Archive for January, 2010

We have plenty of delicate, luscious artichokes available this time of year. Depending on the variety you choose, they can be incredibly tender, even tender enough to eat raw. Of course they are more commonly found in the delicatessen, preserved in olive oil and flavourings. If you want to try this at home, we recommend using small French artichokes. Follow our easy step by step guide and you’ll have delicious preserved artichokes ready in 3 weeks…

1. Peel the darker outer leaves of the artichokes until you get to leaves which are 2/3 tender (they’ll be lighter in colour and only the tips will be dark). Chop the top so you are left only with the tender heart. Slice lengthways in 4 or 6 pieces according to size of the artichoke.

2. Boil some water and white wine vinegar in a pot (2 parts vinegar, 1 part water)  and scald the artichokes for 3 minutes. Drain and let dry and cool down.

3. Put in the glass jars with some salt, oregano and some garlic if you like. Some celery leaves from the heart give a lovely flavour too. Cover with extra virgin olive oil, close the jar and let it rest for at least 3 weeks.

We can’t get enough of these! Happy eating!

Serves 4

Bring a bit of sunshine to your dinner table with the combination of our amazing Sicilian oranges and deliciously fresh trout…

400gr Filleted Trout
200gr Lollo Biondo Lettuce
30gr Extra Virgin Olive Oil
150gr Potatoes
2 Unwaxed Oranges
1 ts Ground Pink Peppercorns
Salt

Fillet the trout making sure to remove all bones, then slice in 3-4mm thick slices like you would do with smoked salmon, starting from the tail of the fish.

Steam the slices for 2 minutes. Place the fish on a plate, seave the juice of one orange  and make a marinade with the peel of the second orange (cut in paperthin slices – only the orange part), salt, pink pepper and olive oil.

Pour over the fish and allow to marinate for 30 minutes.

While you do this, peel and dice the potatoes in reasonably small pieces, boil them for 10 minutes and allow to cool down.

Place the lettuce on the serving plates, then top with potatoes and trout, pouring over the remaining marinade.

A wide variety of flavours can be unlocked with our range of peppercorns..

Ah what would any chef do wthout a good selection of spices? We know very well that anyone remotely interested in learning how to cook needs at least two things: a good cook book to start with and a cupboard full of spices to boost the flavours (or hide the occasional mistakes).

That’s why at Natoora we have decided to widen our already rich selection of spices and cooking ingredients! Pepper is the most popular and most widespread spice in the world, so let’s concentrate on it and some of the new varieties from Steenberg’s Organics:

Organic Green Peppercorns: Fresh, light and fruity, these are whole peppercorns which have not ripened fully. Ideal with red meat and salmon.
Organic Black Peppercorns: Strong and pungent, these are some of the finest you will find on the market.
Organic Pink Peppercorns: Sweet, delicate and pungent at the same time, they beautifully pair with fish but are really a berry!

Happy Eating!

Katherine

Cranberry, Dark Chocolate and Almond Biscuits

Makes approximately 30

Ingredients:
75g Butter, softened
50g Light Muscavado Sugar
50g Golden Caster Sugar
1 Egg
A few drops of Almond Extract
100g Plain Flour
60g Ground Almonds
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
100g Dark Chocolate Chips
50g Dried Cranberries

Method:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 190c (170c Fan/375f/Gas 5) and line two baking trays with baking paper.

Step 2: In a standing mixer (or by hand) cream together the butter and sugar until smooth and well mixed. Beat in the egg and almond extract.

Step 3: Sift together the flour and baking powder and stir in the ground almonds then add this to the butter mixture and mix until combined.

Step 4: Roll large teaspoons of the mixture into balls and arrange on baking trays spaced apart. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden. Leave to cool on trays before transferring to a wire rack.

The biscuits can be frozen or will keep for 3 days in an airtight tin.

Get the taste of the Med with these warming spicy lentils. You can replace the chicken strips with prawns, salmon or even pork.

Serves 4

3-4 Chicken Breasts or 400g Chicken Goujons
200g Dried Lentils, rinsed
Olive Oil
1 Onion
1 tbsp Curry Powder
1 tbsp Tomato Purée
300ml Chicken Stock
Salt and Pepper

Heat some oil in a medium sized pan. Slice the onion and add to the pan, letting cook for 3 or 4 minutes until softened. Add the curry powder and purée and fry for another minute or 2. Stir in the stock, bring to the boil and add the lentils. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until  the lentils are tender, and the stock is absorbed. Stir occasionally, adding more stock if needed. Season to taste.

While they are cooking, heat some more oil in a large frying pan or griddle pan. Season the chicken strips well and place in the pan. Cook for 4 or 5 minutes each side, making sure the flesh is cooked through.

Spoon out the lentils and place the chicken strips on top. If you prefer, you can serve with a dollop of yoghurt to cool them down a bit!

The world’s most expensive ham has just gone on sale, but is it worth the huge price tag?…

The now infamous ham has gone on sale for £1800 for a whole leg. Some think it is worth every penny, others say it is only the most expensive because the price has been inflated to make it so.

Whatever your opinon, lovers of fine hams and cured meats will no doubt appreciate our extensive range of freshly sliced charcuterie. Our years of experience in sourcing the best quality charcuterie means that we have an enviable selection.

We recommend the new Gerbolo Gran Riserva, intensely flavoured and ridiculously moreish, or the sweet and delicate Prosciutto San Daniele. For a treat from the Basque county, try the air salted Jambon de Bayonne. It is geographically protected for its superb quality and taste. We also have arguably the very best Prosciutto di Parma in Italy, produced by the family company of Pio Tosini. It has been served at the River Café for over 4 years and we can see why! It is first choice ham, carefully selected and cured to ensure a fantastic sweet taste – you will savour every slice…

Happy Eating!

Katherine

For those who were 70s and 80s kids, the universally-popular card game ‘top trumps’ will still linger in the nostalgic mind. Memories of beating your brother, sister and friends with your favourite fast car or dinosaur provided boundless fun, however, not forgetting the enjoyable education that was acquired at the same time.

So, here at Natoora we thought it would be as insightful as amusing for us to adapt this treasured pastime by incorporating some of the select meats that we sell – sharing our expertise so you can become victorious in breed top trumps!

This month we will focus on Welsh Mountain Sheep; showing you the key features from how much they cost, to what they like to eat.

Mountain Sheep

The Welsh Mountain breed have evolved over hundreds of years to deal with the extreme harsh conditions that are often presented in the valley. The best cuts are between August and March, and this breeding cycle means this particular sheep is a well-sought after delicacy across the UK. The male has an impressive coat and distinct curled horns, whereas the female is hornless.

They remain outdoors and feed happily on grass, hay and sugar beet nuts in the colder months. This staple diet results in the breed being constantly healthy and fit; benefiting from the goodness of their habitat, such as wild herbs, creating a naturally lean meat with notable floral flavours. The sheep are more diminutive than other breeds, so expect slightly smaller joints when you buy from us or a butcher.

Specification:

Max Weight (pounds)                                                                  178

Max Engine capacity (food consumption) 2 times its own body weight

Max cost when new (£)                                                               250

Miles per gallon (mpg)                                                              n/a

Health (good to poor)                                                                  Good (they eat grass and sugar beet nuts)

Farm yard factor                                                                          95%

A classic looking animal proving an equally classic taste!

Now that you’ve won this round of top trumps, why not take a look at our quality lamb choice cuts to celebrate

Warm up with this delicious stew!

Serves 4

900g Diced Beef
2 Large Onions
1 Bay Leaf
1/2 Ltr Lager
225g Carrots
350g Mushrooms
30g Butter
Flour
Salt and Pepper

Chop the onions, carrots and mushrooms. Heat the butter in a casserole dish on a low heat, then fry the onions with the bayleaf, carrots and mushrooms, until the onions have turned translucent. When the onions are turning golden, add the beef. Brown on all sides on a high heat, then sprinkle with flour. Mix and add the beer.

Season well, then cover and cook in a low oven (gas mark 3, 160C) for 2 hours. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes or red cabbage.

Stay out of the cold and close to your oven – now is the perfect time to stay in and cook up a storm!

It’s been one of the coldest weeks of recent times and we’re keeping warm by doing a good bit of cooking. Now is the perfect time to experiment with homemade soups, fuelling risottos and piping hot stews, so throw off your boots, give up your hat and scarf and defrost in front of a hot stove with our top 5 dishes to beat the BIG FREEZE…

1. Homemade Spiced Pumpkin Soup: Heat up in more ways than one with Jam and Clotted Cream’s delicious pumpkin soup. Spiced with mustard seeds, garam masala, turmeric and chilli powder it has some amazing flavours and will warm you up through and through!

2. Make your own Gnocchi: If you don’t fancy braving the fiercely cold winds and ice outside, spend the evening at home making your own gnocchi. With our step by step guide you’ll create some truly tasty nuggets, ready to take on your favourite flavours. Give it a go…

3. Veal Stew: Warm yet? If not, this nourishing stew will do the job! With the intense flavours of mushrooms and veal it is well worth a try…

4. Sticky Date Bars: Another of Jam and Clotted Cream’s delicious recipes, ready to give you a much needed energy boost! Munch on these as a snack, or serve warm with cream. Yum!

5. Mull it Over: Christmas might be over but there is definitely room for some hot (and of course alcoholic) drinks this Winter! Try our recipe for mulled wine – the perfect drink for these cold winter nights.

As a special THANK YOU for your support over the past year, we are offering a tasty 10% off your next order! All you need to do is:

1. Place an order before 31st January 2010 and buy any of our Winter Picks (see below)
2. Enter the code WINTERTREAT at checkout
3. Receive 10% off* when you spend £80 or more

Our Winter Picks

Leafy Sicilian Oranges Mussels Spiky Artichokes

Stilton Bergamot Cavolo Nero

Vacherin Mont D’or Venison Mandarins

*Terms and Conditions:

Include one or more item in your basket from the “Winter Picks” list in the enclosed leaflet. Enter code WINTERTREAT at checkout to receive your discount. Minimum order £80 excluding delivery. Valid until 31st January 2010. Not valid in conjunction with any other offer except price discounts. No cash alternative. We reserve the right to refuse or restrict orders.

Happy Eating!