Scottish Fayre

Celebrating the Scottish pantry

It is Scottish Food Fortnight - 31 August to 15 September - a celebration of Scottish food and drink and the people who grow, make, cook and sell it.

Celebrity chef, Tom Kitchin, extols the virtues of seasonal Scottish produce from his fourth restaurant in Edinburgh - 'Southside Scran'.

His culinary 'from nature to plate' philosophy uses local ingredients to create traditional Scottish fayre with a modern 'French-influenced' twist.

In our own doffed cap tribute, we're looking at three traditional Scottish plates with a tasty Stokensian twist.

Take this beautiful plate of poached lemon sole on a bed of buttered leeks with a twist of smoked salmon on top. Simple, Scottish ingredients with Stokes Bloody Mary Rose Sauce. For the sauce, combine equal parts of Stokes Real Mayonnaise and Stokes Bloody Mary Ketchup - sensational.

 
Leig a ithe - let's eat

Cock-a-leekie twist

Cooked and served as a kebab this version of a recipe from Scotland.org looks as good as it tastes.

You'll need:

• 3 or 4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• A 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
• 3 tbsp of Stokes Chipotle Ketchup
• The juice of 1 lime
• 200 ml of plain yogurt
• 2 leeks
• 1 packet of pitted prunes

Here's how:

Mix the ketchup, garlic, ginger, lime juice and yogurt to make a marinade for the chicken. Add the chicken pieces, coat well and marinate overnight if possible.

Whilst the chicken is coming back to room temperature, cut the leeks into 1 inch pieces and blanch them for 2 minutes in boiling water.

Now, assemble the skewers - prune, leek, chicken etc. Grill the kebabs on a medium heat for 10 minutes (checking that the meat is cooked through), turning two or three times.

Serve your cock-a-leekie kebabs with a spicy smoked dipping sauce of equal parts: Stokes Real Mayonnaise, Stokes Brown Sauce and Stokes Chipotle Sauce.

Haggis, neeps & tatties

Associated with Burns Night celebrations but eaten often as a wonderful warmer on a chilly Autumn eve. We won't pretend to teach you how to cook it, but offer these two tasty twists - one for the tatties and the other for that 'special Scottish gravy' !

Try this:

Whilst you are mashing your potatoes, hopefully with lots of butter and a touch of milk, try adding a couple of spoons of Stokes Creamed Horseradish Sauce. We make this with half & half wild and cultivated horseradish. This intensifies the flavour to delight discerning palates.

For a veritable cocktail of a gravy, while your rich beef stock is reducing, add a desert spoon of Stokes Chilli Jam and the same amount of Stokes Cranberry Sauce and blend them into the gravy with a wee (though not insignificant) dram of whisky.

Finally, grate a little dark, high cocoa content chocolate into the gravy to further enrich the flavours.

Haddock & Crab Gratin

Both of these Scottish ingredients are very much in season right now. The combination of sweet crab meat and smoked haddock with a little chilli and lots of bubbling cheese is wonderful. Serve it with 'tatties' (as above) and wilted spinach.

You'll need:

• 200 g of smoked haddock, cut into pieces
• 100 g of white crab meat
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 1 leek, sliced
• 2 tsp of Stokes Chilli Jam (more if you like it hotter)
• 1 tbsp of Stokes Dijon Mustard
• 150 ml of double cream
• 100 g of Cheddar cheese, grated

Here's how:

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/Gas mark 6.

Soften the leeks in boiling water for 5 minutes, drain and set aside.

In a large bowl, gently combine the smoked haddock, crab, onion, leek, mustard and chilli jam and season using more black pepper than you might usually.

Spoon the mixture into an ovenproof dish and pour over the cream.

Once this has settled down, sprinkle your grated cheese over the top and bake in the oven for 15 minutes until the cheese begins to brown and bubble.

September Sensations - just add Stokes

More foodie thoughts for the week:





Pepper Perfection - 
greenhouses are awash with peppers, tomatoes and chillis so these juicy recipes are a timely treat - here.




 

Some like it Hot - 
our Summer Sizzlers Collection is for those who like a bit of heat on the inside, as well as out. Enjoy these - here.








Down to the Sea again - 
DFDS Tweeted about thier Field to Ferry Campaign. For the video and more - click here.

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

FOOD MADE BETTER 
www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

Perfect Peppers

Delightfully Seasonal

AKA capsicums, peppers are part of a broad family varying in size, colour, shape and heat. From the sweetest red bell peppers to the hottest of 400,000 Scoville units of Scotch Bonnet.

Today, we are looking at sweet and juicy rather than hot and fiery.

Green peppers are simply red peppers that haven't ripened yet. This is why their taste is harsher, more bitter and acidic. They combine well in salads or fried off with their red, yellow and orange sisters, adding a colourful vibrancy to a dish.

Slow roasting with a drizzle of oil deepens the intensity of the flavour and softens the texture of the body. Whether skinned or not, they make a delicious side dish, healthy lunch or light, tasty supper.


Stuffed, roast, simmered peppers 

Shakshuka bake

Shakshuka is an Arabic word meaning 'a mixture' - a tomato, pepper and aubergine dish dating back to the times and geographical reach of the Ottoman Empire.

You'll need:

• 2 red peppers, sliced
• 2 yellow peppers, sliced
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 aubergine, sliced
• Positively loads of fresh tomatoes, halved or quartered according to size
• 1 tsp of ground cumin
• 1 tsp of smoked paprika
• 2 tsp of Stokes Chilli Jam
• 3 tbsp of Stokes Chipotle Ketchup
• 3 or 4 eggs

Here's how:

Pre-heat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 7. Roast the peppers, onion and aubergine drizzled with oil in a roasting tin or ovenproof dish for 15 minutes.

Now stir in the chilli jam, ketchup, cumin and paprika and roast for a further 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the dish again and squash the juicy mixture with a potato masher, combining everything well together.

Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/gas mark 4. Using the back of a spoon, make a well in the mixture in which to crack each of the eggs.

Pop it back into the oven and bake the eggs until cooked for about 10 minutes. Served with warm pitta bread this makes a very tasty lunch or light supper.

Peppers Piemontese

This is a very simple dish from the north-western Piedmont region of Italy. Imagine sitting at the foot of the Alps, sipping a fine glass of Barolo as you taste this. It demonstrates just how much intense flavour you can get from so few ingredients.

It's not the most attractive dish, but
boy does it taste good.

Here's how:

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6.

Cut 3 or 4 red peppers in half lengthways.

In each, put a couple of leaves of basil, half a teaspoon of Stokes Chilli Jam, 4 juicy small vine tomatoes (halved), a clove of garlic (crushed to release the flavour), 1 or 2 anchovy fillets.

Rub a baking tray with olive oil and place your pepper 'boats' into it. Drizzle each with more oil and a twist or two of black pepper.

Roast the peppers for 30 minutes then a further 45 minutes with the heat reduced to 170°C/gas mark 3 or 4.

When you serve them, serve them warm, not hot. Don't waste any of the juices and enjoy your 'Peperoni alla Piemontese' with thick slices of rustic bread.

Macaroni peppers

This takes 'yummy' to new heights of tasty joy. Roasting peppers stuffed with cheesy macaroni - who knew!

You'll need:

• 4 bell peppers, different colours for a fun teatime treat
• 225 g of uncooked macaroni
• 50 g of butter
• 2 tbsp of plain flour
• 275 g of good old Cheddar cheese, grated
• 50 g of Parmesan cheese, grated
• 750 ml of milk 
• A pinch of nutmeg
• 1 tbsp of Stokes Dijon or Classic English Mustard

Here's how:

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6.

Cook the macaroni to the pack's instruction, drain and set aside in a large bowl.

Melt the butter in a pan, stir in the flour to make a roux and gently add the milk to thicken and simmer before adding the cheeses, pinch of nutmeg and mustard (save a little cheese to sprinkle on the top before baking).

Pour the cheesy sauce over the macaroni and mix it together. Cut the tops off your peppers and scoop out the pips and pith, then fill each with macaroni cheese.

Scatter the remaining cheese on the top of each pepper and bake them in a oiled tin for 20 to 25 minutes. Choose which colour pepper you prefer and enjoy.

 

Peppers Made Better 

spoon it, shake it, squeeze it

More foodie thoughts for the week:





Great Scottish Fayre - 
enjoy this celebration of Scottish cuisine for Scottish Food Fortnight - here.





 

Some like it Hot - 
our Summer Sizzlers Collection is for those who like a bit of heat on the inside, as well as out. Enjoy these - here.






Down to the Sea again - 
DFDS Tweeted about thier Field to Ferry Campaign. For the video and more - click here.

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

FOOD MADE BETTER 
www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

Summer Sizzlers

If you like a little chilli
- you'll love these:



We have bottled the recent (brief) heatwave and grouped together a special sizzling collection of chilli sauces.

Stokes Chilli Jam

Meet one of the stars of the Stokes portfolio and an absolute 'must have' in the store cupboard.

It's a deliciously sticky jam, bursting with sweet chilli peppers, red peppers and red chilli heat.

We literally spoon it onto and into anything that deserves a bit of chilli enlightenment.

This halloumi and crushed avocado burger has been given the chilli treatment with our Chilli Jam. Spoon it into your chilli con carne or add a little power to a sheepish Shepherds Pie.

 Summer Sizzlers from Stokes

Hot & Spicy BBQ Sauce

This is a wonderfully sweet, smoke flavoured chilli sauce, rich with spicy tomato, sweetened with cane molasses and black treacle.

The chilli seeds release their punchy heat through the smoky finish.

Don't wait until the summer to enjoy it pasted onto a hot, spicy souvlaki.

Stir a couple of spoonfuls into a pan of baked beans for sweet and intense smokiness with a hot spicy kick.

Chipotle Ketchup 

It brims full of real Italian tomatoes with a smoky, spicy kick!

Chipotle Chillies are Jalapenos left to ripen on the plant to a deep red, before being smoked dry, giving them their distinctive flavour.

Add a couple of good glugs to chopped tomatoes and herbs as a truly tasty base for meatballs in a bun.

Stir it into a chilli con carne for a smoky difference, or add smokey heat to an onion gravy.

Chilli Ketchup

This does what it says on the proverbial tin.

It differs from those above by removing the smokiness, intensifying the tomatoes and adding red chillis and cayenne pepper for a mouth-tingling finish.

Use it to spice up Tasty Tacos by adding it to the onion, minced beef, garlic, tin of tomatoes and a little paprika.

Coat chicken pieces in it before grilling or frying them, then pop them in a pitta pocket with fresh salad.

Chilli Mayonnaise 

This is a beautiful mayonnaise made with British rapeseed oil and British free range eggs to which we add jalapeno chillies, giving a subtle warmth through a rich and velvety mayonnaise.

These prawns just love the chilli dip - it makes a tasty change, even from our Bloody Mary Rose Sauce.

Make a potato salad sing with your supper.

Paste it onto the skin of chicken breasts before roasting them for a shiny crisp skin and subtle chilli finish.

Summer Sizzlers from Stokes...

Just £15: order your own little heatwave - here

More foodie thoughts for the week:





Great Scottish Fayre - 
enjoy this celebration of Scottish cuisine for Scottish Food Fortnight - here.




 
 

Pepper Perfection - 
greenhouses are awash with peppers, tomatoes and chillis so these juicy recipes are a timely treat - here.

Down to the Sea again - 
DFDS Tweeted about thier Field to Ferry Campaign. For the video and more - click here.

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

FOOD MADE BETTER 
www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

I must go down to the sea again

Don't miss the fun
on Facebook & Twitter & Instagram

Our friends at DFDS tweeted about their Field to Ferry Campaign in the week. The concept celebrates the great quality of fresh, seasonal produce provided by their suppliers, which includes Stokes. They offer quality ingredients to provide passengers with outstanding, fresh food with traceability and provenance at its heart.

Stokes are one of the suppliers, proudly supporting the campaign. Anyone travelling on DFDS Ferries can now enjoy Stokes Sauces in the restaurants - Travel Made Better.

Watch their Video - HERE

Our thanks to Honey & Harvey for this amazing Cheese Scone. H&H is a truly modern independent British coffee house offering a large variety of single estate coffee and tea. Using local sourced ingredients and suppliers where possible, their chefs make mouth watering sandwiches and delicious cakes daily.

They certainly know a thing or two about great taste. For our own cheese scone recipe and more - CLICK HERE.

This extraordinary Breakfast Burger featured our spicy, smokey Chipotle Ketchup along with eat17's chilli bacon jam, Fruit Pig company's black pudding, Jones The Butcher's Cumberland sausage patties & smoked streaky bacon and Clarence Court Eggs stunning eggs, all in a brioche bun. Great photo by Fat.Sam.Eats.

For more juicy burger recipes - CLICK HERE.

More foodie thoughts for the week:






Great Scottish Fayre - 
enjoy this celebration of Scottish cuisine for Scottish Food Fortnight - here.




 
 

Pepper Perfection - 
greenhouses are awash with peppers, tomatoes and chillis so these juicy recipes are a timely treat - here.

Some like it Hot - 
our Summer Sizzlers Collection is for those who like a bit of heat on the inside, as well as out. Enjoy these - here.

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

FOOD MADE BETTER 
www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

Beautiful Burgers

The Business of Burgers

If you look at the Wikipedia definition of a burger, you would be very disappointed at the prospect of having one:

"A hamburger is a sandwich consisting of one or more cooked patties of ground meat, usually beef, placed inside a sliced bread roll or bun."

See what I mean.

Even a simple burger like this can become a super burger with a squeeze of our Award-Winning Tomato Ketchup, a dollop of Burger Relish and a spoon or two of Stokes Red Onion Marmalade below a fondant layer of cheese.

Now, let's consider a couple of delicious variations on the burger theme for National Burger Day - today, 22 August.

For Fishy Burger inspiration - CLICK HERE.

Chilli Chicken Burger

Using about 550g of minced chicken, in a large bowl mix in a little Cayenne pepper, 1 tbsp of chopped tarragon, 2 red onions (finely chopped) and 2 cloves of grated garlic.

This should form nicely into 4 good sized patties. In a smaller bowl, mix 60g or so of grated Cheddar cheese with 2 or 3 tbsp of Stokes Chipotle Ketchup.

Fry the patties for 6 or 7 minutes each side, load each with the cheesy chipotle mix and grill to melt the cheese.

This smoky chilli chicken burger is wonderful with our cooling, velvety Real Mayonnaise.

Tasty Tofu Burger

You could put this in a blender but I prefer the coarser texture of the patty you get by using a big bowl and plenty of elbow grease.

Break up 350g of firm tofu and combine it with 185g of breadcrumbs, a beaten egg, 2 tsp of Stokes Chilli Jam, 2 or 3 tbsp of grated Parmesan cheese, 1 finely chopped shallot and 1 grated carrot. When it is all thoroughly mixed / beaten together, form the mixture into 4 patties.

[TIP: If it is a bit too dry, bind it with our Real Mayonnaise.]

As you form each patty, encase a spoonful of creamed cheese in the middle. This creates a deliciously creamy centre once the patties are fried for 4 or 5 minutes each side.

For additional yummy delight, mix 4 tbsp of Stokes Real or Garlic Mayonnaise with a dash of sesame oil and a similar dash of soy sauce to spread as you creatively stack the burgers in toasted ciabatta rolls. 

Bacon & Mushroom Burger

Turn a simple open beef burger into something special with a sandwich slice of emmental cheese, smoky rashers of bacon and this mushroom topping.

Soften a couple of chopped shallots in butter then add 2 or 3 tsp of Stokes Classic Cider & Horseradish Wholegrain Mustard and as many assorted chopped mushrooms as you fancy.

You'll find they are really thirsty for more butter as they cook. Flambée the mushrooms in brandy then stir in 3 or 4 tbsp of good creamed cheese.

Spoon this over your burgers and enjoy.

Flavours to Relish - With our Condiments

Add 'Delicious' to your Burgers - HERE

More foodie thoughts for the week:



Fish Friday Burgers - 
these fishy favourites offer a different, tasty way to celebrate National Burger Week - here.







Relishes & Condiments - 
these little jars of joy will put a smile on your face as you enjoy your weekend munch - here.





 

Cruising with Taste - 
our sauces are now served on Fred.Olsen Cruises worldwide. More on this and other foodie news - here.

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

FOOD MADE BETTER 
www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

Fishy Burgers for National Burger Day

Seafood Inspiration 
- in a bun

It's National Burger Day today - 22nd August. If you prefer meaty burgers - CLICK HERE - if you want to try something a fishy bit different ... read on and enjoy.

You don't have to go to great lengths to create great tastes. Take the classic fish finger sandwich.

A spread of Stokes Bloody Mary Ketchup, fish fingers on top dressed with crispy lettuce leaves and a dollop of our wonderful Real Mayonnaise. Da daaa ! 

Try crispy goujons of fish in a garnished roll with Stokes creamy, crunchy Tartare Sauce (a firm family favourite).

Or this seared tuna steak with lettuce and a salsa of chopped sweet peppers and Stokes Burger Relish. Simple. Yummy.

Prawn & Salmon Burger

Chop up 180g of raw peeled prawns and 2 or 3 skinless salmon fillets. Mix these together with 2 chopped spring onions and 2 tbsp of Stokes Sweet Chilli Sauce.

Mix well and put half in a blender to blitz into a paste. Now fold the paste back into the prawns and salmon mixture and form your fishy patties.

This should give you 4, which are better chilled for 15 minutes to firm them up before frying for 4 or 5 minutes each side.

Served with our Lemon Mayonnaise and a fresh salsa, the flavours and textures are delicious.

Teriyaki Salmon Burger

Make a marinade of 2 tbsp of Stokes Sweet Chilli Sauce, 2 tbsp of runny honey, 2 tbsp of sesame oil, 3 tbsp of soy sauce, 1 tsp of cornflour and about an inch of ginger, freshly grated.

Put your skinless salmon steaks into a shallow casserole dish, coating them well in the marinade and let them rest there for an hour or so while the oven heats to 200°C/gas mark 7.

Baste the steaks with the marinade again before putting them in the oven for a 10 minute bake. In a light bun with Stokes Real Mayonnaise and a few trimmings, this is a very special Fish Friday burger.

Order and enjoy your marvellous mayo - HERE

More foodie thoughts for the week:



Burgers Made Better - 
it's National Burger Day today and we're celebrating with some delicious and unusual recipes - here.








Relishes & Condiments - 
these little jars of joy will put a smile on your face as you enjoy your weekend munch - here.





 

Cruising with Taste - 
our sauces are now served on Fred.Olsen Cruises worldwide. More on this and other foodie news - here.

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

FOOD MADE BETTER 
www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

Condiments to Relish

In it, on it, with it

As part of our celebration of National Burger Day - today, 22nd August - we'll take a look at a few of the most popular Stokes Condiments and Relishes.

These jars of pure joy add so much - folded in the patty mix whilst making your own; sit on the bread base or burger as you dress it; and spoon, shake or squeeze onto the side of the plate to enjoy with your juicy compilation of 'yumminess'.

Stokes Chilli Jam

Meet one of the stars of the Stokes portfolio and an absolute 'must have' in the store cupboard.

It's a deliciously sticky jam, bursting with sweet chilli peppers, red peppers and red chilli heat. We literally spoon it onto and into anything that deserves a bit of chilli enlightenment.

This halloumi and crushed avocado burger has been given the chilli treatment with our Chilli Jam. Spoon it into your chilli con carne or add a little power to a sheepish Shepherds Pie.

Stokes Mint Sauce

Our classic mint sauce is made with garden mint, white wine vinegar and unrefined raw cane sugar for the delicious simplicity of this 'almost' traditional sauce to serve with lamb.

It's a must on or in a lamb burger, or stirred into our Real Mayonnaise.

Stokes Sticky Pickle

This is another one of those great all rounders, delicious with everything. It is a scrumptiously sticky pickle with our own unique blend of vegetables in a sweet and spicy sauce made with molasses and black treacle. 

 
Stokes Red Onion Marmalade

This is an absolute beauty being lusciously thick with caramelised red onions in sticky black treacle and a sharp balsamic finish. It's amazing with just about anything - try it with grilled cheese on toast.

Stokes Creamed Horseradish Sauce

A gentle, deliciously smooth creamed horseradish sauce that lets you enjoy its full flavour and won't bring tears to your eyes. It's a truly elegant alternative, made with combined wild and cultivated horseradish root and single cream.

TIP: try adding a couple of spoonfuls of our Creamed Horseradish Sauce into buttery smooth mashed potatoes. It turns a good mash into a great mash in moments

Stokes Burger Relish

Created with burgers in mind, it's a sweet red pepper, onion and tomato relish with subtle notes of chilli, made up in the style of a salsa. It promises to transform burgers into something really special.

Stokes Classic English Mustard

This is a strong mustard made smooth in texture and smooth in taste - hot without the 'burn'. It complements your meat rather than competing with it. The heat is flavour not punishment.

Stokes Real Mayonnaise

We are so proud of our Mayonnaise, it really is very special. We use only whole eggs from British free range Welfare Assured hens, into which very fine rapeseed oil is drizzled to create the product's core.

Then, to make this real mayonnaise stand out from the rest, extra virgin Cretan Koroneiki olive oil is added too.

Burgers Made Better

Order your Condiments & Relishes - HERE

More foodie thoughts for the week:



Burgers Made Better - 
it's National Burger Day today and we're celebrating with some delicious and unusual recipes - here.








Fish Friday Burgers - 
these fishy favourites offer a different, tasty way to celebrate National Burger Week - here.





 

Cruising with Taste - 
our sauces are now served on Fred.Olsen Cruises worldwide. More on this and other foodie news - here.

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

FOOD MADE BETTER 
www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150