Here are a selection of recipes for the family - some you have seen before, some we hope are new to you and would inspire you to try something different out.
Please enjoy them - any suggestions for other recipes, please email them to Webmgr@primarytimes.net.
Saturate the sugar with 60ml of cold water and melt gently
Add the butter and melt over a medium heat, shaking the pan to blend the butter with the sugar. Boil to a medium dark brown caramel, but do not let it burn. Take off the heat and stir in the rum.
Pour the caramel into 8 cast iron pans or tins that are big enough to fit a banana. Spread the caramel with the back of a spoon to level it out. Cool.
Roll the pastry out to 3mm thickness
Peel the banana and slice in half lengthwise. Lay the rounded side onto the pastry and cut around the banana leaving a 1cm border. Turn the bananas over and press the pastry to the sides of the banana and trim away any excess, then place flat side down on the caramel. Rest in the fridge
Bake at 200°C until the pastry is crisp and golden (approx. 10mins).
Blend eggs, sugar and butter. Add salt, milk and flour and knead until the mixture forms a smooth dough. Leave the dough to rest for 40 minutes, and then roll out finely and cut strips 2cm in length.
Place the honey and sugar in a saucepan over a moderate heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Continue to cook until the mixture thickens and turns an amber caramel colour.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the strips for about 5 minutes, until golden. Drain on kitchen paper.
Dip the strips into the syrup and arrange on a serving plate. Serve immediately.
The Reel Fish company launches UK’s first tuna brand to use exclusively from pole and line caught tuna.
The Reel Fish Company was founded on the principle of "Better for Everyone" - from shoppers who get a top quality, sustainable product, to the fishermen and their families whose livelihoods are improved by investment in their industry, to the marine life which is safeguarded because the fish is sourced responsibly.
All Reel Fish tuna is highest quality Skipjack tuna. Skipjack tuna is the most fecund of the main commercial tunas, and is a more sustainable source than Yellowfin tuna. It is sourced from the clear blue waters of the Maldives, using the traditional pole and line fishing method, handed down over generations.
The product is the only tuna brand in the UK to use pole and line tuna exclusively in its cans. This artisanal fishing technique is more sustainable than other methods because it means the fish are hand-caught one by one, and are never caught from nets. Fishing for tuna using nets (known as purse-seining), is the most common fishing practice and can endanger marine life by catching other fish and marine animals, like turtles and sharks. The Maldives is unique because it doesn't allow purse-seine fishing to take place in its waters.
Reel Fish tuna chucks and tuna steaks are available to buy nationwide from Asda, Waitrose, Tesco and The Co-operative. www.reelfish.co.uk
Watch the video on why pole and line fishing is ‘Better for everyone’.
1. Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and toss with half the oil.
2. Heat remaining oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, add onion and cook 2-3 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in cream and paste, add tuna and peas. Heat gently for 1-2 minutes. Stir in half the parsley with the tomatoes and capers, add pasta and season. Stir until just heated through. Serve sprinkled with the remaining parsley.
Reel Tuna Pizza (serves 4)
The base…..
350g flour
7g Active Dried Yeast
5g sugar
3g Salt
10g Olive Oil
10g butter
210g Lukewarm Water
Pour the flour and salt into a bowl and mix together. Stir the sugar and yeast into 210ml of lukewarm water, cover with cling-film and leave in a warm place to activate the yeast.
When a froth has formed on the yeast, pour the water into the flour and stir with a spoon. Knead until the water is fully incorporated, then lightly flour a flat surface and continue kneading. After about five minutes the dough should feel springy and elastic. At this point add the olive oil and continue to knead.
When the dough becomes shiny, is no longer sticky and the oil has been absorbed roll into a circle or stretch the dough onto a pizza pan.
Leave the dough to rise.
The sauce….
Ingredients for the Pizza sauce
400g tin of plum or chopped tomatoes
1-2 cloves garlic
1 onion
Tomato puree
Olive oil
Sugar
Slice or chop and then gently fry the onion in the oil until softened. Crush and add the garlic. Fry on a low heat for a minute or so, taking care not to burn as this imparts a bitter taste.
Add the tomatoes and the tomato puree and bring to the boil. Add the sugar, stir well lower the heat and leave to simmer until the sauce has reduced.
The topping….
For the Topping
1 Can Reel fish tinned tuna steak
Cheddar cheese
Black olives
Red Onion
Sweet corn
Green Chilli (2)
Method
Spoon the basic pizza sauce over the base
Tear, slice or grate the mozzarella cheese over the sauce
Thinly slice the onion, mix it with the tuna, olives sweet corn & chilli and spread over the base
Cook as appropriate. We recommend the double bake method for cooking your pizza.
Kirstie Allsopp’s: Spiced Plum Puddings
Watch Kirstie create her irresistible Spiced Plum Puddings - the perfect treat to warm up with this winter
As the evenings grow darker and the days get colder the ultimate cosy night in has to be in front of the fire with a delicious, warming pud.
Nothing beats homemade and Kirstie’s simple recipe for Spiced Plum Puddings is no exception. With a layer of juicy, fruity plums sat on a base of warm sponge they are the ultimate comfort food to enjoy with your family and friends.
Made with autumnal spices, including nutmeg and ginger, each sponge has a truly scrumptious flavour and thanks to Kirstie’s secret ingredient, Nestlé Carnation Condensed Milk ®, the sponge is extra moist.
Taking no longer than 25 minutes to prepare, you can rustle these up in no time to make the perfect after dinner treat. Best served with lashings of custard, these puddings will be a firm family favourite this winter and the perfect addition to your night in!
Log on to www.carnation.co.uk to find new delicious recipes every month from Kirstie Allsopp
Recipe
Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
3 ripe plums
2tbsp sugar
85g (3oz) butter
85g (3oz) NestléCarnation Condensed Milk®
1 egg
100g (3½oz) self raising flour
¼tsp baking powder
¼tsp ginger
Freshly grated nutmeg
1tsp vanilla extract
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, (160°C for fan ovens), Gas Mark 4.
2. Halve the plums and remove the stones, then chop into quarters. Tip into a pan with 3tbsp water and 2tbsp sugar. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes until soft.
3. Beat the remaining ingredients in bowl until smooth.
4. Butter 4 x 150ml (¼pt) metal pudding basins (or ramekins or small robust coffee cups) and place into a roasting tin.
5. Spoon the plums into the pudding basins. Top with the sponge and level the tops.
6. Pour hot water into the roasting tin until about halfway up the sides of the puddings. Cover the whole tin with foil, carefully transfer to the oven (taking care to keep the tin level) and bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and turning golden at the edges.
7. Turn the puddings out and serve with freshly made custard.
Tip
Add any spices you like to the pudding – you could just add a good pinch or two of mixed spice or just the cinnamon. Try this recipe with cooked apples or pears when in season.
MUM AND PROFESSIONAL COOK LIZZIE BETT TEACH A TIME SAVING RECIPE FOR MUMS ON THE GO
Foodie and mum Lizzie Bett are here to teach the nation a new lesson in time saving when it comes to tea time. And what’s more, she’s bringing a firm favourite back to the kitchen – Slow Pressure Cookers are back in!
According to new research by Schwartz, up to a third of British mums spend two or more hours preparing the evening meal, but a similar proportion see their family spend 10 minutes or less on eating it. It leaves many mums feeling disillusioned by the whole process of preparing and cooking a meal – not to mention feeling underappreciated for the time spent on doing so.
In this new video, Lizzie helps time-pressed mums get back to basics with their pressure cooker, creating a delicious recipe for Beef and Tomato casserole.
According to the new research, even with the rival temptations of takeaways and fast food, mums are more likely to try and make a 'proper' meal for the family, (83 per cent).
Many mums do spend a long time on making dinner however, only 14 per cent use a slow cooker, which could free up more time. There is minimal preparation required – busy mums can pop in the ingredients, turn the cooker on low and come back in 6-8 hours ready to serve dinner. The meal can even be served from the slow cooker on the dining table.
With the new ‘Gift of Time’ campaign, Schwartz aim to convince mums to dust off those slow cookers found in 45 per cent* of homes across the UK and try making their evening meals with Schwartz’s Slow Cookersrecipe mixes.
Available in four tasty recipe mixes – Beef & Tomato Casserole, Chicken in Red Wine, Sausage & Bean Casserole, Chicken Curry – the range is a great way to serve stress-free meals to a family without compromising taste and time.
As the kids head back to school, cheer them up with these gooey scrumptious delights
The summer holidays are over and the kids are back at school, so cheer your family up by making these delicious Banoffee Muffins – created by the queen of all things homemade, Kirstie Allsopp.
Packed with banana as well as gorgeous caramel swirls, these delightfully soft, sticky and sweet banana muffins are not only the perfect afterschool treat on occasion but are also ideal for a coffee morning with friends. What’s more, they are really easy to make!
The Nestlé Carnation Caramel gives these muffins a delicious creamy toffee flavour, making them truly irresistible. Share them with your family and friends and be sure to save one for yourself as they won’t last long!
Log on to www.carnation.co.ukto find new delicious recipes every month from Kirstie Allsopp.
Recipe:
Makes 12 large muffins
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
275g (10oz) self-raising flour
1tsp baking powder
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 eggs
150ml (¼pt) milk
5tbsp vegetable oil
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
1tsp vanilla extract
397g can Carnation Caramel
100g (3½oz) chopped pecan nuts (optional)
You will also need:
12 hole muffin tin and muffin cases
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C, 375°F or Gas Mark 5.
2. Place the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl and mix well.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, milk, oil, mashed bananas and vanilla. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined, without beating.
4. Drop spoonfuls of the caramel into the mixture, gently swirl through, but don’t mix it in – its nice to see little pockets of caramel bubbles in the finished muffins.
5. Place muffin cases in the tin and spoon the mixture into the cases until quite full. Top with the chopped pecan nuts, if using.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes and eat fresh and warm.
Cooks tip
These muffins are delicious straight from the oven – perk them up the next day by microwaving for 10 seconds to warm the caramel
Finding a mid-week meal which is quick, tasty, healthy and everyone enjoys can be a parental nightmare. The Tilda Taste Panel understands this better than most. The panel, made up of three mums, are experts in nutrition and food. Panel member and cookery writer, Jo Pratt, has created a simple recipe that kids will love.
In this video Jo demonstrates how to make her easy to follow spring roll recipe alongside her four-year-old son Olly – who is a particular fan! These tasty treats work well as a side dish or as a main course for smaller children. Best of all they are ready in less than 30 minutes and are packed full of fish and fresh vegetables - watch the video here.
Cook along with Jo and Olly in this handy video. For more information and further recipes please visit us at www.tilda.com or like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/TildaRice and follow us on Twitter @Tildabasmati
Prawn or Tuna Spring Rolls
Makes 6-8
Ingredients
1 pack of Tilda Steamed Basmati Egg Fried Rice (alternatively you could use Tilda Steamed Sweet Chilli and Lime or Tilda Steamed Pure)
100g small cooked prawns or 100g flaked tinned tuna
100g carrot, coarsely grated
½ red pepper, cut into small pieces
1-1 ½ tsp sweet chilli dipping sauce, plus extra to serve (or tomato ketchup if preferred)
12-16 square sheets of fresh filo pastry
Vegetable oil for brushing
Pre-heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Lightly massage the pack of rice to separate the rice grains. Tear the top of the pack halfway across and cook for 2 minutes in the microwave.
Meanwhile, place the prawns or tuna in a mixing bowl with the carrot, red pepper and sweet chilli dipping sauce, then add the rice. Mix well and set aside.
Lay a sheet of filo pastry on the work top or board and brush lightly with oil. Place another sheet of pastry on top and lightly brush with oil. Turn the square so that one corner of the pastry is pointing towards you. Spoon some filling onto the corner nearest you. Fold this corner towards the centre and tuck under the filling.
Fold the two outside corners to the middle so it looks like an envelope. Brush lightly with oil then roll up to look like a sausage shape. Brush once more and sit on the lined baking tray. Repeat until you have made the rest of the spring rolls.
Place in the oven for 15-18 minutes until lightly golden and crisp.
Cool slightly before eating, with extra sweet chilli dipping sauce to serve.
Ps…
For a meaty version of this recipe, finely chopped cooked chicken or turkey make a tasty alternative to tuna or prawns. For a vegetarian option, you could omit the tuna or prawns altogether and substitute with extra vegetables or even add some tofu or tinned white beans.
Kate Thornton whips up a tasty salad of prosciutto, poached egg and watercress, perfect for lunch on the go
We’ve all been there... watching our waistlines, but the prospect of boring salad for lunch just fills us with dread.
Well worry no more, TV presenter and self-confessed foodie, Kate Thornton has teamed up with Blue Dragon to create a tasty and satisfying salad which won’t have you reaching for a sandwich or chocolate bar mid afternoon. Combining the saltiness of prosciutto, the peppery taste of watercress and a drizzle of Blue Dragon Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce, Kate shows you just how simple it is to create a fast food lunchtime treat that’s big on flavour.
Kate’s tip: The fresher the eggs, the more likely they are to keep their shape when poaching.
Embark on an Oriental adventure with Kate as she whips up three easy to follow recipes using Blue Dragon Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce which will bring some excitement to meal times - watch the video here.
Sophie Michell shows us how to make Sourdough crostini with roast chicken, apple, pear and celery salad
In this video, Sophie Michell shows us just how easy it is to make a light, summery treat using delicious South African fruit. Her Sourdough crostini, using South African apples and pears combine fruity flavours with the spicy mayonnaise on the crostini and is ideal for a light lunch or for canapés at a dinner party. The rustic treat is easy to prepare in advance meaning you can enjoy spending time with your guests rather than being stuck in the kitchen.
This combined with the fact that all South African fruit is completely ethically and environmentally produced, makes this recipe the perfect answer to any summer menu. So watch this video to find out how it’s done.
With Summer now firmly upon us, Ryvita®, with the help of top chef Valentine Warner, is giving you the inspiration to surprise your guests with a delicious new way to serve ice cream.
In this easy to follow recipe, Val proves just how versatile Ryvita Crispbread can be by creating a delicious Ryvita Caramel Crunch Ice-Cream. And don’t worry, you don’t have to be a pro in the kitchen to get this one right. This quick and simple dessert is fun to make and is sure to wow even the most discerning guests at your next dinner party.
Smash the Ryvita into crumbs a little smaller than the size of corn flakes.
Put half the sugar in a small frying pan with enough water just wet it all. Put over the heat and bring to the boil cook until caramel hazelnut colour is achieved. This will take approximately ten minutes and needs checking regularly. Do not stir with a spoon at all while sugar boils. Just as it starts to colour swirl the pan in order to get an even colouring and prevent burning in areas.
When the caramel is ready stir the crumbs through it very thoroughly before spreading it all flattish over some greaseproof paper. When properly cooled smash the crumbs up again and leave to one side.
Put the milk and cream together in a pan and just bring to the boil before taking it off. In the meantime beat the egg yolks together with the remaining sugar until pale.
Pour the hot milk and cream into the bowl with the sugar whisking all the time. Pour the mixture back into the pan and return to a lowish heat. Stir all the time for approximately 6 to 8 minutes until the mixture appears to thicken slightly. Don’t over cook the custard base or you will have scrambled eggs. Allow the custard to cool before churning.
Churn your ice cream and only when beginning to stiffen add the crumbs to the machine. When fully set put in a freezer proof container and freeze until needed.
Alternatively if you have no machine put the custard in a freezer proof container and every to 2 hours stir with a fork until stiffened but turning through the crumbs when it is just beginning to set.
For more Summer recipes and information please visit www.ryvita.co.uk, follow us on Twitter @RyvitaCrunch or search Ryvita Crunch on Facebook.
Colourful Citrusy Salad with a Twist!
Try this delicious and zesty ClemenGold, watercress, beetroot and goats cheese salad
As summer comes to an end and autumn sets in, many of us will be returning to old stodgy meals, but if you’re keen to keep the summer buzz going as long as possible, then why not try this citrusy salad with the superior tasting ClemenGold, fennel, watercress, beetroot and goats cheese.
ClemenGold is a wonderfully sweet, easy-peeling citrus fruit, and with a vibrant orange colour, fragrant aroma, and refreshing, juicy flavour, it is the perfect addition to any salad or chilled as a convenient school snack for kids.
Kate Thornton gives an Oriental makeover to family staple, bangers and mash
We all have our favourite recipes that we turn to time and time again to keep the family happy, but sometimes even our tried and tested dishes can lose their shine.
So, how about injecting a bit of excitement to your favourites? By adding a few new and tasty ingredients, such as Blue Dragon Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce, to staple dishes you can whet the appetite of even the fussiest eaters all over again.
In the third instalment of Kate’s recipes, she creates good old bangers and mash... but, not as you know it! By adding a delicious sweet chilli and onion gravy, this mealtime staple is automatically transformed to keep the kids (and adults) coming back for more.
Embark on an Oriental adventure with Kate as she whips up three easy to follow recipes using Blue Dragon Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce which will bring some excitement to meal times.
Kate’s tip: adding leeks to your mashed potato is a great way to hide vegetables on your kid’s plates without them even knowing.
Eric Lanlard aka ‘Cake Boy’ reminds us that it’s fun to go baking mad and make a mess in the kitchen to create delicious desserts this summer
Master patissier Eric Lanlard is encouraging us all to reignite our love of baking this summer with four fabulously fruity, mouth-watering puddings. His summery recipes are easy to follow and certain to impress even the most demanding guests this season.
Eric has teamed up with Persil washing up liquid to get the country baking mad and show us how easy it is to make to make a refreshing Pink Grapefruit and Rose Champagne trifle, Arabian Orange Cupcakes, zesty Lemon and Coconut Tart and Granny Smith Apple Mousse. All four desserts look and taste great, proving to be the perfect end to a summery meal and an absolute must for any dinner party.
Watch these step-by-step videos to see just how easy it is to make delicious summer desserts while having fun and making a mess in the kitchen.
Take time to bake with the kids this summer with Kirstie Allsopp’s taste of chocolate heaven
Any ‘smartie pants’ knows that baking with the kids is a great way to keep them entertained during the summer holidays.
So follow in the footsteps of Kirstie Allsopp, the expert of all things homemade, and bake these delicious moist and fudgy Smartie Chocolate Cupcakes. Mixing, baking, decorating and eating them is guaranteed to provide endless fun for both yourself and the little ones.
These yummy mini sponge cakes take ‘no time’ to prepare from start to finish. The key ingredient, Nestlé Carnation® Condensed Milk, delivers a scrumptious moistness and texture to the cupcakes. It also gives the frosting a soft fudgy texture and a gorgeous sheen.
Log on to www.carnation.co.uk to find new delicious recipes every month from Kirstie Allsopp
Recipe
Makes 12 cakes
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
100g (3½oz) plain flour
25g (1oz) cocoa powder
250g (9oz) Carnation Condensed Milk
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla extract
85g (3oz) buttery spread*
1½ tsp baking powder
Frosting
200g (7oz) icing sugar
2tbsp cocoa powder
55g (2oz) buttery spread*, softened
few drops vanilla extract
1-2tbsp Carnation Condensed Milk
2 boxes Nestlé Mini Smarties, to finish
You will also need:
12 hole muffin tin and cupcake or muffin cases
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, (160°C for fan ovens), Gas Mark 4.
2. Place the flour, cocoa powder, condensed milk, egg, vanilla extract, buttery spread and baking powder in a bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer for 2-3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
3. Spoon into the cases and bake for approximately 15-18 minutes until springy to the touch and golden brown. Cool slightly then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
4. Beat the icing sugar, cocoa powder, buttery spread and vanilla with enough condensed milk to bring the mixture to a soft consistency. Spread or pipe onto the cakes. Decorate with the Nestlé Smarties.
Tip
Let your imagination run wild with toppings for your cupcakes – there are loads of great decorations in the shops or chopped nuts, banana chips, curls of chocolate or silver balls.
*recipe is based on 70% fat ‘buttery taste’ spread
The greatest thing since....
To celebrate 50 years of sliced bread, Antony Worrall Thompson shares his secret recipe for the perfect bacon sandwich
We may all know the saying but after 50 years many of us will take for granted the method which changed breakfast and lunchtimes over Britain. The method that makes bread production possible on a large scale, the Chorleywood Bread Process, is regarded as one of the most significant inventions of the last five decades. Introduced in 1961, it uses British wheat to produce over nine million loaves of bread each day - revolutionising meals and snacks across the country - from toast, sandwiches, and desserts such as bread and butter pudding.
Kirstie Allsopp’s Super Smooth Berry Ripple Ice Cream
Create the fresh taste of summer with this tantalisingly creamy treat
Summer is finally here, so it’s time to dust off the garden furniture and head outside to enjoy some al fresco entertainment. Nothing says summer more than deliciously creamy ice cream, a perfect sweet ending to any meal.
In the following video, domestic goddess Kirstie Allsopp whips up a delicious treat for “real ice cream” lovers, super smooth berry ripple ice cream. Lusciously creamy yet fruity too – it’s guaranteed get the taste buds tingling.
The hero ingredient in this recipe is the Nestlé Carnation Condensed Milk. Not only does it sweeten the ice cream, it takes the fuss out of the method. There is no need for an ice-cream maker and you don’t even need to stir the ice-cream whilst freezing - all you do is make the mixture and leave it to set in the freezer.
It’s a great treat for the kids to scoop into cones to eat in the garden or alternatively, serve for friends and family with some succulent fresh berries. Just remember to make enough as they’ll definitely be back for more!
Log on to www.carnation.co.uk to find new delicious recipes every month from Kirstie Allsopp
Recipe
Serves 12
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5-10 minutes
Freezing time: 3-4 hours or overnight
Ingredients
400g (14oz) fresh or frozen berries
Juice 1 lemon
55g (2oz) caster sugar
1pt carton whipping cream
405g can Carnation Condensed Milk Light
1tbsp vanilla extract
To serve:
Waffle ice cream cones
Method
1. Place the berries in a pan with the lemon juice and sugar and cook until syrupy (about 5-10 minutes). Cool then strain the berry sauce through a sieve to remove the pips.
2. Beat the cream to soft peaks then add the condensed milk and vanilla and beat again to soft peaks.
3. Pour the ice cream into a freezable container and swirl through the berry sauce.
4. Freeze until solid (about 3-4 hours or overnight).
5. To serve leave out for 5-10 minutes before serving in ice cream cones!
Cooks tips
Using Carnation Condensed Milk to make ice cream means that you don’t need to stir the mixture every hour over a four hour period. The reason you would stir is to make the small ice crystals for a really smooth finish, however, the condensed milk will do this for you. What a time saving!
You can use any berries for this – try blackcurrants, blueberries or raspberries. Adjust the sugar with the fruit according to taste. Or just make a plain base ice cream with the cream, condensed and vanilla and swirl through Carnation Caramel or chocolate sauce.
Quick and delicious holiday recipes from Thomasina Miers
Masterchef winner whips up dishes inspired by her own travels - grilled steak with a hot and spicy chimichurri sauce and figs caramelized with lavender honey.
Holidays are all about new experiences and that’s especially true when it comes to food. For many of us, especially if you’re a foodie, the best thing about visiting foreign destinations is the chance to try out the local cuisine. Let’s face it, there’s nothing like a homemade pizza in Tuscany, or a crêpe on the streets of Paris.
Wherever you may be in the world, with a little thought and a kitchen at your disposal, locally sourced ingredients put together in the right way can make for a truly memorable culinary experience.
Healthy summer recipes with South African grapefruit
Sweet and savoury dishes using one of summer’s favourite fruits
Summer eating is all about fresh, healthy and delicious ingredients and there’s nothing better than using in-season fruit and vegetables as the basis of our dishes.
One of the most refreshing and healthy fruits of summer is the South African red grapefruit, which is naturally sweeter and does not require sugar. Grapefruit is also hugely versatile and can be used in both savoury and sweet dishes, thanks to the number of varieties of the fruit now available in the UK.
In the following video chef and author Sophie Michell shows you how to create a super-food fruit salad, using South African star ruby grapefruit, which is perfect for a great start to the day. She also whips up a delicious fennel, chicken and grapefruit summer salad sure to impress whoever you’re cooking for.
For more information and to hear about how you can take part in a ‘Grapefruit Challenge’ by eating a grapefruit a day for two weeks to see how eating the fruit can help you lose weight and boost your energy and concentration levels, please visit: www.sagrapefruitchallenge.co.uk (which will be live from the end of June).
With summer almost here, there is no better way to enjoy the glorious, British sunshine than to pack the hamper and head out to your favourite picnic spot for some al fresco fun. Nathan Outlaw, Cornish Michelin-starred chef, is encouraging us to fill our picnic hampers with delicious, good quality foods.
Nathan has a real love of Britain’s favourite cheese, Cheddar, and is a passionate supporter of everything Cornish. So there's no surprise that Nathan has created some very easy and extremely tasty recipes, using Davidstow Cornish Cheddar, which will soon become true picnic rug favourites. Cook along with Nathan with this handy recipe video.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Makes 8 – 12
Ingredients
225g self-raising flour
pinch of salt
55g butter
25g Davidstow "Classic" Cheddar Cheese, grated
150ml milk
Method
Heat the oven to 220°C, 425°F, gas Mark 7. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
Mix together the flour and salt and rub in the butter. Stir in the cheese and then the milk to get a soft dough.
Turn on to a floured work surface and knead very lightly. Pat out to a round 2cm thick. Use a 5cm cutter to stamp out rounds and place on the baking sheet. Lightly knead together the rest of the dough and stamp out more scones to use it all up.
Brush the tops of the scones with a little milk. Bake for 12-15 minutes until well risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack.
Pickled Celery
Ingredients
1 head of celery, washed and sliced thinly
100ml white wine
100ml white wine vinegar
100ml water
100g caster sugar
30g toasted fennel seeds
Pinch of sea salt
Place every ingredient into a pan and bring to the simmer. Allow to cool and store in the fridge in a airtight container.
200g "Cracker", sliced
4 figs cut into quarters and grilled
A few soft salad leaves
Olive oil to drizzle
Cut the scones in half and on the cut side place a spoon of celery followed by some cheese. Place the figs on top of the cheese and then add a little more cheese. Grill the scones until the cheese starts to melt. Serve with a few salad leaves, a little olive oil and more pickled celery.
For more information, and further recipes from Nathan, visit www.davidstowcheddar.co.uk or follow us on Twitter @davidstowcheese
MAKING MAGNIFICENT MUSHROOMS
Mushrooms are one of the nation’s favourite vegetables as they’re packed full of goodness, flavour and provide a cheap and tasty way to bulk up any meal. However, most people are not cooking their mushrooms properly. Celebrity chef and Something for the Weekend presenter Simon Rimmer has partnered up with Monaghan Mushrooms to offer some top tips and mouth-watering recipes to ensure your mushrooms are magnificent every time.
Simon Rimmer’s Top Tips for Cooking Mushrooms
Simon says: “Mushrooms are tasty, great value and an easy to cook ingredient that adds extra flavour to a wide variety of meals – but it’s such a shame that so many of us don’t know the best way to cook them! Mushrooms should be fried in a very hot pan to seal in moisture and create a lovely crispy texture. Make sure your pan is almost smoking hot before adding the mushrooms to it.
“To ensure you’re getting a really good temperature for frying mushrooms, it’s essential to have the right kind of pan. A good quality, heavy-based pan is best for conducting heat and keeping your pan hotter for longer.”
CREAMY TARRAGON AND PANCETTA MUSHROOMS ON TOASTED BRIOCHE WITH WATERCRESS
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
140g white button mushrooms
60g chestnut mushrooms
2 tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
1 clove of garlic crushed
2 slices of toasted brioche
Small bunch of watercress
2 tbsp. Crème Fraiche
1 knob of butter
Splash of sunflower oil
Salt and pepper
70g cubed pancetta (optional)
Method:
1. Make sure the mushrooms are clean by gently brushing any dirt of with a clean, damp cloth or soft brush. Chop the mushrooms into quarters
2. Using a non-stick frying pan, heat the butter and sunflower oil over a high heat. Make sure the pan is almost smoking hot before adding in the mushrooms.
3. Cook for around 3 minutes before adding in the crushed garlic and - slightly reducing the temperature - continue cooking for a further 2 minutes. Stir in the Crème Fraiche, tarragon and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. While the mushrooms are cooking, toast the brioche on both sides under a hot grill. If serving with pancetta heat a second non-stick pan and crisp the pancetta using a splash of sunflower oil.
5. To finish, top each slice of brioche with some of the watercress and half of the mushrooms. If using pancetta, sprinkle each with the pancetta.
MUSHROOM AND RED WINE RAGU WITH PAPPARDELLE PASTA
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 white onion finely chopped
1 small carrot finely grated
1 stick of celery finely chopped
1 sprig of thyme (leaves removed)
1 bay leaf
245g white close cap button mushrooms sliced
100g chestnut closed cup mushrooms sliced
4 brown anchovy fillets
1 star anise
Olive oil
1 and ½ glasses of red wine
700g Passata sauce
400g Pappardelle pasta
Small bunch of flat leaf parsley
50g parmesan
Salt and pepper
Method:
1. Make sure the mushrooms are clean by gently brushing any dirt off with a clean, damp cloth or soft brush. Add 2 tbs. of olive oil to a large pan and gently sauté the onion, carrot, celery, thyme and anchovy fillets over a medium heat for about 10 minutes.
2. After 10 minutes, turn up the heat and add in the red wine, star anise and bay leaf cook out for 2 minutes rapidly allowing the alcohol to burn off.
3. Add in the Passata and bring to the boil and then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Continue cooking for a further 20 minutes to allow the flavours to intensify.
4. Using a non-stick frying pan, heat a tbsp. of olive oil to near-smoking point before adding in the mushrooms. Cook for about 4-5 minutes sealing in the moisture.
5. After the sauce has been simmering for 15 minutes, add in the cooked mushrooms and continue simmering for a further 5 minutes, this will ensure that the mushrooms stay juicy and firm.
6. Cook the pasta according to the packet, usually around 10-11 minutes. Drain the pasta and add to the ragu, ensuring the pasta gets an even coating of sauce. Using a pair of tongs distribute between 4 pasta bowls.
7. To serve, sprinkle with some chopped flat leaf parsley and a good grating of Parmesan.
SPRING CABBAGE AND STICKY MUSHROOM STIR-FRY
Preparation Time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking Time: 8 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
90g chestnut mushrooms cut into quarters
210g closed cup white mushrooms
½ a savoy cabbage shredded
2 red peppers finely sliced
1 shallot finely sliced
1 thumb sized piece of ginger cut into matchsticks
400g whole-wheat noodles
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. groundnut oil
2 tbsp. oyster sauce
2 tsp. brown sugar
¼ cup Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry
¼ cup light soy sauce
Method:
1. Cook the noodles according to pack, slightly reducing the cooking time by 1 min as the noodles will continue cooking when stir fried. Drain noodles and put to one side.
2. Using a wok, heat the oils until nearly reaching smoking point and add in the ginger and shallot. Stir-fry for 1 minute before adding in the mushrooms and peppers continue cooking for a further 2 minutes.
3. Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, cooking wine and brown sugar to the wok and cook for further 2-3 minutes or until the sauce has reduced by half.
4. Add in the noodles and cabbage and stir-fry for a further 1-minute. Spoon into bowls and serve.
Delicious Low Fat Strawberry Cheesecake Pots
Celebrate Wimbledon and the sizzling summer with Kirstie Allsopp’s simple recipe
With Wimbledon just around the corner, it’s the ideal time of year to enjoy a spot of al fresco dining. For the perfect finale to a summer barbeque, impress friends and family by conjuring up these scrumptious and smooth low fat strawberry cheesecake pots.
Created by the queen of homemade, Kirstie Allsopp, these little pots of creaminess are super quick, easy to make, delicious and low fat – what more could you want?
Log on to www.carnation.co.ukto find new delicious recipes every month from Kirstie Allsopp.
Recipe:
Serves 6
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Chilling time: 1 hour
Method
1. Crumble 75g (3oz) light digestive biscuits into a bowl, not too fine. Divide the crumbs between 6 wine glasses or small tumblers.
2. Place 200g (7oz) Carnation Condensed Milk Light (half a can) into a bowl and add the zest and juice of 1 lemon and 1tsp vanilla extract (optional). Stir together until the mixture has thickened.
3. Whisk 150g (5½oz) extra light cream cheese and 150g tub 0%fat Greek yogurt in a small bowl until smooth then fold into the thickened condensed milk, don’t over beat. Spoon the creamy mixture over the biscuits. Chill for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.
4. Chop 250g (9oz) fresh strawberries, mix with 3tbsp strawberry jam and top the cheesecakes with the fruit to serve.
Cooks tip
Try out our magic trick to set the cheesecake with lemon juice. There is no need for gelatine, the Condensed Milk is the secret agent, just add lemon juice.
Vanilla Cupcakes
This Vanilla Cupcake recipe is perfect for cooking along with the family and has been created by Eric Lanlard from Channel 4’s afternoon cooking show ‘Baking Mad’. We hope this offers you baking inspiration.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Baking Time: 18 minutes
Portions: Makes 12
Skill Level: Easy
Ingredients
175g self raising flour
150g plain white flour
125g butter, unsalted
250g golden caster sugar
2 eggs, large
125ml milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
Additional Ingredients
For the frosting:
200g cream cheese softened
100g butter, unsalted
1 tsp vanilla extract
500g icing sugar
Method
In a small bowl, using an electric hand-whisk at medium speed, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and continue beating until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the flour in three stages, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended.
Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake papers, filling them about three quarters full. Bake in the pre heated oven for 18 minutes.
Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
Ice the cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.
In a bowl, using a wooden spoon or electric hand whisk, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in the vanilla extract and gradually beat in the icing sugar until the mixture is fluffy.
Using a small palette knife, smooth the frosting over the cupcakes. You can also use the knife to create small spikes. Decorate with sugar beads or flowers or sweets.
For more recipe information and baking inspiration visit www.bakingmad.com
Seriously Good recipes for a sizzling summer
With summer just around the corner, why not lighten up your cooking and indulge in one of these delicious Seriously Good recipes from Gordon Ramsay. Using his scrumptious range of Seriously Good Indian and Italian cooking sauces you can quickly whip up one of these recipes, leaving plenty of time to relax with friends and family in the garden... And with at least 10p from the sale of every jar going to Comic Relief (and not a penny going to Gordon) you can enjoy your meal knowing that you’re doing your bit for charity too.
The Seriously Good range of Indian and Italian cooking sauces is available to buy all year round from selected major retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and the Co-operative. Each one is bursting with rich, intense flavours and is delicious served with meat, fish or vegetables. The sauces start from £1.89 and all ingredients have been selected by Gordon Ramsay to ensure high quality and authentic tasting recipes.
‘Indian Summer’
Add a little spice to your summer with these mouth-watering recipes featuring Seriously Good Indian sauces.
Coronation Chicken
Serves 6-8, as a side salad or light lunch
Prep time: 10 minutes
½ jar Seriously Good Royal Korma sauce
200g Greek yoghurt
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1-2 gala apples, thinly sliced or finely diced
4 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
50g sultanas
½ x 20g coriander, chopped
pita bread, to serve
green salad, to serve
Mix the yoghurt and Seriously Good Royal Korma sauce together. Season well.
Stir the lemon juice and zest into the apple and add it to the sauce along with the chicken,
sultanas and coriander.
Serve with toasted pita bread and green salad.
Masala Biryani
Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
1 jar Seriously Good Aromatic Masala sauce
500g chicken thigh fillets, each sliced into three
200g basmati rice
250g baby spinach leaves, rinsed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
25g toasted flaked almonds
10g coriander, chopped
Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas mark 5.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan and brown the chicken pieces for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden. Remove and set aside.
Place the rice in a large baking dish along with the chicken and the Seriously Good Aromatic Masala sauce. Fill the empty sauce jar with boiling water and pour over the top. Mix well, cover in foil and place in the oven for 20 minutes.
Stir the spinach into the rice and cover again. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until the rice is tender.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion and cook, stirring for 15-20 minutes, until golden and crispy.
Serve the rice with the almonds, coriander and onion sprinkled over the top.
Tip: Eager to boost your vegetable intake? Try adding 150g frozen peas when you stir in the spinach.
Rice Salad
Serves 8-10, as a light lunch
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes, plus 10 minutes resting
¼ jar Seriously Good Butter Chicken sauce
3 x 250g packets steamed basmati rice
200g Greek yoghurt
zest and juice of 1 lime
200g vine cherry or baby plum tomatoes, halved
150g sugar snap peas, cut into thin strips
100g button mushrooms, thinly sliced
10g mint, chopped
10g parsley, chopped
Prepare the rice according to pack instructions. Allow to cool.
Mix the Seriously Good Butter Chicken sauce with the yoghurt and lime juice and zest.
Add the remaining ingredients and stir well before spooning onto a serving dish and serve with the rice.
Tip: for a heartier meal, grill 250g sirloin or rump steak, slice and add to the salad
‘Summer of Love’
Enjoy cuisine from the world’s renowned romantics with these sumptuous recipes using the range of Seriously Good Italian sauces.
Steak, Mushroom and Blue Cheese Wraps
Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
1 jar Seriously Good Wild Mushrooms & Mascarpone sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
400-500g sirloin steaks, trimmed of fat
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large red onion, peeled and sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
350g mixed mushrooms, sliced
8 soft flour tortillas
140g dolcelatte or gorgonzola cheese
50g rocket or baby spinach leaves
Get a large heavy-based frying pan to warm over a moderate heat. Season the sirloin steaks all over with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the pan and, when it is almost smoking, lay the steaks into the pan. Fry for 1½ to 2 minutes on each side then remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the remaining oil to the pan and sauté the onion for 2 minutes over a high heat. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, stirring throughout, until the mushrooms are lightly golden.
Stir the Seriously Good Wild Mushrooms & Mascarpone sauce in with the onion and mushrooms. Bring to the boil then reduce to a gentle simmer whilst you finish the rest of the recipe. Slice the steaks into strips. Pour any meat juices into the sauce and check for seasoning.
Just before serving, warm the soft flour tortillas in the oven or microwave. Stir the sirloin strips into the sauce to warm through briefly. Lay the tortilla wraps out on a board and spoon the steak and mushroom mixture in the middle of each one. Crumble over the dolcelatte or gorgonzola cheese and scatter a few rocket or spinach leaves on top. Fold to make wraps and serve right away.
Seafood Ragout with Linguine
Serves 4
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 minutes
1 jar Seriously Good Cherry Tomato & Balsamic sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
Handful of thyme sprigs
1 fat garlic clove, peeled and crushed
150ml dry white wine
800g mussels, scrubbed clean and beards removed
300ml fish stock
400g linguine
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
12-16 large raw prawns, shelled and deveined
Handful of flat leaf parsley, leaves chopped
Heat the oil in a large pan. Sauté the thyme and garlic for 1-2 minutes and then pour in the wine. Bring the wine to the boil, then tip in the mussels and cover with a lid. Steam them for 3-4 minutes, shaking the pan gently a couple of times, until the mussel shells open.
Drain the mussels through a sieve set over a bowl and reserve the cooking juices. Discard the thyme and garlic and any mussel shells that are still closed. Remove the mussel flesh from their shells and set them aside.
Pour the stock and reserved shellfish juices into a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil and cook until reduced by two-thirds. Pour in the Seriously Good Cherry Tomato & Balsamic sauce, bring to the boil and cook gently for 5-6 minutes.
Cook the linguine in plenty of salted water until al dente. Towards the end of the pasta cooking time, add the raw prawns to the sauce with half of the parsley. Cook for 3 minutes until the prawns turn pink and firm.
Add the mussels to the sauce and warm through over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Drain the pasta then toss together with the sauce. Serve immediately, with the remaining parsley garnish sprinkled over.
Paprika Pork Chops with a Spicy Red Pepper Marinade
Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes plus marinating
Cooking time: 20 minutes
1 jar Seriously Good Spicy Red Pepper & Italian Sausage sauce
½ tsp hot smoked paprika
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 pork loin chops on the bone, 250-300g each
2 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pour the jar of Seriously Good Spicy Red Pepper & Italian Sausage sauce into a wide dish and mix with the paprika, cumin and coriander. Trim the excess fat from the pork and lay in the baking dish, turning to coat in the marinade. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight.
When you are ready to start grilling, scrape the excess marinade from the pork into a small pan. Pour the rest of the marinade from the dish into the pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes and then remove from the heat.
Brush the pork all over with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and season generously. Grill the pork for 5-6 minutes on each side, basting with the marinade towards the end of cooking, until the pork feels firm but springy to the touch. Leave the pork to rest on a warm plate for 5 minutes. Serve with a little of the remaining marinade brushed over.
Serve with sweet potato wedges and green vegetables or salad on the side.
***
For more information on Seriously Good products and recipe ideas go to www.seriouslygood.com
Bounce into action with Matt Dawson’s edible rugby ball
Be your own rugby hero with this fun rugby-inspired recipe
Kick-start your family into action by working together to create this easy to make, yet impressive looking edible rugby ball. Your kids will enjoy getting creative in the kitchen and you’ll enjoy seeing them welcome whole grain into their diet so everybody’s a winner!
Using whole grain favourite, Raisin Oats & More, which provides fibre, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals Matt Dawson will teach you how you can make your very own rugby ball so that everyone has a chance to play team captain in the kitchen.
Watch the following video to see how you and your kids can have fun with your own rugby balls – it’s sure to keep the kids entertained!
Rugby Ball
130g Raisin Oats & More
250g White chocolate
28 Cheerios, all same colour, or mixed colours
50 raisins, approx 10g
1 strawberry, sliced in half
30g additional white chocolate, for joining and decoration.
Makes 1, weight approx 420g
1) Break the white chocolate into small pieces, and microwave on medium in 20 seconds blasts, stirring every time until melted, but not hot.
2) Mix the cereal with the chocolate and stir well to coat the cereal flakes.
3) Chill for 20 minutes, until set, then take the two halves out of the mould.
4) Break the 30g of white chocolate into small pieces, and microwave on medium in 20 seconds blasts, stirring every time, until melted but not hot. Pour into the piping bag.
5) Pipe chocolate onto the back of 1 half of the ball and join the 2 halves together. (This should set in a minute as the ball will be fairly cold).
Using the chocolate in the piping bag decorate the ball with the Cheerios, and write RUBGY by piping a small dot of chocolate and pushing on a raisins to form the each letter. Finally pipe a large dot of the chocolate and press on the strawberry. Serve.
Two sporting legends have fun and get creative in the kitchen
If you’re looking for something to keep your kids busy and away from the TV, why not try making some fluffy sheep as an ideal solution to an afternoon in the house with the kids? Even sports stars can be encouraged to get stuck in to food art with a little friendly competition. Using simple techniques, Matt Dawson, former England rugby player, and Greg Searle, Olympic gold medallist rower, show how to make fluffy sheep made from a Cheerios and marshmallow mixture, with black grape heads and raisin legs.
The kids won’t need much persuading to get their little fingers into this gooey mixture. Just like Greg and Matt, they’ll love to compete with each other to make the best sheep. If your little ones want to have some fun, food art is a great way to learn about the food they eat. This easy-to-follow recipe uses Cheerios which contain whole grain, an important part of a healthy diet.
Watch this video where Matt and Greg show you step by step how to create these tasty fluffy summer sheep.
Recipe:
Ingredients:
40g Butter
20 Large Marshmallows
160g Cheerios
40g Desiccated coconut
6 Black grapes
50g Raisins
24 Currants
50g White chocolate
Makes 6
Method:
1) Place the butter and the marshmallows in a microwavable bowl, and heat on high for 1 minute. Stir until smooth.
2) Stir in the Cheerios until fully coated.
3) Using the tablespoons tightly form mounds of the mixture to make the bodies of the sheep. Slide onto prepared sheet or board. Sprinkle with coconut. Leave until firm.
4) To make the legs take half a cocktail stick and thread on raisins, repeat to make 24.
5) To assemble, push 4 legs into each body shape, stand upright, push in a half cocktail stick for the head and attach a grape to make the head.
6) Break the white chocolate into small pieces, and microwave on medium in 20 seconds blasts, stirring every time, until melted but not hot.
Use the melted chocolate to make 2 dots on each head to make the eyes and push in a currant to form the pupils. Use a little melted chocolate to attach 2 currants to make the ears.
Create a hive of activity for the kids this summer
There’s nothing like the long lazy days of summer but entertaining your little busy bees can sometimes be a bit of a challenge.
In the following video, food artist Prudence Staite shows how to make food fun and educational with this superb summer cereal beehive. Using whole grain favourite, Fruitful Shredded Wheat, Prudence creates a stunning golden dome to be topped off with your very own Shreddies buzzy bees.
A great way to spend a summer afternoon, this tasty golden masterpiece with have the kids buzzing with excitement!
Recipe
Ingredients:
500g box of Fruitful Shredded Wheat
3 x 300g Cream Cheese
2 Standard Sliced Loaves Bread (Can be 2 wholemeal or 2 white, or 1 of each for a chessboard effect)
Sandwich Fillings (You can use one or a selection. Fillings such Cheese Spread, Peanut Butter, Marmite, Chocolate Spread…)
Raisins from the Fruitful Shredded Wheat
For Each Cereal Bee:
1 Nesquik
2 Golden Nuggets
2 Shreddies
1 Cocktail Stick
A little Cream Cheese
1) Make sandwiches from the 2 loaves with the fillings of your choice.
2) Build a stack of sandwiches using 1 and a half loaves on a plate or board or cake stand.
3) Carve the stack of sandwiches to form a rough beehive shape; using the additional half loaf of sandwiches to pack around it to form a good shape, cutting these sandwiches as required to fit the gaps. Use a little of the cream cheese as a glue to attach these pieces to the sides of the sandwich stack.
4) Put the remaining cream cheese into a bowl and mix until really smooth. Cover the beehive shape completely with cream cheese.
5) Press the Shredded Wheat into the cream cheese to cover the beehive starting at the base and working upwards in neat rows, to create the traditional beehive effect. Leave a gap for the door and press in raisins to add details.
6) Chill to set firmly.
Meanwhile make the bees using Nesquik and Golden Nuggets threaded on cocktail sticks, with 2 Shreddies as wings attached with a little cream cheese. Push your bees into the beehive to decorate.
Enjoy the summer sun with recipes from the nation’s favourite, Cathedral City
As the summer season is almost upon us, the nation’s favourite cheese, Cathedral City, has created some brand new recipes for all your entertaining plans. We know how temperamental the British weather can be, but even if the sun is hiding, we’ve got recipes that will brighten up any day.
Whether you’re planning a barbecue with friends, a picnic with the kids or a night in at home, Cathedral City has got recipes for every occasion. With the start of summer upon us, Cathedral City has come up with these summery cheese recipes for all your alfresco dining needs.
Invite your friends, get the Cathedral City nibbles ready and enjoy dishes, like these irresistible Cathedral City Mature Cheddar Creamy Cheese and Onion Tartlets or the quick and easy Cathedral City Mature Rarebit Toasts with Red Onion Compote.
For a real taste of summer, try recipes with a splash of fruit, like the Kids Mild Cathedral CityCajun chicken burgers with Avocado Salsa or Kids Cathedral City Mild Smoked Chicken, Mango and Cheese Tortilla. Not just for the youngsters, these recipes will go down well with the grown-ups too! Perfect for a romantic dinner at home, try Cathedral City Extra Mature Pork Escalope with Double Cheese Crust.
Impress your guests with these Herby Vintage 20 Cheese Scones with Parma Ham and Olives and they don’t ever need to know how easy they are to make! To finish off, you can’t go wrong with a cheese board and summer fruit flavours like this Plum and Blackberry Cheese with Vintage 20 Cheddar.
Laura Downey, spokesperson for Cathedral City, comments: “Whatever you’ve got planned this summer we’ve got the recipes to help make entertaining easy. Cathedral City is loved for its mature yet mellow flavour, and that’s why we’re the nation’s favourite. With recipes that are perfect for parties and barbecues, Cathedral City is the main ingredient you’ll need this summer.”
Cathedral City Mature Cheddar Creamy Cheese and Onion Tartlets
This recipe would also work well in a large tart tin if preferred, just cook it for 5 -10 minutes longer or until the middle feels firm to the touch.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 75 minutes
Serves: 4- 6
Ingredients:
25g butter
2 red onions, thinly sliced
1 large white onion, finely chopped
Salt and ground black pepper
375g pack ready rolled short crust pastry
330ml crème fraîche
3 medium eggs
Pinch grated nutmeg
150g Cheddar cheese, grated
Method:
- Melt the butter in a large pan. Add all the onions and season, then cover and cook gently for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are very soft and starting to caramelise. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 190°C, gas mark 5.
- Unroll the pastry then roll out on a lightly floured surface and use to line a 4-6 small tart cases. Line the pastry with baking parchment and fill with baking beans (see cook's tips).
- Bake for 10 minutes then lift out the paper and beans and bake for a further 5 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.
- Place the crème fraîche, eggs and nutmeg in a large bowl. Season with freshly ground black pepper and whisk together.
- Stir in the caramelised onions and half the cheese, and pour the mixture into the pastry case. Scatter the remaining cheese over the top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until the surface is golden and the filling set, serve warm with a tomato salad.
Cook's tips:
- To get ahead, prepare the onions and/or the pastry case the day before and chill until needed. If you don't have baking beans, use any dried beans or scrunch up some foil and place in the pastry case while it cooks
Cathedral City Mature Rarebit Toasts with Red Onion Compote
This is a great little savoury nibble that works well with a glass of wine or serve it as a more substantial lunch time snack accompanied by a rocket and cherry tomato salad.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4
Red onion compote
25g butter
2 large red onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tbsp. thyme leaves
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. redcurrant jelly
Rarebit Toasts
2 tsp. plain flour
150g Cheddar cheese, cubed
3 tbsp. whole milk
8 slices herby or olive bread
Drizzle of Worcestershire sauce
Method:
- For the compote, melt the butter in a saucepan and add the onions and thyme. Stir over a high heat for 3–4 minutes so that they start to soften.
- Cover with a lid and turn the heat right down; cook for about 15 minutes. Uncover, turn the heat up and add the vinegar and redcurrant jelly. Stir for 1–2 minutes until jammy, and then set aside.
- For the rarebit, place the butter and flour in a saucepan and cook over a low heat for 1 minute. Add the milk and stir until it's boiling. Stir in the cheese until melted.
- Grill the bread for 2–3 minutes until golden. Pour the sauce and a splash of Worcestershire sauce on top and grill for a further 1–2 minutes.
- Serve with a teaspoon of red onion compote.
Cathedral City Extra Mature Pork Escalope with Double Cheese Crust
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 7 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
4 pork leg escalopes, about 125g each
3 slices stale white bread, blended into breadcrumbs
100g Extra Mature Cathedral City Cheddar, coarsely grated
50g butter, melted
2 rashers or streaky bacon, roughly chopped
2 tbsp. pinenuts
Thyme leaves, roughly chopped
150g cream cheese
Ground black pepper
Lemon wedges to serve
Spring cabbage, lightly steamed to serve
Method:
- Preheat the grill to high. Season the pork with plenty of pepper.
- Mix together the breadcrumbs, Cathedral City Extra Mature Cheddar, melted butter, chopped bacon, pinenuts and half the thyme.
- Place the pork under the grill and cook for about 3 minutes until it changes colour and feels quite firm. Spread the cream cheese over the pork, then sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture and return to the grill, for 3-4 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and the breadcrumbs are golden. The meat is cooked when the juices run clear.
- Serve immediately with the spring cabbage, lemon wedges and sprinkled with remaining thyme leaves.
Kids Mild Cathedral CityCajun chicken burgers with Avocado Salsa
This is a different healthier burger the kids (and grown-ups) will love. Make a few batches of the seasoning and use to flavour fish or pork.
Preparation time 20 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. each, ground cumin, coriander, paprika and dried tarragon
Salt and ground black pepper
2 x skinless chicken breasts cut into 3 on the bias
2 tbsp. olive oil
4 rashers of lean back bacon
2 ripe avocados
4 ciabatta rolls, split
100g Cheddar, grated
Romaine cos lettuce leaves
Fresh coriander leaves
1 tbsp. sunflower seeds
Juice of 1 lime
Light mayonnaise, to serve (optional)
Method:
- Mix the seasoning ingredients together with a good grinding of black pepper and a sprinkling of salt, then set aside in a large dish. Heat grill to high.
- On a board, flatten out the chicken slightly, toss in the seasoning until completely covered. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, sizzle the chicken for 5 minutes on each side until firm, push to one side of the pan, then fry the bacon for a few minutes until cooked.
- While the chicken is cooking, halve stone, peel and roughly chop the avocados, mix into the lime juice to and toast the cut sides of the buns.
- Cover the tops of the buns with cheese and sunflower seeds, and then grill until melted.
- To assemble the burgers, spread the buns with mayonnaise if you want, top with a few small cos lettuce, coriander sprigs then a rasher of bacon.
- Slice the chicken, and then alternate between a slice of chicken and the chopped avocado. Top with the bun, press down lightly and serve.
Kids Cathedral City Mild Smoked Chicken, Mango and Cheese Tortilla
The kids will love the sweetness of the mango along with the saltiness of the smoked chicken. The butter bean humus is also a delicious change to the usual humus made with chickpeas.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 6 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 ripe mango, roughly chopped
215g can butter beans, drained and roughly mashed
1 spring onion chopped
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp. olive oil
Squeeze of 1/2 lime
2 large flour tortillas, seeded or plain
50g cooked smoked chicken, shredded
85g grated Mild Cathedral City Cheddar
½ a 20g pack coriander, leaves chopped (optional)
Oil, for brushing
Method:
- Peel and roughly chop the flesh of the mango. Set aside.
- Mix together the crushed beans, spring onion, garlic clove, olive oil and lime juice. Divide between the two tortillas. Then evenly top with the mango, chicken and cheddar.
- Scatter with coriander and sandwich with the other tortilla, then brush with oil.
- Heat a large non-stick frying pan, and then cook the tortilla, oil-side down, for 4 minutes.
- Carefully turn over with a palette knife (or by turning it out onto a plate, sliding it back into the pan), then cook for 2 minutes on the other side until golden.
- Serve cut into wedges accompanied by salad leaves.
Plum and Blackberry Cheese with Vintage 20 Cheddar
This fruit cheese looks gorgeous on a cheese board and tastes great too. Alongside the traditional accompaniments of grapes and celery, it works really well with a strong flavored Cheddar such as Cathedral City Vintage 20.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 80 minutes to 140 minutes
Total time: 100 minutes to 160 minutes
Makes 4 ramekins
Ingredients:
375g plums
375g blackberries
300g granulated or caster sugar
Vegetable or sunflower oil
Method:
- Brush 4 x 250ml ramekins with oil. Pick over the fruit and discard any that are damaged or overripe. Put plums and blackberries into a large pan and add just enough water to cover.
- Bring up to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for around 20 minutes until the fruit is soft. Skim out the plum stones with a slotted spoon.
- Strain the fruit through a nylon sieve. Measure the sieved fruit, then return to the pan, adding 300g sugar for every 500g cooked fruit. Stir over a low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Raise the heat and boil gently for 1–2 hours depending on the amount of liquid. As the mixture thickens, you will have to stir more and more often to prevent it catching on the base.
- The cheese is done when a wooden spoon leaves a distinct view of the base when dragged across the bottom of the pan.
- Take off the heat and spoon into the molds. Leave to cool, cover with cling film or jam pot cover. These can be served immediately or stored in a sterile jar for a delicious traditional curd.
Herby Vintage 20 Cheese Scones with Parma Ham and Olives
These are lovely served warm as part of an anti pasti cheese board.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Serves: 8
Ingredients:
250g self-raising flour, plus extra to dust
1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda
50g cold butter, diced
175ml buttermilk
125g cheddar grated
Small bunch fresh basil, roughly chopped
8 slices Serrano ham
Olives to serve
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 220°C, gas mark 7. Use a non-stick baking sheet or line a large baking sheet with baking parchment.
- Place the flour, seasoning, bicarbonate of soda and butter in a large mixing bowl. Rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Fold in the buttermilk, cheese, basil, and then lightly knead until you have sticky dough. For best results, scone dough should be handled rapidly and very lightly.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured board. Dust the top with a little flour then use your hands to press the dough evenly into a round, about 3cm deep.
- Cut out 8 triangles, gently reforming the off-cuts as you go. Place on the baking sheet, spacing them out well, and bake in the oven for 15 minutes until golden brown.
- Serve with chunks of Vintage 20 Cheddar as part of a cheese board with the Parma ham and olives.
Stone Fruit Recipes
Roast pork loin with warm plum and ginger chutney
Serves 4
Preparation time 30 minutes
Cooking time 60 minutes
Ingredients
750g Pork loin
4 Garlic cloves
500g New potatoes
25ml Olive oil
450g Red plums
1 Medium shallot
½ inch piece fresh ginger
75ml Cider vinegar
75g Brown sugar
1 Medium Savoy cabbage
Pinch of sea salt and pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/350F.
Wash and halve the potatoes and lay in a large roasting tray. Scatter over the garlic, drizzle with olive oil and season. Also season the pork and lay the whole loin on top of the potatoes in the roasting tray. Place in the oven and cook for around 45-60 minutes.
Peel and finely slice the shallot and ginger. Stone the plums and cut into 8 segments, add to a saucepan along with the shallot, ginger, sugar and vinegar. Bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until cooked down and until the vinegar smell has completely cooked out.
Then trim the ends and any torn leaves off the cabbage, cut out the core and finely slice. Heat up a little oil in a saucepan, add the cabbage, season and sweat down with a splash of water.
When the pork is cooked, rest for 20 minutes and then serve with the chutney and cabbage.
Sieve in the flour, cornflour and salt and mix into the butter and sugar to make a stiff dough.
Leave to rest for half an hour.
Pre-heat your oven to 180ºC.
While the dough is resting line a large baking tray with sides with baking parchment and then after the dough has rested, press it into a layer on the bottom of the baking tray.
Prick the dough with a fork all over.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes and then turn the heat down to 150ºC and bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes until light golden brown.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool still in the tray.
Place the ingredients for the caramel into a pan and heat on the stove, whisking all the time, for about 5 to 8 minutes until it bubbles and changes colour as it caramelises.
Spread the caramel over the shortbread and allow to cool.
Once the caramel has cooled sprinkle the fleur de sel over the caramel.
It needs to be cool enough so the salt stays in flakes and does not dissolve into the caramel.
You will then get a lovely contrasting salty taste that sets off the sweetness of the caramel perfectly.
Finally, break the Divine chocolate into a bowl and place it over a pan of boiling water.
Stir until it melts.
Pour over the caramel and leave to cool.
Once cool, place into the fridge to set.
Cut into squares to serve.
More Divine recipes at www.divinechocolate.com;
Divine chocolate bars available at all the supermarkets, RRP £1.49.
favourite back to the kitchen – Slow Pressure Cookers are back in!
created by the queen of all things homemade, Kirstie Allsopp. 
understands this better than most. The panel, made up of three mums, are experts in nutrition and food. Panel member and cookery writer, Jo Pratt, has created a simple recipe that kids will love. 
surprise your guests with a delicious new way to serve ice cream.
In this video, chef and author Sophie Michell shows you how to create this beautiful salad that will brighten your kitchen table and your palate. 
baking this summer with four fabulously fruity, mouth-watering puddings. His summery recipes are easy to follow and certain to impress even the most demanding guests this season.
sandwich 
than deliciously creamy ice cream, a perfect sweet ending to any meal. 
comes to food. For many of us, especially if you’re a foodie, the best thing about visiting foreign destinations is the chance to try out the local cuisine. Let’s face it, there’s nothing like a homemade pizza in Tuscany, or a crêpe on the streets of Paris.
dishes.
has been created by Eric Lanlard from Channel 4’s afternoon cooking show ‘Baking Mad’. We hope this offers you baking inspiration. 
why not try making some fluffy sheep as an ideal solution to an afternoon in the house with the kids? Even sports stars can be encouraged to get stuck in to food art with a little friendly competition. Using simple techniques, Matt Dawson, former England rugby player, and Greg Searle, Olympic gold medallist rower, show how to make fluffy sheep made from a Cheerios and marshmallow mixture, with black grape heads and raisin legs.
plans. We know how temperamental the British weather can be, but even if the sun is hiding, we’ve got recipes that will brighten up any day. 
