whilst the melting winter snows provide ample water to irrigate the vines.  It's a very reliable region, producing some very consistent wines. Argentina now produces some of the New World's "oldest wines" following investment from the Dutch, the Spanish, the Italians and the Austrians.

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon is a sophisticated wine with oak barrel ageing and a wonderful, full bodied character.  Rich in fruits with slightly spicy overtones and deep with tannins, providing a perfect accompaniment to full flavoured meat dishes.  My husband declared this to be one of the nicest red wines he's tasted in a while; so not only is it good to cook with, but it tastes fabulous to drink too!

For my meal pairing, I chose to cook a recipe from Gino D'Acampo Gino's Pasta - Timballo Alla Torrese (Baked Pasta with Meat Sauce and Parmesan Cheese) which I served with a simple salad of mixed leaves.  The perfect dinner for a cold, blustery and wet evening when the promise of spring being just round the corner still seems a little too far away.  Cheers!

I was sent a voucher with which to purchase this bottle of wine, which currently retails at £6.99. (Price as at 08/02/2015).

My Perfect Valentine's Day Meal - Fillet Steak in a Worcestershire Cream Sauce

This recipe is some 20 odd years old.  I know this because it was from a meal I had way before my eldest was born and he's now 19 and studying at University!  The story goes that my husband and I went out for dinner one night and I ordered a fillet steak in a Worcestershire Sauce from the menu.  It was sublime, so I asked for the recipe. Needless to say, Chef was more than a little reluctant to give away his recipe, but he did give me the list of ingredients, without the quantities, so I had to set about creating this myself.  I've 'toned it down' a little with the addition of cream it's a bit tangy for my daughter without, but either way this is one delicious dish.

If the way to a person's heart is really is via their stomach, then this surely is the way to get you there.

To create my Valentine's dish for 2 is as simple at this....

15ml Rapeseed oil (I recommend locally produced Farrington's Mellow Yellow)
1 small onion, chopped finely
2 Fillet steaks
50g Mushrooms, sliced
5ml Plain flour
1 Knorr Beef Stock Pot
125ml Boiling water
15ml Worcestershire Sauce
5ml Tomato puree
Salt and Pepper to taste
30ml Double cream

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan until it lightly shimmers.
2. Fry the onions until lightly golden in colour.
3. Add the fillet steak to the pan and braise the on both sides until cooked to your preference, then remove the steaks from the pan to rest.
4. Lightly fry the mushrooms until browned.
5. Dissolve the stock cube in the boiling water.
6. Add the flour to the frying pan and mix to absorb all of the oil.
7. Add the Worcestershire Sauce and tomato puree to the pan and mix.
8. Gradually add the stock, stirring constantly until thoroughly mixed and no lumps are present.
9. Add the double cream and stir through.
10. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
11. Return the steak to the pan and heat through.
12. Serve.

I chose to serve our dinner with Potato Dauphinoise, Sweet Potato Fondant and roasted mixed vegetables. (Click on the links to take you to my recipes for these dishes).

I created this meal for the Central England Co-Operative.  I was sent a voucher with which to purchase my ingredients. All of the ingredients above were sourced from my local Co-Op.

Wine Review - Central England Co-Operative - Chablis Premier Cru

My review for the Central England Co-Operative We Like Wine Blog this month is a lovely, crisp Chablis Premier Cru from their Truly Irresistable range of wines.

This French Chablis has the traditional flavours of citrus fruits with the subtle minerality of the soil in which the grapes are grown. This Chablis is no exception to this and has a fresh zingy fragrance with an initial kick of citrus fruits, followed by a crisp dryness as it leaves your mouth. It's got a pale and delicate colour reminiscent of a bright summer's day.

Chablis pairs perfectly with chicken and other poultry as well as fish and goats cheese, yet this is more than capable of being enjoyed on its own as you relax after a hard day's work.  Let the flavour sensation refresh and tantalise your palate whilst tingling your tastebuds.

We chose to have this with a quick and easy midweek meal of sweet and sour chicken served with rice and prawn crackers in a sweet chilli sauce, which my husband prepared as I drove home from work.

The wine, fresh from the fridge and child to perfection, was the ideal balance to the heat of the chilli and the sweetness of the sauce;  truly enjoyable accompaniment to our meal.

I was sent a voucher with which to purchase this bottle of white wine, which retails at £14.99. (Price as at 10/01/2015).

Wine Review - Central Co-Operative - Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc

My wine review this month for the Central England Co-Operative We Like Wine blog is a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from Villa Maria.

The Villa Maria vineyard started in 1961 when George Fistonich, at the age of 21, leased 5 acres of land from his father in Auckland, New Zealand.  His first harvest of grapes the following year, in 1962, saw him produce his first wine under the Villa Maria name. In the 1980s, Villa Maria instigated the first grape grower bonus where grapes were no longer paid for based on quantity but on the quality of the grape. Export began in 1988 and the winery became an accredited member of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) in 1995.  The new Marlborough winery opened in 2000 and the following year, Villa Maria decided to move 100% to screw caps and became a cork-free zone.  In 2009, George Fistonich was awarded the country's first Knighthood for services to the New Zealand wine industry.  The brand has continued to evolve since that day in 1961, from that single handed business, to a company that operates from three sites in Auckland, Hawkes Bay and Marlborough, employs over 250 personnel and exports wine to over 50 countries worldwide, whilst still remaining a family owned business.

This 2014 Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc produced from grapes sourced from vineyards across the Marlborough region has a beautiful, very pale straw colour and an incredibly fresh smell.  Close your eyes and inhale the citrus undertones of the acidic fruits.  Raise the glass to your mouth and savour the sharpness of the gooseberries, the citrus notes and the balance of melon and passionfruit. It's the perfect accompaniment to white meat and fish so we chose to serve it with my Chicken and Leek Stroganoff.  They say that you should never cook with a wine that you wouldn't drink.  Well, in reply to that, I say buy two bottles of this so there's plenty left to drink and enjoy before, during and after you've cooked and eaten.

I wish 2015 to be happy, healthy and prosperous for you all.  I raise my glass to you all. Cheers!

I was sent a voucher with which to purchase a bottle of white wine. I chose the Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc currently priced at £11.25 (Price as at 15/12/2014).

Wine Review - Central Co-Operative - Bio Bio Valley Malbec

It’s Saturday evening, the oven is on and the smells of a rich & spiced Lamb Tagine is filling the kitchen.  The red wine I’ve chosen to go with tonight’s dinner is the Bio Bio Valley Malbec from Chile.  Specially selected and imported by the Co-Operative, it’s a dark, dense and robust wine, perfect with tomato based meals such as casseroles, quality burgers, sausages and red meats.

The Malbec grape wines sit between a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Merlot.  It’s detailed as having a mix of sweet blackberry and boysenberry fruits laced with incense and cigar box.  We found it to be dark in colour with ample tannins, smooth on the palate and silky in texture.  It complemented the flavours and spices of the tagine and certainly wasn’t intimidated by the bold meal with which it was served and was equally enjoyable on it’s own with a second glass after dinner was finished.

This review was carried out on behalf of the Central England Co-Operative.  You can find other wine reviews on the We Like Wine Blog and by following them on Twitter @we_like_wine.

I was sent a voucher with which to purchase the wine and was allowed free choice of the bottle that I chose and meal that I paired it with.