Stir-up Sunday - a festive family wish

Traditions of Christmas Past

Stir-Up Sunday is this coming weekend - 25th November.

The tradition dates back to Victorian times, when the family would gather together to stir the Christmas pudding on the Sunday before advent began.

Originally Christmas pudding contained 13 ingredients said to represent Jesus and his disciples.

The mixture is stirred by each member of the family from East to West, to remember the Wise Men that visited Jesus in the Nativity Story.

This is the moment each family member makes a wish - but don't tell anybody - shhhh - it's your secret.


Our 13 ingredients are:

• 250 g of raisins
• 250 g of currants
• 100 g of dried cherries
• 200 g of breadcrumbs
• 100 g of muscovado sugar
• 50 g of ground almonds
• 4 tbsp of Stokes Spiced Apricot Chutney
• 2 lemons, zest only
• 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp of grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp of ground cloves
• 3 large eggs
• 150 ml of port

Whilst you have the bowls out...

Mince Pies

You'll need:

• 225 g of butter
• 350 g of flour
• 100 g of caster sugar
• 280 g of mincemeat
• 2 tbsp of Stokes Fig Relish
• A dusting of icing sugar to finish

Here's how:

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

Cut the butter into little cubes and rub it into the flour then stir in the caster sugar with a little pinch of salt. Knead the pastry in a ball to work it a little. 

There should be enough dough for 18 pies, so grease one and a half 12 hole muffin tins and press a golfball-sized dough into each, flattening the pastry up the sides.

Mix the fig relish into the mincemeat and fill each pastry shell. Flatten smaller pieces of dough to make the lids.

If you make them on Stir-Up Sunday, you can freeze the uncooked pies, ready for Christmas.

Brush the tops with a beaten egg and bake them for 20 minutes. Cool and dust with icing sugar.

 Chocolate, Cherry, Chilli Slice

A match made in festive heaven - chocolate, cherry and chilli.

You'll need:

• 75 g of self-raising flour
• 125 g of caster sugar, golden
• 125 g of butter
• 250 g of plain, high cocoa content chocolate
• 1 x can of black pitted cherries, a 425 g can
• 1 tbsp of Stokes Chilli Jam (more if you want more of a kick)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract

Here's how:

Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/Gas mark 5.

Chop up the chocolate. Drain the cherries, keeping the syrup which you bring to a gentle boil with just 25 g of the caster sugar and 25 g of the chocolate. Reduce the volume to make a rich cherry chocolate syrup and put aside to cool. 

Melt 75 g of the remaining chocolate with the butter in a Pyrex bowl over a pan of simmering water then set aside to cool.

Beat the eggs together with the remaining 100 g of sugar and the vanilla extract then add the melted chocolate, flour, chilli jam and the rest of the chocolate chunks.

Grease a 35 mm x 24 mm baking tray then line the base of it with the cherries, pouring the chocolate mixture over the top. Bake for 30 minutes, cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes more. When cooled a little but still warm, lift it from the tray and pour the cherry chocolate syrup over the top.

Have you written to Santa yet ?

To ensure you get just what you want  next month

... order your Stokes Christmas here

More foodie thoughts for the week:






Breakfast, best meal of the day - meet Stokes Breakfast Collection here.









Meat-free November Nibbles - enjoying winter's vegetables here.










 



More video fun from the kitchen - and other social sharing here.

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

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

Vegetarian Winter Warmers - seasonal 'no meat' sensations

Winter vegetables

This is the time of year when we are so spoilt with the colourful array of fruit and vegetables and their culinary versatility.

Meatless feasting is not an issue, it's a joy. Even the most hardcore carnivores will enjoy trying something different.

Egg-eating vegetarians (lacto-ovo vegetarians) might well enjoy something different for breakfast like this simple yet deliciously healthy omelette.

Marinate a salad of avocado, peppers and tomatoes in olive oil and torn basil leaves with a twist or two of sea salt and squeeze of lime. Just 20 minutes will draw the juices into the oil.

Beat a couple of good shakes of Stokes Brown Sauce into the egg mix before cooking your omelette and fold it around the juicy salad. If you want to turn the salad into a zingy salsa, add Stokes Chilli Jam to the marinade.


No-meat Winter Warmers

Cickpea Bolognese

Here's how:

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/Gas mark 4.

Drain, rinse and dry 2 cans of chickpeas and spread them about in a roasting tin with a little oil, grated (vegetarian) cheese, 1 tbsp of fennel seeds and 1 tsp of dried oregano. Shake well to cover the chickpeas then into the oven for 25 minutes.

While that's happening, chop and fry 1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 sticks of celery and 2 grated garlic cloves. After about 10 minutes, add 4 tbsp of Stokes Tomato Ketchup and 2 cans of chopped tomatoes.

Stir in 1 tbsp of thyme leaves and simmer for 20 minutes to reduce the volume and thicken the sauce. Add the roasted chickpeas and simmer for a further 10 minutes.

You can serve it with pasta, or, because the chickpeas are quite filling, serve on a bed of spiralised squash (readily available in certain supermarkets).

Mushroom Bourguignon

Here's how:

In a large pan soften 4 sliced shallots, 3 carrots roughly chopped into chunks and 2 parsnips (peeled, cored and chopped). Add 2 grated garlic cloves and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 tbsp of chopped thyme leaves and 1 tbsp of dried Italian herb mix.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 2 tbsp of flour. Coat the vegetables well, then add 250 ml of red wine, 500 ml of vegetable stock, 3 tbsp of Stokes Tomato Ketchup and 1 tbsp (or more to taste) of Stokes Brown Sauce.

Back on the heat now to boil vigorously for 5 minutes then reduce and simmer for 20 minutes with the lid on.

While this is simmering, roughly slice about 1 kg of assorted mushrooms - chestnut, button and Portobellos. Fry them in a separate pan with lots of butter until they begin to soften and take colour, then flame them in brandy. Tip the whole lot - mushrooms, juices and liquor into the simmering vegetables. Stir the pot well and simmer for 10 minutes adding a further knob of butter to put a sheen into the sauce.

Serve it with rice, pasta or a jacket potato - baked sweet potatoes work really well with this.

Vegetable Chilli

Here's how:

Prepare, slice, dice and fry your own volumes and combination of: butternut squash, onion, celery, carrot and celeriac.

Slice and add 5 or 6 tomatoes, 2 bell peppers and 1 medium heat chilli.

Add 4 tbsp of Stokes Tomato Ketchup, 2 tbsp of Stokes Chilli Jam, 2 tbsp of Stokes Chipotle Ketchup (more, or less to taste) and 2 tsp of Paprika.

Now pour in 750 ml of vegetable stock, bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer, lid on, for 20 minutes.

Rinse and drain 1 can of kidney beans and 1 of cannelloni beans, add them to the pan, turn up the heat and bubble to reduce the liquid for 10 minutes.

Heat off, cover and let the flavours marry for 10 minutes. Taste, season and add more chilli jam or chipotle ketchup to achieve the balance you prefer. A garnish of avocado and coriander is lovely, but you choose. Serve it with rice or in a bowl with a hunk of bread - it's the perfect winter warmer.

Come inside to the tastes of winter

To place your order, click here

More foodie thoughts for the week:






Breakfast, best meal of the day - meet Stokes Breakfast Collection here.










Stir-Up Sunday - enjoy the traditions of Christmas Past here.












More video fun from the kitchen - and other social sharing here.

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

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

Film fun in the kitchen - and more social sharing

Don't miss the fun
on Facebook & Twitter


Watch more kitchen antics caught on camera.

This is awesome, both to watch and to try. Watch as Stokes Blackcurrant Extra Jam is warmed to a runny syrup and dripped sensuously onto vanilla ice cream.

This is a 'must view'.

To see the video, click here:

It's always lovely to walk into a pub or restaurant and find that you don't need to use 'the other' ketchup. More and more are serving Stokes these days and the good word spreads and the good sauces pour. Discerning sauces for discerning diners.

Share your Stokes sightings with us on Facebook or Twitter and we'll send you something tasty in the post.

It's nearly party time so you might like this:

Another great video for you here, showing how to make sausage rolls with Sticky Pickle and Cheddar Cheese. I haven't tried these yet but will have a go at the weekend. They look and I'm assured they taste - delicious. Not surprising really - we only do delicious !

More foodie thoughts for the week:






Breakfast, best meal of the day - meet Stokes Breakfast Collection here.










Stir-Up Sunday - enjoy the traditions of Christmas Past here.














Meat-free November Nibbles - enjoying winter's vegetables here.

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

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

November Nibbles - seasonal lunches to tempt the taste buds

Goodbye Autumn

Most of the leaves have now fallen with just a few hanging on at the end of their beautiful Autumn display.

Kitchen thoughts now turn to Winter and the glorious ingredients to enjoy on the run up to festive feasts and social entertaining.

Until then let's keep things fresh and interesting with colourful collections and tasty treats.

Take this Salade Gourmande for instance. It's attractive, seasonal and delicious.

Assorted salad leaves including frizee, spinach, lambs tails and kale are topped with cubes of feta cheese, slices of Iberico ham (or similar - crispy smoked bacon is really good this way too) and scattered pomegranate seeds for colour and crunch.

For a dressing with a difference, finely grate some Parmesan cheese into a bowl of Stokes Real Mayonnaise and add a teaspoon (or 2) of Stokes Dijon Mustard. If you want to add the texture and flavoursome 'pop' of mustard grains use Stokes Cider & Horseradish Mustard instead.

Hello Winter

Sausage & Brussels Fry

This combines sausage, potatoes and Brussels sprouts, pan-fried and finished with cider. It's very simple, tastes amazing and brings out the best in Brussels.

Here's how:

Put the sausages in the oven on a medium high heat for 20 minutes until 'just' cooked. Meanwhile, peel and cut potatoes into 2 cm cubes, boil them for 7 or 8 minutes, drain and set them aside.

Heat half oil, half butter in a pan and fry the potatoes to brown them. Trim and halve your sprouts and add them to the potatoes, reduce the heat and cook for 5 minutes of so.

Add your 'just cooked' sausages with 1 tsp of thyme leaves and 1 tbsp of Stokes Cider & Horseradish Mustard. Turn the heat up and pour in 125 ml of dry English cider. Let it boil and reduce then - enjoy.

Pot Roast Chicken

Great to eat, easy to prepare - and just one pan to clean.

To serve with Stokes Cranberry Sauce, click here

Here's how:

Heat the oven to 160°C/Gas mark 3.

In a heatproof casserole dish, gently fry 6 rashers of smoked bacon (cut up), 2 grated garlic cloves and 2 sliced leeks for 8 minutes.

Add 1 tsp of thyme leaves, 2 sticks of chopped celery, 2 apples (cored and sliced) and an assortment of trimmed, chopped root vegetables - carrot, parsnip and celeriac. Stir in 2 tbsp of Stokes Brown Sauce and 1 tbsp of Stokes Classic English Mustard.

Add a 2 to 2.25 kg chicken and 400 ml of chicken stock. With its lid on, pop it in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the lid, baste the bird and put it back into the oven uncovered for 30 minutes.

Remove the bird and set aside, lift out the vegetables with a slotted spoon, put the dish on a high heat to boil and reduce the stock. I like to add a squeeze of lime juice and a good shake or two of Stokes Tomato Ketchup for a sweet tomatoey depth. You could add Stokes Original BBQ Sauce for smokiness or our Chipotle Ketchup for the smoky heat of the chipotle chillis.

Warm Smoked Mackerel Salad  

Here's how:

Heat the oven to 200°C/Gas mark 6.

Place the mackerel fillets on one half of a sheet of foil in a baking tray. Fold the other half over, turning in the corners to form a pouch. It will only take ten minutes to warm the fish through and release its smoky oils.

For a wonderful dressing, mix 1 tsp of Stokes Dijon Mustard with 1 tsp of runny honey and 1 tbsp  of cider vinegar. Beat all three to a paste then slowly drizzle in 4 tbsp of British rapeseed oil beating continually to make an emulsion.

Now add 2 tsp of Stokes Creamed Horseradish Sauce, still beating the combined dressing. 

Serve the warm fish broken into a salad of cooked beetroots and peppery greens and enjoy the dressing.

Come inside to the tastes of winter

To place your order, click here

More foodie thoughts for the week:






British Game Week - for hearty winter feasts click  here.











Cranberries & Mustards - condiments of the season - here.














More great videos - from our kitchen to yours  here.

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

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150