the
magazine
SPRING 2014
recipes flavours reviews www.olivesetal.co.uk
#theoliveer
Spring 2014
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gaze upon this recipe - nude on page 20
Oliveer SPRI NG 2014
O
liveer. Eh? What? How very dare you! Pedants everywhere may well cough into their respective rompers and exclaim how dreadful it is to make up words and bristle at the very cheek of it but we Oliveers salute you. After all, a mountaineer shins up big hills, musketeers do things with muskets and puppeteers put their hands ‘where the sun don’t shine’. However, I’m not at all sure that all orienteers hail from somewhere east of Watford or whether pioneers do stuff with sweet and savoury concoctions encased in a pastry shell. What I am sure of though, is that engineers build engines and since we build olives we’re Oliveers and we have crafted the art of Oliveering. And this is our house magazine. Onwards, pedants. Giles and the Dorset Oliveers
INGREDIENTS 4-5 THE Olive expert
10 - 11 Oi’ chef
16 - 17 OLIVEERING
A few of the things we know we know.
Say Oi’ to the brigade.
Lifting the lid on Oliveering.
6 oLIVEERS ET AL
12 - 13 Sporting SNACKS
18 food places
Ami Hatchelt gives us her take on the Olives Et Al way...
A guide to your perfect sporting food double.
Places we like to go (and supply).
7 CHIPOTLE FRITTERS You say Chipotle, we say Chipotle too.
14 BETTER THE DUKKAH... ...you know. So best you get to know it..
19 - 22 cook book Some recipes we make in Dorset.
8-9 CHIPOTLE OLIVE RECIPES
15 salt or bitter
23 guest column
Recipes using our new Chipotle Olives.
How salty is salty and how bitter can you be?
Mad as a jar of olives... Sara Stewart.
it’s only polite to say ta Olive Expert: Giles Henschel Art Direction: Rosie Holloway Editor: Kirsty Barttelot Thanks to: Ami Hatchelt, Rebecca Riddett, Simon Lewis, Brett Sutton, Emily Hudd, Eloise Leech, Luke Earley, Peni Leech, Dan Lewis, Al Wingate-Saul of Holebrooks, The Udder Farm Shop team and Sara Stewart. Photography: mostly by Mr Neil White with additional stuff from us. Creative Design: mostly by Creative Byte with additional stuff from us...
SMALL PRINT: Haven’t really got any but we thought we should write a little something to fill up this bit of the page. The Oliveer is published by us nice folk here at Olives Et Al down in deepest Dorset in Great Britain. We make no charge for it and it isn’t registered as a Newspaper and has no formal status of any sort, nor any permanent members of staff or crew. All views expressed are those of the individual authors and are absolutely those of Olives Et Al who take full responsibility for every word in these pages. Whilst a fair amount of care is taken in the publication of this magazine, please don’t blame us if whatever you try and make, cook or rely on doesn’t work out the way you want. That’s life. ISBN – I-as-been on the phone: 01258-474-300
T HE OLI V E E X P E R T FROM 3 TO 3000 Apparently, at last count, there were more than 3000 different varieties of olive growing all across the globe. With so many varieties of olives from so many countries we’re not going to blind you with science and list too many – instead, we’ve selected just 3 to illustrate some of the key characteristics, countries of origin and differences…
BELLA DI CERIGNOLA About the size of the top joint of a reasonable sized thumb the Bella is huge, green and a little bit Mr Potato Head in looks but get over that and you’re in for a treat… From the Puglia region of Italy the Cerignola (say Cherry-No-La) ripen from the inside out and remain firm and crisp. A unique flavour with a hint of cheesy creaminess or ‘parmesan-ish’ note. Traditionally served green. Some people dye them bright green, but we say leave them alone and just enjoy the natural olive simply with a few herbs, oil and a glass of something chilled and crisp.
and we buy: 71 - 90
KALAMATA The undisputed King of olives. No question. Absolute fact. Well, according to the Greeks at any rate. From the Peloponnese region of Greece, this olive is normally left to fully ripen on the tree where it turns 50 shades of purple. Find one that is traditionally cured in water and salt and fully matured, like ours. They gradually ferment and lose their bitterness during the six months after harvest becoming rich and chocolaty. Think robust, earthy, deep flavor with a spot of red wine tannin and you’re there.
and we buy: 161 - 180
ARBEQUINA The littlest of the awfully weeny little olives - about the size of your little finger nail - and normally eaten a sort of blond colour. Think small and blond – the Kylie Minogue of olives, if you will. The Arbequina is a cultivar grown mostly in Catalonia, Spain. The name comes from the village of Arbeca in the comarca of the Les Garrigues, where it was first introduced to Europe from Palestine in the seventeenth century by the Duke of Medinaceli. One of the world’s most productive varieties with one of the highest concentrations of oil of any olive, the Arbequina is just as good being eaten or turned into oil.
and we buy: chuffing 100’s
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PieCES OF EIGHT? NO, PieCES PER KG All olives are traded according to the number of olives per kilo - or “Pieces per Kilo”. Believe it or not, all olives are graded for size and all varieties grow to a range of sizes. Each size is named along with the range of olives per kilogram in each size. So if you weighed a kilo of “Atlas” graded olives and counted how many there were you should end up with between 71 and 90 olives. Likewise, weigh a kilo of “Bullet B’s” and you will be there a while as you count out around at least 381 (but not more than 420) of the little beauties... So now you know.
SUPER MAMMOTH
MAMMOTH
SUPER COLOSSAL
COLOSSAL
71-90
91-100
101-110
111-120
121-140
GIANTS
EXTRA JUMBO
JUMBO
EXTRA LARGE
LARGE
141-160
161-180
181-200
201-230
231-260
ATLAS
SUPERIOR
BRILLIANT
FINE
BULLET A
BULLET B
261-290
291-320
321-350
351-380
381-420
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oliveers et al
Delilah Deli, Nottingham Ami Hatchelt gives us her take on the olives et al way....
A
rriving in picturesque Sturminster Newton, I had one mission for the week: to learn about Marketing. And where better than Olives Et Al, an established Olive producer (and lots more besides) in operation for over 20 years!
As previous Olives Et Al ‘Deli of the Year’ winners, Delilah Fine Foods in Nottingham already have a good impression of the Dorset based Oliveers. So they sent me on a placement to see for myself what they’re all about. On the few occasions I’d met members of the team at various food fairs around the country, I’d always found myself drawn to their colourful (and delicious) show stand for a friendly chat. I was very happy and relieved to find the same friendly and approachable atmosphere in their office – even first thing on a Monday morning. On my introductory rounds I was taken - in a fetching blue hair net - into their production kitchen to see just how and what is created on site. I found myself surprised at just how much there is done by hand, from grading and sorting every single olive to adding oil and spices to the jars when they say packed by hand they really do mean it. And then it was time to get down to business. With the launch of the new Smoky Chipotle Olives at the upcoming Farm Shop and Deli Show, there was plenty to discuss from colour palettes to show-stand design and of course sampling the deliciously smoky and mild Chipotle Olives themselves.
“I found myself surprised at just how much there is done by hand, from grading and sorting every single olive to adding oil and spices to the jars.” After an inspiring trip to the Retail Fair in Birmingham (a fair distance from Olives Et Al’s HQ,) in some fairly typically bad British weather, I was compiling the numerous ideas and images that I had come up with during the week and setting a plan in motion for all the bits and pieces that go hand in hand with launching a new product. A new idea is one thing, but seeing it through to a tangible object involves processes I hadn’t even thought of! Something I did think of though was a few tasty ideas that could be rustled up with the Smoky Chipotle Olive. Some South American inspired snacks that are simple to make and great for sharing with friends. But obviously these needed testing (and tasting) which I think I do quite well. So, what I will say is next time you pluck a jar of Olive Et Al’s products from the shelf and savour it, remember that tucked away down in the South West of the country, somewhere you might struggle to even place on a map, is a dedicated team, working away to create evocative tastes of somewhere exotic and far flung which you won’t remember, because you’ll be too busy enjoying yourself...
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“next time you pluck a jar of Olive Et Al’s products from the shelf and savour it, remember that tucked away down in the South West of the country, somewhere you might struggle to even place on a map, is a dedicated team, working away to create evocative tastes of somewhere exotic and far flung, which you won’t remember, because you’ll be too busy enjoying yourself...”
CHIPOTLE OLIVE FRITTERS Ingredients: (makes roughly enough for 4 people snacking) 100g flour 1tsp baking powder Pinch smoked paprika (or chipotle powder) 1 tbsp caster sugar 75ml milk 2 free-range eggs 350g sweetcorn kernels Handful of Olives Et Al Smoky Chipotle Olives (stones removed) 6 finely chopped spring onions 1 finely chopped red chilli (optional) Small bunch of coriander Dollop of Olives Et Al Putney Sauce 1. Combine dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, pinch paprika or chipotle powder (you add more or less for personal taste) and caster sugar in a bowl. 2. In another bowl combine the milk and eggs and slowly add to the dry ingredients until you get a smooth batter. 3. Roughly chop olives and combine with sweetcorn (you can pulse some sweetcorn to slightly smaller pieces), spring onions, chilli and shredded coriander in a bowl. 4. Slowly add just enough of the batter to the sweetcorn and olive mix to combine (you can always add slightly more flour if the mixture is too wet). 5. Heat enough of your Chipotle Oil from the jar to shallow fry your fritters and when hot, dot a few spoonfuls of your mixture in the pan and fry until brown. Turn to repeat on the other side. 6. Remove and place on kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil 7. Serve immediately with a dollop of Putney sauce.
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CHIPOTLE SALSA Ingredients: (makes roughly enough for 4 people snacking) 3-4 ripe tomatoes, with stems and seeds removed 1 small red onion 1 red chilli Handful of Olives Et Al Smoky Chipotle Olives (stones removed) 2 spring onions 1 small chipotle chilli Juice of 1 lime 2tbsp Smoky Chipotle Oil (from your jar of Smoky Chipotle Olives) Small handful of coriander Salt and pepper to taste 1. Dice up the tomato, red onion, olives (once stones have been removed!), chilli, spring onions and coriander chunky or fine, however you like your salsa! 2. Add the juice of the lime and the smoky chipotle oil and combine with a spoon, adding salt and pepper to taste.
SMOKY CHIPOTLE HUMMUS Ingredients: 200g canned chickpeas (rinsed) 2tbsp lemon juice 2 garlic cloves Salt to taste 100ml tahini 3tbsp Chipotle Oil (from your jar of Smoky Chipotle Chilli Olives) 2tbsp water (to loosen) 1tsp paprika (or chipotle powder) 1. In a blender, combine the chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, paprika and chipotle oil. 2. Add salt to taste. If the hummus is too thick you can add a little more Chipotle oil to loosen.
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Smoky Chipotle Chilli Olives Like your chilli hit to be a warm and smoky hug? Our Smoky Chipotle Chilli Olives feature whole Amphissa olives, marinated in Extra Virgin Olive Oil naturally infused with Chipotle chillis. The smokiness radiates through the oil and clings to the olive embracing it with its muted Jalapeño character. What’s more, once all the Chipotle olives have been eaten, the chilli-infused oil can be used to add a mellow, spicy, smoky depth to a host of dishes – it’s perfect for marinating steaks, chicken or seafood and adds a lovely depth to a dressing too.
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OUR C HEF
SIMON LEWIS OLIVES ET AL CHEF GILES HENSCHEL
I
n all the years I’ve been working with Simon I’ve never seen him anything less than totally relaxed and at ease. Never grumpy, always smiling, unflappable and seemingly never aging either – much to my envy. He leans nonchalantly against the pasta machine as I chat to him – customers are milling about in the Shop as I ask him what gets him out of bed in the morning. He tips his rimless black cap back off his forehead, rubs his eyes and smiles a wonky toothed cheeky grin back at me and oomph’s out, a ‘Well, that’s a good question,’ to buy himself a little time. I’ve seen this before. It’s just part of what makes Simon, Simon and simply the best bloke I could ever imagine behind our mothership deli counter which he presides over with a sort of Hong Kong Phooey mild mannered calmness and productivity that would shame a beaver. He’s never happier than when the counter is stocked to the gunwhales with freshly made sausage rolls, tagines, salads and antipasti much of which is made by him, Chloe and Jane every day. Deciding to let me in on his secret, now that he’s thought about it for a moment, he says ‘the biggest satisfaction I get is seeing the customers come through the door and watching them as they discover the things that we’ve all created’. ‘I guess I really enjoy finding the right ingredients to make the sort of dishes that really sell.’ He continues, ‘I like seeing Chloe and Jane getting excited about the food we produce.’ I ask him what he’s not so good at as my eyes turn towards the big kilner jar containing Mitch, our sourdough starter we’ve been nurturing since January. ‘Sourdough. Can’t quite get the rise I want.’ Jane giggles. I say nothing. I leave them to it and wander back upstairs, the smell of the newly made Chilli and Coriander spiced Sausage Rolls following me up and I can hear them both laughing. It’s a good sound to have around the place.
COME AND MEET SIMON IN OUR STURMINSTER NEWTON SHOP RIGHT HERE AT HQ ...SEE WHAT’S COOKING 10
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G U ES T C H E F
BRETT SUTTON THE WHITE POST GILES HENSCHEL
I
think it’s more or less common knowledge that John Major ran away from the circus to become an accountant. Brett Sutton ran away from accounting to become a chef. Which is why Brett hasn’t become prime minister. Yet. Brett and I first met a few years ago when we were introduced to each other by someone who really thought we’d get along. Let’s just say first impressions of each other weren’t pretty. He thought I was a bit of a plank and I thought he was a bit up himself. Surprisingly, we’ve been firm mates ever since and I have a lasting admiration for his cooking, self-belief and rather fetching line in wanting to kiss everything that moves. He says that whilst training to be an accountant he got a parttime job pot washing in a kitchen and was so taken with the amount of shouting the chef got to do he decided to have a go. Now, as Brett is pretty good at the shouty bit, he rapidly rose in prominence and, having found that control and authority in the kitchen were something he enjoyed, he abandoned accounting and took up shouting. With a spot of cooking thrown in.
why do chefs always fold their arms?
Accounting’s loss is definitely catering’s gain and judging by the host of awards that he and his team landed at the Eastbury, it seems quite a few people feel the same way. I asked him how he was feeling now that he has got his own name above the door and got his own place, The White Post at Rimpton. ‘Should’ve done it years ago,’ he said, ‘I’m loving it. It’s a new lease of life. I’m really enjoying the responsibility and owning my own decisions.’ Later on he told me how the White Post has become an extension of his home, ‘You come here and eat in my home – the bar is home. Our home. And I love it when people come in and eat with me.’ And it’s certainly true that since opening his style of un-poncy modern British food (his words) served with his own brand of hospitality and generosity he has been rammed. I asked him what he was cooking right then, ‘New season asparagus from Wye Valley, fennel seed croutons, duck egg and wild garlic leaf butter. Oh, and a spot of celandine and primrose…’ which explains why his moniker of Foraging Chef is so apt and the place is as bustling as it is. Are you OK? I asked as my final question. ‘I’m having an absolute ball.’ Was the emphatic, and ever so slightly shouty, reply. I thoroughly recommend you book soon.
BRETT SUTTON: THE WHITE POST 01935 851525 Spring 2014
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r u o y o t e A guid rting po s t c e f r e p . . . e l b u food do
CHIPOTLE OLIVE FRITTERS
Think Brazil, think warm friendly hugs. Well that’s what you get with a Chipotle chilli…less of a poke from a red hot poker, this dried Jalepeno is all about smoky seduction and these Chipotle fritters (page 7) are just spot on for late night world cup watching snacking… shared with friends.
IT’S ALL FOR ENGLAND, FRIENDS AND SPORTSMANSHIP
FOOTBALL... WELL IT’S BALLS, BEERS AND BRAZIL IN 2014
WORLD CUP BIG BALLS
SMALL BALLS
on your
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BALLS
What’s summer
WIMBLEDON LOVE LONDON SUMMER ALL FOR ITS TRADITIONS
PUTNEY BURGER
STRAWBERRY CHOC & NUT Melt some Chocolate, crush some Olives Et Al Sweet Chilli Harissa Almonds, and dunk your strawberries into both for an ACE...
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It's Wimbledon, it's South West London…closest we get to the action is 'PUTNEY'…add a dollop of Olives Et Al Putney Sauce to your favourite burger to add a bit of beef to your backhand.
TAPENADE PROVENCAL
Just so as you know Tapenade originated in Marseille in the 19th Century and is a staple in the South of France so what better than to pair it with freshly baked sliced baguette to take you all the way to Besancon.
SALSA BURGER
If you prefer your burger more South America than South London (see Putney burger below) then we have the salsa topping for you…Chipotle infused olives chopped up with your usual suspects give a smoky kick to your pattie (page 8) …sits very nicely with an ice cold beer,you won't find colder than in Brazil.
Friday night supper or carbo loading for a morning on yer bike… leaning towards the French taste for moules mariner this will add oomph to your muscles.
I THINK I’M THE NEXT WIGGINS
I’M A REAL FRANCOPHILE
TOUR DE FRANCE
r marks...
s your r sport?
MUSSEL LINGUINE
FAST LYCRA
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE LYCRA
WET LYCRA HENLEY NOTHINGS BETTER THAN A PICNIC BY THE RIVER
PERFECT PICNIC HAMPER HUMMUS & REGANAS DIP
Delightfully wiggly original olive oil biscuits from Spain, Reganas are made to be eaten with gusto and great for dipping into our Smoky Chipotle Hummus recipe (find it on Page 8). A delectable dipping duo for that picnic by the Thames.
PUT SIMPLY ROWINGS IN MY BLOOD
ETON NUTTY MESS
Eton is synonymous with rowing, rowing is synonymous with Henley… so why not add a crunchy twist to your Eton Mess whilst watching the boats go by with a scattering of crushed Olives Et Al Malabar Cinnamon and Vanilla nuts …Just add a Pimms for perfection. Spring 2014
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Dukkah The original Oliveers discovered Dukkah in Egypt where it’s served as a side dish…oil basted bread gets dipped into a dish of dukka as an hors d’ouvre…twist on the usual balsamic and oil. Roasted almonds, hazlenuts, cumin, coriander, sesame seeds and spices are all freshly roasted and ground by us to create a North African assault on the senses. We use it almost daily; scattered over a salad, sprinkled over roasted veg or spuds, mixed with oil and rubbed over our favourite joint… just about everywhere in fact. It’s great stuff.
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salt or bitter?
Rebecca Riddett - Screening good taste Here at Olives Et Al good taste is hugely important so it’s logical we check everything to make sure it’s up to snuff. This includes tasting both the raw materials and the finished product to make sure it tastes just the way it should. This means we need people with good taste. For which read: ‘trained tasters’... Not everyone’s taste buds are sensitive enough to detect the subtle variances in Salt, Sweet, Sour or Bitter that work together to make the rich tapestry of flavours our products have, so we conduct in house training to identify star tasters. Like all good processes there are a number of stages to get through before a star can be identified. The first stage is to taste a salt solution with different strengths of salt and put them in order of strength. Next, we taste different concentrations of bitter and do the same. The majority of people manage to put the bitter samples in the correct order, but salt often proves to be a bit more challenging- possibly down to different diets - those who use a lot of salt are often less sensitive, whilst those who don’t find it almost over powering even in the lowest sample. Finally, we combine both salt and bitter and check against each other. Only around 10% ever manage to get a perfect 100% score. Not as easy or simple as it sounds (or tastes).
6.00%
5.00%
4.00%
Water 497
Water 497.5
Water 498
Salt g 3
Salt g 2.5
Salt g 2
3.00%
2.00%
1.00%
Water 498.5 Salt g 1.5
Water 499 Salt g 1
Water 499.5 Salt g 0.5
Try how well you can taste salt at home… or experiment at work with your colleagues. 1. Prepare 6 samples for different levels of salt 1%, 2%, 3% 4% 5% 6% 2. Give each sample a random number. You can use an online random 3 digit number generator. 4. Label the 6 cups with the sample number and fill with the corresponding salt solution. 3. For each participant have 8 cups (6 for the different salt levels, 1 for water, 1 for spit). 5. Invite people to take the test individually to prevent any influence. Ask them to taste each solution and put in order from lowest to highest. 6. Score their answers and let them know how they got on. If you want to have a go yourself, task someone to change the numbers on the cups … off you go and Good Luck! We would love to know how you got on.
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oliveering
In the same way that Mountaineers conquer mountains, we Oliveers like to think we conquer all things Olive and more… but we also do more than the day job. This is a snapshot of us and the little extras that make us smile.
rosie and emily use the dorset countryside in their lunch breaks.
…maps of their walks can be downloaded on our website olivesetal.co.uk
TWEET US YOUR FAVORITE WALKING PHOTOS #OLIVEERING @OLIvesetal OR TAG US ON INSTAGRAM @OLIvesetal
Who’s your money on for the 2014 FIFA Brazilian World Cup? The Potting Shed Oliveers have their bets in…
Luke Who do you think’ll win? Germany
What 2 teams do you think’ll be in the final? Germany vs Spain
Who’s your favorite player? Frank Lampard
Where will you be watching the first England match? On the sofa with some food
Dan What 2 teams do you think’ll be in the final? Germany vs Spain
Who do you think’ll win? Germany
Where will you be watching the first England match? Who’s your favorite player? Messi At the pub with my friends TWEET US TO LET US KNOW WHO YOU THINK’LL WIN..... #OLIVEERING @OLIVEsetal 16
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a flipping good day
creative fillings...
our top tosser
A flippin’ great Pancake day at Olives Et Al HQ…badger sauce and bacon was our favourite, what’s yours?
it’s alive
AN OLIVEER BY DAY AN ARTIST BY NIGHT When he leaves Olives Et Al HQ after a busy day, Simon Cain O’Grady heads back to his studio in Dorset where he transforms blank canvasses into works full of wit, humanity, spirituality and defiance. Visit his website to see some of the masterpieces he creates. We’re pretty proud of his talent…
www.cain-ogrady.com
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food places: wHERE TO GO FOR DECENT GRUB N
apoleon once stated that “Ability is nothing without opportunity” which appears to be a sentiment shared by Al and Nikki Wingate-Saul. Back in early 2006 Al was thinking up ways to make more of the family farm when he stumbled upon the news that the local butchers was for sale and by July that year Al and Nikki had opened the doors to Holebrooks.
Holebrooks
Bang, slap in the heart of our small Dorset town known affectionately to all as ‘Stur’, the gastronomical heart of Holebrooks had started beating and it hasn’t stopped since. With a well grounded ethos to deliver local, fresh food of the highest quality, Holebrooks serves our local community with beef reared on the family farm as well as all the other local supplies one could wish for including, of course, Olives Et Al. I have found myself ‘popping in’ for a browse and walking out with everything from a handful of cinnamon sticks to a few Dorset Knobs in between. There is a pleasant whiff of confidence about Holebrooks - neatly born from a natural and Napoleanic ability to make the most of opportunity.
Opened in 2005, The Udder Farm Shop was the brainchild of Jane and Brian Down when they saw a lack of options for buying local produce and few places for the local community to meet. Built from the ground up, to their own specifications, there is now a restaurant, deli, shop and butchery. Now the proud winners of the Taste of the West award for “Best Farm Shop in the South West 2013”, The Udder Farm Shop continues to thrive in the Blackmore Vale. The Udder Farm Shop was noted by Taste of the West as a classic, country farmhouse offering great service with polite, good humoured and knowledgeable staff selling tasty, great quality produce that is beautifully presented with extensive local sourcing. On hearing about winning, they were over the moon. It was a bright red hot air balloon floating above them, that first drew me into The Udder Farm Shop and I have to say I agree with the judges...it’s a perfect antidote from the big chain supermarkets, with an atmosphere that allows you to browse, try new foods, stumble upon the little bits that you can’t find elsewhere and top it all off with a latte to keep you warm whilst watching your little bundles throw themselves down the slide on a cold windy winter afternoon. True to its ethos The Udder Farm Shop is a friendly place to visit where you can get a weekly shop, safe in the knowledge that all their food has been sourced in a responsible and sustainable manner. Definitely worth a turn off the A30 next time you are down this way.
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Cook Book Our Deli in Sturminster Newton, Dorset creates some of the best dishes this side of The Stour... here’s a selection of our spring specials
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Asparagus, Pea and Mint Soup with dukkah Ingredients: 125g asparagus spears 500g new potatoes 450g peas A bunch of fresh mint 1 small onion 1 litre of vegetable stock salt and pepper, to taste Olives Et Al Dukkah to season
method: Finely chop the onions and fry in a small amount of olive oil until completely soft and translucent. Chop the asparagus, potatoes and mint and add to the onions. Add the stock to the pan and bring to the boil. Add ž of the peas and cook until all the peas are soft. Blitz until smooth, season to taste and then add the last of the peas. Warm through and serve with a chunk of freshly baked bread and a drizzle of oil on the top‌ Season with a sprinkle of Dukkah.
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Green Olive Pate Enough for 4 snacking Ingredients:
recipe:
150g Olives Et Al Pitted Green Olives 1 green chilli 2 spring onions 5g capers a handfull of parsley 25g coriander 1 garlic clove 10g lemon juice 50g natural yoghurt
Chop up all the ingredients. Blend down into a paste. Season to taste. Simple.
Watercress Pesto Enough for 4 snacking Ingredients: 50g basil 25g parsley 150g watercress 7 garlic cloves 50g pine nuts 190g Olives Et Al Extra Virgin Olive Oil Pinch of salt and pepper
method: Place all ingredients in the food processor. BLITZ!
Beetroot Hummus Enough for 4 snacking Ingredients: 240g drained tinned chickpeas 125g cooked beetroot Drizzle of Olives Et Al Beetroot and Thyme Dressing 1 garlic clove 10g tahini 1 red chilli 37g white balsamic vinegar 42g water 162 ml Olives Et Al Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Pinch of salt and pepper Teaspoon of cumin
recipe: This is a really simple one‌ add all the ingredients into a blender, blitz it all up and, add more oil or water to create a smoother texture if needed. Season to taste.
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Shallot & Orange Dressing Think springy salads, think of a zestful dressing packed with orange juice and wine vinegar infused with orange zest and shallots. All put together by the Oliveers, by hand, here in Dorset. Try marinating all types of meat, prawns, duck‌you chose, just remember to shake it to wake it before having fun with this zingy larder essential.
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Guest columnist
Mad As A Jar Of Olives Hello there – Sara Stewart from Mad As A March Hare here, just dropping by for a few words. What do we do for Olives Et Al? Olives Et Al’s a Bertie Bassett client – we do All Sorts. Twitter, trade and consumer PR and whatever’s needed really. It ranges from getting their delicious things placed in the media so people read about them, salivate and want to buy them - to coming up with strange and interesting stunts to put a smile on people’s faces. The lovely thing about Olives Et Al is their sense of humour, which makes them a joy to work for.
So who are we? Mad As A March Hare is a social media, marketing & PR agency that takes a slightly bonkers approach to things but that’s the way we like it. We’ve worked with an A-Z of clients over the years - from start-ups to global organisations - adding our unique approach and actually making a difference to our clients’ bottom line.
In three words they’re – delicious, delightful and determined. A day in the life
We’re a bunch of ‘slightly older but wiser’ marketing professionals living real lives in Worcestershire. We’ve done the big London agency stuff - we still do, just not in London.
My day begins with an hour on Twitter @twowitwowoo telling jokes that would make your mother blush. After several coffees, it’s off down the garden to let the chickens and the duck out. Then it’s all about work. Our office is a converted bomb shelter on the side of the Malvern Hills so it’s all rather lovely.
We’ve won awards, launched worldwide phenomena, hob-knobbed with the best of them, headed up big companies before we all headed for the hills!
There are six of us who work from the office and we also have a team in the States looking after our social media, so we can give our clients a 24 hour presence, if needs be.
Work/life balance is really important to me so, after a hard day’s work, I’ll either head for the hills for a good, long walk or jump on the bike. After that, watching whatever series Netflix has on offer (currently House Of Cards 2), I’ll carry on working before opting for an early night and a good book.
And finally I was asked for an interesting fact about me. Sadly, the only one I can think of involves Des O’Connor. When I was little, having been dragged to a pantomime by my parents, I happened to be one of those poor, unfortunate children who ended up on stage to play the stooge to Button’s woeful jokes. Buttons happened to be Des O’Connor and I happened to be the child that did everything wrong and ended up with the booby prize – a packet of All Bran. As an adult, whenever I see Des on telly, it creates a Pavlovian reaction and I have to disappear to the ladies.
That’s all folks.
OLIVEERS favourite cookbooks Donna:
I love this book, it’s Mary Berry at her best, perfect for creating all round delicious dishes for entertaining, comfort eating and showing off. As well as the traditional classics I really love the healthy low-fat dishes which are (hopefully) starting to show my waistline off in a different light. It’s simple to follow and I find myself reaching for it all the time.
Jane:
My favourite cook book is Gino D’acampo, Bounissimo. He’s the sexiest male cook on TV and I just love his recipes. So why do I like this book? Simply because I love Italian food and Gino makes it so easy to follow. My favourite recipe is mixed berries soaked in whiskey with cream cheese and thick double cream, topped with toasted oats – what can I say about this one, it’s about the naughtiest, creamiest pud with a mix of whiskey that makes it sweet with a hint of WOW!
Jen:
The Food of Morocco by Paula Wolfert is a beautifully written and illustrated journey through souks and medinas of different regions, cuisines, spices and dishes of Morocco. Have to confess I actually bought this as a Christmas gift for someone, but after a ‘quick flick through’ I decided that not only could I not part with it, but that I had to set forth and organise a ‘Moroccan’ feast immediately! The Food of Morocco’s one of those books that I’ll dive in and out of for years. It’ll get written on, stained and the corners will get bent over as lots of the recipes become entrenched family favourites.
Spring 2014
OLIVEER
23
watch out for the summer oliveer... it’s all about balance
supposed to get a nice body for summer, but there's a small problem... I like food”
“I was
www.olivesetal.co.uk 24
OLIVEER
Spring 2014
#theoliveer