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NOV / DEC 2013

THE COUNTRY RANGE GROUP MAGAZINE FOR CATERERS

The final

Festive Countdown Celebrity Masterchef winnerr

ADE EDMONDSON’S SIGNATURE DISH

Tom foolery Our exclusive interview with chef Tom Aitkens

WIN! A Kitchenaiid Professionall Mixer worth £700

FOOD ALLERGY AWARENESS Tips on how to avoid pitfalls and enhance your ‘free from’ menu

For starters... >> We’re in suitably festive spirits (and I’m not referring to the liquid variety!) here in the Stir it up office. The carols are playing, many mince pies have already been munched and we’re gearing up for the hectic weeks ahead.

Yes, it’s a busy time but it’s also a magical time and, for caterers, it’s hopefully a very lucrative time too.

To help you in your last-minute preparations, we’ve got a final countdown feature on pages 16-17 to help ensure you’ve got Christmas well and truly covered.

Celebrity Masterchef. Having been glued to the programme and willing him to win, it was great to chat to the man himself and find out what it was really like appearing on such a highly pressured show (page 33).

Once again the results of our annual reader survey are in and we are delighted you are continuing to enjoy the magazine.

We’ve also got some inspiring ways to get creative with mincemeat (the fruit version) this Yuletide (page 15), as well as some delicious festive recipes and ideas from chefs Nigel Smith and Justin Jerome.

Wishing you a fabulous – and prosperous – festive season!

The uber talented Tom Aikens is our final Leading Light of the year (where has this year gone?!) and I also had the pleasure of catching up with comedian Ade Edmondson recently following his triumph on

Ingredients...

Food

15

10

FIVE WAYS TO USE MINCEMEAT

NEW FROM COUNTRY RANGE The Class of 2013

19 ON THE RANGE

12 THE

with Nigel Smith

MARKETPLACE

Features

16

CATEGORY FOCUS

05 CUSTOMER

The festive countdown

PROFILE – Pushing the boat out at Potters

20 EDUCATION School kitchen census

07 CUSTOMER PROFILE – Life’s a

25 HEALTH &

beach for Justin

Favourites

by singer songwriter Denise Pearson

27 HOSPITALITY Raising a glass to CCTV Banking on new jobs Allegra Strategies – the importance of burgers

WELFARE – Stemming obesity in prisons

What you said about us

40

34

THE MELTING POT Expert advice on allergy awareness

36

COOKS CALENDAR SOAP BOX

SIGNATURE DISH

31 READER SURVEY

ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS

04

29

LEADING LIGHT

29 COUNTRY CLUB

Tom Aikens, one of the UK’s most talented chefs

Our editorial partners...

33 SIGNATURE DISH by comedian, actor and presenter Ade Edmondson

42 STREET FOOD Grab a slice of this food revolution

44 FOOD & INDUSTRY NEWS Mintec on mash and sausages hit the news – with chocolate combo and ice tea for afters

47 BAUMANN’S BLOG THE GREEN GAUGE THE BOTTLE BANK

Contact us...

EDITOR Janine Nelson editor@stiritupmagazine.co.uk WRITERS Sarah Rigg, Amy Grace SUBSCRIPTIONS Telephone: 0845 209 3777

As part of our environmental policy this magazine is printed using vegetable oil based ink and is produced to high environmental standards, including EMAS, ISO14001 and FSC® certification.

subscriptions@stiritupmagazine.co.uk DESIGN & PRINT Eclipse Creative COUNTRY RANGE PHOTOGRAPHY

www.barrymellorphotography.co.uk

www.countryrange.co.uk/stir-it-up NOV / DEC 2013 03

COOKS CALENDAR

Soap Cooks calendar...

Box November

by Roger Rant

In season...

The world is not enough? >> These days it seems it’s simply not enough to offer your prime service to your customers.

A variety of “add-ons” are also required apparently.

Clearly it’s good for business to be able to diversify – as long as it’s not at the expense of what you do best.

Watering down your core offer could end up losing you business.

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parsnips

turnips

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Boxi Bo xing ng Day

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Jerusalem artichokes

January

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04 NOV / DEC 2013

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In season...

After all, sun salutations in the confectionery aisle and hair clippings i your noodles in dl might i h not be b what h your customers are after...

quince

1

In season...

Recently in the news we saw that Tesco are offering yoga classes and cookery lessons at their new Watford store, whilst Wing Yip’s business centre in Croydon has haircuts, Thai massage and a holiday booking service on the menu, as well as their central offering of Chinese foodstuffs.

red cabbage

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apples

CUSTOMER PROFILE

Pushing the boat out!

Cruise lovers land on their feet... >> A luxury holiday resort aimed at the cruise market is causing waves in Norfolk – by making catering for 750 guests look like plain sailing.

Our offer is inspired by the cruise market and we focus on superb customer service supported with an excellent dining experience along with five star accommodation and entertainment. As such our product is very similar to cruising but we do it on land, consequently we really like to push the boat out – no pun intended!

Potters Leisure Resort in Hoptonon-Sea is the UK’s first five star holiday village and is open all year round offering a range of holiday breaks for visitors of all ages. The venue has a maximum capacity of 750 people depending on break type – which ranges from indoor bowling holidays to weekend entertainment packages – and the business works on an impressive average of 80-85% occupancy.

“We have the most pro-active customer service I have ever seen in the business and employ our front of house staff on the basis of their personality because we know we can teach them the skills. Engaging with our guests is the most important thing we do. Our MD John Potter’s mantra is very simple ‘he wants to astonish you!’”

Our offer is inspired by the cruise market and we focus on superb customer service supported with an excellent dining experience... dinner is served from 6pm-7pm and we aim to be able to offer the same choice of dishes if you walk in at 6.55pm as you would expect to be offered at 6pm.”

‘Blue Ribbon’ Christmas and New Year breaks along with gourmet-style dinners every Sunday night.

“Food during Christmas and New Year has to have the ‘wow factor’,” says David, The resort employs an executive chef who has worked at Potters for nearly and four head chefs controlling two 20 years after starting as “a humble The resort houses six fabulous main kitchen teams comprising 40-50 assistant in the Ten Pin Bowling”. “It’s eateries, and dinner in the main people. There are also 30-40 waiting got to be a bit different because the restaurant comprises three starters, The emphasis is on staff supporting the kitchen operation. tariffs are higher and the expectation six mains – including a carvery, an supreme quality in all greater. Consequently we really promote oriental dish cooked live on the wok, Potters is also the UK’s leading Christmas – it’s a very important time for aspects of the business, a fish option and a vegetarian option indoor bowls centre and hosts the us. We spend a lot of money on table and ensuring everyone – and four desserts. It also houses World Professional Indoor Bowls design and presentation to make sure four salad bars with a wide range Championship every January. has a fantastic dining everything is matching. We also have of seafood and cooked meats to Feeding both the bowlers and experience requires good quality crackers which have enhance the service. the 1,200 spectators who attend something worth having in them.” military precision. each day within a set timeframe is Lunch has slightly fewer courses on therefore of the utmost importance.

David Ramsden, director of With such huge production offer (two starters, four mains and purchasing, explains: “We provide three desserts), whilst the buffetAt weekends, when guests are challenges, working with a full board multi-choice menu style breakfast includes cereals, entertained by the likes of Peter trusted suppliers is key to for our guests and prepare over fruits and continental, two fish, Andre and Jane Macdonald, there’s a the success of the business.

2,000 meals a day. and a six element cooked English different, more relaxed focus, with breakfast.

A midnight buffet service periods tending to be half an “Food is a major part of our product.

David concludes: “Our Country Range hour longer than during the week.

If you ask our guests, a lot of them provides a hot meal such as chilli Group supplier is one of our ‘go to’ con carne or Spaghetti Bolognese would say it’s one of the main preferred suppliers, and we have There are two menu cycles per year: for those who wish to indulge reasons they come to us. worked with them for many years. winter from October 1 to the end of whilst they dance the night away.

We have very high operational March then summer from April to the Says David: “The bottom line is end of September. However, the winter standards and use a lot of Country Range products in the process. The we don’t want people leaving the menu is temporarily suspended in fact is, if it ain’t five star, we don’t do it.” restaurant hungry. During midweek December when the resort hosts

“We provide a full board multi-choice menu for our guests and prepare over 2,000 meals a day.

NOV / DEC 2013 05

CUSTOMER PROFILE

Life’s a Beach for chef Justin >> The here re’ss a definite ‘wave’ of excitement in the kitchen of the Clifton Arms in Lytham St Annes.

The four-star, seafront hotel is undergoing an extensive makeover and its restaurant menus are getting a major re-vamp – courtesy of talented head chef Justin Jerome.

“The new menu is very classical with a modern twist,”” explains Justin. “I want my customers to be able to identify with the dishes but I also add a ‘wow’ surprise element to my dishes.

“We’re going through a transitional period at the moment. Our older clientele are the backbone of tthee business s ess but, t, ass wee aree refurbishing ef s g and modernisingg the building, we are getting a lot off yoounnge g r pe people comin ingg in too so it’s importa tant n that we are abl we blee to t cater for eve veryone. e. The chaallenge ge is sttrriikkin ingg a ba b la lanc lanc n e be betweenn ke keep eeppiinng th thee older cuust stoom mer e s ha h pp pp y w whhililst s makkin st ingg it an attraccti tiv ive ve pro ropo oposiiti t oonn forr youungger e generations.”

One dish that is sure to create the ‘wow factor’ with diners young and old is Lytham Seashore...

...a stunning plate of edible potato pebbles and cod cheeks, edible ‘sand’ and a sea water foam, garnished with local samphire.

“I obviously drew inspiration from our location for this one,” says Justin, who regularly cooks for the world’s leading golfers when they’re in town, as well a host of big name entertainers who perform in neighbouring Blackpool.

Country Range products feature heavily in Justin’s stoore cup upboard, d, providing ng vital quality and consistency to his dishes.

He continues: “We use a lot of Country Range products – the herbs and spice, bouillons and vinegars are all favourites of mine. Consistency in my line of work is really important because it means I can write recipes and know that time and time again they are going to be the same.

“I’ve been experimenting with the new Ingredients range recently and I’ve had a lot of fun with it. The products are incredibly versatile, definitely not just for desserts, and I’ve used them in ways you might not expect.”

One good example is the inclusion of dried cranberries from the new Fruit Collection in an interesting twist on a traditional Christmas turkey dinner.

Justin explains: “I use the classic flavours of sag agee, che hest stnu nutt an andd cr cran anbe berr rryy bu butt wi with th a twist. My food is all about textures, hot and cold, soft and crunchy, to balance out the dish, so I’ve made a sage emulsion, cris cr ispy is ppyy sagge leaves, cranberry gel, turkey lleeg ba ballllo lot otin otin inee wi withh sau with a sa sage g and che hest stnu st nutt nu stuf st uffifing ngg an and a tu turk rkey rk eyy cra rack cker er – all on a be bed off cra ranb nber ber e ri rieess in cr crun run u ch c y bu bulg lggar a wheeat at.

Lytham Seashore a stunning plate of edible potato pebbles and cod cheeks, edible ‘sand’ and a sea water foam, garnished with local samphire.

White chocolate and raspberry pops: a perfect end-ofmeal treat for junior diners diners. The sharpness of the Country Range dried raspberries perfectly balancces e the creamy sweetness of the chocolate (made from Country Range white chocolate drop ps)

The Cl Clif Clifton iffton Ar A Arms rms ms iiss un unde undergoing derg rgoi oing ing an an extensive e te ex tensive makeover and its restaurant menus are getting a major re-vamp NOV / DEC 2013 07

CUSTOMER PROFILE Justin regularly cooks for the world’s leading golfers when they’re in town, as well a host of big name entertainers

“Christmas dinner shouldn’t bee oveerfacinng. Itt’’s been proven that your brain switchees off ff to wha hatt yo you are tasting after four mouthfuls. That’ss why tas asti tinng menus are so popular. Using differeent texturees and temperatures keeps your mindd and you ourr tastebuds interested.

“Smell is the first port of call but primarily it’s all about flavour for me. A dish might look amazing but if it doesn’t have that depth of flavour, there’s no point.”

Justin honed his culinary skills leaarning fr from om m the masters of the trade – Gordon Ramsay ay and nd Raymond Blanc.

“Claridges was my first Michelin sttar expeeri rien ennce – it was a real eye-opener of how a kitc tche henn can be” he continues. ”It was very grruell uelllliin i ng but it was also very rewardingg andd I kne n ew that I was getting very good trraininng.””

About Le Manoir aux Quat ’Saisonss, he says: “I love that place. It’s the one place I have worked where, ass soonn as I saw it, I fell in love with it.

“Raymond Blanc is an incredibbly niice man a and very passionate and prouud of whaat he does. He loves to share his know wl dge. wled I went there to hone my pastryy skillls because someone told me ‘If you don’ n’tt n’ learn pastry you will never know iff thhe pastry chef is having one overr on you’.”

Another invaluable tip learnedd at Le Mannoir was not to make desserts tooo sweeet.

“I tend to use a lot of savoury elem mentss in my puddings now, like in my (Carrrot Caake). I pu put the name in brackets because it has all the elemen ents t of carrot cake but they have been deconstructed. d “I use savoury ingredients succh ass brown bread, carrots, coriander and walnutts, aloongside Country Range chocolate, orange segm mentts, walnuts and gold balls. It’s full of surprisess, succh as a walnut marshmallow, and it’s a very sweeet/savoury dessert.”

Justin’s goal is to “make the Clifton Arms a destination restaurant oon n tth h hee Fylde coast coast” and, an d, wit ith h ex exci citi ting ng dis ishe hess li like kees th thes esse,, it s un so nds lik ke he he’s hav aving a wh whal a e of o a tim me! e

“The new menu is very classical with a modern twist...

I want my customers to be able to identify with the dishes but I also add a ‘wow’ surprise element to my dishes.”

08 NOV / DEC 2013

Justin’s Carrot Cake has all the elements of carrot cake but they have been deconstructed

Turkey leg ballotine with sausage and chestnut stuffing and a turk tu rkey ey crackerr

NEW FROM COUNTRY RANGE

The Class

>> Country Range isn’t regarded d as the best own brand in the foodservice business for nothing.

As well as maintaining our very high standards of quality and competitive pricing, we’re also major innovators in the industry and our product development team have, once again, been working extremely hard to bring caterers the top-class products they need to run their businesses effectively.

JAN/FEB

And when they haven’t been busy working on new hey ve been additions to our ever-growing range, they’ve ost recently collecting awards for their efforts – most picking up a coveted Wholesale Q award rd for our yummy Gingerbread Men Mini Pack Biscuits scuits in the “Catering Ambient Sweet” category. ory.

Mature Cheddar – RANGE ADDITION NOW IN 2.5kg block

This year has seen more than 75 new products added to our impressive range – and there are plenty more to follow in 2014!

MARCH

NEE W Grated Mature Cheddar 1kg NEW Real Mayonnaise made with Free Range Egg Yo Yolk 5ltr

NEW W Gingerbread Men Mini Pack Biscuuits 1 x 80 NEW W Pl Plain Wholemeal Flou o r 3k 3 g

3...

Here’s a round-up of our Class of 2013...

M ayonnaise Update >> In January we launched Country Range Free Range Egg Mayonnaise in 5-litre tubs – and it’s been so successful that we’re now producing it in 2.5ltr and 10ltr tubs too. These tubs have green lids.

Free from artificial es colours, additives and flavour s and suitable for vegetarians, thee new tubs will be easy to identify with green lids.

Our Light Mayonnaise (5ltr)will retain a blue lid.

10 NOV / DEC 2013

Front off House range Fron g – REDESIGN

APRIL NEW North Atlantic Prawns 150/250 count (Frozen) 2kg NEW PR149 2 Ply Blue Centrefeed 150m x 170 0mm 6 roollls NEW Fancy Peas (Frozen) 1kg NEW Alabama Fudge Cake (Frozen) 1 x 16ptn NEW Frozen Desserts – Caramel Toff ffee Crunch 1 x 14ptn Tiiramisu 1 x 14ptn White Chocolatee & Forest Fruits W Charlotte 1 x 14ptn Rhubarb & Raspberry Frangipane 1 x 14ptn

MAY Frozen Battered Cod – RANGE ADDITION – new size 30 x 80-110g NEW Frozen Luxury Fishcake Cod & Chorizo – RANGE ADDITION 24 x 90g Luxury Fishcakes – NEW SMALLER SIZE (Salmon & Dill, Thai Style Cod & Prawn, Smoked Haddock) 24 x 90g

of 2013 JUNE

NEW Frozen Chicken Range • BBQ Wings 1kg • Ho H t & Spicy Wings 1kg • Breaded Goujons 2kg • Southern Fried ed Goujons 2kg • Battered Fillets 1.98kg • Battered Bites 2kkg • Battered Nuggets 1.06kg • Batter e ed Steaks 1.02kgg

NEW FROM COUNTRY RANGE

News splash >> Country Range Balsamic Glaze (500ml) has a new-look bottle with a re-designed nozzle to offer creative chefs the ability to decorate platess in a variety of ways.

It can be opened wide to make bubbles and narrow for precision plate decoration. The nozzle can now also be closed so the produc t can be sealed completely without the risk of someone forgetting to replace the cap.

• Whole Fi F llets 2.5kgg • 12mm m Striips 2.5kg • 12 2mm m Dicced 2.

2 5kg NE W 5” White Sliced N Floured Bap (Frozen) 6 x 8 NEW Apple Ju J ice, Orange Juice cartons 27 x 200ml NEW Oxtail Soup Mix – RANGE ADDITI TION 2.25kg

JULY NEE W Thaw & Serve Petit Pain (Frozen) 1 x 70 NEW Thaw & Serve Small Baguette (Frozen) 1 x 30 NEW Partt Baked Small Baguette (Frozen) 1 x 30

SEPTEMBER NEW icrumb Scamppi Bites (FFroze zen) 1kg New & improved crumb on icrumb range – RANGE IMPROVEMENTT (Frozen) • Salmon Bites Approx. 100 x 20g • Cod Bitees Ap A prox. 100 x 20 2 g • Salmon Fishcake 60 x 57g • Whitefish Fishcake 60 x 57g • Salmon Smalll Fry Approx. 60 x 50-70g • Whitefishh Small Fryy Approx ox. 60 x 50-70g

OCTOBER NEW Ingredie ients Range x 33 • Baking Collection • Décor Collection • Fruit Collection NEW Luxury Deep Dish Mince Pies (Frozen) 36 x 65g NE

AUGUST

N W Mini Mince Pies (Frozen) 60 x 34g NE

NEW Cooking Chhocolate Drops made witth Belgian chocolate

N W Co NE C cktail Sauusages (Pork 32s) (Frozen) 2.27kg

Dark 2.5kg Milk 2.5kg White 2.5kg

NEW Chocolate Eclairs (Frozen) 1 x 45 NEW Mini Eclairs (Frozen e ) 1 x 108 NEW Profiteroles (Frozen) ( ) 1 x 24 NEW 2 Ply 33cm Christmas Napkin – design compe p tition winner 8 x 250

NOV / DEC 2013

11

THE MARKETPLACE

The Ultimate Gravy for your Turkey this Christmas ...the Clip Jar is now beginning to be used in trendy bars, pubs and restaurants...

Jars add a ‘touch of glass’ >> Full tabletop solutions provider, Everyware, is advising operators to get creative with their tableware and profit from one of the biggest trends about to hit the UK out-of-home market.

The company, a market leader in North America, has earmarked a key trend in the US for subverting the roles of certain items of tableware, in particular glass and dinnerware, to add a touch of theatre to service, get diners talking and allow operators to premiumise certain items through presentation.

Julian Williams, MD of Everyware, says: “We are seeing a real trend for savvy operations getting multiple uses from their tableware – whether it’s ice cream served in a martini glass or teacup, or soup in a shot glass, being creative is key and fun is the watchword. Not only does this kind of rotation make sense from a financial point of view, subverting the functionality of certain pieces can also leave a lasting impression and give your operation a real quirky point of difference.”

12 NOV / DEC 2013

>> Stock and sauce experts, Major International, have added a new poultry gravy to their successful Ultimate gravy range in time for the festive season.

Bringing the richness of a fresh roast like flavour with subtle hints of sage and onion stuffing, the new Poultry Gravy joins the existing Meaty Beef and Vegetarian flavours.

All three products in the Ultimate range are gluten-free and the Vegetarian Gravy is also Vegetarian Society approved.

Available in both 1kg and 3kg buckets, the Ultimate range has also changed its packaging design to an eye-catching red square pot.

Company MD David Bryant explains: “We decided that it was time for a change after consulting with chef efs nationwide. The benefits to customers are huge, not only are they easy to stack and handle, they are more space efficientt, dishwasher safe and fully recyyclable. Use Major and go greenn or should I say go RED!!”

All three products in the Ultimate range are gluten-free...

THE MARKETPLACE

COOKS&CO adds some chopped garlic to range e >> Cooks&Co, the RH Amar-owned professional chef and caterer ingredients range, has added a brand new chopped garlic offering to its popular Ingredients Range.

Available in 1.2 kg size sapphire jars and preserved in healthy rapeseed oil, it responds to an increasing demand from professional chefs and caterers for a quick-to-use garlic ingredient that has the texture and authenticity of hand-chopped garlic.

HP SACHETS GET A ‘MAN MAKEOVER’ >> Following the success of its ‘Sauce of Manliness’ campaign, HP Sauce is launching limited edition manly packaging for its front-ofhouse sauce sachets and bottles, to help bring its ‘Man Rules’ messaging g to life for out-of-home diners.

Available to caterers from now until January, there will be three different tongue-in-cheek designs per 9g and 12g sachet cases, bearing slogans including: ‘makes a sandwich, a manwich’; ‘puts the bang in your banger’; and ‘makes a fried egg cracking’. ‘Sauce of Manliness’ aims to drive penetration and awareness of the brand among younger male consumers aged 25 to 44 years. The campaign also includes digital activity, such as videos and outtakes from the TV advert shoot.

Festive blends >> Yorkshire-based tea and coffee merchant Taylors of Harrogate has launched two exclusive festive blends to help caterers hark in the profits this Christmas.

Available for a limited time, Taylors’ Spiced Christmas Tea is blended with tangy lemon, fruity orange and mellow, warming spices. Coffee lovers aren’t forgotten either with a limited edition Christmas Blend from the UK’s number one roast and ground coffee brand. Made from a mix of Latin American beans for a chocolate richness and aromatic Ethiopian beans to provide a floral note, the coffee is the perfect match for rich and fruity Christmas foods.

The limited edition blends provide an easy way for operators to give their menus real ‘stand out’ over the festive period and drive sales. John Sutcliffe, out of home and convenience controller, Taylors of Harrogate, explains: “he beauty of our Christmas-inspired blends is that they instantly bring some seasonality to hot drinks menus and because they’re only around for a limited time, they allow operators to price them that bit higher.”

NOV / DEC 2013

13

Luxury Mince Pies...

With a rich pastry case filled with luxurious mincemeat and baked to perfection, make Country Range Frozen Baked Mince Pies at the top of your Christmas list this festive season.

From that delicious first bite of sweet, crumbly shortcrust pastry to the last satisfying mouthful of subtly spiced mincemeat, nothing says Christmas better than a mince pie.

Serve as a side with coffee or warmed through with cream or brandy butter.

Luxury Deep Dish Mince Pies – 36 x 65g Mini Mince Pies – 64 x 34g Fully defrost before serving.

For more details call 0845 209 3777 or visit www.countryrange.co.uk

14 NOV / DEC 2013

FIVE WAYS TO USE

Five ways to use...

MINCEMEAT >> When it comes es to Christmas aromas, the smell of warm mince pies has to be up there in the top three.

This traditional spice and fruit combo simply oozes with festive flavours, making it a must on Yuletide menus.

But don’t resstrict your Country Count Range mincemeat simply to paastry cases this Christmas. This fruity little numbeer works a treat in a variety of dishes, as the national chairman of the Craft Guild of Chefs (CGC) demonstrates.

1. Mincemeat & clementine pies – Instead of plain mince pies, add the juice of one

>> As the leading cheefs association n in the UK, The Craft Guild of Ch hefs represents the interests off chefs and promotes u understanding, apprecia iatio on and the advanceme ent of o the art of cooke kery and the science e of food.

The associationn is supported by an increasinngg number of professional suupply companies which offer members major benefits and saavings.

Christopherr Basten, who began his three-year tenure at the helm of the CGC earlier this year, has created five deliciously different ways to use this much-looved ingredient.

A classicallyy trained chef, who has worked with the likes of John Burton-Race and Raymond Blanc, Christopher is currently chef lecturer at Westminsster Kingsway College in London responsible for teaching the culinary arts to students.

The Cra aft Guild of Chefs M Membership

Christopher Basten is a classically trained chef, who has worked with the likes of John Burton-Race and Raymond Blanc

3. Bread & butter pudding with mincemeat – This is an extremely simple

We are giving Sttir it up readers the chance to reeceive a 20% discount on meembership.

Membership wiill therefore cost just £42.30 inccluding VAT at 20% for your first yeear (nor o mal price £52.88). As thee Craft Guild of Chefs is a profeessional body your membership feee is tax deductible.

Too receive your discounted membership simply call 0800 195 2433 and quote reference SU/20.

clementine, chilled, to your pastry for added flavour. pudding to make and doesn’t really need a recipe!

I use 175g plain flour and 75g of cold butter and Simply add teaspoons of the mincemeat instead cut out snowflakes or star shapes to top the pies. of raisins or currants and, for added richness, you Serve warm with brandy butter and cream. can also substitute the usual milk and 2. Mincemeat Baklava – Make a syrup eggs with cream and eggs. by simmering 500ml water and 500g caster sugar 4. Red onion chilli & mincemeat together with a squeeze of lemon and one stick of chutney – Add two chopped red chillies plus cinnamon for 10 minutes then leave to cool. two finely chopped red onions to 600g mincemeat Then brush a 12x10 inch baking dish with butter. then add 1 litre of red wine vinegar and simmer Brush 10 sheets of Filo pastry with melted butter gently for up to an hour until the desired and lay them in the dish one by one, spread a consistency is reached. Pour into sterilised jars. generous amount of mincemeat on top of the pastry just under one inch thick.

5. Winter treat – Take 400g of

Your membership p gives you the follow wing benefits:

Now top it off with a further 10-12 sheets of pastry, buttering each sheet as needed. You can trim off the excess pastry hanging on the side of your baking dish. Now brush the top of the pastry with more butter. With a sharp knife, score the top layers in large diamond shapes.

• Advance notificatiton of forthcoming events, masterclassees, competitions, regional activities etc

Bake in a preheated 160°C oven for an hour or until the top turns golden brown. If you find that the top is turning colour too quickly, then cover the with foil.

Remove from the oven and slowly pour the syrup over the top. Now leave to sit and rest for at least 5-6 hours for it to absorb the syrup.

cranberries, 560g of mincemeat and 60ml of orange. Bring to the simmer in a saucepan and pour over vanilla ice cream for a lovely winter treat!

• Free access to the Guild’s website which incl c udes information on jobs, special offers, suppliers, early discounted booking to Guild events, news, recipes and competitions • The Guild’s quarterly Stockpot magazine which is packed with information, news and ideas

• Free meembership to the Guild’s Culinary Academy to hone y ur competition skills yo • Free use of the Guild’s extensive reference library • Free personal copies of: Eat Out, Restaurant, Foodservice Footprint, plus the new Caterer & Hotelkeeper Chefs Newsletter.

NOV / DEC 2013 15

CATEGORY FOCUS

The final festive

COUNTDOWN >> The festive menus have been finalised, advance bookings taken and a bulk order of crackers placed.

It looks like you’ve got Christmas covered but have you really thought of everything?

The Christmas market is a very important time of year for the caterer. It can be a time when the profit for the year is made or lost in this key trading period.

Before the madness begins, it’s time to run through a final checklist to ensure you’re fully geared up to meet all the needs of the season’s revellers.

“Whilst traditional tastes and flavours will always be there during the festive period, we are seeing a growing trend yearon-year for more diverse and ethnic flavours...”

16 NOV / DEC 2013

A bit on the side Whilst traditional starters are always popular at Christmas, in recent years, a growing number of diners have been opting for more unusual flavours.

Tim Page, commercial manager of Innovate Foods comments: “Whilst traditional tastes and flavours will always be there during the festive period, we are seeing a growing trend year-on-year for more diverse and ethnic flavours during this period, especially in the starter category.

“We have also seen an increase in suggestions for versatile products which can fit a menu as a side portion, starter or main to which 70% of our product range covers.

An example of this is Chicken Fajita. It is ideal as a starter or main course serving and can be cut up and placed in a wrap for an instant Mexican bite on the go.”

Tim also predicts Camembert and Caramelised Onion Bites will be a big hit this Yuletide, based on the pre-orders taken for the Christmas period.

Meat-free mains – all wrapped up You put your Christmas turkey order in months ago, but how much consideration have you given to your non-meat eating customers this Yuletide?

With a growing number of people choosing vegetarian options, it’s essential to include a couple of magnificent meat-free main courses as part of your cracking Christmas cuisine. The Vegetarian Society’s cookery school, Cordon Vert, has an extensive database of Christmas recipes at www.veggiechristmas.org, including two new additions: Festive Filo Pillow and a Christmas Pie. Alex Connell, principal tutor at the Vegetarian Society’s cookery school the Cordon Vert (www. cordonvert.co.uk), says: “Christmas means many things to people. Reflection, celebration, family and friends plus for most of us a little indulgence.

As a veggie I want to kick back and have fun with all the ceremony, trimmings and flavour that everyone else wants, but no meat thanks.

If you are new to the wonderful world of a veggie Christmas or catering for a veggie for the first time a few tips may help you on your way.”

CATEGORY FOCUS

Top tips for a meat-free Christmas from the Vegetarian Society • Leet th t e goosse be!! Don’t use goose fat – you n veer used ne ed to an and it’s totally unnecessary.

Roas Ro astt sp s uds in olive oil, with a sprig of r se ro sema m ry ry, a tw twist of rocck salt and a squeeze off lem emonn for a delic i iously delicate roastie w th a lig wi ight fluffy centre.

• Veegg ggie ie sau ausages are widely available and brannds br d such as Redwoods (vegan), Cauldron, M Caart Mc r ne n y Foods, s and Quorn all meet the Vegeta Ve Vege etarian Society approved standard.

R as Ro astt thhes ese until they are nearly cooked tthhen e wra rapp in veggie “bacon” or sundried tooma m toes es. Secure with a cocktail stick and cont co ntin nt inue ue too co c ok for five minutes.

• Gi G ve v tur u key Christmas off. As a vegetarian alte al t rnnat te a iv ive th the nu n t roast has become a p pu po p la lar chhoi o ce c . Delicious hot or cold, and even ev e goo en ood in a butty.

Maki Ma kingg your own is straightforward, easier s ilill with a food processor. Simply take nuts, st a fe few w mu m shrooms, breadcrumbs, herbs, grated chhee eese se, a couple of eggs, a stock cube and a se spla sp laash of soy sauce. Whizz it up and place in a liline nedd loaff tin and bake in the oven for 40 m nu mi nutees an and you won’t go far wrong.

• A go good o standby in the kitchen over the holiday peri pe riod od is a Macsween vegetarian haggis – it’s nott ju no just for Burn’s Night. Use it as a stuffing or ppllac ace it on a field mushroom with a little garlic a d ro an roas astt for 10 minutes. Add a little veggie b ue che bl hees e e and pine nuts and roast for another fifive min inut u ess, perfect as a quick main dish. ut

Christmas Cheer Once On ce e you’re happy with the food side o the bus of u iness, it’s time to turn your a te at tent ntio i n to your winelist.

M st Mo s peoopl p e are happy to get into the Christmas “ pi “s piri rit” t” and treeat themselves at this time of yeear, so make sure you’ve got a good variety year o qua of ualilty wines to suit all palates and budgets.

S ys Moeez Seraly, CEO of theperfectcellar.com: Sa “TThe h foo o d in the UK has improved dramatically in rece re cent ce ntt yea e rs and I would say London is now no w th thee goour urmet capital of the world.

“Top “T o cheefs op fs use se the best ingredients and combine thhem to ma m ke an extraordinary meal and my first r co re c mm mmen e da d titon would be to buy wine from a wine wi n maake ne ker who follows the same principle of usin us ingg on in only ly the best ingredients to make his wine.”

Mooez M ez als lsoo ad advise ses stocking up on Champagne a d us an usin ingg it “mo in m re cleverly”. “It’s not just an aper ap erit er itififf,”” he clai it a ms. “It can be druunk n throughout t e me th m al al.”.”

Festive food and wine pairings The flavour and enjoyment of food can be enhanced when accompanied by a suitable wine n match, and you may be called up to make suitable recommendations by your customers.

Here’s our guide to Christmas food and wine pairing:

For starters • Smoked salmon – To deal with oil and fat in food you need a wine with a good amount of acidity to cleanse the palate, which is exactly what a squeeze of lemon does too. Try Champagne or Chablis or an Alsace Gewürztraminer.

• Prawns – Chablis and other lightlyoaked Chardonnays balance the richness of prawns.

Christmas pie with sumptuous homemade gravy

As a vegetarian alternative the nut roast has become a popular choice.

Delicious hot or cold, and even good in a butty.

• Oysters – Complement the delicate flavour with a lightweight wine such as Muscadet or Champagne.

• Foie gras or rich pâté – Aromatic wines like Alsace Pinot Gris and Riesling work well. Sweet Sauternes is particularly good with fois gras.

• Asparagus – Perfect with New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

• Consommé – Amontillado Sherry or a good Madeira is the ideal match.

The Main Event • Turkey – Like most poultry turkey is not powerfully flavoured and also has a low fat content. It therefore needs a full-bodied white or a medium-full red wine to do it justice. Try Californian Zinfandel, a full-bodied Chardonnay or a mature Claret or Rioja.

• Goose or duck – Balance the oiliness of the meat with high acid/tannic wines such as red Burgundy or German Riesling..

• Roast beef – Cabernet Sauvignon or a mature Claret.

forward, nutroast is straight Making your own food processor easier still with a

• Venison – Red Burgundy.

• Nut roast – Fruity reds work best with this substantial dish, for example, Chilean Merlot.

Just desserts • Christmas pudding and mince pies – delicious with Tawny Port or rich Madeiras.

• Sherry trifle – great with botrytised Australian Semillion or sweet Sherry.

Another vital addition to your winelist should be a “versatile sweet wine”,

• Chocolate desserts – Aged Tawny Port is the best opt ption but, if your customer insists on white wine, try a Mu Muscat de Beaumes Ve Venise.

cont co nttinnue uess Mooez ez. “T “Thi hiss ca hi c n bee ser e veed both as an aper ap erit er itifif andd a des it esse sert rt win ine. At thhis tim imee of year itt’ss imp it’s m orr ta tant n to m nt maakee an im impa pact ct.”. ct

w et wines wor o k best • SStiltoon – Swe with Stilton on. Try Sa Saut u er ut erne n s, ne s Muscat o Gew or ewürr ztraamine ner.r.

Trifle is great with botrytised Australian Semillion or sweet Sherry

NOV / DEC 2013 17

ON THE RANGE

>> The festive season is a hectic time for most chefs and any dish which can be made in advance is a big plus.

Country Range development d l chef h f Ni Nigell Smith recommends making things like stuffing balls to accompany your Christmas dinners now an nd freezing them.

Similarly, Christmas puddin ngs g can be made in November.

Nigel advises: “They can either be frozen or stored in your fridge or cellar if you have one. Make sure they’re wrappe p d well in clingfilm and tin foil and keep them off the floor.”

Aside from turkey, a delicious fish dish is a must on yo y ur festive menu and Nigel’s easy-to-ma make salmon en croute makes an attractive addition to your Christmas offering.

“It’s a great dish for Boxing Day whhen most people want something other than turkey. I make it with Country Range puff pastry and, for a vegetarian option, you can substitute the salmon with a mixture of beans, tinned tomatoes, tarragon and olive oil and use Country Range vegetable stock. Delicious!”

ON THE Range

Salmon en croute >> Serves 8-10

Ingredients

Method

Juice and zest of 1 lemon 500g Country Range puff pastry 1 egg, beaten Splash of Country Range olive oil Country Range salt and pepper 100g fresh spinach 10g Country Range dried basil Pinch of Country Range chopped garlic Pinch of Country Range fish stock 1 side of fresh salmon, skin off and pin boned

1. Place the puff pastry on to a clean surface.

2. Place the salmon on top of the pastry, sprinkle with salt and pepper, add spinach and basil, lemon zest and juice, spreading evenly.

3. Add a pinch of fish stock, garlic and seal the pastry all around the fish, making sure the fish is well sealed to allow no leakage.

4. Brush the pastry all over with beaten egg evenly.

5. Place onto a non-stick baking tray sprinkled with Country Range semolina for 45 minutes until golden brown in an oven pre-heated to 200°C. 6. Serve with a mixed bean salad and vinaigrette made using Country Range olive oil, white wine vinegar and mustard. Alternatively tively serve, hot or cold, with a potatoo salad made with Country Range mayonnaise.

You can also access this recipe using Country Range’s puff pastry rice by using your smart phone QR code reader. Scan the code or enter the web address in your internet browser window. www.countryrange.co.uk/rec cip pes/?ID=191

NOV / DEC 2013

19

EDUCATION

The census shows that more children tend to eat school meals in areas where more schools have the kitchen facilities to offer freshly-cooked food.

School kitchen census launched A nationwide census of school kitchens has been launched to see if they’re fit to deliver the new School Food Plan. >> The campaign aims to gather a comprehensive picture of kitchen infrastructure in the UK’s schools.

Research by the Children’s Food Trust (CFT) estimates around 73% of primary schools have full production kitchens, while almost 16% either have to get hot food transported from elsewhere or have only a cold food service.

It also shows that more children tend to eat school meals in areas where more schools have the kitchen facilities to offer freshlycooked food.

CFT chairman, chef Rob Rees, says: “We’ve worked with lots of schools over the years where catering teams are having to cope with kitchen facilities that aren’t up to the job because of their age, their size, their layout or their equipment – costing schools when it comes to time and fuel.

20 NOV / DEC 2013

“These fantastic teams are always determined their facilities won’t compromise the meals on children’s plates. They make do and get on with the job, because replacing kitchens and their equipment can feel like a complicated, expensive business.

“But good kitchens are a vital part of a thriving school meals service. The School Food Plan has thrown down the gauntlet for taking school meals to the next level. But if we want every child to have a great meal at school, we need to help schools get their kitchens right – and that starts with knowing how many kitchens are in serious need of some tlc.”

Schools can save up to six hours of cooking time per week by switching from an older gas oven to a modern combi.

This frees up staff for other tasks and cutting energy consumption. Installing a dishwasher can cut the proportion of time kitchen staff

spend on washing up from 21% to 7%, as well as potentially making thousands of pounds in savings by switching from disposable cutlery and plates to proper crockery and cutlery.

Myles Bremner, director of the government’s School Food Plan, adds: “The School Food Plan has shown that a great school kitchen is at the heart of providing good school food.

We’ve seen many great examples of creative schools running cost-effective kitchens that serve healthy, nutritious and tasty food that children want to eat. We hope this campaign will encourage all schools to consider the benefits of taking a whole school approach to their food provision – and key to this is having the right facilities and skills in the kitchen.”

If you’re a school business manager, a catering manager or a cook, you can take part in the census by visiting: www.surveymonkey.com/ s/schoolkitchens2013

ADVERTORIAL

TV Star Jo Wheatley Launches

THE BIG SCHOOL BAKE OFF CAMPAIGN

supported t d byy

Earlier this year TV Bake Off winner Jo Wheatley put Stork to the test by cooking up a range of delicious sweet treat recipes, as part of the Big School Bake Off Campaign launch, which aims to inspire school caterers and cooks to bake from scratch.

From whoopie pies and apple and blackber Fro errry crumble to oatmeeal and r ai aisi sin cookies an and lemon dr driz izzl zle cake k , no nott al alll sc schools bakee from scratch, h, but Jo wants ever eryy sc s hool cater erer e and cook to knnow jus ustt ho how w ea easy it is to put down wn the bakee mixx and beg egin in bak akin ingg fr from scratch.

“I began usi sing Stork rk aft fter er I ffou oundd it mad my cakees so muc uchh liligh ghte terr an andd ta tast s ier.

The campai aign gn by St Stor orkk to put pprride de back into b king is on ba onee cl clos osee to my he hear art. t. I’v ’vee been baking for 25 ye ba year arss no now w an andd am passionate abbou out passin ingg my kno nowl wled edge ge and skills onto othe hers rs. Baking is a great way to get sch choo ooll chilildr ch dren en exc xcited about cooking. Itt als lso teeac ache hes th a ski them killll tha hat will pr prove invallua uabl b e to the hem m as theyy gr grow ow up. I’m suure many ny schooll co cook oks don’t thinnk tw twicce ab aboutt baki king ng ffrom m sc scra r tch at home. We wan antt th them em to taake thiss ex expe p rience ‘back to schoool’ and cre reat atee so some me great-tasting dishes that the studennts wililll lo love.”

To cel eleb ebra rate te the lau aunc n h of o the Big School Bake Ba ke Off cam ampa paig ign, n, Stork o is giving away free tool to olki kits ts tha hatt ar aree pa pack ckeed with everythingg scho sc hool ol cat ater erer erss an andd cook o s need to host st thei th eirr ow ownn ba baki king ng com ompe petitions, along ng wit ith reci re cipe pes, s, top tip ipss an andd enngaging front of ho hous use mate ma teri rial alss to ins nspi pire re stuudents. It also inc nclude dess

a certificate for school cater ereers to shoow that they ey’rre pr proud to bake from scratch.

Andy Lagor, Schhools Development Che hef at Unileverr Food Solutions, says: “Schoool co cook okss might think it’s it ’s not practical to bake froom scra ratch due to time pres essu s res,, but you o ’d bee su surpriseed how quick it is to maake a sponge cake k this way. y And n we can’t expect chhildren to take cooking ng serrio ioussly if we’re not leadinng byy examp mple. It’ss not jusst spongees that are quick and nd e sy. Jo showedd off her skillss by preparing biscui ea uits ts,, flap apja jack cks, s, brownies, s, coo ooki kiees and nd cakes in minutes beefo fore re letting them bake ke in th the oven.

“We’ve captured all of her rec ecip ipes es,, wh whic ichh meet school nutritional guideline nes, s, in our free ee too oolkit.

Each recipe pe ffollows just five simple stepss to t ens nsur uree cateere rers rs deliv liver er consi sist s ent quality every tiime me..

Wee’v ’vee al also inc nclude dedd a sp spec ecial set of recipes for scchool o childrenn too tak ake hoome and recreate at home.

“W ca “We c n’t wait it to he hear ar how every ryon one gets on. This real re ally ly is a fu fun camp mpaaign gn witth a simp mple le message: baki ba king ng ffro rom m sc scraatc tchh ta tast stes es gre reat at and ffee eels greatt.”

To fifinnd ou out ho how to get a Bak ake Off kit, c nttac co actt Unilillev ever er Foodd Solutions on 0800 08 00 783 372 728 (s (sel elec ect option 1) or visit w ww. w uniileveerrfo f odso solutions.co.uk

WIN a KITCHENAID W Professional Mixer

for your school

To celebbrate b the launch of the Big School Bakee Off competition, we’re ggiiving schools the chance to win one of two KitchenAid professsional s mixers to kick-start your baking revolution.

Powerffuul yet quiet, this mixer has a smooth roounded bowl-lift design for f heavy loads, with a J-handle for greeat control.

For youurr chance to win one of these fabulous mixers, simply compleette this slogan (in up to 10 words):

“Stork is perfect for baking g because...”

The besst two slogans will win the prizes. Send your slogan in an em mail titled “Stork competition”, along w with your name, contac t details and the name of your Countryy Range Group wholessaler, to competitions@stiritupmagazine.co.uk

22 NOV / DEC 2013

ADVERTORIAL

Banana Cake RECIPE

An A ndy d Lag agor or, U or, or Un nil iilev ever ev ver e Dev vel e op o me men ent nt Che hef ef an a d Jo Whe h atle attle a ey laun la un nch ‘Th The T he Bi Big Sc Scho hool hool ol Bak ke Of Offff’’ at LA O LACA A

Ingredients 250g Stork 115g Caster sugar 100g Egg (2) 5ml Vanilla essence 160g Bananas (2) 5g Bicarbonate of soda 125ml Whole milk 250g Self raising flour 5g Mixed spice 90g Icing sugar 15ml Lemon Juice 15g Desiccated Coconut

Preparation • Pre heat an oven to 180ºC (350ºF) gas 4. Lightly grease 1 x20 cm (8”) sponge tins. Prepare ingredients as directed.

Prepare the frosting in advance.

Method • Cream half the Stork and caster sugar together and gradually add the eggs. Add bananas and vanilla and beat until well combined.

• Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the milk. Sieve the flour and mixed spice together and gently fold into the banana mixture with the milk. Mix well until the mixture is smooth.

• Spoon into a prepared tin, smooth the surface and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.

• For the topping, beat the remaining quantity of the Stork until soft, add the icing sugar and lemon juice and beat well.

• Spread onto the cooled cake and decorate with the cooconut.

Scho Scho Sch Sc hool ho h oo ols ol ls ca can c a an n ge get a ffr get free ree e Biig B g Sc Scho hool ho oll Bak ke Of Off kiit

“The campaign by Stork to put pride back into baking is one close to my heart...”

To find out o how to get a Bake Off kit, Unilever Food Solutions on contact U 0800 783 3728 (select option 1) or www.unileverfoodsolutions.co.uk. visit ww For media infoormat atio ionn co cont ntact: Don onna White at William m Mu Murr rray ay Communicatioons – don onna n @w @wililliammurray.co.uk Tel: 020 8256 1360

NOV / DEC 2013

23

24 NOV / DEC 2013

HEALTH & WELFARE

Porky prison inmates need fresh veg to stem obesity

>> Britain’s inmates are ballooning on a diet of high calorie pre-packed meals, according to an official report.

Prisoners’ penchant for pies, burgers and deep fried food is causing an obesity crisis within the UK’s institutions.

energy consumption for women is lower than for men, most meals offered to women provided similar energy levels.

Poorly labelled salads containing hidden fats – coupled with salt levels way above national guidelines – are causing a ticking obesity time bomb.

“Prisoners are provided with meals which rely heavily on convenience foods, such as pies and burgers and tinned food and frozen vegetables with little use made of seasonal produce.

And both governors and caterers need to do more to encourage inmates to change their unhealthy habits, says the National Audit Office report.

While younger inmates make the worst food choices – preferring to feast on high fat food – the over 50s and foreign nationals are less likely to take up organised exercise sessions.

The report concludes that more should be done to improve the quality of food and to encourage exercise.

Researchers visiting prisons found the average dish contained up to 93% more salt in their pprocessed and ppre-prepared dishes. quotes: “Dietary fibre, which could The report reporrt quotes fresh fruit and vegetables and be provided provideed by fre such as bread and cereals wholegrainn products, produ The amount of energy (calories) was low. Th he amo provided byy some meals over the day exceeded government’s the governm ment’s recommendations and, recommendation for average although thee reco

...both governors and caterers need to do more to encourage inmates to change their unhealthy habits, says the National Audit Office report.

The report states that “on the whole” the Prison Service provides a “well managed and professional catering service” but adds that meals are often not served within 45 minutes of preparation, increasing the risk of food losing its “palatability” and nutritional content.

The researchers also found that although some prisoners were offered “Prison governors and caterers should the opportunity to eat healthily improve performance against those catering standards which have consistently many did not choose to do so. not been met including keeping kitchen facilities well-maintained, serving meals at recommended times, putting temperature controls in place and training food handlers at serving points.”

Recommendations for caterers include: • Cutting back on the frequency of fried food being offered at mealtimes.

• Giving the option of more fresh fruit and veg along with wholegrain products.

• More oily fish (at least once a week).

• Providing practical guidance and training to all prison caterers on healthy catering practises and nutrition. tion. on.

The researchers concluded that prisoners did not understand what constituted a healthy balanced diet.

Expenditure on food is determined by each prison governor who sets the budget in terms of a daily food allowance per prisoner.

The average daily food allowance for prisoners is £1.87, but there are wide variations ranging from £1.20 at an open prison to £3.41 at a young offenders’ institution.

Variations between different types of prison can be partly explained. Young offenders’ institutions, for example, have some of the highest daily food allowances because growing juveniles tend to eat more than adults and they receive extra money for food from the Youth Justice Board. Open prisons tend to have lower daily food allowances because some prisoners da eat some meals outside the prisons. eea

NOV / DEC 2013 25 25

26 NOV / DEC 2013

HOSPITALITY FOODSERVICE INTELLIGENCE FROM

The Importance of Burgers

>> Publicans and restaurant owners are raising a glass to a revolutionary new CCTV system which allows them to monitor their premises from anywhere in the world.

Keen to keep a watchful eye on their businesses, landlords are investing in new technology and keeping tabs on daily operations via their iPad. Rob Place (pictured) owner of The Sun Inn at Newbottle in the North East of England, is one of many savvy businessmen to invest in the system, which allows him to watch full HD quality CCTV footage of his premises on his iPad, via a specially-designed app.

The technology – pioneered by Sunderlandbased CCTV specialists Hadrian Technology – can list any ‘events’ such as disturbances or break-ins, by date and time, which can be easily accessed through the app, and provide alerts via email, if there is movement in a particular area of a building or grounds. The viewer can then instantly

view footage – live or recorded – to check to see if there is a genuine problem or a false alarm and act accordingly.

Rob said: “Knowing everything is running safely and smoothly gives me the peace of mind I need. I can even look at my event lists, which show live footage or playback, whilst recording, from the beach on holiday.

“As well as vastly improving security, one of the most useful benefits of the system has been the ability to monitor deliveries.

Late deliveries can affect my trade and sometimes companies shrug off responsibility for arriving many hours after the agreed time.

“Using my app, I can easily pull up a high definition image from the exact date and time of when someone arrives and send it across to the relevant company.”

BANKING ON NEW JOBS >> Barclays has partnered with the British Hospitality Association (BHA) to support the industry body’s goal of creating 60,000 new jobs in the sector by 2015.

The two organisations will use their collective power and flagship employability campaigns to help young people get ready for work, and find quality apprenticeships and job opportunities. By pooling resources the partnership aims to double the number of new jobs the BHA has already helped the industry to pledge to 60,000, and help ensure a thriving hospitality and leisure sector in the UK.

Burgers have always been en reaallllyy im impoortan ant as a cat ategory on menus, wh w ichh ha hass on only ly beenn strengthened by the awaren enesss of the queue u s at Five Gu Guys. Alle l gra have rec ecen entl tlyy ca carr rrie iedd ou o t analysis of menus frrom acros osss th thee pu pubb se s ctor, and high g lighted thhe follow o ing de deta taills ab aboout the ranges of burgers availaabl b e in pub ubs: s Segmented Pub Brands

No. of Burger Range Options

Value

Raising a crystal clear glass to CCTV

Ovver thee past few years there hass be been en a prroliferation of burger operattorss op open enin ing, g, and grrowing, following the likkes of Goour urme mett Bu Burg rger Kitchen and Byron. These cha hain inss co cont ntin inue u to grrow and do well, wi w th Byr y onn add ddin ingg ei eigh ghtt ne new ouutlets this year already. y The sma mallller e ope pera rators gaining recognition inncl ga clud u e Me Meat at Liq iquo uor,, Hon onest Burger and Handmade Bu Burg rger er Com ompa pany ny.

Yates Wetherspoons Sizzling Pubs Fayre & Square Hungry Horse

12 9 19 5 9

Mainstream

“Knowing everything is running safely and smoothly gives me the peace of mind I need...”

>> With the > e arriva val, l, fro rom m th the e US U , off Five Guys and Sha h ke keSh Shac ack k in nto the UK, we ha have ve see een n an in ncrease in the fo focu us on bur urge gers rs for the UK eattin fo ing ou outt ma mark rket et.

Slug & Lettuce Walkabout Table Table Ember Inns Beefeater

9 10 6 9 6

Whililst it wo W w uld be exppec ecte tedd th that at bra rand nded pub chains would be able to ma mana nage ge ext xten ensive ve r ng ra ngess, th t e number off op opti tion onss ar aroound nd bur u ge gers s ows how importan sh antt th they ey are as a ca cate teggory forr all pubs. We wouuldd rec fo ecom omme mend nd tha hat pu p bss o er op erating in both thee va valuee an andd ma main inst stream s gm se gments would hav ave a ra rang ngee of at le leas astt five diff ffer e ent burger opt p ions, if no nott mo more re.. Th The p icing of burgers from amonngst pr gss th thes ese me menuus rang ra nges es from £3.99 9 att Hunngry Ho Hors rsee to £11 11.78 8 at Beeefeater e , althoughh the typ ypic i al pri rice ce of a bu b rg rger would sit more betw tweeen a ra rang ngee off £ £5 5.00 00 to £9.00.

0 £9 00

Research shows that the hospitality and leisure industry is a crucial creator of jobs and growth in Britain: • Over 2.7million people are employed in the sector – around 10% of the UK’s workforce • It is the 4th largest industry in the UK, delivering £53billion a year in GVA (wages and profits) to the economy According to Barclays’ Job Creation Survey 2013, it is one of the most active sectors for apprenticeships. Almost a third (31%) of employers surveyed have already taken on apprentices, and a further 44% – the highest percentage of any industry sector – plan to take on further apprentices in 2013.

Whilst the news of Five Guys and ShakeShack will diminish, the role of burgers on UK menus will continue to increase.

NOV / DEC 2013 27

28 NOV / DEC 2013

CCOUNTRY CLUB

‘EASY’ DOE DOES IT! >> This month’s Leading Ligh ht, Tom Aikens, is undoubtedly one o of the UK’s most talented cheffs.

His first restaurant, Tom Aiken ns, received huge critical acclaim m and was awarded a Michelin star a year after opening.

Tom also drummed up a further legion of fanss with the opening of Tom’s Kitchen – an informal all-day brasserie serving familiar and rustic dishes.

It is this simple, homely style of cooking thaat Tom focuses on in his ‘Easy’ cookbook. Withh over 200 easy recipes, there’s something for eveery occasion. The emphasis is on simplicity – reecipes that can be prepared and cooked without any ny hassle or fuss, making cooking a pleasure rather than a chore.

We’ve got two signed copies of this beautifully illustrated book up for grabs. All you have to do to enter is send an email titled ‘Tom Aikens Easy’, along with your name, contact details and the name of your Country Range Group wholesaler, to competitions@stiritupmagazine.co.uk

WIN: one of two KitchenAid professional mixer worth £700

LOOK WHAT THE STORK DELIVERED! >> Accordin ng to European folklore, the stork is responsible for briinging babies to new parents. But this month Stork marga arin ne is bringing one of these fabulou us “b babies” to two lucky Stir it up readers.

As parr t of the heir ir ong ngoi oing ng cam ampa paig ignn to help he lp Bri rita tain in bak akee be bett tter er,, Un Unililev ever er Foo oodd Solu So luti tion onss is giv ivin ingg aw away a two Kit itch chen enAi Aidd prof pr ofes essi sion onal al mix ixer erss wo wort rthh £7 £700 00 eac ach. h.

WIN: A signed copy of Tom Aikens’ cookbook ‘Easy’

A po powe werf rful ul yet et qui uiet et mix ixer er,, it fea eatu ture res a smoo sm ooth th rou ound nded e bow owl-llilift f des e iggn fo forr he heav avyy load lo adss an andd is abl blee to pro roce cess ss 19 eg eggg wh whit ites es,, 1.9L 1.

9Ltr tr whi hipp pped ed cre ream am,, 4.

4.5k 5kgg ca cake ke mix ix, 3.8k 3.

8kgg do d ug ugh an a d 3.6k 6kgg ma mash shed ed pot otat ato. o.

Storkk wa Stor wass firs rstt in intr t od oduc uced ed as a br bran ande dedd marg ma rgar arin inee in the h 192 920s 0s and has bee eenn a fa favo vour urit itee wiith t baker erss ev ever er sin ince ce..

With the nat With a io i n cu curr rren entl tlyy gr grip ippe pedd wi with th baki ba king ng fev ever er, St Stor orkk iss the mus ustt-ha have ve prod pr oduc uctt fo forr ba baki king ng nee e ds fro rom m cr crea eati ting ti ng perf pe rfec ectt pa past stry ry to cu cute te cup upca cake kess or a flfluf uffy fy Vic icto tori riaa sp spon onge ge..

For yo For your ur cha hanc ncee to win one of th thes esee f bu fa buloous mix i er ers, s sim impl plyy co comp mple lete te thi hiss slog sl ogan an:: “Stork is perfect for baking because...”” (up to 10 wor ords ds). ).

The be The best st two slo loga gans n wililll wi ns winn th thee pr priz izes es.

Send Se nd you ourr sl slog ogan an in an ema mailil tit itle ledd “Sto “S toork r com ompe peti titi tion on”, ”, alo long ng wit ithh yo your ur name na me,, co cont ntac actt de deta taililss an andd th thee na name me of your yo ur Count ntry ry Ran ange ge Gro roup up who hole lesa sale ler, r, t com to ompe peti titi tion ons@ s@st stiirit itup upma maga gazi zine ne.c .co. o.uk uk

Clos o ingg da date forr allll com mpe p titi tion ons: s 31s 1st De D ce cemb m er 201 mb 0 3. A lll winne ners r wilill be not o ified byy 31stt Ja Januuar aryy 20 2014 14. Po Posttal ent ntri ries es for or all of th thee coomp mpet etit itio ions ns can be sen entt to to: Coun untryy Range Grr ouup, P O Bo Box 50 508, 8 Bur urnley ey, La Lanc n ashire re BB1 B11 1 9E 9EH. H. Ful u l teerms an a d coond ndit itio ions ns can a be fooun undd at at:: ww www. w.co coun untr tryr yrannge ge.c . o.uk uk/s /stiirr-it it-u -upp

NOV / DEC 2013 29

READER SURVEY

Reader survey shows we’re still

>> Every year the Stir it up team, with the help of the Country Range Group sales force, conduct a survey of our readers to make sure you’re still happy with the content and design of the magazine.

The results always make interesting – and very flattering – reading, and we’re pleased to say that this year is no exception.

Some of the wonderful things you said: “I really enjoy reading the magazine and it keeps me up-to-date with food trends.”

“Keep going... a good tool for the industry.”

“Professional and interesting magazine that would not look out of place on a newsagents shelf.”

“Keep up the good work.”

“You are doing a fabulous job.”

>> Some of the findings from this year’s poll reveal: A staggering 92% percentage of readers state their purchases are influenced by the offers in our Promotions supplement

You particularly love all the recipes and new product information, as well as our regular features on chefs

70% of you share your copy with as many as 12 people

63% of readers spend 5-30 minutes reading and over

25% spend over 30 minutes

40% don’t read any other catering magazine

Huge thanks to everyone who ho completed our survey – your tthoughts and suggesstions are massively importannt to us – and a big well done to reader Pam Hewi witson, who won an iPad in our prize draw.

As Stir it up enters its seventh year of publication in 2014, we hope to continuue to be a vital source of information and entertainment for caterers across thee UK..

NOV / DEC 2013

31

SIGNATURE DISH

My signature dish

“I did have a bloody good last couple of days...

It was an amazing feeling to win.”

by Ade Edmondson >> Com median, actor, TV presenter, writer, musician and now winner of Celebriity Masterchef 2013 – who knew thatt Ade Edmondson would turn out to be su uch an accomplish hed cook?!

Hee’dd be th thee fifirs rstt to rs t addm mitt he’ e’ss ca calm lmed ed dow wn so some meewh m whaat at s nce hiis da si days ys onn thhe iccon onic icc You oung ng One ness annd CCoomi micc Sttri rp Pres Pr e en es e ts t , and iss now ow mor oree lilike kely ly to be fou ound ndd wan andde deri ring arou ar ound ou nd Yor nd orks kshiree or ot ks othe herr UK hot otsp spot otss fo forr hi hiss TV show hows ws Thee Da Th Dale less and Ad Ade in Briitain in.

His love H v aff ffai airr wi with th cooooki king ng beg egan ann whenn hee was as at sc schho hool ol..

“I went to boarddin ingg scchoool and thhee foo oodd waas atro rocioous,” explains Ade, who is mar arri rieed ed to fe felllow w com med edia iann Jenn Jee niferr Saunders. “We had a Ba Babby

by Bel e lilinng two-h -hob -h hobb rin i g an andd I ju ju just started co c okinng onn tha hat, thi hing ngss lilike ng ke spa pagh agh g et etti bollogne oggne nessee.

Inn fac a t I re reme memb mber er goiingg hom o e an a d teeaching ng my mu mu m hoow too mak akee it it! We were re from oom m Yor orks kshi hire hi re and didn’ n’tt eat ea ea thin th ings gs lik ikee th that at in th thee 70 7 s.””

His wi His w nni nnning Maast ster erch chhef e menu was a far cr c y fro from om tho h see earl rlyy sc scho h ol dayys, con ho onsistingg off a startterr of Pa Pan Se S ared Loin Lo in of Ve V ni n so son, n, witth a Pe P pp pper er Cru rust st, se serv rved ed withh Ce Cele leriac Remo Re moul ulad adee an ad a d La Lamb mbss Le Lett ttuc tt uce, uc e, a mai ainn of But utte terfl rfliied Fililet et o Sea Bas of asss st stuf uffe uf f d withh Sca fe callllllop op Mou ouss ssee annd servedd wit ithh a deco cons nstr truc ucte ted Ra Rattato tatoui uillllee Sa Sauc ucee (i (ins nspi pire redd by wat atch chin ingg Youu Tube be clilips ps of Ma Marc rcoo Pierre Whi h te), ), and a dessert rt of S rawb St wber e ri ries es in Ca Carame m l Syyr up, topped wi w th t a Caraway Shortbread ad andd a Raspb pber erry ry Sor o be b t.

So was he confident that he wa was going too win? “It was strange because I went into Celebrity Masterchef thinking it was just about cooking – but the pressures were enormous,”” he says. “In the first invent ntion test I could hardly cho h p an onion because I was shaking so much!

I didn’t really relax until nearly the end, that’s when it became fun. At the beginning you just doon’t want to be the first person to go out. I did have a bloody good last couple of days and I felt I was edging ahead of Janet (Street Porter). It was an amazing feeling to win.”

Inn spi pite of his su success, Ade has no plans to carve out a ne new w ca career as a restaurateur. He says: “I think having a resttau aura rant is a hard thing to pull off. It takes a lot off ris iskk annd I doon’ n t do riskk well but I would like to do ano noth ther th er sho h w aabbou o t fo food. od.”

IInn thee meaant ntim ime, im e, Adee iss he h adingg offf on the road head with wi th his ban and, d the Bad She d, h ph heph pher erds ds,, toouring the UK thr hrou ough ou ghhou outt Noove vemb mbeer mb e andd Dec ecem embe ber,r but u he’s he ’ss dre read adding the lackk off go good od foood on on off ffeer afte af terr hiis gi g gs g . He H explains: “Touuri ring ngg Bri rita tain ta in is prretty tty horrible because there t is now whe here r to re eaat af afte t r 11pm apart from m an Ind n ian.

Ther Th ere aarre a lot of brilliantt Indians ere of cou o rs rse but it gets borinng after a whhili e annd has a terriblee effe ef fect fe ctt on yoour u bowels!”

Foor mo more inf n oorrma mation on onn the he Badd She heph pher e ds’ d ’ tour to ur dat ates es vis isit it w ww ww. theb th ebad adsh sheephherd rds.com

Accomplished cook and winner of Celebrity Masterchef 2013

Ade’s Stuffed Lamb Cutlets With a Salad of Roasted Squash, Artichoke Hearts & Balsamic Onions >> Serves 4: “It’s surprisingly tasty but incredibly easy to make.

It can make you look accomplished without too much effort.”

Ingredients 8 x 1inch thick lamb cutlets, French trimmed Sea salt Pepper 80g Fontina or Gruyere cheese, sliced into 8 thin slices 8 Fresh sage leaves, one for each cutlet 8 slices Parma ham 200g plain flour 3 eggs, beaten 300g dried breadcrumbs Olive oil 1 Butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and cubed

2 knobs of butter 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped Small bunch of fresh mint, roughly chopped Small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped 2 fresh chillies, seeds removed and finely chopped 2 Globe artichokes, trimmed down trim to tthe chokes/ hearts, rubbed hea with lemon juice to sstop them discolouring disc lemons 2 le large bunch A la watercress, of w picked pick Salt and pepper 32 bbaby onions, peeled and pee trimmed whole trim tbsp balsamic 1 tb vinegar vine 2 tb tbsp red wine

Method Preheat oven to 180°C. 1. For the lamb cutlets, butterfly each cutlet through to the bone, spread open and season, on one flap place a slice of gruyere, sage leaf and a slice ice of Parma ham. Close tthe he cutlets up pressing the edges to seal the filling.

2. Place the flour, egg and breadcrumbs in separate plates.

Coat each cutlet into the flour, then the beaten egg and finally the breadcrumbs.

3. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil and fry the cutlets for 2-3 minutes over a medium heat on each side until cooked through, if undercooked cook for another minute on each side. Rest on some kitchen paper and serve.

4. For the salad, place the squash in a non-stick roasting tin. Season and drizzle with olive oil and knob of butter.

Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes until tender.

5. For the artichoke hearts/chokes, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a small pan, cook the prepped chokes for 5 minutes until light brown, lower the heat and add the garlic and chilli.

When they start to colour add 2 tbsp water and season.

Cover with a lid and cook for 5-6 minutes until the water has evaporated, transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the roasted squash, mint, parsley and lemon juice.

6. For the onions, bring a medium pan of water to the boil.

Blanch the peeled onions for 15 minutes, drain well. Heat a frying pan with a little oil and sauté off the onions until golden brown. Add the balsamic vinegar and red wine, cook out for 5 minutes until dark and sticky, season and serve.

To Serve On a bed of watercress pile the butternut and artichoke salad, lean the cutlets against the salad and dress the outside of the plate with the onions.

NOV / DEC 2013

33

ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS

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...a world apart from the same dishes you can taste in Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria or Serbia.

Mamaliga is a porridge made out of yellow maize flour. Traditional in Romania and Moldova, it is similar to the Italian polenta.

ROMANIAN CUISINE:

fusion central

Romanian food was fusion even before the modern concept of fusion cuisine was born.

To ful To u lyy und nder erst er stan st aannd th this is you is o haavve too kno now w a lilitt ttle tt le bit of hi h st stor oryy an or andd geog geog ge o ra raph phyy of ph o Rom o an a iaa. Th This is isnn’t’ a test te st tho houg u h. ug h Sooon eennou ough gh I am go goin iinng ttoo dro ropp some some so me nam ames es and n youu cann figu g re r it al alll ou outt yoour u se s llff.

Razvan Marc, director of the Romanian National Tourism Office UK >> The number of Romanians living in the UK is expected to rise next year as Home Office restrictions governing access to the labour market are lifted in accordance with EU rules. But what sort of food are they used to eating?

Here, Razvan Marc, director of the Romanian National Tourism Office UK, gives a flavour of Romanian cuisine...

34 NOV / DEC 2013

So,, whhat exa So xact ctly ct ly is Ro R ma mani nian ni a an cuuissin i e? e It de d pe p ndds onn wheerree you ttrr av avel e in Rooma el m nia. nia. ni a.

Tran Tr annsy ansy sylv lvvan a iaa, la land ndd of le lege g ndds aannd ge pootaato toes e off es ffer erss yo er youu thhe ki kind ndd of fo f od o that th aatt caann be fo foun unnd al alll ovverr cen entr trr al Euro Eu roope p : the thhe go g ul u asshhees, the he s us sa usag ages ag es,, th es thee th thic icck so soup ups, up s, the paasttri past r es es.. Bu B t – evver eryt ytthi h ngg wit i ha twis tw isst. Thee gou ist. oula lash la sh is no nott ass spi picy cyy as the Hung th Huungar nggarria i n onne, the he schhni nitz tzzel is thic th icke ic kerr th ke t ann the Ausstr t iaan on one, e, the h sooup upss ar a e al alwa ways wa yss ser erve ved wi ved with th a good go o dol od ollo lopp of freeshh cre lo r am m, th thee s us sa u agges e aree not o as ar arom om mattic andd fu an fulllll of paapr p iikka as thee Pol o issh oorr, ag agai ain, ai n Hun n, u ga g ri r an a one nes. s s.

Dishes of stewed mushrooms with sour cream and fresh parsley are really to die for and desserts, involving pies stuffed with cheese and dill, are a meal in itself.

Movi Mo ving vi n Eaasst inn Rom ng oman ania an i to th ia t e regi re g on cal gi alle leed Mo M llddov ovaa onne caan ta tast stee st c ea cl e rl r y Ru Russ s ian ss iaan an a d Ukra Ukrai Uk raain iniiaan innflflue uenc ue ncces es. AAggai ain, in, n wit i h a tw t is ist. tt..

Ourr Mo Ou M ld ldav avviaanss bor orro r we ro wedd from frrom m thhee

E ster Ea stterrn neeig ighb hbou ouurrss the pas assi ssiionn too coo o k, thhee slo loww-coook wokin inng techni te chni ch niqu iqu que, e lon ong hour hour ho ur s of o maari rina nati na ting ti n andd a pen ench c an ch antt fo forr d co de cora raati rati t ng ng the table abble le. Bo Bors rsch ch,, ch paarj rjoa oale oa le (el elon onngaate tedd me meat a ba balllllls) s) andd filllled an e passtr trie iees feeat atur uree he ur h av avilililyy inn the menus ennus but ut the rea eall qu q ee eenn of thhe Ro Roma m ni ma nian a cui an u si sine nee in thhis is part arr t off thee cou ount nttry is a di ntry d sh sh cal alleed alle s rm sa mal a e – st stuf u fed uf fed caabbbagge (oor fe v ne vi ne leaave ves, s or anny ed s, e ibble lea eave v s) s),, roollllss sseerved rvved e witth po pole leent nta, a sou ourr crreaam an and, som met e im meess, wi with frres fres eshh orr pic ickl kled kl edd chi hilllllie ies. Str tran annge gely lyy enou en ough ou gh sar arma m lee is no ma n t Ru Russ ssia ss iaan inn ori rigi g n (n gi (nor or Rom o anniaan foor thhat m tt ma tterr) bu butt Tu Turk rkkis i h. h

If you are to ask a Romanian what is the traditional dish of his/hers country the answer might vary but the top five s rm rmal a e, al e cio iorb rbaa rb will be like this: sa de bur de urta t (trrippe sooup ta up,, Tu Turk rkkissh iinnflflue uenc ue n e nc buut wi w th so muucchh mak akee upp (vi vine nega ne g r, ga souurr cre so sour r am m, th thiccke kerr cu c ts ts of tr trip ippe) e a TTuurk wililll haarddlyy recog eccog ogni gnniizzee it, mic i i (spi (s piicyy sau picy ausa saage sage g s wi w th thou ouut ca out casi sing si ng,, grrillle ledd annd ea eate tenn wi te with thh mus u ta t rd), rdd), ) m ma ma malililiga ga (th thee hhuumbble le pollennttaa, se s rvvedd i Rom in oman ania an ia wit i h me melt ltedd chees heesse, he e baaccon con on,, egggs g , so some m ti me time mees bo boililledd in mi m lk lk)) orr ccoozo z naac (aa dou ough ghyy caake bak gh aked edd in th thee oven ov enn and n fifillleed with withh grooun wi unde dedd nu de nuts t ts a d su an suga g r,r tur ga urkkiish del e ig i ht or ra rais iisssin iinns, s a sppeccialt iaaltty fo forr Ch Chri r st ri s ma mass or o Easste ter) r. r) You m Yo miigghhhtt fifind n the nd h se disshe hess w whher erev evverr yyoou go go in Ro Roma mani ma niaa bu ni butt m moost s oft ften eenn thhann not o the ing ngre redi re d en di e ttss thuus thhe tast ta ste st te wi w llll var aryy gr grea eaattllyy..

Over Ov ver alm lmos osst th thre reee ce re c ntur nttur urie iees thhe Tuurk the rkss ha have v tra ve r annssfoorm med thee looweer ha half lf of Rooma mani nia, ni a and theeir a, b gg bi gges esst innflue uenc ncee is nc is fel e t at the h taabl ble. e.. Tra rave vel th ve thee leeng ngth thh of So S ut uh Alth Al thhou ough g my coun gh cooun untr trry iss mod oder e n an er and nd Roma Ro maanniia an andd yo youu mi migh g t be gh b deve de velo ve lope pe e d now, no w w, h uge ug e su u pe p e rmar rm m arke ar k ke t s rv se r ed e del e iccioouss eggggpl p annt c ch ains ai n ns ’ pr r o od d u uc e an n d impo im port po r rt e ed d f oods oo ds sala sa laads ds,, st s uf u fe fedd pe p ppper erss have ha ve not yett tak a en e cen entr t e sta tr tage ge in a d zu an zucc cchi cc hini hi n , st ni s ew e ed beaans n , the th he Ro Roma m ni ma nian an die i t. keba ke babs ba bss and n mel eltt in you ourr mo mout uh ut A ph photo otoss b oto by: y Adi y: Ad di Ha H dea an bakl ba k av kl a as as. St Stilill,l, a worrldd apa p rt fro rom m All thhe saame me disshe h s youu ca yo cann taast stee in Placinte – a Moldovian pan-fried pie Tuurk rkey e , Grree ey e cee, Bulg Bu lggar a iaa or Seerb rbia iaa.

Off cours ouursee pe p op ople ople move aro move mo roun unnd th thee coun co unntry try an tr andd br brin i ng in thhei e r re reci c pe ci pess wi w th thhem em.. So So,, yo youu can ca an ttaastte al a l th t e a ov ab o e de delilica caci ca cies ci es w eerrev wh ever e you er ou a e in ar i Rom man ania ia.. ia

LEADING LIGHTS

Leading Light... >> Tom Aikens Restaurant was awarded one Michelin Star for the 2013 Great Britain and Ireland guide, and five Rosettes by the AA Guide. Tom was the youngest British chef ever to be awarded two Michelin stars and is undoubtedly one of the UK’s most talented chefs.

Where does your passion for French cuisine originate?

Sinc nce ce bo both th my fa fath ther th er andd graand ndfa fath thher e wer eree in the wine in indu dustry ry, itt wassn’ n’tt ve very ry lon ongg befo on fore fo r I dissco cove vere ve redd Fr Fren ench ch foo ood!

When I was young I would always help my mother in the kitchen with cakes, biscuits, jams – absolutely anything I could get my hands on.

I’ve ve alsso beeen for ortu tuna natee enoug na ughh to wor orkk al aloongs gsid idee so some me off thhe wo worl rld’ d’ss b st che be hefs fss and man anyy of the hem m we weree Fre renc nchh su such ch as Jo Joel e Rob obou o chon on annd Pier Pi erre er r Kof re offm fm man. an Thhey ey hav ave bo both th bee eenn real a ins nspi pira rati tion onss to my co cookkinng andd ce an c rt rtai a nl ai nlyy ha h ve infl nfluuen ence cedd my sty tyle le.

As head chef, you describe yourself as only one cog and that it’s the whole team that makes the clock tick.

How do you cultivate the right team approach?

Thhe mo most st dif iffificu cult cu ltt thi hing ng abo bout ut bei eing n a hea eadd chhef iss le letttin ingg go and nd givi gi ving vi ngg oth ther erss th er thee re resp spon onsi sibi bilility ty. Yo Youu ne need ed to be abl blee to sho how w th them em tha hatt yyoou tr trus usst inn wha h t th they are doiing whiich in tu turn rn giv i es the hem m co c nfi nfidden e ce too groow an andd de deve velo ve lop. As I said I am onnly one per e sonn in the mak ake-up up of tthhe re rest stau st auuraant bec e au ausee man anyy ru runn it and nd eve very ry onee of th them em is ve v ryy im mpo p rt rtan antt to con an onsi sisten ency cyy and quaalilty of se s rv rvice an andd fo f od od, he h nc nce whyy a go wh good od tea eam m iss vittal al.

Have you found a way to encourage diners to choose courses that create the right tempo, that complement each other perfectly, or is that only achievable with a tasting menu?

Dini Di n ngg shoul houl uldd be lik ikee a sttor oryy in tha hatt itt sho houl uldd be exp xper erie ienc nced ed at yo your u ow wn paace ce.. I do don’ n t th n’ thin inkk th in that at necces essa sari rily ly mea eans ns tha hatt yo youu need ed to chhoose choo se the tas asti ting ng mennu in ord rder er too ac achi hiev evee th this is..

We’ve developed a menu that allows you to have the Tom Aikens Restaurant experience whether you order the set lunch menu, three courses à la carte or opt for a seven-course tasting menu!

What three secrets can you share for when it comes to putting together a tasting menu in your kitchen?

That Th at the men enu is seasonal first and foremost! Then each course muust com must ompl plement one another in its totality. And finally, that it’s eexxciiti ting ngg and nd delicious.

If there was one ingredient you probably reach for most often when you’re creating a new dish, what is it?

I ha h vee alw lwayys loove v d be beet etro root because it is so adaptable - it works in a widde ra in rang ngee off dis ng i he h s incl inncl clud udingg soups, salads and dressings.

I’’ve ve expperrim imeen ente ted wi wiith t piicckl th klin i g, bakin ing, g, pur ureeing, dressings, jellies andd me an meri r ng ri n uees. s Theey ge g ne n raalllly le lend n themselves to som met e hing ng sweet beeca beca c usse ooff the heiirr hig ighh nnaatu turaal su tura suga g r cont ga coont nten teennt an andd I thou o ghht th that thi hiss

36 NOV / DEC 2013

“The most difficult thing about being a head chef is letting go and giving others the responsibility.”

would be perfect for a dessert. I thought that beetroot typically goes so well with yoghurt and that’s how the idea of the Candied Beetroot dish got started.

Tom Aikens Restaurant has been open for 13 years now and you did a complete refurbishment last year – how important are the finishing touches?

I’m very much about a full restaurant experience so we ensured that the re-design of the restaurant would complement the dishes. We put a lot of thought into each element and worked very closely with Hakan Ezer, an Istanbul designer, to transform the interior of the restaurant to a calming and welcoming retreat with oak floors, bespoke wooden chairs and bare oak tables.

Why do you think the market for the ‘familiar and comforting’ is particularly strong at the moment?

I think it’s because more and more people are cooking these days then ever before and they want dishes that are accessible and won’t take a whole day to cook a single course.

LEADING LIGHTS

Tom’s slow-braised shoulder of lamb with onions, thyme and balsamic This hearty lamb shoulder recipe, with its creamy mashed potato pairing, makes a wonderful and rustic lamb dinner. Slowly braising the lamb in a rich sauce ensures that the meat’s full, immense flavour is drawn out.

You can either slice or shred the meat from the bone to serve.

Ingredients

“I’ve been fortunate enough to work alongside some of the world’s best chefs and many of them were French...”

Braised shoulder of lamb: 1 shoulder of lamb, rested for an hour at room temperature before cooking 8 sprigs of fresh thyme 8 medium onions, whole and peeled 250ml of balsamic vinegar Olive oil Sea salt Black pepper 2 bulbs of garlic, peeled

Mashed potato: 1kg of large white potatoes, peeled 2 litres of water 20g of salt 350g of butter 400ml of milk, warmed Black pepper, freshly milled Equipment: Mouli Large casserole pot

Method Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas mark 4.

1. Rub the shoulder of lamb with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place a little more olive oil into the bottom of a large casserole pot with the onions and thyme, sit the lamb on top. Place into the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the lamb and onions have coloured.

Remove the pot from the oven.

Turn the oven down to 110ºC.

Tom’s lamb recipe is from his book ‘Easy’.

For your chance to win one of two copies see Country Club on page 29.

Your recipes for desserts in ‘Easy’ include Prune and Armagnac Brioche Pudding and Caramel Mousse.

What is the key to simplicity in your recipes? Is it in the technique, preparation or the ingredients?

2. Add eight sprigs of thyme and the garlic to the dish, cover and cook for approximately five hours. After five hours, remove the garlic and onions from the pot and reserve. Add the balsamic vinegar, remove the lid and continue to cook for a further 1½ hours, basting the shoulder in the vinegar every 20 minutes.

3. Between bastings, prepare the mashed potato. Cut potatoes into 2 inch pieces and rinse in cold water. Place in a pan with water and a handful of salt. Place over the heat and bring to a slow simmer for 25-35 minutes, until they are just tender and drain. Place the potatoes into a mouli with the butter and grind into a bowl. Place the mixture back into the pan, add the remaining salt, pepper and warm milk, stir until smooth. Keep warm while you finish the lamb.

4. Transfer the pan with the lamb from the oven and place over a low heat (on the hob) to reduce any excess liquid. Baste the lamb in the liquid as you reduce. Add the onions and garlic back to the pan for 10 minutes to reheat and add the reserved onions and garlic to the pan.

To serve, cut the braised lamb into four portions. Serve with the onions, garlic and mash.

Step-by-step procedures are vital in ensuring that a recipe is simply followed without any complications or misunderstandings.

Also never have too many ingredients or a varietyy of cookiing met etho h dss ho that can misguide you. Then lastly don’t make the re r ci c pes tooo long ongg.

Where do you see the restaurant industry moving in terms of new trends in 2014?

So much has been done and re-done these daays ys.. I am not one nee forr following trends. I’ve always been a suppo port rter er of usin ingg on only ly thee fifinnest esst seasonal ingredients, supporting local al sup upplieerss and I’m a hugge advocate of sustainable fishingg an andd su sustainabiililtyy iss ssue ues. ess.. We’ e’ve seee e en a big move towards local ally ly sou ourc rced ing ngre redi d en ents ts and ndd local occal a sup upppl plie plie ierss which is ver eryy po posi siti tivve and I can onl nlyy ho h pee thhaat we w con onttinu tinu ti nue ttoo beeccom nue me more mo re consc scious of whhat a we aarre ea eati t ng ti ng and n whheere ere re it iss com o inng ffrrom om.

“Slowly braising the lamb in a rich sauce ensures that the meat’s full, immense flavour is drawn out.”

NOV / DEC 2013 37

THE MELTING POT

Allergy Aware >> With more and more people being affected by food allergy and intolerance it is extremely important that restaurants and catering staff get it ‘right’ when preparing food for someone affected by these conditions.

Rest Re s au aura r ntss mu ust tak a e a cu c stom sttomer’s all ller ergi er g es gi es seri r ou usl s y as the heyy can ca an bee pot oten enti tial ally ly liffe threea atten enin ng.

A neew pi p ece of Eur urop opea ea an legislat le attioon cca all lled ed the Foood Infforma Fo m ti tion on for Cons Co n um mers errs Regu ula lation n (E EU FI FIC) C is se set too ch chan hange ge thee way all ller erge geen in nform foormat a io ion n ap a pear arss on labe la bels ls and nd on fo food tha hat iss pre-p ree-pac acke keed, sold lo loos osee or ser e ve ved d oou ut of of home. e T is meea Th an nss resstaurants ts and ea an and ate teriess mus u t bee able to pr able ab provvid idee clearer and an d mooree consi on nsi sist s en st e t a le al l rg gen e inf nfform ormation or too the h ir cussto tom rs tome and an d wi w lll app pply l from ly 13 Decem em mbe berr 2014.

Michelle BerriedaleJohnson, author of over 10 allergy-related books and founder of the FoodsMatter. com family of informational allergy sites and the FreeFrom Food Awards Over many years of working with people with allergies and food concerns we have realised that what they value above all is honesty.

When your life could depend on the answer you ge gett from the waiter or the chef, you would infinitely rather that they admitted that they really did not ot know whether, for example, butter had been use sedd foor the base of a sauce, than that they ‘re-assu sure red’ d y u without genuine knowledge – only for youu yo too suffer a reaction. The vast majority of foodd sens se nsit i ive guests will respond very positivel elyy to gen enuine efforts made to accommodatee the heir i neeed eds and will be helpful and proactive inn fifinndi d ng dish di shes es that they can safely and enjoyabl blyy eat. t So the first thing that any foodservic i e ou outl tlett n ed ne edss to do is to establish a trustingg rel elat atio ions nsship hip with wi th the heir ir cliliennt.

Thhat don one, e, the heyy ne need ed to ennsu sure re tha hatt th they do unndersta tand n the req equi uire reme ment ntss of cat ater e ingg fo forr alle al leerg rgic i custo tome mers rs – how eassy it is fo for fo food odss to od to be

Glutten e fre ee Pu ump mpki kiin Ca Cake ke

For mo F more re informa nf ati t on visi vi sitt ww www. w food d.g gov ov.u .uk/ k/ bu usi sin ness ne ss-i -iind n usstr try/ y/ cate ca tere te rers rs/ttra rain inin ing/ H ree sev He ever eral a foood alle al leerg rgyy expertts an and d c ef ch efss sh shar a e th hei e r ti t ps a d ad an advi v ce for how to loo to ookk af a terr di dine ners ners w th wi th food al alle lerg rg giees and in intoleera anc ncees.. es......

40 NOV / DEC 2013

‘conta tamiina n te ted’ witth allle lerg rggens (oone bri rief ef shaari r ngg of a serr vi ving ng spoonn) – an andd how w im impo port rtant it is that the heyy arre he nott! But ut the hey shou o ld not ou o be ‘f‘fri righ ghte tenned off’. Go G od kit itch chen en andd seervver eryy hyygi gien enee wi willll alrlrea eady do mu m chh of th thee jo jobb fo forr the thhem. em .

Andd fina nallyy th they ey needd to offer theeir foo o d in into tole lera rant nt guest sts a reas ason onable le cho hoice. e (Baked po p ta tato tooes and salad ads, s on thhe 120 12 0 th off fe feri r ng ri ng, beecomee ver eryy unappe peaaling...) And this need nott be no b as ha hard rd ass it mayy iniiti t al allyy app ppeear.

A careefu ful ex exam amiination of moss t es establlis ishm hmen e ts ts’’ st stan anda dard rd offe feri ring ing ngss willll reveal a nu numb numb m er of dishess whi hichh, wiith t very mino mi nor no or tw twea eaki king ngg , ca cann be mad ade glutten en-ffre ree or dai airyy-free orr nut ut-fre ut-f ree. e So alll then thhen en tha h t ne need edss to be do done is to t ensurre thhat the hey ar aree preppared arred inn a ‘ffre reef efroom’ are reaa wi w thh ded ediccat ated e equi eq u pm ui p ennt and, wit ittho ith ho furth hout ther er eff ffoort, you hav a e ann app ppea e liing n cho hoic icce to t offfer er.

Lindsey McManus, deputy CEO of Allergy UK (www.allergyuk.org) CCros rosss co contam min inaation at iss onee of th th e the b ggeest bi est caussess of allle lerrgic rea eact c io ct i ns in ressta taurantss. Fo For so some meon onnee w wiith a seve verre foo oodd al a lerg rgyy evven en jjus u t us touc uchi hing n theeir pla late te aft fter you ou have h nd ha ndle led a high hiighly ghhly allller erge geni niic fo f oo food such su ch as fishh or nuts ts cann pro rovve fatal.

At Allergy gyy UK w wee alw lway ays aaddvi v see custome mers r to co cont nntac tactt a rest re stau a raant n befor eforee boook o inng to t make suure tha hat th they ey can be catered foor.. Fro ca r nt of houuse staff muustt hav avee th thee co correcc t knoowledgge of kn o disshe h s annd wh what they co cont ntai ain, n or th thee ch chef ef c uuld offfer co feer to to mak akee di d shes es tha es hat are frree fro rom m th thee fo foodds t e cu th c st stoom om is al omer alle l rg rgic icc to. o.

Alllergy UK’ss top tips: A •W Waitter e s shou ould ld be co c nfifidden e t enough gh to expl plai ainn to cuustom omers om m wh what at disshees co cont n ain, or bee abl blee to fifinnd ou outt fr from om the chhef, ef or o eve v n beett t err get the chef to spe peak ak to th thee cuustom stom st omer er • A se sepa sep pa atee wor para o k st stat attion ion in the kittch io chen en is vi vita tall fo forr prep pr epar arin ing fo food ods fo forr al alle lerg le e gic custome mers rs,, al alll eq equi uipm pmen entt shhou ould ld bee th thor o ou o ghhly clleaned andd kep eptt in a sep epar arat atee ar area ea • Ch Chef e s, s and nd all staff fff who will handdle the foo oodd or pla late tes, s, should wearr cl sh clean tu tuni n c/apron ni c/ annd th thor orou ough ghhly ly wassh thhei eirr hand hha ndss pr prio ior to pre repa pari pa ringg or servingg th ri the fo food od

“...a number of dishes which, with very minor tweaking, can be made gluten-free or dairy free or nut-free...”

• It iss pos ossi sibl blee to t usee alt l er e native ing ngre redi dien entts ts for man anyy ddish shes e . Ch Chefs shhouuld look into way ays of con onve vert rtin ingg a reci rre cipe pe soo th t at it is sui uita t ble for some m on onee wi with th a foo oodd alle aal lergyy or intol oler eran ance an c ce • Stafff shhou o ldd knoow what whh to do inn th thee ca case se of an eme merg rgen ency cy • The h re are r orggan ani nis isat isat ations that cann trr ai ainn re rest stau auura rant nt sta taff ff aboutt al ab alle lergiees annd ho h w to mak ake th thei eirr es estaabl b is ishm h en entt safe sa fe for or the allller ergi er gicc cu gi cust stomer: htttp tp:/ ://a /allller ergy gyac acti tion on.o .org rg// trainiing ng-ccou ours rssess/

THE MELTING POT

“...the chef could offer to make dishes that are free from the foods the customer is allergic to.”

James Miller, food consultant and registered nutritionist – Healthy Food Solutions (www. healthyfoodsolutions. co.uk)

The menu: Loook at wha hat yo y u’’re off ffer erin er ing: g: how mu how m chh of itt connta t ins ‘proobl blem em’ ingreddie i nt ntss?

Do you havee an anyy diishhes e tha hatt ar aree ‘s ‘safe’? ? Mo More reov ovver er, er, does es it stat ate wh whic ichh di dish shes are ‘sa saffe’’ and whhic ichh conntain ‘probleem’’ inngr co gred eddients?

The kitchen: This is the are reaa where foood o d is prepar prep ared ed, so there re are a few things too consider he heree.

Firs Fi rst,, it is imp mpor ortant n to ha have str tringeent cleanin ingg an andd hygi g en gi ene. e Nexx t lo lookk at how hoow fo food iss st s or ored ed: ’pro robl bllem’ em’ food fo odss sh s ou ould ld be ke kept awa w y from oth ther er foo o ds andd cove co v red. ve ree . A ls lso, o, checkk foood labels. Th Then en, ch checkk ho how food fo od iss co cook oked ed:: seepa ed para ratte ra te equipme ment nt sho houuldd be use sedd foor di d sh s es e wit ithh ‘p ‘pro robllem ro em’’ in ingredientts.

REMEMBER, a speck of fofood od can cau ause se a reeac a ti tion o in so some mee peoopl ple. e Thi his is maay so souund like ke a ha hass ssle ss le, butt iff don onee wel wellll it beecome we m s a routine.

Beein ingg a liitt ttlee more dililgeent n and con o side derr ate can heelpp to boost yo your bus usin ine in ness’s reputaati tion on.

Marcus Bean, TV chef, food writer and owner/partner of Brompton Cookery School in Shropshire (www.bromptoncookeryschool.co.uk ) Ther Ther eree ar aree some me ingredi dien di entts en thhat you donn’t exp xpectt too con onta tain allle lerg rgen rgen enss so so, if in do doub u t, itt’’s ub aallwa ways besst to cheeckk . Foor exxam amp e,, mos ampl ostt pe p ople lee thi hink n tha h t chhoc o ol olat ate is i glute tenn-free ee but tha h t’s noot al alwa w ys y the casse. e Sim imiilar a ly baakkiing n pow wde derr issn’ n t gl glut uteen ut en-f -fre ree..

A nd di And An didd youu kn know w thaat soome m Worce c ster er sh shir iree Sa Sauce cont cont ntai ains ns anc ncho hovi vie and the vies here refore e r cannoot be given too fifissh alleerg rgyy su s ff ffer errer ers? s? I’m m surpr p isedd by ho how w many peop pe o le think nk tha hatt eggs gs are r dairy and n cann’t be given too peeoopl plee wi with th dairy ryy int ntol o er ol eran ance.

When we ha Wh hadd oouur re rest stau st aura au rant ra nt wee al alwa w ys ask sked e at the time ti me of boook okin ingg if cus ustto tomers tome rs had ad any ny spe peci c all dietary reequ quirem men ents. That at way we couldd bee pre repa pare red. So if we had som we omeo eonee wit ithh a da dairyy allerggy, for exa xamp m le, we alwayss made sur we ure re wee had two w or th thre reee da dairy-free dess de sser erts t on the sppeeccia ials ls menu, suchh as r as a pberry s rb so r et or som soome typpe of mouss ousse.

A go g od tip for cus usto toome mers rss whoo are coeeliliac acss is to have suppliess of gl sup g ut u en-f -fre fre reee br brea e d, pastr triees an andd biscuits in the freeez ezer er. We alw lway way ayss go g t great fe feed edba back about that th a . We We eveen maadee glu luteen-free Yorks kshi hire re puddings forr cu fo custom omer e s.

Sweet Baked Squash with

Red Cabbage

Christopher C Bridge, head chef B at Charlotte’s a View restaurant, V Ravenstone R Manor in Cumbria, which is entirely gluten-free (www.ravenstonemanor.co.uk ) 1. Remember xanthan is much more elastic than gluten.

2. Be accurate with your timing as this makes gluten free baking very unforgiving.

3. If you bring your bread out of the oven too early the bread will quickly retract to a rubbery jelly-like mass from which there is no recovery.

4. Give plenty of time for your prove, we give ours a full hour at nearly 40 degrees.

Too little and the bread will be really thick and heavy, reminiscent of some of the first available gluten free bread from which we all still have nightmares.

Method 1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 2. Add water, yeast and sugar into a small jug and set aside to activate (until foam appears on top).

3. In a mixing bowl, add plain flour, salt and xanthum gum – mix briefly to evenly combine ingredients.

4. In a separate bowl lightly mix your eggs and vinegar – DO NOT over beat.

5. Add egg mixture back to the flour mixture and mix to a breadcrumb texture.

6. Add activated yeast to the bowl and mix until stiff batter forms.

7. Add oil, caramelised onions and 75g of cheese into the batter and combine well.

8. Pour batter into a lined 2lb loaf tin and top with remaining cheese.

9. Allow to prove in a warm place until dough has risen by 2cm (will raise further in oven).

10. Place loaf tin on top shelf of preheated oven for 40 minutes.

11. Lower to bottom shelf for 20 minutes.

12. Allow bread to fully cool before slicing.

Christopher Bridge’s gluten-free Cheese and Caramelised Onion Loaf Ingredients 325 ml warm water 2 tsp dried active yeast 2 tbsp sugar 450g gluten-free plain flour ½ tsp salt

1 tbsp xanthum gum 1 tbsp vinegar 2 large eggs 4 tbsp oil 2 tbsp caramelised onions 100g grated cheese of choice

NOV / DEC 2013 41

STREET FOOD

How to grab a slice of the

STREET FOOD Revolution >> Richard Johnson, food critic, journalist and broadcaster, is the founder of the British Street Food (BSF) Awards and the author of Street Food Revolution.

In part two of his interview with Stir it up magazine, Richard says the message of street food – that good quality, fun food should be accessible to everyone – is finally getting through.

“We are even working with the government and healthy fast food chain Leon, to put the swagger back in to school dinners,” he says.

The BSF team has just launched a smart phone app to “future-proof the street food revolution”. With live GPS maps showing who’s trading where and when, it will detail the daily specials of the best traders, and encourage customers to photograph – and review – food, helping to involve everyone in the street food community.

Here Richard shares his valuable tips on how to get started as a street vendor in this exciting new sector.

Find your menu and your niche; find your big idea. For example, I’m not much of a cook but I am very good at breakfast, so if I was going to do street food I would concentrate on catering for this market.

Don’t offer a full menu; just do two or three things and do them very well. The money is to be made in food like soups and stews that can be dished out really quickly.

We have four clear seasons in Britain and we should celebrate eating outdoors in all of them. Share this message with the customers. In the winter months you should be providing some form of covering; somewhere for people to sit or stand. But covered markets aren’t the only option for traders. Street food is so fashionable in some parts of the country that the best traders are being invited to take up residencies in pubs.

A good story always helps to The Wild Game Co, for instance, has been make your business stand out from offered three months at The Endurance the rest. Pizza Pilgrims is a good example in London. And What The Dickens are – their idea right from the word go was to serving breakfasts at The Reliance. take a six-week ‘Pilgrimage’ driving their Also The Meatwagon, which used to trade three-wheeled Piaggio Ape van back from in one beer garden, now heads a chain.

Italy fitted with an authentic pizza oven.

Decide on your budget. You can go Everyone loved the idea. They served up to £60,000 for an Airstream trailer down up from a van in Soho, then got a book to £300 for a trestle table, some wipe clean deal and are about to open a restaurant.

A-boards and secondhand pots and pans.

They’ve got good pizzas – but pizzas It doesn’t need to be expensive. Last year aren’t hard to do – it is about getting a the British Street Food Award for the good idea. I can’t over emphasise this.

42 NOV / DEC 2013

‘Best Looking Mobiler’ went to Café Mor from Pembrokeshire. Owner Jonathan Williams found some driftwood and worked with his brother-in-law to put together a little Welsh seaside shack, painted it bright blue, selling cockles, lava bread, bacon seaweed and Welsh cream shoved together in a wrap – and that won the award. Can’t imagine that cost them more than a few hundred quid!

Don’t rush out and buy a Citroën H Van which is what people are doing at the moment. It actually flies in the face of what Street Food is all about which is using your imagination and doing your own thing.

Being individual is what shines through.

Still interested? Then Richard suggests joining NCASS (National Catering Association) to take advantage of their wealth of advice both practical and legal.

NCASS has a comprehensive street food website – www.streetfood.org.uk – where you can find out everything you need to know.

Create a world full of flavour...

BALTI TURKEY BURGER Preparation time: 15mins Cooking time: 10mins Serves: 10

Ingredients

Method

400g 400 g Uncle Ben’s Balti Sauce

1. In a bowl mix the turkey, onion, herbs and breadcrumbs until combined.

8 00g g Minc Minced turkey 1 Larg L arge re ed oni onion o finely nely chopped 16tbsp Br 16tbs B ea eadcru rum mbs whiite orr bro brown 2tbsp sp Fresh cor corian ander er chopped

3. Frr y in in a li l ttle oil in a pan for 3-4m 3-4 mins each ch side until cooked or finish finis in n oven.

2tb bsp Fre F sh min mint chop hopped pe Sliced ed lettuce, to tomat ma o and red onion io to ga garni rnish

4. To serve, place in a toasted naan or roll roll wi w th sliced lettuce, tom mato an and d red d onion.

Mini naan anss or roll ollss to servve in

Nutritional info

2. Divide into 10 balls and flatten into patties. Chill these in the fridge for 10mins to firm up.

Per Portion

Adults

Adult GDA

Children

Child GDA

Calories Kc

190.0

10%

160.0

9%

Sugar g

4.0

4%

3.0

4%

Fat g

4.0

6%

3.0

4%

Saturated Fat g

0.8

4%

0.7

4%

Salt g

0.8

13%

0.6

2%

For information on all our o ur rranges and recipes contact us on 0800 952 cconta 0011 alternatively visit: 0 mars-foodservice.com mars

NOV / DEC 2013 43

FOOD & INDUSTRY NEWS

Market Report The chips are down >> European potato crops this year are expected to be 5-10% lower than average.

Dry weather in August and September has been named as a contributing factor to the decline, which has seen a shortfall of 4-7 tonnes per hectare. The majority of European potato crops got off to a poor start because of the very cold spring and were less able to cope with the July and August heat and drought.

However, Great Britain’s potato harvest is likely to show a significant recovery on last year’s disastrous level with an anticipated harvest of 5.268million tonnes.

SIMON’S SAUSAGE WEEK >> TV chef Simon Rimmer is urging chefs to bung bangers on the menu to celebrate British Sausage Week (November 4-10).

The Sunday Brunch co-host is fronting this year’s event and has lots of advice for serving sausages.

He advises: “Always treat it like a good quality piece of meat, so buy the best quality sausage you can and don’t interfere with it too much. Make sure you’re allowing the sausage taste to shine through – for example, if you’re cooking a sausage casserole, use ingredients that will complement the

flavours of the sausage, not overpower it. I think playing around with flavours, textures and combinations is massively important. That’s the beauty of the sausage, it is so versatile that it adapts well to different flavour combinations, and let’s face it you can never have too many sausages!”

Further information and recipe ideas arre av avai aila labblee to dow ownload from http t :///porkfor o cateerreers rs.b .bpe pex. x .or org. or g uk uk// annd www. w.lo love lo vepo ve porrkk.c po por k .cco. o uukk

“...buy the best quality sausage you can and don’t interfere with it too much.”

Great Britain’s potato harvest is likely to show a significant recovery on last year’s disastrous level

44 NOV / DEC 2013

FOOD & INDUSTRY NEWS

Chocolate combo gets the people’s vote >> A pastry chef at Lond don’s Foundry restaurant has em merged d triumphant in Barry Calleebaut’s UK K Chocolate Masters Challeenge – thee seearch arrch c to find the next big chocolate combination.

Juan Pablo Colubri’s entry – a sumptuous combination of dark chocolate, smoked sea salt and dulce de leche – bowled over a judging panel of Callebaut ambassadors with them declaring his effort “rich, smoky and fantastic!”

Hot dogs hit the big time >> Hot dogs have hit the big time as the nation’s fastest-growing menu item, according to Horizons’ Menurama survey.

Hot dogs have nudged scampi and chips from their top 20 ranking of the most popular dishes in eating out establishments, as the nation’s love of all-things-American continues to influence British menus.

New research from hospitality consultancy Horizons reveals that hot dogs, albeit with a gourmet twist, are now featured on 85% more menus than they were last year. Pulled pork dishes, chicken wings, and ribs have also seen significant growth on menus.

ICE TO TEA YOU! >> A culinary arts student has pioneered an innovative type of tea for the UK foodservice and retail market, as part of a product development competition run by the British Frozen Food Federation.

Sumaiyah Patel, who is studying at University College Birmingham, created the frozen tea as part of a competition organised by the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF).

The competition challenged UK students to demonstrate the potential of frozen within the premium food category and aimed to uncover a creative new frozen product which could be launched onto the UK market.

“Being frozen they not only lock the flavour in, but also stay fresher for longer.” square ice cubes that chefs, caterers and consumers can put directly into a tea cup, add hot water to, and drink.

Sumaiyah says her product is designed for the premium end of the market and hopes that people “who are into good food” and who “enjoy a cup of tea” will embrace the concept. With an Unlike other teas on the market, Sumaiyah’s new frozen tea cubes ever-increasing focus on healthy contain freshly frozen fruits and food, it is estimated that the fresh and natural frozen tea cube herbs. Four frozen tea variants could be a big hit within the UK. have been developed; one inch

NOV / DEC 2013 45

BAUMANN’S BLOG

))

Baumann’s blog >> Top tips from the Eden Project to help take you and your business forward into a sustainable, low-carbon future.

>> We’re now in the busy run-up to Christmas but, this year, things are going to be different in the brasserie.

It’s time for me to let the baby go a bit – I’ve finally realised that I can’t be everywhere. My head chef ‘John Boy’ is going to Billericay to head up my new restaurant, which opens at the end of this month so I needed some new blood. It was important to recruit someone very special and that someone is Mike Binnington, who has an amazing pedigree. He has worked his way through the kitchens of two Michelin-starred restaurants including Midsummer House and the Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge. He also won the coveted Michelin Gourmand recently.

He used to work for me in the brasserie many years ago and has been doing great things up

It was important to recruit someone very special and that someone is Mike Binnington... in Lincolnshire. It’s an unspoken rule in this industry that you don’t actively poach anyone but we had been having a chat about something else and Mike said he was ready for a move back down to Essex.

I wanted someone who could come into the brasserie and look at things through new eyes – and young eyes – and Mike has some very exciting things lined up.

I think it’s going to be a very Happy Christmas and, hopefully, a prosperous New Year. May I wish the same to you all too!

Happy cooking!

innovative and seasonal is the key to making it profitable, and chances are you’ll cash in on what could indeed be a wonderful time of the year.

Together for Christmas

>> Christmas is all about coming together, celebrating and... let’s face it, splashing the cash.

In fact, it is the one time of year in which customers are prepared to fork out more per visit than at any other time. Keeping your wine list

The first rule of thumb is to take out any poorly-selling lines and concentrate on what is popular for the silly season. In particular it’s a wise move to focus on Champagne by the glass, as this is the first drink many will look to order at this time of year.

It is a must to keep Champers separate from the rest of the sparklers, even giving it a list of its own. The last thing you want is for punters to trade de down due to any confusion. on.

Another great tip is to increase crease your range of dessert wines, nes, either as a digestif or to go with sweet Christmas goodies. s. The best news is that practically cally every wine-making country try has its own sticky wine; fortifified or

otherwise. Christmas Pudding and mince pies are a treat with aged Tawny Ports and rich Madeiras, with both going well with rich chocolate desserts too. Grab a Late Harvest Sauvignon from Chile for something off the wall, an Aussie Botrytis Semillon for the crowd-pleaser or a luscious Hungarian Tokaji for some decadent fun time!

Leadership The leadership qualities of the 21st century are very different to those that may have been required in the past. It is essential for leaders to inspire and empower their people rather than simply relying on hierarchical structures to govern performance.

Top Tips 1. Create a vision – Create a vision and set of values that align with your strategic objectives so that employees and customers can really engage with what you want to achieve.

2. Find your ‘why’ – Simon Sinek famously says ‘people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it’. Look for the purpose that anchors your business – why is what your business does important?

3. New behaviours – Qualities like humility, honesty and integrity have become as important as the ability to increase profits and growth – customers buy into how a business operates.

4. A licence to innovate – Creativity is messy – in order to innovate and drive change, leaders need to allow for mistakes to be made and for risks to be taken by employees.

5. Collaborate for success – The ability to work with partners and collaborators to maximise opportunities and increase the potential for success is a key quality in the leaders of the future.

It is a must to keep Champers separate from the rest of the sparklers...

To find out more about Eden’s work with businesses visit www.greenfoundation.org.uk

NOV / DEC 2013

47