Archive for the ‘Masterclass’ Category

Artichokes are an incredible treat during the colder months. The first of the season are now arriving at Natoora and we asked our buyer to show us how to prepare them for cooking.

1. Tear off the outer leaves (be careful of any spikes) until you reach leaves that are a lighter shade.

2. Peel and trim the stalk, leaving about 15cm.

3. Cut the artichoke horizontally, using a sharp knife, to remove the upper parts of the remaining leaves.

4. Slice lengthways in half or quarters if you prefer.

5. If there is a hairy choke, scoop it out with the knife or a spoon.

6. Put in acidulated water to prevent discolouration.

7. Get cooking! See all our artichoke recipes here

Top tips:

• To check if the artichoke is good, it needs to be firm and not speckled, and the leaves well attached to the heart. The stalk also has to be firm.
• The first 4 cm of the stalk is absolutely delicious so do not throw away, but make sure to remove the outer strings by scraping with a knife, or by peeling the outer part.
• Artichokes will keep in a plastic bag in the fridge for 5-6 days. You can take out the outer leaves and cut the top, wash thoroughly, blanch in water with some lemon and freeze. Or see our artichoke preserving masterclass to make your own deli delights.
• Once cut, artichokes will discolour so if you are not cooking them immediately put in acidulated water.

Making a fresh pasta sauce is wonderfully satisfying, and you will find that the flavour is much fresher than any that you will find in a jar. It is also very easy to do and a great way to use up any excess ripe tomatoes.

The type of tomato you choose will of course decide the flavour of the sauce. Small datterini tomatoes will make a beautifully sweet sauce, but only need a quick sauté to avoid turning into a pulp and losing their lovely shape and skin. Small cherry tomatoes are tarter and will need a bit more work to peel and de-seed, but are great if you prefer a tart sauce.

Our preferred variety is the meaty San Marzano. They have a good flavour and are very easy to prepare, but you can also use bull’s heart or vine tomatoes, or a mixture of any of these.

First, choose the ripest tomatoes as these will taste sweeter. Wash well while you boil water in a large pot. Place the tomatoes in the boiling water for around 2 minutes until you see the skin beginning to crack. By blanching the tomatoes like this, the skin is very easy to peel.

Carefully remove from the water with a slotted spoon and plunge into chilled water. This helps the skin come off and will cool the tomato enough to handle.

Gently peel the tomatoes, cut off the tip and discard. If you like, cut in half and remove the seedy pulp.

Now you have two options – either cut the tomatoes into you preferred size, or place them all in a large bowl and gently squeeze them until they are broken down.

When you are ready to cook, heat a couple of spoonfuls of extra virgin olive oil and gently fry a couple of crushed garlic cloves. Once they’re golden brown, remove and add the tomatoes.

Add salt and pepper, chilli if you like, cook on a high heat for about 5 minutes (see when all water from the tomatoes has reduced).

Boil some more water, with plenty of salt, and cook your pasta (al dente).

Add lots of torn basil to the sauce, then mix with the pasta in the pan before serving. Finish off with a drizzle of fruity extra virgin olive oil and some grated pecorino.

Making your own stock is not only very satisfying, its also a great way to use up some veg (and perhaps some less appetising animal parts)…

There are 2 basic types – white and brown.

White stock: Made by placing the ingredients straight into the cooking liquid
Brown stock: The ingredients are first browned in oil or fat

Perhaps the most thrifty stock is fish stock as it allows you to use most of the fish trimmings:

Recipe: White fish stock

250g fish trimmings (bones, head and skin – try to avoid the gills as these can be bitter)
1 large fennel bulb
1 leek
1 celery
handful of herbs (parsley or chervil stalks or a mix works well)
175ml dry white wine
1ltr water

First rinse the fish trimmings of any blood. Chop the vegetables roughly and place in a heavy-bottomed stock pot. Roughly chop the herbs and add (including the stems) to the pot. Add the cleaned fish trimmings and pour over the wine. Add enough water to cover all the ingredients and place on a high heat to bring to a simmer.

Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove the surface scum with a spoon and discard. Reduce the heat, cover, and leave to simmer for a further 25 minutes. Make sure to skim ever 5-10 minutes.

Once cooked, strain the stock and discard the fish trimmings and vegetables.

Leave to cool. Your stock will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge or a couple of months if frozen. To sace freezer space, reduce the stock further and freeze in ice cube trays.

This makes an excellent base for fish soups and sauces.

Learn how to make pasta dough from the master of pasta – Theo Randall! Theo kindly let us give you a preview of this easy to follow guide from his new cookbook “Pasta”.

Serves 4

150g tipo 00 flour
50g fine semolina, plus extra for dusting
1 large organic egg
3 large organic egg yolks

Place  all  the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until they form a yellow ball of dough. At this point, the dough should have a smooth, firm but slightly sticky texture, almost like plasticine. If it seems wet, add an extra teaspoon or two of flour. Divide the dough into 2 equal balls and immediately wrap them in cling film to prevent drying out. The dough will keep in the fridge for up to 10 days. You can freeze it but I wouldn’t recommend it, since it can discolour and lose a lot of moisture on thawing.

With the rollers of your pasta machine on their widest setting, pass a piece of dough through, then fold into 3. Give it a quarter turn and pass it through the machine again. Repeat this 5 or 6 times so the gluten in the pasta is thoroughly worked, then pass it through the machine to roll out, progressively narrowing the rollers by one notch each time. Make this as thin as you feel comfortable with. The more the pasta has been worked initially, the thinner you will be able to roll it. Make sure the pasta sheet is no more than 60cm long, otherwise it will be difficult to handle and it may break.

Now cut into your favourite shape, dust with semolina and leave covered in the fridge overnight.

This recipe has been taken from Theo Randall’s “Pasta”, a fantastic cookbook on all things pasta!

Pressure cooking is a great way of cooking certain types of food which usually require cooking for a long time. It saves time and for some foods, it actually intensifies the flavours.

The only problem is, it can put both the cook and food under pressure, especially after the urban legend that the pot can explode! (we have done our research and there is no evidence of this ever happening so DON’T PANIC!)

The best way to avoid culinary disaster is to know the exact cooking times for what you’re making (see below) and always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines to take good care of your pot.

The best things to cook under pressure

Pressure cooking can cut cooking times up to 70%, so it’s a great way of cooking pulses, rice, of braising or boiling meats or to quickly steam vegetables. You can even use it for cooking hard fish like octopus in no time. We find the food benefits in flavour as less water is required and less will evaporate while cooking.

What can’t I put in the pressure cooker?

Aside from anything that only needs a short amount of cooking, we don’t recommend it for recipes which require checking the process in order to make sure the perfect cooking time is reached (i.e. risotto).

How to pressure cook

Once the food and a little amount of water is in the pot, close and put on the stove at a high heat until maximum pressure is reached (valve starts whistling). At that point you can reduce the heat to minimum, and cook for the required time. When time’s up, just switch off the heat, but make sure all steam has come out before opening the lid!

General pressure cooking guidelines:

1)     Make sure the valve is always free to release the pressure, so do not overload the pot (A 5ltr pot should serve a maximum of 5 people)

2)     Open the pot only once the pressure in it is equal to the external one (once all steam has come out the valve)

3)     Do not cook any food that is wrapped in paper or cloth

4)     Cooking time should be considered from when the maximum pressure is reached (valve whistling)

5)     Reduce heat as soon as maximum pressure is reached

6)     Clean thoroughly after use, making sure valve is kept free to exhaust pressure

Pressure cooker cooking times (in minutes)

Roast meats (add at least a glass of water after searing on all sides in the same pot):

Lamb……………………….18-22
Duck………………………..20-25
Rabbit………………………15-18
Pheasant…………………..20-25
Guinea fowl……………….28-30
Pork…………………………18-22
Beef………………………….30-35
Cockerel……………………12-15
Chicken……………………..18
Veal………………………….25-30
Roast beef- rare…………..6-8
Roast beef- medium……..8-10
Roast beef- well done…..10-12

Boiled meats (cover in water or stock):

Cotechino………………..20-25
Pork………………………..25-30
Beef toungue……………..60
Beef…………………………..45-50
Chicken……………………18-20
Veal tongue……………30-35
Veal…………………………25-30
Zampone………………….25-30

Braised or stewed meats (with own cooking liquid –wine or stock):

Lamb………………….20-25
Rabbit…………………15-20
Hare……………………30
Pork…………………..25-30
Beef……………………50
Goose……………………..45
Veal osso buco………..12-15
Poultry………………….20-25
Veal………………….20-25
Tripes…………15-20

Fish (1-2 glasses of water):

Eel………………8-10
Lobster………………8-12
Carp…………………4-6
Shellfish…………4-6
Prawns…………….4-6
Cod………………8-10
Perch/Bass……………….4-6
Octopus………………..15-20
Scampi………………..4-6
Squid………………..2-4
Trout………………8-12
Fish soup…………6-8

Dried Pulses (abundantly cover in water):
Chickpeas……………….20-30
Beans…………….30-40
Broad beans……………….30-40
Lentils………….12-15
Peas…………….18-25

Fresh pulses (abundantly cover in water):

Chickpeas…………………15-20
beans………………20-25
Broad beans…………………10-15
Lentils……………10-12
Peas………………15-20

Rice: 5-7

Dried fruits (1-2 glasses of water):

Apricots…………..4-6
Chestnuts ……………30-40
Figs……………….10-12
Apples………………..4-6
Peaches………………4-6
Plums………………8-10

Fresh fruits (1/2 glass of water):

Apricots…………..2
Cherries…………….2
Peaches………………2
Apples………………..5
Pears………………..3

Fresh vegetables (if boiled, cover in water. If steamed, 1-2 glasses water)
Asparagus…………………………4-6
Whole beetroot……………….8-12
Beetroot -cut……………..15-18
Broccoli…………………………8-10
Baby artichokes or artichokes chunks…………8-10
Whole artichokes…………………..10-12
Cardoons……………………………12
Carrots chunks……………………3-4
Whole carrots…………………….5-6
Cauliflower florets……………..4-5
Cauliflower whole…………………8-12
Brussels sprouts……………..4-5
Savoy cabbage…………………………..6-8
baby onions………………………..5-6
Onions………………………….8-10
Swiss chard……………………………6-8
Extra fine beans…………………..4-5
Aubergines chunks…………………4-6
Potatoes chunks……………………5-6
Potatoes whole…………………….10-15
New potatoes………………….6-8
Peppers sliced………………….15
Peas………………………….2-5
Tomatoes chunks………………….3-5
Leeks……………………………4-6
Turnips chunks……………………..8-10
Turnips whole………………………10-15
Celery chunks……………………6-8
Spinach………………………….3-4
Pumpkin diced…………………….4-5
Zucchini…………………………2-3

Got a favourite pressure cooker recipe? Why not share it with us!

Continuing our sandwich week theme we thought it was about time we all learnt to make that sarnie must have – mayonnaise! Mayo is a cold emulsified sauce made from egg yolks and oil blended together and flavoured with vinegar, salt, pepper and mustard. It is a great sauce to learn as it also provides the base for other favourites such as andalouse, and tartare.

In order to make a succesful mayonnaise it’s important that all the ingredients are at the same temperature. Don’t panic though if it curdles, you can rectify by adding this mixture little by little to another egg yolk with a pinch of mustard and a few drops of vinegar or water.

Mayonnaise Recipe

Prepare all ingredients to be at room temperature:
2 egg yolks (plus one on the side in case the sauce curdles!)
Vinegar or lemon juice if preferred
1 teaspoon of white mustard (optional)
300ml olive oil
(these need around half an hour to reach room temperature)

Put the eggs, a pinch of salt and pepper and the mustard powder in a medium bowl. Stir quickly with a wooden spoon or a whisk until the mixture is smooth.

Then use a tablespoon to add the oil, drop by drop, and a few drops of vinegar (or lemon juice). Make sure to beat the sauce against the sides of the bowl, the whiteness of the sauce depends on the continued beating.

As the volume of the sauce increases, larger quantities of oil can be added in a thin trickle and also more vinegar (or lemon). It’s essential to add the ingredients sparingly to avoid curdling!

This is the basic mayo. Now if you’re feeling adventurous try adding anything from anchovy paste to garlic, mustard, watercress or even caviar!

With Easter fast approaching you might be planning a big family meal this Sunday. What better way to impress your guests than with a gravy to beat all others! Deglazing your roasting dish will make a wonderful gravy, full of all those beautiful lamb flavours. Read our easy guide to find out how…

How to Deglaze a Pan

1. Skim off any excess fat.
2. Dilute the caramelised juices with wine or double cream.
3. Reduce the liquid by simmering.
4. Add stock and continue reducing the liquid until the sauce has reached your desired consistency. Season to taste.

Recipe: Redcurrant and Roast Onion Gravy

This is perfect with your spring lamb!

6 sprigs of thyme, cut into pieces
3 red onions, halved
Zest of half a lemon
1 garlic bulb, halved
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp redcurrant jelly
175ml/6fl oz Sweet Wine
350ml/12fl oz Lamb Stock or Water
Lamb Joint

First, roast the lamb with thyme sprigs, onions, half a lemon zest and halved garlic.

Once the lamb is cooked, pour away any excess fat from the roasting tray, then place the tray on the hob over a high heat. Stir in the redcurrant jelly or any flavouring you desire with the roasted onions and garlic until melted. Then add the sweet wine and boil for half a minute. Add the stock or water and simmer for a couple of minutes until thickened. Season with salt and pepper and strain through a sieve. And there you have the perfect gravy!

A few tips for great gravy:

• If you add too much salt, add some raw potato slices and cook until translucent. Remove before serving, the potato should have absorbed the extra salt.

• If you like your gravy extra thick, add a little cream and let it cook down a bit to thicken. Alternatively, mix a teaspoon of cornflour with a little cold water and stir until dissolved. Whisk into the gravy and cook to remove the cornflour flavour.

• Lumps? What lumps! Beat with a wire whisk or if all else fails, get out the sieve!

• Instead of wine or sherry, use brandy or port to deglaze.

• Finally, the better the meat, the better the gravy! Try some quality lamb from our expert butcher Moen and Sons!

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!

Vibrant, herby, spicy oils will add a hit of flavour to salads, pastas, pizzas and most fish and meat dishes. Here we’ll show you how to create your very own at home. They’ll make a fantastic home-made gift for foodie fans or are simply a great thing to have around the kitchen!

Lemon Oil

2 Lemons
500ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Zest the lemons carefully, making sure not to get any of the pith. Then lightly crush the zest to release some of their natural oils. You can use a pestle and mortar or the side of a knife.  Now all you need to do it pour the extra virgin olive oil over the lemon zest and preserve for at least 3 weeks in a dark place. After this time you can sieve the contents and transfer to a bottle.
Good For: Fish, Grilled Meats, Salads

Rosemary Oil

2 Sprigs of Rosemary
500ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil

First wash the rosemary and leave to dry. You can pat it lightly with a towel or leave out to dry naturally. This is to stop it from growing mould. Put the rosemary and the olive oil in a bottle and leave for 2-3 months.
Good For: Roast Meats, Soups

Chilli Oil

Dried chillies are best (whole or flakes). Put as much as you like according to strength of chillies!
500ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Simply pour the oil in a bottle with the chillies and leave for 2-3 months.
Good For: Pasta, Pizza

Now you know the basics, why not experiment with your flavours? There’s so many to try…thyme, garlic, bay leaves, cloves…view our range of herbs for some inspiration!

Top Tips for Great Tasting Oils

1) Use only good quality extra virgin olive oil
2) Only use untreated ingredients, wash thoroughly and perfectly dry them before preserving
3) Wash and sterilise any bottles and jars
4) Store for a minimum of 3 weeks in a cool, dark place, with the bottle tightly closed
5)If you notice some “activity” in the oil (for example if you start to see some little bubbles) discard the oil as something went wrong and could be carrying bacteria.
6) Use within 4-6 months
7) If possible, store in dark glass bottles or if only clear glass bottles are available, store in dark place

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!