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