Archive for the ‘In the Spotlight’ Category

It’s certainly starting to feel like summer is over in the UK – I had to dig out my winter boots already this week and to rub salt in the wound got splashed by a very inconsiderate car. It might seem unbelievable, but the sun does in fact shine for slightly longer in other countries. In Italy, the beautiful sun not only tans speedo clad bodies all along the beaches, but also gives us some truly fantastic culinary delights.

Thanks to our lovely Italian buyer Roberto, we can at least enjoy some second hand sun through the treats on offer at Milan market. Although available all year, vegetables like tomatoes, courgettes, peppers and aubergines are particularly good at their peak in the summer months. The markets are packed with these sunkissed delights, so its a great time to make the most of them!

At Natoora, we have a bit of love affair with tomatoes.  We could sing their praises all day long, particularly at this time of year. At the moment we have seven wonderous varieties on offer. Take advantage of their versatility and amazing flavours with our simple tomato guide!

Great for Salads

Datterini and Baby San Marzano Tomatoes

These are so good and so sweet you don’t want to spoil them too much by cooking a sauce with them. Of course you can have them with pasta, but try adding them last in the pan (you will have halved them first). We love them in salads, and try marinating them with your favourite herb and extra virgin olive oil to dress meat, fish or the most amazing brushetta you will ever have. Their flavour is very intense and sweet, so bear that in mind when you add other ingredients to your salad… these like to be the star of the show!

The Meaty Beasts

Bull’s Heart Tomatoes

The meatiest tomatoes of all, big, soft textured, are amazing in salads. For their shape and texture, they’re also interestingly good pan fried. Their flavour is decisively more delicate compared to the above varieties and for this reason they pair deliciously with intense ingredients, so use them if you need meaty texture to pair something more overpowering… a good example is a starter of tomatoes with bottarga.

The Saucy Ones

San Marzano Tomatoes

Buy these if you’re thinking of making a quick tomato sauce for pasta, or a chuncky raw sauce for fish. They’re incredibly flavoursome and meaty, and the water content is quite low so you’ll get a sauce that will hold on to the pasta with the right amount of sweetness, which will not overpower the other ingredients.. they’re great “binding” tomatoes. Plus, the skin is quite thin, so if you quickly blanch them whole, it will peel off very easily. This is a basic preliminary operation when using them in cooking. Try doing this first, then dice them up thinly, add capers, garlic, salt, pepper, add on top of fish when baking.

Home made tomato passata

On top of tasting best at this time of the year, tomatoes are also cheaper at the moment so it’s good to make the most of them by buying large quantities. Of course one can eat only so much, so what to do with them if you’re not feeding an army? Make passata!

5kg San Marzano tomatoes
2 onions
250g carrots
250g celery
salt

Wash the tomatoes, them roughly chop them. Dice up the vegetables and put everything in a large pot. Boil for half an hour, removing any water forming on the surface. Puree in a moulin and pour into clean, dry jars. Sterilise for 15 minutes (follows the jars manifacturer’s instructions) and once cool, close and store. You will have a great base for any tomato sauce ready in minutes.

Notes on preserving

Always use sterilised jars, and make sure the vegs are perfect by discarding any speckled parts. This will ensure a perfect preserve and will make it last for longer! Always close the jars when the contents are cool, storing them in a cool dry place, away from the light. If you notice any activity in the jars or moulding, discard immediately and do not eat.

Top Tomato Tips

- Vine vs Single: Buying on the vine is a pretty definite guarentee that your tomatoes have been ripened on the vine as opposed to being gassed with ethylene to make them look red and ripe. Of course all the tomatoes we sell have been ripened on the vine, whether they are still attached to it or not, but you can’t be so sure in the supermarket.

- Do not refrigerate: Tomatoes can lose their flavour if kept too cold so these red delights are best kept at room temperature.

- Peeling: The best way to remove the skin is to quickly blanch them whole. The skin should loosen so you can easily peel it off.

- Not so tasty: The vine and stalk are actually toxic so best avoiding eating that part, no matter how good they smell! In the 1600s, us Brits thought the whole tomato was a pretty nasty cousin of deadly nightshade and deemed it unfit for consumption! Oh how very very wrong we were…best eat a few more to make up for such a terrible error in judgement!

If we’ve managed to spread some tomato love today, try our tomato selection today. All our favourites in one handy bag!

When it comes to the meat we sell, we like to know everything there is to know about it. With Christmas just a few days away we’re guessing that you’ve already brought your meat of choice for the dinner table, but for those who haven’t, we have some quality, mouth watering meats that will be an instant Christmas cracker!

Although turkey and goose are the more traditional options, gammon, capon and chicken still rank highly with our customers each year, mainly due to their versatility and cost. Whichever meat you choose, you’ll know it will be well received on Christmas day, Boxing Day and however long it will stretch over the festive period!

Here at Natoora we are advocates of ethical rearing and all of our meat has been expertly reared where the highest animal welfare standards are upheld. We love the festivities so much that we thought we’d give you a breakdown of the finest choice cuts we’ve received from our butcher this Christmas. Enjoy!

Turkey

Our Appledore Organic free range bronze turkey is raised on a natural diet with the freedom to roam in open grassy areas. This particular bird has a unique taste and texture that will certainly make a palatable impact this Christmas!

Goose

Goose is a real Christmas treat but easy to overcook as the size, density and amount of fat all affect the cooking time. Our free range goose is rich in heritage as well as taste and specially reared on straw and corn; containing zero additives. A must have table treat!

Smoked/Unsmoked Gammon

The great thing about smoked gammon is it tastes fantastic hot or cold, which is why this meat is hugely popular on Boxing Day. We also have unsmoked gammon for those who require a more subtle finish, but either way they’re both delicious seasoned with honey and cloves!

Chicken

Our organic chicken is always a popular choice, so why not make it your centre piece this Christmas? Like turkey it tastes great with cranberry and stuffing, or with thyme, rosemary and garlic of course.

Capon

Capons are becoming an increasingly popular Christmas Day alternative as the meat is very tender compared to other birds. You may have noticed that all the top chefs rave about capon, so why not bring a little something special to the table this year!

Next month’s choice cuts: rabbit and game

When it comes to the meat we sell, we like to know everything there is to know about it. We pride ourselves on providing the best cuts of lamb both for flavour and quality, and if you share our passion for all things lamb, you might be interested to know exactly where these amazing cuts come from. So, every month we will highlight the various edible parts from our select animals, and more specifically, how best to prepare and cook them.

Sheep thrive in a variety of climates and have been the principal meat source across North Africa and Eurasia for centuries. The Industrial Revolution sparked an increased demand for meat and led to the increased breeding of sheep for meat in the UK. We can now reap the reward of several generations of selective breeding for taste and texture; well-reared lamb today is likely to be better than any eaten at any time in the past. Approximately 80% of lamb sold in the UK is from animals between four months and a year old. Lamb is a fantastic source of zinc, iron and Vitamin B. So, delicious and healthy all at the same time!

Here at Natoora we are advocates of ethical rearing, and all of our lamb cuts have been expertly reared and where the highest animal welfare standards are upheld. We love lamb so much that we thought we’d give you a breakdown of the finest lamb choice cuts we receive from our butcher.

Leg

Our legs of lamb are perfect for that scrumptious Sunday roast, as well as popular dinner party cuts. Our tip when preparing for a roast is to make several small incisions in the leg and then stuff it with loads of garlic and rosemary. Yum!

Culets

The great thing about quality lamb cutlets is they’re immensely delicate, which means you can’t overcook them. Our little tip is to brush them lightly with oil, season with salt ad black pepper and seat quickly on a griddle.

Chops

All our Lamb Chops are derived from the British Isles, including classic breeds from Shetland to Yorkshire. Chops are extremely tender and juicy and we recommend you marinate them in fresh rosemary and then cook them on the griddle.

Neck

Many people use Neck of lamb for stewing as the bones provide unique and delicious juices to the stock. Fantastic for gravies and soups to really warm the cockles this winter!

Shank

As one of the most popular cuts, the lamb Shank is best braised to really appreciate its tenderness and richness. We think that Sunday lunch was made for lamb shank!

Rack

The Rack of lamb is cut from the saddle of the lamb and has the perfect balance of fat to meat ratio, which means when in season is the sweetest of all the meats.

Shoulder

The Shoulder of lamb is one of the larger cuts and is hugely rich in flavour. We have always thought the shoulder is highly underrated, and at such great value, believe you should savour this select piece to really appreciate its complex flavours.

Next month’s choice cuts: Rabbit

When it comes to the meat we sell, we like to know everything there is to know about it. We pride ourselves on providing the best cuts of pork both for flavour and quality, and if you share our passion for all things pork, you might be interested to know exactly where these amazing cuts come from.  So, every month we will highlight the various edible parts from our select animals, and more specifically, how best to prepare and cook them.

We’re clearly not the only pork lovers about. Did you know that around 803,000 tonnes of British pork is devoured each year? And, nearly 60 per cent of the bacon we eat is imported from countries like Holland and Denmark? Here at Natoora we love British pork, raised in good conditions. Our expert butcher Moen and Sons share our belief in quality, so here is our breakdown of the finest pork choice cuts that comes from all our pigs.

Pork Cuts

Chops

The great thing about pork chops are their versatility. You can easily prepare any number of dishes, for an affordable price. Our Pork Chops are perfect for a good grilling. Although the BBQ season is almost over, now’s the time to make the most of your grill!

Belly

This is probably one of the most underated pork cuts. Whether you add a honey based marinade, or simple season with salt, pepper and olive oil, our Pork Belly will certainly ensure a successful dinner party, or romantic night in!

Loin

Our Pork Loin comes in a variety of cuts,  but all share one thing in common: tenderness. The beauty about pork loin is it can be cooked quickly or slowly oven baked, so what ever the occasion or timescales, you know it will always taste great!

Diced

If you’re a fan of casseroles and stir fries, then our Diced Pork cuts will definitely give these dishes added succulence and quality. Often derived from the hand, neck or leg, diced pork is inexpensive and versatile.

Buy pork online today from Natoora and Moen and Sons to enjoy these choice cuts!