So today marks the first day of Spring!!!

Here’s the first of our spring inspired recipes, ideal to be cooked in our Crafond sauté/elite casserole pan that you can use to cook on the hob and then put straight in the oven.

Sausage & Spring Mash Pie

Serves 8

 INGREDIENTS

1.5kg potato, cut into large chunks

Half savoy cabbage, shredded

100ml milk

50g butter

1tbsp Dijon or wholegrain mustard

2tsp vegetable oil

16 good quality pork sausages

10 shallots, peeled and halved if large

4 carrots, thickly sliced

2-3 thyme sprigs, plue extra to serve

500g mushrooms, halved or quartered

400ml red wine

300ml beef stock

2tbsp caramelised red onion (lazy red onions)

METHOD

1.  Boil the potatoes in salted water for 15 mins, adding the cabbage for the final few mins of cooking. Drain, then allow to steam- dry for a few mins. Add the milk and butter to the pan, warm through, then mash into the potatoes and cabbage with plenty of seasoning. Stir in the mustard, if using.

2.  While the potatoes are cooking, heat a large, shallow flameproof dish or a large non-stick frying pan. Brown the sausages, shallots and carrots for about 5 mins until nicely golden and the shallots are starting to soften. The sausages should be almost cooked through; lift them out, then set aside. Tip off any excess fat released by the sausages.

3.  Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Turn up the heat under the pan, tip in the thyme and mushrooms, then fry until golden, about 3 mins. Splash in the wine, then let it bubble and reduce by half. Add the stock and caramelised onions, then simmer until it has reduced a little to make a shiny gravy, and the carrots are cooked through. Season, then add the sausages to the gravy.

4.  Spoon the mixture into a baking dish or keep in the pan if it’s ovenproof. Top with the mashed potato, spooning it over in even dollops to prevent the gravy oozing up the sides. Can be made up to 1 day ahead and chilled. Bake, covered with foil, for 30 mins (or 45 mins from chilled), removing the foil for the final 10 mins to brown the mash. Sprinkle with a little thyme to serve.

--Recipe from Good Food Mag--

British Pie Week 6^th to 10^th March 2017

Why not treat yourself to a sweet pie!!

Apple Crumble Pie

Ingredients

For the pastry

250g (8oz) plain flour

pinch salt

125g (4oz) cold butter, cubed

2-3tbsp cold water

For the filling

2 cooking apples (about 625/1¼lb in total), peeled, cored and cut into slices

50g (2oz) soft light brown sugar

1tbsp plain flour

½tsp ground cinnamon

For the crumble topping

100g (3½oz) cold butter, cut into small cubes

100g (3½oz) plain flour

50g (2oz) oats

25g (1oz) granulated sugar

Method

First make the pastry: put the flour and salt in a large bowl and add the cubes of butter. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until you have a texture that resembles coarse breadcrumbs with no large lumps of butter remaining.

Using a knife, stir in just enough of the cold water to bind the dough together. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill for 30 minutes before using.

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4, 180°C, fan 160°C.

Roll out the chilled pastry dough to fit a 20cm (8in) pie dish. Place a piece of nonstick baking paper on the pastry and pour rice or baking beans on top to weigh it down. Bake blind in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then remove the paper and beans and cook for a further 5 minutes until pale gold and sandy to the touch. Leave the oven on.

Make the filling: put the apple slices in a bowl and stir in the sugar, flour and cinnamon.

Make the crumble topping: sift the flour into a bowl and stir in the butter. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the oats and sugar.

Tip the apple filling into the pie case and top with the crumble. Bake in the over for 30-40 minutes, until the crumble is crisp and golden, and the apples are soft underneath.

--realfood.tesco.com/recipes--

British Pie Week
6th-10th March 2017

One pan SHEPHERD'S PIE

For a quick midweek tea why not try this recipe in our Crafond saute/elite casserole pan.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lb. ground beef
• ½ yellow onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 12 oz. frozen mixed vegetables
• 2 beef stock cubes
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• Pepper to taste
• 4 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon chives, chopped and divided
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• method
  1. Over medium high heat bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add potatoes and simmer until fork tender, about 20 minutes
  2. Drain and transfer potatoes to a mixing bowl. Add butter and milk and mash until fluffy
  3. Season with ½ tablespoon chives and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside
  4. In a 24cm Saute pan over medium heat, brown the beef until fully cooked. Drain off any fat. Remove beef and set aside
  5. In the same pan, saute onions and garlic until translucent
  6. Add mixed vegetables, crumble beef bouillon cubes and simmer till vegetables are soft
  7. Toss in beef, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste and season with pepper to taste. Stir to mix thoroughly
  8. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes to let the flavors marry
  9. Remove from heat and compress the beef layer before topping with a layer of cheddar cheese
  10. Finish with a thick layer of mashed potatoes and sprinkle Parmesan and leftover chives to finish
  11. Bake at 200c for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are browned
  12. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving warm
• --thecookingjar.com--

Pancake Day 2017

Happy Pancake Day!!!

Here's a basic pancake recipe for you to use tonight.

Ingredients

100g Plain Flour
2 Large Eggs
300ml Milk
1 tbsp oil, plus a little extra for frying
Lemon Wedges, to serve (optional)
Caster Sugar, to serve (optional)

Method

1. 1.Put the flour, eggs, milk, 1 tbsp oil and a pinch of salt into a bowl or large jug, then whisk to a smooth batter. Set aside for 30 mins to rest if you have time, or start cooking straight away.
2. 2.Set a medium frying pan or crêpe pan over a medium heat and carefully wipe it with some oiled kitchen paper. When hot, cook your pancakes for 1 min on each side until golden, keeping them warm in a low oven as you go.
3. 3.Serve with lemon wedges and sugar, or your favourite filling. Once cold, you can layer the pancakes between baking parchment, then wrap in cling film and freeze for up to 2 months.
4. --BBC Good Food--