APRIL 2017
THE COUNTRY RANGE GROUP MAGAZINE FOR CATERERS
Cracking
food allergies We’ve got it covered
THE WORD ON THE STREET Street food trends for mainstream menus
King Prawn and Vegetable Taco with Ranch Dressing
Get dressed ready for anything‌ Our fabulous new dressings bring versatility to your menu this summer. Honey & Mustard Dressing is a sweet and acidic dressing with a mild mustard flavour and is perfect for glazing pork or chicken. Ranch Dressing is a delicate and creamy garlic & herb dressing that beautifully complements Mexican dishes. Citrus & White Balsamic Dressing is a sweet and citrus sauce with cracked black pepper and livens up warm greens and beans.
For recipe inspiration visit www.countryrange.co.uk
Grilled Pork, Apple and Parmesan Croutons with Honey & Mustard
Citrus & White Balsamic Superfood Medley
HONEY & MUSTARD DRESSING RANCH DRESSING CITRUS & WHITE BALSAMIC DRESSING l
l
l
PACK SIZE: 2.25litre USAGE INSTRUCTIONS: Store in cool, dry place. Once opened, keep refrigerated and use within 21 days. SUITABLE FOR: Vegetarians and nut allergy sufferers.
The Leading Independent Foodservice Brand
Make sure you haionvefor allergen informpeats and all your reci age and products in st or cessible ensure this is acaff for all st
Ingredients Food
Features
Favourites
05 CUSTOMER 8,9 NEW FROM
COUNTRY RANGE
16 DICKSON’S DIARY
PROFILE
- Super Sausage Café
11 EDUCATION
04 READERS’ LIVES
- Student Chef Finalists Announced
COOKS CALENDAR
For starters...
>> The Country Range Group is very lucky to have some truly fabulous customers and we’re thrilled that Stir it up can provide a vehicle to champion the wonderful things you are doing.
As a customer magazine, we love nothing more than singing your praises and sharing your inspirational stories with our 23,000 readers. This issue is a bumper month with a customer appearing on our Health and Welfare page, in addition to our regular slots (Customer Profile, Readers’ Lives and On the Range). With hospital food hitting the headlines again for all the wrong reasons, Hazel Read, FM support services manager at Solent NHS Trust, shows how it is possible to cook hospital food from fresh on page 15.
23 ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS -
Beef Up Your Offering
29 COUNTRY CLUB MARKETPLACE
13
HOSPITALITY
- Vegan Options, 6,000 New Eateries
15 HEALTH &
WELFARE - Fresh and Nutritious Food for Patients
37
Finally, Country Range development chef Paul Dickson provides some brilliantly creative ways to use the new and improved Country Range Ready-to-use Sauces on page 43. Who knew ready to use sauces could be so versatile?!
30-31
ON THE RANGE
MELTING POT
with Aprilanna Dinkin, Dinkin’s Home Bakery
Word on the Street
43 FIVE WAYS TO
USE - Country Range Ready-to-use Sauces
18-21
Northern Irish customer Aprilanna Dinkin shares her delicious Sizzling Beef Stirfry recipe on page 37, and winners of Britain’s Best Café, the Super Sausage, share their tips for success on page 5. Our Focus feature this month is the extremely important topic of Allergens and how to cater for them, and seven chefs share their tips and ideas for adapting street food trends onto mainstream menus in our Melting Pot.
- Win a Gin Kit, Gluten-Free Chocolate, New Bisto Sauces
26,27 THE
CATEGORY FOCUS - Reacting to Food Allergies
25 RAISE THE BAR - Gin Time!
47
FOOD FOR THOUGHT - Spring into action with some inspirational recipes
40-41
33 FOOD &
INDUSTRY NEWS
35 SPECIAL
LEADING LIGHTS - with Barry Tonks
FEATURE - How to
Combat Food Inflation
Keep creating a stir!
Contact us...
MARCH 2017
EDITOR Janine Nelson editor@stiritupmagazine.co.uk WRITERS Sarah Rigg, Amy Grace SUBSCRIPTIONS Telephone: 0845 209 3777
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APRIL 2017
3
COOKS CALENDAR
COOKS CALENDAR APRIL radishes
Read ers ' Li ves
1 Name: Barry Wilson 2 Job title: Senior head chef 3 Place of work: Clwyd Alyn Housing Association based at Gorwel Newydd in Rhyl
4 Typical working hours:
sorrel
crab
spinach
1 APRIL FOOL’S DAY 10 - 16 UK Coffee Week 2AGM, CRAFT GUILD OF CHEFS 14 Good Friday ROYAL GARDEN www.ukcoffeeweek.com
5 How long have you worked
www.craftguildofchefs.org
6 Most
interesting fact about you: I trained and qualified as a baker before becoming a chef
7 Favourite
cuisine: I love all traditional British dishes with modern twists
8 Signature dish: Gluten
-free and sugar-free Victoria sponge or Italian meringue based Pavlova
cucumber
cauliflower
HOTEL, KENSINGTON
32 years
Jersey Royal new potatoes
watercress
8am-4pm
in the catering industry?
What’s in Seaso n?
6 - 7 Hospital Caterers
Association Leadership & Development Forum, Europa Hotel, Belfast www.hospitalcaterers .org/news/2016/2017-forum.php
17 EASTER MONDAY
20 Cost Sector Catering
Awards Hilton London Metropole www.costsectorcatering.co.uk/awards
23 ST GEORGE’S DAY
MAY spring onions
strawberries
What’s in Seaso n?
gooseberries
asparagus
9 Must-have kitchen gadget: It’s not really a gadget but wouldn’t be without the Rational combi oven
10 Top culinary tip When planning menus always remember the four Cs - Customer Choice Cost Capability
apricots
rhubarb
spring lamb
11 Who is your inspiration and why? No one person in
particular but all head chefs I have worked with
12 Favourite Country
Range ingredient and why? I like all the pastas because they’re good quality and reasonably priced
13 Early May Bank Holiday 1(Scotland, Ireland, England and Wales)
7- BRITISH 13 SANDWICH WEEK www.sandwich.org.uk
9 - 15 COELIAC
AWARENESS WEEK www.coeliac.org.uk
12 - Foodies 14 Festival, Bristol
www.foodiesfestival.com
4 APRIL 2017
19
NATIONAL DOUGHNUT WEEK www.nationaldoughnutweek.org.uk
VEGETARIAN WEEK 15 – 21 NATIONAL www.nationalvegetarianweek.org
22 - BRITISH 28 TOMATO WEEK
www.britishtomatoes.co.uk
27 – 4 English Wine Week
29
www.englishwineproducers.co.uk
SPRING BANK HOLIDAY
(SCOTLAND, IRELAND, ENGLAND AND WALES)
CUSTOMER PROFILE
Super Sausage Café BANG-ON
The Super Sausage Ca
fé team
BRITAIN’S BEST CAFÉ IS
>> A hard-working family in Northamptonshire has won the ultimate accolade by winning the “Best Café in Britain” award.
Chris and Gail Murray, along with their son Simon, 19, run the Super Sausage Café on the A5 in Potterspury. They beat 550 hopefuls to win the coveted title, scooping a trip to New York in the process – and put their win down to their brilliant breakfasts. Chris explains: “Around 11,000 venues were eligible to enter the competition and we were nominated along with 550 other cafés across the UK. We won the regional title and were over the moon to win the national title – Gail couldn’t stop crying! “I think we won because we’re very welcoming and friendly, and it’s all about consistency. We’re well known for our full English breakfasts, and we ensure the consistency by only using quality ingredients. For example, we use Country Range Baked Beans and Plum Tomatoes. The baked beans are brilliant – better than any of the branded beans and not too runny.” Reviews on TripAdvisor say it all: “Best breakfast I ever eat!”, “The food is excellent and the service quick”, “This café has become a firm favourite for us. Breakfasts are cooked to order, massive portions, absolutely delicious”.
Bikers’ meet
FOR BREAKFAST! The café is particularly popular with families, the Met Police and bikers, as well as people heading to the nearby Silverstone race circuit. The Murrays bought the Super Sausage in 2009 after specifically searching for a suitable café.
Prior to that, Chris worked as a kitchen designer for 15 years for high-end restaurants such as Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir and Michel Roux Senior’s Waterside Inn. In addition he had 20 years’ chef-ing experience and the family also ran a pub for three years. He continues: “I’d got to the top of the tree with the kitchen design company and I wanted a change. We’d always fancied the idea of running a café. We wanted to be able to start early and finish early. This truck stop type of place came on the market and we thought we’d never be able to afford it. It was a really prominent spot with good parking – in this game it’s all about position.” Luckily the family was able to snap up the café and they’ve never looked back. “It’s going great guns,” adds Chris. They open from 6.30am to 3.30pm seven days a week, closing only on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, employing 15 staff and serving 2,000 covers a week.
In an average week, the serves:
Super Sausage 2,000
¼ ton of
bacon
eggs
75 tins of
Country Range
Baked Beans
2,000
sausages
70 tins of
Country Range
Plum Tomatoes Gail Murray
APRIL 2017
5
Turn the products you buy into rewards you’ll love. Simply join and the points are added as you order.
50 FREE points on activation
It’s that easy.
Join now at ufs.com/chefrewards Open to bona fide UK and ROI catering establishments and their employees aged 18+. Employees must seek their business owner’s permission. Scheme is available in relation to purchase of participating products outlined at www.UFSChefRewards.com. Join UFS Chef Rewards scheme by registering at www.UFSChefRewards.com and accrue points via (up to) three nominated participating customer accounts, you must provide wholesaler customer account number for each to redeem points. Retain copy invoices as proof of purchase. Internet access required. Points collected in a given year (January – December) will expire on 31st December of the following year. For example, points collected throughout 2016 will expire on 31 December 2017. Any points that are unspent by 31st December of the year following their accumulation will be lost. Accounts or any outlets that have a direct agreement with Unilever Food Solutions are excluded from this Scheme. Participation at Unilever UK Ltd’s sole discretion: reserves right to alter, withdraw or terminate the Scheme at any time upon reasonable notice to Members. Visit www.UFSChefRewards.com for full terms and conditions. *Offer ends 30.04.17.
How it works 1. Join today at ufs.com/chefrewards 2. Nominate your preferred wholesaler – you may choose up to 3 participating wholesalers
4. The UFS Chef Rewards team will start collecting the points from your nominated wholesaler(s) on a monthly basis and award them into your Chef Rewards balance for you to spend
3. Order any of the featured products through your nominated wholesalers
It’s that easy.
Redeem points on…
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200 EXTRA POINTS
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VISIT UFS.COM/CHEFREWARDS
NEW FROM COUNTRY RANGE
The Leading Independent Foodservice Brand
Reasons to
be saucy!
>> We’ve given our ready-touse sauces a massive makeover – and they’re now more fabulous than ever! Not only that, they’re healthier than their predecessors too because we’ve reduced:
• Fat content by 66% • Sugar by 19% • Salt by 32% We’ve replaced the dried herbs with IQF (individual quick freezing) versions for a fresher, more authentic taste, and you’ll
also notice the look and texture of our sauces is more appealing.
Martin Ward, Country Range Group trading director, said: “We’re over the moon with our new and improved Ready-to-use Sauces. The feedback we’ve had on the new recipes has been fantastic. Not only do they look great, they taste amazing too. “Ready-to-use sauces are a brilliant time-saver for busy caterers, and we’re confident that ours are as good if not better than any on the market.”
Country Range development chef Paul Dickson shows the versatility of the RTU sauces on Five Ways (page 43)
The whole range is on offer this month, see the Stir it up Promotions for more details
8 APRIL 2017
NEW & IMPROVED Ready-to-use Sauces
Indian • Balti Curry Sauce • Jalfrezi Curry Sauce • Korma Curry Sauce • Madras Curry Sauce • Rogan Josh Curry Sauce • Tikka Masala Curry Sauce Oriental • Sweet & Sour • Sweet & Sour with Vegetables Tomato-based • Bolognese sauce • Tomato & Basil • Sauce for Chilli Con Carne • Mild Salsa • Burger Relish Pack Size: 2 x 2.2kg
>> We’re launching three new on-trend dressings to help caterers freshen up their offering in time for the summer season.
Honey and Mustard Dressing A unique combination of honey and continental mustard, blended to give the perfect balance of sweet and savoury, ideally drizzled over fresh greens or used to glaze gammon to create that caramelised finish. This classic sauce is the third best-selling sauce in the UK! Recipe idea: Grilled Pork, Apple and Parmesan Croutons with Honey and Mustard Dressing
Citrus & White Balsamic Dressing
Don’t just save them for salads!
A combination of lemon and lime with subtle sweetness and a peppery acidic finish, fantastic with crispy and crunchy salads or gives fish a tangy lift. This is a really contemporary dressing and is bang on trend with the white balsamic element.
Our new dressings are too tasty to be saved just for salads. To coincide with their launch, we’ve produced some handy recipe cards with some deliciously different ideas for dressing your dishes. Ask your sales contact for more details.
• Country Range Honey & Mustard Dressing • Country Range Citrus & White Balsamic Dressing • Country Range Ranch Dressing Pack Size: 2 x 2.25ltr
Recipe idea: Kale, Beets, Feta and Farro Salad
Ranch Dressing Ranch dressing is America’s No.1 sauce and is a sumptuous alternative to Caesar, with mild garlic undertones and a smooth buttery texture which brings out the flavour in every dish. Drizzle over grilled prawn skewers, use it as a dip or to add a bit of ‘oomph’ to a club sandwich. Recipe idea: Pastrami and Sauerkraut with Ranch Dressing
Citrus & White Balsamic Superfood Medley
Strawberry Prosecco Charlotte
EA SNEAK P
K
The sweet taste of summer Next month sees the launch of three gorgeous new summer desserts, which are exclusive to Country Range. Watch this space for more details on our gorgeous Tutti Frutti Charlotte, St Clements Pudding and Strawberry Prosecco Charlotte, which is so fabulous we’ve made it our May cover star!
APRIL 2017
9
NEW FROM COUNTRY RANGE
Dressing up
NEW!
King Prawn and Vegetable Taco with Ranch Dressing
Radnor Fizz On Pack Promotion
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fully school compliant
Countdown
Eight teams secure Country Range Student Chef Challenge final places
Following four extremely tight and highly competitive semi-finals, eight teams secured their places in the prestigious Country Range Student Chef Challenge 2017. The victorious teams were: • Ayrshire College
• Glasgow Clyde College
• Blackpool and Fylde College
• Henley College Coventry
• City College Norwich
• Hopwood Hall College
• City of Liverpool College
• Loughborough College
Now in its 23rd year, the annual Country Range Student Chef Challenge, which is run in partnership with the Craft Guild of Chefs, has become the pinnacle for full-time hospitality and catering college students looking to showcase their culinary prowess and creativity, while developing “real life” catering skills and experience under intense pressure situations. In addition to taking home the much-coveted Student Chef Challenge title, the victorious team will also win the once in a lifetime opportunity to work with the Craft Guild of Chef’s culinary team in catering for over a thousand guests at the Craft Guild of Chefs Annual Awards 2017. This year’s theme was ‘Healthy Gourmet Fine Dining’ and each team had 1½ hours to create and plate a three-course menu which consisted of the following:
• A vegetarian starter containing at least one super grain, such as amaranth, chia seeds, freekeh or quinoa
• A main course that can contain meat or fish but must be centred around imaginative healthy cooking techniques
• A dessert that should contain fruit where possible and refrain from containing too much butter and cream Craft Guild of Chefs’ head judge Chris Basten commented: “It’s all about taste and flavours but we are also looking for skills, technique,
team work and character from the teams, as a three course menu is not easy to produce in just 1½ hours. The semi-finals have provided some amazing dishes so it’s a credit to all the teams and their college’s catering departments.” Emma Holden, Country Range Student Chef Challenge competition manager, said: “The semifinals were enthralling viewing with some incredible Visit the Country menus and creativity on Range Student Chef Challenge show. With the quality so website for the full image galle high, the judging was ry of the semi-fi nals w w w.countryra extremely difficult and the ngestudentchef .co.uk margin between qualifying was tiny, so commiserations to those who didn’t quite make it. For those who did, a big congratulations.” The remaining eight teams were set to do battle in the Live Theatre of ScotHot, Scotland’s biggest food, drink and hospitality show held at the SECC in Glasgow, as Stir it up went to press. Find out which team was victorious in our May issue.
APRIL 2017 11
EDUCATION
It’s the final
With its rich flavour and unmistakable aroma, there’s a good reason why NESCAFÉ® Original is the tried and tested nation’s favourite coffee*
*IRI MAT OCT 2016
It’s important not to underestimate the value of a decent cup of coffee. Whether for your employees, colleagues or clients, when it’s time for a break it has got to be golden. Which is why NESCAFE® GOLD ® BLEND , with its smooth taste and
rich aroma, should always be at hand in the office.
We all love barista-style coffee. The intense aroma, the enticing look. The roast coffee taste. Now you can enjoy all of that pleasure in the ease of an instant.
® Reg. Trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A. Subject to availability.
The number of vegans in the UK has risen by 360% in the UK over the last 10 years – but caterers are “lagging behind” in providing vegan options on their menus.
Elena Orde
According to a recent poll carried out by Ipsos MORI for the Vegan Society and Vegan Life magazine, 542,000 people aged 15 or over – more than 1% of the population – have adopted a plant-based diet, up from 150,000 in 2006.
The perceived health benefits of a vegan diet are thought to be driving the trend. Advocates of plant -based eating say vegans typically have lower levels of cholesterol and blood pressure, a lower body mass index, and reduced risk of death from heart disease and cancer. Close to half of all vegans are aged 15–34 (42%), according to the poll, compared to 14% aged over 65. The vast majority of vegans live in urban areas (88%), with almost a quarter (22%) in London. In spite of this rapidly growing number, many caterers are still failing to provide suitable menu options. Elena Orde, communications officer for the Vegan Society, said: “At least 540,000 people in Britain now follow a vegan diet. This is up from an estimated 150,000 ten years ago, and is showing every sign of continuing to grow rapidly. This is due to greater awareness about the benefits of veganism to the animals, our health and the environment.
“More people are now finding it easier to go vegan due to an increase in vegan products and services. However, many catering establishments are lagging behind, and missing out by not providing for vegans. “Caterers can open up a whole new market by including just one or two vegan options on their menus, and ensuring that they are clearly labelled and advertised. Staff should be educated about what vegans can and can’t eat, and which options are suitable, or can easily be made vegan. Stocking products such as soy milk, vegan spread and vegan ice cream is a great place to start, and all of these are easily accessible.” The Vegan Society is currently working on an educational leaflet aimed specifically at caterers. For more information and recipe inspiration visit www.vegansociety.com.
Restaurants and cafés replace pubs as go-to place for socialising New research from The Restaurant Club has revealed the great British pub is making way for 6,000 new eateries across England, Scotland and Wales.
One of the largest growth areas is juice bars with a 46% increase
The largest growth areas included lounge bars (116%), cake makers (51%), juice bars (46%) and speciality restaurants. There was also a 31% increase in the number of coffee shops. Indian, Italian and Chinese are the most popular types of restaurants across England, but there are regional quirks as well - in Leeds, there has been a rise in Spanish restaurants, while American diners are proving to be popular in Bristol.
There is a hunger for fresh, healthy ingredients to be served in convivial surroundings
Louisa Walters, founder of The Restaurant Club, said: “Eating out has become the number one leisure activity in the UK, with restaurants and cafés fast replacing pubs as the go-to venue for socialising. Independent outlets have recognised the need for fresh, healthy ingredients served in convivial surroundings with a regularly changing menu to keep customers’ interest piqued.”
APRIL 2017 13
HOSPITALITY
Caterers are “missing out” by not offering vegan dishes
At least 540,000 people in Britain now follow a vegan diet up from an estimated 150,000 ten years ago
HEALTH & WELFARE
A fresh approach to hospital catering >> With hospital food hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons again this year, why is it so challenging to serve fresh, nutritious and tasty food to patients? It’s not difficult at all, says Hazel Read, FM support services manager, for Solent NHS Trust. Earlier this year, the news was once again filled with reports and images of unsatisfactory meals served in the UK’s hospitals – with a renewed plea for improvements to be made. But providing healthy and appealing meals to patients is achievable by all, claims Hazel Read, a hospital caterer with over 38 years’ experience and customer of the Country Range Group.
According to the Campaign for Better Hospital Food:
“It’s not rocket science,” she says. “There are a lot of people out there doing a lot of hard work. Unfortunately I think red tape gets in the way and it does come down to the budgetary restraints of the trust. Fortunately my trust is a keen advocate of providing a fresh, tasty meals for patients.”
• 400,000 uneaten hospital meals are thrown in the bin every day in the UK
Hazel works at Western Community Hospital in Southampton and takes her role incredibly seriously. “I feel as a catering manager that I have a responsibility to spend public money in the best possible way I can.
• 67% of hospital staff are unhappy to eat the food they serve to patients
“Patients are at the centre of everything we do and I see food as the first point of getting better. It’s very important for anyone in my position to understand that. We work closely with medical clinicians and dieticians to design menus which will entice our patients.”
We go deep into the journey between the kitchen and the patient - the ‘last nine yards’ as the HCA calls it is very important. Everything is cooked from fresh using seasonal produce and the catering team always considers the best way to cook food to ensure it retains as many nutrients as possible. Continues Hazel: “We go deep into the journey between the kitchen and the patient - the ‘last nine yards’ as the HCA calls it is very important. It’s the difference between a patient looking at a meal and saying ‘I can’t eat it’ to ‘Wow! I’m so hungry!’”
Patients at Western Community Hospital – many of whom are elderly patients with mental health and rehabilitation issues – enjoy three freshly cooked meals a day with homemade porridge topping the breakfast menu. The three-week menu cycle caters for different ethnic background and medical needs, and patients order the day before. The team also provides meals for an on-site children’s nursery. Tea parties and themed events are a regular occurrence and, on Sundays, Hazel has introduced a fresh carvery so that family members can book a table and come and enjoy lunch or dinner with their loved ones rather than crowding round a hospital bed. The catering team
Hazel’s tips for success: • You need to be inspired and have the passion to succeed • You need skills to deliver excellence – it’s easy to achieve if you have people with the skills to make it happen • Longevity and experience – a happy team is one which stays together and achieves more
APRIL 2017 15
DICKSON’S DIARY
Paul Dickson is Country Range’s development chef. He has over 28 years’ experience in foodservice, has cooked for royalty, film and pop stars, and also works as a food consultant and stylist. He runs Lancashire’s only boutique cookery school.
The change in season marks the advent of lighter dishes on menus as diners look for more summery food. Salads are obviously more popular during the warmer weather and it’s really important to get your dressings right. A good dressing will lift a dish and should complement the ingredients and gently put a nice veil over them. A dressing definitely shouldn’t overpower. In years gone by, dressings tended to be too oily and too vinegary so you lost a lot of the flavours of the dish. It’s all about striking a nice balance.
If you haven’t got the time or inclination to make your own dressings from scratch, the new Country Range Dressings are a great option. Launched in time for the forthcoming summer season when vegetables and shoots are in abundance, the three new dressings really are fantastic.
I used the Citrus and White Balsamic Dressing recently to make a power salad with kale, shredded broccoli stalks, quinoa, radish, fennel, avocado and apple. Delicious! The dressing has a nice balance of sweetness and citrus to finish the dish off beautifully. Honey and Mustard Dressing is a classic combo but, as well as the obvious, try brushing it on charred pork chops with a bunch of fresh sage – if you’re brave enough for an early barbecue! Ranch Dressing is perfect for your all-American barbecue too – and also works a treat with smoked meats.
Grilled Pork, Apple and Parmesan Croutons with Honey and Mustard Dressing
Gluten Free made easy
Dr. Oetker’s hassle-free just add water and oil gluten free sponge and cupcake mix offers an alternative to buying ready made or baking from scratch, with room to add your own personal touches. Contact us at CRT@oetker.co.uk for more information about our Wellcare Range
16 APRIL 2017
DICKSON’S DIARY
Easter is a big event on the Christian calendar and there are plenty of related food traditions which you might want to consider adding to your menu. Most of these traditions came from two specific periods in history – Tudor and Victorian - and it’s really interesting to revisit them. Simnel cake is one of the most well known and really easy to make. It’s essentially a light fruit cake with two layers of marzipan (one on top, which is toasted, and one through the middle). The Country Range Dried Fruits are perfect for this. Eleven balls of marzipan are also placed on top of the cake to represent the 12 apostles minus Judas. Hot cross buns are another Easter tradition, which are popular with young and old, and lamb is a must on your menu on Easter Sunday. This year I’ll be making leg of lamb with Country Range Moroccan spices, served with a chickpea
casserole, roasted vegetables and cous cous. For vegans and vegetarians, simply omit the lamb and you have a deliciously inclusive dish that everyone can enjoy together. It wouldn’t be Easter without plenty of chocolate! Those customers who gave it up for Lent will be desperate to make up for lost time so be sure to offer some tempting chocolate desserts. If you’re feeling creative, why not try your hand at making your own Easter eggs too? It is definitely a tricky business because your chocolate needs to be tempered perfectly – but it’s very
rewarding. A big initiative in foodservice this year is avoiding wastage, so why not keep your plastic Easter egg containers and save them to use as moulds next year? Melt your chocolate, pour and swirl to cover the mould then leave to go cold. Then use melted chocolate to stick the two halves together and decorate. Wishing you a ‘cracking’ Easter!
Paul Dickson
SAUCES
FULL OF FLAVOUR. FREE FROM GLUTEN. Sauces, dressings and mayonnaise – suitable for vegetarians and free from gluten, GM ingredients, soya, artificial colours, preservatives and sweeteners. LION. YOU’VE GOT IT COVERED. Build a menu of great-tasting, gluten-free meals with our recipes:
WWW.LIONSAUCES.CO.UK/GLUTENFREE *Excluding English Mustard, French Mustard, Caesar Dressing, Mustard Mayonnaise, Thousand Island Dressing and Brown Sauce.
APRIL 2017 17
CATEGORY FOCUS
o o f d o t a l g l e n i r t g c i a e e s R · ADVICE
ON ALLERGENS FOR CATERERS ·
Food allergies and intolerances affect around 8 % of children and 2 % of adults in the UK - and the numbers are on the rise.
Under EU law, food businesses are required to provide allergy information on all of the food they sell but for many caterers, it’s still a bit of a minefield. To coincide with Allergy Awareness Week (April 25-May 1), we’re shining a spotlight on allergens to help chefs cater better for food allergy sufferers.
Food allergies – the facts
Staff training
• There are around 2 million people living in the UK with a food allergy
• In the last decade, the cases of food allergies have doubled and the number of hospitalisations caused by severe allergic reactions has increased seven-fold • Around 10 people in the UK die from allergic reactions to food every year due to undeclared allergenic ingredients
Legislation around allergen labelling means that manufacturers in the EU have to flag if food contains one or more of 14 specified ingredients. This can range from obvious ingredient use such as egg being present in pasta, through to more obscure instances such as the inclusion of anchovies in Worcestershire sauce.
Matt White, chair of The University Caterers Organisation, says: “To ensure all bases are covered, there are a few organisational steps which caterers can take. First, it needs Que sad to be clear what constitutes an illas with allergen. This education fres h sa should be done through lsa regular staff training as everyone from front of house to kitchen chefs will need this information at their fingertips. It’s a good idea to refresh this when menus change and make it very clear when new dishes are introduced.”
Allergen alert
The EU Food Information for Consumers Regulation lists 14 food allergens that must always be labelled in pre-packed and non-prepacked foods:
1. Sesame
3. Eggs
5. Peanuts
7. Lupin
9. Nuts
2. Soybeans
4. Fish
6. Mustard
8. Cereals containing gluten
10. Milk
18 APRIL 2017
Education sector The challenges facing education caterers in relation to allergens differ greatly – but it needn’t mean creating an entirely different menu. Aine Melichar, brand manager for Kerrymaid, explains: “With the FIR allergen legislation that came into place in December 2014, school caterers have to be 100% confident what ingredients are being served to pupils. The most common allergen is lactose, which usually presents itself around the age of five years old. Some studies suggest lactose intolerance peaks between the ages of 10 and 16, making it particularly relevant within school kitchens.” Kerrymaid’s education brand ambassador Jeanette Orrey MBE has the following advice: • Produce a standard form that can be completed by parents or carers detailing the child’s allergy and attach a photo • Make details of each child’s dietary requirements easily accessible to teachers, dinner ladies and any dining room attendants
In the last deca the cases of foodde, allergies have dou bled 11. Molluscs
13. Crustaceans
12. Celery 14. Sulphur (including celeriac) dioxide/sulphites
CATEGORY FOCUS
• Ensure ingredients follow the exact recipe and all staff are aware of the allergens in each dish
or care home menu are or are not suitable, and where possible revise the recipe to make the dish accessible to all.
• Ensure allergens are clearly displayed on menu lists, be it blackboards, menu cards or weekly print out
Hints and tips by Sarah Robb, channel marketing manager at Premier Foods
Managing individual needs Using a board to display the picture and name of the allergy sufferer will help staff recognise individuals and ensure a process is in place from the kitchen to server to diner. Individuals aged 15–25 years old are considered a high-risk group as they often want to be seen as ‘normal’ in front of their peers. Ensure staff understand these concerns and know how to efficiently cater for those with allergies without making individuals stand out as ‘different’. Instead look to adapt the standard menu offer where they can so it’s suitable. On arrival of a new pupil or resident with a specific allergy, ensure you run through which dishes on your school
Purchasing and delivery of products – check the products ordered are the products delivered and ensure you have an agreement in place so that your suppliers notify you with any recipe changes Access to allergen information – make sure you have allergen information for all your recipes and products in storage and ensure this is accessible for all staff Cross-contamination – avoid this by checking your deliveries ensuring nothing has been damaged, and store allergens on lower levels to avoid spillages
Handling and preparation – where appropriate, build in a preparation area for allergen-free items to avoid cross-contamination, using dedicated equipment and utensils, and ensure food handlers wash hands in between preparation of dishes Promote your offer – make sure your free-from menu gets noticed by promoting it on social media, on your website and in your outlet. This will help drive awareness of your offer, particularly for larger parties who may be influenced by one person’s allergy needs and may therefore choose to dine elsewhere. Share best practice – Twitter and Instagram are great tools for research, inspiration as well as sharing best practice with other caterers. Ensure you use popular hash tags for example #FoodAllergyAwarenessWeek to share stories and join the conversation to help you gain your audience’s trust
Shout about it ries pes with quark and ber Gluten-free almond crê
Alpro Soya drink with cereal with berries
If you’re catering for people with special dietary requirements, shout it from the rooftops. At the very least, make it clear to passers-by, says Ben Bartlett, chef and brand ambassador for Lion sauces. He advises: “For people with food allergies, one of the biggest barriers to eating out is lack of certainty that their needs will be both understood and met. Finding free-from menu options in cafés and >>
APRIL 2017 19
CATEGORY FOCUS
restaurants is still a new phenomenon for many, so make it obvious that you take dietary requirements seriously. “Leaflets, flyers, web content and detailed menus showing ‘safe’ dishes and freefrom options will all help to build trust and confidence.”
a gluten intolerance, as well as a growing army of people avoiding gluten for lifestyle reasons, the need to provide gluten-free menus is clear – especially given that Mintel is predicting the market to grow by a further 50% by 2019.
Andrew Ely, MD of Almondy, says; “Commercially savvy operators have realised that not catering for a special With the gluten-free market now dietary request can have a serious impact worth £210million and Coeliac UK on their bottom line. In fact our own predicting half a million people in research shows that similar to vegetarians, the UK are yet to be diagnosed with someone with coeliac disease will influence where a whole party eats out, so caterers won’t just be losing one person’s custom but Chanterelle mush rooms, rocket groups of diners.”
Gluten-free
and goats’ chee se
There are plenty of products now available which tap into this market – offering gluten-free stocks, gravies, and ready-to-use sauces which cater for the needs of customers following a special diet – as well as being part of an everyday menu - without chefs having to compromise on the quality and consistency. “Using products that are free from allergens such as gluten make it simpler to cater for everyone,” says Willem Fijten, culinary product design scientist for Mars Global Product Development. “Choose a product that is free from gluten, soya and other allergens, and you’ll be able to make most dishes suitable for the majority of people.”
salad
For guidance on allergens from the Food Standards Agency visit www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/allergy-guide/allergen-resources
The Anaphylaxis Society has an online guide for catering businesses to help you to devise strategies to assess risks in food preparation and manage these risks safely. www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/corporate/corporate-protecting-allergic-customers /catering-for-allergy-practical-measures/
For further help and advice visit www.unileverfoodsolutions.co.uk/chef-inspiration/allergen-information.html
Well happy_gofree_ 184x131mm.indd 1
20 APRIL 2017
03/01/2017 15:22
By Lynne Regent, CEO of the Anaphylaxis Campaign Food safety issues are constantly in the news, whether due to production mistakes, labelling issues or food preparation errors. Sometimes this is merely an inconvenience or cost for the manufacturer or operator, but for severely allergic consumers the result can be fatal. The recent Indian restaurant corporate manslaughter case is a sad but timely reminder of the obligation for everyone in the food industry to understand and implement allergen controls.
ingredients that are present in foods they provide, plus being able to assess the risk of cross contamination. We have focused on foodservice recently following the well documented tragic cases of consumers who have died following mistakes made by caterers, so our goal is to reach out to as many caterers as we can to highlight the issues and to help raise the understanding of staff within the vital area of allergen awareness.
The Anaphylaxis Campaign is the only UK wide charity operating solely for people at risk of severe allergy and anaphylaxis. We aim to create a safe environment for all people with allergies by educating the food industry, schools, nurses, colleges, healthcare professionals and other key individuals.
Some foodservice companies that have joined us in the last year have done so because they have made mistakes which have caused life-threatening incidents, while others have done so because they need help and advice. Members recently joining us represent many sectors of the industry - schools, pubs, restaurants, corporate hospitality, distributors and wholesalers.
Allergen management is complicated and it’s important that caterers can identify all
For more information visit www.anaphylaxis.org.uk
Alpro pink almond sweetheart smoothie
Country Range Group’s K2N (Key to Nutrients) catering support system provides allergen information on over 6,000 products. For more information visit www.k2n.co.uk.
HEy BARISTAS! Our ‘For Professionals’ range has been specifically developed for baristas to deliver on taste and performance, so you can create delicious, plant-based coffees without compromise. To find out what makes our products so great, visit Alpro.com/foodservice and we’ll send you a free sample (because we’re nice like that!).
APRIL 2017 21
CATEGORY FOCUS
FOCUSING ON PEOPLE WITH SEVERE ALLERGIES
Breakfast’s Best Friend
Time to shape up your breakfast menu! We have improved the texture to deliver the ‘bite’ consumers are looking for and have ensured the entire range is gluten free to support our customers in satisfying the growing consumer demand for gluten free menu options.
New to n Lamb Westo
Does not contain gluten
Mini Hash Browns Round
Something new and exciting for your breakfast menu. Does not contain gluten
Mini Hash Browns Triangles
Does not contain gluten
Mini Hash Browns Potato Puffs
www.lambweston.eu
How to maximise your profits during Great British Beef Week
By Hugh Judd, senior foodservice manager, AHDB Beef & Lamb
>> The profit potential of beef is greater than ever. It’s the only protein group growing across all foodservice sectors, and AHDB’s category report shows that beef accounts for 41% of meat on menus. Our research also shows that beef appears on 100% of the menus of the top 80 foodservice brands. Steaks are an ever-popular menu staple, and rump is the cut of choice, accounting for a third of all steaks offered. Great British Beef Week (April 23 – May 2) is the springtime calendar hook that operators can use to shout about their quality beef, and is the perfect time to launch modern and innovative cuts that tap into consumer trends.
With mini joints, operators get a versatile cut that make it easy to boost profits, and give consumers the dishes they want.
Keep ahead by introducing mini joints The vital importance of health and nutrition, especially in the schools and health and care sectors, makes the leaner trimmed mini joints an ideal choice and they fit into the service schedule at any time of day. Mini joints are small joints of beef (approximately 300–500g), that are trimmed to be leaner and can be cooked in 20–40 minutes. Their short cooking times mean that chefs and operators can shorten the time their cooked meat sits for service, guaranteeing a more consistent result. Not only that, they are ideal for operators catering for small schools, care homes and business functions to reduce wastage. Their size makes smaller servings simple, giving operators excellent portion and budget control when plating for children, the elderly, or for buffet spreads and carveries. With healthier eating expected to be the fastest growing cuisine in the next 3–5 years, the cuts are trimmed to be leaner for healthier menu options too. With mini joints, operators get a versatile cut that make it easy to boost profits, and give consumers the dishes they want. We know that roast dinners are hugely popular with school kids and the elderly alike, and are a top choice for business events and functions. So it’s important for operators to have cooking plans that allow them to put roasts on the menu and cater for any group size and portion size. Roasting is still the second top cooking method, so it pays to try more flexible ways to serve it up.
Tips for making the most of Great British Beef Week Health and welfare Make a feature of Great British Beef Week by preparing mini joint meals served and carved at the table to offer a shared dining experience for care home residents eating in small groups
Hospitality Offer a mini joint Beef Wellington to share Education Great British Beef Week roast dinner day – mini joints carved to the perfect portion size for primary school kids
To find out more about AHDB & QSM Beef & Lamb, visit www.qsmbeefandlamb.co.uk/. APRIL 2017 23
ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS
Beef up your offering with mini joints
Gluten Free Bouillons
Serving suggestions
A dehydrated bouillon powder that can be used at any stage of the cooking process to boost flavour GLUTEN FREE
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For your free sample or more information call 0800 742 842 ® Reg. Trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A. All rights reserved.
>> Sales of gin have been rising steadily in the UK and last year the category had record sales breaking through £1billion. So what happened? In 2009 the Sipsmith distillery was set up in west London, paving the way for a lot of small producers and sparking a revival in gin production. People today are very intrigued by craft and small production so it started a new trend. The growing popularity of craft gin also sparked a natural evolution in terms of tonic waters. These days not only do you have different types of tonics but also different flavoured tonics like cardamom, chocolate, hop, lemongrass and
By Mark Wingett Editor, MCA. Eating and Drinking Out Market Insight
Street food for sit down restaurants >> Since 2008 and the emergence of Eat St near Kings Cross (which is now Kerb), street food has become mainstream, with every spare piece of pavement in every major city, and every spare pub car park featuring a van/truck/stall/tent with an amazing range of artisanal food produced by people with a real passion for the craft, history and flavour of their particular cuisine. But MCA has also seen the emergence of street food appearing on pub and restaurant menus, as branded operators
RAISE THE BAR
RAISE
elderflower to name a few, so a lot of fun can be had matching the different tonics with different gins. Also adding different garnishes and serving them Spanish-style, in a stemmed glass with a large bowl has become very popular. What about cocktails? Well gin is the star in a lot of classic cocktails, like the Martini (vodka came later), the Singapore Sling, the Aviation, the Negroni and many more. You can also be creative and work on your own signature cocktails - gin is pretty versatile and some of the things you can mix it with are herbal liqueurs, cream, fortified wines, citrus juice and mint. To tap into this trend, why not devise your own separate gin list? I would select a few classic ones like Tanqueray, Beefeater and Bombay Sapphire then move on to looking for more crafty, unusual ones with a mixture of local, classic and some from abroad. You can list them by country or by the way they taste, e.g. citrusy, floral, spicy etc. I leave you with a gin cocktail I made a while ago. Cheers! Luca Cordiglieri, president of the UK Bartender’s Guild
seek to emulate the appeal of those artisanal street-based producers. Examples include the ‘Gringa Taco – Mexico City’s favourite street food dish’ at Wahaca; the ‘Takoyaki – Osaka’s No.1 street food’ at Yo!Sushi; ‘Seafood Streetfood – eat it as if you’re wandering through a night market’ at Giggling Squid. This can seem to be an attractive option to put onto existing mainstream menus, and it would be right to try to tap into and feature the latest trends, but there are a few cautionary points:
Takoyaki octopus balls
1875 Gin Cocktail
Gin is pretty versatile, you can mix it with herbal liqueurs, cream, fortified wines, citrus juice and mint.
• 50ml Beefeater 24 Gin • 10ml Galliano L’autentico • 15ml Orange Curacao • 5ml Orgeat Syrup • 2 Drops of Liquorice Bitter Shake and garnish with a twist of orange.
Pork tacos
1. Street food works well as a grab and go, casual eating type dish, which does not necessarily translate to being served on a plate and eaten with a knife and fork. Therefore use street food dishes for more snack-style, lunch menus where the occasion is going to be more casual. 2. Consumers love street food because they tend to get lots of choice from the variety of vendors, so ensure that there is a changing range of street-inspired dishes, as this will keep the appeal fresh. 3. Street food is often a very authentic replica of a national cuisine, developed from travels in that country, so it is critical that any street-inspired dishes are also as authentic as possible, served in the right way, and served with the right accompaniments. But don’t hold back – give your customers a taste of street food markets from around the world!
APRIL 2017 25
THE MARKETPLACE
T he Marketplace
Keeping you up-to-date on new products and services within the foodservice industry
A COOL MOVE
>> Ambrosia, the leading custard brand in the UK, is introducing the first branded frozen custard in a new 100ml format to the foodservice channel, helping operators to capitalise on the popularity of the American ice cream trend. British ice cream trends closely emulate those of the US and last year the US trend for frozen custard took the UK foodservice market by storm. As consumers are looking to introduce treats and rewards into their busy lives, the new tubs are perfect as a treat on the go for the travel and leisure industries and workplace catering outlets that want to take advantage of the ‘afternoon treat’ occasion. The new on the go tub format comes complete with a spoon for maximum convenience and follows the successful launch of larger 850ml tubs in retail. Made from fresh West Country milk and cream with a delectably smooth and silky texture, the range will consist of two delicious flavours – Vanilla and Vanilla with Chunky Fudge.
Cost sector crumble >> Cooldelight has unveiled a delicious new dessert option which is perfect for the education and healthcare sectors. Their new Fruit Crumble Slices are a unique, hot or cold dessert idea, available in pre-portioned trays. Available in three flavour options – apple; apple and caramel; and red and blackberry and apple - they consist of 40g slices of fruit filling, on a pastry base, topped with crunchy crumble. Delivered frozen (they thaw in approximately two hours), they are contained in an “ovenable” tray, which allows the complete tray of crumble slices to be heated in an oven in 15-20 minutes. They also have a guaranteed “nut-free” status.
Your Guests Deserve Brontë
The Perfect Biscuit for Every Occasion
26 APRIL 2017
THE MARKETPLACE
Milk in a Stick >> Lakeland Dairies have unveiled a new 240 box of their popular Milk in a Stick product to suit smaller operators. The ambient milk portions support hot beverage service with minimal storage footprint. Available in both whole and semi-skimmed, fully traceable, 100% farm assured milk, Milk in a Stick is the ideal hygienic format for out-of-home. It has been developed to be not only strong and flexible for ease of transportation and storage, but also easy to open and pour.
PREMIER FOODS LAUNCHES FOODSERVICE FIRST WITH NEW BISTO SAUCE GRANULES >> Premier Foods is extending its iconic Bisto portfolio with four new, easy to use, sauces - Curry, Parsley, Béchamel and Cheese. Available in a ‘granule’ format, a first for sauce mixes in the foodservice industry, the portfolio has been developed for the channel following insight into the most popular dishes on UK menus. Ready to serve after simply mixing with boiling water, the sauces are convenient and can also help outlets increase profitability. Premier Foods’ executive chef Mark Rigby has developed a range of more premium uses for the products, with recipes such as Glazed Gammon with Parsley & Cider Sauce, Beef Cannelloni, and Cod, Cauliflower & Chorizo Mornay, which can be found in a new recipe guide which is available to download www.premierfoodservice.co.uk.
Bannisters’ Farm adds sweet potato products to foodservice range Bannisters’ Farm is expanding its repertoire of baked potatoes by adding two exciting new products to its foodservice offering: Baked Sweet Potatoes and Sweet Potato Skins. Continuing the farming family business’s tradition of producing good wholesome food that is convenient and quick to prepare, the new sweet potatoes are traditionally baked then frozen, to save caterers and chefs preparation time and to minimise waste. They can be reheated in minutes in the microwave and served as a side or a main meal with a choice of hot or cold fillings. The Sweet Potato Skins are a versatile menu option as a starter or as part of a sharing plate, offering the chef the chance to add their own twist with a range of dips, fillings and toppings.
Breakfasts ‘Best Friends’ To encourage operators to ‘shape up their breakfast menu’, Lamb Weston has extended its breakfast range to include mini hash browns – joining its regular hash browns and potato rostis in the brand’s breakfast portfolio, which is now entirely gluten-free. The Hash Brown Minis are available in a range of shapes and sizes, from rounds to potato puffs – all designed to inspire operators to be innovative with their breakfast menus and consider alternative dishes, e.g. frittatas, one pan eggs or breakfast wraps. Simple menu adaptions such as these are a great way to produce stand-out dishes.
BE A CONNOISSEUR >> For a premium potato option, the Lamb Weston Connoisseur Fries range is the perfect choice for operators. Available in Chunky, Homestyle and Rustic, each concept offers diners a homemade quality in appearance and taste, and creates simple menu ‘trade up’ options – swapping regular fries for Rustic fries, or serving a premium burger with chunky fries.
APRIL 2017 27
® Registered Trade Mark.
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the COUNTRYclub
Exclusively for customers of The Country Range Group
Say cheers to the Ultimate Gin and Tonic Kit Sales of gin are rocketing, according to Luca Cordiglieri, president of the UK Bartenders Guild (see page 25), with the trend for craft gin attributed to artisan producer Sipsmith. To celebrate the growing success of this popular spirit, we’re giving away a gin and tonic kit to one lucky Country Clubber.
WIN
the Ultimate Gin and Tonic Kit
The kit contains a 35cl bottle of Sipsmith London Dry Gin, a pack of mouth-wateringly moreish Long Clawson Stilton Crackers, two bottles of Fever Tree Tonic Water and a fresh lime. In addition, the winner will also receive a box of six Rink Drink Spanish Gin and Tonic Copa Cocktail Glasses (645ml) to serve their G&Ts in. If you want to raise a glass to this thirst-quenching prize, send an email titled ‘Gin & Tonic’, along with your name, contact details and the name of your Country Range Group wholesaler, to competitions@stiritupmagazine.co.uk.
Gluten-free chocs Easter is a time for munching on chocolate – but what if you’re a coeliac or follow a gluten-free diet? Fortunately those thoughtful folk at Hotel Chocolat have got it cover with this yummy No Gluten Recipe Gift Box. This gorgeous selection is the perfect gift for any chocolate lover following a gluten-restricted diet and includes wheat-free chocolates such as Milk to Caramel H-box, Florentine Isabelles, Salted Caramel Puddles, Strawberries and Cream Puddles, and a Mini Hazelnut Buche. We’ve got one gluten-free gift box up for grabs – plus we’re also throwing in A New Way of Cooking with Chocolate cookbook, containing 100 exceptional recipes. This cocoa lover’s bible is packed full of tips and secrets from Hotel Chocolat’s chefs and includes recipes for to-die-for chocolate desserts, spreads and smoothies, exceptional salads, and starters and mains with cocoa used as a savoury spice. For your chance to win, send an email titled ‘Hotel Chocolat’, along with your name, contact details and the name of your Country Range Group wholesaler, to competitions@stiritupmagazine.co.uk.
WIN
The “sauce” of a great dish To celebrate the launch of their new sauce granule range, our friends at Bisto are giving away of box of each flavour (Curry, Béchamel, Cheese and Parsley) to 10 Stir it up readers. In addition, the first five entries will also receive a £20 amazon voucher. A first for foodservice, the new Bisto sauces provide chefs with a delicious and time-saving solution for use across a number of dishes and cuisines, with all four flavours found within the top 20 sauces on UK menus. Ready to serve after simply mixing with boiling water, the sauces are convenient and can also help outlets increase profitability. To enter, send an email titled ‘Bisto sauces’, along with your name, contact details and the name of your Country Range Group wholesaler, to competitions@ stiritupmagazine.co.uk.
WIN
Boxes of new Bisto sauces
a gluten-free chocolate gift box Closing date for all competitions: 30th April 2017. All winners will be notified by 31st May 2017. Postal entries for all of the competitions can be sent to: Country Range Group, PO Box 508, Burnley, Lancashire BB11 9EH. Full terms and conditions can be found at: www.stiritupmagazine.co.uk/about
APRIL 2017 29
MELTING POT
Streets Ahead
People love the vibra colours, flavour com nt - and that they canbinations on the move. get it
The word on the street is that street food rules, so how can these trends be adapted to suit mainstream menus?
According to Horizons’ Menu Trends Report, Mexican street food is now an established trend with ‘New Wave Americana’ and Korean cuisine following hotly on its heels. Eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking are also gaining popularity, while Hawaiian Poke and Vietnamese Pho have been tipped as ones to watch in 2017. Powerfood is another buzzword set to make headlines and influence street food menus. Whilst the majority of catering establishments don’t aspire to be trendsetters, they do need to keep up-to-speed with the latest food trends and, where possible, try to adapt them to suit their own customer base.
Vietnamese Pho glass noodles with beef, peanuts, coriander, chilli and spring onions
So how can this be achieved? Seven talented chefs and industry experts provide the answers…
Ching He Huang
TV chef and cookery author Most street food dishes have made their way onto restaurant menus however this takes time. In terms of Chinese cuisine and Asian dishes such as Hainan Chicken rice, Spring rolls, Shanghai shenjianbao dumplings, Bao buns (Taiwanese Gua Bao), Thai Pad Thai, Vietnamese Pho they have made it big with some restaurants specialising in them as their prime USP or draw, as long as the food is outstanding in quality and is authentic representing the taste and origins. It is difficult to introduce street food dishes that are relatively unknown and fuse them and create success. Timing needs to meet opportunity meets quality, clarity and understanding. The heritage of the cuisine must be prominent and clear to do it justice.
30 APRIL 2017
Matt White
current chair of TUCO, and director of catering, hotel and conference services at the University of Reading Ease of travel and mixing of cultures has caused a sea-change in our attitude towards food from around the world. In universities for example, our research shows that 84% of students want to eat a mix of food from home and abroad, and this is very much reflected in the country’s love affair with international street stalls and street food. Pop-ups are a great method for chefs to trial new cuisines and test their popularity. TUCO members have found remarkable success with a series of international food stalls and events. Take Royal Holloway University of London, for example, where street food carts were implemented across the campus and resulted in 75% of students stating they were ‘more likely to eat on campus because of
the new global street food’. And what’s more, in just one year the initiative increased revenue by 25%. Before investing in new concepts such as this, it is key to conduct research. Talk to your customers about what sort of flavours they want to see on the menu, then trial dishes on a temporary basis. Make it as authentic as you can by using original ingredients (many of which are readily available) and if they work, think about making them a more permanent fixture.
Olivia Shuttleworth
brand manager for Prep Premium FlavourHouse Oils The secret to great street food is quickly producing easy to eat, satisfying dishes that are packed with strong, punchy flavours. Make it easy with specialist oils designed specifically to “street up” any
Fergus Martin
Major’s development chef and former executive chef at Wyboston Lakes, Cambridge Tapping into the latest food trends and bringing an element of street to your menu can help you stay competitive. Incorporating this into your Specials boards and taster plates can be a great way to stay on track and move with the changing times, whilst not taking too big a risk. Mini bowl food could work really well, a Korean bibimbap or a superfood oriental or Pan-Asian salad bowl for example. By offering smaller plate offerings, you can gauge how well a dish works before adding it into your main menu. You also have the option to offer a larger portion.
ingredients directly from Thailand ensuring that the dishes are truly authentic. Thai cuisine is very popular at the moment and our customers love the Street Food menu.
Teresa Suter sales director, Vegware
Street food is the perfect combination of quality and convenience. People love the flavour combinations, vibrant colours and delicious smells – and they love that they can get it on the move. Up your street food game by making your takeaway packaging part of the experience! Fresh, quirky designs and bright colours complement your food’s originality – this is what we had in mind when we created Vegware’s Tasting Notes collection. Customers want to know that their takeaway packaging is eco friendly, too – so ditch the polystyrene and go for an eco alternative like bagasse (recycled sugarcane) to score sustainability points.
James Davidson executive chef, Rich Sauces
Pornthep Kongha head chef, Thai Silk London has a fantastic street food scene so we decided to launch our own Street Food menu, separate from the à la carte menu. Every chef at Thai Silk is from Thailand so we created a menu inspired by our favourite dishes. The menu includes crispy dried pork; steamed fish in lemon sauce; glass noodle salad; deep fried rice salad with minced pork; and papaya salad with small crab. We ship around 80% of our
Gua Bao Buns
Hawaiian salmon poke
If you run a pub/bar, utilise the beer garden and barbecue pit area in the summer/warmer months, where such street food favourites as ‘Dirty Burgers’, ‘Flamin Hot Dogs’ or ‘BBQ Pork Belly Ribs’ can be enjoyed in themed surroundings. Such workings are great for themed nights and can work alongside a drinks promotion to maximise the drawing in of customers. ‘Dirty Fries’ a great way to get started with street food and so easy to make up. Why not try taking your cooked fries, top with a diced cooked meat, say chicken, and drizzle with a smoky BBQ sauce, then top with cheese and a drizzle or two of Ranch
Shen jian bao dumplings Dressing and some sliced jalapeño peppers, or use sweet potato fries for another flavour explosion. Let your culinary imagination run wild and make standard fries sing with flavour and excitement!
Korean bibimbap APRIL 2017 31
MELTING POT
ingredients. An oak-smoked oil instantly gives food that characteristic smokiness. Use it to marinate meats before grilling, add it to burger toppings, slow-cooked chicken or pork, fried fish, tofu or roast vegetables for authentic flavour and an enticing aroma. For a spicy alternative to pasties, rustle up Columbian empanadas filled with beef, ham, fish, chicken, onions, spinach and peppers mixed with a Sriracha -style chilli and garlic flavoured oil.
industry news Where can catering and hospitality jobs earn workers the most money? >>A new interactive online tool has analysed 14,236 pieces of data across the 50 biggest British cities to help users determine whether relocating would make them better or worse off depending on their job. Average salaries by job and location, property costs, the average fees associated with moving home and the number of jobs in each field per 10,000 people have all been analysed to help users of a brand-new tool work out whether a 2017 move to a new UK city would benefit them financially or leave them worse off.
RISING KITCHEN STAR CROWNED TILDA YOUNG CHEF OF THE YEAR 2017 >>Sean Cleveland, an emerging talent from the prestigious Grove Hotel in Hertfordshire, has been named Tilda Young Chef of the Year. After a fiercely competed final, the judges chose the young chef as the overall winner, edging out seven other talented youngsters to scoop the title with his coconut milk and smoked haddock kedgeree. Keen to celebrate his success, executive head chef of The Grove Hotel, Harry Lomas, is honouring Sean’s achievement by adding the dish to the hotel’s room service menu.
NEWSFLASH New alcohol checks will stop retailers paying for fraud >>Retailers and caterers must check that their alcohol wholesaler is registered under new rules which come into force on April 1. From this month any retailer who buys from a source which has not been approved by HMRC as a ‘fit and proper’ alcohol trader could face penalties, including fines, Penalties, seizure include fines, of their stock, seizure of stock, and loss and the loss of licence. of their licence.
The Best UK City widget, built by www. Web-Blinds.com, asks users to choose an occupation from an extensive drop-down menu and state the city they live in or a city they are considering relocating to. The tool shows how each city compares to the rest when it comes the cost of moving and setting up home, the number of job opportunities and an overall table. out whether Users can work city would UK w ne a to a move lly or not. cia an fin m the benefit
WASTE POLICY NEEDS RIGHT INGREDIENTS TO KEEP PESTS AT BAY >>Food businesses are being urged to ensure their policy on waste control is no recipe for disaster. Pest experts say the correct disposal of waste - vital to minimise the threat of an infestation - is one of the most neglected areas of the food industry and a common source of problems, particularly at smaller premises.
easily if the building structure is inadequately proofed.
And they’re calling on operators to review their procedures now in a bid to avoid potential issues later in the year.
The Food Safety Act and Food Hygiene Regulations lay down general requirements for all operators and the BPCA says there’s little margin of error.
Dee Ward-Thompson, of the British Pest Control Association (BPCA), said: “The vast majority of established food businesses will be well aware of the damage that pests can do to their business. “Yet the disposal of food waste is an area where environmental health professionals continue to see major issues. “Pests such as rats, mice, ants and flies will quickly collect where waste food is left hanging around and infestations can take hold quickly without being easily detected. “Once there’s an infestation, they can then get into other parts of the premises quite
“We find it’s an area which tends to be one of the most neglected by smaller food premises – but it’s ignored at the proprietor’s peril.”
Businesses which suspect an infestation of any kind should deal with it sooner, rather than later – perhaps taking a note of any sightings and calling on an expert to tackle the issue. But the BPCA insists it’s far more efficient, and often more cost-effective, to take out a contract with a professional company before any problems arise. Businesses can find a qualified company in their area by using the Find A Pest Controller search tool at www.bpca.org.uk
APRIL 2017 33
FOOD & INDUSTRY NEWS
Food &
YOU CAN REALLY TASTE THE BENEFITS NO Artificial Colours, NO Artificial Preservatives, NO GMO, NO Added MSG & NO Fuss
SUITABLE FOR A GLUTEN FREE DIET
Cooking Sauces
Texan Barbecue Sauce A sweet Texan Style Sauce with a smoky flavour
A tasty Mexican meat feast
Method
Texan Pork Roast
1. Pre heat the oven to 200c Gas mark 6
Ingredients
3. Place the pork into a roasting tray and cover with the marinade
1.5kg of Pork, slit the topside of the joint with a knife to allow sauce to absorb 500g Uncle Ben’s Texan Barbecue Sauce 4 Cloves of Garlic crushed 4 tbsp. Dark Brown Sugar 2 tbsp. Worcester Sauce 2 tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
2. Mix all ingredients together except the pork to make a marinade
4. Cook in the oven for 1 ¾ - 2 hours. Keep basting the pork with the marinade during cooking 5. When cooked, remove the pork from the roasting tin 6. Add hot water to the marinade in the tin and stir to make a sauce
1 tbsp. Ground Black Pepper
7. Slice the pork, pour over the sauce and serve with mashed potato and vegetables
1 tbsp. Allspice
Serves 10
For more information on the range of DOLMIO® & UNCLE BEN’S® Ready to Use Sauce and Rice Foodservice products, Please contact Aimia Foods Ltd, the sole distributor for Mars Foodservice products in the UK. Call Customer Service 01942 408600 Email customer.services@aimiafoods.com ® Registered Trademark. ©Mars, Incorporated 2017
How to combat food inflation
healthy, low in cost
In the Jan/Feb issue of Stir it up, Andrew Kuyk CBE, director general of the Provision Trade Federation, explained the reasons why food prices are set to increase in the UK. Here, three leading industry experts provide some canny solutions to help caterers combat food inflation…
John Hyman, chief executive of
Peter Backman,
the British Frozen Food Federation
MD of Horizons
The important thing is to have the plate covered. Imagine having a cylinder of steak, for example, cut into round slices. Instead, slice the meat at an angle so that it has a larger face. That way you can cut it thinner and you have the same amount of meat but it covers more of the plate. You can reduce the price of a dish by separating the vegetables from the dish itself so a dish you previously charged £10 for can be reduced to £9, then add vegetables in as a side for £1.50 You have the same as what you had previously but are charging 50p more. Shop around for cheaper supplies of the things that cost you the most, typically meat and fish. However most caterers won’t be willing to do this if they are happy with their supplier. Depending on current prices, change the type of fish you serve in a dish but continue to serve it in the same way. For example, swap Cod for Pollack or Sea Bream for Sea Bass.
As inflation is expected to affect foodservice outlets, our top tip would be to buy frozen to beat the price increase. We know that due to a much longer shelf life than their fresh counterparts, frozen ingredients offer the significant benefit of constant availability, meaning that price inflation due to demand becomes much less of an issue. Improved freezing technologies mean that frozen products such as raspberries and asparagus retain their natural texture and flavour, allowing them to be used all year round. For chefs, this means that signature dishes which use seasonal produce can be placed on the menu throughout the year, in the knowledge that high quality food is being served to diners. Another way of off-setting the effects of food inflation is to reduce wastage in the kitchen and get the most out of your budget. Food waste is a real issue in the hospitality and foodservice sector, with 920,000 tonnes of food being wasted in outlets each year, 75% of which is avoidable and could be eaten. With frozen food, chefs can easily offer consistent portion sizes as any unused food can be placed back in the freezer. On top of this, any waste that comes from the preparation of fresh product is removed by using pre-prepared, frozen ingredients, helping to reduce waste and save money.
Simon Stenning, executive director, MCA Insight Menu pricing MCA analyses pricing of starters, mains and desserts, as well as side dishes, and takes an entry point (lowest price on menu), exit point (highest) and the typical price (using an actual price of a dish rather than an average, and one that is a best-selling item). Operators should look at the stretch between exit and entry, and try to ensure that there is a great value entry price along with a premiumised exit price, with a good stretch in between. The low entry price encourages consumers to think that the whole menu is good value, whilst a high exit price encourages some to splash out for a premium experience. Importantly, it helps typical dishes look better value, especially if they have increased in price. MCA believes that with rising inflation consumers will look for some good value deals, so it is important to provide these, even in a loss-leader type way, but then put effort into upselling and moving customers onto a higher-priced item through specials boards and recommendation.
Flexitarianism This is a trend of consumers choosing to eat non-meat dishes, without being vegetarian; meat-free options are healthy, appealing and attractive, plus they can offer great value. The key is to use local vegetable produce (which shouldn’t be subject to inflationary increases) and to dress it up so that it holds appeal to all diners. If this is combined with trendy flavours such as Sri Lankan, or smoked/BBQ, then the result is a real winner – good value, attractive, healthy and low in cost.
APRIL 2017 35
SPECIAL FEATURE
good value, attractive
On the Range
ON THE RANGE
The Leading Independent Foodservice Brand
Sizzling Beef Stir Fry
UK diners love a bit of spice and heat in their dishes – and this sizzling dish is positively bursting with flavour and goodness.
Ingredients
2 nests of Country Range Medium Egg Noodles 1 tbsp Country Range Rapeseed Oil For regulars at Dinkin’s Home Bakery, a family-run business with 11 350g of good quality steak pieces home bakeries and restaurants in County Monaghan and County Country Range Crushed Chilli and Cavan in Ireland, the Sizzling Beef Stir Fry is a firm favourite. Country Range Chilli Powder Aprilanna Dinkin, general manager, explains: “It’s a very popular dish (can be omitted if you don’t like too in our restaurants and really easy to make. We have it on our menu all much heat) Minced garlic (equivalent of 1 clove) year round. It’s a favourite with our customers and you can cook it to Splash of sesame oil order and customise it to each person’s individual palate in terms of 2 tbsp Country Range Soy Sauce how much spice they want.” 6 spring onions Packed with lots of healthy veg, Aprilanna chooses Country Range frozen vegetables rather than fresh for a variety of reasons. “You can’t always guarantee a good price with fresh vegetables and the cost fluctuates such a lot,” she says. “The Country Range frozen vegetables are great value for money and you can pull them out of the freezer as you need them so there’s very little waste. The quality is excellent too which you don’t always get with fresh.” And when it comes to noodles, only Country Range will do. Continues Aprilanna: “They are consistently good and they cook out really well. They’re every bit as good if not better than the branded versions and I have no hesitation in recommending them to anyone.”
Aprilanna Dinkin
Method 1. Cook the noodles in boiling salted water. 2. When cooked drain and toss noodles with a little oil. 3. Heat vegetable oil in the wok or pan until very hot then add the steak pieces. Toss over a high heat until golden in patches. 4. Add the sliced spring onions, garlic, ginger and chilli and fry for 30 seconds. Add the frozen veg and a splash of water.
“The quality is excellent... which you don’t always get with fresh.”
Ginger Puree (equivalent to 1cm piece of fresh ginger, approx. 2 teaspoons) Country Range Frozen Broccoli Country Range Frozen Cauliflower Country Range Frozen Sliced Beans Country Range Frozen Sweetcorn Bunch of coriander, chopped ½ a lime & juice Salt and pepper to taste
5. Fry everything over a high heat for 5 minutes, tossing to ensure even cooking. Continue to do this until vegetables and meat are cooked the whole way through. 6. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil and cooked noodles and stir everything to combine. 7. Top with chopped coriander, a squeeze of lime juice and garnish with a lime wedge. Boiled rice can also be substituted instead of noodles. Frozen prawns or chicken can be used instead of steak pieces.
APRIL 2017 37
STANDOUT
CREATING
REAL POINTS
FROM THE COMPETITION
STREETS AHEAD It’s clear that not only are topped chips a key menu item, the competition to deliver something that stands out from the crowd is intense. Coming up with your own toppings adds interest to the menu and gives you a point of difference against competitors, even if they also serve topped chips. It’s a high volume menu item and enables you to deliver extra margin, simply by offering it as a trade up option. What’s not to like?
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VALUE SCRUTINY
PROVENANCE
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www.mccainfoodservice.co.uk E: foodservice@mccain.co.uk T: 0800 146 573 (GB)/1800 409 623 (ROI) © (2017), McCain Foodservice
LEADING LIGHTS
Leading Lights
BARRY TONKS
Barry has been cooking in some of London’s finest kitchens for over 20 years, accumulating awards, accolades, press acclaim and a Michelin star along the way. He is currently “on top of the world” – as head chef of Searcys at the Gherkin… From where (or whom) do you draw your culinary inspiration? I’ve worked in some fantastic restaurants over my career and with each post I have taken I’ve been inspired by the chefs that I have worked alongside. I get really excited about seasonal produce and when its at its best, great ingredients, passionate suppliers, eating out with chefs and friends.
How do you maintain your passion for cooking after 20 years in the business? I think the trick is always exploring new ways of cooking, and discovering fresh ideas to work with. This is one of the fantastic reasons about working with Searcys at the Gherkin – there are always creative pop-ups, new menu ideas, and partnerships that are not only enjoyable, but each time my culinary remit is stretched just that bit further.
40 APRIL 2017
Your “office” boasts one of the best views in London (on the top three floors of the Gherkin). Do you get much chance to admire it?! The service kitchen is one of the busiest parts of the entire restaurant, so I never have the chance during service hours to stop and admire the view. That being said, there’s something really special about working in a building with such iconic status, and it’s certainly the best view I’ve ever had in my career!
Apart from a short sojourn in Kenya, you have always stayed loyal to London. What is it about the capital that makes you stay? I’m a big fan of British cooking so patriotism has a lot to do with it. We are also in the amazing position of having so many fantastic ingredients available in London. Working in Kenya was a great experience as I was always working alongside local ranchers, fishermen, and
producers, and this same process applies to being a chef in the UK. I always have my butchers, and suppliers of choice for the best seasonal foods, but it is also fun to be in the fortunate position where specialty ingredients are easier to come by.
Looking at your CV, you have tended to move on fairly quickly and your average stay in a job is a year or two at most. Is it important for a chef to move around on a regular basis? I haven’t always moved around so much – I had a fantastic eight-year career with the Eton Collection, but since then I have been lucky enough to work in some of the best kitchens in London for around two years at a time. As I have said, it’s important to garner as much experience as possible
If you could work anywhere other than London, where would it be, and why? France for the ingredients, producers and their passion about the industry. France has a culture of live to eat, not eat to live.
You recently hit out at “humdrum event catering”. What advice can you offer to event caterers when planning their conference food menus? I think it’s important for those working in event catering to never lose that touch of personality or identity. Feeding hundreds of people at an event is no easy task, but what really sets caterers apart is their attention to detail, and the addition of their own signature style.
Tell us about your Saints and Sinners menu collaboration with Clean Eating Alice. The concept behind working with Alice is the idea of bringing more fun and balance back into healthy eating. The point of this menu is to inspire people not only with a journey to a healthier lifestyle, but also as a reminder that it’s important to enjoy the glass of wine, or the indulgent pudding – life’s too short for a cabbage soup diet! I am heading up the Sinners side of the menu with rich courses such foie gras and lobster ravioli, butter roasted halibut and truffle risotto, and Baba au rum (which really packs a punch). And on the Saints side we have the fantastic Clean Eating Alice who has shared recipes with me from her new book; roasted aubergine nuzzled in feta, tahini and pomegranates, super seed load with smoked salmon and minted yogurt and some fantastic and surprisingly healthy desserts such as French toast. The Guests can point of either stick this menu is to inspire people not to their side, only with a journey or pick and to a healthier lifestyle, choose from but also as a reminder both the that it’s important to enjoy the glass Saints and of wine the Sinners choices – food is meant to be enjoyed and this partnership is all about
LEADING LIGHTS
and to work alongside inspiring chefs and restaurateurs to really hone your own skills and expertise as a chef.
celebrating a balanced and happy approach to dining.
What words of wisdom can you share with aspiring chefs? You need passion, commitment and self-motivation. Get your head down, work with a good chef/mentor, absorb and learn as much as you can and the rest will follow. Put nothing into life, get nothing out!
And now for three questions that we ask all of our Leading Lights…
1. What are your three kitchen secrets? i) Before peeling baby onions, garlic or shallots, soak them in water for 10 minutes. This makes them easier to peel.
ii) Use a potato peeler to take shavings from a piece of Parmesan.
iii) To keep your chopping board stationary and from moving cut some ‘spongtex’ into strips and lay it underneath your chopping board.
2. What is your favourite ingredient and why? Perigord truffles - needs no explanation!
Please could you share your favourite recipe, along with your reasons for choosing it? Roast loin of Rhug Estate venison, pumpkin puree, confit cabbage, braised chestnuts, black berries. Why I love this recipe is its just screams seasonality and it appears on my menu every year at this time of the year along with lashings of Perigord truffles just for pure decadence.
Please find the full recipe onli ne at www.stiritupmagazine.co. uk
Roast loin of denham estate venison, pumpkin puree, confit cabbage, braised chestnuts, black berries Ingredients
Venison
4 x 150g venison loin portions garlic, thyme, bay leaf
1 tbsp olive oil salt and pepper 50g unsalted butter
Other components Venison sauce Confit cabbage Pumpkin puree
To finish
Braised chestnuts Poached black berries
1 tbsp pumpkin seed oil Maldon sea salt
2 tbsp roasted pumpkin seeds
Method 1. Season venison loin with salt and pepper
2. Heat sauté pan, add olive oil and brown venison, turning it until evenly caramelised
3. Add butter gradually, allow to foam then add armots and then spoon over venison, this should take 5 minutes 4. Transfer venison to a warm plate and allow to rest
5. Re-heat confit cabbage, pumpkin puree, poach black berries and glaze chestnuts 6. Spoon and swipe pumpkin puree on each serving plate
7. Randomly place braised chestnuts and poached black berries, spoon confit cabbage into round pastry cutter and remove the cutter
8. Place venison on top of confit cabbage 9. Re-heat venison sauce, pass through small strainer and sauce over and around venison, season venison with maldon, garnish with pumpkin oil and roasted pumpkin seeds, serve
APRIL 2017 41
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What can I say, what an excellent Country Range Student Chef Challenge we had last month. It was super to see all the hardworking students putting their all into taking this year’s crown, and what a marvellous year Loughborough had as champs. At the Craft Guild we have just had our AGM where we elected a new committee for 2017/2018 and already they are busy looking at ways to help us carry on moving forward. As I have always said we are not an organisation that stands still, we fully believe that the only way to stay ahead of the game is to keep looking forward, but at the same time build on the great things that we have done in the past.
Five ways to use... Ready-to-use Sauces Ready-to-use sauces are a godsend for time-pressed chefs who need to get flavoursome meals cooked and out of the kitchen quickly.
Our entries for the National Chef of the Year competition have started to come in, and again there is a real excitement buzzing around the office to see some really great chefs wanting, and indeed, needing to take part. This is just what helps any chef, the thought of competition against the very best that are around today. It’s no different to the student competition, and who’s to say that one day a winner of the Country Range Chef Student Challenge may very well be entering this competition as well.
All of the classics are readily available to help caterers rustle up a speedy Chicken Tikka Masala or Chilli con Carne, but are these sauces a ‘one trick pony’? Of course not!
Looking ahead we would love to hear from any readers. We welcome ideas, things that you may want to be involved with or just to hear from you of any events that you think may be of interest to us.
Take a Country Range Dough Ball and roll it out like a pizza then spread the Sauce for Chilli Con Carne on for a base (you can also make it up with leftover mincemeat for a meat option). Bake off then top with Country Range Grated Cheddar and Mozzarella, Country Range Salsa, jalapeños, sliced peppers and Country Range Tortilla Chips, and grill. To finish add homemade guacamole, fresh coriander and chilli flakes, and slice like a pizza for a great handheld street food-inspired vibe.
Lastly but by no means least, how refreshing to see Paul Dickson showing us how versatile Country Range RTU Sauces can be in this month’s edition of Five Ways. Well here’s to next month,
Andrew Green Craft Guild of Chefs 020 8948 3870 enquiries@craftguildofchefs.org The Craft Guild of Chefs is the largest UK chefs association with members worldwide in foodservice and hospitality, from students and trainees to top management working everywhere from Michelin starred restaurants to educational establishments. For more on the Craft Guild, visit www.craftguildofchefs.org or follow the Craft Guild of Chefs on Twitter at @Craft_Guild
With Country Range’s stable of Ready-to-Use sauces being revamped and re-launched this month, our development chef Paul Dickson has been getting saucy – and has come up with some deliciously different ideas…
1. Tex Mex Sharing Pizza Platter (using the Sauce for Chilli Con Carne)
2. Portuguese Peri Peri Mussels (using the Tomato and Basil Sauce) A big food trend for 2017 is Portuguese influences so this dish ticks all the boxes. Steam off some fresh mussels with fennel then add the Country Range Tomato and Basil Sauce to make a base, then add in some Peri Peri spice mix and finish with lots of chopped herbs and serve in a bowl with some crusty bread.
TIP:
You can also add toasted quinoa and seeds for an extra power boost.
3. Curried soup with Chargrilled Cauliflower (using the Korma Curry Sauce) Use the Korma Sauce as a base to make the soup with some Country Range Vegetable Bouillon then add Country Range Coconut Milk, turmeric, ginger, garlic, fresh lime and finely sliced spring onions ends (a great way to use them up!) Serve with chargrilled cauliflower florets and a drizzle of coriander oil (made with Country Range Pomace Oil, garlic and coriander) for a tasty vegan dish. You can also add toasted quinoa and seeds for an extra power boost.
4. Salmon Coulibiac (using the Madras Curry Sauce) This is a Russian-inspired dish which I make with Country Range Salmon Portions, but with a spicy twist – as the salmon is brushed with Madras Sauce. Firstly, brush the inside of a square of Country Range Puff Pastry with egg yolk and some Madras sauce then add the cooked rice. Sit the curried salmon portions on top of the rice followed by slices of boiled egg then seal the parcel with more egg yolk and oven bake for 20 minutes.
5. Lacquered Pork Belly (using the Sweet and Sour Sauce) Score the skin of the pork belly making sure you don’t cut through all the fat, pour boiling water over it and pat dry, salt it, then bake for 20 minutes at 240°C or until the top blisters. Then cook for two hours at 140°C then, for the last half hour, increase the heat to 160°C and regularly brush the pork and skin with a glaze of Sweet and Sour Sauce, English cider and all spice. The glaze will caramelise to give a finish like lacquered mahogany. Serve on a bowl of Sweetheart cabbage braised in cider with slices of chorizo and Pink Lady apple slices, pouring the cooking juices over the top.
APRIL 2017 43
FIVE WAYS TO USE
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Send your Food for Thought ideas to editor@stiritupmagazine.co.uk
1
Vegan bacon
For a healthy meat-free alternative to bacon, try this seaweed alternative from Seamore. I Sea Bacon has a crunchy, salty and smoky flavour that rivals bacon.
2
2 Make a bomb
This Burger Cheesebomb from Maxwell’s Bar and Grill in Covent Garden is a “grate” idea. The 6oz prime beef patty is served covered in hot melted cheddar cheese.
3 Brilliant brunch
For a healthy but delicious brunch, try this soft shell crab sandwich with
3
1
gem lettuce, chilli jam and crushed avocado created by Ian Waghorn at Kensington Place.
4 Gluten-free earns its stripes
This gluten-free Chocolate Orange Zebra Cake - made using Dr Oetker Gluten Free Sponge & Cupcake Mix - is a winner with all dessert lovers.
5 New age Nordic
4
Helena Puolakka is serving Nordic cuisine at Aster including open rye sandwiches topped with Atlantic prawn skagen or cured salmon and pickles.
6 Pasta perfection
Italian restaurant Hai Cenato is the second collaboration between Jason
5
6
and Irha Atherton and Paul Hood, serving up delicious plates such as this Agnolotti, soft sairass, saffron, chilli, acacia honey.
7 Turning Japanese
Bone Daddies has a new Kushiyaki section which features skewers of chicken, ox cheek, salmon, prawns or shiitake mushrooms marinated in kimchee butter and sweet chilli ponzu, slow-cooked over a robata grill.
8 Beautiful beetroot
7
8
Three Michelin-starred French chef, Anne-Sophie Pic, has launched La Dame de Pic London, serving classic dishes like this Beetroot and Bourbon Pointu Coffee starter.
APRIL 2017 47
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
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