That's Christmas: Serving up the sweet smell of Christmas with Mince...

That's Christmas: Serving up the sweet smell of Christmas with Mince...: A festive fragrance for foodies Serving up the sweet smell of Christmas The warming aroma of the mighty mince pie has been captured in...

Add some Andalusian magic to the Festive season!

Normally baked after Christmas by Andalusian families, Roscon de Reyes, is otherwise known as Three Kings Cake and tradition states that it contains a hidden toy , model king or butter bean which is said to bring year long luck to the finder. Traditionally served with an Andalusian tortilla or Spanish Omelette it is eaten either at breakfast or lunch during the festive period.

Andalusian Courgette Tortilla with Roast Cherry Tomatoes
Serves: 4:
600 g courgettes, sliced
6 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
3 spring onions, chopped
350 g cherry tomatoes (on the vine)
6 eggs

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F

1.       Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan add the courgettes and fry till brown. Season with salt and pepper. Heat another tablespoon of oil and sauté the spring onions. Keep one tablespoon of chopped spring onions back for garnish.
2.       Place the tomatoes on the vine in an ovenproof dish. Drizzle with one tablespoon of oil and bake it for 10-12 minutes until they start to burst. Season with salt and pepper.
3.       Whisk eggs with salt and peppe r and add the courgettes and the spring onions. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a pan (ovenproof handle), place the egg mix in the pan and fry it for 3 minutes. Place the pan in the oven and bake the tortilla for 5-7 minutes. Place the tortilla on a plate and slice it. Top it with the chopped spring onions and pepper. Serve with the roast tomatoes.

Nutritional value (each serving):
ca. 405 kcal/1695 kJ, 17 g protein, 32 g fat, 7 g carbohydrates

Roscon de Reyes – Three Kings Cake

(Makes a 15” cake)
Ingredients:
400g flour
3 eggs
100g butter
100g sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 litre milk
zest of 1 lemon
dried mixed peel for decorating
glace cherries for decorating
salt

250ml whipping cream for filling
Model king / small toy / butterbean for decoration (optional)


Method

1. Mix the baking powder 4 tbsp of the milk add this to 100g of the flour. Mix together until it forms a dough type mixture - cover with a clean tea towel and set aside until it doubles in size.

2. Place the rest of the flour (300g) in a bowl and add the eggs, sugar, pinch of salt, the rest of the milk and zest of the lemon. Mix well then add the butter and continue mixing for a further 2 mins then add the dough mixture - once a smooth dough has been achieved cover and set aside for 2 hours.

3. After 2hrs knead the mixture then put it in a ring shape on a greased baking tray. Decorate with the dried mixed peel and glace cherries. Brush with milk and bake in an oven at 160 degrees for 15-20 mins.

4. When cool, whip the cream and slice the bun in half. Fill it with whipped cream (you can hide the toy, model king or butter bean in the cream). Slice and serve.

Ensure your Christmas feasts do not leave anyone out!

With at least nine million people at risk of an adverse reaction to their Christmas dinner Genius Foods, the UK’s leading gluten-free brand, and Lactofree®, the UK’s only lactose-free dairy range have teamed up to ensure everyone can enjoy a delicious festive feast.

As many as one in 100 people in the UK are gluten intolerant and research also shows that up to 15% of people in the UK are estimated to be lactose intolerant. Considering there are over 60 million people in the UK, that is a lot of Christmas dinner guests with intolerances!

Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne, founder of Genius Foods and author of ‘How to Cook for Food Allergies’ said: "Cooking for people with intolerances can be a confusing and daunting task but we have put together some recipes to make sure everyone is catered for. Even if you aren’t lactose or gluten intolerant cutting them out is not dangerous to your health. Some people find that just cutting down on these ingredients can actually make them feel less bloated and more energetic, which following a Christmas dinner is almost unheard of!"

But shopping for these dinner guests can seem daunting. Sian Porter, Consultant Dietitian offers a few top tips for surviving Christmas with a lactose or gluten intolerance:

“When in the supermarket you should take extra time to read food labels – especially as some items such as mince pies are only eaten seasonally, you may be unfamiliar with their ingredients. These often contain both lactose and gluten, derived from dairy and wheat, barley or rye respectively. However, there are gluten free mince pies available. If treating yourself to a creamy homemade desert make it with lactose free dairy to ensure you can all experience the delights of Christmas without the worry of paying for it afterwards.”

“If you’re lucky enough to have Christmas lunch made for you, make sure that the cook knows in plenty of time what foods might contain lactose or gluten as well or suggest that you will bring an alternative for everyone to try.”

Both lactose and gluten intolerances share symptoms such as bloating, diarrhoea, sickness and cramps. In fact, many intolerances are misdiagnosed and as a result, 38 per cent of people who think they suffer from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) might in fact be lactose intolerant. It is also thought that between 50 per cent to 90 per cent of gluten-intolerance (coeliac disease) cases are either undiagnosed or misdiagnosed as IBS. So you may find yourself catering for those who don’t even realise they have an intolerance – happy tummy’s all round!

Chemo Cookery- Ideas to Make Chemo More Tolerable

This month is breast cancer awareness month, and while the shops are brimming with all things pink, helping to raise valuable funds for cancer research, it doesn’t do much in the way of making those suffering with breast cancer feel more comfortable. So, chef Jim Fisher has created some delicious recipes that aim to do just that. And with Christmas not far away, these recipes will be of great help if you are catering for someone who is having Chemo.

From foods high in vital nutrients to ingredients to suit a changing sense of taste, every aspect of the dish has been considered with the chemo patients needs in mind.

Chemo Cookery

Ideas To Make Chemo More Tolerable For Cancer Sufferers

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month when the world turns pink and the disease is endorsed by celebrities. Raising awareness this way is fantastic but the women actually going through treatment for this debilitating disease can be overlooked. Their world is far from pink.

Inspired by his own mother’s battle with cancer, Jim Fisher, chef patron of French cookery school www.cookinfrance.com has worked with nutritional therapist, Lucy Hyland http://www.foodforliving.ie to create ideas and recipes to help people going through chemo. Available on his website completely free of charge, Jim plans to add to the pages and creating a valuable resource for cancer patients throughout the year.

Commenting on his Chemo Cookery, Jim Fisher said: “My mum and I used to love cooking together but once she was diagnosed, there were more important things to consider than gourmet cooking. We had to focus on maintaining her strength and fitness as well as choosing foods that helped her overcome chemo’s radical effects of her body. This included a diminished appetite and a drastic change in her sense of taste.

We concocted a series of recipes that could be adapted on the fly to her changing sense of taste and her - often severe - physical symptoms. Chief amongst those that affected her appetite and ability to taste was Oral Mucositis which caused pain and inflammation of the surface of the inside of her mouth. Mouth ulcers were also a problem making it difficult to eat, drink and even talk. Coupled with this was constant fatigue, high levels of stress and a nagging fear for the future.

Our recipes and approach helped Mum and I hope others will get benefit from this too”.

FACTFILE:.

JIM’S CHEMO COOKERY ADVICE

Maintain and repair mucosal lining of mouth, stomach and gutCalm lining with teas such as liquorice, chamomile and fennel. Ginger tea also helps with any post nausea. Include these ingredients in dishes or even juices if it helps.

Increase consumption of easily digestible foods It’s the perfect time for slow cooked stews and casseroles and soups with heaps of veggies. Liquidise as much as possible –people drink broth to get the electrolytes and nutrients in. Freshly made smoothies and juices are great if you have a blender – dairy can be hard to tolerate but you might be able to add some yogurt to smoothies – if not, I tend to use 100% nut butter blended into smoothies and not noticed – great source of easily digestible protein and good fats (great for all that repair work)

Increase consumption of anti-oxidants to help boost immune systemConsume plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables (see soups above) or stew your fruit if you can’t handle fresh. Add fresh herbs and spices to dishes  – perhaps infusing a broth with rosemary to provide anti-oxidant support.

Increase natural anti-inflammatories as body is generally quite inflamed afterwards Examples include garlic, ginger, nuts and seeds (grind them if they are too course or use nut butters) fish. Also try to reduce naturally inflammatory foods such as dairy, sugar and meats.

Ensure a healthy bowel by eating plenty of fibre rich foods (wholegrains such as porridge for breakfast, brown breads at lunch and brown rice/pasta for dinner), beans and legumes (hummus, adding a tin of chickpeas to your stew or vegetable soups), nuts and seeds and heaps of veggies and fruit. This is more for post chemo – the body may not be able to handle all this fibre and so use your blending and pureeing and grinding techniques to make digestion as easy as possible.

Try to consume at least 8 glasses of water a day and try to walk a little every day.

Increase protein intakeThe body is undergoing some repair and so having protein with every meal will help fuel this, for example, eggs or yogurt with breakfast, and beans, legumes, fish, eggs or a limited amount of meat with lunch and dinner. again – this is post chemo but going for easy to digest proteins might help – I blend beans and legumes into soups so people don’t need to digest them as much. Even if people can tolerate a little porridge in the morning, I will grind some nuts and seeds and sprinkle on or soak the nuts and seeds over night to make them much easier to digest.

Make stocks, soups and sauces from natural ingredients Often, processed foods can taste strange or metallic so try to use fresh or non-processed ingredients.

Back off on salt, pepper and spices and avoid overly-browning meat and over-reducing sauces Sometimes, highly flavoured foods are too strong for chemo patients. Sometimes, it’s beneficial to serve hot foods cold or at room temperature because heat increases flavour.

Avoid dairy and fats These can trigger nausea - use pure nut butters and soy products where possible. 

Recipes

Vanilla and Banana Smoothie

A soothing and nutritious smoothie. Vary the ingredients to include blueberries, raspberries, etc.

Serves one

250ml soy milk (or soya cream for extra mouth feel)

1 ripe banana

seeds of ¼ vanilla pod

1 tsp un-processed honey

Blend all the ingredients together until ultra smooth. Pass through a fine sieve if still too course (to relieve throat pain).

Vichyssoise Soup

Classic creamy potato and leek soup traditionally served cold (thus reducing the intensity if the patient is feeling sensitive to strong flavours).

Serves 6

1 leek (white part only), roughly chopped

3 medium semi waxy potatoes (i.e. Maris Piper), peeled

2 tsp nut oil

1 ltr fresh chicken or vegetable stock (pale, not roasted)

250 ml soy milk

salt (scant)

Gently sweat the leek in the oil for about five minutes until softened. Add the potatoes and then the stock. Bring to a simmer and cook gently until the potatoes are very soft. Turn off the heat and stir in a little salt to the patient’s taste. Add the soy milk and blend to a smooth puree. Pass through a fine sieve and serve either cold or warm (never hot).

Chicken and Watercress Salad with Chickpeas and a Lemony Yoghurt Dressing

Chicken is a source of Selenium, a powerful antioxidant that has been linked to the restriction of cancer cell growth and the alleviation of some chemotherapy side-effects. Chickpeas contain Folic Acid, essential for cell growth and for proper synthesis and repair of DNA. There is evidence to suggest that a compound in watercress can ‘turn off’ a signal in the body that is responsible for cancer growth.

This recipe is also a great way to use any leftover roast chicken, and it has a beautifully simple dressing to go with it.   

Start by soaking the chickpeas in plenty of cold water overnight.

Serves four

3 heaped tbsp dried chickpeas (soaked, as above)

4 free-range organic skinless chicken breasts

1 tbsp nut oil

Salt (scant)

Freshly ground black pepper (scant)

Glass dry white wine

250 ml low fat or dairy-free yoghurt

Finely grated zest and the juice of a lemon

1 tbsp finely shredded mint leaves

Bunch of watercress

Simmer the chickpeas in plenty of un-salted water for about 30 minutes (salt toughens the skin of dried peas and pulses and can make the dish unpalatable to chemo patients).  Drain and cool.

Smear the chicken pieces with a little oil, then season lightly (if at all - see above) with salt and pepper. Bring a large deep lidded frying pan to a high heat and fry the chicken on the ‘skin’ side for about two to three minutes or until golden brown.  Turn the pieces over and brown as before on the ‘flesh’ side.

Pour in the glass of white wine (or water or chicken stock) and simmer for two minutes. Put the lid on and turn off the heat – yes, that’s right, turn the heat off.  Drape a couple of t-towels over the top and leave it alone to ‘rest’ for fifteen minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (t chicken will continue to cook in the residual heat of the pan).

And make the dressing: empty the yoghurt into a glass or ceramic bowl.  Stir in the lemon zest, a teaspoon of the juice, the mint leaves and a scant pinch of salt.

Now, remove the chicken from the pan and pull off large strips of flesh, placing them in a bowl.

To assemble the salad, place pieces of chicken, some croutons and watercress on the plate working them into a pile.  Drizzle the dressing over and around.

Panna Cotta and Spiced Prunes

Gelatin - used to set the Panna Cotta - in the diet can help reduce the effects of chemotherapy on the patient’s nails, which often splinter and can even turn black. Soy instead of dairy helps with nausea, and honey is always better than processed sugar due to its naturally antiseptic and hypo-allergenic qualities. Rehydrated dried fruits are often easier to digest than fresh.

For the Panna Cotta:

250 ml soy milk

250 ml soy cream

2 level tbsp honey

1 vanilla pod, split down its length

3 level tsp gelatin        

For the prunes:

24 no-soak prunes

2 tsp honey

250 ml strong cold tea

1 star anise

1 cinnamon stick

Put the milk and cream into a saucepan with the honey and vanilla pod and simmer for five minutes.  Turn off the heat and leave to infuse while you deal with the gelatin;  sprinkle the powder onto 3 tbsp. of hot water in a small saucepan and leave it alone for five minutes after which time the crystals will have softened and absorbed the liquid.  You can now gently heat the gelatin to dissolve. Whisk in the still-hot cream.  Remove the vanilla pod and pour the mixture into 6 ramekins or dariol moulds.  Cool to room temperature then pop them into the fridge to set - about 2 hours.

Place the prunes in a saucepan with the other ingredients and bring to a simmer.  Turn the heat down and simmer very gently for 5 minutes.  Cover and leave to steep in a cool place, preferably overnight, or for at least 6 hours.

To serve:

Briefly dip the bases of the dariol moulds into hot water for about 2-3 seconds to loosen the sides, then carefully turn them out onto four cold plates.  Pile some prunes alongside and pour on some extra juice.

Company information

Learn to "Cook in France" - a fun friendly hands-on cookery school in Drdogne. Foodie banter, tips & recipes from me, chef Jim Fisher (“I learned from Rick Stein, Alastair Little & Tony Tobin,” says Jim)

That's Christmas: Christmas at Sainsbury's

That's Christmas: Christmas at Sainsbury's: This year you must make Sainsbury's a part of your Christmas plans. Whatever you are looking for, from the Turkey to a vegetarian feast, fro...

Taste of nostalgia in a lick - Dandelion & Burdock Ice Cream launches

A Dandelion & Burdock flavoured ice cream has been launched by artisan ice cream producer Yummy Yorkshire, and what's more, it is available in time for Christmas!

Yummy Yorkshire, which is based near Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, developed the flavour in homage to one its hometown’s best known companies; Ben Shaws, who brought the unique taste of Dandelion & Burdock to the people of the UK.

The retro ice cream flavour is made using a traditional style Dandelion & Burdock drink and has the same distinctive aniseed taste that the soft drink is famous for. It was first launched in August this year by Yummy Yorkshire as a limited edition flavour at the Huddersfield Food & Drink Festival but has now been rolled out due to popular demand.

Yummy Yorkshire’s Louise Holmes who is responsible for the development of new ice cream flavours says: “When I asked the team for ideas for a real Huddersfield themed flavour we knew Dandelion & Burdock was a winner as soon as it was mentioned. It was only intended as a limited edition flavour for the festival but it proved so popular that we took the decision to make it a permanent fixture in our flavour list.

“I think its popularity lies in the fact that it’s one of those flavours that has stood the test of time. It’s as popular now as it was when it first launched over 100 years ago.

“Our ice cream version has the same sweet, characteristic taste of the drink but with an added creaminess. People have said it reminds them of their childhood and that tasting it is a real trip down memory lane. It’s gained a bit of a cult following already.”

Yummy Yorkshire’s Dandelion & Burdock ice cream is available to buy from its ice cream parlour on the cone and in 500ml tubs priced at £3.50 each. It will also soon be available to buy in the 500ml tubs from selected outlets in Yorkshire including Hinchliffe’s Farm Shop and Brosters Farm Shop.

Further new flavours recently launched by Yummy Yorkshire include a range of Bonfire Night inspired ice creams including Toffee Apple, Yorkshire Parkin and Pumpkin.

Yummy Yorkshire is committed to using fresh, locally sourced ingredients wherever possible in its recipes and the Parkin flavour is produced using Elland-based Lottie Shaw’s Seriously Good Yorkshire Parkin, while the Pumpkin flavour is made using fresh, pumpkin roasted with nutmeg and cinnamon for a little kick. The Toffee Apple ice cream consists of crisp apple ice cream with swirls of dulce de leche toffee.

FACTFILE:

Yummy Yorkshire Ice Cream Company was established in April 2007 as a new addition to the family run PJ Holmes & Son dairy business at Delph House Farm in West Yorkshire.

Using fresh milk and cream from the farm’s 150 Friesian Holstein herd, Yummy Yorkshire produces luxurious, creamy and smooth ice cream that combines modern and contemporary flavours with traditional values and fresh local ingredients such as strawberries and liquorice.

Yummy Yorkshire ice cream is available at the farm’s on site ice cream parlour and coffee shop as well as at ASDA, Cedar Court Hotel Group, Huddersfield University, Gastro Pubs including the award-winning Butcher Arms at Hepworth, local farm shops, delis, garage forecourts, coffee shops & tea rooms

Ice cream flavours include: Caramel Fudge made with clotted cream fudge pieces, Caribbean Chocolate, Midnight Mint, Marmalade Cheesecake, Lou’s Liquorice, Real Lemon Curd, Banoffee Pie made with butterscotch and shortcake pieces and Honey & Ginger.

Yummy Yorkshire Ice Cream has won numerous awards since launching, most recently receiving two Gold Stars for its Salted Caramel flavour and one Gold Star for Beetroot, at the 2011 Great Taste Awards. This was followed by 3rd place for its Lou’s Liquorice flavour at the 2011 Great Yorkshire Show. The same flavour was voted best Dairy Product, and Supreme Product of the Year at the 2009 annual deliciouslyorkshire Awards and picked up three gold stars (the highest level of award) at the 2009 Great Taste Awards. In 2010 Yummy Yorkshire received one Gold Star for its Blueberry ice cream.

In March 2010, Yummy Yorkshire was named Local Food Producer (Prepared Produce) of the year at The Mayor of Kirklees’ 2009/2010 Local Food Awards. Yummy Yorkshire also scooped the accolade of Food & Drink Producer of the Year in the 2010 Yorkshire Rural Awards.

Visit www.yummyyorkshire.co.uk for further information.

RC Cola Reinvent Traditional Ice Cream Float with a Festive Twist

RC® (Royal Crown) cola unveils tasty treat in time for Christmas

With Christmas fast approaching, RC® Cola has teamed up with mixology expert Alastair Tatton to craft a celebratory cocktail to toast the festive season.

Inspired by RC® Cola’s American roots, the ‘Really Christmassy Cocktail’ is a festive take on the iconic ice cream float which has tempted tastebuds across the pond since 1874.

Sundeep Gill, assistant brand manager for Cott Beverages Ltd. who launched RC® Cola in the UK, said, “Just like the ice cream float, RC® Cola has been at the heart of America for over a century. With an alcoholic and non-alcoholic version, this spiced-up version of an old-fashioned treat is perfect for anyone wanting to indulge themselves this Christmas. The kids could even leave one out for Santa!”

If you fancy trying to create your own RC® ‘Really Christmassy Cocktail’, simply follow Alastair’s step-by-step recipe:

RC® Really Christmassy Cocktail (Please enjoy responsibly. Not suitable for persons under the age of 18)

Ingredients:

12.5mls Kahlua

37.5 mls cinnamon-infused vodka

150 mls RC Cola

2 scoops of vanilla ice cream

Ice:

Cubed

Garnish:

2 cinnamon sticks

2 cherries

Method:

Infused the vodka with cinnamon sticks by leaving the cinnamon in the vodka for 4 days

Fill a tall glass with ice and add all the ingredients apart from the ice cream putting the RC Cola in last. Add the ice cream scoops at the top and garnish with the cinnamon sticks and cherries.

For those interested in a non-alcoholic version, simply follow the same method, with the below ingredients:

Virgin RC® Really Christmassy Cocktail

Ingredients:

Pinch ground cinnamon

150 mls RC Cola

2 scoops of vanilla ice cream

Ice:

Cubed

Garnish:

2 cinnamon sticks

2 cherries

Method:

Fill the tall glass with ice and add all the ingredients apart from the ice cream putting the RC Cola in last. Add the ice cream scoops at the top and garnish with the cinnamon sticks and cherries.

Created in 1905, RC® cola is one of America’s original colas and is already available across the globe in over 60 countries. Launched in the UK by Cott Beverages Ltd. and available exclusively in Asda stores nationwide, just visit www.rccola.co.uk for your local stockist.