We can now enjoy North Sea cod with a clear conscience after the fishery was awarded sustainable status by the Marine Stewardship Council last month. Stocks have reached their highest levels for over 35 years.
Whether you love them or hate them, whether you're a weekly devotee or have them as 'an occasional treat' - there's something special about a freshly fried piece of cod and chips 'how the chippy makes them'. With gravy, with curry sauce; with mushy peas or without. Salted and vinegared, wrapped good to go.
What's your favourite sauce or chippy ritual? Please tell us: tweet here, or post here.
Forties, Fisher, Dogger
Three of the met regions surrounding the British Isles fishing regions and announced in the Shipping Forecast on the BBC. It's essential listening for the brave crews who do what they do in all weathers give us our catch of the day.
Mustard Crust - a lovely addition to succulent fresh fillets of cod.
Put the fish fillets skin side down in a large buttered ovenproof pan; press the breadcrumb mixture on the fish; and bake in a pre-heated oven 180°C, gas 6 until the crust is a golden brown crust texture, 10–15 minutes only.
Andalucian Cod Bake- really easy and packed with cod-loving flavours.
Trim and season a couple of decent sized cod loin
steaks and set aside. For
the Andalucían tomato sauce (our take) in a large skillet (with a lid);
soften
one chopped Spanish onion, one sweet red pepper, a chopped stick of
celery and roughly chopped pieces of chorizo sausage (as much or little
as you like) to add that smokey paprika depth.Now add a tin of chopped tomatoes and bring to the simmer. Add a dozen black stoned, chopped olives; two tablespoons of washed capers; a sprig or two of fresh thyme; and the grated zest of half a Seville orange. Season, adding three teaspoons of Stokes Chilli Jam and a few glugs of our Award WinningTomato Ketchup. Reduce to a thicker intense simmering sauce.
Pop the cod loins onto the simmering sauce, put its lid on (or seal the top with foil), turn the heat off and leave for 10 to 15 minutes until the cod has steamed to perfection in all those Andalucía flavours.
Bloody Mary Rose Sauce - a delicious alternative to Marie Rose sauce.
The North Atlantic Prawn is a truly delicious thing. A pealed pile of the little beauties on crispy iceberg lettuce with this wonderful sauce is pure heaven. Simply use three parts Stokes Real Mayonnaise to one part StokesBloody Mary Ketchup and enjoy.
Grub on the go for busy August gastronomes
It's been the usual eclectic British summer so far, switching from heatwave to chill from one day to the next. I don't really like to spend too much time in the kitchen during August but do still want to share meals to make us smile and flavours to make our taste buds tingle.So, here are some recipes and ideas for snacks, lunches, simple suppers and tasty food tips for you to try.
We will introduce sauces, dips and other Stokes goodies, sharing the team's favourite twists to make Stokes Sauces work even harder to excite and challenge the palate.
Simple Twists
Egg & Bacon Salad
Make a three egg omelette rolled tightly and sliced into roulettes (or eggy strips). Sauté cubes of smoked bacon. Use the bacon and omelette strips to garnish a green salad dressed and dress with Stokes Olive & Balsamic Dressing.
...add chilli salsa:
Roughly chop some vine tomatoes, cucumber, sweet red pepper and stir with our Olive & Balsamic Dressing, spooning in Stokes Chilli Jam to taste. Add this to the salad before garnishing with the bacon and omelette. (Melting cheese in your omelette works really well too.)
American Salad
They would call this a Cobb Salad in the States. For this British twist: chop bacon and begin to brown; cut boneless chicken into strips and cook with the bacon.
Toss romaine, watercress or rocket with chopped tomatoes, avocado, spring onion and crumbled feta or blue Stilton cheese. Add the meat and dress with Stokes Caesar Dressing.
Pasta Romana
A simple Italian classic: Lightly cook plenty of grated garlic in good olive oil (watch it so it doesn't burn). Add half a dozen anchovy fillets and a dozen stoned, sliced Kalamata olives.Finely chop and add a hot red chilli (two if you like more fire). Coat with olive oil and Stokes Mango & Orange Dressing and serve with pasta. The Mango & Orange offers a gentle sweetness against the salty anchovies.
Pasta di Mare
Really simple and truly tasty. Whatever seafood you want, warm or cook it in lots of olive oil with fresh garlic, thyme, basil, marjoram and parsley.
Add a tin of chopped tomatoes and two tablespoons of Stokes Sweet Chilli Sauce and a couple of good glugs of Stokes Award Winning Tomato Ketchup. We love Guiseppe Cocco pasta, to whom the image ( above right) pays homage.
Winners !
We couldn't be prouder of the Great Taste Awards announcement this week and the veritable larder of Stokes products that are winners.
Not one, not two, but eight delicious ticks in the winners box. You are not just shopping for Stokes - you're enjoying Award Winning Stokes:
Bloody Mary Ketchup
Chilli Ketchup
Tomato Ketchup
Original Barbeque Sauce
Sweet Chilli Sauce
Chilli Jam
Red Onion Marmalade and
Fig Relish
National Burger Day24th August is National Burger Day. Organised by Mr Hyde, there are burger events being organised nationwide and the chance to collect vouchers offering 20% off. Moreso, this is an opportunity to try venues you might not otherwise have considered visiting.
Take a look at their website (here) and you might find something interesting near you.
The burger (right) is one of those @AubreyAlley will be serving on the day, with @StokesSauces of course.
Alternatively, get together and make your own fabulous stack of yumminess. Or pop down to the butcher for a selection of their own posh patties. Whatever you do, don't forget the Stokes Burger Relish.
Simple, honest, delicious
FOOD MADE BETTER
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