Farmersgirl Kitchen

Wednesday, 22 July 2015

Come to a Barbeque at my Kitchen Table

It's Barbeque season and, although the weather has been rather variable, when the sun shines we love to cook and eat outside. Some hardy souls even brave the rain and wind and carry on regardless. Here are a few of the products that have arrived on my kitchen table for review and how I think they can be served as part of al fresco eating.

Let's start with some soup! "Soup at a Barbeque!" I hear you cry, well yes... ideal for those days that are not quite warm enough and also perfect to keep hunger pangs at bay while the barbie is heating up and the main event is cooking. This healthy Glorious Skinnylicious Soup is perfect to start your party. The San Antonio Fiesta is a hearty chilli sin carne with Black eye beans, Haricot beans, Black Turtle beans, and Red kidney beans. Also carrot, red pepper, basmati rice, a smoky Chipotle chilli paste, a pinch of peering at colourful floats parading past and ending the night shamelessly line-dancing in an old dancehall.

For those who prefer something a little smoother and sweeter there is New England in Autumn and it certainly doesn't taste like it has less than 1% fat. Made from roasted butternut squash with a hint of warming cumin, this soup reminds us of happening upon honesty stalls full of autumn harvests and strolling under colourful tree canopies. Kids will love this too.

Now, you can't have a barbeque without burgers. These are a little different, they are haggis burgers which I made by combining 500g of beef mince and 450g Macsween Haggis, then forming into patties. Chill and then cook in the usual way on the barbeque or fry them, cook under the grill or bake in the oven. Serve with salad, homemade coleslaw and homemade potato wedges.

To dress up your burgers, sausages or steaks you need some spicy sauce or a tasty marinade. Encona Taste Explorers have a great range of sauces and marinades provide something a little different, how often do you taste Jamaica, Korea or Morocco on the grill?

With Encona’s new marinade range, you can spice up your barbeque and bring flavour to the fire. You have a choice immersing your food in Jamaican Jerk, Korean BBQ or Moroccan Harissa.

Each marinade has been inspired by its origin, combining authentic ingredients to create three mouth-watering marinades that will make you feel like you are sunning in the Caribbean, riding a camel in North Africa or wandering through Gwangjang market.

A spicy and fragrant Moroccan paste made with a blend of chilli puree, herbs and spices; the harissa marinade adds the perfect kick to a lamb skewer.

For those who feel taste travelling to Morocco isn’t far enough, you can take your taste buds all the way to Korea. The BBQ marinade is made with a blend of gochujang spices, which can be enjoyed on beef, chicken, pork or grilled vegetables.

Alternatively, you could virtually hop across the pond to the sandy beaches of Jamaica, and enjoy a beach BBQ with a mild jerk marinade blended with scallions, hot pepper and pimento spices.

Each marinade is suitable for vegetarians and two are gluten free.

Time to get saucy with Encona Peruvian Amarillo Sauce, a blend of authentic Peruvian Amarillo chillies, roasted onion, spices and herbs creating a sweet, subtle chilli flavour with a hint of garlic – the perfect way for eager taste explorers to get their taste buds tingling without the cost of a plane ticket.

Grab your maracas and sombreros, Encona are taking us to Mexico too. Launching alongside their Peruvian sauce, they have created a Mexican Smokey Jalapeno Sauce. A delicious blend of chillies and spices gives the rich sauce a subtle smokey flavour and a warm and fruity taste to compliment your Mexican meals.

These are really versatile sauces, not just for the barbeque. I added the Moroccan Harissa Marinade to some lamb steaks and cooked for 8 hours on low in the slow cooker, throwing in a drained can of chickpeas about an hour before serving. The result was a delicious spicy tagine-style casserole served with lemon zest couscous. A big pot of this would go down well with fans of spicy food.

I have a hamper of Encona goodies including the full new range and a cute handmade World Map apron to GIVEAWAY, see bottom of this page.

And for the vegetarians attending the barbeque, I would recommend this delicious Grilled Halloumi, Red Pepper and Rocket with Wholegrain, Pearl Wheat and Quinoa, using one of the new range of Rice and Grains pouches from Uncle Ben's. They are so quick and easy, ideal when you are pushed for time and still full of flavour.

Grilled Halloumi, Red pepper and Rocket with Wholegrain, Pearl Wheat and Quinoa

Serves 2

• 1 pouch Wholegrain, Pearl Wheat and Quinoa

• A bag of rocket Salad

• Half a pack of Halloumi Cheese

• 1 Red Pepper

• Some Olive Oil

• Some Pine nuts

Heat a non-stick frying pan or griddle pan. Cut halloumi into 6-8 slices and cook quickly on each side for 2 mins until lightly tinged brown. Squeeze Wholegrain, Pearl Wheat and Quinoa pouch to separate the rice, tear 3 cms to vent, then microwave on full power for 90 seconds. Arrange rice, halloumi and salad on plate. Garnish with slices of red pepper and a few pine nuts.

This is the full range of Uncle Ben’s wholesome, great-tasting Rice and Grain varieties Perfect as a base for a healthy summer meal, each pack blends the goodness of wholegrain rice with added grains such as quinoa, wild rice or pearl wheat.

Everyone will all enjoy this Mixed Bean and 5 Wholegrains Salad and there are plenty more quick and healthy recipes on the Uncle Ben's website.

And for dessert here are a few ideas, from previous posts at Farmersgirl Kitchen, that will definitely please your guests:

1. Double Chocolate Tartlets
2. Sensational Strawberry Pavlova
3. Salted Caramel Peach Sundae
4. Chilli Lime Cupcakes

These Moose Maple Butter shortbreads are the perfect grab and go dessert, they are made to a simple shortbread recipe, the Moose Maple Butter gives them a slightly chewy,cookie texture rather than the usual crisp shortbread, the flavour of maple comes shining through, not overpowering but deliciously rich and sweet.

Moose Maple Butter contains nothing more than Pure No.1 Canadian Maple Syrup and fresh British Butter and a pinch of salt, it's great spread on toast, it's a great alternative to other sweet spreads, we loved it.

Finally treat your guests to the traditional Elizabeth Shaw Mint Crisps. This timeless recipe is made with quality dark chocolate, infused with mint oil and blended with a unique, melt-in-the-mouth honeycomb crisp.

Or you could introduce the latest mint creation from Elizabeth Shaw: Dark Chocolate Mint Thins. Delicate layers of quality dark chocolate infused with a sumptuous mint flavour, luxuriously decorated with crunchy mint sprinkles. The lightness of the chocolate with the crunchy sprinkles makes them very moreish indeed and although these are great to share with friends over a coffee, you may find you want to keep these all to yourself!

I hope you've enjoyed this little barbeque round up and remember to enter the competition (UK only) to WIN a hamper of Encona sauce and marinade goodies by completing the Rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was provided with samples to review, all opinions are my own.

Labels: barbecue, barbeque, burger, Elizabeth Shaw, Encona, Glorious Skinnylicious, haggis, halloumi, Macsween, marinade, mints, Moose Maple Butter, rice and grains, sauce, Soup, Uncle Ben's

Wednesday, 16 July 2014

Chocolate Cocktails, Popcorn, Sauce and Business Cards on my Kitchen Table

On my Kitchen Table is a post to share with you some of the products I've been sent to review over the last month, it's a rather eclectic mix this month so let's get stuck in!

First up are some summery chocolates from Hotel Chocolat. The Tropical Cocktails are sweet and fresh with a little kick of alcohol. There are four different 'cocktails' : Peach Bellini, Pina Colado, Hurricane and Caipirnha. We both really liked the Hurricane with dark Jamaican rum truffle blended with zippy Valencian orange and passion fruit, they were all very tasty but the others were a little sweet for our taste. I was a pack of Choc Fudge Sundae chocs, little chocolate pots filled with a sticky toffee and fudge sauce with intense praline and a sprinkle of crunchy cereal, absolutely delicious and a nice treat at at reasonable price.

Tropical Cocktails £10.00 for 115g 7/10
Choc Fudge Sundae £3.85 for 75g 9/10

Julian Metcalfe is obsessed with delicious and healthy food. Back in 2009 he was fed up of stodgy snacks that weighed him down and he wanted to create something that was light yet tasty to replace the bog standard crisp. Popcorn was the perfect fit and Metcalfe’s skinny Topcorn was born. There's a new flavour of Metcalfe's skinny topcorn it's white cheese and it's really really addictive! There are lots of other cool flavours too, from the simple salted popcorn to spicy and sweet flavoured popcorns. 8/10

75g Metcalfe's Skinny Topcorn - White Cheese £1.00 - £1.49

I remember my Mum had a little bottle of Tabasco Pepper sauce which she would use to add chilli heat to her cooking, fresh chillies were not easily available in my childhood and there was only one kind of Tabasco. Now Tabasco have launched a range of sauces to Transport Your Tastebuds, Louisiana Style

Now Tabasco® brand Pepper Sauce, the iconic kitchen staple for over 140 years, has created four vibrant new recipes that capture the essence of the Deep South, bringing those true American flavours to the UK.

Introducing Tabasco® brand Sauces and Marinades. Brand new and brilliantly different, these are table sauces with a twist. Add a dollop on burgers, drizzle over chargrilled skewers or marinate baby back ribs to bring the real American diner scene to your kitchen. From hot and tangy to smokey and subtle, experience the four great flavours and three different heat levels across the range.

The Chipotle and Smokey Bourbon sauce is inspired by the jazz clubs and bar scene of New Orleans. The subtlety of smoked chipotle peppers blends perfectly with the Bourbon to create the ultimate sauce for authentic American ribs and pulled pork - sweet and finger licking sticky.

Sweet Chipotle and Cola is the ultimate sauce for traditional American burgers. Tabasco® has taken the sweet flavour of cola soft drink and combined it with the smokiness of Chipotle peppers to create a deliciously rich sauce, that’s incredibly moreish. Try it on hotdogs too! I used this sauce with pork leg steaks cooked slowly in the sauce with a little water added, I added the chickpeas at the last minute and really enjoyed the rich flavours.

The Peppery Deep South Creole sauce transforms chicken wings and veggie burgers. Rich tomatoes and bell peppers are brought to life with a vibrant blend of herbs and spices to reflect the diversity of flavour in Louisiana.

Fruity and Fiery Habanero is an exotic infusion of hot Habanero peppers, sweet mango, banana and papaya. It delivers a blast of hot chilli that’s great for dipping or marinating and brings Deep South sunshine to seafood or veggie skewers.

The full range of Tabasco® brand Sauces and Marinades is available from Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose, RRP £2.29. Enjoy them as a dip, use them as a condiment or as a marinade, each flavour will transport your tastebuds, Louisiana style. 8/10

Vistaprint have a range of great products at reasonable prices which transform your photographs into books, calendars, mugs, t-shirts, phone cases.... in fact just about anything that will hold an image! I was going to make a photo book as I have done previously and found them to be excellent, but I simply ran out of time. As I needed some new business cards, I used the simple step by step instructions to create these cards featuring a recipe I made last summer.
250 Premium Glossy Business Cards : £26.81 including VAT 9/10

Many thanks to the PRs and companies for the samples to review, I was not paid for these reviews and all opinions are my own.

Labels: Business Cards, cocktails, dipping, Hotel Chocolat, marinade, Metcalfe's Skinny, Popcorn, sauce, Tabasco, Topcorn, Vistaprint

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Lemon & Sweet Pepper Marinaded Chicken

I can highly recommend trying one of the Bart Smokehouse Barbeque Rubs, there are five marinade rubs which reflect the diverse flavours of barbecue traditions from around the world:

• Smokey Chipotle Marinade Rub: a classic Tex/Mex chipotle chilli gives a smokey flavour

• Mediterranean Marinade Rub: traditional Mediterranean herbs basil, oregano, parsley and rosemary – blended with tomato and a fresh lemon finish

• Lemon & Sweet Pepper Marinade Rub: inspired by Australia, red and green peppers give this rub a great colour and the lemon oil provides an intense taste

• New York Steak Marinade Rub: A classic deli blend of mustard, garlic and pepper

• Tandoori Marinade Rub: tamarind as a main ingredient adds depth of flavour which blends with chilli to create a traditional indian flavour

Plus, as marinades can be messy to apply, the rubs come with a special “marinade bag” to make the whole process cleaner, easier, quicker. No sticky fingers, no washing hands every five minutes. Just delicious authentic flavour.

Simply place the meat or fish in the bag with your chosen Bart® marinade, hold the bag closed and shake gently to spread the ingredients around. For depth of flavour, leave in the fridge for an hour or more before grilling. And, just in case it’s raining, the bag can also be used in the oven for slow cooking, retaining the moisture. As I don't do barbeques, I chose the alternative slow cooking.

I loved the fact that all you need to do is rub the spice mix on your meat, although I brushed my chicken with olive oil first, the pop it the roasting bag which is provided in the box and leave it to marinade. You can then either remove the meat from the bag and barbeque or cook as you would normally roast your meat or you can do what I did, and roast it in the bag.

It was so simple, the roasting tin didn't need soaking and scrubbing and I used my Oxo Good Grips Gravy Separator to separate the fat from the juices then turned them into delicious gravy. The chicken was cooked with the Lemon and Sweet Pepper Rub and had a lovely light lemony flavour. The roasting bag made sure the meat was kept moist and it was very tender. The left over meat was also really good with salad the next day.

See another review and recipe with Lemon and Sweet Pepper Marinade at Lavender and Lovage

I also tried the Smoky Chipotle Rub on some lamb steaks.

I cooked this in the roasting bag after marinading for about two hours, the meat was very tender and although the rub is quite spicy it didn't overwhelm the flavour of the lamb.

The full range is available at Ocado from the end of June and a selection of the rubs will be instore at all Waitrose branches from 2nd June. They will also be available through independents, and delicatessens around the country. Or buy online at www.bart-ingredients.co.uk

from July. The rubs are priced at £1.49, there are alos sauces at £2.99 and spice mills at £3.99.

I was provided with the Barbeque Rubs, I was not paid for this review and all opinions are my own.

Labels: barbeque, Bart Ingredients, Chicken, lemon, Lemon and Sweet Pepper, marinade, roast chicken, rub

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Farmersgirl Kitchen

Wednesday, 22 July 2015

Come to a Barbeque at my Kitchen Table

Wednesday, 16 July 2014

Chocolate Cocktails, Popcorn, Sauce and Business Cards on my Kitchen Table

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Lemon & Sweet Pepper Marinaded Chicken

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