Nourish by Spinneys: September/October 2024 by spinneysuae

FIND YOUR FLAVOUR

Welcome to our tribute to one of the USA’s most beloved culinary traditions – BBQ. This issue is your guide to mastering the art of American barbecue, from its deep-rooted history to its diverse regional styles.

We start with a journey through BBQ’s evolution, led by an expert who sheds light on how this tradition became an icon. Then dive into our features on Cajuninspired recipes that bring a spicy, Southern flair to your grill. And don’t miss our comprehensive guide on the essentials of BBQ: how to harness salt, fat, acid and heat to achieve juicy, flavourful cuts every time.

From the tangy allure of Texan BBQ to the creamy charm of Alabama white sauce, we’ve got the quintessential sauces covered. Experience the smoky goodness of Memphis-style preparations and explore inventive ways with grilled corn, including a refreshing cowboy caviar. Our pots of pickles will add the perfect tang and we’re wrapping up with decadent desserts such as peach cobbler, choc-cherry skillet brownie and charred lime pie that celebrate the sweet side of the grill. Indulgence takes centre stage with our range of mouthwatering burgers and loaded hot dogs. To stay true to our USA theme, we’ve also ventured to California’s Central Valley to meet with the passionate grape and stone fruit growers who embody dedication to quality and sustainability. Their stories of generational farming and commitment to both the planet and its people are truly inspiring.

And there’s so much more to discover! Don’t miss our back-to-school gluten-free ideas from Warburtons, Halloween treats for kids, a foodie adventure in Barbados and Helen Farmer’s once-in-a-lifetime journey to see the gorillas in Uganda.

Until next time

THIS MAGAZINE IS PRODUCED BY

CEO SUNIL KUMAR

GENERAL MANAGER OF COMMERCIAL TOM HARVEY

GENERAL MANAGER OF MARKETING WARWICK GIRD

CREATIVE AND CONTENT DIRECTOR TIFFANY ESLICK tiffany.e@ﬁnefarefood.com

DEPUTY CONTENT EDITOR KAREN D’SOUZA

DESIGNERS

COLEEN ESTOQUE, EMILY EVANS & FRANCIS GACER

DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER ANKIET GULABANI

DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER LYNN SOUBRA

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER RASHA EL SALEH

CONTENT ASSISTANT DIANNA ACIBAR

CONTRIBUTORS

ZAHRA ABDALLA,KATELYN ALLEGRA, MICHELLE CLEMENTS, DEVINA DIVECHA, JORDAN FARRELL, HELEN FARMER, AASIYA JAGADEESH, STEPHEN PHELAN, LINDSAY TRIVERS & CASSANDRA UPTON

ON BEHALF

Spinneys Dubai LLC and the publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, howsoever caused. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication, which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the readers’ particular circumstances. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without written permission.

PUBLISHED

OF SPINNEYS DUBAI LLC BY

Regulars

THE CUT

9 7 OF A KIND BBQ rubs

11 DRINKS

12 RESTAURANT ROUND-UP

Explore Dubai’s restaurants where the grill is supreme, delivering dishes that are packed with flavour and paired with sauces that enhance every bite

14 THIRD CULTURE COOKING

Restaurateur Sahil Anand is keen to redefine the steakhouse experience in Dubai with Rare, where New York cocktail bar meets art deco Parisian brasserie

16 USE IT UP

Don’t discard leftover trimmings, cuts of beef and juices from roasts. Instead use them to make jerky, a flavourful dressing and crackling

18 FLAVOURFUL TWIST

Moutabal is a smoky dip that’s usually part of all mezze platters. Zahra Abdalla learned this recipe from her motherin-law who put her own twist on the original. The addition of ground walnuts and almonds gives the dip a delightful nutty flavour, the pomegranate molasses imparts a tangy sweetness while the chilli powder gives it a subtle kick. Zahra usually serves this dip whenever she hosts a barbecue or seafood lunch

20 READ, WATCH, LISTEN Cookbook, podcast and streaming recommendations

22 HEART, SOUL & HOT COALS

From the earliest tribal campfires to the age of TikTok, barbecue has become America’s favourite food through a long history of adversity, diversity and sheer lip-smacking variety

IN SEASON

25 Our fresh seasonal highlights include potatoes, sweet potatoes, grapes, blueberries and raspberries

MEET THE PRODUCERS

34 COTTON CANDY CARNIVAL

The Grapery company of central California is set apart by its commitment to taste above all. On a visit to their sun-kissed vineyards we learn how these lifelong grape farmers grow, breed and harvest some of the finest – and sweetest – grapes on the market

SEEDING THE FUTURE

For almost a century, the Zaninovich family has grown some of the finest green, red and black grapes in California. On a visit to Sunview Vineyards we learn how their expertise continues to bear fruit

42 THE WOW FACTOR

Growing in the rich soil of California while also helping to breed delicious new varieties around the world, the multi-generational farmers of Family Tree are thoroughly committed to producing “the best fruit you’ve ever tasted”

ON THE CLOCK

47 Whip up burgers in under 30 minutes with our SpinneysFOOD burger buns, patties and fries in store

Recipe features

BIG BBQ

56 CAJUN GRAZERS

Discover bold flavours with these recipes, each infused with a blend of spices that will bring Louisiana to the heart of your kitchen

62 SALT, FAT, ACID, HEAT

Your guide to unlocking the secrets to grilling perfection, where you will discover ways in which to use these four elements to elevate the flavour of your barbecue dishes

72 DIP, DUNK AND DEVOUR

Sweet and sticky, smoky and spicy, tangy and creamy – our Southern BBQ sauces from South Carolina, Texas, Kansas, Alabama and Tennessee will deliver a punch of flavour to your barbecue menu

78 ‘POP’-ING GOOD

From savoury to sweet, these dishes made with corn can add a burst of flavour to your barbecue

84 LA FIESTA

Rustle up scrumptuous tacos, enchiladas, chimichangas and loaded nachos with Old El Paso’s convenient fajita kits, seasoning mixes, salsa, tortilla chips and more

88 IN A PICKLE

Unleash a tangy twist with these pickles and pair them with barbecued meats and veggies, or just eat them as a snack

94 UGLY DELICIOUS

Drenched in BBQ sauce, generously filled with plump patties, luscious lobster salad and juicy mince, these mains are the epitome of the now infamous hashtag: they’re mouthwatering not picture-perfect

98 PUDDING AND PIE

Add an element of smokiness to your desserts with these recipes for peach cobbler, skillet brownie, s’mores cake and more

104 LOTUS LOVE

Buttery and sweet with notes of cinnamon, Lotus Biscoff Biscuits, spread and topping are perfect for adding rich caramel flavours to desserts

LITTLE COOKS

110 BREAD WINNERS

Warburtons gluten-free breads are ideal for making sandwiches, pop tarts, chips and more for school lunch boxes or after-school snacks

114 HAVE A GHOUL TIME

Little ones will love these sweet and savoury monster-themed treats this Halloween

Live well

120 HITS FROM THE PITS

Aficionados of American barbecue will argue over recipes and preferred regional styles, but they’ll often agree on the best specialist grillhouses in a given city or state…here’s a top 10 of the most essential BBQ restaurants across the United States

122 BITES FROM BARBADOS

Embark on a whirlwind gastronomic journey with Tiffany Eslick. From coastal fish fries to masterclasses with acclaimed chefs, and from savoury street food to fine dining experiences, this is a taste of Barbados that will leave you craving more

126 THE PEARL OF AFRICA

Uganda is on many a bucket list –seeing endangered mountain gorillas in the wild before it’s too late. Helen Farmer packed her hiking boots and loaded up on malaria meds for a trip of a lifetime

128 NOURISHING YOUR GUT

A healthy gut plays a vital role in supporting digestion, nutrient absorption, immune function and even mental health. We find out how hormone- and pesticide-free food, such as those from Koita can aid our gut health

CAJUN-BLACKENED

Food,

The cut

Rare offers charcoalgrilled dishes in a space that its restaurateur Sahil Anand calls a “Dubai steakhouse slash brasserie”

ROBUST PLAYER

Enhance your barbecue game with Random Harvest BBQ Beef Rub. Made with smoked paprika, chipotle for a spicy kick and cumin to add a touch of earthiness, it’s exactly what you need for brisket and steaks.

HOT SHOT

Waitrose Cooks’ Ingredients Piri Piri Rub is a tongue tingling mix of chilli flakes, garlic, paprika, black pepper and lemon peel, and is equally wonderful on red meat as it is on seafood and grilled veggies.

BARBECUE ESSENTIAL

Crafted from the pristine seawater collected at Chesil Beach in Dorset, Oak Smoked Dorset Sea Salt is smoked over apple oak wood chips to deliver a delicious smoky taste. Use it to enhance the flavour of grilled meats, marinades and brines.

7 of a kind

GRILL BUDDY

You’ll be spoilt for choice with the eight rubs and seasonings in the eat.art BBQ Grill Rub Kit. Packaged in glass test tubes to stay fresh for longer, these blends, including smoky chipotle, Caribbean jerk and Louisiana grill, are free of MSG, preservatives and artificial flavours.

TOUCH OF ZING

Kaffir lime and lemon peel lend delicious tangy notes to Random Harvest BBQ Chicken Rub. This 100% gluten-free blend is also great for adding extra flavour to crumb coating when making schnitzels.

A roundup of our favourite BBQ rubs and salts

SOUTHERN STYLE

Doubling up as a rub for seafood and chicken, as well as seasoning for gumbo and jambalaya, Waitrose Cooks’ Ingredients Deep South Cajun Rub is an earthy, warm and subtly spicy blend of fennel seeds, basil, celery seeds and oregano.

AMP UP THE FLAVOUR

Crafted with pure Australian inland salt flakes and black winter truffle, Great Southern Trufﬂe Salt is the ultimate seasoning for fish and meat, but it also elevates the flavour of pasta and salads.

DRINK UP

A Southern classic to beat the heat

Tips from The Tasting Class 3 to try

Not to be confused with iced tea, sweet tea is a staple beverage of the Southern United States that most Southerners make in large batches, sweetening it while it’s hot and letting it chill for several hours before serving it with lots of ice. Sweet tea is believed to have originated in South Carolina in the 1800s, the only state where tea is commercially cultivated in the USA. The earliest known recipe for sweet tea was traced back to a cookbook titled Housekeeping in Old Virginia, which was published in 1879. Green tea was the popular choice prior to World War II, after which Americans started consuming black tea. By the 1930s, sweet tea was featured in nearly every Southern cookbook.

Since South Carolina produces the second-largest quantity of peaches in the USA, the fruit inevitably made its way into tea. In time, a splash of vanilla-infused American alcohol was added to the mix. This recipe for Southern sweet tea doesn’t have caffeine or alcohol but captures the essence of this classic beverage. The Honeyman Manuka Honey and Peach Sparkling Water contains vitamin C and Manuka honey, known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The Crossip Dandy Smoke adds robust complexity to this drink, infusing it with a hint of BBQ smoke along with subtle notes of toast and vanilla spice.

PEACHY SOUTHERN SWEET TEA

Prep time: 5 minutes

Serves: 1

125ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water

1 SpinneysFOOD Black Tea Bag

1 firm yellow peach

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Ice Cubes

90ml Crossip Dandy Smoke

150ml The Honeyman Manuka Honey & Peach Sparkling Water

1 lemon

1 bunch SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint

1 Boil the water then add the tea bag and let it steep until cooled to room temperature. 2 Heat a griddle pan until scorching hot. 3 Pit and slice a peach into wedges. Place the wedges on the pan, for approx 2 minutes until char lines form.

4 Stack a tall glass with ice cubes. 5 Add the tea and Crossip Dandy Smoke. Top with the Honeyman Manuka Honey & Peach Sparkling Water. Add a squeeze of lemon. Add a peach wedge to the beverage. 6 Decorate with a few sprigs of mint and serve.

TOP TIP!

Grill only one side of the peach so it doesn’t caramelise too much and lose its shape.

KAYTEA JASMINE GRAPEFRUIT

ORGANIC GREEN TEA

An organic jasmine tea infusion with grapefruit flavour makes for a refreshingly light drink.

KAYTEA LEMON ZEST ORGANIC

Dive into zesty lemon flavours from the Italian Amalfi coast paired with an organic black tea infusion, creating a drink that’s not overly sweet.

KAYTEA MANGO YUZU

ORGANIC WHITE TEA

Get the taste of sweet mango with a hint of citrus with this organic white tea infusion. Featuring mango and yuzu, it’s a great blend of botanical flavours. kaytea.co.uk

Peachy Southern sweet tea

VEGGIE

Grill masters

Explore Dubai’s restaurants where the grill is supreme, delivering dishes that are packed with flavour and paired with sauces that enhance every bite

1One of the latest restaurants to open in Motor City’s Neighbourhood Food Hall is Al Naqa Lao Kebab House – the brainchild of chef Aphisith Phongsavanh, also going by the epithet AJ. Drawing in on his Laotian roots, this restaurant and its menu is a love letter to his family and the traditions of this Asian country. On the menu are charcoal grilled kebabs in the beef, lamb and chicken variety, but we’ve got to say, his mastery over elevating the chicken was unparalleled. While your average chicken kebab is, well, cooked chicken with spices – AJ’s chicken stays succulent and engulfed in the spices he’s cooked it with. Grandma’s fried chicken is his grandmother’s recipe and perhaps is testament to the idea that ‘tried and tested’ really does work. Its crispy yet juicy skin is a wonder in itself, while the meat inside remains juicy. We must mention the sauces offered on the menu; we tried the dragon’s breath chilli sauce which includes, among other things, dry roast onion and fish sauce. We lathered the coconutty rice that accompanied the kebabs with the dragon’s breath for extra zing. You can either love or hate the chai karak laban, which is a great finisher to the meal.

On a busy street in Al Barsha, Kenyan-origin Hashmi Barbeque is a spacious venue where the dishes delighted with every bite. Having seen chef

Kelvin Cheung of Jun’s fame tucking into the restaurant’s offerings, we headed over to try it for ourselves. One of the (many) stars of the show is the chooza chicken, which absorbs the flavour of the clay oven in which it’s roasted to the fullest degree. Hashmi Barbeque’s fried poussin chicken is a real winner and achieves the perfect crisp with its skin. This is another restaurant where the sauces for each dish pair beautifully; we rarely call anything exquisite, yet the sauce for the poussin is exactly that. It’s almost buttery and complements the crisp skin. The mutton kheema chapati is a nice accompaniment, with seasoned mutton mince mixed with egg and encased in dough. Please leave place for dessert; the signature kulfi is made fresh every morning and is creamy and decadent beyond belief.

Considered a local gem, Al Ustad Special Kabab in Bur Dubai has been feeding tourists and residents since 1978. Claiming to be the oldest Iranian restaurant in Dubai, this spot is known for its smoky kababs – the stars of the menu at affordable prices. Among the many signature dishes is the kabab khas, where you can pick between chicken or mutton as a protein, which is marinated in yoghurt. A traditional Iranian dish that’s also a great option from the menu is the kabab koobideh, where minced mutton (or chicken if you prefer) is barbecued with bread

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP: Al Ustad Special Kabab is, rightly, an institution, with all its kababs bursting with flavour; chef Aphisith Phongsavanh; the chooza chicken at Hashmi Barbeque Restaurant is a must-have and is paired with the perfect set of sauces; Al Naqa Lao Kebab House has a variety of firewood grilled kebab platters.

and is moreish with every bite. While you’re at it, do pair the kababs with saffron rice topped with chunks of butter for a complete meal. It’s a family-run restaurant and the décor is quite distinctive, with the tabletops sitting over a collection of currency notes from all over the world and the walls covered with photos of all the people who have dined there. It’s an institution and whatever you order from the menu will show you why.

Restaurateur Sahil Anand is keen to redefine the steakhouse experience in Dubai with Rare, where New York cocktail bar meets art deco Parisian brasserie

COOKING THIRD CULTURE

When you think of a steakhouse, it’s likely you’ll imagine a dark, wood-inspired restaurant with diners indulging in their own cuts of meat. Rare, one of the latest additions to Dubai’s dining scene, is keen to turn this individualistic notion on its head.

At this restaurant within Citywalk’s licensed district C2, sharing is central to the experience. As Sahil Anand, the mastermind behind Rare, puts it, “When a New York cocktail bar and a Parisian brasserie had a love affair, Rare was born, and it was born and raised in Dubai.”

He emphasises that Rare doesn’t try to transport diners to New York or Paris. Instead, it embraces Dubai’s identity. “The only person who can transport you to either of these cities is Emirates,” Sahil jokes. The aim at Rare is to create a space that reflects the essence of Dubai, where diverse cultures blend seamlessly. “I like to say that this is a Dubai steakhouse slash brasserie.”

Further explaining, he says, “The food comes out to share because we live in the Middle East where we do share food. We’re a mix of cultures, so we encourage sharing.”

This philosophy is evident in the menu, which he describes as “third culture cooking”. “When people tell me Dubai restaurants don’t have soul, I say Dubai restaurants have soul. Dubai has a lot of soul; you just have to look for it,” Sahil asserts.

Head Chef Ryan Bernardo and consultant Jesse Blake of Lowe fame played key roles in developing the menu and concept. From appetisers such as seared tuna crudo with anchovy soy and brown butter béarnaise and Wagyu beef tartare with a touch of wasabi and silky egg yolk in the centre, served with crispy potato hash on the side, as well non-steak menu items including seafood like king prawns served with a chipotle butter, there’s plenty to keep diners going back for more.

Sahil adds, “We get great compliments for our meat. But we’ve also made sure the sides don’t get forgotten.” The Brussels sprouts, tossed in a soy caramel glaze, is a standout dish, he says, as is the Wagyu striploin from South Africa.

The menu at Rare also reflects the restaurateur’s belief in making steak accessible. “I want steak to be fun and I want people to taste everything,” he says.

The open kitchen, where dishes are cooked over a custom-made charcoal grill, is the heart of Rare. “The idea was to make it Dubai, like a kid who grew up here. So, the menu inspiration came from using Dubai as a baseline, with different cultures and nationalities contributing to

the flavours,” notes Anand. It’s evident that the focus is on offering an eclectic mix of flavours as well as catering to all diets. “We have a plantpowered menu because, given we encourage big groups and sharing, you always have one vegan [in a group].”

For someone with his finger firmly on the pulse of the dining scene, it’s almost a surprise that this restaurateur only began his F&B journey in 2015. Originally from India, Sahil is a third culture kid himself who grew up in Dubai, and he transitioned from a career in sales and business development to the hospitality industry.

His first venture, CMP Bar and Grill, opened in 2019 at The Pointe. CMP, (first known as Chicago Meat Packers), aimed to provide a casual steakhouse experience outside of hotels. After closing CMP in 2023 when The Pointe closed, Sahil sent an email thanking guests and hinted at something more. “I added a little

paragraph to that email which said that I’m up to something and would be happy to meet with someone who would want to go on the journey with me,” he says. A regular guest replied and decided to invest… and, Rare was born. “I officially closed CMP on 31 May. And 335 days later, we opened Rare,” Sahil adds.

Sahil, who reveals that the restaurant has stayed busy over the summer, remains optimistic about the future. “The focus is on Rare, but if an opportunity comes by that is worth it, [another restaurant] will happen. We want to grow slowly. I have only one ambition in this business, which is that I would like Table 85 – our holding company – to be known as the best employer in the business. The F&B industry gets a lot of flack for being terrible employers, and that has to change. So, I’m working on being the best employer in the business and hopefully more restaurants will follow.”

THIS SPREAD, CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Sahil Anand; Rare offers a covered, outdoor terrace; Rare’s 250g oyster blade beef, cooked over the charcoal grill and served with salsa pebre and amarillo chilli; inside the dining room; seared tuno crudo with anchovy soy and brown butter béarnaise.

Use it up

Don’t discard leftover trimmings, cuts of beef and juices from roasts. Instead use them to make jerky, a fl avourful dressing and crackling

TOP TIP!

Freeze the beef for 1-2 hours before slicing to make it easier to cut thin, even strips.

SMOKED BEEF JERKY

Prep time: 15 minutes (plus marination time)

Cook time: 8 hours

Makes: 450g

500g leftover beef top round roast

200g SpinneysFOOD Dark Muscovado Sugar

250ml soya sauce

3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Crushed Chilli

1 tsp onion powder

½ tsp garlic powder

1 Slice the beef round into 5-8mm thick strips.

2 To make the marinade, combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Add the beef strips and ensure they are coated evenly. Cover the bowl with cling film and place in the fridge overnight.

3 Preheat the smoker to 70°C. 4 Remove the meat from the marinade, allowing the excess marinade to drip off. Place the beef strips in the smoker and smoke for 7-8 hours, until the meat is dry and crisp. Alternatively, preheat the oven to its lowest temperature setting, 80-95°C, gas mark 1. Line baking trays with aluminium foil or baking paper. Place a cooling rack on top of each baking sheet if you have one; this allows air to circulate around the jerky slices and helps them cook evenly. Lay the beef slices flat on the baking trays, ensuring they do not overlap. Place in the oven. Bake for approx. 3-4 hours, rotating the trays halfway through the cooking time. Cooking times may vary depending on the thickness of the

Smoked beef jerky

TOP TIP!

Place a sheet of baking paper on the chopping board before cutting the meat. Afterwards, lift the paper to collect the drippings.

slices and the oven’s The

slices and the oven’s temperature. The jerky is done when it is dry and firm, but still pliable. It should bend without breaking. If you press down on the jerky and beads of moisture come out, it needs more cooking. 5 Once done, remove the jerky from the smoker or oven and cool completely. 6 Store the cooled jerky in an airtight container or resealable bags. Store at room temperature for up to three weeks or longer in the refrigerator.

BOARD DRESSING

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Makes: 250ml

1 lemon

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley

250ml board drippings reserved from roasted meat

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Beef crackling with lemon-fennel salt

1 Juice the lemon and chop the parsley. 2 Pour the board drippings into a jug and add the parsley and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. If made in advance, the fat might set, so microwave for 30 seconds until emulsified.

3 Serve alongside steak or roast.

BEEF CRACKLING WITH LEMON-FENNEL SALT

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4

For the beef crackling

Beef fat cap from brisket, 1cm thick

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

For the lemon-fennel salt

1 lemon

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Crushed Chilli

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fennel Seeds

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with baking paper. 2 To make the beef crackling, place the strips of fat in a cold pan and bring up to medium heat to render the excess fat. After 5 minutes, remove the strips from the pan and lay them on the baking tray. Place in the oven for approx. 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbles have formed on top.

3 To make the salt, zest half the lemon. Place the zest in a mortar along with the chilli flakes and fennel seeds. Grind with a pestle until smooth, then add the salt and grind together until the salt changes colour. 4 Once the crackling has been removed from the oven, allow the pieces to cool on a cooling rack. 5 Serve the crackling with a sprinkle of the lemon-fennel salt.

Flavourful twist

Moutabal is a smoky dip that’s usually part of all mezze platters. Zahra Abdalla learned this recipe from her mother-in-law who put her own twist on the original. The addition of ground walnuts and almonds gives the dip a delightful nutty flavour, the pomegranate molasses imparts a tangy sweetness, while the chilli powder gives it a subtle kick. Zahra usually serves this dip whenever she hosts a barbecue or seafood lunch

MOUTABAL

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves: 6

3 large aubergines

40g SpinneysFOOD Walnuts

Small handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint

Small handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley

1 lemon

4 tbsp tahini paste

45g SpinneysFOOD Ground Almonds, optional

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tbsp pomegranate molasses

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Chilli Powder, optional

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

To serve

SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

SpinneysFOOD Fresh Pomegranate Jewels

SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint

SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley

1 Using a pair of tongs, place each aubergine directly on the burner over a high flame. Turn every 5 minutes until the entire surface is charred, approx. 20 minutes. Alternatively, preheat the oven to 250°C, highest gas mark. Prick the aubergines with a fork, then place on a lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for approx. 40 minutes.

2 Once the aubergines are cooked, peel off the charred skin. Place the aubergines in a large mixing bowl and mash with a fork until smooth. 3 Place the walnuts in a blender and blitz until finely ground. Finely chop the herbs. Juice the lemon. 4 Add the tahini paste, ground walnuts and almonds, mint, parsley, olive oil, pomegranate molasses, chilli powder, lemon juice, salt and pepper to the bowl with the aubergine. Mix all the ingredients together. Adjust the seasoning and add more lemon juice, if required.

5 When ready to serve, drizzle over some olive oil and scatter over a few pomegranate jewels, fresh mint and parsley.

Moutabal

Plant-based meat recipe

10 Ingredients

500g Switch Mince Meat

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp vegetable bu er

1 large white onion, nely chopped

2 large carrots, nely chopped

Steps

Cut the frozen Switch Mince Meat into 3x3 cm cubes.

2 Heat olive oil and vegetable bu er in a large cooking pot over medium-high heat until bu er melts.

3 Sauté nely chopped onion, carrots, and celery until soft and slightly caramelized,

4 Add chopped garlic and sauté for a couple more minutes until fragrant.

2 celery stalks, nely chopped 3 cloves garlic, chopped 2

20g shredded vegan cheese 20g fresh parsley, chopped

5 Season sautéed vegetables with salt and pepper, then set aside.

Add Switch Mince Meat to the pot. Season with salt and pepper, cook while breaking up lumps with a wooden spoon.

7 Return sautéed vegetables to the pot, add crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer.

Cover and cook, stirring minutes until sauce thickens. Stir frequently.

Mix in shredded vegan cheese and chopped parsley. Stir well. Adjust seasoning if needed.

Serve Bolognese sauce with spaghe i pasta.

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

Everything you need to know about barbecuing.

For the pescatarian SCORCHED: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BARBECUING FISH by Genevieve Taylor If the UK has begun to develop a feel for outdoor cooking with live fire, that’s partly because of resident experts like Taylor, whose books and media appearances tend to ignite that instinct. After covering the meaty bases in previous volumes, she now turns her attention to the texturally tricky prospect of cooking fish over coals. Giving due attention to lighting techniques, she goes on to guide the reader/user through 85 recipes that include whole plaice with green butter and serrano grilled hake.

For the outdoor barbecuer THE MEATEATER OUTDOOR COOKBOOK by Steven Rinella Podcaster, TV chef and bestselling cookbook author Steven Rinella made his name by “domesticating” wild game – sharing kitchen-based tactics for butchering, curing and cooking less familiar meats such as venison. This new book turns his skills back toward the wilderness, giving the hunter or fisherman – or even the back garden grill master – advice on the best ways to cook in the fresh air. Beautifully presented with the help of Krista Ruane, his recipes cover everything from lobster to beaver to coal-roasted banana.

For fans of year-round barbecues BBQ DAYS, BBQ NIGHTS: BARBECUE RECIPES FOR YEAR-ROUND FEASTING by Helen Graves Graves knows her live fire well enough to have a previous book with that title, but she also knows what a pain it can be to prep a serious barbecue for hours in advance. This new volume is more about making life easy in terms of home grilling, with a range of recipes that require only minimal labour and don’t necessarily depend on clement weather either. Chapters are arranged by season and includes ideas for drinks, dips and sides with each dish.

There are many barbecue podcasts out there and some of them can go deeper than necessary for the listener who is not planning to build their own pit from scratch. Pit Life BBQ strikes a nice balance between the academic and accessible, with likeable host Johnnie Mags inviting various chefs and restaurateurs along to chat about their own varied approaches to rubs, marinades, turkey-trussing and so on.

podcasts.apple.com/us/ podcast/pit-life-bbq/ id1423878408

BARBECUE SHOWDOWN

Nine pitmasters converge on a farm in North Georgia – deep in barbecue country – to compete in a series of smoking and grilling challenges that will net the winner $50,000. Over three seasons, this Netﬂix hit has become essential viewing even for the most casual foodie, in part because host Michelle Buteau is funnier than these programmes usually allow for and main judges Melissa Cookston and Kevin Bludso are so articulate on their specialist subject.

Netflix

PIT LIFE BBQ

HEART,

FROM THE

EARLIEST TRIBAL CAMPFIRES TO

THE AGE OF TIKTOK, BARBECUE HAS BECOME AMERICA’S FAVOURITE FOOD THROUGH A LONG HISTORY OF ADVERSITY, DIVERSITY AND SHEER LIP-SMACKING

VARIETY

The story of American barbecue is a long one. Records suggest that native tribes of what we now call the United States – as well as Central America and the West Indies – were digging pits to cook meat over fire for thousands of years by the time the Europeans arrived. The Taino people showed Christopher Columbus how it was done and the early white colonists of the Eastern Seaboard adopted that method through the 17th century. (The first written mention of “barbecue” comes from 1627.)

From there it proliferated across the southern states in particular. Cooking fires lit up the darkness all along the Mississippi River and around the Gulf of Mexico, hot coals glowing like stars on the endless open ranges of Texas. Today, it seems generally accepted that barbecue is the quintessential American cuisine, in the same way that jazz is the definitive American music. Adrian Miller would certainly concur, though he knows that some do not.

“These days you hear more people trying to argue that American barbecue is not exceptional, that it’s just part of a global grilling tradition,” says Miller. As a historian and author on the subject, a ‘soul food scholar’ per his Instagram handle, a consultant for Netflix’s Barbecue Showdown and a judge for the Kansas City Barbecue Society, not to mention a pitmaster in his own right, Miller is eminently qualified to insist that this practice “really is unique to our country”.

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“If you look at the facts, no Europeans ever talked about barbecue, or cooked in quite this way, until they came to this continent. The word didn’t even exist.” As for his own African-American ancestors, Miller says he would love to believe that they had been the original inventors of barbecue back in their homelands of Ghana, Nigeria or Senegal.

“I wanted to prove that in my research, to be able to shout ‘Wakanda Forever!’ and drop the microphone. But nah, it wasn’t like that.” In his most recent book Black Smoke: African-Americans and the United States of Barbecue, Miller instead recounts how slaves displaced to Georgia, Alabama, Missouri and the like were introduced on the

plantations to what was then a highly labour-intensive process, becoming experts “on a massive scale”.

“We’re talking 200 years ago when they had to butcher and cook the whole animal. This idea of grilling smaller cuts of meat is more of a 20th century thing that signals the transition from a rural context to an urban one.” After emancipation, African-Americans played an essential role in the spread of barbecue culture from the deep countryside to the big cities. “Those black people, now free, were getting on trains, boats and stagecoaches to come and make that Southern-style barbecue in other places where they put down roots. By the 1890s you start to see some of the earliest barbecue restaurants. Just shacks really, nothing fancy.”

Miller calls these pioneering chefs and owners “the first freelancers”. His book tells of figures like Henry Perry, who moved from West Tennessee to Kansas City in 1905.

“Originally a hotel porter, he starts selling barbecue in alleys there and makes enough to open his own place in 1917. He’s been credited with teaching others how to cook and beginning that KC tradition.”

There are many such traditions across the barbecue belt, where different styles developed along the railway lines –depending on what types of farming the surrounding land supported and which animals were abundant as a result. “The thing about KC is that it was an agricultural crossroad, so all the different meats were coming through that way.”

In the cattle country of central Texas, meanwhile, the immigrant Europeans who came to open butcher shops found themselves with a daily excess of offcuts. “So they decided to smoke them and sell them to ranch hands and oil workers in that area and beef brisket dominated local barbecue. Then in Kentucky you’ve got a lamb and mutton tradition you don’t see in other places, and further down south you see a lot more chicken.” Fish has never had much of a place in American barbecue, says Miller, though a few pits are reserved for mullet in parts of Florida and for salmon in the Pacific Northwest.

Miller himself was born in Denver, Colorado, which is not especially renowned for barbecue, but his mother came from East Tennessee. She had her own method for cooking select meats, to be served with her preferred array of side dishes: coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans.

“Barbecue is often presented as dude food, but in the black community, women have a strong role and my mom was the grillmaster in our house.” In that same community, he explains, it is taken for granted that you know how to get that “good, strong charcoal flavour” from your chosen steaks, chops, or ribs, so it falls to the sauce or marinade to provide the personal signature of the chef. In his mother’s case, that particular sauce recipe was passed down from her father, who had worked the galley on the Southern Railroad in the 1940s.

Growing up to become something of an authority, and to hone his own skills on the grill (Black Smoke includes some of his own recipes), Miller has since sampled every regional style and variation, and he’s got his favourites for sure. He says, “Number one for me is probably KC, then Memphis is second, but Texas has been climbing the charts …”

At the same time, he admits, there’s a temptation to say that the “so-called Texas method” is not technically barbecue at all. “The way that this food developed in America was by digging a trench, filling it with wood and setting it on fire so that the coals got hot enough to cook the meat directly over them. What they’re doing in Texas is something different, because it’s indirect. They’re basically smoking the meat

instead of grilling it. But I’m not about to roll down one of those places and say ‘Y’all aren’t barbecuing properly.’ All this stuff has been conflated now anyway.”

It’s arguably a curious time for barbecue culture. On one hand the cuisine itself is more popular than ever, as promoted by high-profile practitioners on social media and TV streaming networks.

On the other, says Miller, today’s celebrity pitmasters represent a narrow set of archetypes: “The bubba-type rural dudes, the hipsters with tattoos, the competition cooks with their syringes, the fine-dining chefs who now believe they have to show their chops by being good at barbecue.” Together, he says, they have led an “aesthetic shift” that now presents this method as more of a specialised craft and less of a working-class trade. A growing ignorace of the African-American contribution prompted him to write Black Smoke in the first place.

“Just as barbecue is becoming really popular, a lot of the big TV shows and magazines seem to have quite a limited focus. People love this food and they’re heavily invested, but if you’re new to it and you just want to know where to get the good stuff, you’re not really being given the full picture.” These days being the way they are, a lot of the aficionados like to police the boundaries of what is or isn’t “real” barbecue according to their own definitions.

“Some people just wanna fight,” says Miller. “The place it really happens now is in distinction between ‘low and slow’ and ‘hot and fast’. But there’s room for both, even if the faster-cooked meat will have a bit more chew. I think most would agree now that if it’s done in 15 minutes or less that’s just grilling, and anything else can be barbecue.”

At the same time, there’s surely a broader sense of community across this endless field of flames. The Kansas City Barbecue Society seems to be a case in point, with more than 15,000 members joining contests across the United States and beyond, submitting their house styles to the judgement of arbiters like Miller, while also respecting each others’ game.

He adds, “I absolutely think that we all share a strong belief that, as long as you eat meat, barbecue can bring people together. Even the fighting words are usually friendly and even more than other types of food, barbecue has this inherently social component.”

Consider all those grillmasters, all those ethnic backgrounds, all those family recipes, gathered around a single firepit and the quintessential American cuisine begins to seem like the very picture of the American Dream.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Adrian Miller is an expert on American barbecue and calls himself a ‘soul food scholar’.

THIS PAGE: Miller’s books delve into the rich history of the cuisine as well as a number of mouthwatering recipes.

In season

Our fresh seasonal highlights include potatoes, sweet potatoes, grapes, blueberries and raspberries

Seared stone fruit and rocket salad

Stone Fruit

SEARED STONE FRUIT AND ROCKET SALAD

This recipe is a great base for any type of salad.

You can customise it according to different fruits in season, or try adding other seasonal vegetables for extra ﬂavour and texture.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

For the grilled stone fruit

680g mix of ripe plums, nectarines and apricots

225g sweet cherries

Coconut oil, for brushing

For the dressing

4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Organic Red Grape Vinegar

3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Organic Natural Honey

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

For the salad

250g SpinneysFOOD Mozzarella

Handful of fresh rocket

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Basil

1 Heat a grill or griddle pan to a medium-high heat. 2 Halve and pit the stone fruit. Spray or

brush the grill with coconut oil and grill each fruit for approx. 2-3 minutes on the cut side. The cherries will grill quickly and will only take approx. 1 minute on either side. Remove the fruit from the grill and arrange on a serving platter.

3 Combine the dressing ingredients in a bowl.

4 Arrange the mozzarella, rocket and basil over the grilled stone fruit and drizzle over the dressing. 5 Serve immediately.

Potatoes

REUBEN POTATO SHELLS

This recipe is inspired by the classic Reuben sandwich, which originated in New York City. It is a grilled sandwich featuring beef pastrami, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and a tangy dressing in between slices of rye bread.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Serves: 4

For the potatoes

6 SpinneysFOOD Nicola Potatoes

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

For the filling

250g beef pastrami

60g sauerkraut

60g SpinneysFOOD Grated Emmental Cheese

For the thousand island dressing

60g mayonnaise

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Ketchup

1 tsp hot sauce

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

To serve

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Chives

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with baking paper. 2 Prick the potatoes. Bake for approx. 30 minutes until fork tender. Chop the potatoes in half. Spoon out the flesh to form a shell, leaving approx. 1cm border around the edge to support the filling. 3 Drizzle over the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the potato shells on the baking tray, skin side up and grill for 2-3 minutes until golden. Turn the potatoes over and grill for approx. 2-3 minutes then remove from the oven. 4 Finely dice the pastrami. Place the scooped potato flesh in a medium-sized bowl along with the sauerkraut and pastrami and mix together. Fill the cups with the Reuben filling and sprinkle over the grated cheese. Place in the oven for approx. 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. 5 Finely chop the chives. 6 Combine all the ingredients for the dressing

Reuben potato shells

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in a bowl. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Drizzle over the dressing and scatter over the chives. 7 Serve while warm.

Grapes

WALDORF SALAD

The Waldorf salad is a classic American salad with crisp apples, celery, grapes and walnuts tossed in a creamy, slightly tangy dressing. However, the original Waldorf salad, which was created at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City in 1896, only had red apples, celery and mayonnaise. Chopped walnuts were introduced to the recipe later along with other additions such as chicken and pears. This salad is often served on a bed of lettuce.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

For the dressing 1 lemon

60g SpinneysFOOD Greek Yoghurt

60g mayonnaise

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Organic Natural Honey

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

For the salad

60g SpinneysFOOD Walnuts Halves

100g SpinneysFOOD Seedless Green Grapes

2 Granny Smith apples

2 celery stalks

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley

Handful of mixed lettuce leaves

1 To make the dressing, juice the lemon and add the juice to a small bowl along with the yoghurt, mayonnaise and honey. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. 2 Dry toast the walnuts in a pan over a medium heat until golden brown. Allow the nuts to cool completely then roughly chop. Slice a few grapes into halves then finely slice the remaining grapes. Slice the Granny Smith apples. Slice the celery at a diagonal. Finely

chop the parsley. 3 Place the mixed salad leaves in a bowl and top with the apples, celery, grapes and walnuts. Pour the dressing over the salad and scatter over the parsley. 4 Serve immediately.

Sweet Potatoes

BROWN

BUTTER SWEET POTATO PIE

Sweet potato pie is a traditional Southern dessert with deep roots in African American culture. This delightful twist on the European pumpkin pie was created by African Americans in the deep South. Since sweet potatoes were readily available in the region, they were used in place of pumpkin for the ﬁlling.

Prep time: 15 minutes (plus chilling time)

Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Serves: 8

Waldorf salad

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Brown butter sweet potato pie

450g orange sweet potatoes

115g SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter

200g SpinneysFOOD Fine Grain White Sugar

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour

130ml SpinneysFOOD Fresh Full Fat Milk

2 large SpinneysFOOD Organic Free-Range Eggs

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon

2 tsp vanilla extract

500g Jus-Rol shortcrust pastry block

To serve

250ml cream

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon

1 Preheat the oven to 180 °C, gas mark 4. Line a baking tray with baking paper. 2 Prick the potatoes with a fork and bake for 30- 40 minutes until soft and tender. 3 Melt the butter in a small pot over a medium heat and allow it to foam twice. Once browned remove the pot from the heat and pour the browned butter into a heatproof bowl. Refrigerate to set for at least 1 hour or until solid. 4 Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven. Slice them in half and scoop out the flesh. Place the sweet potato flesh in a medium-sized bowl and cool to room temperature. Place the cooled browned butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat until smooth. Alternatively, use a handheld mixer. Add the flour, milk, eggs, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat on a medium speed until the mixture is well incorporated and smooth. 5 Lightly dust a clean work surface with some flour and roll out the pastry to fit a 25cm pie dish. Grease the pie dish with cooking spray and line it with the pastry. Press the edges into the grooves and remove the excess pastry and set aside. Freeze the lined pastry for 30 minutes, this will prevent it from shrinking. 6 Pour the filling into the crust three-quarters of the way. Bake until just set, approx. 20-30 minutes. 7 Roll out the pastry-off cuts and cut them into ½cm thick strands. Braid the dough and place it over the edge of the pastry, pressing it down gently to adhere. Return to the oven for a further 10-15 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Place the pie on a cooling rack. 8 In a bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks. Dollop onto the cooled pie and gently dust with cinnamon. 9 Serve immediately.

Blueberries

BLUEBERRY NEW YORK CHEESECAKE

Prep time: 30 minutes (plus chilling time)

Cook time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Serves: 8

For the biscuit base

210g graham crackers

65g SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar

¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

115g SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter

For the cream cheese filling

3 large SpinneysFOOD Organic Free-Range Eggs

1 large egg yolk

½ lemon

1 vanilla bean

680g full-fat cream cheese

210g SpinneysFOOD Fine Grain White Sugar

2 tbsp corn ﬂour

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fresh Full Fat Milk

180g SpinneysFOOD Sour Cream

200g SpinneysFOOD Blueberries

For the blueberry sauce

1 lemon

150g SpinneysFOOD Blueberries

55g SpinneysFOOD Fine Grain White Sugar

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water

1 tsp corn starch

½ tsp vanilla extract

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Edible Flowers

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Grease a 22cm springform cake tin. 2 Place the graham crackers in a food processor and blitz until finely ground. Empty the biscuit powder into a bowl along with the sugar and salt. Melt the butter and add to the bowl. Stir everything together to combine. Transfer the base mixture to the cake tin. Using a flatbottomed measuring cup, firmly press it into the pan, bringing it up the sides of the tin. Place in the oven and bake for approx. 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. 3 Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C, gas mark 2. 4 In a small bowl or measuring jug, whisk the eggs and lemon juice. Split and scrape the vanilla bean and stir the seeds into the egg mixture. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the cream cheese and beat at a medium-low speed until just smooth, approx. 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the sugar, corn flour and milk and mix on low for a further 30 seconds. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then mix for another 30 seconds or until the mixture just comes together. With the mixer running on its lowest setting, slowly pour in the egg mixture until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Fold in the sour cream and blueberries. Pour the mixture over the biscuit base and lightly tap the tin on the counter a few times to remove any bubbles. Wrap the tin in a large sheet of aluminium foil. Fill a large baking dish (big enough to accommodate the cake tin) halfway with boiling water. Place the wrapped cake tin in the water and carefully transfer the dish

to the oven. Bake for approx. 1 hour and 10 minutes – it should jiggle slightly in the centre. Turn off the oven and leave the door slightly ajar. Leave the cheesecake in the oven until cooled to room temperature. Once completely cool, place in the fridge to chill overnight. 5 Meanwhile, make the blueberry sauce. Zest the lemon. Place 130g of the blueberries, sugar and lemon zest in a small pot over a medium heat. Bring to a simmer and reduce for approx. 5 minutes. Combine the water and corn starch to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the blueberry mixture and cook, stirring, for approx. 1 minute before turning off the heat and adding the remaining blueberries and vanilla extract. Pour into a bowl, allow to cool then refrigerate until required. 6 Place the cheesecake in the fridge to chill overnight. 7 When ready to serve, remove the cheesecake from the tin and top with the blueberry sauce and edible flowers. Slice and serve.

Raspberries

RASPBERRY ROOT BEER FLOATS

Widely believed to have been created by Frank J. Wisner in August 1893, the root beer float was inspired by the snowy peaks of the Rocky Mountains. According to popular legend, Frank looked up at the mountains one day and their snowy peaks reminded him of ice cream floating in soda. He decided to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to his root beer, creating the first root beer float. The drink became an instant hit and has since become an evergreen American dessert.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 2

1 lemon

250g raspberries

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Grain White Sugar

500ml SpinneysFOOD Madagascan Vanilla Beans

Ice Cream

500ml root beer or ginger beer (we used ginger beer)

To serve

Raspberry powder

1 Juice the lemon. 2 In a small saucepan, combine the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice. Cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the berries break down and the mixture becomes jammy, approx. 8-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely.

3 Divide the mixture between 2 tall glasses and top with scoops of vanilla ice cream, cold root or ginger beer and finally a dusting of raspberry power. 4 Serve immediately.

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TOP TIP!

It’s important to ensure the cream cheese, eggs and sour cream are at room temperature before use.

Raspberry root beer floats

Blueberry New York cheesecake

Meet the producers

Introducing our grape and stone fruit producers from lush farms and vineyards across the USA

Ty Muxlow

David Jackson

Jim Beagle

Troy Jackson

Marko Zaninovich

COTTON CANDY CARNIVAL

Written by Ti any Eslick & Stephan Phelan

Photography by Camilla Hylleberg

Jim Beagle stands in the world’s largest vineyard for a wildly popular sweet white table grape known as Cotton Candy. He is CEO and co-owner of Grapery, the company that first introduced this variety through its ongoing breeding programme and named the grape for its flavour profile – so similar to that of the familiar fairground treat. As Jim recalls, neither he nor the breeder especially liked it when they produced the first edible samples.

“It’s also a really difficult grape to grow,” he says, so they weren’t keen to proceed with it until they took those samples to tasting events. “And everyone who tried it loved it. We realised that it only matters what everyone else likes. So we ran with it, launched it on the market, got a lot of interest from the media and consumers, and it became a big hit almost overnight.”

There are many other, similar operations in the surrounding 70-mile radius of California’s San Joaquin Valley. “It’s the best region in the world for growing highquality table grapes,” says Jim, “and Grapery is right in the epicentre.” All those growers share the same challenges, too, weighing many different factors when it comes to harvesting and shipping their product. Just as one example: “It’s far too easy for farmers to pick grapes before peak maturity. There are a lot of reasons to do that, a lot of pressures within the food system.”

But Grapery does not, because picking at the optimal moment is the only way to ensure optimal flavour. “We’re really disciplined about waiting until the flavour is at its absolute peak. In the short term that means making sacrifices, but in the long run, it means more people having a great eating experience. It’s better business, and it’s more fun for us.”

Which is to say that flavour is the absolute priority for Jim and his partner Jack Pandol, who founded the company. The latter is a third-generation table grape farmer – his grandfather Stjepe was among the immigrants from Croatia who set up in this valley in the early 1900s. Jim, for his part, is the son of a foreman for a large farming company.

“He would leave me with his crews on weekends and breaks from school. So I started picking grapes at five years old and since then I’ve done every job in the vineyards.” He later studied viniculture and farmed for a while himself before partnering with Jack at Grapery.

“It’s a small company and between us we do everything. Farming, breeding, harvesting, sales and marketing, making sure the grapes are cared for from beginning to end. We rely on both of our lifetimes in the vineyards as the experience that shapes what we do.”

Jim’s particular skillset requires him to be out in the vineyards tasting grapes every day. “I’m the only one who is allowed to set the standard that we harvest at. Over the years I have conditioned my tastebuds to know what’s going to get a great reaction.”

As proven with the case of Cotton Candy, it’s not so much a matter of his personal taste as his sense for what will fly on the market. This awareness runs right through the 11 varieties that Grapery now grows commercially, the “20 or so” they are currently testing and the 15 to 20,000 they consider each year as part of their renowned breeding programme. “Of that number we will probably find only one or two that we think consumers are going to love.”

Another hit for the company has been a sweet red variety called Candy Snaps, now part of the Grapery’s Gum Drops range of grapes with confectionery-like flavours. This variety

Produce commercial manager

Neil Gibson says

When it comes to premium quality, great tasting grapes, it is all about leaving the grape on the vine as long as possible to really allow the sugars and flavours to develop. As soon as our grapes from Grapery are picked, they’re rushed to the cold rooms then immediately flown to Dubai. Their Cotton Candy grapes are some of the sweetest that we sell at Spinneys – while their Candy Snaps are perhaps the tastiest with a more rounded flavour.

“WE RELY ON BOTH OF OUR LIFETIMES IN THE VINEYARDS AS THE EXPERIENCE THAT SHAPES WHAT WE DO.”

is also grown and sold by other suppliers, but their grapes are often much larger than Jim and Jack’s. “Too often we think that bigger fruit is better, but that’s not always true when it comes to flavour… with our Candy Snaps the berries are smaller than you typically see in table grapes. We could get them bigger, we know how to do that, but when we try we lose the flavour. So we don’t focus on size, just on making sure they taste amazing every time.”

Our produce team would tend to agree that the sweet crunch of the end result is entirely on point. And everything in the Grapery catalogue is bred and grown using centuriesold techniques – the company prides itself on an “all-natural” approach. Interventions are limited to specialist farming techniques such as “girdling”, where very precise incisions are made in the grapevine at certain times of year to redirect the flow of sugars into the fruit.

The resulting scars in the bark are only temporary and the method is deployed for one reason only: “To concentrate flavour.” “We have seasons of course,” says Jim. “The harvest starts in early July and runs through to October. Any single variety usually has a 10-week harvest window, though some come earlier or later. But flavour never stops.

“Pruning, irrigation, leaf canopy management, the yield we allow on the vines… everything we do, all year, contributes to the flavour of the grapes.”

Grapery Gum Drops Grapes

Grapery Cotton Candy Grapes

PREVIOUS SPREAD FROM LEFT: Grapery owns the world’s largest vineyards of Cotton Candy grapes; Candy Snaps on the vine; the vineyards at sunrise.

THIS SPREAD, CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Jim Beagle; pickers harvest the grapes in the early hours of the morning to escape the heat; a perfect bunch; in the vineyards; pickers know the exact size, colour and structure of grapes with the best flavour; nets protect the vines; ready for chilling.

Seeding the future

Written by Ti any Eslick & Stephan Phelan

Photography by Camilla Hylleberg

They call it “The Grapevine” – a fateful stretch of California’s I-5 highway leading into the Central Valley north of Los Angeles. The name comes from the thick, wild overgrowth of Cimarron grapes through which pioneers had to hack a path for their wagons in the 1800s. Many more grape varieties are now grown deep inside that territory and Sunview Vineyards has occupied a prime spot at the south end of the San Joaquin Valley for almost a century.

Standing in the shade of an upright gable vine and wearing something like a cowboy hat, third-generation table grape farmer Marko Zaninovich recounts how his grandfather and namesake travelled across the world from Croatia with his brothers in the 1930s. In the bare details, it’s a classic American immigration story.

“He was the youngest of 10 and he came looking for opportunity,” says Marko. “He was hungry.” Weather-wise, this particularly warm and dry pocket of inland California is optimal for production of table grapes, but farming back in those days was a precarious enterprise and the brothers could not make enough money to support the entire clan.

Most went their own way, says Marko, but his grandfather stuck at it here in Sunview. By the mid-1960s, his father had inherited a viable business which Marko and his own children, as well as nieces and nephews, have since been able to grow much further.

“We’ve found that we could really take advantage of export opportunities and the development of domestic retail developed in the US.” As things now stand, the harvest begins in July and moves up the valley as the season progresses, with certain conventionally and organicallygrown grapes becoming ripe and ready later in summer and into the autumn. Cold storage and refrigerated containers allow for shipping right up to Christmastime and buyers at Spinneys have come to rely on Sunview as a trusted partner.

Two varieties stand out for being both especially tasty and entirely proprietorial. The green grape Stella Bella® and the red grape Sparkle® were created here at Sunview and are only available from this single source. They’re the fruits of a plant breeding programme that Marko’s father began back in the 1970s. “The process of crossing

We were recently in Sunview Vineyards at sunrise and it was stunning! It was great to see the scale of the farm, meet the growers, eat crisp and juicy grapes right off the vine, see a range of new varieties and chat about how we can develop our business with the Zaninovich family. California really does have one of the best climates in the world to grow grapes and it’s where some of the best varieties are being bred. What we really like about Sunview is that we can source conventional and organic grapes, both of which are of superior quality.

and evaluating is very time consuming,” he says. “You’re always looking for better flavours and colours.”

Marko continues, “You also want something more efficient, that requires less management, so you’re not always having to manipulate the cluster or the crop size prior to packaging. Every time you do that, you risk a puncture or something else that would cause a bad arrival. Our goal is a good arrival.”

Neil Gibson says

Produce commercial manager

He goes on to detail what this means, at the level of the individual grape. “For consumers that may not understand this, that goal is something appealing to the palate, with a neutral flavour yet sweet and crunchy and with a brilliant colour behind it. Not a dark or faded green, or a dark purple for red grapes, but bright with a little bit of finish and a full green stem. The texture should have some meat in the berry, more fibrous than watery, almost like a piece of watermelon that is solid but breaks apart easily in the mouth.”

Stella Bella® and Sparkle® are prime examples, but they took “an awful long time” to perfect – the development period from inception to planting to producing at scale being 15 years or so in the case of the former. Marko’s mother suggested those catchy names. “We’ve tried competitions to name our grapes, but my mom comes up with great ones. She usually has a lot to say and if something is not good she’ll point it out. Our company is about straight talk and if something needs improving we’re going to get behind it and give it our all.”

Creating and investing in new varieties is just one of many risks inherent in table grape farming. There are others even harder to mitigate because of factors more difficult to manage – not least the weather and the water in this ever more drought-prone landscape. “The number one challenge for us is dealing with climactic issues beyond our control. We usually have the privilege of surface water to irrigate the crops and when we don’t we can extract from an underground aquifer. It’s a huge advantage, especially in dry spells.”

But conditions aren’t becoming any more hospitable to grape-growers, and for Marko and family the word “sustainability” has come to encompass the whole concept of a workable future. “Sustainability, to me, is about being here tomorrow, as a business and as a family. It’s about water availability, air quality, packaging

FIRST SPREAD, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Sunview Vineyards sit deep inside California’s “Grapevine” area; Marko Zaninovich; Sunview runs its own highly successful breeding programme; Stella Bella ® grapes.

THIS PAGE, FROM LEFT: In the vineyards at sunrise; Sparkle ® grapes.

OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Pickers choose grapes for flavour; a fresh harvest; Sunview Vineyards are expansive; Marko Zaninovich Sr with his sons Andrew and Marko; inside the nursery; selecting seeds for Sunview’s breeding programme.

“WE’VE TRIED COMPETITIONS TO NAME OUR GRAPES, BUT MY MOM COMES UP WITH GREAT ONES. SHE USUALLY HAS A LOT TO SAY AND IF SOMETHING IS NOT GOOD SHE’LL POINT IT OUT.”

management and as things get more complicated, it’s going to be environmental resources, solar projects and what we need to do about dust. Organic farming is a certainly a sustainable strategy, especially as more consumers become aware of pesticides and that means really going back to the basics of farming.”

Marko maintains a sunny disposition though and radiates the evident pride of a man fully committed to his livelihood and legacy. He surveys the tall and sinuous threads of healthy grapevines all around him in his homestead. “This is where I like to spend my time, working and planning and figuring out where we’re going to be in 10 or 15 years.”

Sparkle ® Grapes

Stella Bella ® Grapes

IN STORES NOW

THE FACTOR WOW

Growing in the rich soil of California while also helping to breed delicious new varieties around the world, the multi-generational farmers of Family Tree Farms are thoroughly committed to producing “the best fruit you’ve ever tasted”

Written by Ti any Eslick & Stephan Phelan

Photography by Camilla Hylleberg

Family Tree Farms dates back to the year 2000, but its roots run much deeper and older. Founder and owner David Jackson comes from a long line of farmers; his father moved to central California as a labourer in 1936, and later bought his own 40-acre farm. “I followed behind him in the fields as a child and worked beside him as a teenager,” says David today.

“He was never a large-scale farmer, but he was a hard worker, an honest man and a great inspiration to me.” His father once advised him never to come home early, but instead to take a chair and sit out in his orchard.

“He said to look at the trees and just listen. To ask them: ‘Are you hungry?’ ‘Are you thirsty?’ ‘Is there anything biting you?’ ‘Do you need more sunlight?’ … He told me that when you ask those questions you become a farmer who puts his shadow on the soil and nothing grows well unless you do that.”

In the decades since, and especially since founding Family Tree Farms, David has grown “a large number” of the 340 different crops that make up the vast agricultural lands of the Central Valley. “We first specialised in stone fruit – peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots. Later we found some fabulous blueberries to work with and I always said I didn’t want to be as good as others in the marketplace; I wanted to be the best in the world, like an Olympic champion.

Produce

commercial manager

Neil Gibson says

We certainly felt the wow factor when visiting Family Tree Farms recently. This is a true family business working together to preserve the fruits of the land for many generations ahead. Family Tree Farms is the gold standard among stone fruit growers and we are incredibly excited to bring new special varieties and flavours to our customers this autumn. Look out for cherry plums, black apricots, emerald beauty plums and yellow peaches with the Family Tree Farms logo in Spinneys stores this September.

“We made it our mission statement to consistently produce and package the most flavourful fruit in the world. When the consumer eats a piece of our fruit, I love to hear them say ‘Wow’. That’s the gold medal reward that Family Tree Farms is looking for.”

As he relates all this, David is sitting in one of his many orchards, this one set aside for plum-apricot hybrids known as plumcots. They are indeed growing well on a network of v-shaped, evenly spaced Tutura trellises, named after the agricultural region of Australia where he went to survey the local farming techniques some 45 years ago.

“You can see how they let sunlight come in from all sides, which is what you need to make the fruit sweet and colourful.”

The last quarter century has seen Family Tree Farms branch out in various ways at once, the ever-expanding workload shared by younger generations of Jacksons, and the family now extending to 86 members, including 21 grandchildren and 38 great-grandchildren. “All the men of working age are part of Family Tree Farms,” says David.

The makeup of the business is such that each constituent farm operates independently. Many in the family run their own orchards, with their own managers and irrigation teams, but all the resulting produce is gathered and packaged “under the shade of Family Tree Farms.” David’s son Daniel and son-in-law Andy Muxlow are both company co-owners. They’ve been friends since childhood – Andy grew up to marry Daniel’s sister Becky – and farmers almost as long.

And while both still keep their “boots on the ground” in that essential capacity, says Daniel, “from there we spread into other areas where we might have other gifts.” His own specialisms tend toward

business development and international operations. When it comes to export, supplying valued clients such as Spinneys makes him marvel at what’s now possible. “To get a piece of fruit from Central California all the way to Dubai … what a special world we live in. The tech and planes and ships that get this fruit all around the world, it just fires us up.” At the same time, says Daniel, “we learned years ago that agriculture doesn’t just happen in the middle of California,” he says. “It’s a big world out there. So, we started travelling all over, meeting breeders of different commodities.”

An international cohort of some 31 plant breeders now share their genetic materials with Family Tree Farms, from blueberries in Mexico and Peru, to table grapes and yellow and red kiwi fruit in the Cape region of South Africa, with genetic profiles exclusive to the company.

“These breeders basically give us their life’s work,” says Andy, who handles the marketing side of the operation, “and we act as stewards to help them plant their genetics around the world. The core of our business is the farm, but the foundation of the farm is genetics. You can be best the farmer on the planet, but you need the best varieties to succeed.”

Most of that new fruit is sampled here at Family Tree Farms’ renowned research and development centre and tested for commercial viability in what Daniel calls “our special soil and climate.”

That core component of the business is overseen by Eric Wuhl, a man who lives to “talk fruit”, as he puts it. At a tasting session held during the Spinneys team’s visit, he picks up a specimen from a new variety of nectarine they have named Necta Pink.

“At first look, it’s not very attractive,” says Eric. “It’s got a lot of freckles, or sugar spots. However, we find it to be unique because of its wonderful flavour, sweet with a slight touch of acid, like a super-ripe mango. A lot of times our flavour panels want to refer to this as ‘mangolicious’.” The modern grocery shopper, he goes on, has been conditioned to think of apparent blemishes on a piece of fruit as reasons not to buy it. Eric and his team have been trying to “change our customers’ minds” on that point, and “to show our retailers, too.”

“I am, unfortunately, 69 years old, and I’ve been standing over fruit for most of my life,” he says. “One thing I’ve learned is to work out which are the sweet nectarines. And if I want a piece of fruit to bring my mom, or my friends, I look for these sugar spots. The industry likes shiny fruit, which appears more attractive, but is never as sweet as the one with the spots.”

Outside in the fields, the younger generation say they have learned almost all there is to know about this business from Eric and, of course, from patriarch David Jackson. “I never went to college to study agriculture or anything like that,” says David’s grandson Troy, who manages his own team for picking, thinning and pruning the crops.

“I just worked on the farm since I was a little kid of about five years old and started full-time here right after high school. But I always say I have the best professors in the world. My grandpa knows more about farming than anyone I can think of and Eric has been all over America, worked on every commodity …”

Ty Muxlow, Andy’s son, does a similar job in the orchards on a daily basis. He has a little more academic experience and can vouch for the superior hands-on education they received as boys on the farm. “What I

“WHEN THE CONSUMER EATS A PIECE OF OUR FRUIT, I LOVE TO HEAR THEM SAY ‘WOW’. THAT’S THE GOLD MEDAL REWARD THAT FAMILY TREE FARMS IS LOOKING FOR.”

love is getting to learn from each other,” says Ty, who describes his lifelong working relationship with his cousins as “kind of a brotherhood.”

From their elders, they have picked up ideas and practices that “might be industry standard and might not be in some cases”. “There are so many different nuances to the varieties we grow and we’re always trying to be innovative, always experimenting with thinning and pruning.” They’re always joking, too, Ty says, which tends to leaven all that hard labour.

PREVIOUS SPREAD:

Multi-generational farmers of Family Tree Farms in California are thoroughly committed to producing “the best fruit you’ve ever tasted”.

THIS PAGE: (L-R) Andy Muxlow, David Jackson, Daniel Jackson and Troy Jackson.

OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT : Tutura trellises allow for sunlight among the orchards; natural wax on stone fruit is best for flavour; Eric Wuhl; Troy, Grant and Ty; the orchards at sunrise; Andy Muxlow and Daniel Jackson on the farm; David Jackson medals used for voting for the best new varieties; David Jackson; the best stone fruit bound for export.

Grant Garcia, who married into the family and now manages “the trucking and equipment side of things”, has had less time to absorb that great wealth of farming knowledge. Over a decade in this company, he has come to savour the feeling that he’s able to “grow a future”.

“But the great blessing”, says Grant, “is being part of this quest to find the most flavourful fruit in the world.”

Asked for their favourite fruits among the surrounding crops, Grant picks a plum known as the Plum Cherry. “It’s small, but the flavour is fantastic.” Troy, for his part, picks the hybrid plumcot growing right behind him as he speaks – the variety they call Flavor Gator. “It’s got green skin but you bite into incredible dark red flesh, sweet as candy.”

Growing up, he says, he was always taught to wait a little longer than the average farmer for that sweetness to arrive. “The guy across the street” might get his crop out earlier, but Family Tree Farms holds out for full ripeness, “to ensure that each piece of fruit is the best you’ve had in your life.” Troy will often go around the valley giving out the family’s produce for strangers to try, and word most often heard is the one this whole dynasty lives to hear: “Wow.”

PLANT-BASED

TASTE YOU CAN BELIEVE IN. PLANT-BASED TASTE YOU CAN BELIEVE IN.

On the clock

Whip up burgers in under 30 minutes with our SpinneysFOOD burger buns, patties and fries in store

Double-stacked chipotle lentil burgers with courgette fries

Minneapolis-style juicy Lucy burgers with thin-cut fries

Po-boy burgers with classic fries

Katsu chicken burgers with slaw and fries

10 MINS

DOUBLE-STACKED CHIPOTLE LENTIL BURGERS WITH COURGETTE FRIES

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

For the courgette fries

500g large courgettes

30g SpinneysFOOD Grated Parmigiano Reggiano

60g Panko breadcrumbs

40g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

2 large egg whites

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

TOP TIP!

Pan-fry the lentil patties for a crisp exterior and juicy centre, but you can also bake them for a healthier alternative.

For the patties

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

8 SpinneysFOOD Lentil Burger Patties

For the sauce

2 pickles

1 shallot

200ml chipotle mayonnaise

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Ketchup

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar

1 tsp pickle juice

To serve

4 SpinneysFOOD Brioche Burger Buns

120g iceberg lettuce

2 tbsp bread and butter pickles (see page 93)

Double-stacked chipotle lentil burgers with courgette fries

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Line a tray with baking paper and set aside.

2 Slice off the ends of the courgettes then slice into quarters lengthways. In a shallow dish, combine the Parmigiano Reggiano, Panko, flour and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites. Dip the courgette pieces in the egg whites until coated, then toss in the flour mixture. Ensure each piece is well coated. Arrange on the baking tray. Drizzle over some olive oil and place in the oven for approx. 15 minutes or until golden and crisp. Set aside and keep warm.

3 Heat the oil in a grill or large frying pan over a medium heat. Grill or fry the patties until grilled or charred to your liking.

4 Finely dice the pickles and shallot. Combine the sauce ingredients to make the chipotle sauce. 5 Slice each burger bun into thirds – top, middle and bottom. Finely slice the lettuce. Generously spread the sauce over the cut sides of each bun. Top the bottom bun with shredded lettuce, a patty and pickles. Repeat this process with the middle layer of the bun. Cover with the top of the bun. Repeat with the remaining buns.

6 Serve the burgers with the courgette fries.

VEGGIE

10 MINS

MINNEAPOLIS-STYLE JUICY LUCY BURGER WITH THIN-CUT FRIES

A juicy Lucy burger has a cheese-stuffed burger patty. It is believed to have been created in a bar in Minneapolis. The cheese is placed between two beef patties, which are then sealed together and cooked. This results in a juicy, ﬂavourful burger with a gooey, molten cheese centre.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

For the burger patties

70g SpinneysFOOD Grated Mature Cheddar

70g SpinneysFOOD Grated Mild Cheddar

8 SpinneysFOOD Grass-Fed Beef Quarter Pounders

To serve

400g SpinneysFOOD Thin-Cut Fries

4 SpinneysFOOD Malted Burger Buns

2 beefsteak tomatoes

1 brown onion

4 tbsp mayonnaise

2 baby gem lettuce heads

4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Ketchup

Minneapolis-style juicy Lucy burgers with thin-cut fries

COOK’S NOTE

Once the burgers have cooked, allow them to rest for a few minutes. This not only allows the natural juices to redistribute, but also ensures the melted cheese cools a little to prevent burns.

1 Preheat the grill to a medium heat and the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. 2 Combine the cheeses then place 35g of the mixed cheese in the centre of 4 patties. Top each cheese patty with the remaining patties. Pinch the edges to seal. You should have 4 cheesefilled patties. Grill the patties for approx. 5 minutes on either side or until cooked to your desired doneness and the cheese has melted inside. Set aside to rest for 2 minutes; it’s important to do this as the patties will be too hot to eat otherwise. 3 Cook the fries according to package instructions in the oven. 4 Halve the buns and slice the tomatoes and onion. 5 To assemble the burgers, spread some mayonnaise on each the base of each bun then top with lettuce, a slice of tomato, a burger patty, sliced onion and ketchup. Cover with the top of each bun. 6 Serve with the fries.

10 MINS

MICHIGAN OLIVE BURGERS WITH SWEET POTATO FRIES

This version of the Michigan olive burger has a plant-based burger patty topped with a mixture of green olives and vegan cream cheese on a toasted bun.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

For the olive topping

250g cream cheese, room temperature

80g SpinneysFOOD Sliced Green Hojiblanca Olives

1 tbsp olive juice

For the burgers

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 Switch Plant-based Burger Patties

4 mild red Cheddar slices

4 sesame seed burger buns

To serve

400g SpinneysFOOD Sweet Potato Fries

4 Unearthed Pimento Stuffed Olives

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.

2 In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, sliced olives and olive juice. Add more or less olive juice based on your preference. 3 Heat the oil in a pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the burger patties according to the package instructions. Add a slice of cheeseon each patty and cover with a lid to steam. 4 Cook the fries in the oven according to package instructions.

5 Slice the burger buns in half and toast them in a dry pan. Place the burger patties on the buns and top with a large spoonful of the olive topping. Replace the tops of the buns and hold in place with a skewered olive. 6 Serve the burgers with the sweet potato fries.

VEGGIE

1 SpinneysFOOD Sliced Green Hojiblanca Olives

Kerrygold Mild Red Cheddar Slices

SpinneysFOOD Sweet Potato Fries 4 Switch Plant-based Burger Patties

Michigan olive burgers with sweet potato fries

15 MINS

PO-BOY BURGERS WITH CLASSIC FRIES

A po-boy is a New Orleans-style sandwich usually served in between French bread and generously ﬁlled with roast beef or fried seafood and topped with lettuce, pickles and a tangy mayonnaise-based sauce.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

For the remoulade sauce

2 garlic cloves

2 dill pickles

1 tbsp capers

1 lemon

220g mayonnaise

2 tsp hot sauce

1½ tsp paprika

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

For the patty

300ml SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunﬂower Oil

4 SpinneysFOOD Breaded Cod Fish Cakes

To serve

400g SpinneysFOOD Classic Fries

1 red onion

4 SpinneysFOOD Potato Buns

2 gem lettuce heads

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Dill

1 Mince the garlic and finely chop the pickles and capers. Zest and juice the lemon. Place all the remoulade sauce ingredients together and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for later.

2 Heat the oil in a medium-sized saucepan until 180°C. Fry the fish cakes until golden brown and cooked through, approx. 5 minutes a side. 3 In the same oil, cook the fries until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels. Finely slice the red onion into rounds. Halve the buns and generously spread the cut sides of both halves of the buns with the remoulade. Top the bases with a few lettuce leaves, a fishcake, red onion slices and scatter over some dill. Cover with the top halves of the buns. 4 Serve with the fries.

Po-boy burgers with classic fries

15 MINS

KATSU CHICKEN BURGERS WITH SLAW AND FRIES

To give these burgers extra ﬂavour, toast the buns on a hot skillet or grill until golden brown. This will not only give them a deliciously crisp texture but also prevent the buns from getting soggy from the curry mayonnaise and slaw.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

For the curry mayonnaise

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Ketchup

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp oyster sauce

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar

½ tsp mild curry powder

250g kewpie mayonnaise

2-4 SpinneysFOOD Breaded Chicken Escalopes

400g SpinneysFOOD Classic Cut Fries

For the slaw

200g green cabbage

2 SpinneysFOOD Spring Onions

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander

100g kewpie mayonnaise

1 lime

To assemble

4 SpinneysFOOD Malted Burger Buns

1 Combine the mayonnaise ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. 2 Heat an oven, or air fryer, to 180°C, gas mark 4. Cook the chicken escalopes according to package instructions. 3 Line an oven-proof tray with baking paper. Place the fries in the tray and cook according to package instructions. 4 Meanwhile, finely shred the cabbage, slice the spring onions and chop the coriander. Place the cabbage, spring onion and coriander in a bowl. Add in the kewpie mayonnaise and squeeze in the lime juice. Toss well and set aside. 5 Slice the burger buns in half, then spread a generous layer of curry mayonnaise on the cut side of each bottom half. Top with the slaw, chicken escalope and some more curry mayonnaise. Replace the tops of the burger buns. 6 Serve the burgers with the fries.

Katsu chicken burgers with slaw and fries

A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE FOR USING OUR PRODUCT:

1 Use it just like milk.

Big BBQ

Your guide to mastering the art of American barbecue with recipes inspired by diverse regional styles

CAJUN GRAZERS

Discover bold ﬂ avours with these recipes, each infused with a blend of spices that will bring Louisiana to the heart of your kitchen

TOP TIP!

To give these wings extra smoky flavour, add a few wood chips to the grill while cooking.

Cajun-blackened chicken wings

TOP TIP!

Soak the raw okra in white vinegar for 15 minutes prior to frying to reduce their sliminess.

Crispy Cajun okra fries

Jambalaya-stuffed peppers

Jambalaya stuffed peppers

CAJUN-BLACKENED CHICKEN WINGS

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar

35g Cajun spice

12 SpinneysFOOD Fresh Chicken Wings

For the sauce

4 tbsp hot sauce

50g SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter

1 Preheat the grill to a medium-high heat.

2 Combine the sugar and Cajun spice in a bowl. Place the wings on a tray and coat them with half the spiced sugar mixture, flip over the wings and coat them with the remaining spice and lightly rub it into the wings. 3 To make the sauce, add the hot sauce and butter to a saucepan and heat until the butter melts. 4 To cook the wings, place them on the hot grill and immediately brush them with the hot sauce. Grill for 8-10 minutes until one side is lightly charred, then flip over and brush with more sauce. Grill for 8-10 minutes until lightly charred then remove the wings from the heat.

5 Serve immediately.

JAMBALAYA-STUFFED PEPPERS

Jambalaya is a comforting, ﬂavourful and spicy Creole

dish from Louisiana consisting of rice, a variety of meats, seafood and vegetables, typically cooked together in a large pot.

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Serves: 6

For the jambalaya

1 SpinneysFOOD Organic Chicken Breast

100g beef chorizo

1 garlic clove

1 small SpinneysFOOD Red Capsicum

½ jalapeño

1 celery stalk

1 onion

3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 x 400g tin SpinneysFOOD Organic Chopped

Italian Tomatoes

375ml chicken stock

80g white basmati rice

½ tbsp Cajun spice

¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cayenne Pepper

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

30g okra

120g fresh shrimp, deshelled and deveined

6 SpinneysFOOD Palermo Peppers

1 Chop the chicken and chorizo into bite-sized pieces. Mince the garlic. Dice the capsicums, jalapeño, celery and onion. 2 Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken and chorizo and sauté for

5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked and the chorizo is lightly browned. Remove from the pot and set aside. 3 Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot. Add the diced vegetables and garlic. Sauté for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened. Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, rice, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the rice is cooked. 4 Thinly slice the okra and add it to the pot along with the shrimp. Stir to combine. Continue to simmer, until the shrimp cook through. Add the chicken and chorizo. Remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool. 5 To stuff the peppers, slice the tops off the peppers then slice them in half lengthways. Remove the seeds. Fill the peppers with the jambalaya and place them on the grill. Cook for 5 minutes until the peppers have softened slightly. 6 Serve immediately.

CRISPY CAJUN OKRA FRIES

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

For the okra

500ml SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunﬂower Oil

450g fresh okra

60g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour

VEGGIE

2 tbsp Cajun spice

75g cornmeal

240ml buttermilk

For the buttermilk dip

2 garlic cloves

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Chives

1 lemon

4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Sour Cream

4 tbsp buttermilk

2 tbsp mayonnaise

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Dried Dill

1 Pour the oil into a pot and heat it to 180°C. Line a baking tray with paper towels. 2 Rinse and dry the okra. Slice off the tops. 3 In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, 1 tablespoon of Cajun spice and cornmeal. Place the buttermilk in a separate bowl. Dip the okra in the buttermilk then coat in the flour mixture and shake off any excess flour. Repeat this with the remaining okra.

4 Fry the okra until golden brown, approx. 5 minutes, then remove and place on the baking tray. Sprinkle the okra with the remaining Cajun seasoning. 5 To make the buttermilk dip, mince the garlic, finely chop the chives and juice the lemon. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.

6 Serve the okra fries with the buttermilk dip.

GRILLED OYSTERS WITH CAJUN BUTTER

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 6 minutes

Serves: 4

For the Cajun butter

1 lemon

1 garlic clove

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Thyme

100g SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter, softened

1 tbsp Cajun seasoning

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley

25g breadcrumbs

8 shucked oysters

To serve

1 lime

1 Preheat the grill to a medium-high heat.

2 To make the Cajun butter, zest and juice the lemon, and finely chop the garlic and thyme. Add the thyme, lemon juice and zest and garlic to the softened butter with the Cajun spice and stir to combine. Finely chop the parsley and mix it with the breadcrumbs. 3 Place a teaspoon of Cajun butter onto each oyster, top with the breadcrumb mixture, then place the oysters on the grill. Cover and grill for 5-6 minutes until the edges of the oysters curl up slightly and the butter is bubbling.

4 Remove the oysters from the grill and serve with lime wedges.

GRILLED CRAB-STUFFED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS

Preheat a cast-iron pan on the grill before placing the stuffed mushrooms on it; this sears the mushrooms quickly, keeping them firm and flavourful while allowing the stuffing to cook through.

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

8 SpinneysFOOD Portobello D+ Mushrooms

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 shallot

180g crab meat

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley

50g SpinneysFOOD Grated Parmigiano Reggiano

100g breadcrumbs

1 tbsp Cajun spice

1 large SpinneysFOOD Organic Free-Range Egg

2 tbsp mayonnaise

For the topping

55g SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter

100g SpinneysFOOD Grated Parmigiano Reggiano

1 Preheat the grill to a medium-high heat.

2 Remove the stems from the mushrooms and brush the caps with olive oil. Finely chop the mushroom stems and set aside. 3 Finely chop the shallot. Roughly chop the crab meat. Finely chop the parsley. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the chopped mushroom stems, shallot, Parmigiano Reggiano, crab meat, parsley, breadcrumbs, Cajun spice, egg and mayonnaise. Stir thoroughly to combine. Fill each mushroom cap with the stuffing. 4 Melt the butter. Brush each mushroom with melted butter and top with the grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Place the mushrooms on the grill and cook for 5-10 minutes covered, until the cheese becomes golden brown. 5 Remove from the grill and serve immediately.

HOW TO MAKE

HOME-MADE CAJUN SPICE

3 tbsp smoked paprika

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

2 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine White Pepper

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Dried Oregano

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cayenne Pepper

½ tbsp SpinneysFOOD Dried Thyme

1 Mix all the dry spices in a bowl.

2 Transfer the Cajun spice to an air-tight jar and store in the fridge.

Make these delicious appetisers with the ingredients available in stores.

SpinneysFOOD Fresh Chicken Wings

SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter

SpinneysFOOD Portobello D+ Mushrooms

Dibba Bay Oysters

Palermo Red Peppers

TOP TIP!

Place the shucked oysters on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a piece of crinkled aluminium foil to help keep them upright to prevent the butter from spilling.

Grilled oysters with Cajun butter

Grilled crab-stuffed Portobello mushrooms

SALT FAT

Your guide to unlocking the secrets to grilling perfection, where you will discover ways in which to use these four elements to elevate the fl avour of your barbecue dishes

ACID HEAT

SALT

Salt is a crucial ingredient for enhancing the natural flavour of meat. Here are a few more ways to elevate your grilling game by using salt:

BRINING: This is a simple yet effective technique which involves soaking the meat in a solution of salt and water before cooking. This helps tenderise the meat and enhances its natural flavours. For example, brine chicken pieces in a mixture of water, salt, sugar and spices for several hours before smoking or grilling.

SALT FINISHING: Just before serving, sprinkle a pinch of salt over the cooked meat. This final touch helps elevate the flavours and provides a burst of seasoning.

SALTED BUTTER BASTING: While grilling or smoking, baste the meat with a mixture of melted butter and salt. This adds richness and a savoury flavour to the meat while also keeping it moist.

HEAT INDEX

Texas salt ‘n’ pepper crusted grilled tomahawk steak

MEMPHIS-STYLE DRY-RUB SPATCHCOCK TURKEY

Using salt in a dry rub can tenderise the meat by breaking down muscle proteins. It also enhances the ﬂavour by drawing out and concentrating the meat’s natural juices.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Serves: 8

For the dry rub

3 tbsp smoked paprika

3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground

3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Ginger

1 tsp celery seed

1 tsp mustard powder

3½kg- 4kg turkey

1 Preheat the grill to a medium heat. Lightly oil the grates. 2 Whisk all the ingredients for the dry rub in a bowl and set aside. 3 Using paper towels, pat the turkey dry. Using a pair of kitchen scissors, remove the backbone of the bird. Start at the tail end and cut to the top. Repeat on the other side of the backbone and remove it. Flip the turkey over and using both palms, press down to flatten the turkey. 4 Generously sprinkle the dry rub all over the turkey including inside the cavity. 5 Place the turkey on the grill, skin

side down, and cook for 8-10 minutes. Flip the turkey and turn the temperature down to low. Close the lid and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes, until the bird is cooked through. 6 Remove the turkey from the grill and rest for approx. 20-30 minutes, before carving and serving.

TEXAS SALT ‘N’ PEPPER CRUSTED GRILLED TOMAHAWK STEAK

A salt crust creates a seal that locks in moisture and ﬂavours while forming a ﬂavourful crust on the exterior.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Serves: 6

1.2kg SpinneysFOOD Angus Beef Tomahawk Steak

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Coarse Crystal Sea Salt 3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

1 Preheat the grill to a medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grates. 2 Prepare the steak by patting it dry with a paper towel. Grind the peppercorns in a pestle and mortar and combine with the salt. Generously sprinkle both sides of the steak with a mix of salt and pepper. 3 Place the steak on the hottest side of the grill and sear for 3-5 minutes on each side. Turn the heat down to medium/low and cook the steak for 20-25 minutes (depending on its thickness), flipping halfway through. Remove from the grill when it reaches the desired level of doneness. 4 Place the steak on a wooden board and rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Different fats can be used in various ways to enhance the flavour and texture of meat. Here are some ways you can use different fats at your barbecue:

MARINADES AND BRINES:

Fats such as olive oil, vegetable oil, or melted butter can be included in marinades and brines to tenderise the meat and infuse it with flavour. For example, you can marinate chicken in a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, herbs and spices before grilling.

BASTING: During cooking, basting with fat helps to keep the meat moist and impart flavour. You can baste meats with melted butter, fat, or a mixture of oil and herbs. Basting can be done using a brush or by spooning the fat over the meat periodically during cooking.

INJECTING: Larger cuts of meat such as shoulder or brisket can be injected with a mixture of fat and seasonings to add moisture and flavour deep into the cut. This technique is useful for lean cuts that tend to dry out while they’re cooking.

SMOKING: When smoking meat, the type of wood you use can also impart a variety of flavours. Some woods, such as hickory or mesquite, produce a stronger smoke flavour, while others, like fruit woods (apple, cherry), impart a milder, sweeter flavour. The smoke from these woods interact with rendering fat to create a more complex flavour profile.

FINISHING: Just before serving, you can add a pat of flavoured butter or drizzle some infused oil over the cooked meat to add a final burst of flavour. Compound butters, made by mixing herbs, spices and other flavourings into softened butter, are particularly delicious when melted over grilled steak or chicken.

FAT CAP: For certain cuts of meat, such as shoulder or brisket, leaving a layer of fat on the surface can help baste the meat as it cooks, keeping it moist and adding flavour. This fat cap can be scored to help it render and melt into the meat during the cooking process, while also creating a caramelised, crispy exterior.

FAT

KANSAS CITY BBQ T-BONE WITH BLUE CHEESE BUTTER

The marbling of fat within the T-bone steak helps to keep the meat tender and ﬂavourful as it cooks, while adding the blue cheese butter at the end of cooking helps to add an extra layer of fat for ﬂavour and moisture.

Prep time: 30 minutes (plus setting time)

Cook time: 45 minutes

Serves: 8

For the blue cheese butter

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley

1 garlic clove

115g SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter

115g blue cheese

For the Kansas BBQ rub

50g SpinneysFOOD Dark Muscovado Sugar

2 tbsp paprika

½ tbsp SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper

½ tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

½ tbsp SpinneysFOOD Chilli Powder

½ tbsp garlic powder

½ tbsp onion powder

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cayenne Pepper

For the T-bone

4 x 400g SpinneysFOOD T-bone Steak

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunﬂower Oil

1 Preheat the grill to high heat. Lightly oil the grates. 2 To make the blue cheese butter, finely chop the parsley and crush the garlic. Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix until smooth and softened. Place the herb butter on a sheet of baking paper or cling film, shape it into a log and twist the ends to seal. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour or until set. 3 Combine all the spices for the rub and set aside. 4 Using paper towels, pat the T-Bone dry. Drizzle over the oil and generously sprinkle the BBQ rub over the steak on both sides. Place the steak onto the grill and cook for 5-7 minutes on both sides to get a good sear. Turn the heat down to medium and cook for 20-30 minutes until it reaches the desired level of doneness. 5 Remove the steak from the grill and rest for 5 minutes before topping each steak with a few slices of butter.

Kansas City BBQ T-bone with blue cheese butter

COOK’S NOTE

Allow the meat to rest for a few minutes before shredding. Using two forks, gently shred the meat by pulling it apart in opposite directions. It should come apart easily without much effort. If the meat seems tough, it might need more cooking time to become tender. Always mix the pulled beef with some cooking liquid to keep it moist and flavourful.

KANSAS CITY SWEET ‘N’ STICKY PULLED BEEF BURGERS

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 3 hours

Serves: 8

For the pulled beef

1½kg beef chuck

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

3 tbsp BBQ spice mix

500ml beef stock

350g Kansas City BBQ sauce (see page 74)

To assemble

8 SpinneysFOOD Brioche Burger Buns

60g mayonnaise

4 large pickles

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Rocket

1 Preheat the grill to a medium heat. Lightly oil the grates. 2 Chop the beef into 6 big chunks and coat each piece with mustard and BBQ seasoning. Place the chunks on the grill until golden on all edges. Remove from the grill and place in a large Dutch oven or foil tray. Cover with the beef stock and BBQ sauce. 3 Place on the grill and cook

covered for approx. 1½-2 hours. The meat should be tender enough to pull apart easily.

4 Remove the meat from the liquid and shred it. Add a bit of the cooking liquid back to the shredded meat and mix. 5 To assemble the burgers, halve the buns and place them on the grill cut side down for approx. 1-2 minutes or until toasted. Spread a layer of mayonnaise on the bottom and top halves of the buns. Top the bottom half of the bun with the juicy pulled beef. Slice the pickles and place on top of the pulled beef along with the rocket. Cover with the top halves of the buns and serve.

Kansas City sweet ‘n’ sticky pulled beef burgers

ACID

Acidic ingredients can add brightness and a depth of flavour to meats.

MARINADES: Acidic ingredients such as citrus juice (lemon, lime, or orange) or vinegar (apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, balsamic vinegar) can be used in marinades to tenderise the meat and increase flavour. Combine these acids with oil, herbs, spices and other seasonings to create a flavourful marinade for your meat.

BRINES: Similar to marinades, acidic ingredients can be included in brines to tenderise and flavour the meat. For example, you can brine poultry in a mixture of water, salt, sugar and lemon juice or apple cider vinegar before grilling or smoking.

SAUCES AND GLAZES: Acidic ingredients are often used in barbecue sauces and glazes to balance out sweetness and richness. Tomato-based sauces typically contain vinegar or citrus juice to provide acidity and brightness. You can also add a splash of vinegar or citrus juice to home-made barbecue sauces or glazes to enhance their flavour.

FINISHING TOUCHES: Just before serving, a squeeze of lemon or lime juice over grilled or smoked meat can add a fresh, acidic contrast to its rich, smoky flavours. You can also sprinkle chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley or cilantro, which have natural acidity, over the meat for added brightness.

ACCOMPANIMENTS: Acidic sides, such as coleslaw tossed in vinegar-based dressing or pickled vegetables, can complement the flavours of barbecue meats. The acidity helps cut through the richness of the meat and provides a refreshing contrast.

South Carolina mustard-pulled chicken

SOUTH CAROLINA MUSTARD-PULLED CHICKEN

Using mustard as a binder allows the spices to adhere to the chicken and acts as a tenderising agent.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Serves: 6

500g skinless chicken breasts

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

250ml chicken stock

250ml Carolina gold sauce (see page 74)

1 Preheat the grill to a high heat. Lightly oil the grates. 2 Rub the chicken breasts with mustard and season with salt and pepper. Place on the grill and cook until browned and a crust has formed, approx. 3-5 minutes on each side. 3 Remove the breasts from the heat and place in a Dutch oven or foil tray. Add the chicken stock and cover with a sheet of aluminium foil. Place back on the grill and cook for 20 minutes before adding the Carolina gold sauce and cooking for an

additional 15 minutes. 4 Shred the chicken in the sauce while warm and serve.

CAROLINA BEEF SHORT RIBS WITH SMOKED GARLIC CHIMICHURRI

Acid breaks down proteins in meat which makes it easier for marinades to be absorbed.

Prep time: 40 minutes (plus marination time)

Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Serves: 6

2kg beef short ribs

For the North Carolina BBQ sauce

250ml SpinneysFOOD Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

250ml SpinneysFOOD Organic White Vinegar

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Crushed Chilli

½ tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin

2 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp mustard powder

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine White Pepper

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

For the smoked garlic chimichurri

2 garlic bulbs

Carolina beef short ribs with smoked garlic chimichurri

155ml SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

2 small red chillies

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Organic Red Vinegar

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground

1 Place the ribs in a baking dish. 2 Combine the sauce ingredients and pour it over the ribs. Cover the dish with cling film and place in the refrigerator to marinate overnight. 3 To make the smoked garlic, drizzle 2 tablespoons of oil over the bulbs and season with salt. Wrap loosely in aluminium foil and place on the grill for 30 minutes before removing. Set aside to cool completely. 4 Remove the short ribs from the fridge to allow them to come to room temperature. Preheat the smoker to 105ºC. 5 Finely chop the red chillies and parsley and place in a mediumsized bowl. Add the remaining oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Squeeze in the soft garlic cloves. 6 Remove the ribs from the sauce and place in the smoker. Cook for 6 hours, basting with the sauce every 2 hours. 7 Remove from the smoker and rest for 10 minutes before serving with the chimichurri.

Heat, spice and cooking methods play essential roles in bringing out the flavours of meat in all barbecue.

DRY RUBS AND SPICE BLENDS:

Dry rubs are mixtures of spices and seasonings that are rubbed onto the surface of the meat before cooking. These blends can contain a variety of ingredients such as chilli powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin and brown sugar, among others. The heat and spices in the rub not only add flavour but also caramelise on the grill to create a flavourful crust on the meat.

MARINADES: Marinades are liquid mixtures that meat is soaked in before cooking to tenderise and flavour it. Spices, herbs and other flavourings can be added to the marinade to enhance the taste of the meat. Additionally, ingredients such as hot sauce or chilli peppers can provide heat and spice to the marinade, infusing the meat with bold flavours.

SMOKING: Smoking is a traditional cooking method in barbecue that uses low, indirect heat and wood smoke to cook the meat over a long period. The type of wood used will dictate the flavour you want to achieve. The slow smoking process allows the meat to absorb smoky flavours while becoming tender and juicy.

GRILLING: Grilling over an open flame or hot coals is another popular cooking method in American barbecue. Direct grilling exposes the meat to high heat, creating caramelisation and Maillard reactions that enhance its flavour. You can add heat and spice to grilled meat by using spicy marinades or by basting it with a spicy barbecue sauce during cooking.

SPICY SAUCES AND CONDIMENTS:

Barbecue sauces and condiments can be made with spicy ingredients such as hot peppers, chilli powder, or hot sauce to add heat and flavour to the meat. These sauces can be brushed onto the meat during cooking or served on the side for dipping or drizzling.

PEPPER CRUST: For certain cuts of meat, such as beef brisket or steak, you can create a pepper crust by generously seasoning the meat with cracked black pepper before cooking. The heat from the pepper enhances the flavour of the meat as it cooks.

HEAT

HOT HONEY BRISKET BURNT ENDS

The honey in the glaze caramelises on the barbecue, creating the crispy, sticky edges on the meat that is quintessential to burnt ends.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 3 hours

Serves: 6

For the burnt ends

2kg beef brisket point

3 tbsp BBQ spice

125ml beef stock

For the honey glaze

4 tbsp hot sauce

180g SpinneysFOOD Organic Natural Honey

4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Apple Juice

3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado sugar

1 Preheat the smoker to 110°C. 2 Prepare the brisket point by rubbing it with the BBQ spice, then place it in the smoker for 1-2 hours, spritzing with the beef stock every hour, until it reaches an internal temperature of 90°C. 3 To make the honey glaze, add the hot sauce, honey, apple juice, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce to a saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes. 4 Remove the brisket, chop it into 4cm cubes and place in a foil tray. Pour the honey sauce over the beef cubes and sprinkle over the brown sugar. Place the tray back into the smoker and cook for 45 minutes until the outer edges are crisp and the sauce has reduced to a thick glaze. 5 Allow the brisket to rest for a few minutes before serving.

AT HOME SMOKER

PREP: Soak a handful of wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent them from burning too quickly. Drain the soaked wood chips and place them in the centre of a piece of heavy-duty aluminium foil. Fold the foil into a packet and poke a few holes in it to allow smoke to escape.

FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Light the charcoal and arrange it on one side of the grill for indirect heating.

FOR A GAS GRILL: 1 Preheat the grill and turn off the burners on one side to create a cooler zone.

2 Place the foil packet with wood chips on the hot side of the grill, directly on the coals or the lit burners. 3 Once the wood chips start smoking, place the food on the cooler side of the grill away from direct heat. Close the lid to trap the smoke. Monitor the grill temperature and adjust the vents or burners to maintain a consistent temperature. 4 Cook the food according to your recipe.

USING AN OVEN: 1 Soak wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes. Drain the wood chips and place them in a foil packet with holes poked in it. 2 Preheat the oven to approx. 110°C, gas mark ¼. 3 Place the foil packet at the bottom of the roasting pan. Put a rack on top of the pan to hold the food. Place the food on the rack and cover the entire pan with aluminium foil to trap the smoke. 4 Place the pan in the oven and cook according to your recipe.

Hot honey brisket burnt ends

NORTH CAROLINA SLOW LAMB SHOULDER WITH MOP SAUCE

The idea of mop sauce originated in Southern American barbecue traditions, where a mop was used to baste the meat during cooking as it retained a lot of liquid. This ensured the meat stayed moist, developed a lot of ﬂavour and a delicious crust.

Prep time: 20 minutes (plus marination time)

Cook time: 3 hours

Serves: 6

For the mop sauce

250ml SpinneysFOOD Organic White Vinegar

250ml SpinneysFOOD Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

125ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water

2½ tbsp SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Crushed Chilli

1 tbsp hot sauce

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp mustard powder

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

1 tsp paprika

For the lamb shoulder

1 tbsp smoked paprika

½ tbsp SpinneysFOOD Cayenne Pepper

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Grain White Sugar

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2kg bone-in lamb shoulder

1 To make the mop sauce, bring the vinegars and water to a low boil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Whisk in the remaining ingredients and continue to whisk until the brown sugar and salt have dissolved. Pour the sauce into a glass jar and rest overnight in the fridge. 2 To prepare the lamb shoulder, combine the spices in a bowl. Drizzle the olive oil overthe shoulder then rub with the spice mix, spreading it evenly. Loosely cover the lamb and allow it to marinate in the fridge overnight. The following day allow it to come to room temperature before cooking.

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground

3 Preheat the grill to a high heat. 4 Sear the lamb on all sides and place it inside a foil tray. Place the tray on the grill. Lower the grill’s heat to medium. 5 Using a sauce mop, cover the surface of the lamb with the sauce. Close the lid of the grill and allow it to cook for 2-3 hours, mopping with the sauce every 30 minutes. 6 Once the lamb is cooked, remove it from the grill and rest for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

North Carolina slow lamb shoulder with mop sauce

DIP , DUNK &DEVOUR

Sweet and sticky, smoky and spicy, tangy and creamy –our BBQ sauces from South Carolina, Texas, Kansas, Alabama and Tennessee will deliver a punch of ﬂ avour to your barbecue menu

MEMPHIS SAUCE

Created in Memphis, Tennessee, this sauce is characterised by a blend of sweet and tangy ﬂavours from tomatoes and vinegar with a hint of heat. Unlike other BBQ sauces that are sticky and thick, Memphis sauce has a thinner consistency, perfect for pouring over grilled beef or chicken.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Makes: 500ml

30g SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter

1 small onion

2 garlic cloves

500ml SpinneysFOOD Organic Chopped Italian Tomatoes

125ml SpinneysFOOD Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

80ml rice vinegar

100g molasses

3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar

2 tsp yellow mustard

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground ¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cayenne Pepper

1 Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat. Finely chop the onion and garlic and add to the pan. Sauté until the onion is soft. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

2 Remove from the heat and cool. 3 Transfer to a blender and blitz until smooth. Pour into a sterilised bottle and store for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

Great as a basting marinade,sauce, or as a glaze for grilled vegetables

Memphis sauce

Greatasa barbecuesauce,dipping sauce,marinade, dressing,orasa burgersauce

ALABAMA WHITE SAUCE

A mayonnaise-based barbecue sauce, this tangy, creamy sauce from Northern Alabama also carries a delicious amount of heat from horseradish sauce and cayenne pepper.

Prep time: 5 minutes (plus chilling time)

Makes: 250ml

1 lemon

220g mayonnaise

4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tbsp spicy brown mustard

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar

2 tsp horseradish sauce

½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

½ tsp hot sauce

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cayenne Pepper

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

1 Juice the lemon and add it to a bowl, along with the remaining ingredients. Whisk to combine into a smooth sauce. Add more hot sauce, if desired, and season with salt and pepper. 2 Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using, or store for up to 1 week in the fridge in a sterilised container. Give it a good stir before using after regrigeration.

KANSAS CITY BBQ SAUCE

Sweeter than most traditional barbecue sauces from the Southern states, Kansas City BBQ sauce has a thick consistency due to the addition of molasses. It also has bright notes from tomatoes and vinegar with a mild bite from chilli.

Carolina gold BBQ sauce combines sweet, tangy and spicy avour pro les to make it the perfect condiment to serve with grilled meats.

Prep time: 2 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves: 500ml

1 x 400g tin SpinneysFOOD Organic Chopped

Italian Tomatoes

250ml SpinneysFOOD Ketchup

150g SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar

125ml SpinneysFOOD Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

160g molasses

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Chilli Powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Crushed Chilli

½ tsp hot English mustard powder

1 Whisk all the ingredients together in a saucepan over a medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for 30 minutes. 2 Remove from the heat and allow to cool before transferring the sauce into a sterilised bottle. Set aside for 1 hour for the flavours to combine before using. Store for up to 1 month in the fridge. Stir well before use.

CAROLINA GOLD BBQ SAUCE

Prep time: 5 minutes

Makes: 250ml

180ml yellow mustard

170g SpinneysFOOD Organic Natural Honey

50g SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar

125ml SpinneysFOOD Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Ketchup

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cayenne Pepper

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

1 tsp hot sauce

1 Place all the ingredients in a bowl. Whisk to combine and dissolve the sugar. 2 Store in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks.

Alabama white sauce

VEGGIE

VEGAN

VEGGIE

Great as a pizza sauce,marinade,sauce,dipping or tossed with pulled beef

Kansas City BBQ sauce

Greatasamarinade orglazeforgrilled chicken,abastefor grilledveggies,adipping sauceforfriedchicken andfries

Carolina gold BBQ sauce

Great for glazing brisket, basting ribs, or as a burger sauce

TEXAS BBQ SAUCE

Known for its bold ﬂavour with sweet, tangy and smoky notes and a mildly spicy kick, this sauce is the perfect accompaniment to a variety of grilled and smoked meats.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes

Makes: 500ml

½ white onion

2 garlic cloves

30g SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter

180ml tomato paste

500ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water

100g SpinneysFOOD Dark Muscovado Sugar

170g SpinneysFOOD Organic Natural Honey

4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

½ lemon

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Chilli Powder

2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground

2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Coriander

1 Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic.

2 Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes before adding the remaining ingredients to the pan at the same time. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once done, remove from the heat and allow the sauce to cool. 3 Using an immersion blender, blitz the sauce until completely smooth. 4 Store in the fridge for upto 2 weeks.

No time to make your own BBQ sauce? Pick up any of these in stores now.

Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

Mississippi Barbecue Sauce Sweet Apple

Stubb’s Smoky

Mesquite Legendary Bar-B-Q Sauce

Levi Roots Reggae Reggae Jerk BBQ Marinade & Sauce

SpinneysFOOD Barbecue Sauce

Texas BBQ sauce

TOP TIP!

To achieve perfectly grilled corn on the cob, soak the husked ears in water for 1520 minutes before grilling. This prevents the corn from drying out and ensures it stays juicy and tender as it cooks.

Corn trio

‘

POP’-PINGgood

CORN TRIO

From savoury to sweet, these dishes made with corn can add a burst of ﬂ avour to your barbecue

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 6

For the grilled corn

6 ears of corn

For the Mexican eloté corn

60g mayonnaise

60g SpinneysFOOD Sour Cream

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander

50g Cotija cheese or SpinneysFOOD Feta

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Chilli Powder

½ tsp smoked paprika

1 lime

For the spicy bang bang corn

60g mayonnaise

60g Sriracha

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Organic Natural Honey

1 lime

1 red chilli

1 SpinneysFOOD Spring Onion

1 tsp sweet chilli sauce

For the buttery cheese corn

2 garlic cloves

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley

50g SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter, softened

50g SpinneysFOOD Grated Parmigiano Reggiano

1 Preheat the grill to a medium-high heat.

2 Remove the husks from the corn and place the ears of corn directly on the grill, turning occasionally, until charred and tender, approx. 10-15 minutes. Remove the cobs from the grill and set aside. 3 To make the Mexican eloté corn, combine the mayonnaise and sour cream in a small bowl. Roughly chop the coriander. Drizzle the mayonnaise mixture evenly over the grilled corn. Crumble over the cheese and sprinkle over the chilli powder and smoked paprika. Squeeze over some lime juice and scatter with fresh coriander. 4 To make the spicy bang bang corn, combine the mayonnaise, Sriracha, honey and lime juice. Finely chop the

red chilli and spring onion. Top the corn with this spicy mixture and drizzle over some sweet chilli sauce. Finish with finely chopped chilli and green spring onion before serving. 5 To make the buttery cheese topping, mince the garlic and finely chop the parsley. Combine both with the butter in a small bowl. Brush the herb butter over each cob and sprinkle over the cheese.

HONEY-BUTTER CORNBREAD

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Serves: 12

For the cornbread

240g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour 240g yellow cornmeal or polenta

100g SpinneysFOOD Fine Grain White Sugar

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

500ml SpinneysFOOD Fresh Full Fat Milk

120ml SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunﬂower Oil

2 large SpinneysFOOD Organic Free-Range Eggs

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander

For the honey-butter glaze

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter

50g SpinneysFOOD Organic Natural Honey

2 jalapeños

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Grease and line a 22cm cake tin with baking paper. 2 In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt, whisking until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, oil and eggs until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Roughly chop the coriander and fold it into the batter before pouring the batter into the cake tin. 3 Bake the mixture for approx. 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. If the top of the bread is browning too quickly, you can cover it with a sheet of aluminium foil and continue baking.

4 Meanwhile, prepare the glaze by melting the butter and honey together in a small pot over a medium heat, stirring until well combined.

5 Thinly slice the jalapeños. 6 Once the cornbread is done baking, remove it from the oven and immediately brush the honey-butter glaze over the top while it’s still warm. Scatter over sliced jalapeños. 7 Allow the cornbread to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

CORN GRITS WITH CHORIZO OIL

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Serves: 6

For the grits

4 ears of corn

500ml SpinneysFOOD Fresh Full Fat Milk

500ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Thyme

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Grain White Sugar

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

160g grits or polenta

50g full-fat cream cheese

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter

45ml single cream

For the chorizo oil

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

100g beef chorizo

To serve

2 SpinneysFOOD Spring Onions

1 Heat a large pot of water over a medium-high heat. Once boiling, add the corn and cook for approx. 10-15 minutes, drain and cool. Remove the husk from the corn and set aside. Add the husks back into the pot, along with the milk, water, thyme and sugar and bring to a simmer to make corn stock. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes before turning off the heat. Allow it to sit for 15 minutes. 2 To make the chorizo oil, heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Dice the chorizo and add it to a pan. Sauté until golden, then remove the chorizo from the

VEGGIE

Honey-butter cornbread

TOP TIP!

Add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to the milk to make home-made buttermilk. This method will result in a slightly more acidic flavour and create a less sweet but more tender crumb.

COOK’S NOTE

Give corn grits a greater depth of flavour with fresh corn stock. This ingredient infuses the grits with a sweet, earthy essence that pairs perfectly with the smoky, spicy chorizo oil.

Corn grits with chorizo oil

Smoky, sweet and spicy popcorn

oil. Set aside the chorizo oil. 3 Remove the husks from the pot and discard. Bring the stock to a simmer again. Slowly whisk the grits into the stock. Lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, whisking occasionally until it thickens. Add water as needed if the grits get too thick before they are cooked. Stir in the cream cheese and remove from the heat. 4 Finely slice the spring onion and separate the green section from the white. 5 Heat a pan over a medium heat and add the butter. When it starts to foam, add the corn kernels and white parts of the spring onion. Fry for 5 minutes before adding the cream. Simmer until the cream has thickened then remove it from the heat. 6 Finely chop the remaining spring onion at an angle. 7 Serve the corn grits topped with the creamed corn and finely chopped spring onion. Generously drizzle over the chorizo oil and finish with fried chorizo. Serve while hot.

SMOKY, SWEET AND SPICY POPCORN

For a truly smoky ﬂavour, it’s best to use high-quality wood chips and allow them to soak thoroughly.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Serves: 4

25g wood chips

For the popcorn

70g kernels

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunﬂower Oil

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

For the sweet and spicy seasoning

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar

½ tsp sweet smoked paprika

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Coriander Seeds

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper

¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Chilli Powder

1 Soak a handful of wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes. This helps them produce smoke rather than burn quickly. 2 Preheat the grill to a medium-high heat. Set up the grill to have one side with direct heat and one side with indirect heat. 3 Drain the soaked wood chips and place them in the centre of a sheet of heavy-duty aluminium foil. Fold the foil into a packet and poke some holes in it to allow smoke to escape. Alternatively, use a smoker box if you have one. Place the foil packet or smoker box on the hot side of the grill and close the lid. Allow the chips to start smoking, this should take approx. 10-15 minutes. 4 Meanwhile, make a popcorn packet. Tear off a large sheet of heavyduty aluminium foil. Place the popcorn kernels in the centre of the sheet. Drizzle over the oil and season with salt. Fold the foil creating a sealed

packet, leaving enough room for the popcorn to expand. Place the popcorn packet on the cooler side of the grill (indirect heat). Close the lid and let it cook. The popcorn will start to pop after 10-15 minutes. Shake the packet occasionally to ensure even cooking. Once the popping slows down significantly, remove the packet from the grill. Carefully open the packet and pour the popcorn into a bowl. 5 Mix all the ingredients for the seasoning in a bowl. 6 Sprinkle the seasoning over the popcorn and serve immediately.

COWBOY CAVIAR

Cowboy caviar, also known as Texas caviar, is a vibrant and ﬂavourful salad that can also double up as a topping for grilled meats. It typically features a mix of fresh vegetables and beans dressed in a tangy vinaigrette.

Prep time: 20 minutes (plus chilling time)

Serves: 6-8

For the cowboy caviar

4 ears of corn

1 SpinneysFOOD Red Capsicum

1 SpinneysFOOD Yellow Capsicum

1 small red onion

1 jalapeño

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander

1 x 400g tin SpinneysDOOD Organic Red Kidney Beans

1 x 400g tin black-eyed peas

For the dressing

1 garlic clove

2 limes

80ml SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Organic Red Grape Vinegar

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin

¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Cayenne Pepper

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Organic Natural Honey

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

To serve

200g SpinneysFOOD Organic Tortilla Chips

2 limes

1 Preheat the grill to a medium-high heat.

2 Remove the husks from the cobs and place directly on the grill, turning occasionally, until the kernels are slightly charred and tender, approx. 10-12 minutes. Let the corn cool before removing the kernels by slicing down the sides of the cobs. 3 Finely dice the capsicum, red onion and jalapeño. Finely chop the coriander. Add all the ingredients to a large bowl. 4 Drain and rinse the beans and add them to the bowl along with the charred corn. 5 To make the dressing, mince the garlic and juice the limes. Combine the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake until emulsified. 6 Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat. Place in the fridge to chill. 7 Serve the cowboy caviar with tortilla chips and lime wedges, as a side dish or as a topping for grilled meats.

Whether it’s fresh, dehydrated or frozen, you’ll find a variety of corn-based products at Spinneys.

Emborg 4 Corn on the Cob

Bob’s Red Mill Organic Corn Grits

Jolly Time ® Yellow Pop Corn

SpinneysFOOD Baby Corn

Essential Waitrose Supersweet Sweetcorn

VEGGIE

VEGAN

Cowboy caviar

La fiesta

Rustle up scrumptuous tacos, enchiladas, chimichangas and loaded nachos with Old El Paso’s convenient fajita kits, seasoning mixes, salsa, tortilla chips and more

Tacos with crispy fish and pineapple-coriander salsa

Breakfast enchiladas

TACOS WITH CRISPY FISH AND PINEAPPLE-CORIANDER SALSA

These Stand ‘n Stuff Tacos are the perfect no-fuss meal and so easy to put together.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

For the pineapple coriander salsa

150g super sweet pineapple slices from Spinneys deli

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander

1 lime

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

For the crispy fish

4 fresh hake or cod ﬁllets

250g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour

2 tbsp Old El Paso Taco Seasoning Mix

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Baking Powder

250ml non-alcoholic beer or soda water

2L SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunﬂower Oil

To serve

8 Old El Paso Stand ‘N Stuff Taco Shells

100g Old El Paso Taco Sauce

200g Old El Paso Guacamole

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander

2 limes

1 To make the pineapple-coriander salsa, dice the pineapple, finely chop the coriander and juice the

lime. Combine the salsa ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and season with salt and pepper. 2 Slice the fillets into taco-sized strips. In a shallow, bowl combine the flour, taco seasoning and baking powder. Divide the mixture between two bowls. Pour enough non-alcoholic beer or soda water into one of the bowls to make a smooth batter. 3 Heat the oil in a deep pot or frying pan over a medium-high heat. Line a large plate with paper towels. 4 Coat each fish fillet strip with the dry flour mixture then dip into the wet batter. 5 Carefully lower the fish strips into the oil, frying in batches, if necessary, to avoid overcrowding the pot. Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy, then transfer to the plate lined with paper towels. 6 When ready to serve, spread some taco sauce in each taco, top with the crispy fish followed by the pineapple salsa and guacamole. Scatter over some fresh coriander and serve with lime wedges.

BREAKFAST ENCHILADAS

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

1 SpinneysFOOD Green Capsicum

1 medium brown onion

450g hot smoked turkey sausage

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 x 663g Old El Paso Enchilada Kit – Cheesy Baked

6 large SpinneysFOOD Organic Free-Range Eggs

TOP TIP!

To freeze, assemble the enchiladas completely and allow to cool fully before covering them with aluminium foil. When you are ready to serve, bake covered for 20 minutes and then uncover and bake for a further 15 minutes to brown.

230g havarti cheese

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, cracked, to taste

To serve

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander

½ small red onion

2 limes

100g SpinneysFOOD Feta or cotija cheese

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.

2 Finely dice the capsicum and brown onion. Dice the sausage into small cubes and set aside.

3 Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan over a medium-high heat. Sauté the capsicum and onion until softened and translucent, approx. 5 minutes. Push to one side and add the turkey sausage to the pan. Fry the sausage for a bit before adding the seasoning. Add the seasoning packet and sauté, mixing with the onion-capsicum mixture, for 6-8 minutes or until golden. Add the eggs and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the eggs are just set and lightly scrambled. The mixture should still be a little wet. 4 Spread half the packet of enchilada sauce in a 30cm x15cm rectangular baking dish. 5 Fill each tortilla with the sausage and egg mixture, roll them up and place them in the baking dish seam side down in the sauce. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the tortillas, grate over the havarti cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes, uncovered, until the cheese has melted.

6 Meanwhile, roughly chop the coriander and

BBQ chicken chimichangas

Walking nachos

dice the onion. Slice the limes into wedges.

7 When the enchiladas are ready to serve, scatter over the feta or cotija cheese, coriander and onion. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

BBQ CHICKEN CHIMICHANGAS

These deep-fried burritos, which are popular in Mexico, Tex-Mex and Southern cuisine, have deliciously crunchy exteriors and contain an array of ﬂavourful ﬁllings. They can also be baked for a healthier option.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

For the refried beans

1 small brown onion

2 garlic cloves

400g SpinneysFOOD Organic Red Kidney Beans

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Chilli Powder

¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin

125ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water

1 lime

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander

For the chimichangas

1 brown onion

2 garlic cloves

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

125ml SpinneysFOOD Whole Peeled Italian Tomatoes

125ml chicken stock

1 x 476g Old El Paso Smoky BBQ Fajita Kit – Extra Mild

4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Sour Cream

500g SpinneysFOOD Shredded Roast Chicken

3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour

3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water

150g Kraft Mexican Cheese Blend

2L SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunﬂower Oil, for frying

To serve

200g SpinneysFOOD Mild Guacamole

3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Sour Cream

2 gem lettuce heads

200g SpinneysFOOD Cherry Tomatoes

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander

2 limes

1 Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. Drain and rinse the kidney beans. 2 Heat the oil in a medium-sized pot over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring until the onion has softened approx. 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, salt and spices. Sauté for 1 minute or until fragrant then add the drained beans and water to the pot. Lower the heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes. Using a fork or potato masher, crush half the beans to your desired consistency. Juice the lime and stir through the refried beans. Scatter over fresh coriander. If the beans are dry, add a splash of water to loosen up the mixture. Cover and set aside until needed. 3 To make the chimichangas, finely dice the onion and mince

the garlic. Heat the oil in a medium-sized pan over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until golden, approx. 5-8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sauté for a further 30 seconds. Add the tinned tomatoes, stock, fajita seasoning and fajita sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer. Stir occasionally until thickened and reduced, approx. 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and add in the sour cream and shredded chicken. 4 Mix the flour and water to make a glue. Place a tortilla from the kit on a clean work surface and top with 1-2 tablespoons of the refried beans. Spread the refried beans out leaving a 5cm border. Place 50g of the shredded chicken filling on top of the refried beans and sprinkle over the cheese. Fold in the sides and bottom and start rolling over, when you are almost at the end, brush with some of the glue and seal the top. Repeat the process with the remaining tortillas and filling. 5 Heat a pot of oil to 180°C. Once hot, carefully lower the chimichangas into the oil and fry evenly until golden, approx. 2-3 minutes a side. Do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

6 Serve the chimichangas with guacamole, a dollop of sour cream, chopped lettuce, cherry tomatoes, coriander and lime wedges.

WALKING NACHOS

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4-6

For the spicy beef

1 garlic clove

1 celery rib

2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

500g SpinneysFOOD Grass-Fed Lean Beef Mince

1-2 tbsp Old El Paso Taco Seasoning Mix

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

400g Old El Paso Thick ‘N Chunky Hot Salsa

To serve

1 Romaine lettuce head

1 small red onion

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander

4 x 185g Old El Paso Crunchy Nachips

200g SpinneysFOOD Grated Mild Cheddar

150ml SpinneysFOOD Sour Cream

226g Old El Paso Thick ‘N Chunky Hot Salsa

1 Mince the garlic and finely slice the celery.

2 Heat the oil in a large cast-iron pan. Add the beef mince, gently breaking it apart as it cooks. Add the taco seasoning mix and salt. Add the garlic, celery, salt and salsa. Bring to a gentle simmer while stirring. Cook for approx. 15-20 minutes. 3 Finely chop the lettuce, red onion and coriander. 4 Using a pair of scissors, cut 1cm off the side of each bag of Nachips. Top with 2-3 tablespoons of the spicy beef mixture, lettuce, red onion, cheese, sour cream and salsa. 5 Serve immediately.

Explore our selection of Old El Paso products in stores.

Old El Paso Enchilada Kit – Cheesy Baked

Old El Paso Smoky BBQ Fajita Kit – Extra Mild

Old El Paso Guacamole

Old El Paso Crunchy Nachips

Old El Paso Thick ‘N Chunky Hot Salsa

In a PICKLE

Unleash a tangy twist with these pickles and pair them with barbecued meats and veggies, or just eat them as a snack

TOP TIP!

Add this to your burger or tacos for a burst of freshness.

Pickled pineapple

PICKLED PINEAPPLE

Prep time: 15 minutes (plus resting time)

Cook time: 5 minutes

Makes: 2 x 500ml jars

2 small pineapples

300ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water

400g SpinneysFOOD Fine Grain White Sugar

250ml SpinneysFOOD Organic White Grape Vinegar

2 SpinneysFOOD Cinnamon Sticks

10 whole cloves

1 Peel and slice the pineapples into 1cm thick rounds. Remove the core of each slice using a small round cutter. 2 Add the remaining ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Lower the heat to a simmer for 5 minutes, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.

3 Place the pineapple slices in sterilised jars and pour the pickling liquid over. 4 Seal the jars and refrigerate overnight before consuming. Store for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

PICKLED OKRA

Prep time: 5 minutes (plus resting time)

Cook time: 5 minutes

Serves: 2 x 500ml jars

300ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water

300ml SpinneysFOOD Organic White Vinegar

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

400g fresh okra

TOP TIP!

Soaking the raw okra in white vinegar for 30 minutes prevents the end product from being slimy.

2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Crushed Chilli Flakes

3 tsp SpinneysFOOD Dried Dill

1 Place the water, vinegar and salt in a pot over a high heat. Bring to a boil. 2 Slice the okra in half lengthways. Place in sterilised jars along with the chilli flakes and dill. 3 Pour the pickling liquid over and seal the jars with a lid. 4 Refrigerate overnight before consuming. Store for up to 1 month in the fridge.

MEMPHIS DEEP-FRIED PICKLES

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

Serves: 4

1L SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunﬂower Oil

125g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground

¼ tsp smoked paprika

¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cayenne Pepper

¼ tsp garlic powder

118ml buttermilk

1 large SpinneysFOOD Organic Free-Range Egg

100g Panko breadcrumbs

10 dill pickles

1 Preheat the oil to 180°C. 2 Prepare the breading mixture by whisking the flour, salt and dry spices together in a bowl. 3 In a separate bowl, mix the buttermilk and egg. In a third bowl, add the breadcrumbs. 4 Chop the dill

pickles then coat with the flour mixture, then dip into the buttermilk and finally the breadcrumbs. 5 Fry the pickles for approx. 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. 6 Serve immediately.

COWBOY CANDY

Cowboy candy is a term for candied jalapeños, which are jalapeños preserved in a sweet, tangy syrup.

Prep time: 5 minutes (plus resting time)

Cook time: 25 minutes

Makes: 2 x 500ml jars

10 large jalapeños

200ml SpinneysFOOD Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

150g SpinneysFOOD Fine Grain White Sugar

150g SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Turmeric

1 tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp celery seeds

¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Cayenne Pepper

1 Slice the jalapeños into 5mm thick rounds.

2 Place the remaining ingredients in a mediumsized saucepan over a high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, then add the jalapeños. Simmer for approx. 15 minutes. Once tender, remove the chillies from the liquid with a slotted spoon. Allow the liquid to simmer for 6-7 minutes over a medium heat. 3 Place the jalapeños in sterilised 500ml jars and top with the pickling liquid. Seal and allow it to pickle in the fridge overnight. Store for up to 2 months in the fridge.

Recipes, food styling and photography by The Kate Tin

VEGAN

VEGGIE

Pickled okra

TOP TIP!

Double-coat the pickles for a thicker, crunchier exterior once fried.

Memphis deep-fried pickles

SpinneysFOOD Pickled Onions

SpinneysFOOD Sliced Pickled Gherkins

SpinneysFOOD Pickled Cornichons

Gourmet

212 Hot Baby Peppers

Essential Waitrose Pickled Baby Beetroot

No time to make pickles from scratch? We stock a range of pickles in stores.

Cowboy candy

BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES

Bread and butter pickles are sweet and tangy pickles

made from thinly sliced cucumbers, onion, and vinegar-based brine seasoned with sugar and spices.

Prep time: 10 minutes (plus salting time)

Cook time: 5 minutes

Makes: 2 x 500ml jars

6 mini cucumbers

½ white onion

½ SpinneysFOOD Green Capsicum

1 garlic clove

30g SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

250g SpinneysFOOD Fine Grain White Sugar

180ml SpinneysFOOD Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Turmeric

¾ tsp celery seeds

2 whole cloves

1 Using a mandolin, thinly slice the pickling cucumbers and onion. Finely dice the green capsicum. Roughly chop the garlic. Place the vegetables in a bowl along with the salt and toss together. Allow it to sit for 3 hours to draw out moisture. 2 Place the remaining ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil over a medium-high heat, mixing until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat. 3 Discard any water from the salted vegetables, but do not rinse. Add the vegetables to the pickling liquid. Transfer the mixture to sterilised 500ml jars and seal tightly. 4 Leave to pickle in the fridge for ideally 1 week or at least 24 hours before consuming.

Bread and butter pickles

VEGAN

Drenched in BBQ sauce, generously ﬁ lled with plump patties, luscious lobster salad and juicy mince, these mains are the epitome of the now infamous hashtag: they’re mouthwatering, not picture-perfect

Loaded sloppy Joe hot dog

LOADED SLOPPY JOE HOT DOGS

Among multiple widely held theories, one origin story is that the ﬁrst sloppy Joe was created in 1930 by a cook named Joe at a café in Sioux City, Iowa.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Serves: 8

For the sloppy Joe mixture

1 small brown onion

1 SpinneysFOOD Green Capsicum

2 garlic cloves

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

500g SpinneysFOOD Beef Mince

2 tbsp tomato paste

250g SpinneysFOOD Whole Peeled Italian Tomatoes

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp hot English mustard

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Chilli Powder

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

For the hot dogs

8 SpinneysFOOD Beef Hot Dogs

2 SpinneysFOOD Spring Onions

8 SpinneysFOOD Hot Dog Brioche Buns

150g SpinneysFOOD Grated Mild Cheddar 2-3 tbsp Sriracha (optional)

1 Preheat the grill to a medium-high heat.

2 Finely dice the onion and capsicum. Mince the garlic. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and capsicum to the pan and sauté for 5-6 minutes or until softened. Add the minced garlic and sauté for a further minute or until fragrant. Add the beef mince to the pan, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until browned and crispy, approx. 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and whole peeled Italian tomatoes and cook for a minute before stirring in the remaining ingredients. Reduce the heat and simmer for approx. 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens. 3 Place the hot dogs on the grill for approx. 2-5 minutes cooking evenly until warmed through and char lines form. Finely chop the spring onions. 4 To assemble the hot dogs, slice the hot dog buns in half, making sure not to slice all the way through. Spread a generous amount of the sloppy Joe mixture in each bun and top with two hot dog sausages. Sprinkle over the grated cheese and top with the spring onion. 5 Serve with a drizzle of Sriracha, if desired.

GRILLED LOBSTER ROLLS

The ﬁrst known lobster roll is credited to Perry’s in Milford, Connecticut, in 1929. The original version featured warm lobster meat drenched in melted butter served on a toasted bun. The style most commonly associated with lobster rolls today, often called the “Maine lobster roll”, includes chilled lobster meat mixed with mayonnaise, and sometimes celery, served on a buttered, toasted hot dog bun.

Prep time: 30 minutes (plus chilling time)

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4-6

For the lobster

4 lobster tails

1 lemon

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

For the lobster salad

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Chives, plus extra for serving

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley

2 celery stalks

1 lemon

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter

60g mayonnaise

1 tsp Dijon mustard

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

For the rolls

4 SpinneysFOOD Hot Dog Brioche Buns

1 lemon

1 Preheat the grill to a medium-high heat.

2 Remove the meat from the lobster tails. Juice half the lemon. Melt the butter in a pot and stir in the lemon juice. Brush the lobster meat with the lemon butter and season with salt and pepper. Place the lobster tails on the grill and cook for approx. 5-6 minutes before flipping and cooking for a further 4-5 minutes, or until the meat is opaque and cooked through. Remove from the grill and cool slightly before chopping it into bitesized pieces. 3 Finely chop the herbs and celery stalks. Juice the lemon. Melt the butter. Add these ingredients to a large bowl with the mayonnaise and mustard. Season with salt and pepper and mix until well combined. Fold in the chopped lobster tails. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 4 Meanwhile, prepare the rolls. Slice off the sides of each hot dog roll to give them the classic lobster roll ‘look’ then slice the hot dog buns in half, making sure not to slice all the way through. Brush the outside of each hot dog bun with the melted butter. With your grill still at medium-high heat, place the buns on the grill and toast until golden brown and crispy, approx. 2-3 minutes per side. Be careful not to burn them. Once toasted, remove the buns from the grill and allow them to cool slightly. Open each bun and generously fill with the chilled lobster mix. Scatter over some extra chives. 5 Serve the rolls immediately with lemon wedges on the side.

Grilled lobster roll

MAC ‘N’ CHEESE SMASH BURGERS

A smash burger is where the patty is pressed or ‘smashed’ onto a hot pan, which creates a thin, crispy crust on the exterior while keeping the inside juicy. This technique enhances the Maillard reaction, which gives the burger a rich, caramelised ﬂavour.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

For the burger sauce

½ small onion

3-4 pickles

100ml mayonnaise

4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Ketchup

1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD BBQ Sauce

For the burgers

8 SpinneysFOOD Brioche Burger Buns

3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter, softened

1 brown onion

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

8 SpinneysFOOD Angus Beef Burgers

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

8 SpinneysFOOD Mature Cheddar Slices

400g SpinneysFOOD Macaroni Cheese

2 heads of Romaine lettuce

1 Preheat the grill to a medium-high heat.

2 Finely chop the onion and pickles and add to a bowl along with the remaining burger sauce ingredients. Stir to combine and place in the fridge until ready to serve. 3 Halve the buns and generously spread butter over the cut sides. Place the buns cut side down on the grill and toast

for approx. 2-3 minutes and set aside. 4 Thinly slice the onion. 5 Heat the oil in a large cast-iron pan. Place the patties in the pan and top with a handful of the onion. Using a large spatula or heavy-based pan, smash the patties down and season with salt and pepper. This can be done in batches. Cook for approx. 2-3 minutes on either side or until cooked to your liking. Place a slice of Cheddar on each patty during the last minute of cooking and allow the cheese to melt before removing the patties from the pan. Set aside to rest for 2-3 minutes. 6 Heat the macaroni cheese according to the package instructions. 7 To assemble the burgers, spread a generous amount of the burger sauce on the lower halves of each bun. Top with 2-3 lettuce leaves. Place two burger patties over the lettuce and top with a tablespoon or two of the mac ‘n’ cheese. Replace the tops of the buns and serve immediately.

Mac ‘n’ cheese smash burger

Add an element of smokiness to your desserts with these recipes for peach cobbler, skillet brownie, s’mores cake and more

P U DDING andpie

Chocolate-cherry skillet brownie

Charred lime pie

Smoked peach cobbler

Grilling the limes before juicing them adds a smoky, caramelised note to the lling of the charred lime pie, which enhances the traditional tartness with a subtle complexity.

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY SKILLET BROWNIE

Grilling the brownie in a cast-iron pan enhances its gooey texture and gives it a subtle smoky ﬂavour. This dessert is perfect for sharing at a summer barbecue or any special occasion.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour

Serves: 8

For the brownie

400g SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar

6 large SpinneysFOOD Organic Free-Range Eggs

380g SpinneysFOOD Dark Chocolate

160ml double cream

115g SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter

240g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour

50g cocoa powder

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

300g SpinneysFOOD Cherries

For the cherry sauce

1 lemon

200g SpinneysFOOD Cherries

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Grain White Sugar

To serve

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Edible Flowers

1 Preheat the grill to a medium heat. Grease a 20cm cast-iron pan. 2 Whisk the sugar and eggs together in a bowl. Roughly chop the dark chocolate and place in a saucepan along with the cream and butter. Place the pan over a medium heat and allow the chocolate and butter to melt, stirring frequently until smooth. In a separate bowl, sift in the flour, cocoa powder and salt together, then add the chocolate and egg mixtures and stir well to combine. Pour the batter into the skillet. 3 Pit and halve the cherries and scatter over the batter. 4 Place the pan on the grill to cook for approx. 45 minutes to 1 hour. The brownie should still be slightly gooey in the centre. 5 Meanwhile, make the cherry sauce. Juice the lemon and pit the cherries. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan over a medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. 6 Pour the cherry sauce over the skillet brownie. Scatter over a few edible flowers and serve.

CHARRED LIME PIE

Prep time: 30 minutes (plus chilling time)

Cook time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4-6

For the pie crust

200g graham crackers

60g SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar

110g SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter

For the filling

4 Brazilian seedless limes

1 x 400g tin condensed milk

115g SpinneysFOOD Greek Yoghurt

For the topping

200ml whipping cream

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar

1 Brazilian seedless lime

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4, and the grill to a medium heat. 2 To make the pie crust, place the graham crackers in a food processor and blitz until fine crumbs form. Place the crumbs in a medium-sized bowl along with the sugar. Melt the salted butter and add to the same bowl. Stir to combine. Transfer the crust mixture into a greased 25cm pie dish and spread evenly on the base and up the sides. You can use the flat base of a glass to press the crust in firmly and evenly. Place the pie dish in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until browned. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. 3 Lower the oven temperature to 160°C, gas mark 3. 4 To make the lime filling, zest the limes then slice each in half. Place the limes on the grill and allow them to lightly char. In a large bowl, add the condensed milk, yoghurt, lime zest and juice from the charred limes. Mix well then pour the mixture into the crust and bake for approx. 15 minutes, or until almost set, the centre should wobble a bit.

5 Cool at room temperature for 30 minutes before refrigerating for 3 hours or overnight.

6 When ready to serve, prepare the topping. Place the cream in a medium-sized bowl and sieve in the icing sugar. Using an electric beater, whisk to soft peaks. Top the chilled pie with the cream. Finely grate over the lime zest.

7 Slice and serve.

SMOKED PEACH COBBLER

We’ve put our twist on this classic Southern dessert by giving it a lightly smoky ﬂavour. Grilling ripe peaches and rosemary together imparts a subtle smokiness in the cobbler which complements the sweetness of the peaches.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Serves: 8

For the peaches

4-6 ripe peaches

4 sprigs SpinneysFOOD Fresh Rosemary

50g SpinneysFOOD Dark Muscovado Sugar

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon

For the crumble topping

120g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour

180g SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon

¹⁄8 tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

140g SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter, softened

To serve

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Edible Flowers

500ml SpinneysFOOD Madagascan Vanilla Beans Ice Cream

1 Preheat the grill to a medium-high heat. Grease a 25cm cast-iron pan with cooking spray. 2 Slice the peaches in half and place them on the grill along with the rosemary stalks. Close the lid to smoke the peaches for approx. 5 minutes. Once smoky and lightly charred, remove the peaches from the grill and arrange cut side up in the prepared cast-iron pan. Sprinkle over the sugar and cinnamon and set aside. 3 To make the crumble topping, combine the ingredients and mix until a firm but crumbly dough forms. Crumble the dough over the peaches and place the pan on the grill. Cook for approx. 30 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling. 4 Sprinkle over the edible flowers and serve with scoops of vanilla ice cream.

ROASTED BANANA PUDDING

This pudding can be made a day ahead and refrigerated overnight to save on time.

VEGGIE

Chocolate-cherry skillet brownie

Smoked peach cobbler

Charred lime pie

Roasted banana pudding

S’mores icebox cake

S’mores icebox cake captures the essence of a classic camping treat and combines it with decadent chocolate ganache, graham crackers and vanilla ice cream to make a delightful chilled summer dessert.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 8

For the caramelised bananas

10 bananas

1 vanilla bean

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD SaltedButter

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar

For the custard

1L SpinneysFOOD Fresh Full Fat Milk

440g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar

8 large egg yolks

60g corn ﬂour

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

1 tbsp vanilla extract

30g SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter

250ml whipped cream

To serve

600g shortbread biscuits

250ml whipped cream

1 Preheat the grill to a medium-high heat.

2 To make the caramelised bananas, peel the bananas and halve them lengthways. Split the vanilla bean in half. Place the bananas in a cast-iron pan along with the butter, sugar and vanilla bean. Place the pan on the grill and cook for approx. 5-10 minutes or until lightly caramelised. Place half the bananas in a blender and purée until smooth. Chop 2 bananas into chunks and reserve the remaining 3 for the top of the pudding. 3 To make the custard, place the milk in a saucepan over a medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, egg yolks, corn flour and salt and whisk together. Slowly pour the hot milk into the mixture while whisking. Return the mixture to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes whisking constantly, until thick. Add the blended bananas, vanilla extract and butter and stir until the butter melts completely. Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold it into the custard mixture. 4 Crush the biscuits roughly. 5 Spread 1⁄3 of the custard on the base of a 20cm x 40cm baking dish, sprinkle over 1⁄3 of the crushed shortbread and top with 1⁄3 of the banana chunks. Repeat until 3 layers are formed finishing with the custard. Place the pudding in the fridge for 1 hour.

6 When ready to serve, whip the cream to

stiff peaks and spread it over the pudding. Arrange the remaining caramelised banana halves on top.

S’MORES ICEBOX CAKE

Prep time: 1 hour (plus freezing time)

Cook time: 2 minutes

Serves: 8

For the chocolate ganache

250g SpinneysFOOD Dark Chocolate

250ml heavy cream

For the marshmallow meringue topping

6 large egg whites

300g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar

¼ tsp cream of tartar

½ tsp vanilla extract

For the cake

450g SpinneysFOOD Madagascan Vanilla Beans Ice Cream

400g graham crackers

1 Line a 13cm x 30cm loaf tin with baking paper. 2 To make the chocolate ganache, roughly chop the chocolate and place it in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in the microwave until just simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Allow it to sit for 1 minute before stirring the chocolate and cream until smooth. Place the ganache in the fridge for 1 hour or leave covered at room temperature overnight. 3 To make the marshmallow meringue topping, combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl. Place over a pot of just simmering water and stir until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch. Remove from the heat and add the extract. Using an electric beater, beat on a high speed until thick, glossy and cool to the touch. 4 To assemble the cake, spread the vanilla ice cream in an even layer in the base of the loaf tin. Place in the freezer for 5 minutes to set. Remove the tin from the freezer and top with graham crackers, 1⁄3 of the marshmallow meringue and half the ganache. Arrange some more graham crackers over and repeat with the remaining layers. Place the cake in the freezer for at least 2 hours before serving. 5 When ready to serve, flip the cake onto a serving plate and remove the baking paper. Dollop the remaining meringue on top. Using a blowtorch, brûlée it until light golden brown.

Present quintessential American desserts with these items in stores.

VEGGIE

Nom Noms Marshmallows –Original

Waitrose Bramley Apple Pie

Dream Whip Instant Whipped Cream

Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin

Whole Blueberry Pie

LOVE Lotus

Buttery and sweet with notes of cinnamon, Lotus Biscoff Biscuits, spread and topping are perfect for adding rich caramel ﬂ avours to desserts

Biscoff icebox cake

BISCOFF ICEBOX CAKE

This is a no-bake dessert made by layering Lotus Biscoff Biscuits with silky whipped cream cheese. It is then chilled until set for a delectable, melt-in-your-mouth treat.

Prep time: 30 minutes (plus chilling time)

Serves: 8

For the filling

1 vanilla bean

250g Philadelphia Cream Cheese, room temperature

750ml whipping cream

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar

3 x 250g Lotus Biscoff Biscuits

To serve

4 tbsp Lotus Biscoff Topping

1 Split and scrape the seeds out of the vanilla bean. 2 Place the cream cheese in a large bowl and whisk for approx. 1 minute or until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla beans, whipping cream and icing sugar. Whip until soft peaks form. 3 Spread a thin layer of the cream cheese mixture on a cake stand or plate. Evenly arrange 8 cookies in a circle over the cream cheese mixture then top with 3 heaped tablespoons of the mixture. Spread it out into thin layer. Repeat this process until you have

8 layers, finishing with a generous layer of the remaining whipped cream cheese over the top. Place 3 biscuits on top and sprinkle some crushed biscuits over the cake. 4 Transfer to the fridge to chill, approx. 6 hours. 5 Serve with a drizzle of the Lotus Biscoff topping.

BANANA SPLIT WAFFLES WITH WHIPPED CREAM CHEESE

Prep time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

For the whipped cream cheese

250g Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese

150ml heavy whipping cream

65g SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

For the banana split waffles

4 ready-made wafﬂes

200g Lotus Biscoff Smooth Spread

4 small bananas

250g SpinneysFOOD Triple Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream

250g SpinneysFOOD Madagascan Vanilla Beans

Ice Cream

250g SpinneysFOOD Vegan Lotus Biscuit Ice Cream

4 tbsp Lotus Biscoff Topping

4 Maraschino Cherries

4 Lotus Biscoff Biscuits (optional)

1 In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Gradually add the icing sugar and vanilla extract to the whipped cream, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the beaten cream cheese until fully combined. Transfer to a pipping bag with a star tip then set aside in the fridge until ready to use. 2 Toast or warm the pre-made waffl es according to the package instructions. 3 To assemble the banana split waffl es, place the warm waffl es on individual plates. Spread a generous layer of the Biscoff spread on each one. Slice the bananas in half lengthways and place on top of the waffl es. Add a scoop of each ice cream on top of the banana and drizzle over the Lotus topping. Top with the whipped cream cheese and a maraschino cherry on each. Scatter over crushed Lotus Biscoff Biscuits, if desired. 4 Serve immediately.

SALTED BISCOFF MOMOFUKU CRACK PIE

Our version of the classic Momofuku crack pie is made with a buttery Biscoff Biscuit crust, instead of an oatmeal cookie crust, and ﬁlled with a salty-sweet, gooey Biscoff caramel mixture.

VEGGIE

Banana split waffles with whipped cream cheese

Prep time: 20 minutes (plus chilling time)

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 8

For the biscuit base

372g Lotus Biscoff Biscuits

200g SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter

100g SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar

For the filling

300g Lotus Biscoff Smooth Spread

150g SpinneysFOOD Fine Grain White Sugar

150g SpinneysFOOD Light Muscovado Sugar

2 tbsp milk powder

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

150ml whipping cream

6 large egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.

2 Place the biscuits in a food processor and blitz into fine crumbs. Melt the butter. Transfer the biscuits to a large bowl along with the butter and sugar. Stir to combine. Place the mixture of the crust in a greased 22cm fluted tart tin. Using the base of a measuring cup, press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the

dish and up the sides. Set aside. 3 Place the Lotus spread into a large bowl and microwave for 1 minute or until melted. Place both sugars, milk powder and salt in the bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat the mixture until it resembles wet sand. Add the cream, egg yolks and vanilla extract and beat well until light and fluffy. Pour the filling into the pie crust. 4 Bake for 15 minutes then lower the oven temperature to 160°C, gas mark 3, and continue baking for approx. 15 minutes, or until it’s brown in spots with a wobbly centre. Since it is a caramel filling, it will be in liquid form when hot, but once it cools it will turn fudgy. Remove the pie from the oven and set aside to cool to room temperature. 5 Place the pie in the fridge to chill overnight. 6 Serve cold.

BISCOFF DOUBLE-THICK MALT MILKSHAKE

Prep time: 15 minutes (plus freezing time)

Serves: 4

For the rims

4 Lotus Biscoff Biscuits

2 tbsp Lotus Biscoff Topping

For the milkshake

100g Lotus Biscoff Smooth Spread

120ml SpinneysFOOD Fresh Full Fat Milk

75g malted milk powder (Horlicks classic malt)

½ tsp vanilla extract

2-3 tbsp Philadelphia Cream Cheese, room temperature

1½kg SpinneysFOOD Madagascan Vanilla Beans

Ice Cream

To serve

150g whipped cream

4 Maraschino cherries

2 tbsp sprinkles

1 Crush the biscuits and spread on a plate. Spread a little of the topping over the rims of 4 tall milkshake glasses. Roll the rims in the crushed biscuits. Drizzle the topping inside the milkshake glasses then place the glasses in the freezer for 30 minutes. 2 Place the Lotus spread, milk, malted powder, vanilla extract and cream cheese in a blender. Blitz on a high-speed until a smooth thick paste forms. Add all the ice cream to the blender, if it is large enough, and blend until just combined. Pour the thick milkshake into the prepared glasses. 3 Top with the whipped cream, a cherry and some sprinkles.

Salted Biscoff Momofuku crack pie

VEGGIE

Lotus Biscoff Topping

Lotus Biscoff

Ice Cream Sticks

Lotus Biscoff

Creamy SpreadLotus Biscoff Biscuits

From ice cream and biscuits to spreads and topping, we stock a variety of Lotus Biscoff products.

Lotus Biscoff Sandwich Vanilla Flavour

Biscoff double-thick malt milkshake

Little cooks

Get the kids to help make spooky Halloween treats, back-to-school sandwiches and snacks

Boo-nana ghosts with PB&J dip

Bread winners

Warburtons gluten-free breads are ideal for making sandwiches, pop tarts, chips and more for school lunch boxes or after-school snacks

Brioche roll muffulettas

BRIOCHE ROLL MUFFULETTAS

Muffuletta is a Sicilian-American sandwich from New Orleans, traditionally made with sesame bread. It is generously ﬁlled with cured meats and provolone cheese with added ﬂavour from an olive dressing.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

4 Warburtons Gluten Free Soft Sliced Brioche Rolls

200g SpinneysFOOD Mozzarella

50g SpinneysFOOD Fresh Basil Pesto

200g chicken mortadella

200g beef pastrami

200g roasted red peppers

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Basil

1 Generously spread both the cut sides of the rolls with basil pesto. 2 Thinly slice the mozzarella. 3 Arrange half the cold meats on top followed by half the roasted red peppers. Top with fresh basil leaves and mozzarella slices. Repeat the process once more. Cover with the top

half of the roll. Repeat with the remaining rolls.

4 Wrap the muffulettas tightly in wax paper and slice each one in half to reveal the layers.

CHEAT’S FRUIT POP-TARTS

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

Serves: 4

For the pop-tarts

4 Warburtons Gluten Free White Wraps

8 SpinneysFOOD Strawberries or 40g SpinneysFOOD

Strawberry Preserve

1 large SpinneysFOOD Organic Free-Range Egg

For the icing

100g SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fresh Full Fat Milk

Pink food colouring (optional)

To serve

1 tbsp sprinkles

1 Preheat the oven, or air fryer, to 180°C, gas mark 4. 2 If using fresh strawberries, remove the stem from the berries and finely dice them.

3 Using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut off the edges of the wraps to form one large square. Then cut the large square into quarters. 4 Spoon 1 teaspoon of the strawberries or strawberry preserve into the centre of half of the wrap squares and spread them out leaving approx. 2cm space around the edges. 5 Whisk the egg. Using a pastry brush or your fingers, brush the egg wash around the edges of the squares. Place a plain wrap square over the filling and press the edges down with a fork. Repeat with the remaining squares. Make sure they are completely sealed all around so that the filling doesn’t ooze out. Lightly brush the tops of the pop tarts with the remaining egg wash. 6 Place in the oven or air-fryer for approx. 5 minutes or until golden. Remove from the over and set aside to cool slightly. 7 In a small bowl, whisk together the icing sugar, milk and food colouring until smooth. Adjust the consistency to make it as

Cheat’s fruit pop-tarts

VEGGIE

TOP TIP!

If you are using unsweetened peanut butter, add 1 tablespoon of honey to add a hint of sweetness.

thick or thin as you like. 8 Place ½ tablespoon of the icing on top of each pop tart and spread it towards the edges. 9 Decorate the pop tart with sprinkles and serve.

PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA MONKEY FACE OPEN SANDWICHES

Prep time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

8 slices Warburtons Gluten Free Tiger Bloomer

100g SpinneysFOOD Smooth Peanut Butter

1 medium banana

8 SpinneysFOOD Blueberries

2 tbsp Nutella

1 Place 2 slices of bread together on a board with the base of the slices touching. Gently press a small bowl or cookie cutter that will fit within the two slices to form a round outline. This will be the outline for the face. 2 Spread approx. 2

tablespoons of the peanut butter inside the circle. Slice the banana into rounds. Place 3 rounds of banana within the peanut butter circle to form the ears and snout. Place 2 whole blueberries for the eyes, gently pressing them in just above the snout. 3 Using a toothpick or the end of a chopstick add the Nutella to make the nostrils and mouth. Add two lines above the blueberry eyes to form the eyebrows. Repeat with the remaining slices. 4 Serve immediately.

EVERYTHING BAGEL WRAP CHIPS WITH HUMMUS AND CRUDITÉS

Customise the ﬂavour of your wrap chips by alternating ﬂavour seasonings such as garlic and herb, lemon or smoky BBQ.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

For the wrap chips

4 Warburtons Gluten Free White Wraps

2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tbsp everything bagel seasoning

To serve

200g SpinneysFOOD Hummus

100g cucumber sticks from Spinneys deli

100g carrot sticks from Spinneys deli

50g SpinneysFOOD Cherry Tomatoes

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Line a baking tray with baking paper. 2 Using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut the wraps into wedges. Evenly arrange the wrap wedges on the baking tray. Brush over the olive oil and generously sprinkle with the seasoning. 3 Bake the wedges for approx. 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. 4 When ready to serve, place the hummus in a serving bowl and spread the wrap chips around it along with the cucumber, carrot sticks and cherry tomatoes.

We have a range of

Peanut butter and banana monkey face open sandwiches

Nestle® Pistachio Flavoured Topping Squeezy Squeezy

Warburtons bread in store from brioche rolls and loaves to wraps and bagels.

Warburtons Gluten Free 4 White Wraps Warburtons Original Thin Bagels

Warburtons Medium Sliced Soft White Bread

Warburtons Gluten Free Tiger Bloomer Loaf

VEGGIE

VEGAN

Warburtons Gluten Free 4 Soft Sliced Brioche Rolls

Everything bagel wrap chips with hummus and crudités

HOW TO MAKE

HOME-MADE EVERYTHING BAGEL SEASONING

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD White Sesame Seeds

2 tsp black sesame seeds, or additional white sesame seeds

2 tsp onion seeds

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Garlic Flakes

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Natural Sea Salt Flakes

1 Toast the sesame and onion seeds in a dry pan. Set aside until completely cool. Combine with the remaining ingredients.

2 Store in an airtight container for up to three months.

Have a ghoultime

Little ones will love these sweet and savoury monster-themed treats this Halloween

COOK’S NOTE

Kids can help create the monster faces! They can place the mozzarella cheese teeth and stick the olive eyes on top of the buns. It’s a great way for them to get creative and have fun making their own monster burgers. Just be sure to supervise them when using toothpicks.

Monster meatball burgers

MONSTER MEATBALL BURGERS

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunﬂower Oil

8 SpinneysFOOD Beef Meatballs

200g SpinneysFOOD Classic Pizza Sauce

50g SpinneysFOOD Mild Red Cheddar Slices

4 SpinneysFOOD Slider Buns

1 head of baby gem lettuce

8 Unearthed pimento stuffed olives

1 Heat the sunflower oil in a medium-sized saucepan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the beef meatballs and cook on all sides until evenly brown. Lower the heat and add the pizza sauce to the pan. Cook for 10 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through. 2 Using a sharp knife, fashion monster teeth out of the Cheddar slices. 3 Slice the slider buns in half then lightly toast them in a non-stick pan. Transfer the buns to individual plates. 4 To assemble the burgers, place a few lettuce leaves on the bottom halves of the buns followed by two meatballs and some sauce. Add the Cheddar teeth and close with the top halves of the buns. 5 Thread the olives onto toothpicks and place them into the top of the buns to make the monster eyes. 6 Serve immediately.

BOO-NANA GHOSTS WITH PB&J DIP

TOP TIP!

Spiderweb tortilla chips with guacamole

Add a finely diced tomato to the guacamole to hide extra veggies.

Prep time: 20 minutes (plus freezing time)

Serves: 8

For the banana ghosts

4 bananas

150g SpinneysFOOD Full Fat Greek Yoghurt

30g dark chocolate drops

For the PB&J dip

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Full Fat Greek Yoghurt

50g SpinneysFOOD Smooth Peanut Butter

1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

80g SpinneysFOOD Strawberry Preserve

1 Line a baking tray with baking paper. 2 Peel and slice the bananas into halves. Skewer the bananas with a lollipop stick or bamboo skewer. Dip the banana halves in yoghurt and evenly place the dipped bananas on the lined tray. Place two chocolate drops on each half to make the eyes. Place them in the freezer overnight.

3 To make the PB&J dip, place the yoghurt, peanut butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl and combine until smooth. Swirl in the strawberry jelly. 4 Remove the boo-nana ghosts from the fridge and serve immediately with the PB& J dip.

SPIDERWEB TORTILLA CHIPS WITH GUACAMOLE

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 6 minutes

Serves: 4

For the spiderweb tortillas

4 tortillas

500ml SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunﬂower Oil

For the guacamole

½ red onion

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander

400g SpinneysFOOD Mild Guacamole

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

For the olive spiders

9 SpinneysFOOD Whole Black Hojiblanca Olives

1 To make the spiderweb tortillas, fold the tortillas in half and fold again to get a triangle. Using scissors or a pizza cutter, cut out a spiderweb pattern and then unfold to reveal the web. 2 Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Fry the tortilla webs until crispy.

3 Finely dice the red onion and chop the coriander. Add the guacamole to a serving bowl and top with the onion and coriander. Season to taste. 4 To make an olive spider, halve an olive

VEGGIE

VEGAN

Boo-nana ghosts with PB&J dip

Jack-o-lantern mac and cheese stuffed capsicums

widthways to make the head and another whole olive lengthways. Create eight legs by slicing a halved olive.Repeat the process to make more olive spiders. 5 Serve the spiderweb tortillas with the guacamole.

JACK-O-LANTERN MAC AND CHEESE STUFFED CAPSICUMS

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 6

6 SpinneysFOOD Orange Capsicums

50g SpinneysFOOD Organic Baby Spinach

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley

400g SpinneysFOOD Macaroni Cheese

50g SpinneysFOOD Grated Mozzarella

1 Preheat the grill to a medium-low heat or the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. 2 To make the jacko-lantern peppers, cut the top off the capsicums and reserve them. Scoop out the seeds and cut out 3 triangles for the eyes and nose, and a toothy grin on each pepper. 3 Roughly chop the spinach, finely chop the parsley and mix into the macaroni cheese. Fill the capsicums to the top with the macaroni cheese. Sprinkle over the mozzarella. 4 Place the capsicums on the grill for 10 minutes with the lid on. Alternatively, place them on a baking tray in the oven for approx. 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and light golden brown. 5 Serve immediately.

Kids can use a safe, small knife or a pumpkin carving tool to create fun and spooky jack-o-lantern faces.

SMASHED DOUGHNUT MUMMIES

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 2 minutes

Serves: 6

6 glazed doughnuts from Spinneys deli

For the cream cheese icing

200g cream cheese, room temperature

½ tsp vanilla extract

¹⁄8 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

100g SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar

1 tsp black food colouring

1 Preheat the grill or griddle pan to medium heat. 2 Place the doughnuts on the grill or griddle pan. Using a spatula, press down until they are flattened. Grill until golden brown and crispy, approx. 3-4 minutes a side. Set aside to cool completely. 3 To make the icing, whisk the cream cheese, vanilla extract, salt and sieved icing sugar together until smooth. Try not to overmix as this will cause the cream cheese to become runny. Place the cream cheese mixture into a piping bag and snip off approx. 5mm from the tip so that the lines are thin. 4 Roughly pipe diagonal lines across the doughnut to make a mummy. Pipe two blobs near each other to create the eyes. Dip a toothpick in the food colouring then swirl it in the centre of the eyes to form the pupils. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts. 5 Serve immediately.

Going trick o’ treating? Fill your basket with the treats in stores.

Werther’s Original Caramel Apple Soft Caramels

Choconchoc Melt & Make Halloween Lollies

Skittles Shriekers Fun Size

Swizzels Monster Treats

Brach’s Mellowcreme Pumpkins

TOP TIP!

VEGGIE

TOP TIP! Use candy eyes instead of icing to give the mummies a spookier look.

Smashed doughnut mummies

Live Well

The USA’s best BBQ spots; foodie adventures in Barbados and searching for gorillas in Uganda

Barbados’ rugged east Atlantic coast is the antithesis of its calm Caribbean west coast

HITS FROMTHE PITS

FRANKLIN BARBECUE

AUSTIN, TEXAS

At this point, Aaron Franklin is so thoroughly renowned as the nation’s foremost authority on Texas-style smoked meat that diners will drive across the country to start lining up at dawn for his lunchtime-only servings of brisket, ribs and sandwiches. Our guest specialist Adrian Miller (see pages 22-23) credits Franklin as “the most effective barbecue ambassador we’ve had”. Miller adds, “His restaurant is basically the main reason that people even know about American barbecue.” This pitmaster has also been validated with a James Beard Award as the best chef in the region. franklinbbq.com

GATES BBQ

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

This KC institution is another personal favourite of our guest Adrian Miller, ideal for a “broad sample” of all that is best in barbecue. The grill makes space for everything from mutton to brisket and especially for “burnt ends” – the heavily textured and flavoured trimmings from brisket that are a particular delicacy of the city and have become, according to Miller, “the sexy thing” in contemporary barbecue culture. Gates is also prized for its signature sauce, a thick and rich tomato-based concoction, heavy on the black pepper and served in variations that range from mild to extra hot. gatesbbq.com

HEIRLOOM MARKET BBQ

ATLANTA, GEORGIA

Some say truly authentic barbecue must be 100 per cent American, but the cultural and ethnic history of this gastronomy surely allows for variety. Texan Cody Taylor and Korean Jiyeon Lee (a K-Pop star of the 1980s) have made a booming business of their fusion BBQ joint, planted between a highway and a housing block in a location that you might call cinematically ugly (it played a background role in the Spielberg movie Catch Me If You Can). The food itself blends the classic Texas style with flavour profiles of the Korean peninsula, that peculiar admixture

creating now-iconic menu items like the house spicy sandwich – the meat is rubbed with gochugaru and gochujang before it’s smoked over hickory and oak. heirloommarketbbq.com

LEM’S BAR-B-Q CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Known as much for its historic slaughterhouses as its skyscrapers, Chicago has its own barbecue culture built on castoffs from those massive meatpacking plants. The city is especially renowned for rib tips, and most locals would send the uninitiated to Lem’s for prime specimens, nicely charred and ready to dip deep into the rich red house sauce. The joint itself is a South Side institution, and warming yourself while you wait in the holding area on a brutally cold winter day is considered a Chicago custom in itself. Direct

descendants of original 1950s founders Bruce and Myles Lemon keep up their recipes and techniques, including the use of an unorthodox but effective aquarium smoker. lemsque.com

HOMETOWN BAR-BE-QUE BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

One of the youngest entries on our list opened barely a decade ago in 2013, but pitmaster Billy Durney had been thinking about it for much longer – his own barbecue joint being a dream of his through a 20-year career in celebrity security and private protection. That job took him all over the country to try all kinds of pit-smoked meats in his downtime, so he had a pretty good idea of the flavours he was after. New York is not generally known as a barbecue town but Billy’s brisket, beef ribs and beans make for one of the

THIS PAGE, FROM TOP: Gates BBQ is a Kansas City, Missouri institution and known for its signature sauce; Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que was among chef Anthony Bourdain’s favourites.

OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Diners are known to drive across the country for a taste of Franklin Barbecue’s dishes; 4 Rivers Smokehouse offers a slowsmoked 30-day aged brisket; Franklin Barbecue’s founder is a true ambassador of the cuisine; Heirloom Market BBQ in Atlanta features fusion Texas-Korean cuisine.

greatest meal combos in the US, and therefore the world, and only the pickles are not made in-house (though they are locally sourced). hometownbbq.com

JOE’S KANSAS CITY BAR-B-QUE

KANSAS CITY, KANSAS

Another classic of the KC barbecue scene, once known as Oklahoma Joe’s, it occupies a former gas station and the look of the place only enhances the deep, nostalgic sense of Americana that also arises in the smoke from the grill. The wandering chef and philosopher Anthony Bourdain once listed Joe’s among his 13 Places To Eat Before You Die, and the house special is the immortal Z-Man sandwich, a breezeblocksized ration of slow-smoked brisket, provolone cheese and onion rings. joeskc.com

4 RIVERS SMOKEHOUSE

ORLANDO, FLORIDA

The origin story of this stalwart award-winner tells of John Rivers scouring the United States, and especially Texas, for the greatest possible brisket recipes and finding his wife in the process. Together, they opened this Florida joint founded on the strength of John’s own slow-smoked, 30-day aged brisket, though the sides are also spectacular. Their success has allowed them to branch out across the state and into Georgia as a family-run franchise, but the Orlando original has left a mark like a charcoal burn on the barbecue map of the nation. 4rsmokehouse.com

SKYLIGHT INN BBQ

AYDEN, NORTH CAROLINA

Precocious young pitmaster Pete Jones opened his own roadside barbecue spot in 1947, at the tender age of 17. Over decades it became known as “Pete Jones’s BBQ”, developing such a reputation for cooking whole animals over a wood fire (with cornbread and coleslaw) as to be recognised by National Geographic and eventually by the White House – in 1982, thenPresident Ronald Reagan and his Vice President George HW Bush came to eat and loved their

by the Jones family and their loyal clientele, who donated whatever they could to restore the place after a serious fire in 2021. Current operator James Jones is well past retirement age but loves his job as keeper of the flame and serves every day from 7am until the food runs out. facebook.com/JonesBarBQDiner

meal so much they co-wrote Pete a thank-you letter. The beloved founder passed away in 2006, but the pit is now tended by his son, nephew and grandson. skylightinnbbq.com

JONES BAR-B-Q DINER

MARIANNA, ARKANSAS

Credited as the oldest Black-owned restaurant in the United States, this essential pit stop deep in the Mississippi Delta was also one of the first true American barbecue restaurants in the early 20th century. Its beautiful shack-like structure and cinder block pit have been lovingly preserved

MOO’S CRAFT BBQ

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

California isn’t barbecue country by any stretch, but LA has its own recent history of artisanal food trucks and pop-up restaurants proving such a hit as to make themselves permanent fixtures. Moo’s is a prime example of the modern-minded craft barbecue ethic that now takes up most coverage of this culture on TV shows and social media feeds. Andrew and Michelle Muñoz demonstrate real pride and joy in their Texas-style brisket and beef ribs, conjuring the taste of cowboy campfires right there in the heart of Downtown LA. mooscraftbbq.com

BARBADOS BITES FROM

hatever happens before you leave, we gotta get you some pudding and souse,” says driver and guide Chris Hallett. He’s just picked me up from Barbados Grantley Adams International Airport, it’s close to midnight and we’re running through my upcoming itinerary.

I have just three days to get a taste of what this island nation, the culinary capital of the Caribbean, has to offer. “That’s not long enough,” says Chris.

Given Barbados’ rich cultural history, it’s no surprise that Bajan cuisine offers a world of flavours, blending European, African and Indian influences with the island’s natural ingredients. I’m soon to learn that seafood often takes centre stage in many beloved dishes, but Bajan food is also surprisingly diverse.

For a country that you can get around in approximately three hours, there are an extraordinary number of foodie-related things to do. There are over 400 restaurants at which to eat – ranging from no-frills to all the fuss, fresh fish markets, walking tours, great drinks and much more…

It’s Tuesday night and I leave on Saturday morning. There’s only so much I can eat – but come with me to discover highlights from a whirlwind journey…

DAY 1

Lunch: After a morning of “easing” into island life – aka a walk on a powdery white beach and a dip in the west coast’s dreamy turquoise waters, Chris takes me on a drive en route to Zemi Café in the rugged east. To get there, we cross the island’s jungly interior and work our way up to Cherry Tree Hill. Perched at 850 feet above sea level, this vantage point offers sweeping views of the “Little Scotland” district with its lush, rolling hills, sugarcane fields and the Prussian blue Atlantic Ocean that meets the land in a wild dance of waves and rock formations.

We wind our way down to the small fishing town of Bathsheba. Chris tells me this area is also home to the Soup Bowl – Barbados’ world-renowned surf spot famous for its perfect barrelling right-hand reef break.

Given its location overlooking the bay, it makes sense that a large percentage of the good, honest cuisine at Zemi, is seafood. I can vouch for the moreish fish cakes with Scotch bonnet aioli. And keep an eye on the specials board for the likes of grilled octopus with chickpea purée, sweet pepper and cucumber salad, or pan-fried amberjack with buttered breadfruit and Creole sauce.

Embark on a whirlwind gastronomic journey with Tiffany Eslick. From coastal fish fries to masterclasses with acclaimed chefs, and from savoury street food to fine-dining experiences, this is a taste of Barbados that will leave you craving more

Dinner: Judging by the number of birthday and anniversary celebrations taking place around me at dinner, it’s fair to say that The Tides is evidently the place to go for a special occasion. Perhaps the most striking feature of this fine-dining spot – besides its shoreside location – is the line of huge trees growing right through the dining room. There’s also a collection of art, which mirrors the creative, contemporary fare, and the dulcet tones from a live singer blend seamlessly with the sounds of soothing waves nearby. The menu boasts an impressive array of seafood, including a fresh Caribbean tuna ceviche starter with watermelon, avocado, red onion, coriander and sesame rice crackers. The catch of the day (in my case barracuda) is served with delicious, spiced sweetcorn chowder, grilled new potatoes and a pickled fennel and grapefruit salad.

DAY 2

Masterclass: I meet highly acclaimed chef and Barbados’ culinary ambassador Damian Leach at Cocktail Kitchen in St Lawrence Gap for a midday workshop. Despite his status, Damian exudes a laid-back, unpretentious vibe that genuinely embodies the spirit of the island. We’re cooking one of his favourite local ingredients: breadfruit. He loves it so much that he has a tattoo of one covering the top of his hand. The sun beats down as we gather around an open fire outside his restaurant. Damian roasts the breadfruits, whole, over the flames, while sharing that the inspiration for this dish comes from his childhood. He grew up barbecuing them on the beach with friends. Once charred, they’d hollow them out and stuff them with whatever they had – usually canned foods like tuna or corned beef. Now, with years of experience behind him,

he transforms this humble dish into something more refined, using salt fish, lobster and a tobiko topping.

As we chat, Damian enthusiastically talks about other iconic Bajan ingredients like black-belly lamb or flying fish. The latter, when served with cou cou (made of lightly seasoned cooked cornmeal mixed with okra and water) is Barbados’ national dish.

“Flying fish tacos are also a favourite,” says Damian, describing how he seasons the fish with Bajan spices, onions, garlic and herbs, before adding it to soft shell tacos with generous lashings of pepper sauce and aioli. “Most of us flavour our food like this. It’s never just salt and pepper,” he adds.

During our session, it’s clear that Damian is passionate about the culinary scene not only in his country, but also the Caribbean.

“Right now, we’re in a really good place,” he explains. “A lot of local chefs hold the top positions and because of this, we’re seeing our food and our ingredients being elevated.”

He adds, “I want people to leave Barbados having tasted new things, not what they know or have already had.”

Mixology: Like chef Damian, mixologist Alex Chandler, better known as Alexander DaVinci, is another Barbados culinary ambassador. Drawing inspiration from his grandmother’s cooking, he enjoys using local flavours and recipes to create cocktails and, more interestingly, mocktails – which he says presents more of an exciting challenge.

“It’s not only the Bajan ingredients that my grandmother used, but it was also the way she sang and danced in the kitchen that grasped my attention,” says Alex as he joyfully mixes drinks in front of me.

He’s teaching me how to make three beverages, one of which sounds especially intriguing. It’s a spin on a mojito that’s inspired by the pickle used for souse. Alex combines lime juice, a home-made Scotch bonnet and bell pepper syrup, passionfruit juice, cucumber juice and coriander. It’s a refreshing mocktail with savoury notes – and builds my interest in trying that pudding and souse dish.

DAY 3

Dinner: It’s just gone 6:30pm on Friday night and Chris and I arrive at Oistins Fish Fry, where there is already a queue. Locals and tourists seem to favour one of the many open-air barbecue shacks at this seaside village on the south coast. Yes, they all have a similar offering: a bounty of freshly grilled fish, such as swordfish, snapper, marlin, lobster, barracuda and “dolphin” (don’t worry, it’s mahi-mahi, not our bottle-nosed friends) all accompanied by traditional sides – but Pat’s is the obvious choice.

PREVIOUS SPREAD, CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Chef Damian Leach; charred breadfruit; rock formation broken away from ancient coral reefs at Bathsheba; it’s powder-pink and white stripe heaven at Cobbler’s Cove.

THIS SPREAD, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Alex Chandler; fish cakes with Scotch bonnet aioli; views from Cherry Tree Hill; chef Damian’s charred breadfruit with salt fish, lobster and tobiko topping; the Great House at Cobbler’s Cove; the calm west coast; Zemi Café; afternoon tea at Cobbler’s Cove; Oistins Fish Fry where the party is at on a Friday and Saturday night.

GETTING THERE

Fly via London or Miami from Dubai to Barbados. Visit dnatatravel.com for more information.

There, I load up on fried flying fish, macaroni pie (Barbados’ superior version of mac ‘n’ cheese), rice and peas and a bottle of Banks. The heavens open as I grab my meal and pull up a plastic chair at a shared table, sitting elbow to elbow with fellow diners as we “try” to escape the rain. No tropical downpour will stop great food, a mix of soca, reggae and pop tunes or the street-party scene.

PUDDING AND SOUSE

It’s time to check in, but I’ve made one stop before the airport. I’ve spent the last three days beginning to obsess about trying pudding and souse. Chris started it all; chef Damian “believes it should be Barbados’ national dish”; Alex’s pickle mocktail was so good… so I’m at Golden Sands picking up a “steam and lean” order to go.

So what exactly is this glorious comfort food? Traditionally, it’s pickled meat served with breadfruit and boiled sweet potatoes seasoned with herbs. It’s said to have originated as slave food on Barbados’ sugar plantations but is now a hugely popular weekend meal across the island.

As we head to the airport, I tuck into my back-seat brunch. All that I’ve discovered has just been an appetiser. My palate is excited by Barbados. And I will be back, having prepared for more!

DON’T MISS

The Barbados Food and Rum Festival

Celebrated in October, this annual festival showcases top local and international chefs, mixologists, masterclasses and culinary talks, offering an immersive foodie experience and cultural insights.

WHERE TO STAY

As Alex Chandler says: “It is the highlight of Caribbean cuisine –you have to be there!”

For more information about this year’s festival, please visit foodandrum.com

Set on Barbados’ west coast, Cobbler’s Cove is a charming 1940s mansion-turned-hotel surrounded by verdant gardens (think monkeys, tropical birds, towering travellers’ palms – the whole lot!) and a beach that’s close to perfect. Originally a retreat for a sugarcane planter, the property’s pink-hued Great House offers colonial-style elegance. Surrounding this in a U-shape is a series of bright and spacious suites. Mornings there are all about lazy breakfasts; afternoons are best spent searching for turtles, taking the Hobie Cat out or paddling out to the pontoon; a sunset tipple is de rigeur; and evenings are ideal on the waterfront terrace savouring king fish tartare and plantain crisps followed by peppered barracuda. Book your stay at cobblerscove.com

THE PEARL OF Africa

Uganda is on many a bucket list – seeing endangered mountain gorillas in the wild before it’s too late. Helen Farmer packed her hiking boots and loaded up on malaria meds for a trip of a lifetime

Holidays mean different things to different people. Maybe it’s a digital detox, a week of yoga, all-inclusive drinks by a turquoise pool, or heading off the beaten track. All sound great to me, and I’m definitely partial to an over-water villa in the Maldives, but once a year I try to have an adventure, too.

No husband, no kids, just a country I’ve never visited before and a bit of a challenge.

In the past I’ve summited Kilimanjaro and scaled the glacial Mount Kazbek in Georgia, but this year it was the jungle that was calling. And specifically, the wildlife. Lions, hippos and monkeys? Oh my!

I travelled with Dubai-based mountaineering company Summit Expeditions run by Sean and Caroline, who have broken world records and scaled some of the most imposing peaks in the world. This trip, however, was going to be more exploration than altitude, but I appreciated their Ugandan contacts in putting the itinerary together and the chance to travel with like-minded people.

Seven days to pack it in? Challenge accepted.

DAY 1

FlyDubai operates flights to Entebbe and I’d advise getting your shillings and dollars ahead of time. The time difference is only an hour and we were greeted by the local partners, Wildlife Adventure Uganda – and the grinning faces of Peter, James and Audence, who would be driving us around in kitted out longwheel base Land Cruisers. After a stop for lunch, it was time to head across the lush landscape to our first lodge, nestled on a mountainside.

DAY 2

Chimpanzee time in Kibale National Park. After a briefing (wear a face mask, leave food in the car…) we trekked up and down through dense jungle to find a family of chimps, who were soaring and screeching above our heads. Mating season, it seems. Some were

rambunctious. Others were content to lie back on a branch and observe us, curious why we’d find them so enchanting.

Smiles on our faces, we moved on to a community walk through a nearby village where we watched coffee being harvested and roasted (delicious, potent stuff), met a medicine man who had some creative cures for common ailments (I politely declined) and visited Dennis The Banana Man who has gone viral on TikTok for unpeeling bananas, as well as turning them into some pretty powerful drinks. We enthusiastically sampled.

DAY 3

Aching legs from yesterday, this was the day to be driven. And what a drive! Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, vultures, water buck, warthogs and more. Within minutes we’d

spotted a pair of male lions, leisurely strolling across the savannah before stopping in front of our cars to drink some water. Elephants followed soon after, and after a few hours, even the most seasoned travellers were wowed by the sheer abundance of animals.

That afternoon we took to the water on a boat called The Hippo and were able to see crocodiles, families of hippos, elephants splashing around and were welcomed back ashore by a mob of mongoose (got to love a collective animal noun).

DAY 4

Another day driving with the chance to take in more of the countryside, which includes tea plantations, vertiginous roads and Tolkien-esque valleys. Six hours on the road, but worth it to reach a part of the world called The Impenetrable Forest. This is the abode of mountain gorillas.

Photography by Helen Farmer

DAY 5

Waking up at 5.30am, eating in the dark (power outages are common) and filling our packs with electrolytes, the energy in the camp was nervous. Would we be lucky? How big was a silverback?

The rangers prep you that it can take a long time to track down one of the habituated gorilla troops, up to five or six hours of trekking through the jungle, and you’re split into groups according to ability. The group I was in was moderate/advanced and matched with a family that had nested close by the night before, but had moved on. We found them in… nine minutes! Truly lucky indeed. And were able to spend an hour close by, watching them interact, feed each other, groom, bicker and nap. It was beyond incredible. A few tears were shed, and we hiked out, beyond grateful for the chance to see these magnificent creatures up close.

DAY 6

The next day the group split, some needing a rest day at the lodge, others deciding to find some rare golden monkeys and others tackling Mount Sabyinyo. The 3,669m peak straddles Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. A few of us decided to take on the mountain, but more for a stroll than the summit, keeping an eye out for jungle elephants (not too friendly) and enjoying the views. Then it was back in the cars to head to Lake Bunyonyi.

DAY 7

This lake has a depth of 900m (that’s about the same as the Burj Khalifa!) and while there aren’t

any big guys like hippos around, there’s plenty of history, including Leprosy Island where back in the day sufferers were sent there for treatment. And then onto our final destination, Mbaru National Park for a walking safari at sunset. Giraffes meandered by, zebras ran past us and our ranger pointed out behavioural patterns of some of the most beautiful animals I’ve ever seen.

A celebratory dinner, certificates and souvenir t-shirts rounded off our trip, before some reluctant goodbyes, as we bade farewell to each other and this amazing country, taking home dusty boots, full hearts and a few thousand photos! Just one of the best weeks of my life.

For more information, visit summitexped.com

DON’T MISS

Listen out for Farmer’s Kitchen on Dubai Eye103.8FM in collaboration with Spinneys. It airs from 2-5pm on Fridays.

THIS SPREAD, CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: The Summit Expeditions crew; up close with nature; Helen Farmer; a chimpamzee in Kibale National Park; viewing of a lifetime.

NOURISHING YOUR GUT

A healthy gut plays a vital role in supporting digestion, nutrient absorption, immune function and even mental health. We find out how hormone- and pesticide-free food, such as those from Koita can aid our gut health

UAE-based nutritionist and clinical dietitian Riham Shamseddine explains the importance of gut health in relation to physical and mental well-being: “The gut is where digestion happens. There are tiny microorganisms that live in the gut that break down food, making it easier for the body to process nutrients.”

She adds, “Many times we see that people who have unhealthy guts are usually the ones who get sick often because of dysbiosis, which is a disproportion in the growth of micoorganisms in the gut.”

THE BENEFIT OF ‘FREE-FROM’ PRODUCTS

The importance of the gut for mental health cannot be underscored, and Riham says, “We say that the gut is our second brain because the vagus nerve connects it to the brain. Gut bacteria inside our gastrointestinal tract produce neurotransmitters and hormones like serotonin and melatonin, which influence mood

and behaviour.” This means gut health directly impacts cognition and emotional well-being. High-quality, hormone-free and pesticide-free foods, such as those offered by Koita, help maintain this balance.

There is also the microbiome to consider: our gut is home to trillions of bacteria, collectively known as the microbiome. A balanced microbiome is essential for breaking down food, fighting pathogens and producing essential vitamins. Hormone-free and pesticide-free foods support a healthy microbiome by providing high-quality nutrients without the disruption caused by synthetic chemicals and antibiotics.

MANAGING AND UNDERSTANDING

LACTOSE INTOLERANCE

Lactose intolerance is a common condition where the body cannot adequately digest lactose, a sugar found in dairy products. Riham says, “We have lactose intolerance when we don’t have the lactase enzyme needed to digest

lactose, which is usually present in cow’s milk.” She explains that lactose is made from two sugars – galactose and glucose – which need to be broken down into two single sugars. “When people don’t have this enzyme, then they can experience bloating, diarrhoea, gas, abdominal pain and cramping, and sometimes nausea and discomfort.”

For those with lactose intolerance, choosing lactose-free milk is an effective way to manage symptoms while still obtaining the nutritional benefits of dairy. “Lactose-free milk simply means adding lactase to the milk to break down lactose into two simple sugars,” Riham says, and adds that this might be why – despite no added sugars – lactose-free milk might taste sweeter, because of the presence of two sugars.

Koita offers a range of hormone-, pesticideand lactose-free milk from Italy. This provides an excellent alternative for those with lactose intolerance. Riham adds, “It tastes the same as regular cow’s milk without compromising on any nutrients. With Koita milk, for example, the calcium, protein, vitamin D and other minerals are the same [as regular cow’s milk]. You will not feel any bloating and can still enjoy drinks without compromising on the flavour and at the same time support your digestive health.”

“The good thing about Koita is that it is free of pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and preservatives – which is good for us and for the environment,” Riham adds.

She concludes, “We, as consumers, have the choice to invest in our health. We must be wise when we are choosing your food for ourselves and our family, because these choices have long-term effects.”

For more information, visit koita.com and @itskoita on Instagram.

Written by Devina Divecha ; Photography Supplied

FROM LEFT: Koita’s lactosefree milks and dairy products are made from hormone- and antibiotic-free Italian cow’s milk; all Koita products, including its non-dairy milks, are free of pesticides and artificial preservatives.

Cleaning that works well and feels fresh

Everyday cleaning products made with organic, plant-based ingredients de w

RECIPE INDEX

STARTERS, SOUPS, SALADS & SIDES

Smoked beef jerky 16

Beef crackling with lemon-fennel salt 17

Moutabal 18

Seared stone fruit and rocket salad 27

Reuben potato shells 27

Waldorf salad 28

Cajun-blackened chicken wings 59

Jambalaya-stuffed peppers 59

Crispy Cajun okra fries 59

Grilled oysters with Cajun butter 60

Grilled crab-stuffed Portobello mushrooms 60

Hot honey brisket burnt ends 70

Corn trio 79

Honey-butter cornbread 79

Corn grits with chorizo oil 79

Smoky, sweet and spicy popcorn 82

Cowboy caviar 82

Walking nachos 87

Everything bagel wrap chips with hummus and crudités 112

Spiderweb tortilla chips with guacamole 115

Jack-O-Lantern mac and cheese stuffed capsicums 116

DRINKS

Peachy Southern sweet tea

Raspberry root beer floats

Biscoff

CONDIMENTS

& BRUNCH

MAINS

Double-stacked chipotle lentil burgers with courgette