Stellar Griddle Pan – Review

February 22, 2016 By Rachel Leave a Comment

Stellar Griddle Pan

The Stellar griddle pan was given a good road test in the Wee Pinch of Sugar kitchen. This particular pan is part of the Stellar Cast range and has the added feature of a ceramic coating, making it an ideal non stick cooking surface.

To put the pan through it’s paces, I cooked several different foods and was impressed with the overall results. Scallops were perfectly cooked, one minute on each side and had the perfect charring. It was ideal for bacon and held 10 rashers of bacon, a bonus if everyone is queuing for a bacon roll.

Two things I regularly griddle are steaks and salmon and both cooked perfectly; nice crisp skin on the salmon and the steak was cooked to perfection, charred on the outside and rare inside.

Compared to other griddle pans I use, the Stellar pan has are several appealing features. The 28 x 28 cm pan is the perfect size if cooking for 4 people. It fits perfectly onto the largest cooking zone of my induction hob and although it’s a large pan, it’s not particularly heavy. The pan is suitable for all hob types and the instructions contain extra information about cooking on induction hobs due to the efficient transfer of heat. Heating the pan gradually is recommended and the pan should never be heated using the boost function unmonitored. There’s nothing unusual about this and having used an induction hob for several years, it is the way I would normally heat any griddle or frying pan.

Other features include:-

High ridges add colour and seared lines to steaks, fish and vegetables
Easy draining with scalloped pouring lips
Stainless steel cast rivetted handle
Easy to clean and dishwasher safe.

Other products in the Stellar Cast range can be viewed on the Stellar Cookware website.

Disclaimer. Stellar Cookware provided the cast griddle pan for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Stellar Cookware Review

February 2, 2016 By Rachel Leave a Comment

Stellar Cookware

Good quality pans and roasting tins are essential in my kitchen and it’s not always the most expensive that passes the test. With a busy kitchen I need equipment that’s durable, provides good heat conduction and is easy to clean. When Stellar Cookware recently launched the new Hard Anodised Ovenware range, I was more than happy to review one of the roasting tins from the collection.

This roasting tin is available in 3 sizes and I reviewed the smallest tin – 32 x 22 x 5cm. The tin is lightweight and will easily hold a family size chicken for roasting. It has a hard anodised finish for unbeatable durabilty and the alloy construction provides for even heat distribution. The thicker gague means the tin can also be used on the hob and under the gill, up to 240C.

I tested the tin for roasting chicken, potatoes and vegetables. On all 3 tests it performed well, non stick quality was excellent and the tin washed like new.

Handles

The handles are incorporated into the side of the roasting tin, a feature I really like and specifically tested the tin for. I have a habit of burning my wrists on the protruding handles of certain roasting tins, particularly when the hot tin is transferred from the oven to hob for further cooking.

Features

At £20 this tin is excellent value for money. Other good features are:-

Hard anodised heavy gague material, abrasion resistant, can even use metal utensils.

Unlike some non-stick bakeware the surface will not peel or flake off and will never rust – also PTFE and PFOA free

Efficient and even heat distribution for superior cooking and baking results.

Suitable for oven use up to 240C – can also be used under the grill and also on the hob.

Stellar lifetime guarantee.

Further information on the full Stellar Cookware range can be found at www.stellarcookware.co.uk

Thank you to Stellar Cookware and PBMmarketing for supplying the roasting tin for this review. All views expressed are my own

Perfect for Christmas gift – Zing Organics

December 3, 2015 By Rachel Leave a Comment

Tis the season to be jolly, give presents, share and enjoy food with family and friends. But, before you get anywhere near Christmas day it’s gift shopping that causes the most angst. For me it just brings out my inner Bah Humbug as the shops gear up to fleece us with awful food. That mountainous, overpriced and over wrapped selection of food gifts that occupies shelf space, usually from September onwards. And, just don’t get me started on novelty food or all those gift packs bearing the smiling faces of celeb chefs.

Now that I’ve got that off my chest, I should add that there are some very good quality, artisan food gifts available and that’s where I’ll be spending my money. Buying food gifts from some of my favourite small producers makes Christmas shopping so much easier and of course very satisfying. Over the next week I’ll be highlighting some of the gifts that have made it onto my shopping list this year and believe me not one will involve treking around shopping centres or supermarkets.

First up is this artisan range of gourmet Aromachefery infused sea salts and oils from Kirsty Morrison at Zing Organics. Although herbs feature regularly in my cooking, I love the extra kick these oils and salts add to a finished dish.

The infused sea salts are available in a range of natural flavours and will make a great gift for any food lover or cook. The fresh and sharp citrus flavour of lemon, or spicy black pepper, both perfect on fish and salads; or bring a distinctive depth of flavour to meat dishes with the herbal flavours of bay laurel, thyme, or rosemary.

Gourmet infused sea salts come in a handy ziplock resealable bag

Gourmet infused sea salts come in a handy resealable ziplock pouch

Don’t be misled by the size of the the gourmet infused aromacherfery oil concentrates. The small 8ml dropper bottles are intensively concentrated and one or two drops will add a delicious punch to food and take any dish up a notch.

Bring out the flavour in any dish by adding one or two drops of Armomachefery oil

These are available in lemon, lime, bay laurel, thyme and rosemary and will transform the simplest of fresh food.

For gin lovers, a stunning range of aromatic gin infused with organic essential oils will not disappoint. Each 20ml bottle has 200 servings and flavours include, green mandarin, lemon, lime, bourbon geranium, frankincense and patchouli. Perk up dishes like smoked salmon or smoked halibut, seafood and risotto or add a spray to sweet dishes such as sorbets and ice creams.

Aromacherfery spray

As you would expect from this high quality artisan range, Zing Organics aromachefery salts and oils contain only natural ingredients infused with food grade organic essential oils. They are superb products simply bursting with natural flavour along with the most delicious heavenly aromas.

Zing Organics also offer a range of candles, candle making workshops and parfums, all handmade and fragranced with the same top quality pure essential oils. Further information on all products can be found on the website

Disclaimer I was provided with a range of salts and oils to review by Zing Organics.

A Taste of Spain with Orodeal Olive Oil

July 15, 2015 By Rachel 2 Comments

Buying a house complete with olive groves in Spain is one of those dreams that many of us have, but few ever achieve. Buying a derelict ruin in Spain sounds more of nightmare but that’s exactly what Kirkcaldy couple, Callum and Anne Marie Henderson did in 2007. Several years on and with a renovated house in Andalucian hills, Callum is now a member of the local olive oil cooperative and sells his extra virgin olive oil throughout the UK.

The sloping Andalucian olive groves

The house, set in the on the western hills of Andalucia and adjacent to Priego de Cordoba and Jaen has the perfect conditions for growing fantastic olives – high rainfall, large temperature variations and soil with a high lime content. It’s an area dependent on olive farming, 540 farmers covering less than 10 hectares; a mill owned by the local farming cooperative, whole families and indeed a village working together to preserve traditional methods. With trees producing enough olives for around 125 litres of olive oil, Christmas for the Henderson family is spent in Spain harvesting olives.

In the early days the oil was bottled with their own label but seven years on, the top quality oil they produce is part of the local cooperative, selling under the Orodeal range via their company Extra Virgin Spain. The cooperative currently produces three different olive oils from the Picudo and Hojiblanca and Picul olives and Callum and Anne marie are now regulars at some of Scotland’s markets and food festivals with their distinctively yellow coloured branded Orodeal oils. All Oredeal olive oils are unfiltered and may be slightly cloudy, but according to Callum filtering removes some of the flavour and it’s what makes his oils taste do good.

Callum is also the UK partner for GreenOliveOil an initiative set up by the University of Cordoba to ensure that traditional Spanish artisan producers receive a fair price for their oils and to create a sustainable future for the producer, the farmers, their communities and way of life. All Orodeal olive oils are certified GreenOliveoil.

Olive oil is a staple in my kitchen along with the range of other oils I use for cooking but with such a wide variety of olive oils, I like to keep a plentiful supply. Travelling abroad to olive oil producing countries, usually sees my bag crammed with a selection of the local olive oils, rather than the usual duty free perfume and alcohol. Being very much a ‘know your producer’ when it comes to food and with the Hendersons oils being part of their local cooperative, I was more than happy to try them when Callum sent a few for tasting. He also included some jars of the olive varieties used to produce the olive oil and it was interesting to taste these along with the final product .

Orodeal Olive Oil and olives

A family tasting was essential

A family tasting was essential and everyone gave top marks to the Orodeal olive oils and olives, tasted along with crusty bread, quail eggs and basil leaves. Callum had sent two oils, Orodeal Single Variety and Orodeal Gold – The Orodeal Single Variety is produced from Picudo olives and due to the altitude of the olive grove has a sweeter fresher flavour. The olives are harvested early while still green producing a fresh green grassy aroma. It’s rightly described as an intense fruity flavour with hints of tomato, fresh apple and almonds developing into a bitter, spicy aftertaste. I’ve been using it mainly for dressings and for dipping with crusty bread.

Orodeal Single Variety

The second oil, the Orodeal Gold is produced from 80% Picudo olives and 20% Hojiblanca olives, giving a soft, fruity flavour. I really liked this fruity oil with it’s little spicy kick and it’s one I’ll definitely be keeping in the store cupboard.

Orodeal Gold – available in a 3 litre box, vacuum packed to protect the oil from exposure to light and air.

Callum tells me that the Orodeal Gold is a great all rounder and is also the oil preferred by some chefs including Scotland’s 2015 Chef of the Year, Craig Wood at TheWee Restaurant in North Queensferry, Fife.

There’s also a limited edition oil produced from a very limited early harvest o f60% Picudo olives, 30% Hojiblanca olives and 10% Picual olives. This is described as as having hints of fresh cut grass, delicate tomato, fresh fruit and herbs – with a slightly bitter taste, definitely on my list to try.

Orodeal Limited Edition with the distinctive yellow branding

It was interesting to learn that Extra Virgin olive oil can have a Denominacion de Origin (DO) – similar to the status afforded to wines and food products like parma ham and certain cheeses – Orodeal is Denominacion de Origin Ponient de Granada.

An internationally recognised system of certifying superior quality products.

The DO is a internationally recognised system for recognising and regulating superior and unique quality products and producers from specific geographic sources.

In the Uk Orodeal olive oil is available from Extra Virgin Spain and also at some Scottish markets and food festivals. Check the website for details.

Some products I receive for review come with interesting facts and olive oil production is one of those. It’s been interesting to learn so much about about the history and the production of both olive oils and in particular Callum and Anne Marie’s Spanish oil. Here are some facts about Spanish olive oil.

Spain acounts for about 45% of global olive oil production
Andalucia accounts for about 75% of all Spanish olive oil production
In 2014 the top 4 best olive oils in the world came from Andalucia and the region also produced 7 of the 10 best oils in the world.

In the UK Orodeal olive oil is available from Extra Virgin Spain and also at some markets and food festivals. Check the website for details.

Included with the oils I received were two samples from another Spanish Olive Oil producer, 900 Novecientos, a company that recently won a gold medal at the New York Olive Oil Competition and is now listed as one of the best in the world.These oils were absolutely delicious and if you’re interested in tasting, some varieties are available from Extra Virgin Spain

Cooking with Tinned Fish

November 4, 2014 By Rachel Leave a Comment

Tinned fish, admittedly mainly salmon and sardines are always in my store cupboard. Salmon is ideal for sandwiches and I just adore sardines on toast for my lunch or as quick healthy and filling snack. One of my speedy standby meals is pasta with sardines in tomato sauce, healthy, quick and on the table in 10-15 minutes. So, when John West asked me if I was interested in cooking some meals with a selection of their products, I wanted to find out more about tinned fish.

John West has a great selection of healthy tinned fish.

Fish Facts.

Quality – The fish used in canned seafood is not inferior. The quality is as good as fresh fish.

Economical – Canned seafood is an economical way to buy seafood.

Healthy and full of flavour – Canned seafood is great for making quick and healthy meals. There’s a great selection to chose from including, tuna, salmon, sardines and mackerel and you’ll also find these with with added sauces including tomato, lemon, mustard or BBQ. Tinned fish is packed full of health giving nutrients, especially omega 3 (except tuna as the omega 3 is lost in the canning process), which has been shown to have so many health benefits. These healthy fats are good for our brain, our heart and can also have a role in maintaining a normal blood pressure. Health experts currently recommend we eat two serving of fish a week, one of which should be an oily rich fish. So, given that a tin of sardines with soft bones provides around half of an adults daily calcium requirements, it’s definitely worth considering tinned fish as part of your weekly diet.

I decided it was time to think outside the tin and try some new recipes. The John West website has a wide range of recipes and I used some as a basis for the recipes in this post.

We love fishcakes in our house and the tinned red salmon was perfect for this recipe. It worked well and made a really tasty family meal. When my boys were small I used to make fishcakes as it was a good way to get them eating a variety of fish and to make sure they were getting their omega 3s. This recipe will work with any tinned fish and as well as making an easy family meal, it will also be excellent for making some canape size fish cakes.

Salmon fishcakes – a healthy family meal from tinned salmon.

Ingredients: 170g John West pink salmon skinless & boneless drained. 150g mashed potato chilled. 1-2 tbsp chopped parsley. Zest of half a lemon. 1 egg beaten. 50g breadcrumbs. (I used breadcrumbs from sundried tomato bread) 2-3 tbsp rapeseed oil. Salt and freshly ground black pepper.

To prepare the Salmon Fishcakes recipe preheat the oven to 190c or gas mark 5. In a large mixing bowl add the mash potato, tinned salmon, parsley and lemon zest. Season with a little salt and milled pepper and mix together. Divide into 4 balls and shape into fishcakes. Leave to chill in the fridge for 15 minutes. Meanwhile place the flour, egg and breadcrumbs into 3 separate bowl.

Roll into ball and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes

Dust the fishcakes in flour until completely coated,dip then dip into the egg and roll in breadcrumbs.

Ready to cook

In a large frying pan, heat the rapeseed oil and gently cook the fishcakes until golden on both sides. Place onto an oven tray and pop into the oven to warm through, for about 10 minutes. Serve with tartare sauce and vegetables.

Tinned Mackerel – Mackerel, Bacon and Rosemary Gnocchi

The second recipe is made with tinned mackerel and this was one fish product I had never used before, preferring to stick with either fresh or smoked mackerel. I was pleasantly surprised at how good it tasted and what surprised me more was that the entire family gave it the thumbs up. The addition of the gnocchi made it a nice filling dish and like tinned salmon it is packed full of nutrition and is great for famly meals.

Delicious, healthy and colourful.

Ingredients : 100g diced pancetta. 1 red pepper chopped. 1 tbsp rapeseed oil (optional, see cooking instructions) 1 small tub of half fat creme fraiche. 2 110g cans of John West steam cooked mackerel – natural with no added brine. 400g gnocchi. Half a bunch of chives snipped or rosemary chopped. 5 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan.

Cook the gnochhi according to the instructions on the packet and drain. Cook the pancetta and red pepper for 5 mins. If using a non stick pan, no oil will be needed but otherwise add 1tbsp of rapeseed oil. Mix the natural with no added brine. 400g gnochhi. Half a bunch of chives snipped or rosemary chopped. 5 tbsp freshly grated creme faiche, herbs and half of the Parmesan together with the mackerel fillets and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Stir in the gnocchi, pancetta and red pepper and pour into large oven proof dish. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until bubbling hot and golden brown. Serve with vegetables.

Mackrel, bacon and rosemary gnochhi is a filling and healthy meal.

Mackerel, bacon and rosemary gnochhi is a filling and healthy meal

This post is the first of a two part series on cooking with tinned fish. Find up more inspiration for cooking with the John West product range and other fishy tales on the John West website

I was provided with a box with a range of John West Products. I was not paid and all opinions are my own.

Another ‘Damn Delcious’ recipe. Pork Chops with Rosemary & Ginger Wine Sauce

August 3, 2014 By Rachel Leave a Comment

Recently, Farmer Michael Shannon of Damn Delicious, sent me a selection of his top quality Scotch beef and pork to cook with. The beef was the first to be cooked and it was as it said on the label, ‘Damn Delicious’. You can read about the beef and what I cooked in the previous blog post.

Damn Delicious have a fantastic range of Scotch beef, lamb and pork and as well as being an online butcher, this week the new farm shop opened, stocking the same wide selection of the farm’s delicious meat.

The new Damn Delicious farm shop at Thankerton Farm, Biggar.

The new shop sells the same top quality meat that's available online from Damn Delicious

The new farm shop sells the same top quality meat that’s available online from Damn Delicious

Among the selection of meat I received were some very nice looking pork chops and I decided to cook them using a Quality Meat Scotland recipe from one of the recipe books that Damn Delicious had included with the parcel.

Making the most of Summer. Simple & satisfying meals for easy Summer eating.

The recipe I opted to use, ‘pork chops with rosemary & ginger wine sauce’ was quick and easy and made for a delicious meal served with new potatoes and vegetables.

Pork chops with rosemary & ginger wine sauce

Ingredients: 4 pork chops, (2 1/2 cm thick) or boneless loin chops, leaves from 2 sprigs of rosemary-finely chopped, salt & pepper, a little olive oil or butter.

Ginger Wine Sauce: 12 tbsp ginger wine, 200ml water or stock, 2 tbsp grainy mustard, 4 tbsp cream or half fat creme fraiche (optional), 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley.

Method: Pork Chops: Sprinkle the chops with rosemary, salt and pepper. Heat a non stick pan until nice and hot then add a teaspoon of oil. Fry the chops for 6 or 7 minutes on each side until well browned. Remove the chops to a warm serving dish in a moderate oven while you make the sauce.

Sauce: Reduce the heat then pour in the ginger wine, let it bubble for a few seconds then add the water or stock and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Stir in the mustard, cream (if using) and parsley. After 1 minute remove from the heat. Check that the chops are thoroughly cooked (those with the bone in will take a little longer than loin steaks) and if not quite done you can return to the pan with the sauce and simmer gently for a few minutes more. Serve the chops with plenty of the sauce spooned over.

The rosemary & ginger wine sauce was the perfect accompaniment to the pork chops.

The quality and flavour of the pork chops was outstanding and you can view the full range of pork and other meat available on the Damn Delicious website. Additional recipes for quality Scotch beef, lamb and pork recipes can be found at the following links to Quality Meat Scotland websites.

Scotch beef and lamb

Specially selected pork

Damn Delicious Scotch Beef

July 28, 2014 By Rachel Leave a Comment

Scotch beef is renowned for it’s quality the world over and here at home we’re fortunate to have such fantastic farmers producing top quality beef, lamb and pork. Provenance is everything, with consumers demanding to know more about how and where the meat on their plate is produced. Key in all of this is knowing your butcher and he’ll be more than happy to discuss where his meat is farmed. But, there’s also another increasingly popular way to source good quality Scotch beef. What about knowing your farmer.

With the increase and popularity of line shopping, there are now some exceptionally good Scottish farmers selling their meat direct to the customer. Damn Delicious , a family owned farm in Biggar, Lananrkshire has been selling direct since 2007 and recently, they sent me some of their outstanding Aberdeen Angus Scotch beef and pork.

Damn Delicious take great pride in using unique and natural farming methods to ensure their meat is of the finest quality. All year round, the Aberdeen Angus beef herd live and roam outside on the farm. Grazing on fresh grass and clover in Summer, then when Winter arrives they feed on fresh kale with silage or hay. Farmer Michael Shannon believes that it’s this, along with maturing the beef on the bone for one month, that creates the most incredible flavoured meat, and ensures maximum taste and tenderness.

Beef is something I really enjoy cooking and I have to say that over the years there’s been a number of occasions that I’ve been disappointed with meat that lacked flavour and tenderness. Happily the comments from the carniverous Gillon family’s taste test of Damn Delicious meat were fantastic and it’s a butcher I’ll be more than happy to buy from in the future.

I stuck with a couple of family favourites for the casserole steak and the mince but decided to cook the steak using a recipe from a Quality Meat Scotland recipe booklet that arrived along with the meat. When cooked, the beef was incredibly tender and the flavour was outstanding, much stronger and flavoursome than other beef I’ve used. Here’s the recipes for the dishes I cooked. All serve 4.

Scotch Beef Steak with fennel and rosemary. Ingredients: 4 Scotch beef steaks (sirloin, rib-eye, rump or fillet) I used 2 rib-eye and 2 sirloin. 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, freshly ground pepper, 2 tsp crushed fennel seeds, 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary.

These rib eye and sirloin steak lived up to the name, Damn Delicious.

Method: Rub the steaks with pepper, fennel, rosemary and olive oil and leave to marinate overnight if possible, but 15 minutes will do. When ready to cook, the steaks can either be cooked on the BBQ or grill/griddle. Cook to your liking, (see suggestions) allow to rest and cut into thick slices to serve. Suggested timings from the QMS recipe booklet are :- Rare 2 1/2 minutes each side, Medium 4 minutes each side, Well done 6 minutes each side. These timings are approximate and based on a 1″ thick sirloin steak pan fried.

The Gillon boys are prefer beef rare and this didn't disappoint

The Gillon boys prefer rare beef and this didn’t disappoint

I served with roasted tomatoes, griddled courgettes, oven bake garlic mushrooms and a green salad.

Italian Beef Casserole. Ingredients . 1 -2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil, 450g diced casserole steak, 1 small pack of pancetta cubes, 1 onion finely chopped, 2 cloves garlic crushed, 2tbsp tomato puree, 400g can chopped tomatoes, approximately 250ml red wine, 2 tbsp mixed chopped fresh herbs, rosemary, and thyme work well. 1 bay leaf, half tsp dried basil, ‘a wee pinch of sugar’, salt and freshly ground black pepper, I red pepper chopped,1 chopped courgette (optional) .

To finish: Rind of half a lemon grated, 2 garlic cloves crushed, 1 red chilli chopped and 3 anchovies. Finely chop to a paste like consistency.

To serve: 400g Tagliatelle and freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Method: Pre heat the oven to 150C/Fan 130C, Gas 2. Use a flameproof casseole, heat the oil over a medium heat, add the beef and brown on all sides. Don’t overcrowd the pan otherwise the meat will steam. As the meat browns, remove and set aside. Add the pancetta, brown for 1-2 minutes, add the onion and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes and then add the garlic. Cook for about 1 minute, return the beef to the pan and mix well. Add the tomato puree, stirring to coat the meat and cook for a further minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, red wine, herbs and a ‘ wee pinch of sugar‘. Slowly bring to a simmer, season with salt and pepper, put the lid on and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven and add the chopped red pepper and courgette if using and continue cooking for 30 minutes. Stir the anchovy mix through and mix well. Serve on a bed of tagliatelle and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Italian Beef Casserole

Serve on a bed of tagliatelle and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

The final recipe with steak mince is one of my favourites, Spaghetti Bolognese. I’ve been making this dish for more than 30 years and over that time, the recipe has undergone many changes. Suggestions from an Italian relative and friends has meant new ingredients were added, or some were taken out, but after all those years the recipe is now in ‘tablets of stone’. Washed down with a nice glass of red wine, it’s just the perfect comfort food dinner at any time of the year.

Spaghetti Bolognese: Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil, 1 onion chopped, 2-3 garlic cloves crushed, 1 small packet of pancetta cubes, 450g Aberdeen Angus steak mince, 1 tbsp plain flour (optional) large heaped tbsp tomato puree, 400 can of chopped tomatoes, 1 large carrot finely diced, 1 celery finely chopped, 1 tsp dried Italian herbs, approx 250ml red wine, a ‘wee pinch of sugar’, salt and freshly ground black pepper. To Serve: 400g spaghetti and freshly ground Parmesan cheese.

Method: Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Add the pancetta, cook for 2-3 minutes. Increase the heat, add the steak mince and continue cooking until well browned. Reduce the heat, sprinkle the flour ( if using ) over the meat and stir for 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato puree,through the meat and continue cooking for 1 minute. Add the tinned tomatoes, carrot, celery, herbs, red wine, sugar, seasoning , stir and bring gently to the boil. Simmer for at least 1 hour, adding more wine or if preferred water, until the mince is tender. Serve with spaghetti and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Serve with spaghetti and finish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Next week I’ll be posting the recipe for the Damn Delicious Pork chops. Meantime, if you are interested in finding out more about Damn Delicious meat and their farming methods check out their website. Their new farm shop opens this week and will also be well stocked with top quality Scotch beef, lamb and pork.

Damn Delicious are rightly proud of their unique farming methods.

Further recipes for quality Scotch beef, pork and lamb can be found at QMS .

Zing Organics

July 9, 2014 By Rachel Leave a Comment

When Kirsty Morrison, founder of Zing Organics sent me a range of her gourmet ‘aromachefery’ nectars and seasonings, it was a real pleasure to experiment and cook with them. Kirsty a Scottish artisan perfumer and Chandler, developed a natural range of aromatherapy based products after she became sensitive to a number of products and ingredients when pregnant.

Our stories are similar. Kirsty learned about natural aromas and flavour from her grandfather who was a market gardener and at a young age was making perfume from petals. My introduction to fragrance was much the same, as a child I would collect rosé petals and add to small bottles of water to make my own rosewater. Fast forward a number of years and my interest in aromatics continued and to further my knowledge, while my boys were young, I trained in aromatherapy. That gave me a much deeper understanding of the therapeutic benefits of aromatic and medicinal plants, and I’ve been fascinated by them ever since. They became a big part of our lives and with their wide range of health giving benefits, aromatics, herbs and spices are an integral part of my cooking.

As you would expect from this high quality artisan range, Zing Organics aromatic salts and sugars, contain only natural ingredients which Kirsty infuses with food grade organic essential oils. She has created a superb product that’s simply bursting with natural flavour along with the most delicious heavenly aromas.

The gourmet salt is available in a range of delicious flavours, including lemon, thyme, wild spruce, basil, Spanish thyme and Rosemary. Just sublime for enhancing a wide range of meat, fish, chicken and vegetable dishes.

The sugars are all Fair Trade and like the salts are packed with intensely concentrated flavour. Lavender, cardamom, bourbon geranium, bergamot and ylang ylang, flavours that add another dimension to cakes, biscuits deserts, ice creams and drinks.

All Zing Organic products are beautifully packaged in recyclable or compostable material

Kirsty sent me the Thyme, lemon and black pepper sea salts to try and here’s some of the dishes they were added to. The lemon sea is so versatile, it’s uplifting and fresh citrus flavour is a perfect addition to chicken and fish. The spicy, herbaceous flavours of the Spanish thyme salt is wonderful with potatoes, chicken and meats. Black pepper sea salt, with its sharp, spicy and penetrating flavour is an ideal partner to mix with the lemon salt and will add deep flavour to most savoury dishes.

A small sprinkling of both the lemon and thyme salts was ideal for the chicken and pork one pot dish.

A small sprinkling of both the lemon and thyme salts was ideal for this chicken and pork one pot dish.

The thyme salt was a great partner for the tiny roast potatoes

Lemon sea salt was perfect on this guacamole

Lemon sea salt, perfect partner for this guacamole

The lemon seas salt was also a wonderful addition to this smoke haddock and poached egg.

The lemon sea salt was also a wonderful addition to this smoked haddock and poached egg.

A tiny sprinkle of lemon sea salt and a sprinkle of the thyme salt really enhanced the flavour of this halibut with giant couscous and summer vegetables.

A tiny sprinkle of lemon sea salt and a sprinkle of the black pepper salt really enhanced the flavour of this halibut, served with giant couscous and summer vegetables.

I’ll be writing about what I did with the sugars in a second post about Zing Organics, but meantime, you can view the full range of gourmet salts and sugars, along with the range of candles and room fragrances on the website. www. zingorganics.co.uk

My Hotter Moment

June 18, 2014 By Rachel Leave a Comment

‘Secret ingredients that make comfortable shoes‘, a ‘Comfort Concept‘, that got my attention in an invitation from ‘Hotter‘ to the launch of the new Summer collection at their Glasgow store. Next to food, which is normally what you’ll find me writing about, I’m quite partial to shoes. Not any old shoes you understand, usually flattish, comfortable, stylish shoes, the kind you don’t really want to take off. And believe me after many years of buying flat shoes, I feel well qualified to tell you that flat doesn’t always mean comfort, and blending comfort and style can sometimes be tricky. Not so at Hotter, they’ve been making stylish, comfy shoes for over five decades and their shoes have a ‘little secret’, ‘The Comfort Concept’

At Hotter Shoes, the ‘Comfort Concept’ is not just a marketing slogan, it’s a blend of secret ingredients, injected into every pair of shoes, that creates the perfect Hotter fit. Flex grooves in the sole allow for flexibility, pyramid technology for heavenly comfort on the ball of the foot, and supersoft all round padding is what you’ll find in a Hotter shoe, along with ‘wiggle’ room for toes

Hotter’s little secret….The Comfort Concept

Super Soft
Lightweight
Cushioning
Flexible
Breathable
Fittings to Suit You

And then, the promise of the ‘Hotter Moment‘, the pleasure you feel when you slip into a pair of Hotter shoes. Yes, that really does happen and it’s not the least bit embarrassing!

Another passion at Hotter Shoes is to create beautiful shoes, footwear that’s fashionable, versatile and feminine with lots of detail. I was certainly impressed by the kaleidoscope of colours and prints across the collections, and with a wide range of styles, it meant there was a shoe for every occasion. Although I didn’t chose the prettiest pair of shoes in new colourful summer range, my choice, a pair of ‘Scarlett’ sandals, was perfect for my feet and my up an coming holiday to USA.

My 'Scarlett' sandals, described as 'designed to fit anatomically'

My ‘Scarlett’ sandals, described as anatomically designed to fit.

I chose the Violet Nubuck but Scarlett also comes in ‘Dark Aqua, Khaki and Black and in two fittings, standard and extra wide.

Fast forward a few weeks and me and my sandals were on a road test in Georgia and in particular the North Georgia Blue Ridge Mountains. Did my ‘Hotter Moment‘ continue? Let’s face it, uncomfortable shoes can be a nightmare but on holidays there’s no time for aching feet.

C’mon boy, these sandals were made for walking

The answer is an overwhelming yes. These super comfortable, action woman sandals went fishing, dog walking, played ‘horseshoe’, lay on the deck, shopped and generally strolled around North Georgia.

Ready for action, even when resting

Back home in Scotland my ‘Scarletts’ have been a little less active but we’re still marching around the countryside on dogs walks and taking everyday life in our stride. Definitely at the top of my top comfy shoe list. The Summer has a bit to go yet and I’m sure my sandals will see some more action in the weeks to come.

Hotter also gave me this beautiful luxurious Umbrella and I’m sure it will see plenty of action with the Scottish weather.

The beautiful ‘Coniston’ umbrella is available in three colours

Thanks to Hotter for providing the pair of Scarlett sandals for road testing. Check out the Hotter website to see the videos from the launch of the Summer collection at their Glasgow Store, with a few words from me on my Sandals.

One last word…..thanks to Jess the dog for being my partner on the ‘Hotter’ road test.

Maw Broon’s Kitchen – Making Great Sauce

April 21, 2014 By Rachel Leave a Comment

There are some things in my fridge that are must have as far as my boys are concerned and that’s ketchup and brown sauce. No matter what other fancy ingredients, foods and sauces lurk on the shelves, the tomato ketchup and brown sauce are firm favourites with them. The sauces also find their way into several of my recipes and ketchup is also a secret ingredient favourited by many chefs with even the great Michel Roux using ‘Tommy Ketchup’ in his shepherds pie.

Broon and tomato sauce, both favourites in our house

However, we’re prone to a bit of sauce snobbery in our house. We’d never be seen dead with cheap ketchup, it’s always the well known brand, served straight from the the bottle. No fancy sauce dispenser for us, we like to show our label!

But what about a change in brand, what kind of reaction would that get from the boys. Edinburgh based company, Maw Broon’s sauce had sent tomato and broon sauces for reviewing and of course the best time to test was with the big Sunday cooked breakfast. I’m more of brown sauce fan when it comes to sauce with my breakfast sausage while the boys are long time lovers of ketchup.

Made in small batches from the very best ingredients.

Both sauces got the thumbs up. The tomato sauce was rich and tomatoey, as you would want from a sauce to accompany food. The brown sauce ticked all boxes with it’s fruit and tangy flavour and was the ideal accompaniment to our Sunday breakfast.

Maw Broon’s sauces were the perfect accompaniment to Sunday breakfast

Also the sauces have no artificial additives or preservatives, good enough to be in my pantry and on the table, labels and all!