Warburtons should be a part of your summer barbecues

Summer is on the doorstep so to speak and it’s time to get the barbecue equipment cleaned up and ready for use.

And what's better is that Warburtons has launched a new range of Burger Buns and Sliced Hot Dog Rolls that will make eating outside easier and tastier. And safer, too! No juggling hot meat and bread as you trying to cut the bap or roll open!

The new Hot Dog Rolls are easy to hold and fill, as they are uniquely sliced from the top rather than down the side. As no barbecue is complete without burgers, please do not forget to buy some Warburtons new Burger Buns. Topped with delicious sesame seeds they are perfect for the summer barbecue.

Richard Hayes, the marketing director at Warburtons, says: “Whether you’re having friends over for a barbecue or a family picnic, Warburtons new Hot Dog Rolls and Burger Buns are the perfect accompaniment for al fresco eating, with the quality, freshness and taste you would expect from Britain’s favourite baker!’

Both products will be available in Asda, Co-op, Sainsburys and Tesco stores across the country from April, priced at £1.15 for a six pack. 

And Warbourtons have asked That's Food and Drink to share this recipe with you!

The Red, White and Blue Burger

Try this great British twist on the classic American burger this summer:

Serves six

Ingredients

1kg lean beef mince

1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
100g (3½oz) blue cheese, crumbled
Mayonnaise and tomato ketchup
Olive oil, to drizzle
Warburtons Sesame Seeded Burger Buns

Method

To prepare the burgers, put the mince, red onion and blue cheese into a large bowl

Mix until well combined, using your hands. Break off 1/6 of the mixture, shape into a ball and fry in an oiled pan until cooked.
Cover the bowl with clingfilm and chill for a few hours. Preheat a griddle pan or heat up the barbecue. Wet your hands and shape the burgers into 6 neat patties. Brush or drizzle the patties with a little olive oil and cook for approximately 7-10 minutes or until cooked, turning them over halfway through cooking.
To serve, sandwich the burger patties between the Warburtons Sesame Seeded Burger Buns with some salad leaves and sliced tomato, and add a dollop of mayonnaise and ketchup to complete your red, white and blue Burger.

FACTFILE

Warburtons is the UK's top independent baker and was established in a grocery shop in Bolton in 1876 by Thomas and Ellen Warburton. Today the business is actively run by the fifth generation of the Warburton family – Brett, Jonathan and Ross
Warburtons is the second biggest grocery brand in the UK. Source: The Grocer Magazine, Nielson Britain's 100 Biggest Grocery Brands, March 2011
With fourteen bakeries and thirteen depots around the UK, the company serves customers from the Scottish Islands & Highlands in the North to Southampton in the South

 Warburtons produces over two million loaves, rolls and crumpets every day and in the UK we eat the equivalent of nine million large loaves of bread on a daily basis Statistics provided by the Federation of Bakers
For local stockists please call the Warburtons Freephone Customer Careline on 0800 243 684.

bottlegreen creates ideal drinks for a summer's barbecue

The salad is ready, the meat is sizzling on the barbecue and the drinks... now, there's another subject, right there! Lager and some nice real ales, of course, there will be some wines and perhaps some colas too, but why not add something a little different to your drinks selection at your next barbecue? How about making it a bottlegreen barbecue?

And there's even more reasons for getting some bottlegreen in, now! Because bottlegreen's newest floavour, their green tea and elderflower presse, is the perfect accompaniment to a summer BBQ, with its unusual yet eminently refreshing flavour and their strawberry and elderflower cordial with its quintessentially British flavours are great for creating cool, long drinks in the garden.

And please do not forget, bottlegreen drinks cordials and presses are also great ingredients' for cocktails and BBQ recipes, too!

Make it the best barbecue ever!

That's Food and Drink have some recommendations for you:-

unearthed® have three new olive selections including Almond Stuffed Olives with Smoked Paprika. These Spanish olives are stuffed with a whole almond for a satisfying crunch, then dressed in smoked paprika to add a touch of heat.  These olives are a perfect accompaniment to a barbeque. Unearthed® have also brought out aFrench Olive Mix and Green Olives with Pesto and Pine Nuts.

Unearthed® also have two new cheeses, Greek Goat’s Milk Balls with Mint (£2.39, 100g), based on Labneh, a staple of the Middle Eastern diet, but with a Greek twist. With a mild flavour, the cheese is made from goat’s yoghurt, then subtly flavoured with mint, delicious mixed in a tomato salad. Unearthed®’s new Diced Greek Feta with Herbs (£2.49,150g) has a burst of fresh flavours  and fragrant additions of oregano, coriander, rosemary, thyme and cloves and goes really well mixed with olives or in a salad.

And Donald Russell, the gourmet online Butcher, have also come up with some sizzling treats for summer. www.donaldrussell.com

BBQ Mini Selection
Donald's mini-steaks cook in a flash, but stay tender and juicy - even on the bbq.

Grass-fed naturally reared beef and lamb

Freedom Food accredited pork

Convenient sized portions

Box contains:
4 Beef Mini Steaks, in pack of 4 (minimum pack weight 200g)
4 Lamb Mini Steaks, in pack of 4 (minimum pack weight 140g)
4 Pork Mini Steaks, in pack of 4 (minimum pack weight 200g)
8 Mini Gourmet Steak Burgers, in packs of 4 (pack weight 180g)
8 Mini Lamb Burgers, in packs of 4 (pack weight 180g)
8 Mini Pork Burgers, in packs of 4 (pack weight 180g)
8 Premium Pork Sausages, in packs of 4 (ave. pack weight 280g
Servings:  8-10

Or why not try

Classic BBQ Selection
The perfect mix for entertaining indoors or out.
They have paired up their succulent Sirloin Steaks, matured on the bone in the traditional way, with our popular Classic and Mini 100% Steak Burgers, perfect cooked medium rare to ensure the flavoursome juices don’t dry out. And to celebrate the change of season, they’ve added some of their delicious Pork Sausages. They do not add any seasoning to our burgers, but they’ve included a jar of their new THE Perfect Seasoning, the perfect partner for all of their steaks, sausages and burgers.

Top quality grass-fed, fully matured beef

Freedom Food accredited pork

Unique seasoning mix which is exclusive to their customers

Box contains:
2 Sirloin Steaks (individually packed, pack weight 210g)
8 Mini Steak Burgers (in packs of 4, min weight 180g)
8 Classic Steak Burgers (in packs of 4, min pack weight 480g)
8 Pork Sausages (in packs of 4, min pack weight 280g)
1 Jar THE Perfect Seasoning, 110g
Servings:  16-18

We would like to recommend a selection of products from Tracklements, an award winning chutney and relish making company.

Firstly, their trio of fresh salsas make the perfect accompaniment to a barbecue.

Secondly, their classic range of barbecue condiments, including Fruity Brown Sauce (Great Taste Awards-Silver) and their Ketchup, (Taste of the West Awards- Silver) made with the best, ripe Italian tomatoes, make a great addition to any barbecue.

Baked Salmon for your barbecue with Loseley Summer Meadow Butter

Whilst meat is a treat for the barbecue, it might be time to try some fish, instead, as a tasty alternative. And with the help of Loseley butter and this simple yet great recipe, you could well find it much easier than you might have thought possible!

Baked Salmon is a lovely barbecue alternative on a Summer’s day.  Loseley have created an easy recipe using their Loseley Summer Meadow Butter.

This delicious Loseley Butter is spreadable straight from the fridge and yet has all the creamy taste of traditional butter making it incredibly versatile.

So as it spreads straight from the fridge it is great for making garlic butter for delicious garlic bread or herb butters to smear inside fish parcels. If not using Salmon simply mix the butter with plenty of fresh, chopped herbs (fennel, dill, mint and oregano - make some shallow slashes on the sides of whole fish such as bream, trout or bass- and then fill the fish cavity and slashes with the butter. Pop the fish into an 'envelope' of tightly sealed silver foil and put on a really hot barbecue. Cook each side for a few minutes and viola, one perfectly prepared, delicious fish -- and no smelly pans to clean up afterwards!

Ingredients for Baked Salmon

4 salmon fillets

1 carrot

1 lemon

1 leek

50g Loseley Summer Meadow Butter

Salt and ground black pepper

Method for Baked Salmon

Cut leek and carrot into thin strips.

Put half of the Loseley butter into a bowl and stir until soft. Grate half a teaspoon of lemon rind and add to a teaspoon of squeezed lemon juice and mix with salt, pepper and butter. Rinse fillets under cold water and cover each with a square of kitchen foil. Put a teaspoon of lemon juice and carrot and leek strips over each fillet. Put some of the lemon butter on top. Wrap each fillet in its foil parcel. Put the parcels on the BBQ for 15-20mins. Set each fillet on a warm plate and spoon the vegetables and juices over them. Serve with Northern Irish baby potatoes or a fresh salad.

Loseley Summer Meadow Butter is packed in a 250grm tub and costs £1.29p.

Loseley Chilled Foods are available from the chilled cabinet of local independent grocers, Morrisons, Waitrose and Iceland. (EDITOR: And often, our fridge at home!)

Visit www.loseley.com  for more information.

Blue Diamond. You and your guests will go nuts for these

Blue Diamond are the Rolls Royce of the almond world. Blue Diamond is the California-based nut producer which is the world’s largest almond company.

They have been creating great tasting almonds for well in excess of 100 years. Their nuts are perfect for enjoying with a drink at a BBQ in the sun, as they are perfect for sharing with friends and family as everyone waits for the food to be barbecued.

But Blue Diamond almonds are even more suitable for your barbecue as Blue Diamond is a company that, even after over 100 years, refuses to rest on its laurels! For the clever chefs at their research kitchens have come up with a new and very tasty flavour, Blue Diaomn Spicy BBQ flavour almonds!

This exciting new recipe is already proving to be a hit and are described as “really delicious.”

So for a nutty and nutritious addition to your next barbecue and all subsequent barbecues, add Blue Diamond to your shopping list.

Tabasco® Chipotle Pepper Sauce

Since I first found a bottle of the extremely tasty and extremely versatile Tabasco® in a local delicatessen shop in the 1970s, I have made it a practice to always kept some Tabasco® sauces at home.

And now, Tabasco® has added something else to their already fine range of sauces. Tabasco® Chipotle Pepper Sauce.

What, you might be wondering, is Chipotle? I am glad you asked me that! Since the time of the Aztecs, the Chipotle pepper (pronounced chee-POHT-lay) has been prized for its dark and smoky flavour. Vine-ripened and slow-smoked to perfection over a slow fire, this pepper produces a thick-bodied sauce ideally balanced in heat and flavour.

It is made from select smoked red jalapeño peppers and has a smooth, rich smoky flavour. It's Tabasco®’s first pepper sauce that you can sprinkle on like a condiment, or really pour on like a steak sauce or marinade!

You can dash it on drop-by-drop, but you can also use a generous amount to marinate chicken, steak, pork and more - because it's not just about adding heat, it's more about adding great a great smoky flavour. It's not too hot, but also, it is not too mild, so the result is a smoky, flavourful sauce that's the perfect sauce for marinating and barbecuing to your heart's content.

But do be aware that with Tabasco® Chipotle Pepper Sauce, buying one bottle probably will not be enough and you do not want to let your barbecue guests down, do you? So my suggestion? Get at least a couple of bottles in.

DipNation How to make your BBQ a special occasion

DipNation are a mouth-watering range of dips with a difference to tempt the taste buds of the nation. Not only are the dips fantastic with your usual chips and crudités, DipNation Chunky Dips work really well within recipes.  Not only do they help create delicious dishes, but they reduce much of the usually required preparation due to their ingredients.

Launched by Jeremy and Juliet Williams, and Juliet’s brother Patrick Gilmour, DipNation and its range of ‘Classic Dips’ was launched in the June of 2009. 

Inspired by the variety of dips that were available overseas and somewhat bored by the lack of choice for we foodies in the UK, Jeremy and Juliet thought they would try and have a go at filling what they identified as a niche, here. 

Patrick, with his background as a skilled chef, created some really scrumptious recipes designed to appeal to UK consumers.  The Chunky Dip range brings tantalising flavours to home entertaining and are perfect for bbqs, dinner parties, picnic occasions and buffets.

A new proposition to the UK market, the Dips introduced a unique and imaginative mix of ingredients which proved to be an instant hit with food lovers in the UK.

Having built up a strong customer base of local Farm Shops and Delicatessens in Fife and its surrounding areas, DipNation’s Dips are now supplied to independent stores throughout the entire UK.

Committed to producing high quality products that are fresh and flavorsome DipNation are always looking for new products. They have recently added a new line of ‘chunky dips’ to their range.

Chunky Dips

Filled to the brim with chunky ingredients these dips are made with a base of crushed cashews and real Parmesan shavings.  Combined with an imaginative mix of ingredients to infuse the flavour, these dips are a taste revelation.  There are no artificial flavourings or colourings added. They only believe in using the purest of ingredients that are designed to compliment and inspire. The chunky dips retail at around £2.60 and have a shelf life of 9-12 days.

Classic Dips

Bursting with delicious, fresh ingredients, these dips recreate authentic middle-eastern recipes that are tantalising and bursting with flavours.  Prepared in simple, yet imaginative ways, they are packed full of natural goodness and contain large amounts of protein, dietary fibre, vitamins and iron. And, as with the rest of the range, there are no artificial flavourings, colourings or preservatives.  Healthy AND tasty. Could there be better? No! The classic dips retail at around £1.99 and have a shelf life of 5 days.

To find out more, visit www.dipnation.co.uk.

Andalusian wraps with Spicy Prawns

A fun BBQ idea this dish in ready in minutes and makes the most of the seasonal, fresh Andalusian produce by keeping all the ingredients crunchy and vibrant, prawns griddled on the BBQ give the dish a unique smokey flavour.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

400 g small prawns (ready to cook, without head and shell)

1-2 small red chillies

1 red pepper (ca. 250 g), deseeded and chopped into strips

2 tbsp olive oil

150 g full-fat cream cheese

Salt and pepper

150 g lettuce, chopped

125 g cucumber, peeled and sliced

4 Tortilla wraps (ca. 40 g each)

1.        Brush the prawns, chillies and peppers lightly with olive oil, then put them on the BBQ, leaving them to grill for 3 minutes. Chop the chilli. Transfer to a bowl and add 90 g of the cream cheese, season with salt and pepper and leave to cool.

2.        Take 4 lettuce leaves. Spread the flatbread with the rest of the cream cheese, fill it with one lettuce leaf, then add some of the prawns, peppers and chilli. Add cucumbers and chopped salad for a crunchy finish. Wrap the flatbread to serve.

Andalusian Chargrilled Watermelon Salad

With Andalusian watermelons now filling the stores, here is a completely different, delicious and traditional barbeque idea from that sunny Spanish region.  Perfect for the whole family the watermelon can either be fried on the stove or griddled in a pan over the Barbie.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

15 min prep, 4 min cooking time

 400g cherry tomatoes (quartered)

200g watercress

Tbsp pickled capers

Tbsp finely chopped shallots

4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp Sherry vinegar (substitute - red wine vinegar)

A little olive oil for the griddle

4 slices of watermelon (roughly 2cm thick)

A handful of basil leaves

1. Mix the cherry tomatoes, shallots and capers together with 4 tbsp of olive oil and a tbsp of sherry vinegar, season with salt and pepper

2. Take the rind off the watermelon slices and cut into rectangles, approximately 10cm x 5cm. Remove seeds if desired.

3. Heat a griddle pan (alternatively use a frying pan) until hot or place the watermelon directly on your BBQ, brush with a little olive oil and grill the watermelon slices for 2 minutes on each side until grill marks appear or browned. Season with a little salt.

4. Divide the watercress between 4 plates, place a watermelon slice on each, spoon the cherry tomato mix over each slice. Garnish with torn basil leaves.

For more information please visit www.andalusianfreshproduce.co.uk

Onion and Cheese Soda Bread

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 large onion, sliced

1 tbsp olive oil

450g/1lb plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

150g/6oz Gruyere cheese, grated

300ml yoghurt

3 tbsp water

2 tbsp sundried tomatoes, chopped

Method

1) Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7

2) Heat the oil in a frying pan & gently fry the onions until translucent, about 10 minutes.

3) Mix the flour and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl; add the cheese, onions and sundried tomatoes.

4) Mix the yoghurt & water together then stir into the flour. Mix with a spoon until it comes together to form a soft dough.

5) Turn onto a floured surface, knead until it form smooth dough & shape into a 20cm round. Place onto a baking sheet & mark out 6 wedges with a knife. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes until golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. If it isn't ready after this time, turn it upside down on the baking sheet and bake for a few minutes more.

6) Serve warm with grilled bacon, tomatoes & onion relish.

(EDITOR: That's food and Drink would like to thank British Onions for their help in creating this article)

Summer Sizzler BBQ Recipes Round Up

With National BBQ Week now just a few days away (May 30 – June 5th 2011), it’s time to for people across the UK to fire up the grill (once again) and celebrate the official start of summer with a good old fashioned BBQ. But when it comes to what to throw on the ‘barbie’, with this delicious round up of unusual and innovative BBQ recipes and salads, boring bangers and burgers will be a thing of the past.

 

Just follow these links for some fantastic foodie feasts!

 

Lamb & Sweetfire® Beetroot Burgers with Feta – Wow guests with these delicious lamb burgers – the beetroot makes them a great colour and they literally melt in the middle thanks to the feta surprise.

 

Venison Burger with Blue Cheese and Crispy Shallots – a down right decadent burger topped off with blue cheese

 

Gizzi Erskine’s BBQ Rib eye with Grilled British Asparagus, Teriyaki and Togerashi – Bring a bit of sophistication to your BBQ fayre with this delicious spicy beef recipe

Char-grilled asparagus and spring vegetables with bbq lamb and pots of mint hollandaise – Slam on the lamb and savour the flavour of summer with this seasonal recipe featuring British asparagus

 

Pink Lady® Apple and BBQ Pork Kebabs - These succulent skewers are ideal for the barbie, so once the sun shines get cooking! Coated in a tangy mango and tomato glaze, all that’s needed is a few flatbreads and shredded leaves to finish the meal.

 

Oriental Lamb, Shallot and Citrus Kebabs with Soy and Honey Dipping Sauce – bring a taste of the orient into your British BBQ with this lamb kebab recipe

 

Broad bean and sundried tomato salad with BBQ lamb – this healthy BBQ recipe couples a fresh and crunchy broad bean salad with succulent lamb cutlets

 

Salads and sides

 

Make your BBQ an altogether more sophisticated event with this selection of delicious summer salads, perfect for providing a fresh take on this year’s BBQ.

 

Barbequed British Asparagus Dipped In Oozing Camembert - This is a French inspired idea that is a great side for a meat filled meal.

 

Summer Salad of Grilled Tenderstem®, Peaches & Goats’ Cheese - This simple salad is bursting with freshness and flavour. When it’s hot outside try using a barbeque instead of a griddle for a perfect alfresco dish!

 

Jo Pratt’s Barbequed Tenderstem®, Melted Goats Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing Croutons - Don’t just save the barbeque for burgers and sausages – this exceptionally flavoursome recipe is a brilliant barbequed starter or side dish. You could even serve it as a main dish for vegetarians

 

Hot Smoked Salmon Salad with Sugar Snaps – this refreshing summer salad features crunchy sugar snap peas alongside succulent hot smoked salmon.

Radish Garden Salad – a classic salad, delicious with beef dishes

 

Spiced roasted shallot salad with Bulgur wheat, aubergine, raisins & a chilli and tomato dressing – spice up your plate with this tasty bulgur wheat salad, great served with great with BBQ meats, chicken and fish

 

Relishes and dips

 

Beetroot & Butterbean Hummus – Add a bit of colour to the BBQ spread with this healthy beetroot dip

 

Runner Bean Coleslaw

 

Radish Coleslaw – ideal for serving with salads, the addition of radishes means this coleslaw packs a punch

 

Radish & Beetroot Chutney - Great with cheese, cold meats, on a baked potato or with sausages

 

Dessert

 

Sweet Eve Strawberry and Vanilla Brown Sugar Toasted Brioche Sandwich - Top the ultimate BBQ feast off with this sumptuous desert featuring rich buttery BBQ toasted brioche used to sandwich ripe Sweet Eve strawberries and vanilla infused sugar.

 

That's Food and Drink would like to Thank the following for their great help in putting this article together:-

UK Shallots - www.ukshallot.com

Tenderstem® broccoli – www.tenderstem.co.uk

British Asparagus – www.british-asparagus.co.uk

Love Beetroot – www.lovebeetroot.co.uk  

Love Radish – www.loveradish.co.uk

Pink Lady® - www.pinkladyapples.co.uk

British Beans and Peas – www.tastesofsummer.co.uk

Sweet Eve Strawberries - www.sweetevestrawberry.co.uk

Badger Golden Champion. Makes your barbecue the perfect Summer meal

The award-winning beer, Golden Champion is another stunning beer from Badger ales. And it really is the perfect accompaniment when you are eating al fresco or barbecuing this summer.

Its light, refreshing character is distinguished by its subtle elderflower notes which create a soft, floral thirst-quenching fruitiness.

As well-known beer journalist and blogger Pete Brown writes, “Flavoured beer doesn’t always have to mean fruit beer. Golden Champion is delicately imbued with elderflower; enough to add a distinctive taste, but not enough to become cloying or overpowering. This crisp, clean ale comes with a hint of perfumed floral character that seems to hover just above the tongue, perfectly evoking late summer evenings.  Probably the best barbecue beer in the world.”

“If you’re looking for a beer to sip on a warm summer evening or one to put some life into your BBQ, Golden Champion will make an ideal companion all summer long as this golden ale has a clean delicate, crisp depth of flavour – perfect when served chilled.” adds Toby Heasman, Head Brewer at Hall & Woodhouse. 

“The water used in all Badger ales is Dorset Spring water that has been naturally filtered for up to a century through the Cretaceous chalk downs and drawn up 120 feet from the Brewery’s own wells.  The heritage of the Hall & Woodhouse yeast dates back to 1934 and our then Head Brewer, John Elliot Douglas. From this date it has been nurtured by our brewers. Despite being 75 years old and having completed over 15,000 brews it is still growing and fermenting as well as ever.

“We use only the very best raw, natural ingredients to brew our premium ales, which are created from recipes that have been passed from generation to generation.  We are proud of our history and provenance in Dorset and both are fundamental to the fine quality of each one of our premium ales,” concludes Toby. 

Golden Champion (5% ABV) is available in 500ml bottles nationally from ASDA, Morrisons and Waitrose and online at www.badgerdirect.com.  It has a RRP of £1.75 per bottle.

FACTFILE:

Hall & Woodhouse, based in Blandford St. Mary, Dorset is the largest family brewer of packaged premium ales in the UK.  Under its award-winning brand name of Badger, Hall & Woodhouse brews some of the Country’s most distinctive bottled ales and has twice been awarded World Champion Beer with Tanglefoot and Badger First Gold at the International Brewing Industry Awards and has a record five Tesco Drinks Awards under its belt.  Badger bottled ales have grown 11 fold in the last decade and boast 9% market share of bottled ales in Multiple Grocers; more than double the market share in 2000. 

(EDITOR: All Badger Ales are distinguished by one fact. They all taste very, very good! Trust me, I am a drinker!)

COOKS&CO can be at your barbecue with restaurant-quality foods!

Fine food company, COOKS&CO have the perfect range for BBQs this summer. Using only the finest quality ingredients from producers around the world, COOKS&CO ensures that time-poor food lovers can prepare stunning, restaurant-quality anti-pasti at home at an affordable price.

The below products are a selection taken from the range - perfect for any barbecue, picnic or party that you have coming up. If you would like to receive some samples please do let me know.

For full details on the range please see www.cooksandco.co.uk

NEW COOKS&CO Roasted Red Peppers

These red peppers are grown under the Mediterranean sun until perfectly ripe.  They are deliciously succulent, with an intense, sweet flavour.  

A convenient replacement to fresh peppers that can be used in salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes, quiches, casseroles and on pizzas.  Or simply serve them as part of an antipasti or mezze platter.

Available at Ocado, Tesco

RRP  for a 460g jar is £2.39

COOKS&CO Green Olives with Sun-dried Tomatoes

Plump, juicy Halkadiki olives hand-stuffed with sweet,
flavoursome sun-dried tomatoes.

Add to pasta, salads or enjoy on their own.


COOKS&CO Green Olives are also available with Jalapenos peppers, Feta Cheese and Blue Cheese

Available at Morrisons, Booths, Musgraves and Asda COOKS&CO Green Olives with Sun-dried Tomatoes

Plump, juicy Halkadiki olives hand-stuffed with sweet,
flavoursome sun-dried tomatoes.

Add to pasta, salads or enjoy on their own.

COOKS&CO Green Olives are also available with Jalapenos peppers, Feta Cheese and Blue Cheese

Available at Morrisons, Booths, Musgraves and Asda

RRP for a 290g jar is £2.99

COOKS&CO Stuffed Vine Leaves

These divine stuffed vine leaves are made to a traditional Greek recipe using mint & dill, resulting in a fantastic combination of Mediterranean tastes and texture.

Great as an appetiser or as part of an antipasti selection.

Available at Tesco, Asda and  Ocado

RRP for a 380g can is £2.25

COOKS&CO Red Chillies

Selected with care, these fine chillies will add a ‘kick’ to salads, kebabs, pizzas, sandwiches, stir-fries and a variety of meat and fish dishes.  

Perfect for Mexican-style recipes and particularly good in salsas, dips and dressings.

COOKS&CO Green Chillies

These green chillies are hot and gutsy! Use them instead of fresh chillies for Indian and Thai curries, Tex Mex recipes and stir fries.

They are a great addition to pizzas, marinades and dips.

Available at Asda and Ocado

RRP for a 300g jar is £1.49

COOKS&CO Red Pepper with Feta Cheese

Stuffed with delicious creamy Feta cheese, these peppers are slightly piquant and melt in the mouth.

Excellent as an appetiser or indulgent snack.

Available at Tesco, Morrisons, Somerfield, Co Op and Ocado

RRP for a 290g jar is £2.99

Cous Cous, from Ainsley Harriott. An instant and ideal addition to your Barbecue

At one time serving food at a British barbecue meant shoving a sausage in a finger roll, or putting a burger in a bread bap. If you were very, very lucky.

But that's all changed now. People want quite a good deal more by way of an accompaniment for their barbecued food! The meats (or the vegetarian equivalents!) are grilled and barbecued to perfection, but in order to make the barbecued meal more of a real meal, if you will pardon that expression, what are you going to serve with it?

A nice, fresh salad, perhaps? Yes, a nice fresh salad is a good idea. But what else are you going to serve besides that? What are you going to serve with the barbecued meat, the bread bap and that nice, crisp, fresh salad?

What about some cous cous? Or, to be more specific, what about some Ainsley Harriott Cous Cous?

Ainsley Harriott Cous Cous is the ideal accompaniment for your barbecued foods, be they meat, fish or vegetarian dishes.

You will find the Moroccan Medley (comes with apple, tomato, sunflower seeds and cumin) the Wild Mushroom (real wild mushrooms and garlic) and the roasted Vegetable Cous Cous flavours all equally flavoursome and the treat is that the only preparation that is required is boiling water, a stir and to be left for five minutes when it will be ready to be served! What could be easier than that?

To find out more visit www.ainsley-harriott.com

Nando’s BBQ range boosts the summer heat!

This year Nando’s is injecting some heat into the British summer with its BBQ range. PERi-PERi pioneers Nando’s have a fiery selection of PERi-PERi sauces, spicy marinades and delicious rubs perfect for the summer months, each created to compliment grilled poultry, meat, fish and vegetables.

With a range of heat levels to suit both heat seekers and the less adventurous, enjoy the taste of Nando’s throughout the BBQ season!

For those seeking out full flavour but who do not want too much heat, Nando’s Sun-dried Tomato & Basil Marinade provides a mouth-watering combination of sun ripened tomatoes and lemons, basil and PERi-PERi – a medium heat level to create a tingle on the tongue. To turn up the heat, Hot PERi-PERi Sauce will make ordinary burgers extraordinary while PERi-PERi BBQ Sauce gives a flavoursome smoky kick to sausages.

For those BBQ nuts who like to take a hands-on approach, Nando’s range of PERi-PERi Seasoning Rubs will gently infuse all your poultry, meat, fish and vegetables with a blend of herbs, spices and PERi-PERi heat. Nando’s chips (crisps) and dips range make a fiery little starter that are perfect for keeping hunger pains at bay while the main meal sizzles on the grill.

Nando’s PERi-PERi Sauces and Marinades will ensure that each bite packs a punch so, despite no-guarantee of good weather, Nando’s can always provide the nation with some welcome heat, try this BBQ recipe to get you going . . .

Nando’s Hot PERi-PERi Sauce is available from all major retailers. RRSP £1.65

Nando’s Sun-dried Tomato & Basil Marinade is available from selected Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Asda stores. RRSP £1.99

Nando’s Sweet & Sticky Marinade is available from selected Tesco, Waitrose, Asda and Coop stores. RRSP £1.99

Nando’s BBQ Sauce is available from selected Asda & Morrisons stores. RRSP £1.49

Nando’s PERi-PERi Rubs are available from selected Tesco, Asda and Morrisons stores. RRSP £1.25

For information on the complete Nando’s product range visit www.nandos.co.uk

Don't just spice your barbecue meat! Schwartz it, instead!

We must all have done it at one time or another. Just shoved some generic spice into the shopping basket, used it in our cooking and thought: “I don't really like that. There's no real taste!”

But you really do not want to risk that with British Barbecue Week, do you? We must let the Sunshine in and Celebrate British BBQ Week with Schwartz!

After a brutally snowy winter, everyone is overjoyed to see summer fast approaching. What better way to celebrate the sunshine then to throw a fabulous BBQ with all your friends and family?

Show off your BBQ skills with a fantastic array of tasty recipes from Schwartz. From Cocoa Chilli Pork Ribs to Chilli and Herb Beef burgers, the aromas will get every nose in the street twitching with intrigue. Your culinary delights will be the talk of the town!

Explore our full collection of delicious recipes with step by step instructions at www.schwartz.co.uk

COCOA CHILLI PORK RIBS

900g (2lb) pork spare ribs
1 onion, quartered
100g (4oz) brown sugar
1 tsp Schwartz Cinnamon Ground
1 tsp Schwartz Garlic Salt
2 tsp Schwartz for Chef Chilli & Cocoa Bean
150ml (1/4 pint) apple juice
4 tbs tomato puree

STEP 1

Preheat the oven to 200ºC, 400°F, Gas Mark 6.

 STEP 2

Place the ribs in a large roasting dish with the onion, cover with boiling water and foil. Place into the oven and cook for 30 minutes.

 STEP 3

Meanwhile mix together the sugar, Cinnamon, Garlic Salt and COOK ART spice blend in a small bowl.  Reserve 3 tbs of this spice mixture for the sauce.

STEP 4

Remove the ribs from the oven and drain. Rub the remaining spice mixture over the ribs, until well coated. Place the ribs in a single layer on a foil-lined roasting pan. Cover with foil and roast in the oven for a further 30 minutes.

 STEP 5

Meanwhile make the sauce, gently heat the apple juice, tomato purée and reserved spice mixture until well combined and glossy.  Use half the sauce to baste the ribs and return to the oven for a further 20 minutes, until the ribs are sticky and glossy. 

 STEP 6

Place the other half of the sauce in a serving bowl.

CHILLI AND HERB BEEF BURGERS

(Serves 4)

1 tbs oil
1 onion, finely chopped
450g (1lb) beef mince
2 tsp Schwartz Chilli Powder Mild
2 tbs tomato purée
1 tbs Schwartz Mixed Herbs
4 burger buns, halved and toasted if desired
1 bag mixed salad leaves of your choice
2 tomatoes, sliced
Schwartz Sea Salt Mill to season
Schwartz Ground Black Pepper to season

STEP 1

Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion and fry gently for 5 minutes, until softened.

STEP 2

Tip the onions into a bowl and add the beef mince, Mild Chilli Powder, tomato purée and Mixed Herbs. Season well and blend the mixture together.

STEP 3

Divide the mixture into four and shape into burgers. Cover and refrigerate, until ready to cook.

STEP 4

Brush with a little oil and cook on the barbecue, or under a pre-heated grill for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through, turning occasionally. Ensure the burger is piping hot and cooked throughout before serving.

STEP 5

Add a few mixed salad leaves and tomato slices to each burger bun and top with the cooked burger. Serve with the remaining salad and sauces of your choice.

CLASSIC BBQ CHICKEN

4 tbs honey
6 tbs tomato ketchup
4 tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 tbs Schwartz Perfect Shake Classic Barbecue Special Blend
Juice of 1 lime
1kg (2.2lbs) chicken drumsticks, thighs or wings
1 bag mixed salad leaves of your choice
1 French baton

STEP 1

Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the chicken and stir to coat evenly.

STEP 2

Cover and leave to marinade for 30 minutes, or for best results overnight in the refrigerator. 

STEP 3

On the barbecue or under a pre-heated low-heat grill, cook the chicken drumsticks and thighs for 30-40 minutes, and the wings for 10-15 minutes, or until cooked through. 

STEP 4

Ensure the chicken is piping hot and cooked throughout before serving with the salad and French bread

Stone me! That's a good idea!

The Pizza Stone from Emile Henry is a fantastic idea! It is perfect for barbecues. You can really go to town with it! You can use it to create your own, special recipes, something different to use the barbecue for perhaps?

Why not make a pizza on your barbecue? Or your own flat garlic breads? Now that IS a novel and exciting idea, isn't it?

The striking Emile Henry range of cookware has been extended and now includes the brand new Pizza Stone. 

Featuring the special and innovative Emile Henry Flame® technology, the new Pizza Stone brings a new delicious dimension to barbecues, making flatbreads, pizzas, pittas, garlic and herb breads and all manner of doughy creations possible – all with the unmistakably authentic stone baked crust. And all for just £48.35 from www.emilehenry.co.uk

Some Habits are Worth Keeping, or developing. Get into the new Blue Nun

Blue Nun has done something quite exciting with its range of UK wines by introducing fresher and more fruity styles and a striking new design for the packaging.

The winemakers behind this iconic German-produced wine have used their passion, heritage and expertise to create a family of quality wines that really do deliver on taste for today’s wine lovers.

The new Blue Nun “Original” white wine, still in its famous blue glass fluted bottle, now contains the Rivaner and Riesling grape varieties.

Previously a blended non-varietal designated wine, the Rivaner Riesling has been carefully blended to ensure it will appeal to the taste and palate of the UK wine drinkers and offers more body and flavour.

The Langguth winemakers have crafted a beautifully finished wine with perfect balance, softness, and depth of fresh fruit flavours.

The new Blue Nun is an unpretentious, contemporary wine best consumed lightly chilled (Alc 10.0 % Vol).

The brand is also launching a new premium range of four German varietal wines, including a Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Dornfelder Rosé and Pinot Noir, each with its own distinctive style and character.

The Pinot Grigio has fresh aromas and flavours of bright apple and exotic pineapple, rounded off with a touch of fruit flavors and a crisp clean finish.

The Riesling is a wonderful combination of bright fresh fruit flavor with hints of white peach.  It has a light, zesty feel with a soft, cool finish.

The Pinot Noir is elegant and fresh with aromas of bright cherry and flavours of mulberry.  A medium bodied wine with hints of oak and a silky texture on the palate.

The Dornfelder Rosé is bursting with tangy raspberry and cherry aromas with a soft fresh finish, which results in a lovely summery wine.

Blue Nun wines have been produced since 1921 and come with the added assurance of their Sichel Superior Vinification winemaking method.  This involves temperature controlled fermentation, which results in a remarkable improvement in taste, aroma and smoothness of wines.

In the UK, Blue Nun sells over 31,000 bottles every week and is also enjoyed in over eighty countries around the globe.  So raise your glass to that! 

The new Blue Nun Rivaner-Riesling will be in most UK supermarkets nationwide from May 2011 with a RRP of about the £4.99 mark.

These new Blue Nun wines will really provide a fantastic partner for your barbecued foods this summer. So best to get a bottle (or five!) in to ensure you and your guests can enjoy good food, good company and good wine, all summer-long.

You, too, can indulge in some healthy barbecuing with Flora Cuisine

Barbecuing is a nice and relativity healthy way of cooking. But did you know that you can make it even healthier? How? By using Flora Cuisine, that's how!

Why? Because you can use Flora Cuisine to fry, roast and barbecue, too! (You can use it on your griddle, for example, and to coat sausages, burgers, steaks, et., whilst they are cooking. And you can smear it on barbecue grills and griddle plates to ensure the meat and vegetables do not stick.

Not only that, but if you are making sauces for your barbecue meals, Flora Cuisine is ideal fort that, too. And you can also use it to roast potatoes, vegetables, meat and fish, too, for when maybe the weather has rained the barbecue off? And do not forget, it helps you make perfect muffins and cakes, too!

Not only is Flora Cuisine a delicious alternative to other types of cooking, it can also make the proud claim to have 45% less saturated fat than than olive oil.

Clippy’s Apples, giving your BBQ the Fruit-factor!

This summer no BBQ will be complete without Clippy’s Apples wonderful range of tasty conserves, jellies, chutneys and relishes. 

Created by working mum and Master Preserver, Clippy, Clippy’s Apples products contain only British apples and, unlike other sugary supermarket brands are totally fruit-tastic, packed full of lovely juicy fruit and combined with indulgent hedonistic ingredients – they’ll set your taste buds alight!  Available nationwide, Clippy has hand-picked from her range the ones that best capture this season in a jar:

Apple, Garlic & Thyme Jelly

This tongue-tingling preserve is made with pressed British apple juice, perfectly roasted garlic, and thyme. Use it to add some zing to your BBQ meats.  This jelly is also delicious melted down and used as a mild marinade.

Apple, Redcurrant & Chilli Jelly

The word 'addictive' describes this hot but not hellish chilli jelly.  It contains 63g of fruit per 100g.  Again, this jelly, when melted down makes a lovely marinade with a chilli kick!

Apple Tomato & Roasted Garlic Relish

The perfect dip for any BBQ, it’s light and refreshing, everyone’s favourite!

Apple, Mango & Chilli Chutney

Wow!  This really packs a punch - try with your BBQ sausages or to perk up your burger!  Also yummy with big juicy prawns or fish on the BBQ.

Clippy is on a mission to save British apple orchards and uses only British apples in all Clippy’s Apples products.  All of Clippy’s recipes have been developed in her home kitchen using apples from her back garden with daughter Rosie, 2, as chief taster!  (EDITOR: That's a very important job!)

Clippy’s Apples products are available via Ocado.com, ASDA (North West stores only), Fortnum & Mason, Harvey Nichols and E.H. Booths.

All of Clippy’s Apples products come with handy serving suggestions on the label to give you a little inspiration.

Clippy’s passion for British apples began when she found out that two-thirds of British apple orchards have been lost since 1970 and Clippy, together with fiancé Paul Gorman, wants to reverse this disturbing trend.  Clippy Founded Clippy’s Apples in 2008 by using apples from her back garden.

(EDITOR: That's Food and Drink raises a glass to Clippy, Paul and Chief Taster, Rosie!)

Kent's Kitchen can help you with your BBQ

When barbecuing first became popular in the UK, it was a case of somehow eventually starting a fire and, in clouds of billowing, choking smoke, turn some sausages and burgers in to charcoal lumps that were barely edible, though everyone did their best to chew through them, just to show willing.

But that's all changed, now! After watching TV chefs (who have crews of dozens to help them!) people want marinated these, rubbed those and really nice, tasty sauces. So, you can be stuck in the kitchen for hours even before you have wheeled the barbecue cooker out of the shed!

But there's an easier and better way to do it all! There's the Kent's Kitchen way! 

Kent’s Kitchen specialises in meal kits and risottos and aims to make the busy foodie’s life easier with products that mean you don’t have to have massively long shopping lists, or bother with lengthy prep time and over-complicated recipes.

For the summer season they have some fabulous bbq sauces, rubs and marinades on their website, perfect for al fresco dining and bbqs.

The meal kits contain 3 pots – infused oil, paste, and spices / herbs – all you need to buy a couple of ingredients and in 20 minutes you have an authentic, delicious meal! Easy!

The range includes Chow Mein, Thai Green and Thai Red curries, Madras, Spicy Korma, Rogan Josh....just £2.50 each.

The risottos are brilliant – all the hard work is done for you and you just add water. It really could not be easier! They come in 5 delicious flavours including wild mushroom, bacon & spinach, chicken & sage, prawn & lemon and vegetable. Just £2.40 each.

And Kent's Kitchen believe that there is no place for additives like artificial flavours, colours and the like in good quality food. So they do not use them!

And what's more, most of the range are vegetarian and coeliac friendly and you can order them on line at www.kentskitchen.co.uk.

So now you can barbecue like a professional with none of the pressure! And that's good!