Tag Archive: Appetisers

  1. Beetroot and Vodka Cured Salmon with Vodka Crème Fraîche

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    This is a great dish for serving at a party either ‘with drinks’ or as a starter. It can look pretty spectacular but it is so simple to prepare. Almost all the work is done ahead of time.

    Image of ProWare's Beetroot and Vodka Cured Salmon prep

    I do appreciate that raw fish isn’t for everyone but I love it and this is a fantastic way of showcasing the flavour and delicate texture of raw salmon. As a starter serve it with the Vodka Crème Fraîche, a smattering of baby salad leaves and some finely sliced cucumber and radish for a refreshing lift. As an appetizer it works wonderfully with the creme fraîche on a blinis! Garnish with a little parsley or dill.

    Image of Beetroot fresh from the garden

    We got some dirt under our fingers using our gorgeously fresh homegrown beetroot you can see above. Be sure to use a really fresh piece of salmon as well. To acknowledge Scottish Food Fortnight we bought a beautiful piece of Scottish salmon and sourced Holy Grass Vodka. Holy Grass is hand-crafted by Dunnet Bay Distillers. This is not necessarily vodka as you know it – smooth and fresh, infused with sweet Highland vapours I think I’ve found my new favourite spirit!

    Written by Faye

    Image of ProWare's Beetroot and Vodka Cured Salmon recipe

     

    Prep time: 15 minutes (plus 24-48 hours marinade)

    Ingredients

    For the salmon

    • 1 side of salmon (skin & pin bones removed)
    • 1 medium raw beetroot, grated (it is a good idea to wear gloves for this!)
    • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
    • 1/2 tablespoon black peppercorns
    • 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
    • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
    • 1 double shot of vodka
    • Zest of one lemon

    For the crème fraîche

    • 200ml crème fraîche
    • 1 single shot of vodka
    • 3 tablespoons horseradish

    Equipment

    • Grater
    • Pestle & mortar
    • Zester
    • Cling film
    • Mixing bowl
    • Whisk
    • Sharp knife for slicing

    Method

    1. Place the salmon on some cling film and onto a tea towel or some kitchen roll.
    2. Grind the coriander seeds and black peppercorns in a pestle and mortar.
    3. Combine the spices with the beetroot, salt, sugar, vodka and lemon zest.
    4. Spread the mixture over the top of the salmon and press down lightly.
    5. Wrap well in cling film to keep all the juices in. You could also wrap the tea towel or the kitchen roll around the salmon so that it mops up any juices that might escape.
    6. Place the salmon between two boards / trays and weigh down with cans or metal weights. Place the salmon into the fridge and leave for 24 – 48 hours.
    7. Prepare the creme fraîche about an hour before serving – whisk the vodka and horseradish into the crème fraîche and chill for an hour.
    8. Shortly before serving un-wrap the salmon and rinse of the marinade.
    9. Slice the salmon very thinly and serve together with the crème fraiche.

  2. Guacamole for a Crowd

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    My friends and I can’t seem to get enough of guacamole at the moment. Someone brings it to every gathering or get together we have. We have it with tortilla chips, freshly cut vegetables, flat bread, anything really. This recipe can be served as a snack for a group of people or split between a few people as more of a main. BUT Avocados can be expensive, so give your local markets a try as they sometimes have amazing deals. My friends swear by the Moor Market in Sheffield if you’re local. Also a great way to save is to buy them on offer. The avocados I’ve used in this recipe are from the co-op but were reduced and perfectly ripe, bar one which was slightly too far gone.

    guac 2

    Another safe bet with avocados, as timing can be tricky, is frozen avocados. Yes, you can freeze avocados! This is fab if you buy a bunch at a market or on offer, just make sure to remove the stone and skin before freezing. Even more exciting is that Tesco stock bags of frozen avocado halves at a pretty reasonable price too. (Quick Tip – these are in with frozen vegetable, not fruit section!) Perfect for keeping in the freezer for your last minute avocado needs. I must admit I’ve even defrosted them slightly in the microwave or in a freezer bag in some warm water, when in a hurry to use them.

    This recipe is packed with so much vegetable goodness it’s unbelievable. The seasonal foods for June we’ve used are tomatoes, garlic, red onions and coriander, as well as carrots and courgettes served alongside to dip in the guacamole.

    Written by Corin

    Serves:  A crowd as a side dish/dip or 2-3 as a light meal
    Prep time: 15 minutes

    Ingredients

    • 4 medium/large ripe avocados, stones and skin removed then flesh chopped
    • 100g cherry tomatoes, quartered
    • 1 stick celery, finely chopped
    • Half of any colour pepper, chopped
    • 1/2 -1 small red onion or 1 shallot, finely chopped
    • 1 clove garlic, crushed or finely chopped
    • 2 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped
    • juice from 2 limes
    • Half of a small chilli pepper, or a pinch of chilli flakes
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
    • season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

    Equipment

    Cooking Method

    1. Place the chopped avocado in the bowl or saucepan. Mix in the onion, pepper, celery, garlic, coriander, lime juice, chilli or flakes and ground turmeric. Mix well and season with salt and pepper to taste.
    2. Then lastly add the tomatoes and mix gently to incorporate.
    3. Serve with warmed flat bread, parathas (Indian Flat Bread), tortilla chips, or sliced vegetables (carrots, cucumber, peppers, courgette, snap peas etc).

     

    We’re linking up with the below blogging events. Check them out for more tasty recipe ideas:

    No-Waste-Food-Challenge-logo-2b

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diaries – No Food Waste Challenge June and July’s host Utterly Scrummy

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    Katie from Feeding Boys – Simple and In Season

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    Fab Food 4 All & Fuss Free Flavours – Credit Crunch Munch hosted this month by Lovely Appetite

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    Tinned Tomatoes Meat Free Monday’s 7 Recipes for the Week.

  3. Caramelised Sesame Peanuts

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    I don’t know if you’re like me, but I have a basket of packages of half used seeds, nuts, dried fruit and grains in my cupboard, some of which have been there for so long it’s slightly embarrassing! It is very good though if you are making your own granola as you can throw in pretty much anything and it still tastes great.

    collage

    The other day my husband came home from the supermarket with these Caramelised Sesame Peanuts which were so moreish it made me upset because the package was way too tiny, a measly 80g! I looked at the ingredients and thought ‘I can make these’. In fact, I could make them that very moment thanks to my lovely basket of miscellaneous packages and that’s what I did. I had some raw unsalted peanuts which I bought ages ago to use as a topping for homemade Pad Thai, which were begging to be used. The result was really similar, I would say that the store bought version is slightly sweeter, but I prefer to err on the side of making things healthier if I can so I am happy with the result. Also, the store bought version had honey on the ingredients list, but I swapped this for a mix of maple syrup and coconut sugar.

    Feel free to experiment with whatever nuts and seeds you have lurking in your cupboards and I hope you enjoy!

    Written by Corin

     Caramelised Sesame Peanuts 2

    Makes:  300g

    Prep time: 2 minutes

    Cooking time: 20 minutes 

    Ingredients

    • 300g unsalted raw/plain peanuts
    • 1-2 tablespoons sesame seeds
    • 2 tablespoons maple syrup (substitute honey)
    • 65g coconut sugar (substitute white or brown sugar)
    • Half a teaspoon of crushed or fine sea salt (I used vanilla flavoured sea salt)

    Equipment

    Cooking Method

    1. Preheat oven to 170°C.
    2. Place the peanuts in a bowl, add in all other ingredients and mix well.
    3. Line baking tray with silicone mat or grease proof paper and pour nuts onto tray. Spread the nuts out as much as you can.
    4. Bake in oven for 10 minutes, stirring at this point, then for a further 10 minutes keeping an eye on them to make sure they don’t burn. Remove from oven, let cool slightly if you can and enjoy!

     

  4. Rosemary Roasted Nuts

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    These nuts are so tasty – lightly coated, sweet and delicious smelling. They are perfect for Christmas entertaining as they are quick and easy to prepare and can be made ahead of time too, or make them as a quick snack just for yourself.

    Nuts are in season in December, in particular almonds, walnuts and of course chestnuts.

    Written by Faye

     

    Makes:  500g
    Prep time: 2 minutes
    Cooking time: 8 minutes

    Ingredients

    • 500g Mixed nuts
    • 250g Butter
    • 1/8 teaspoon Paprika
    • 1/8 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
    • 1/2 bunch Fresh rosemary, finely chopped
    • 50g Soft light brown sugar
    • Salt to taste

    Equipment

    Cooking Method

    1. Melt the butter over a medium to high heat until the butter starts to foam. Add the nuts and lower the heat slightly.
    2. Stir the nuts constantly so that the nuts colour all over.
    3. When the nuts have browned, about 4 minutes add the paprika, cayenne and rosemary, along with a little salt and mix well.
    4. Then sprinkle the brown sugar over and mix well. Remove from the heat and check the seasoning.
    5. Then drain the nuts through a colander and allow cool.  Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with a little salt over the top and enjoy!

  5. Creamy Broccoli Soup with Almond Rocket Pesto

    4 Comments

    In my veg box last week I received some lovely Purple Sprouting Broccoli, which according to Beanies blog has been growing well in all the Spring sunshine we’ve had.  I decided to try a Broccoli Soup recipe based on one from a restaurant called Rebar in my home town of Victoria, BC, which I’ve made a couple of times before.  

     

    ProWare's broccoli soup prep photo

    This time I replaced the regular broccoli with the sprouting purple variety. I also swapped the parsley and the Parmesan cheese in the pesto for peppery rocket or arugula as Canadians call it, and a hard goats’ cheese. The original recipe only uses the broccoli florets, but I used the leaves and stems (where possible) in order to limit waste and in my view… the more veg the better!

     

    ProWare's Broccoli Soup cooking photo

    I love how the pesto in this recipe adds a punch of flavour to the soup however don’t be tempted to add more garlic to the pesto! As a garlic lover I often add more than a recipe calls for, but I can attest to the fact that there is no need in this case as the first time I tested this recipe I got a wicked headache from adding extra garlic to the pesto, so be warned!

    I’m linking this recipe to Helen and Michelle’s Extra Veg blog event for March, a brilliant and healthy idea which is all about adding an extra portion of veg to your meals/snacks therefore filling you up so you’re less likely to munch on the bad stuff! I’m also entering this recipe for Ren’s Simple and in Season blog event and Elizabeth’s Shop Local blog event.

    Written by Corin

    Serves: 4
    Prep time: 20-30 minutes
    Cooking time: 40 minutes

    Ingredients

    For the Soup

    • 1400ml vegetable or chicken stock
    • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • 1 yellow onion, chopped
    • 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
    • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes
    • 1 large potato, peeled and chopped
    • 1200g of purple sprouting broccoli including leaves and useable stem
    • If unavailable you can use 3 large heads of green broccoli instead
    • 225g spinach, stemmed
    • 240ml double cream
    • 1/2 teaspoon crushed black pepper

    For the Pesto

    • 70g of rocket
    • 120g of flaked almonds, toasted
    • 1 garlic clove (medium sized or 2 smaller cloves)
    • 75g hard goats’ cheese, grated
    • 70ml olive oil
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    Equipment

    Cooking Method

    For the Pesto

    1. Put the rocket, almonds, garlic clove and goats’ cheese in the food processor.
    2. Pulse to combine and then slowly pour in the oil.
    3. Mix until smooth and season to taste.

    For the Soup

    1. Prepare the broccoli by cutting off any of the stems that are too tough, and then peel the remaining outside of the stems to remove any further toughness.  Reserve 2 cups of broccoli florets generally the same size including about an inch or 2 of the stems and set aside for later.  Roughly chop the remaining broccoli, leaves, and stems.  Make sure you cut out the stems of the broccoli leaves if these are tough, or at least cut the stems up the middle lengthwise to soften them up.
    2. Gently heat the vegetable or chicken stock in a saucepan and keep it warm while preparing the rest of the soup.
    3. Over a medium to high heat, heat the vegetable oil in the stockpot and sauté the onion until it is translucent.  Add the garlic, salt, thyme and chilli flakes and cook for a few more minutes.
    4. Mix in the broccoli, leaves and stems as well as the potato.  Cook for a few minutes and then add the stock to cover. Simmer, partially covered until the potatoes and broccoli are just cooked.
    5. While the soup is simmering, bring a small/medium saucepan of water to the boil.
    6. Prepare a bowl of iced water with 5-10 cubes. You’ll be plunging the reserved florets of broccoli into the iced water when you take it off the heat. Quenching in cold water will prevent it from loosing it’s colour.
    7. When the saucepan has reached a rolling boil add 1 teaspoon of salt (which will increase the boil) then carefully add the reserved broccoli florets. The broccoli is done when it is slightly softened although still bright green and firm. This takes around 1-2 minutes after the water has started to re-boil after the broccoli florets have been added.
    8. When the broccoli is done remove it using a skimmer or slotted spoon and put it into the bowl of iced water.
    9. Let the broccoli cool and then remove it from the water on to a clean towel to dry.
    10. Remove the stockpot from the heat and stir in the spinach. Once the spinach wilts, puree the mixture with a hand blender or soup blender until almost smooth. Add the cream and season with salt and pepper.
    11. Reheat the soup if necessary, and then serve with a garnish of broccoli florets and a dollop of pesto in each bowl.

    Extra Veg Badge Simple and In Season Badge ShopLocal

     

     

  6. Farinatas

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    Once you’ve made the batter for these farinatas they are quick and simple to cook. They make a great snack or appetiser and have a slightly addictive flavour similar to that of sourdough bread. The farinatas can be served plain, alongside cheeses and cooked meats. We like to cook them with a scattering of rosemary leaves but you can experiment with any number of toppings!

    Makes: 10

    Prep time: 5 Minutes (+6 Hrs Standing)

    Cooking time: A single Farinata takes approx. 12 minutes

    Ingredients

    • 500ml water
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • 150g chickpea flour
    • 15ml olive oil
    • Additional olive oil for cooking

    Equipment

    • Copper Tri-Ply Mini Frying Pan
    • Bowl
    • WhiskProWare's Farinatas
    • Ladle
    • Spatula
    • Oven gloves for handling the pan in and out of the oven and on the hob top. The handle of the fry pan will get very hot whilst in the oven and will retain heat for a long time, so be careful when handling! Oven gloves are essential.

     

    Cooking Method

    1. Add the ingredients to a bowl and whisk thoroughly until you have a thick batter. Let the mixture stand either at room temperature or in your airing cupboard for at least 6 hours so it begins to ferment. Fermentation will have begun when you see frothy bubbles beginning to appear in the batter. The mixture will last up to 4 days so it can be prepared well in advance.
    2. When you are ready for cooking, preheat the oven to 220°C.
    3. On the hob heat the mini frying pan with a little oil inside. When the oil is very hot ladle in ProWare's Farinatas in our mini frying panapproximately 75ml of the mixture and move it around the pan to ensure even coverage. The mixture should start to bubble slightly at the edges. Add your toppings at this stage.
    4. Move the frying pan to the oven and cook for up to 10 minutes or until the farinata starts to brown slightly.
    5. Using oven gloves remove the frying pan from the oven and allow to cool for a minute so that the farinata can be removed in one piece. Don’t forget that the handle of the fry pan will be very hot!
    6. Serve and enjoy!

  7. Tapas Style Carrots

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    This recipe for Tapas Style Carrots, or similar, is found throughout Southern Europe, the French, Italians, Spanish and Portuguese all have a variation of it, the carrots can be served warm or cold, but preferably not hot. They look delightful in our Copper Tri-ply 10cm Mini Casserole and serve as a great accompaniment to almost all simply cooked meat and fish dishes such as grilled, fried or barbecued foods.

    Serves: 4

    Prep/Cooking Time: 10 mins

    Resting Time: At least 1 hour

     

    Ingredients

    • 500 grams small carrots, a variety such as Chantenay is ideal. Peel the carrots or scrub them without peeling if the skins are blemish free and tender. Do remove the tops and root end though!
    • 3 garlic cloves
    • 3 Tbsp Olive oil
    • 1 Tbsp White wine or cider vinegar
    • Fresh chilli, chopped, green works best as it provides heat and a colour contrast. Remove the seeds for a less spicy dish, leave some or all of them in for more heat.
    • Flat leaf or curly parsley, two or three sprigs chopped finely
    • Dried Oregano also works well with this, a sprinkling, depends on your taste, start with a half teaspoon full

    Cooking MethodProWare's Tapas Style Carrots

    1. Cook the carrots in salted water, use 10 g of sea salt to each litre of water you use. The carrots should be cooked so that they retain a little ‘bite’ or crispness to them. Drain and allow to cool, cut into batons. Dry the carrots thoroughly on kitchen paper.
    2. Crush the garlic cloves and rub them around the inside of a serving bowl, mix oil and vinegar in proportions of about one part vinegar to three parts oil, mix the garlic cloves and oil and vinegar together with the chopped parsley and oregano, season with salt and pepper to taste.
    3. Add the carrot batons, mix well and leave for at least an hour before serving. If you are able to, leaving them several hours even or overnight in the fridge, will improve the blend of the flavours.
    4. Can be used as part of a selection of starter nibbles along with olives and salami etc, or served as a vegetable with the main course.

  8. American Pancakes by Luke French

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    Pancakes are quick, easy and always delicious. Luke French‘s recipe for American style pancakes is fuss free way to kick-start your morning.  There is a video below of Chef Luke demonstrating how to make these pancakes. He also tops them with a lovely combination of smoked salmon and samphire, which would make a lovely evening mean and shows that pancakes don’t have to just be for breakfast!

    Makes: 6-8 Pancakes

    Prep time: 10 minutes

    Cooking time: 2-3 minutes per pancake

    Ingredients

    • 1 large egg
    • 2 tbsp of melted butter
    • 1 tbsp of caster sugar
    • 135g of sifted plain flour
    • 1 tsp of baking powder
    • 130ml of whole milk

    Equipment

    Pancakes preparation

    1. Add the egg to a mixing bowl and whisk in the butter until slightly fluffy.
    2. Add the sugar and whisk until smooth.
    3. Sift together the flour and baking powder into a separate bowl.
    4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Whisk until smooth.
    5. Add the milk gradually, scraping the sides of the bowl when necessary. Mix until it is a thick smooth texture and use straight away.

    Cooking Method

    ProWare's American Style Pancakes

    1. Add a couple of knobs of butter to the pan and melt over a medium heat. This will create a nice even coating to the pan. Heat the butter until it froths.
    2. Add half a ladle of the batter to the pan.
    3. Wait until the top of the pancake begins to bubble, turn it over using a turner or pallet knife and cook until both sides are golden brown. The pancake will rise to about 1cm in thickness.
    4. Remove the pancake from the pan and keep warm in an oven heated to 90C on a plate or a tray.
    5. Once all pancakes are cooked, serve with a topping of your choice.

     

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ProWare is a small family organisation based in Sheffield, UK. Our cookware is carefully specified and manufactured using high quality materials to ensure it delivers a lifetime of satisfaction.

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