Shrove Tuesday - Stokes Lemon Curd Day

It's pancake time !

Long ago, Shrove Tuesday was a day for fun and feasting before the 40 days of Lent.

Christians went to church to confess their sins and would be 'shriven' or forgiven.

As rich foods such as eggs were forbidden during Lent, one way of using them up would be to make pancakes.

The ingredients for pancakes have been seen to symbolise four points of significance at this time of year: Eggs - Creation; Flour - The staff of life; Salt - Wholesomeness; Milk - Purity...

... and now Stokes - Deliciousness.

Do you make your own
or buy pre-made?

There are some great pre-made pancakes available these days but if you make your own - try this and these garnishes.

Easy Pancake Batter

You'll need: 

• 100 g of plain flour
• 2 large eggs
• 300 ml of milk
• 1 tbsp of sunflower or vegetable oil, 
• plus a little extra for frying
• Stokes Lemon Curd
• the zest of 2 or 3 lemons
• caster sugar, to serve (optional)

Here's how:

Put the flour, eggs, milk, into a bowl with a pinch of salt and whisk to a smooth batter. Set this aside for 30 minutes to rest. Wipe a flat pan with oiled kitchen roll and place it on a medium heat.

When hot, cook your pancakes for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until golden, keeping them warm in a low oven as you go. Spread each with a little curd and lemon zest and finish with a shake of caster sugar.

 Just add Stokes...

...just add pancakes !

Pancakes 
for the sweeter tooth

...with Stokes Seville Orange Marmalade

Enhance the simple lemon and sugar pancake by adding Stokes Lemon Curd to intensify the flavour with its velvety coat. Spread the curd with a little mascarpone cheese for a grown up twist.

For a simple twist on a classic crêpes suzette, melt equal portions of Stokes Cranberry & Orange Sauce (with Port) and Stokes Seville Orange Marmalade in a saucepan and pour over the pancakes.

Make a garnish using yogurt or cream with fresh berries, building on the fruity flavours with Raspberry, Strawberry or Blackcurrant Extra Jam from Stokes.

Serve with ice cream or crème fraîche.

...with Stokes Extra Blackcurrant or Raspberry Jam

We prefer more with our Strawberry, Raspberry and Blackcurrant extra jams. 

Stokes Extra Blackcurrant Jam uses 510g of juicy blackcurrants per kilo – 51% of delicious fruit, as our grandparents would traditionally have made it.

In the Old Stables at Rendlesham, knowing eyes watch over slow cooking blackcurrants, as they simmer, waiting for that very fine line between ‘perfect’ and ‘oops’. 

Our kitchen staff have an enviable expertise and are as passionate about their jams, preserves, relishes and sauces as we all are.




For a savoury pancake treat

Buckwheat Pancake Batter


You'll need:

• 300 ml of milk
• 1 free-range egg
• 1 tsp of vegetable oil 
• plus more for cooking
• 100 g of buckwheat flour

Here's how:

Place the milk, egg, salt and oil into a large bowl and whisk. Sift the wholewheat and buckwheat flour into a separate bowl. Add the dry to the wet mixture and whisk to a smooth batter. Rest the batter before cooking.

Add a teaspoon of oil to a hot pan, pour in an eighth of the mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden. Remove from the pan and place between sheets of baking paper to keep warm while repeating the process with the remaining mixture to create eight pancakes.

The Galette is a savoury pancake popular in Brittany and Normandy. Typically it includes smoked ham, runny cheese or cheese sauce and an egg and it's washed down with a local cider.

With a little Stokes Dijon Mustard in the sauce the Galette Breton become a Galette Breton-Stokes. Chopped tomatoes with the cheese are just begging for Stokes Bloody Mary Ketchup and a touch of Stokes Chilli Jam.

Try rolling galette pancakes around great British Bangers with Stokes Brown Sauce for le 'otdog Bretonnaise.

Smoked Salmon Galettes are lovely things too. Try smoked salmon with some Stokes Mustard & Dill Sauce and a creamy goats cheese - delicious.

 Enjoy your Stokes Lemon Curd Day

More foodie thoughts for the week:






Fish Friday Fun - simple, sustainable, sensational here.





 




Just add Stokes - from simple to stunning in moments - here.












Naughty Nachos - watch the video, share the joy - here.

If good food makes you happy
...adding Stokes will make you smile ;)

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

Fish Friday - fresh, seasonal, sustainable

Halibut - and more

Halibut is the largest of the flat fish in our oceans, growing to the size of a door with facial features the likes of which Pablo Picasso would have been proud.

Whilst Atlantic halibut has declined to 'endangered' levels, our fishmongers (independent and supermarket) only stock certified farmed or line-caught North Atlantic halibut.

March opens the halibut-sized door to their prime season. Also in season are sardines, oysters, cod, salmon and mussels.

Sardines

You can't walk down an Algarve street without smelling sardines as they grill all day long to be served with confit potatoes. More daintily try them as an elegant starter served in pasta shells filled with a finely cut ratatouille, flavoured with Stokes Bloody Mary Ketchup.

Mussels Provencal(ish)

Here's how:

We usually buy mussels in a sac, one will do for a delicious starter, two for a sharing main. Make a tomato-based sauce with 2 tins of chopped tomatoes 175 ml of white wine, 2 cloves of grated garlic and a handful of chopped parsley. Let this simmer on a gentle heat.

Now for the flavour:

To enhance the tomato add Stokes Tomato Ketchup to taste (2 or 3 tbsp); for deep tomato with gentle curry flavours add Stokes Curry Ketchup; for a smoky chilli warmth add Stokes Chipotle Ketchup.

Simmer for 5 minutes then add the mussels, cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Stir the contents very gently then spoon the mussels and sauce into a serving dish, discarding any mussels that have not opened.

A good chunk of bread is essential to soak up all that amazing sauce.

Simple Poached Halibut

Here's how:

As a main course for 2 people use 2 halibut fillets weighing about 150 g to 170 g each.

To give it a little colour, mix 2 tbsp of Stokes Garlic Mayonnaise with 2 tbsp of crème fraîche and a pinch of saffron and brush it onto the fish.

For the poaching liquor: Soften 1 shallot in butter and add 3 sliced leeks, 1 tsp of chopped thyme, 2 tbsp of Stokes Cider & Horseradish Mustard and 150 ml of white wine.

Bring this up to a gentle simmer, add the fish and poach for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the leeks from the liquor, pop the halibut on top and serve.

Rainy day BBQ Salmon

This is a lovely way to give a subtle BBQ flavour, even on a rainy day.

Here's how:

Take a nice fillet of salmon each and brush them on both sides with Stokes Original BBQ Sauce. Pre-heat a medium grill and, unusually, put the fillets skin side down on the grill rack. Put this under the grill for just 1 minute then turn the fillets skin side up and pop them back under the grill for 4 to 6 minutes.

Make the dressing by halving cherry tomatoes and mixing them in a bowl with 2 finely chopped shallots, 2 tbsp of chopped parsley, 2 tbsp of chopped capers, a drizzle of olive oil and 1 or 2 tbsp of Stokes Sweet Chilli Sauce.

Dress the salmon and serve it with a few new potatoes - quick, simple, delicious.

We have the taste - so you enjoy your food

More foodie thoughts for the week:






Shrove Tuesday = Pancake Day. Enjoy these tasty ideas right here.











Just add Stokes - from simple to stunning in moments - here.



 









Naughty Nachos - watch the video, share the joy - here.

If good food makes you happy
...adding Stokes will make you smile ;)

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

Just Add Stokes

Just add Stokes, 
it's a matter of taste

Think of Stokes as any ingredient - fruit, pepper, spice, tomatoes and add it as you prepare or serve your evening meal.

You'll find the quality of Stokes to be as good in your food as it is on it.

By just adding a dollop, a drizzle or a spoonful of Stokes' taste sensations you can turn a snack into a feast; an ordinary gravy into the chef's finest sauce; or a good honest casserole into a wicked plate of deliciousness.

Turn an occasional condiment into an essential kitchen tool - the taste tool.

We have three favourites and 10 top tips each to help you get the most from these little jars of joy - that's 30 tasty tips in all. Enjoy.



10 taste tips for 
Tomato Ketchup

Stokes Tomato Ketchup is very special. We would say that wouldn't we. But it's not just us that think so, which is why it wins awards.

Our tomatoes are grown by a number of carefully selected farmers on the sun drenched foothills of southern Italy.

They are plump, sweet and juicy and we use lots of them, in fact a full 200 g are simmered gently to satisfy the natural flavours of 100 g of Stokes Award-Winning Tomato Ketchup.

1. Stir into a bolognaise sauce for extra tomato flavour! 
2. Add a dash of white wine vinegar, oil and Worcestershire sauce to Ketchup for a saucy salad dressing
3. Add chopped peppers, onion and garlic to ketchup for a delicious burger relish!
4. Stir into soups and stews as a rich, tomatoey base...

...for the rest, visit our recipe site here. 



10 ways to use 
Stokes Chilli Jam

This is a delicious sticky jam for cheese (and so much more) that is just oozing with flavour from the sweet chilli peppers and red peppers. Particularly good with mature cheddars and soft bries.

1. Add a dollop to your gravy for a spicy kick!
2. Round off your chilli con carne or bolognaise with a spoonful.
3. Stir into your summer pasta sauces for a sweet, warm flavour.
4. Brush over roast pork for the last 30 minutes for a sweet and spicy glaze!
5. Spice up your chocolate cake mix by adding a spoonful before cooking.

 ...for the rest, visit our recipe site here.


10 tips for our jams, 
marmalade and curd

In the Old Stables at Rendlesham, knowing eyes watch over slow cooking blackcurrants, as they simmer, waiting for that very fine line between ‘perfect’ and ‘oops’. 
 

Not only do we cram more fruit into our preserves, we use the best ingredients we can find. 

We go to uncompromising lengths to make sure the blackcurrants we use have that signature juicy sweet/tart flavour; the raspberries are rich, sweet and luscious; and the strawberries have succulent keynotes of Wimbledon.

Try these tasty tips with our Strawberry, Raspberry and Blackcurrant extra jams,our Seville Orange Marmalade and our delicious Lemon Curd. 

1. Add a dollop to your crumble filling
2. Pop a spoon in your smoothie for a berry burst!
3. Warm a couple of tablespoons of Seville Orange Marmalade and paste onto sausages for a sticky glaze
4. Stir into your favourite yoghurt for extra fruity flavour!

  ...for the rest, visit our recipe site here.

 Stokes - the difference is ... delicious

More foodie thoughts for the week:






Shrove Tuesday = Pancake Day. Enjoy these tasty ideas right here.





 




Fish Friday Fun - seasonal, sustainable, sensational - here.



 









Naughty Nachos - watch the video, share the joy - here.

If good food makes you happy
...adding Stokes will make you smile ;)

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

Keeping in touch with Facebook and Twitter

Don't miss the fun
on Facebook & Twitter


Who doesn't like a plate of Nachos! The crunch, the cheese, the tomato, chilli ooziness - yummy. This video shows just how easy it is to knock up a Nacho platter in a couple of minutes. Watch it come together in this mouthwatering display:

Click here to view

This clever little 'tick-box' test asks a number of simple questions to see what your taste character suggests will be your marvellous mayonnaise of preference. Have a go yourself by clicking the image or here.

Oh dear, now this might just jinx the weather and bring back that Beast from the East we had this time last year, but this post on Facebook this week is getting the tastebuds ready for Big BBQ Flavours. With these sauces from Stokes you don't need to worry about the weather, you can treat your BBQ tastebuds indoors or out. 

This Newsletter piece shares some tasty ideas for BBQ flavour even in the rain - here.

More foodie thoughts for the week:






Shrove Tuesday = Pancake Day. Enjoy these tasty ideas right here.





 




Fish Friday Fun - seasonal, sustainable, sensational - here.



 








Just add Stokes - from simple to stunning in moments - here.

If good food makes you happy
...adding Stokes will make you smile ;)

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

Winter Greens - healthy, hearty, delicious

Beautiful Brassicas

'Brassica' is the genus of the mustard family and includes:

• Broccoli.
• Cauliflower.
• Brussels sprouts.
• Cabbage.
• Turnips/turnip greens.
• Collards.
• Kale.
• Bok choy.

It’s hard to generalise about an entire family of vegetables, but overall, brassicas are really good for you - high in Vitamin C, folate (Vitamin B9) and calcium.

Pork Fillet & Broccoli

The sweet pork marries so well with the slightly crunchy unique flavour of broccoli. If I were asked to describe the taste of broccoli I'd simply say 'it tastes so ... green'.

Finished with a white wine and Stokes Dijon Mustard sauce it's simple, swift and sensational.

Savoyard Stew

In the mountainous regions of eastern France locals 'eat the seasons' and at this time of year the steeply tiered kitchen gardens are bursting with brassicas. This regional dish is the epitome of 'wholesome and hearty'.

The region - Savoy - actually gave its name
 to the Savoy cabbage.


Here's how:

There are no real rules to this dish, just guidelines as every Savoyard household has their own take. Taste and nourishment are the guiding force - and a large pot!

Prepare a ham hock the previous day, soaking and draining it several times to remove the brine. For this dish, cut away the tougher skin as well. Get some smoky flavours into the pot with chunks of smoked bacon (200g) and 4 smoked sausages from the deli counter (prick the skins).

Roughly chop an onion, 2 small turnips, 2 carrots, 4 potatoes, 2 celery sticks and 1 Savoy cabbage (quartered). Bash a couple of garlic cloves and put them in a large pot with 2 or 3 cloves, a good knob of butter and 2 tbsp (go on, make it 3) of Stokes Classic English Mustard.

Then add everything except the cabbage and pour in vegetable stock just one third of the way up the pan. Cover and simmer very gently for 90 minutes, checking the liquid from time to time. Add the cabbage, cover and simmer for a further 20 minutes then pop it on a big serving plate and share - stretch or starve.

[TIP: If you plunge the cabbage into salted boiling water for 3 minutes then immediately into iced water and drain it, it will keep its colour.]

Pork & Sprouts

This is far simpler than the last dish but truly tasty.
A great midweek supper.

Here's how:

Take equal amounts of Brussel sprouts and Romanesco broccoli and cut to similar sizes. Plunge them into boiling water for 3 or 4 minutes then into ice cold water to stop them cooking. Drain and reserve. (Keep the water they were boiling in.)

Fry a pork chop each in oil (or butter). Once cooked, set them aside to keep warm. Deglaze their frying pan with a knob of butter, 2 tbsp of Stokes Cider & Horseradish Mustard 100 ml of dry cider and 75 ml or so of the cooking liquor from the greens. Boil vigorously to reduce it by half then pour it into a serving jug.

More butter in the same pan and, on a high heat, fry the greens. Let them singe to add flavour. 2 or 3 minutes should have them piping hot to serve with your chops and that wonderful gravy.

Brassica & Sausage Platter

You can make this with your favourite butcher's sausages but, as with the Savoyard Stew, brassicas enjoy a smoky accompaniment.

If you can get Montbeliard or Savoyard smoked sausages (deli counter or online) it's worth the effort and extra few pennies.

Here's how:

For 4 people, cut 4 sausages into chunks and fry them in oil with smoked bacon for a few minutes. Add an assortment of greens - Brussels, kale, cabbage and 3 or 4 quartered potatoes.

Add 2 tbsp of Stokes Dijon Mustard and 340 ml of chicken stock. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes (until the potatoes are cooked) and serve.

Our tasty mustard trio

You can order your little jars of mustard joy - here

More foodie thoughts for the week:







Burgers - making them a thing of culinary beauty here.






 


Jam, as in Mam - EXTRA preserves, curd and marmalade ideas here.






 




Share your kitchen favourites. This is one of ours - Bloody Mary Ketchup in the making, here.

If good food makes you happy
...adding Stokes will make you smile ;)

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

Beautiful Burgers - home made tips and tasty fillings

Make burgers a beautiful thing

Hamburgers were first recorded at the St Louis World Fair in 1904 when 'Uncle' Fletcher David of Athens, Texas set up a stand that sold burgers.

The term 'hamburger' refers to the meat made from 'Hamburg' steaks introduced by early German settlers.

It is estimated that 'the mighty Mac' (Macky D) sells 75 burgers every second.

Burgers were clearly spotted to have commercial value too, when in 2009 Microsoft promoted Windows 7 in Japan by partnering with Burger King to release a 7 patty Whopper - phew what a whopper.

Only the best burger bars and restaurants recognise the true quality of a fine burger by serving Stokes Tomato Ketchup.

Beef & Onion Burger

Here's how:

[TIP: As a rule of thumb, 500g of minced beef makes 4 large patties.]

In a bowl, work 500 g of minced beef with1 tsp of mixed herbs, 1 tbsp of Stokes Dijon Mustard and 2 or 3 finely chopped Spring onions, with the yolk of 1 egg. Form the mixture into 4 patties and pop them in the fridge.

Slice 2 medium onions and gently fry them in butter to caramelise. This will take about 10 minutes of so, moving the onion slices frequently to avoid them burning.

[TIP: This process is made easier and tastes so much better by adding 2 or 3 tbsp of Stokes Red Onion Marmalade to the onions as they fry.]

Fry your patties for 6 minutes per side adding a slice of Cheddar cheese to the patty when you turn it over to cook the second side. Assemble your burger - bun, burger, cheese, onions and a good spoonful of Stokes Garlic Mayonnaise, which is a very fine, authentic aioli that rounds off this burger superbly.

Jack Daniels BBQ Burger

We are very proud of our award-winning BBQ Sauces.

Here's how:

Basically, make your patties as above. Prepare your garnish. Fiery slices of red onion, sweet tomatoes and crispy lettuce work for the base and pickled vegetables for the topping. Fry some rashers of smoked streaky bacon to add to the topping.

The all-important dressing needs 4 or 5 tbsp of either of our BBQ Sauces. For me, the Original is the perfect choice. Warm this gently in a pan with 1 tbsp of JD (or cognac).

When nicely combined 'to taste', drizzle the sauce over this very grownup burger and enjoy.

Stokes Original BBQ Sauce is thick and smoky with natural blossom honey and a molasses-style sweetness that can be used as an accompaniment, a marinade or a dipping sauce.

Stokes Hot & Spicy BBQ Sauce is just that. To balance the heat of the chillis, it has even more molasses and honey to sweeten the initial smoky BBQ flavours, letting the spicy heat develop as an after flavour. 

Stokes Sweet & Sticky BBQ Sauce is another flavoursome variation, deeply sweet with a sensational kick of British horseradish and Worcestershire sauce to balance the sticky maple syrup.




Burgers Mexicano


Here's how:

We'll introduce some chorizo to the burger so use 400 g of minced beef and 100 g of chorizo, skinned and very finely diced. Add 2 tbsp of Stokes Chipotle Ketchup (smoky with the heat of chipotle chillies) and combine the ingredients well.

[TIP: The ketchup should bind the patties so you won't need the egg.] Form the mixture into 4 patties and set aside.

Prepare the garnish of sliced tomatoes, avocado and onion, perhaps jalapeno peppers too. Fry your patties for 6 minutes per side adding a thin slice of Cheddar cheese to the patty when you turn it over to cook the second side.

For the Chipotle Mayonnaise Dressing: Combine 4 tbsp of Stokes Real Mayonnaise, 1 tbsp of Stokes Chipotle Ketchup, the juice of half a lime and 1 tsp of runny honey - what a tasty finish.

First, the juicy Italian tomatoes...

 ...then, the tasty twists.

Order your tasty twists - here.

More foodie thoughts for the week:





Bountiful Brassicas - delicious recipes with seasonal greens here.






 


Jam, as in Mam - EXTRA preserves, curd and marmalade ideas here.






 




Share your kitchen favourites. This is one of ours - Bloody Mary Ketchup in the making, here.

If good food makes you happy
...adding Stokes will make you smile ;)

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150