Archive for March, 2010

With Easter fast approaching, and spring well and truly sprung, what better way to enjoy the longer days and brighter outlook than with some seasonal fruit and veg!

Get £20 back* when you sample our Spring fruit and veg…

1. Order before 18th April
2. Place an order of £80 or more, including at least £20 of fruit and veg
3. Enter the code NATOOSPRING
4. Get £20 off*

Go to www.natoora.co.uk to start shopping now!

Need some inspiration? Here are just a few of our Spring favourites…

	Fresh Peas Fresh peas are a fantastic spring and summer treat. Crunchy, sweet and packed with freshness, they are delicious simply boiled and served with melting butter. They are also well suited to mint, and makes a vibrant, refreshing soup. Special offer! £7.50/kg Buy now
	Green Asparagus Green asparagus has a more intense smell than white, and its flavour is stronger and slightly sweet.The advantage of green asparagus is that it can be boiled as well as grilled, allowing its flavour and aroma to be preserved and its vitamin and mineral content retained. Special offer! £8/kg Buy now
	Passe Crassane Pear We love this pear! It has a beautiful marbled yellow skin and from the first bite you’ll notice its juicy, tart flesh. It is a fairly large fruit, sometimes containing a few seeds which enhance the flavour. The red wax seal on the tip is used to slow the evaporation of water to help the fruit last longer. 82p/200g  Buy now

*Terms and Conditions:
Minimum order £80 excluding delivery. Total must include £20 or more of fruit and veg. Valid until 18th April 2010. Not valid in conjunction with any other offer except price discounts. No cash alternative. We reserve the right to refuse or restrict orders.

Get the best out of our fantastic fresh spring peas in this light and refreshing souffle…

150g Diced Pancetta
1 Onion
40g Butter, plus some for the pan
40g Flour
150g Boiled Peas
250ml Milk
1Tbsp Marjoram
Salt and Pepper
150g Gruyere
4 Eggs

Heat the oven to 180C, place the baking tray in the lowest rack. Butter the bottom of the souffle mould and leave on the side. Lightly fry the pancetta cubes and the finely chopped onion, remove from the pan and set aside.

Make a roux by melting the butter in the same pan, then add the flour, mixing well until golden (on a medium heat).

Blend the peas with the milk in a blender. Add to the butter and flour mixture, mixing well with a whisk, on a low heat, until boiling. Boil for 5 minutes stirring continuously. Remove from the heat, add marjoram, salt and pepper. Add the grated gruyere, 4 egg yolks, the pancetta and onion. Mix well.

Beat the egg whites to a very firm consistency with a pinch of salt. Add 1/3 of the whites to the mixture, stirring well, then add the remaining 2/3 with a circular motion from bottom to top, very carefully.

Pour the mixture into the souffle mould and cook in the oven for 45 minutes. Don’t open the oven door during cooking or the souffle will deflate! Serve immediately.

We’ve searched far and wide and not been able to find fresh broad Beans in any of the supermarkets! Ours are absolutely amazing at the moment – super fresh and full of flavour. Read on to find out more….

Taste: Now at the beginning of the season, our broad beans are so young and fresh that they don’t need cooking. Just remove them from the pod and from their skin and eat them as they are, or try them sprinkled with lemon juice and accompanied by a salty pecorino.

Region: These broad beans are among the best on the market. They are grown in Southern Italy and specifically in Basilicata, where they are considered a staple food.

Quality: The difference between fresh and dried or frozen beans is so great it’s almost impossible to compare, as the flavour changes significantly. Fresh is surely the best choice and the most versatile as it’s good for salads, soups, purees…

Growing: Broad beans are among the most ancient plants in cultivation and also among the easiest to grow. It is believed that along with lentils, peas, and chickpeas, they became part of the eastern Mediterranean diet in around 6000 BC or earlier.

Cost: We always let you know the price per kg so you can easily compare our prices. At the moment you will struggle to find them anywhere else!

Natoora “Broad beans“ £5.20/kg

For more information and to buy, click here.

Finally Spring has sprung and we are celebrating with a soup made of our favourite early spring veg…

Serves 4

2 Garlic Cloves
4 Artichokes
4 Spring Onions
200g Podded Broad Beans
1 Lemon
4 Slices Rustic Bread
250g Podded Fresh Peas
Parsley
1 White Chicory
4 Eggs
1,5L Water
2 Vegetable Stock Cubes
Rock Sea Salt

Boil the water and make the stock by adding the cubes, blanch the broad beans in it quickly, then remove using a slotted spoon. Once cool, remove the white skin and keep the green beans on the side. Blanch the peas and put on the side. Slice the artichoke, leaving only the heart. Click here for a step by step guide on how to do this!

Clean and finely chop the spring onion, fry it in oil with 1 crushed garlic clove and the chopped chicory, and add the artichokes. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the peas and broad beans. Add salt, pepper and the stock, and cook for 20 minutes.

Toast the bread slices and scrub with garlic, cut them in smaller pieces and lay on the plates. Sprinkle with pepper and olive oil, then break an egg on top of them, carefully. Add some freshly chopped parsley to the soup, then spoon in the plates, trying not to break the egg. The soup has to be boiling hot in order to cook the egg!

I’ve had a week of so many patients asking me for a good breakfast to have at this time of the year when their bodies aren’t wanting porridge or anything too heavy on the starch – so I thought I’d let you know what I’m doing at the moment.

I’m lucky enough to still have apples left from the my enormous old apple trees having laid them down to store last Autumn, but it’s just as easy to make this with tart apples such as bramleys or to use pears or other fruits such as plums and rhubarb – or a combination is wonderful too. I simply peel and core a batch of apples – usually about 8 apples at a time, as I’d much rather cook a lot once a week and then be able to dip into the pot in the fridge without much effort.

Slice them into quarters and pop them into a large saucepan and add a little water before putting them on the cooker to boil and then simmer with a lid on for about 15 minutes. When you lift the lid you’ll find that the apple has collapsed into a pulp, but just let this cool with the lid on as this is what you want.

This is a delicious base apple compote which you can either eat cold from the fridge or heated up to make a hot apple breakfast which I love to serve with a couple of dollops of Greek style natural yoghurt and top it with some toasted nuts. You can also add other fruits such as raspberries or blackberries, which I have frozen at the moment – so I grab a handful in the morning pop into my bowl with the apple and then heat up in the microwave for a couple of minutes – delicious!

Nutritionally although cooked fruits contain less vitamin C than raw fruits they still contain a little, so it’s still great to eat them as they also contain fibre which is great for your gut. Apples specifically contain a type of fibre called pectin which is particularly settling for a gut which tends to be a little on the irritated side – so this scrumptious apple pot could just be the perfect start to your day.

This week at Natoora, we have a fantastic offer on golden delicious apples! Get shopping today at www.natoora.co.uk…

Ever found yourself in a fluster at the mention of a Roux? Do you quiver at the thought of making your own mayonnaise, or call the window cleaner when a recipe calls for “deglazing”?

Sauce-making can be a minefield of technical terms and complicated processes. But never fear, Natoora is here to explain all! It’s so rewarding to tuck into a delicious home-made sauce, and with the help of some good instructions it can be stressfree and enjoyable!

We know it can be a bit daunting so this week we’ll start with an easy but a goody…Vinaigrette. Now that spring’s on its way it’s the perfect time to whisk up a beautiful salad dressing. Here are the basics, but don’t be afraid to experiment with different flavours!

Basic Vinaigrette

A Vinaigrette is a dressing made from a mix of vinegar, oil, pepper and salt. It is of course best known for dressing salads, but you can also pour over cold meats, roasted potatoes and fish.

1. Dissolve a pinch of salt in 1 tbsp of vinegar (salt does not dissolve in oil!).
2. Add 3 tbsp of oil and some pepper.
3.Then add other flavourings if any (we love it with mustard…).
4. Beat well with a fork until emulsified, or place in a screw-top jar and shake.

Mix and Match

Try different types of vinegar.

Instead of vinegar, replace with lemon juice or other citrus. Use half lemon juice, half oil.

The oil can be replaced with crème fraîche.

Instead of mustard try shallot, capers, garlic, boiled eggs, basil, anchovies, whatever you fancy…!

If you’re in need of inspiration, visit www.natoora.co.uk for some ideas! We’d love to see your creations so send us any pictures to food@natoora.co.uk. Happy whisking!

There’s so much to look forward to now that Spring is well and truly on the way. From succulent spring lamb, to crunchy fresh peas, tender asparagus and rich cherries, there’s something to suit every taste.

While we wait for the new arrivals, it’s time to make the most of some winter greats. The citrus season is ending, but there’s still time to enjoy juicy blood oranges and aromatic bergamot. It’s also your last chance to try our Italian favourites – incredible cime di rapa and bittersweet radicchio tardivo.

Get £40 off your shopping*

So that you can explore everything that the season has to offer, we are giving you £40 off your order!*

1. Order before 28th March

2. Place an order of £80 or more. (Restrictions apply to certain ranges: see terms and conditions for details)

3. Enter the code SPR40SL

4. Get £40 off*

Go to www.natoora.co.uk to start shopping now!

*Terms and Conditions:

Item restrictions: Minimum order £80 excluding delivery and does not include value of any wine, bottled water or tinned olive oil purchased. Total must include £50 or more of non-butchery items.

Offer can only be redeemed once per address or account holder. Valid until 28^th March 2010. Not valid in conjunction with any other offer except price discounts. No cash alternative. We reserve the right to refuse or restrict orders.

A delicious pairing…

Spring is well on its way, but there’s still time to enjoy some winter treasures such as bold and syrupy blood oranges. They make a deliciously interesting match to the rich flavours of mackerel. Try it today!

2 Mackerel Fillets
Butter
1 Shallot
1 Blood Orange
1/2 Glass Dry White Wine
250g Broad Beans
Salt
Pepper

Fry the fish in some butter until golden, making sure not to overcook them. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Blanch the broad beans for a few minutes in salted boiling water, then remove from their skin and set aside.

In the same pan where you cooked the fish, fry some thinly sliced shallot. Add the wine and let it evaporate, then add the juice of the orange and reduce to about half. Add the broad beans, taste and adjust the seasoning.

Place the fillets on the plates and pour over the sauce. Garnish with orange segments. Happy eating!

There’s so much to look forward to now that Spring is well and truly on the way. From succulent spring lamb, to crunchy fresh peas, tender asparagus and rich cherries, there’s something to suit every taste.

While we wait for the new arrivals, it’s time to make the most of some winter greats. The citrus season is ending, but there’s still time to enjoy juicy blood oranges and aromatic bergamot. It’s also your last chance to try our Italian favourites – incredible cime di rapa and bittersweet radicchio tardivo.

Get £40 off your shopping*

So that you can explore everything that the season has to offer, we are giving you £40 off your order!*

1. Order before 28th March

2. Place an order of £80 or more. (Restrictions apply to certain ranges: see terms and conditions for details)

3. Enter the code SPR40SL

4. Get £40 off*

*Terms and Conditions:

Item restrictions: Minimum order £80 excluding delivery and does not include value of any wine, bottled water or tinned olive oil purchased. Total must include £50 or more of non-butchery items.

Offer can only be redeemed once per address or account holder. Valid until 28^th March 2010. Not valid in conjunction with any other offer except price discounts. No cash alternative. We reserve the right to refuse or restrict orders.

As if that wasn’t enough, we are also offering the chance for five lucky food lovers to win a delicious Natoora Fresh Discovery Box. Click here to enter!

Jane Clarke is one of the UK’s must trusted nutritionalists. She not only knows what’s good for you, but as a trained Cordon Bleu Chef, know’s how to make it taste fantastic. Her belief is grounded in the simple statement that “food nourishes your life, not just your body”. This week, find out her views on the greatest of spring meats – lamb…

“One of the easiest and yet most delicious meals to throw together when you have meat-loving friends round is lamb chops; if you can get them as a small rack, they look impressive (with or without the little white curly hats) – small enough to satisfy, but not over fancy and they’re very easy to cook. And nothing could be simpler or more delicious to serve with them than new potatoes and a big serving bowl of steamed greens-drizzle over some extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with plenty of freshly ground black pepper, throw in some very finely chopped mint, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to bring out the flavours, and lightly mix together.

Or you could give your lamb meal a North African theme by serving the chops (or any other cut of lamb) with couscous, maybe flavoured with lots of chopped herbs such as parsley, coriander and the classic served-with-lamb herb, mint.

Lamb, like most meat, needs a little fat on it to help give it flavour, but because like any other animal fat it’s high in saturated fat, a little balancing is necessary. It’s important to avoid animal fat in the rest of your meal, so skip butter on the vegetables and go for a dash of virgin olive oil instead.  I wouldn’t overpower vegetables or your meat with buttery sauces either, otherwise you will find that your lamb meal contains a lot of animal fat, which can increase the amount of bad LDL cholesterol in your blood.

Without sacrificing anything in flavour, this can all be avoided if you cook your lamb chops on a raised grill, so that the excess fat runs off. If it’s a leg of lamb you’re wanting to tuck into, drain the juices off from the bottom of the pan, allow to cool, and then, using either a spoon or one of the fancy but oh-so-useful brushes or pipettes that you can buy in cooking shops, remove the excess fat before using the juices in the gravy.

Nutritionally, lamb is a great source of protein, which is needed to build, repair and maintain body tissues, organs and cells in all parts of the body. Mineral-wise, although it contains less than beef, lamb is still a good source of iron a mineral needed for healthy blood, and for brain development in babies and important for many functions in the body including growth, sperm production,  our sense of taste and smell, maintaining a strong immune system and wound healing – so lamb is deliciously good news all round.”

Keep up to date with Jane Clarke at www.janeclarke.com where you’ll find tips on healthy eating and a weekly diary. If your mouth is watering at the thought of tender, succulent (and nutritious) lamb, click here to view our selection!