Where do I get my stuff from?

A lot of people have said to me, “OK, Cookstuff boy! You’re always sounding off about bad, unhealthy stuff, so what do you buy and where do you get it from?”

Well, in a nutshell, all my fruit, vegetables and some of my meat products are totally organic and are from Riverford foods who deliver to my door. http://www.riverford.co.uk/

Most of my fish comes from a great ethical fish supplier in Cornwall who delivers http://www.mstevensandson.co.uk/

I use my local butcher who also supplies meat to me professionally and can tell me exactly where the meat came from (usually locally)

There’s a great Italian deli in my local town for olives, sliced meats, cheeses and other Mediterranean specialities. My town has regular local farmers markets with European guest stalls which I use and support.

So, look around you, you don’t need to buy bland products from your supermarket, it’s often cheaper to buy from your local independent supplier. Go on, give it a go! You’ll be surprised how much better it will taste!

10 tips on sensible shopping – Rule number 3 – Eye level is buy level

As you walk around your supermarket, have a good hard look at the way they actually market products. The things you really need are always in the middle of an aisle, and you have to walk past all theother tempting stuff to get to it. The most expensive product is always at eye level, so if you want cheaper or own brand versions (often made by the manufacturers of branded goods – yes, they’re all in it together!) look on the top or bottom of the shelf – that’s where the cheaper products are. All the products aimed at kids are usually at kid level to catch their eye as well! You see healthy muesli; they see choco-frosted-ricy-pops. You see healthy natural yoghurt, they see cartoon character branded rubbish. The other trick is to put their “seasonal” or “discounted” lines at the end of the aisles, this is where you slow down and usually pause a little or turn around and see them while you’re waiting at the checkout – a lot of companies actually pay the store extra just to have their products there!

 

RULE NUMBER THREE-EYE LEVEL IS BUY LEVEL –look for cheaper versions of the same product

 

Roast lamb neck fillet on Provencal beans

Makes/serves: 2

You need this:
for the lamb:
2 lamb neck fillets (see TIP 1)
2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon of olive oil
8 sage leaves
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

for the Provencal beans:
1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely diced
2 sticks of celery, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely diced
1 red pepper, stalk off, deseeded and finely chopped
1 red onion, peeled and finely diced
1 tin (400g) pinto beans, drained
600g broad beans (that’s in the pod weight, see recipe instructions )
1 tin (400g) chopped tomatoes
100ml chicken stock
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of fresh marjoram (or oregano) finely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Herb blending attachment on a stick blender, 2 medium saucepans, frying pan, spoon, tongues, small roasting tray and oven at 180⁰C

You do this:
for the lamb, put the garlic, olive oil seasonings and sage leaves into the herb blender and chop to a rough “paste”, smear it all over the lamb fillets and leave to marinate until you need to cook them.

for the Provencal beans, heat the olive oil in one of the saucepans, add the onions, garlic, carrot and celery and cook for a few minutes before adding the tomatoes and stock. Bring to the boil and then turn the heat down to a simmer, cover with a lid (tomato sauce will get everywhere even if it’s just simmering!) and cook, stirring occasionally until you get a thick tomato sauce of about half the original volume, then season to taste – this will take around 30-45 minutes.
Meanwhile, fill the other saucepan with water and bring to the boil, while this is happening, “pop” the broad beans from their shells (slightly time consuming, but hugely satisfying!) and plunge them into the boiling water for about 2 or 3 minutes, depending on their size. Drain the broad beans and refresh (cool) under cold running water. Remove the beans from their pale green outer shells by inserting your thumb nail into the smooth end, tear a little, and with a gentle squeeze on the other end, a brilliant green bean will emerge and you can discard the shell (see TIP 2).
When the tomato sauce is ready, add the pinto beans, the broad beans and the diced red pepper, stir, cover again with the lid and turn the heat off and the heat and the sauce should warm the beans and pepper through.
Meanwhile heat the frying pan to almost smoking and sear both the neck fillets to colour them, tip everything into the oven dish and roast for about 10 minutes so they are pink in the middle (see TIP 3). Take them from the oven and leave to “rest” and reheat the bean and tomato mixture, carefully stirring so they don’t burn and you don’t turn the beans to mush.
Divide the Provencal bean mixture between 2 plates or bowls slice the lamb and place on top, pouring any roasting juices over the lamb and beans for extra flavour.
Eat! Enjoy!

TIPS 1 Lamb neck fillet is a cheaper (and I reckon, tastier) cut of meat.
2 You can use the broad beans in their shells, but they can be tough and taste a little bitter.
3 When I did my dish, it was warm, and I cooked the fillets on my barbecue to add extra flavour.

Italian chickpea and pasta soup

Makes/serves:2

You need this:

1 tin chickpeas, drained
1 shallot or small onion, peeled and finely diced
1 stick of celery, washed and finely diced
1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
200ml chicken or vegetable stock
50g Ditalini or other “soup” pasta
1 sprig of rosemary leaves finely chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon of olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Saucepan, spoon, stick blender or food processer

You do this:

Heat the oil in the saucepan and add the onion and celery and stir until they are opaque. Add the garlic and rosemary, stirring it in for a few seconds, and then add half of the drained chickpeas and the stock. Bring to the boil, turn the heat down and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and either blend the mixture with a stick blender or food processor until it is smooth. Return the soup to the heat, bring back to the boil and add the pasta, the rest of the chickpeas and the diced pepper (and a little more water, or stock if the soup looks too dry). Cook for about 10 minutes to ensure that the pasta is cooked (follow the time instructions on the packet).Serve with a dollop of home made herb pesto. (You may not need bread!)

Eat! Enjoy!

10 tips on sensible shopping –Rule number two- stay focused

Before you even go into the supermarket, you’re confronted by a large choice of trolleys and baskets. A trolley’s got wheels, easy to push and nice and deep so that you can get lots and lots of things in it. Take the easy way out and you’ll buy more than you need because you’ll feel guilty pushing a trolley up to the checkout with just a loaf of bread in it! And because you’re standing behind someone with lots of things, you have to wait and look at all the enticements “placed” conveniently by the checkout. Magazines, DVD’s, CD’s, sweets, batteries etc, just for you to pick up while you’re waiting. Resist the temptation of the trolley and take a basket if you’re only going to buy a couple of things. If you really can’t shop without a trolley, shop once a week or once a month with a list and stick to it.

 RULE NUMBER TWO –STAY FOCUSED –only buy what you went in for, or shop self service, or on line

Seasonal stuff for July

Vegetables
Aubergine, broad beans, french and runner beans, cabbage, carrots, chard, courgettes, cucumbers, lettuce and salad leaves, peas, rocket, samphire, sorrel, spring onion, tomatoes, watercress.

Fruit
Cherries, gooseberries, raspberries, redcurrants, strawberries, tayberries.

Meat and Fish
Lamb, crayfish, clams, crab, pilchards, salmon, seabass.

Lemon Chicken with Bulghar Wheat

Makes/serves: 2

You need this:

2 Chicken legs, cut in half (thigh and drumstick)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
1 garlic clove
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 level tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, peeled and chopped
1 carrot peeled and diced
1 pepper, deseeded and diced
100g Bulghar wheat
½ lemon sliced into about 8 slices
250ml chicken stock
a sprig of rosemary
a sprig of thyme
Frying pan, tongues, spoon, herb chopping attachment on a stick blender (or pestle and mortar) oven dish and oven at 200⁰C and a sheet of baking parchment

You do this:

Put all the dry herbs and spices together with the flour and garlic clove in the blender and blitz to a powder. Coat the chicken pieces and retain any excess mixture. Heat the frying pan with the oil and carefully place the chicken pieces in the hot oil and fry, browning the chicken, remove the chicken pieces to a warm plate nearby and turn the heat down little. Fry the onion, carrot and pepper a little, then add the lemon slices and fry everything together for a couple of minutes. Next, add the bulghar wheat, rosemary, thyme, any of the coating mixture left over and the chicken stock, stir everything together and then pour everything into the oven dish, roughly level it out and put the browned chicken on top. Cover the dish with a sheet of damp baking parchment (a cartouche – see, now you can speak some kitchen French!) Cook in the oven for about 40 minutes. Check after about 30 minutes and add a little water if the wheat is getting dry (although the crunchy wheat gives an extra texture)
Serve with minted Yoghurt
Eat. Enjoy!

TIPS: You could add a splash of white wine to the mixture with the chicken stock
Use breast instead of leg or, if you’re cooking for more than 2 cut up a whole chicken
Depending on the seasons add other root vegetables to the mixture, sliced fennel would give a great flavour and texture)

This recipe was inspired by, and adapted from one of Jamie Oliver’s recipes. Thanks Jamie!

Breakfast on the barbecue

You need this (per person)

1 good quality sausage (my personal favourites are hand made by my local butcher, Steve)
1 large flat mushroom
1 tomato halved
2 rashers of streaky or back bacon (I use Denhay bacon)
1 egg and a little oil for cooking
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Your barbecue hot and ready – a frying pan for the eggs if you’re cooking on charcoal
A beautiful sunny warm weekend morning!

You do this:
Season the tomatoes and mushrooms and cook everything in the order they appear on the list.
Sausage(s) on first, cook and turn occasionally for about 10 minutes, then, on go the mushrooms and tomatoes for 2 or 3 minutes each side, (at this stage, if you need to pan fry your eggs, get the pan on the heat now to warm through), next comes the bacon and finally the eggs, cooked to your liking.
Serve up with home made bread – toasted, freshly squeezed orange juice, freshly brewed coffee (or tea), and surround yourself with people you love!

 

Enjoy!

Chef’s warning:  beware, the smell of grilled bacon and sausages wafting around the area on a Sunday morning can make neighbours very jealous!

Seasonal stuff for June

Here’s a list of some of the stuff you can get this month, it is not conclusive and is not meant to be 

Vegetables

Courgettes, broad beans, peas, aubergines, lettuce, peppers, asparagus, globe artichokes, wild rocket, salad leaves

Fruit

Tayberries, gooseberries, raspberries, redcurrants, strawberries, elderflowers, cherries

Meat and Fish

Crab, welsh lamb, grey mullet, salmon, herring,

10 tips on sensible shopping – Rule number one- Never trust your senses!

Plan your trip around the supermarket, and go and buy exactly what you need for the day or week.

What’s that you say? “It’s not that easy “blog boy” because they keep moving everything around”. Well nearly everything – you know exactly where those staple ingredients like bread, eggs and milk always are don’t you? You got it – right at the back of the store so that you have to walk past everything else just to get a carton of milk or loaf of bread. The supermarkets sole aim in life is to part you from your money, the more the merrier. Products are regularly moved around so that you “stumble” across things you didn’t want, and didn’t know you wanted while you’re looking for them. You knew that the aroma of bread is piped around the store, didn’t you? (they don’t really bake bread from scratch – it’s partly cooked and frozen, they just finish it) It’s to make you feel hungry and “impulse buy” cakes and biscuits and all the stuff that’s bad for you.

So,how do you “beat” them? Shop as soon after you’ve eaten as you can – if you’re not feeling hungry, you won’t buy rubbish.

 

RULE NUMBER ONE – NEVER TRUST YOUR SENSES –don’t shop when you’re hungry