Spruce Up Your Festive Feasts With Castle MacLellan's Luxury Pâtés

Castle MacLellan is offering food lovers top tips on how to make festive entertaining easier, but just as indulgent, with a selection of mouth-watering recipe and canapé ideas using their luxurious premium pâtés.

Made from the finest Scottish ingredients, sourced from local independent producers, Castle MacLellan’s core range of pâtés comes in five delicious varieties, ideal for hassle free Christmas feasts and New Year party snacks.  Each flavour provides simple recipes to inspire quick and easy dishes and stylish, flavoursome canapé suggestions.

Rannoch Smoked Duck Pâté with Bramley Apple Jelly - A deliciously smooth duck liver pâté with pieces of Rannoch smoked duck, complemented by locally produced Bramley apple jelly and aromatic tarragon

Chicken Liver Pâté with Scottish Heather Honey - A smooth, rich and creamy chicken liver pâté enhanced with the sweetness of Scottish heather honey

Scottish Smoked Salmon Pâté with Lemon Juice and Horseradish - A blend of Scottish smoked and poached salmon, enriched with cream, lemon juice and horseradish

Luxury Orkney Crab Terrine with Lemon Juice and Galloway Mustard - A luxurious blend of Orkney crab enriched with créme fraiche and enhanced with lemon juice and locally produced Galloway mustard

Oven Roasted Mushroom Pâté with Garlic & Thyme - A rich, creamy, oven roasted mushroom pâté made with full fat soft cheese and créme fraiche, and seasoned with a hint of garlic and thyme (suitable for vegetarians).

For hosts who want to impress with their festive banquets, Castle MacLellan pâtés can be used to create impressive but easy to prepare dishes and warming winter fare.  The on-pack  suggestions feature mouth watering recipe ideas such as Mini Duck En Croutes With Beetroot Chutney or Orkney Crab Spring Rolls.

The luxury pâtés are also great served as a snack straight from the fridge, making ideal and stylish canapés for New Year celebrations. Simply top artisan oatcakes, blinis and brioche with your favourite flavours or serve sandwiched between palmiers or smothered on fresh crusty bread.

Castle MacLellan has been making the finest fresh luxury pâtés since 1982 and is dedicated to sourcing the very best local ingredients from small, independent companies rooted in Scottish heritage and provenance. The company remains an established and trusted brand, working with a number of local suppliers, which include Rannoch Smokery and The Orkney Fisherman’s Society.

Castle MacLellan pâtés are available in supermarkets throughout the UKincluding ASDA, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose as well as independent stores priced from around 99p to £2.35.

For more details and recipes please visit www.castlemaclellan.co.uk

Give your winter soups a bit of a boost with Wing Yip

With winter around the corner it’s time to leave the lunchtime salads and sandwiches behind and opt for a warming soup to help us through the cold days.

Packed full of fresh ingredients and spicy flavours, Oriental soups are an inspiring alternative to the typical tomato, chicken or vegetable.

Served as a filling meal in a bowl, delicious and nutritious Oriental noodle-based soups are perfect for hungry appetites on a chilly day.

Leading Oriental grocer, Wing Yip, stocks a range of ingredients that are perfect for creating big saucepans of tasty and wholesome soups.

Mr Wing Yip said: “Soups are easy to make at home and are a great way of experimenting with new flavour combinations from simple ingredients – and ensure you add some Oriental spices and Wing Yip soup pastes to liven up the tastebuds.”

Wing Yip is the UK’s leading Chinese grocer, with stores in Birmingham, Manchester, Cricklewood and Croydon. With over 3,000 products from the Far East stocked online at www.wingyipstore.com and in store.

To get you started try the following popular Oriental soup recipes at home.

Hot and Sour Soup

This soup is popular because it has so many different flavours - pepper hot, slightly sweet and savoury. Our version uses spicy szechuan bean sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 jar Wing Yip Spicy Szechuan Bean Sauce
• 113g lean pork (finely sliced into strips)
• 28g Dried sliced Chinese mushrooms (soaked & shredded)
• 14g Wood Ear Fungus (soaked and shredded)
• 1/2 pkt Soft Tofu (cut into 1cm cubes)
• 850 ml (11/2 pts) chicken stock
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 Tbsp Red or White Wine Vinegar
• 1 egg (beaten)
• 1 spring onion (finely chopped)
• 1 heaped tsp cornflour (mixed with 2 tsp water)
• 2 tsps peanut or vegetable oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Preparation

1. Heat both oils in a large pan and gently fry sliced pork for 5 minutes.
2. Add Wing Yip Spicy Szechuan Bean Sauce, fungus, mushrooms and stock. Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
3. Add pepper and vinegar, adjust seasoning, then the diced tofu.
4. Bring back to the boil and add cornflour.
5. Then add beaten egg in a stream, stirring carefully with a fork in a circular motion. Turn off heat and cover pan for 1 minute.
6. Serve with chopped spring onions to garnish.

Thai Spicy Noodle Soup

There are many versions of this ever popular street food but the vital ingredients are; good quality stock, lime juice, chillies and fresh herbs to garnish. A meal in a bowl, this recipe is quick and easy to prepare using a Tom Yum soup base. Recipe is for one so do double quantities if cooking for more.

Ingredients

• 1 small chicken breast or 100g minced pork
• 1 tsp cornflour (if using minced pork)
• 1 clove garlic (crushed with the flat side of a knife)
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 400-500ml chicken stock
• 1 tsp Mai Siam Tom Yum soup paste
• 5 Pak Choi leaves
• 1 handful bean sprouts
• 1 red chilli (optional)
• 3 sprigs fresh coriander
• 2 sprigs mint (take the leaves off the stems)
• 2 tsp Mai Siam fish sauce (to taste)
• 1/2 tsp sugar (to taste)
• 1 clove garlic (crushed)
• 1-2 lime wedges
• 100g Mai Siam flat rice noodles (dry weight)

Preparation

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a small pan and quickly fry the garlic.
2. Before it burns, add the chicken stock and bring it to the boil.
3. Add the Tom Yum paste and when the soup is boiling, add the sliced chicken breast.
4. If using minced pork; season lightly with fish sauce and pepper, add 1 tsp of cornflour, mix well and form into balls the size of a small marble.
5. Drop the meatballs into the boiling stock and add fish sauce and a little sugar to taste.
6. Meanwhile, prepare the noodles in another pan by boiling in hot water.
7. Strain and keep aside.
8. When the meat is cooked, add the noodles and pak choi.
9. When the pak choi is al dente, take the noodles off the heat and pour into a large bowl.
10. Garnish with beansprouts, coriander and mint leaves.
11. Serves, steaming hot, with lime wedges.

www.wingyip.com/

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Super Club revolution? That's Social Republic!

There’s a buzz brewing on the supper club scene, and it’s set to revolutionise group dining!

Social Republic (http://www.socialrepublic.net) is for anyone who loves getting people together and entertaining over food, and for people who want to share the pleasures of dining.

It’s a fact that supper clubs have been around for a long time but traditionally they can be rigid with membership and expensive to join, plus they tend to diffuse the buzz created when new faces get to know each other over food because it’s the same private members who turn up every time.

That’s where Social Republic is different. When founder David Chapple recognised a lack of choice preventing people enjoying the true benefits of group dining, he took action. He says: “I wanted to create a global network of supper clubs where people enjoy choice and hosts have a greater pool of interested people to bring together for events. In other words, something very far removed from the rigidity of some introductions agencies.”

So much more than a What’s on Guide
Unlike some other dining events websites, Social Republic isn’t just a ‘what’s on’ guide to dining events or a general directory of supper clubs. It’s a whole networking platform for bringing hosts and guests together, face to face, with a focus on great food.

Social Republic members also have access to pop-up and underground restaurants and the home dining scene and restaurateurs and caterers wishing to boost their income or fill tables on quiet nights are fully supported in organising events and promoting them to members.

Something for Everyone
Whether looking to forge new friendships, seeking a love interest, networking for business or simply wishing to fulfil a desire for sharing the joys of good food whilst indulging in new company, members can find a perfect event on Social Republic. And the beauty is, if they want to make it their own, they can become a host and organise their own events.

David Chapple says: “We fully support our hosts. They can promote their events on our website and social media, share tips and receive support on our Facebook page and use our sales material. They can also take advance payments through our website.”

Charity Support for Global Angels
Social Republic is free to join for members and hosts and when a member pays for their meal in advance on the site, they also buy a meal for someone else in the world who needs it because Social Republic has teamed up with Global Angels (http://www.globalangels.org/), who put members’ donations in their entirety towards feeding people, and sometimes schooling them too.

Registration is free and takes just a few minutes. Visit http://www.socialrepublic.net/register.

Antioxidant juice responds to consumer demands for convenience, health & flavour

AOk Drinks targets the “I want it yesterday” generation with a Christmas/Winter survival guide!

As we approach the traditional cold and flu season, Stuart Roberts, a naturopathic nutritionist and creator of AOk Drinks (www.aokdrinks.com), questions why we all assume catching a bug is inevitable, and suggests a new approach to combating seasonal aches and pains to help us survive Christmas indulgences.

“We live in an ‘I want it yesterday’ society. We demand convenience when it comes to our lifestyles, which also transcends into our approach to food, drink, health and nutrition. If we get a bout of flu, many of us accept this as part and parcel of the winter season, and take some medication to make us feel better as soon as possible,” says Stuart Roberts.

“However, we rarely take the time to consider how we can boost our immune system to protect us from everday illnesses. We don’t need to accept that we will get ill just because of the time of year. Small, gradual changes to the way we eat, drink and live our lives can add up to make a real difference as we approach Christmas, so you can enjoy the party season without feeling sluggish, tired, overweight and full of cold.

“There are no quick-fixes to health and nutrition, however, there are small steps that we can take that add up to massive changes in how we look and feel.”

AOk is a red grape, cherry, aloe vera and ginger drink, with a hint of vanilla. One 250ml bottle of AOk provides your daily recommendation of antioxidants (nutritionists recommend 3000-5000 per day and AOk contains 3,600) and just 145k cal. Stuart created the drink in 2008 to provide a synergistic combination of antioxidant packed ingredients. Designed to meet consumer demands for healthy convenience, the drink is a tasty alternative to mainstream flavours and offers an original flavour.

Stuart Roberts says: “Antioxidants are vital in our diets. With most things, consistency makes the difference. Eating our five a day, drinking plenty of water, exercising regularly in the fresh air, and consuming your recommended amount of antioxidants (which can help prevent injury and muscle soreness after exercise too) will all add up to make you look and feel better over time.”

“Sleep is also important, as this is when your body carries out some of its most important repair and maintenance work. Ahead of the Christmas party season it is worth putting in plan in place to help you look and feel better. There is a tradition of putting off healthy eating and exercise until the New Year, but this is not the best time to jump into a major change in lifestyle and eating habits. Instead, gradual changes ahead of Christmas can help your body prepare and survive the inevitable indulgences.”

Getting to grips with antioxidants…
Antioxidants are established as a marketing buzzword in the food and drink industry but they remain a confusing concept for the majority of us. We know they’re good for us, but we’re not entirely sure why. Stuart Roberts, creator of AOk Drinks and naturopathic nutritionist, is on a mission to clear the confusion and dispel the myths surrounding antioxidants.
What are antioxidants?

Our bodies are equipped with special antioxidant substances that, in conjunction with antioxidants from fresh fruit and vegetables, help to neutralise the harmful effects of free radicals.

What are free radicals?
Free radicals are highly active and dangerous chemical groups that are unavoidable. Every day our bodies are exposed to vast numbers of free radicals. Their destructive actions on the body are known as oxidation (hence the name antioxidant).

What are ORAC units?
The Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) test is one of the main industry standard tests for antioxidant strength. AOk scored 3,600 ORAC units per 250ml in an independent laboratory test. Nutritionists recommend we consume 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units per day.
How are free radicals produced?

In many ways: every breath you take creates free radicals from chemical residues of oxygen used by your body. Excessive exposure to the sun’s UV rays, pollution, viruses, consuming certain foods, and even aerobic exercise can result in free radical production.

Why?
Free radicals play a role in the development of many diseases as a result of the degeneration of body tissues. This tissue degeneration contributes towards ageing and can lead to diseases including cardiovascular disease and cancer. Antioxidants are required to counteract the negative effects of free radicals.

Where?
Antioxidants can be found in natural foods including red grapes, cherries, blackberries, beans (such as kidney, pinto, red and black), blueberries, broccoli, garlic and green tea. AOk provides the recommended amount of antioxidants in one 250ml bottle, which complements a diet rich in fresh and natural fruit and vegetables. The drink was created by Stuart Roberts to provide an optimal combination of antioxidants in a convenient form.

When?
You can start today! “I’ve lost count of the number of times people have told me at sampling events that it’s ‘too late’ for them to make changes to their diet and lifestyle. This is not true. Small changes such as doing more exercise and adding antioxidant-rich food and drink to the diet can make a big impact on health and wellbeing over the long term. The cells in our bodies are constantly renewing and repairing themselves, so over time, we can make a huge difference to the way we look and feel,” says Stuart.

AOk retails for £1.69 per 250ml bottle and is available at selected Waitrose stores nationwide (http://www.aokdrinks.com/antioxidants/file/stores.php), www.Waitrose.com and www.Ocado.com.
One 250ml bottle of AOk provides:
Your daily recommended requirement of antioxidants
One of your ‘five a day’
Only 145 calories

(EDITOR: And it tastes good, too!)

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