Fresh Allotment Harvest

National Allotment Week
Fresh Veg at its best

It's National Allotment Week - 12th to 18th August - and despite the weather, the harvest is good. Bad news for cauliflower, but good news for tomatoes, beans, courgettes and fennel.

There's nothing better than tomatoes plucked straight off the vine with a flake of sea salt and a piece of cheese.

Green beans are a joy to harvest - adding more to the trug every day. Boil until tender, drain and spoon through 1 tbsp of Stokes Garlic Mayonnaise and 1 tsp of our Cider & Horseradish Wholegrain Mustard.

Potatoes, washed, boiled, buttered and sliced. 

Best Ever 
Dauphinoise Potatoes

Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/gas mark 6. Boil your potatoes (about 1.3kgs) until tender, 'just' cooked, then drain and set them aside. Slice them quite thinly when they cool.

In a pan, combine 125ml of single cream, 175ml of full milk, 4 tbsp of Stokes Real Mayonnaise (or Garlic Mayonnaise) and half a glass of white wine (drink the other half of course). Bring this gently to the boil, stir in 1 or 2 tsp of Stokes Classic English Mustard and simmer very gently for 5 minutes.

Butter a casserole dish and layer the potatoes, overlapping the slices. Pour a little sauce over the first layer then repeat. Grate a combination of Cheddar, Parmesan and Gruyere cheese over the top and bake for 20 minutes until the top is bubbling and brown with really tender potatoes beneath it.

Pizza Stuffed Peppers

No, not stuffed with a pizza, but with the tasty toppings we might have on a pizza.

Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/gas mark 6. Halve the courgettes lengthways and scoop out the soft pippy core. Put them in a buttered shallow dish, drizzle with oil, then into the oven for 20 minutes.

Let them cool and top them, first with spread of Stokes Bloody Mary Ketchup, or Chipotle Ketchup if you prefer a smoky chilli slant. Now a layer of prosciutto ham torn into small strips.

Next a layer of grated cheese and a ball of mozzarella torn and dotted around below cherry tomatoes and basil leaves.

Finally, back into the oven for 15 minutes or until the delicious smell drives you wild !

Fish & Fennel

The perfect partnership, fennel and fish - Sea Bass or Sea Bream just live it.

Into a shallow pan, slice shallots, celery and a bulb or two of fennel (cutting out its hard core). Add a good knob of butter, 2 or 3 tsp of Stokes Cider & Horseradish Wholegrain Mustard and cover the contents with chicken of vegetable stock.

Bring this to the boil, lid on and simmer until the fragrant fennel is tender.

Now it all happens pretty quickly - put the fillets, skin side up, on the 'soup' then put them under a medium high grill. The fish will be steaming from below and cooking from the top.

If it takes more than 5 minutes to cook I'd be surprised. With buttered new potatoes stirred through with a spoon of two of our Garlic Mayonnaise ... Hmmm - Happy Harvest.

Your Harvest - Made Better with Stokes

Harvest Your Taste Buds - HERE

More foodie thoughts for the week:



Afternoon Teas: Savoury - 
afternoon teas are very British occasions. You'll enjoy these tasty alternative savoury sensations - here.







Afternoon Teas: Sweet - 
caught on camera, this lemon sponge video celebrates the sweeter side of tea time - here.



 



Food is for Sharing - 
now that's a sandwich. Meet baby Roo and answer the question ... jam first or cream - here.

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

FOOD MADE BETTER 
www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150