Stokes Sauces: World Food - sharing the culture of taste

World Food Week

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/page/sauces/ketchup-and-sauces

World Food Week kicks off the British summer, running from the 24th to the 30th of June.

The week aims to provide people with the opportunity to try something new and be more adventurous with their food choices.

As 'taste' is our middle name, we thought we'd visit a few cultural flavours here today.

Basque Chicken

Let's start in the Basque country of south west France where food is simple, rustic and rich with peppers, garlic, tomatoes and paprika.

Pre-heat your oven to 180°C / Gas mark 4. Joint and brown a chicken then set it aside. In a casserole dish, fry 2 chopped onions, 2 peppers, a courgette, 3 or 4 grated garlic cloves, 1 tbsp of thyme leaves and 120 g of skinned, diced chorizo.

Add 1 tin of chopped tomatoes, 300 ml of chicken stock and 175 ml of white wine. Pop the chicken back in with 300 g of basmati rice. Let it come to a gentle boil, add 3 tbsp of Stokes Chipotle Ketchup and 3 or 4 tbsp of our Tomato Ketchup. Lid on and into the oven for 50 minutes. It's a one pot winner.

Duck Ramen

Right over to Japan to which these Chinese style wheat noodles were introduced by Chinese immigration over 100 years ago.

Rub a couple of duck breasts with Chinese 5 spice and Stokes Hoisin Sauce then fry them in a hot pan for 5 minutes, skin side down, before transferring to a very hot oven for 10 minutes or so. Set them aside to rest before slicing into strips.

In 1.25 litres of simmering chicken stock add 1 red chilli, 1 inch of grated ginger, 2 grated garlic cloves, 4 chopped spring onions, 3 tbsp of soy sauce and 3 tbsp of Stokes Chilli Ketchup (add more to taste).

While this simmers for 15 minutes, cook 300 g of egg noodles to the pack's instruction, drain and rest. Divide the noodles between 4 bowls, pour on the broth, add slices of duck, chopped spring onions and a hard boiled egg.

Moroccan Meatballs

Now to the fruit, heat and aromatics of Morocco.

Turn 350 g of minced beef into meatballs, combining them in a bowl with ground cumin and a few glugs of Stokes Brown Sauce before rolling into 14 balls. Fry them in a deep pan for 10 minutes then set them aside.

In the pan, soften 1 sliced onion and 2 grated cloves of garlic for 6 or 7 minutes. Add 75 g of chopped dried apricots, a tin of chopped tomatoes (also half of the can of water), a beef stock bouillon and 4 tbsp of Stokes Tomato Ketchup.

Simmer for 10 minutes then add the meatballs for 5 minutes more. Sprinkle with a handful of toasted almonds, break four eggs onto the surface and bake them in a hot oven or under the grill.

Mexican Chilli

Across the Atlantic to the colours and chillis of Mexico.

With avocado, tomatoes, red onion, sweetcorn, kidney beans and Stokes Chilli Ketchup, you're halfway there. Add 400 g of minced beef to a softened chopped onion, a grated clove of garlic and diced red pepper.

As you brown the meat, stir in 3 or 4 tbsp of Stokes Chilli Ketchup (more if you like it hotter) and 1 tbsp of fresh, chopped oregano leaves. Add 1 tin of chopped tomatoes and a beef stock bouillon.

Whilst it is simmering, grate a couple of squares of dark, high cacao content chocolate into the spicy mixture to give it a beautiful sheen. You can add kidney beans (drained, rinsed and drained again) and enjoy your chilli with rice or, with the other assorted garnishes and soured cream in tacos.

A world of taste - spoon it, shake it, squeeze it