Stokes Sauces: Love British Food - for the love of great taste

British Food Fortnight (part 2)

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/page/sauces/traditional-condiments

We're half way through British Food Fortnight, a celebration of the fantastic foods we grow, rear and fish and the wonderful people that do the growing, rearing and fishing for us.

Not only has our fruit and veg not had to travel half way round the world, but it tastes good too.

As the leaves colour and Autumn dawns, the variety of fresh local goodness is the best it could be.

Indulge in local cauliflowers, courgettes, leeks, carrots, sweet corn and runner beans. Brussels sprouts are back, hooray, but they don't need to go on for Christmas lunch just yet.

Beetroot is getting much better press with lots of simple recipes using the earthy flavours and vibrant colour of this wonderful root.

Glorious Food

Chicken Corn & Peppers

We had a beautiful free range roast chicken on Sunday; cold cuts with gravy and roast potatoes on Monday and this delicious 'instant' casserole on Tuesday.

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

Here's how:

In oil or butter, gently fry sliced onion, peppers and celery for 6 or 7 minutes until it softens. Add a handful of roughly chopped mushrooms (we actually tear chestnut mushrooms in chunks for a better texture to the dish when cooked).

Now add the kernels cut from a fresh corn cob (or 2), 1 tsp of chopped thyme leaves and 1 tsp of Stokes Chilli Jam (the peppers love it). Stir in 1 tbsp of flour, some lovely dry English cider and enough leftover gravy and / or chicken stock to develop a simmering pan of vegetables, fruit and fungi.

Add 2 or 3 tbsp of Stokes Brown Sauce (to deepen the flavour with its sweet molasses, dates and spice). Now add the leftover chicken cut or torn as you prefer for 5 minutes.

When the meat has warmed and the flavours married, serve spoonfuls of your chicken corn & peppers with fresh runner beans, peas and new potatoes.

Spicy Cauliflower Steaks

Cauliflower cheese is top of the pops in our household, particularly with Stokes Classic English Mustard in the cheese sauce, but this has become a recent hit.

Try it with baked Cod or grilled Tilapia.

Here's how:

Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/Gas mark 6.

For the spicy marinade mix 1/2 tsp of ground cumin, 1/2 tsp of ground turmeric, 1 tsp of crushed fennel seeds, 1 tsp of Stokes Chilli Jam, 1 tbsp of Stokes Brown Sauce and 2 tbsp of Stokes Hot & Spicy BBQ Sauce (or our Chipotle Ketchup for similar smokiness and a little less heat).

Slice a medium cauliflower head vertically into 4 tree-shaped 'steaks' about 2 cm thick. Rub the marinade onto the cauliflower steaks coating them well, particularly into the grooves.

Cook each steak in a little British rapeseed oil for 5 minutes each side then transfer them to an oiled baking sheet and top them with halved small vine tomatoes. Put them in the oven and bake for 10 minutes until the steaks give when prodded with a knife.

Brussels Sprouts & Sweet Potato Hash

Colourful, tasty, and good fun, topped with poached egg and mock Hollandaise sauce. This is fabulous mid-week seasonal goodness. If anything spells Autumn it's this.

Here's how:

Peel and chop 2 large sweet potatoes into chunks and plunge them into boiling water for 7 or 8 minutes until they are soft, drain, cool and set aside.

Thinly slice 2 red onions and fry them in rapeseed oil. After 5 minutes add thinly sliced Brussels sprouts for 2 minutes.

Now drain and add the sweet potato to the pan, roughly crushing them with a fork. Stir in 2 tbsp of Stokes Brown Sauce and 1 tbsp of Stokes Cider & Horseradish Mustard and leave the hash on the heat until the bottom starts to caramelise (burn!).

For the Mock Hollandaise:

Mix 4 tbsp of Stokes Real Mayonnaise with 1 tsp of Stokes Dijon Mustard, 3 tsp of lemon juice. Melt 50 g of butter in a pan and gently drizzle it into the mayonnaise mixture, whisking as you do. Stop when you reach the 'runny sauce' stage. Season and add more lemon juice to taste if needed. Spoon the sauce onto a poached egg on a plate of seasonal no-meat hash.

Awesome Autumn - just add Stokes