With our Spinneys’ purpose in mind, and the fact that March and April is when we mark big occasions, we thought it was the right time to rebrand our magazine. This first edition of NOURISH magazine launches during spring, too – which represents new beginnings and change. You’ll see a variety of fresh content throughout the pages, which we hope you will enjoy.
The Cut is a section which rounds up food, restaurant and product news. It will also feature a regular column from Lindsay Trivers of the Tasting Class; a spotlight on chefs who are truly adopting a sustainable approach, as well as ideas on how to always use up leftover ingredients from the recipes you’ll find in the issue. Weeknight Wonders guarantees you family-friendly recipes, which won’t take you longer than 30 minutes to make. We’ll keep you posted about our YouTube videos, which will showcase even more of these on consistent basis.
Getting the kids involved in the kitchen can be fun (albeit a bit messy) and important, so look out for ways to encourage them to cook and bake for Mother’s Day, International Waffle Day and Easter. And lastly, we’ve bumped up our Live Well pages with health, wellness and beauty articles – let us know if you’re looking for more.
Whatever the occasion you may be observing over the next couple of months, may it be filled with blessings and joy.
Until next time,
THIS MAGAZINE IS PRODUCED BY
CEO SUNIL KUMAR
GENERAL MANAGER OF COMMERCIAL TOM HARVEY
GENERAL MANAGER OF MARKETING WARWICK GIRD
CREATIVE AND CONTENT DIRECTOR TIFFANY ESLICK tiffany.e@finefarefood.com
DEPUTY CONTENT EDITOR KAREN D’SOUZA
DESIGNERS
MICHELLE CLEMENTS, FRANCIS GACER & GIHANE YOUSSEF
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER ANKIET GULABANI
DIGITAL EDITOR DEVINA DIVECHA
DIGITAL CONTENT CREATOR REEMA RAHMAN
DIGITAL CONTENT WRITER LYNN SOUBRA
CONTENT ASSISTANT DIANNA ACIBAR
CONTRIBUTORS
ZAHRA ABDALLA,KATELYN ALLEGRA, SOPHIA-MARIA EYGELAAR, HELEN FARMER, AASIYA JAGADEESH, STEPHEN PHELAN LINDSAY TRIVERS & CASSANDRA UPTON
PUBLISHED ON BEHALF OF SPINNEYS
Spinneys Dubai LLC and the publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, howsoever caused. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication, which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the readers’ particular circumstances. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without written permission.
19 Make the most of our local fresh berries, ClemenGolds, mangoes, herbs and stir-fry veg packs
MEET THE PRODUCERS
26 SUSTAINABLE IRELAND
Spinneys sources a bounty of products from Irish farmers and growers who, like the generations before them, are inherently committed to sustainability. Meet some of these producers to learn more
28 RED GOLD
Glamour Cherries are the only cherries harvested anywhere in the world between March and April and these will be available exclusively at Spinneys
WEEKNIGHT WONDERS
29 Whip up nutritious, family-friendly and easy dinners for four in under 30 minutes
WOMEN IN FOOD
39 We mark International Women’s Day with UAE-based chefs, business owners and foodies
Recipe features
35 ST PATRICK’S DAY
We celebrate one of Ireland’s most iconic ingredients, the potato, with recipes for colcannon, gratin, pancakes and a hearty salad
45 HOLI
Whip up an assortment of treats for this colourful festival of spring with our contemporary twists on traditional sweets
49 NOWRUZ
Celebrate the Iranian New Year with dishes that feature a bounty of aromatic herbs
MOTHER’S DAY
56 MAKE MOM’S DAY
Treat Mom to a comforting and delicious breakfast using croissants and berries
58
PINKIES UP
64 WHIP UP WAFFLES
According to Pinterest, afternoon tea is the new happy hour. “It’s more than a meal – it’s a moment, an aesthetic and a pose.” Gather friends to celebrate this trend on Mother’s Day!
Follow Zahra Abdalla’s kid-friendly recipe for waffles
RAMADAN & EID
66 SHARE THE FLAVOURS
Take inspiration from these recipes while planning your menus for suhoor and iftar
74 A VEGAN IFTAR
Easy, plant-based recipes for wholesome and hearty Ramadan meals
78 GOURMET GIFTS
These home-made treats will make sure you’re the best guest at any Eid feast
EASTER
84 BREAK BREAD
Try traditional spiced Easter bakes from Italy, Germany, Russia and Greece
88 CRACKING GOOD FUN
One of the most delicious (and nostalgic) ways to eat hard-boiled eggs is to devil them. Traditionally, this would mean a topping with mustard, mayo and vinegar. We’ve gone for more elaborate fillings, instead
92 SNAZZY SIMNEL
A marzipan-covered simnel fruit cake is eaten in the UK and Ireland over Easter. Try our takes on this old-fashioned dessert
96 SMASH HIT
Give your kids an interactive Easter experience with these hollow chocolate eggs filled with mini eggs
CARROT TOPS
Get the kids involved in making these sweet and savoury recipes using the Easter Bunny’s favourite snack
BOUGIE BURGERS
101 Learn how to elevate a burger by using gourmet patties and French cheese 100
Live well
106 THE DOCTOR IS IN
Dr Rupy Aujila on food as medicine
107 AFTER DARK
Is dark chocolate good for you?
108 BABY BITES
Tiny tots deserve nutritious food
109 FIVE TO TRY
Helen Farmer’s family activity faves
110 WATER WISE
Orla Carbery talks water safety
111 HERE COMES THE SUN
Bondi Sands sun care, self-tanning and skincare range
112 CONSCIOUS BEAUTY
Nourish and pamper your skin with Salt By Hendrix
113 A TOUCH OF LUXURY
UK brand Grace Cole is now at Spinneys
The cut
Food, restaurant and product news that we think is worthy of being on the list!
Word of mouth
New products, the latest trends and foodie events
Expo 2020 Dubai
New Leaf salad mixes
A sustainable, urban farm located in the UAE, New Leaf Dubai produces microgreens, lettuce, and edible flowers. The owner, Adam Pitts, started growing microgreens to heal a sick relative and the products today are born out of his 20-year journey with organic growing practices. All the greens are grown in chemicalfree soil from GMO-free, organic seeds.
Make the most of the last few weeks of the world expo. There’s always a lot happening there but here’s a round-up of what we suggest.
Live Cooking Show by Lions Restaurant
Head to the Baden-Wurttemberg Pavillion for a live cooking show. The resident chef shows participants how to prepare a traditional dish and best of all, they get samples to taste as well as non-alcoholic sparkling wine.
Timings: Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 5.00pm
Dates: Until 31 Mar 2022
Cultural Moment and Gastronomy Show
The Mozambique Pavillion will host a gastronomic feast giving visitors a chance to sample and savour the exotic, mouth-watering flavours of the country’s traditional cuisine.
Date: 9 Mar 2022
A taste of Italian PDO cheeses at M-Eating Italy
Calling all cheese lovers – you don’t want to miss this tasting experience featuring Gorgonzola, Grana Padano, mozzarella di bufala Campana and Pecorino Romano brought to you by the AFIDOP in collaboration with the Consortia for the Protection of four iconic Italian PDO cheeses.
Bookings: +971 58 590 8232
Dates: 10 Mar-12 Mar 2022
Nuit Food Music
Head to the Morocco Pavilion on Friday evenings to experience a unique cooking show with a tasty difference. This food tasting is accompanied by musical performances.
Dates: Until 25 Mar 2022
TIKTOK ON TOAST
1 Hailey Bieber’s excellent pizza toast uses a ton of truffle oil, generous spoonfuls of marinara sauce and lots of grated Parmigiano Reggiano for that extra-luxurious taste.
2 Grating boiled eggs over your morning avo toast with fancy toppings is a surefire way to get TikTok famous. We’ve seen variations with Sriracha and sesame seeds, nutty dukkah, kewpie mayo, pickled onions, salmon and caviar.
3 The viral custard toast is officially the breakfast TikTok hack of 2022. It involves pressing down the centre of soft white bread and spooning a whisked mixture of egg, Greek yoghurt and honey over. It is then topped with berries and baked until the custard sets.
SOFT ITALIAN CHEESES
Check out our excellent range of soft Italian cheeses now in stores. SpinneysFOOD Ricotta, Mozzarella, Mascarpone and Mini Mozzarella are prepared with fresh Italian cow’s milk. They’ve been crafted from traditional methods that are complemented by the latest technology.
Miracle Garden pizza
Just when you thought Pitfire Pizza couldn’t get any better, the founders come up with a brand-new pizza at the recently opened Arjan branch. This latest creation pays homage to their neighbours, Dubai Miracle Garden, too. A tomato sauce base cradles delicate burrata cheese, edible flowers from Spinneys, fresh basil leaves and Zahra Abdalla’s irresistible sour-cherry jam. Yum!
TREND ALERT
BLACK GOLD
Worth more than their weight in gold, these Italian winter truffles have an earthy scent, clear marbling and good structure, and are delicious shaved over creamy scrambled eggs or pasta.
THE PERFECT PARTY CHEESE
Moliterno Al Tartufo is an aged, hard pecorino with veins of Italian black truffle. Pair it with sourdough and a drizzle of SpinneysFOOD Organic Natural Honey.
7 of a kind
We went truffl e hunting in store to fi nd the best truffl e products at Spinneys
FLAVOUR BOMB
A little goes a long way with Truffle Hunter’s minced black truffle. Stir a small spoonful through a mushroom risotto or marinate a well-marbled steak with it.
LUXURY CRISPS
Crunchy, salty and addictive, this is probably the only box of crisps where you can taste both the white truffle’s creamy, earthy notes as well as the porcini’s deep nutty flavour. No dip required... just pair the crisps with a creamy baked camembert.
SLIVERS OF SENSATION
These carpaccio-thin slices of black truffle by Truffle Hunter are great for topping an Italian-style white pizza or over seared scallops.
FINAL TOUCHES
Just a few drops of a good finishing oil like this one can make all the difference when you’re looking to add that delectable white truffle flavour to dishes. Add it to your favourite seared fish, stir it through soup or drizzle it over ice cream.
SEASON WITH STYLE
Truffle Hunter’s flaky sea salt speckled with black truffle makes for the perfect finishing salt for everything from hot-off-the-fryer potato chips to buttery popcorn and roasted veggies.
DRINK UP
Make a spring spritz, pimp your ice cubes, embellish beverages with herbs and try three botanical blends at Spinneys
Juniper berry, mint and blackcurrant spritz
Tips from The Tasting Class
The juniper berry, mint and blackcurrant spritz is a is a feast for the eyes! Elevate your home-mixed drinks by garnishing them with herbs. These make your beverages look professional while enhancing their aroma and flavour. Taking inspiration from this drink, use fresh herbs like mint, basil, or coriander to add colour and flair. Rest a bunch on top of your drink, rather than muddling them in, to ensure that you can smell the herbs while drinking. Stimulate the aromatic oils in the herbs by gently tapping them before placing them in the drink. Highlight the flavours in your drink or meal by using herbs that match these. Basil works well in Italian food or a spritzer, while coriander is great for a tangy lime drink or served with Mexican or Thai cuisine. Resinous herbs often grow on a woody stem making them nature’s stir sticks. Dip a sprig of rosemary, thyme, or lavender down the inside of your glass for a rustic and aromatised drink. Slice thin sections of root herbs, like ginger or lemongrass and place down the inside of your glass. Pick a glass that will allow the top of the root to stick out. Ginger works in a tumbler, while lemongrass is great in a highball.
JUNIPER BERRY, MINT AND BLACKCURRANT SPRITZ
Prep time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4
1 tbsp juniper berries
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint
125ml Belvoir Blueberry & Blackcurrant Cordial
300g SpinneysFOOD Ice
1L sparkling water
1 In a cocktail shaker, mash the juniper berries and half the mint leaves together. 2 Top with the cordial and half the ice. Shake to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes to allow the flavours combine. 3 Divide between 4 glasses, top with the rest of the ice and sparkling water. 4 Serve topped with the rest of the mint.
ICE, ICE, BABY
Want to pimp your ice cubes? Pop a few washed mixed berries into ice cube trays. Fill the tray with water and freeze until firm. For crystal-clear ice, use just boiled water.
3 to try
STRYYK JUNIPER
Combining notes of juniper, coriander, sage and basil, this botanical blend is free of sugar, fat and artificial flavour. stryyk.com
GORDON’S 0.0% ALCOHOL FREE
Crafted from the finest botanicals, Gordon’s alcohol-free gin has the same bold juniper hit as the original. gordonsgin.com
CHASTITY RHUBARB & GINGER
The tart and spicy flavours of rhubarb and ginger unit perfectly with juniper in this alcohol-free blend. spiritsofvirtue.com
AY, CARAMBA!
1
Beach Bar & Grill at the One&Only
Royal Mirage is showcasing South American flair with its new partnership with acclaimed chef Mauro Colagreco. Traditional Argentine techniques will delight the senses as diners overlook the open kitchen at the heart of the restaurant – where chefs expertly grill over the Argentine wood-fired parilla. There is plenty to love in the new menus, which encourage sharing, but we think you’ll want to keep the ojo de bife (120-days grass-fed Argentinian rib-eye) all to yourself. Save room for dessert: the flan dulce de leche is a melt-in-your-mouth dream if there ever was one.
2
Head over to the Zaha
Hadid-designed ME Dubai and venture into the tropical atmosphere of DESEO Helmed by chef James Knight-Pacheco, the restaurant serves up contemporary Latin American cuisine in its lounge and dining space designed with lounge sofas and plush carpets in Tulum-inspired patterns amid lots of foliage. Signature starters include the maiz maiz, which pairs sweet corn, Italian Parmesan and Belgian truffle and fresh Peruvian ceviches,
DIP, DIP, BOOM
but one of our favourites is the plantains with black garlic aioli. Our pick of the main is the restaurant’s version of surf ‘n’ turf, where a beautiful snapper is laid over perfectly grilled rib-eye. We love the Instagrammable pina colada ice cream: it’s an immersive dry-ice presentation, placed within a fresh pineapple, which will leave you satiated until the end.
3
Nestled in a cozy and buzzing courtyard at DIFC, Sucre has brought Argentinean cuisine to its third global venue after Buenos Aires and London. Sucre – featured on Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants – has dishes created by master chef Fernando Trocca. You can’t go wrong with crowd favourites like squid ink paella to empanadas with aged cheese and onions, but if you’re there for the business lunch, we would recommend you try the grilled chicory salad with pear and pecorino and praline, which manages to deliver a surprising blend of textures and flavours. Don’t miss the dulche de leche fondant, which oozes happiness paired with sea salt, while surrounded by industrial features and bespoke glass chandeliers.
1 Birria Tacos Dubai: The pop-up that started it all. Follow @salaminthekitchen for updates on how you can get your hands on Salam’s delicious slow-cooked lamb and beef birria tacos with pickled onions and lots of melted cheese.
2 Maiz Tacos, JLT: Home-grown restaurant Maiz serves a birria taco made with Black Angus chuck that’s slow-cooked for 8+ hours, shredded and sandwiched with Oaxaca cheese. It’s served alongside a spicy broth for an optimal dunking experience.
3 Mama Yuris – Original Mexican Cuisine, JLT: This small restaurant makes its tortillas from scratch. The slow-cooked lamb birria can be ordered as a taco served with small wedges of lime, cilantro and onions, or as a hearty stew to be had with rice.
Birria tacos are trending in the UAE! Originally from Jalisco, Mexico, Birria refers to slowbraised goat or lamb meat that is pulled and wrapped in warm tortillas. The taco is served with a rich consommé made with dried chillies, garlic, spices and the meat’s braising liquid encouraging you to dip and bite as you go, resulting in a messy but delicious affair!
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The open kitchen at Sucre Dubai; DESEO’s pina colada ice cream is one for your social feeds; Sucre’s empanadas are a favourite; Beach Bar & Grill’s flan dulce de leche.
HOUSE RULES
Whether he’s donating meals to those in need or teaching young children to make better food choices from a young age, Russell Impiazzi shows no sign of slowing down. He tells us what he’s doing with the wider community to instil change
Idon’t know what I’m cooking today,” says Russell Impiazzi, with a cheeky grin, before we sit down for a chat about all things sustainability and food. “I’ll see what I can find and we’ll rustle up something.”
Getting creative with ingredients has been an integral part of Russell’s journey as a chef. From working as an intern to a sous chef in London, Russell landed in Dubai in 1996 and never left – except for two departures to the Bahamas and London, where he was during the Covid lockdown. He returned to Dubai in early 2021 as executive chef for Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk, where he has made a significant move towards using local and sustainable ingredients along with wins in the fight against food waste.
Sustainability, he says, has always been at the back of his mind. Russell says, “I don’t really care how much a product costs. I want to know who is behind it, where it came from, who the farmer is and what their ethics are. I’m not interested in mass industrialisation of food because that’s destroyed the planet and we’ve got to get away from that.”
He’s putting these beliefs into practice at his hotel where he has driven change on many
fronts including reducing food waste. “When I first started, we were processing around two tonnes of recycling a month and the rest was going to landfill. We touched 10 tonnes of recycling last month and that’s purely by talking about it and putting awareness campaigns in place. That’s a huge win in my book.”
The hotel also works with the UAE Food Bank where in addition to donating food surplus that fits the bank’s stringent guidelines, the team also creates meals for those in need. Recounting a story where he found hard-to-sell produce at a supplier’s warehouse, the chef now receives “the most random delivery” a few times a week with produce that otherwise would end up in the bin. That produce is used to create meals donated to the Food Bank; the hotel has served nearly 7,000 meals in the last year. “What’s been great about it is the buy-in from the team has organically grown, where it wasn’t really me saying we have to do this. The team is driving it now,” he says proudly.
He continues, “It’s the same approach if you’re cooking for a top VIP paying 20,000 USD a night or someone who hasn’t been employed in the last 18 months. It’s that same respect of food and its same intention.”
His respect for produce paired with his dedication towards making sure everyone –including children – are eating good food is why he worked with Spinneys’ Farm to Table on The Veg Pledge in December 2021, where he visited schoolchildren and showed them how to use veggies in fun ways. Russell says, “If we don’t engage with children from an early age about fruits and vegetables and stop driving a heavy meat and fish protein diet, we are in trouble because ultimately they are tomorrow’s guests.”
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Russell Impiazzi is the executive chef at Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk; the plating for this dish using Dibba Bay oysters and shells from the beach was inspired by his son; Russell works towards minimising food waste by using all parts of an ingredient.
The idea of these initiatives is to encourage children to make the right food choices from an early age, he says, and that the message needs to be consistent across schools, at home, and even in restaurants. To that end, the children’s menus at his hotel have been redeveloped to be more conscious and intentional about their food. He adds, “We all have a responsibility to drive a better message of alternative proteins and I’m talking about embracing fresh produce. That for me is the goal.”
Interview by Devina Divecha ; Photography by Aasiya Jagadeesh
TABL E TALK
Laid out in a foodscape reminiscent of a garden next to the sea, these dishes use local or regional ingredients, along with ensuring zero waste.
With the kale and pepper chips, Russell says, “I blitzed the most ugly but delicious pepper, rubbed it into the kale, and put that into the dehydrator. You can also use your oven.”
Adding bright pops of colour are the carrots and beets topped with a chimichurristyle dressing. What’s great about this dish, Russell says, is that “you really have literally got the whole of the carrot on the dish. It’s a zero-waste carrot.”
The third dish uses Dibba Bay oysters and pickled cucumbers nestled in local seashells found on the beach – inspired by his son, Max. Russell recounts, “He’s obsessed with shells and we were out on the beach and he was distracted by all the shells. He picked them up and said, ‘Dad, you can use those for work!’. So here I’ve got Jumeirah 1 meets Dibba Bay. I promised!”
The ‘zero-waste’ carrot and yellow beetroot salad
Jumeirah 1 meets Dibba Bay
Kale and pepper chips
SCAN FOR RECIPES
Use it up
Don’t discard any leftover ingredients from the recipes in this issue. Here are ideas to turn a number of them into delicious mains, sides and snacks
MIXED HERB FATTOUSH SALAD WITH BARBERRY JAM DRESSING
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Serves: 2
For the barberry jam dressing
3 tbsp leftover barberry jam
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp raspberry vinegar
Pinch of SpinneysFOOD Fine Salt
For the fattoush
2 leftover pitas
2 romaine lettuces
Handful of leftover herbs
To serve
150g plain yoghurt or labneh
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Sea Salt
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground
1 To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. 2 Quarter the pitas and fry in a pot of oil, heated to 180°C, until golden and crisp, approx. 5 minutes. 3 Peel the leaves off the core of the lettuce and place in ice cold water along with the rest of the herbs. 4 Divide the yoghurt between 2 plates. Drizzle the dressing over and top with the lettuce leaves, herbs and pita. 5 Drizzle with any leftover dressing, season and serve.
Mixed herb fattoush salad with barberry jam dressing
FALAFEL-SPICED SWEET POTATO CHIPS
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2
2 leftover sweet potatoes
For the falafel spice
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Flaky Sea Salt
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Coriander
1 tbsp dried ground basil
1 tbsp dried ground oregano
1 tbsp dried ground rosemary
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Turmeric
1 Heat a large pot of oil to 160°C. 2 Finely slice the sweet potato using a mandolin or a sharp knife. 3 Working in batches, place the slices in the hot oil and fry until crisp and golden, approx. 2-3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. 4 Combine the salt and spices and set aside. 5 Place the chips in a serving bowl and sprinkle with the falafel spice. 6 Serve immediately.
STICKY AUBERGINE WITH PICKLED CARROTS
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4
For the rice
150g SpinneysFOOD Long-Grain Basmati Rice
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
For the pickled carrots
450g carrots
160ml apple cider vinegar
160ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Sea Salt
1 tbsp granulated sugar
For the sticky aubergine
400g leftover aubergines
1 garlic clove
5cm piece ginger
1 tbsp tamarind paste
4 tbsp soya sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
50g SpinneysFOOD Honey
1 tsp rice vinegar
To serve
1 spring onion
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander
Leftover rose water pickled red onions (see page 73) ½ tsp SpinneysFOOD White Sesame Seeds
1 Rinse the rice three times until the water runs clear. Place it in a medium pot over a mediumhigh heat and add just enough water to cover the rice. Once the water is bubbling gently, lower the heat and cover with a lid. Continue cooking for approx. 10 minutes without stirring until all the water has evaporated. Remove from the heat, with the lid still on, and steam for a further 10 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the rice. 2 To make the pickled carrots, cut the carrots into ribbons using a peeler and place in a large resealable jar. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and place in the microwave for approx. 5 minutes or until just hot. Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar and pour over the carrots. Set aside to pickle for at least 30 minutes. 3 To make the sticky aubergine, halve and score the flesh of the aubergines in a criss-cross pattern. Finely grate the garlic and ginger into a bowl. Add in the tamarind paste, soya sauce, sesame oil, honey and rice vinegar. Mix and set aside. 4 Heat a large pot of oil to 170°C. Chop the spring onion and coriander. 5 Fry the aubergines in batches for 10-15 minutes or until dark golden in colour. Drain on paper towels. Then place in the bowl of sauce to coat. 6 Serve the sticky aubergine and rice, together with the pickled carrots, rose water pickled red onions, spring onion, sesame seeds and coriander.
Falafel-spiced sweet potato chips
Sticky aubergine with pickled carrots
COOKBOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
The best new releases to add to your library wish list
For vegans NATURAL FLAVA by Craig and Shaun McAnuff Brothers Shaun and Craig McAnuff are on a mission to show the world that there’s more to Caribbean cooking than jerk chicken. This is their follow-up cookbook to the bestselling Original Flava and it’s filled with over a 100 easy plant-based dishes inspired by fresh and vibrant ingredients from Jamaica such as plantain, squash, yam and callaloo (taro leaves). Find recipes for a spicy fried chicken made with banana blossom, traditional Rasta pasta with butternut, sweet and sour tofu and creamy plantain milk.
KEEP CALM AND COOK ON with Julia Turshen
For vegetarians
THE WHOLE VEGETABLE by Sophie Gordon Sophie Gordon is passionate about minimising waste in the kitchen and cooking according to the seasons. She gives everyday vegetables the root-to-leaf treatment with wholesome and sustainable planet-friendly recipes that are easy to follow. The book is divided into seasons and the veg that shine during these months. Plus, there’s an entire section in the book devoted to plant-based condiments, stocks and dressings right at the end, with a recipe for a nut pulp granola to use up leftovers from making nut milks. That’s genius!
HEAVENLY BITES: MEXICO
Over-the-top fast-food mashups and imaginative flavours from Mexico are the stars of Netflix’s latest docuseries. Hosted by Mexican actor Memo Villegas, the series shines a light on the country’s most visually stunning dishes and drinks and the food vendors and restauranteurs that created it. Tortas drenched in sauce, burritos the size of babies, jello-filled bread and a 10-tier skyscraper hamburger are just some of the innovative examples you can expect to see on your screen. All 6 episodes of Heavenly Bites: Mexico are now streaming on Netflix.
For home bakers THE CAKE BOOK by Rebecca Firth
From the best-selling author of The Cookie Book and creator of the blog The Displaced Housewife comes another beautiful book of cakes that is sure to be the life of any party. Inside you’ll find elevated classics with creative flavour combinations, snacking cakes and layered ones, tea cakes, Bundts and cheesecakes, too! We love the sound of an olive oil and coconut layered cake with pineapple curd, a chocolate horchata meringue cake and mini confetti party cakes that would be great for an Easter-themed party.
Award-winning cookbook author Julia Turshen talks to all our favourite food heroes like Dorie Greenspan, Antoni Porowski, Yasmin Khan and Claire Saffitz on her podcast that explores not just cooking, but also topics like mental health, relationships and great professional advice. The conversations while largely about food and cooking, are always warm, intimate and vulnerable.
Find Keep Calm and Cook
On with Julia Turshen wherever you find your podcasts, like Apple Music and Spotify
In season
Make the most of our fresh berries, ClemenGolds, mangoes, herbs and stir-fry veg packs
Berries
COCONUT MALABI WITH STEWED BERRIES
The stewed berries can be replaced with any seasonal fruit – chopped pineapple, passion fruit pulp, mango purée or chopped kiwi all taste delicious with coconut.
1 Place the coconut milk and 60g of the sugar in a saucepan and heat until just below boiling point. 2 Mix the corn fl our and water in a separate bowl until smooth, then stir into the hot milk mixture. Bring to the boil and cook, stirring constantly until thickened. Simmer for 2 minutes. 3 Remove from the heat and stir in the rose water. Divide between 4 small bowls and refrigerate until set. 4 Place the berries and remaining caster sugar in a small saucepan and simmer for 3-5 minutes until softened. Refrigerate until cold. 5 Serve the malabi with the stewed berries.
Elite Agro
Spinneys sources a variety of locally-grown berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries, from leading UAE producer Elite Agro. The berries are harvested from January to May and sold under the SpinneyFOOD brand. These berries are grown in climatecontrolled greenhouses in Al Ain to optimise crop yield and quality, and bumblebees are used for natural pollination.
Coconut malabi with stewed berries
VEGAN
ClemenGolds
STICKY CLEMENGOLD CHICKEN
Serve this chicken with stir-fried vegetables, sticky rice or noodles.
Prep time: 10 minutes (plus marination time)
Cook time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4
4 garlic cloves
5cm piece fresh ginger
8 ClemenGolds
1 red chilli
1 whole chicken
4 tbsp soya sauce
8 tsp white vinegar
2 tsp smoked paprika
4 tbsp soft brown sugar
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
1 Peel and crush the garlic cloves. Finely grate the ginger. Zest and juice 6 of the ClemenGolds. Halve the remaining 2. Chop the chilli. 2 Use kitchen scissors to cut down either side of the backbone of the chicken and remove it. Cut the chicken in half. 3 Place the garlic, ginger, juice, zest, chilli, chicken, soya sauce, vinegar, paprika, sugar and salt in a large ziptop bag and marinate overnight. 4 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. 5 Place the chicken (along with the marinade) in a roasting dish, or cast-iron pan, with the halved ClemenGolds. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes, basting occasionally, until golden and sticky. 6 Squeeze the roasted ClemenGold halves over the chicken before serving.
MEET THE PRODUCERS
ClemenGold International
The easy-to-peel ClemenGolds currently in store are grown in Morocco. This premium-quality citrus fruit is sun-ripened on trees and pickers use special scissors to pick individual fruit. ClemenGolds have the perfect sugar to acid ratio and work well in a variety of desserts, salads, chutneys, drinks and more.
Sticky ClemenGold chicken
MEET THE PRODUCERS
The
Mangoes
MANGO MERINGUE PIE
A fragrantly sweet twist on the lemon version, this mile-high pie also has plenty of lime tang to balance out the sweetness. To make the tart gluten-free, substitute the flour with a gluten-free flour mix.
Prep time: 30 minutes
(plus refrigerating time)
Cook time: 30 minutes
(plus refrigerating time)
Serves: 8
For the mango curd
530g fresh mango flesh (from 2 large mangoes)
10 limes
4 large eggs yolks
2 tbsp corn flour
70g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar
130g cold salted butter
For the pastry
225g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
110g cold salted butter
40g SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar
1 egg
For the meringue
4 egg whites
150g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Salt
¼ tsp cream of tartar
1 Place the mango flesh in a blender and blitz until smooth. Pour into a medium saucepan.
2 Zest and juice the limes into the mango.
3 Add the egg yolks, corn flour and sugar, then whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil, while whisking and cook for 5 minutes until thickened. 4 Stir in the cold butter. Cool to room temperature. 5 To make the pastry, place the flour, butter and icing sugar in a food processor and blend until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add 1 beaten egg and blend until the pastry comes together. 6 Turn out on to a worktop, knead briefly until smooth, then wrap and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes. Roll out the pastry on a floured work top to 3mm thick. 7 Line a 20cm tin with the pastry, leaving a 2cm overhang. Prick the base with a fork, then chill for a further 20 minutes. Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper, fill with baking beans and blind bake for 15 minutes at 190°C, gas mark 5. Remove the beans and paper, and bake for 20 minutes more, until the pastry is crisp and golden. Set aside to cool, then trim the excess pastry. 8 Spread the mango curd into the tart case and refrigerate. 9 To make the meringue, combine the egg whites, sugar, salt and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Set the bowl over a large saucepan of simmering water and stir gently until the mixture is hot to the touch. Place in a stand mixer and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. 10 Pile the meringue over the mango curd. Using a blowtorch, caramelise the meringue. Alternatively, heat the grill to the highest setting and place the pie in the oven until browned. 11 Serve on the day it’s made.
Trufresh International Trading LLP
delicious, premium-quality Alphonso mangoes in stores come from India. Spinneys works with Trufresh to source the best produce from trusted farmers.
Mango meringue pie
Blue River International Ltd
The sweet, aromatic Mahachanok mangoes available at Spinneys are grown in Thailand on farms managed by Blue River International Ltd.
VEGGIE
PRESERVED LEMON AND HERB PESTO
This pesto is delicious served with lamb, grilled meats, fish or roast vegetables. It also makes a quick meal when tossed through spaghetti or any other type of pasta. It is a great way to avoid waste and use up herbs in the fridge that are wilted or past their best. Store the pesto in a jar with a layer of olive oil in the fridge on top for up to three months.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Makes: 250ml
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Basil
2 garlic cloves
125ml SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 (50g) preserved lemon
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin
50g roasted almonds
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
1 Place all the ingredients in a pestle and mortar, or food processor, and blend until just mixed, but still textured. 2 Season to taste (optional). 3 Store the pesto in a jar in the fridge with a layer of olive oil on top for up to three months.
MEET THE PRODUCERS
AAA Growers
Spinneys sources a variety of fresh herbs from AAA Growers, which is based in Kenya. Its farms are spread across the country and produce herbs such as rosemary, thyme, basil, dill and mint. They’re grown indoors as well as outdoors to ensure supply around the year. AAA Growers practices sustainable farming by saving water and using fewer chemicals.
Herbs
Preserved lemon and herb pesto
See pages 49-53 for more herb recipes.
VEGAN
Stir-fry veggies
STIR-FRY FISH CAKES
Think stir-fry mix is just for, well, stir-fry? Think again! Pre-cut stir-fry veggies are also a great way of adding greens into fish cakes.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Makes: 12
For the fish cakes
2 x 200g SpinneysFOOD Kale and Butternut Stir-Fry packs
1 lemon
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Dill
250g fresh breadcrumbs
1 large egg
125g crème fraîche
250g hot-smoked salmon
SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste
SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground, to taste
50g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil, for shallow-frying
To serve
Mixed salad leaves
1 Steam the vegetables in the microwave until tender and cool. Zest and juice the lemon. Chop the dill. 2 Place the veggies in a large bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, egg, 1 tbsp of crème fraîche, lemon zest, half the chopped dill and mix well.
3 Flake the fish into the bowl and season with the salt and pepper. 4 Divide the mixture into 12 balls and shape into patties. Freeze for 10 minutes to set the shape. 5 Dust with the flour then heat a frying pan with 1cm of oil and fry the fish cakes for 2-3 minutes per side until golden.
6 Combine remaining crème fraîche in a bowl with the lemon juice and remaining dill. Season well. 7 Serve the fish cakes with the crème fraîche mixture and salad leaves.
Meet the producers
Learn about sustainable Ireland and the products we source from there. Plus meet the grower behind our exclusive cherries
SUSTAINABLE IRELAND
Written by Stephen Phelan
Spinneys sources a bounty of products from Irish farmers and growers who, like the generations before them, are inherently committed to sustainability. Meet some of these producers to learn more
THIS PAGE, FROM TOP: In Ireland, food is produced in harmony with nature; the Flahavan family have grown and produced oats since 1785; Ireland is known for its high-quality dairy and meat.
OPPOSITE: The Keogh family have been farming potatoes for more than 200 years
Irish farmers were committing to sustainability long before that word was in common use. Their domain is mystically, romantically green – deep, rich, fertile soil watered by abundant rain – but it’s also a small island, where longstanding family-owned farms are especially invested in protecting and preserving their part of it, as a matter of inherited responsibility.
On a recent trade mission to the UAE, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine of Ireland, Charlie McConalogue, made the case for his country in these terms: “In Ireland we produce food in harmony with nature, resulting in food that is not only great tasting, but nutritious and sustainable, too.” The visit was, he says, “an excellent opportunity to showcase our thriving Irish agri-food sector.”
A promotional programme at Spinneys, Sustainably Sourced From Ireland, served to foreground “high-quality, sustainablyproduced dairy, meat, eggs and consumer food” shipped in fresh from the minister’s home turf.
Spinneys eggs, for example, are supplied by the Nestbox Egg Company, which began with patriarch Paddy McGuinness delivering those wares from a basket on his bike in County Monaghan more than half a century ago. Today his family, and their partners, the Eivers, produce organic, free-range, Omega 3 eggs along the lines laid down by the Irish food agency, Bord Bia and its Sustainable Egg Assurance Scheme (SEAS).
To take another example from the dairy sector, Glenisk are Ireland’s leading purveyors of yoghurt, cream and goat milk, all organically produced on the farm in Killeigh, County Offaly, where founders Jack and Mary Cleary raised their 14 children. Back in the 1970s, that fast-growing household compelled the couple to create “a family enterprise that was both economically and environmentally sustainable”, says
Emma Walls, commercial director at Glenisk. They started bottling and selling their own milk, then expanded to yoghurt production with the Glenisk business in the 1980s.
There’s a vast difference between ‘natural’ and ‘organic’, explains Emma, even if many don’t realise the distinction. The former “is a meaningless marketing term that anyone can use”, while the latter is “a heavily regulated standard that controls the farming, the animals and the production process.” In the mid-1990s, the family began sourcing milk from the very few other farmers who had gone organic “purely on principle”, and persuading others to convert. “It also required pitching the idea to retailers who had no sense of any ‘trend’ around organics.”
As that trend now spreads through the industry, Glenisk are at the leading edge of it, with six of the 14 Cleary children now on the management team (and production back up and running after a terrible fire at the plant in 2021). More farms, says Emma, are joining the “conversion journey” every year. It’s a major commitment, requiring them to operate without artificial fertilisers or synthetic pesticides for two full years before being certified organic. The eco-system of the soil is fundamentally changed in the process, as the grass grows at its own pace. This makes organic milk more expensive, too – with fewer animals producing it across a greater area, farmers have to charge a premium. “We don’t see cost as a downside. Our farmers are guardians of the land and they need to be compensated for promoting biodiversity and protecting the earth.”
Another nearby corner of the Irish countryside occupies the lush, rolling landscape between the village of Kilmacthomas and the misty Comeragh Mountains of County Waterford, where the River Mahon winds through fields of oats. A water mill has stood on that site since 1785, owned and operated all that time by the same family who still live just across the road.
The Flahavans sold the agricultural side of their centuries-old business to concentrate on the consumer end, developing and launching new products that now provide some two million servings of branded oats around the world every week. (The range includes multi-seed porridge oats, sachet-packed microwaveable Quick Oats and most recently a line of oat drinks.) But they’re no less deeply rooted in the soil that literally feeds the business – the mill itself has been fuelled by its own boiled oat husks since 1985.
“We were looking into this long before sustainability was big on the agenda,” says says John Flahavan, great-great-great-grandson of the founders, “and we were one of the first oat millers in the world to introduce this method of generating steam, which gives us a uniquely environmentally friendly production process.” In the last few years, Flahavans have installed a wind turbine and solar panels to supply the plant. “What we don’t generate from our own renewable sources, we buy in from [other] renewable sources.”
In 2021, the company completed an integrated construction wetland (ICW) around the facility – a reed-bed system that filters wastewater through a series of ponds. And if this sounds plenty hightech, the core of the business remains the same. “Not much has changed around the humble oat since the 1780s,” says James Flahavan. Back then, the grains were ground between two circular millstones, and the results were similar in texture to the “steel cut” oats that Flahavan’s customers can still buy today. The last major innovation, according to James, was in the 1930s, when they started rolling the oats instead, increasing the surface area and reducing the cooking time.
Much of the product is much more ready-toeat than it used to be, but there’s also been a circling back around to the simple, unadulterated foods that were such a health-giving part of the everyday diet in early-industrial Ireland. James cites Bord Bia’s 2021 findings that the Covid-19 pandemic intensified focus on physical and mental wellbeing that was already a growing concern in the 21st century. “We are seeing customers coming back to porridge for lots of reasons, looking at wholegrain and high-fibre in terms of their digestive health needs, and that’s what Flahavan’s is offering.”
If there is another single crop that has practically defined Ireland’s agriculture, society, history and international profile, it can only be the potato. The Keogh family had been farming “spuds” near Oldtown, North County Dublin, for more than 200 years – supplying the capital city and country beyond. Then demand began to plummet around the turn of the millennium, as Ireland’s economic boom turned consumers to pasta and other, less “old-fashioned” staples.
“The writing was on the wall, and we needed to do something about it,” says Ross Keogh. As it happened, the concept of “premium crisps” was just beginning to emerge in the UK, which gave Tom and his brothers the idea of becoming the first potato farmers in Ireland to make artisanal crisps from their own product. Simple and smart, as it sounds, it took about four years of research to actually start that supplementary operation. A certain division of labour was also required.
“We definitely play to our strengths,” says Tom Keogh of his siblings. “Ross on the potato business, myself on the crisp side of things and Derek on the planting. But ultimately, when it comes to the harvesting we are all out in the fields pitching in together. My dad Peter Keogh is in charge of dispute resolution, but he hasn’t had to put his foot down too often.”
Tom’s duties involve sourcing ingredients for the flavours that make up the range. “The secret really lies in authenticity,” he says. The brothers bring their own ideas to the table, then seek source from other local farmers “who produce only the best”. Their sea salt, for example, is provided by specialist merchants O’Neills, on the Atlantic coast. And then there’s “Shamrock” flavour. Ireland’s symbolic national plant is edible, but hadn’t really been used as a food ingredient until the Keoghs had what Tom calls “one of our best light bulb moments”. “We approached a shamrock farmer who exports across the globe, including for the White House St Patrick’s Day celebrations … that flavour has really flown the flag for us, even in the United Arab Emirates.”
What customers are tasting, in the UAE and elsewhere, is the difference created by Keogh’s practice of kettle-frying their crisps in small batches. “Mass producing in industrial fryers doesn’t give you the same level of quality, there is no doubt about that,” says Tom. And while even small-batch frying demands energy usage, Keogh’s carbon emissions are tracked from the field through the crisping house via CO2 balance auditing programme. Then they’re offset, or “neutralised”, through the Irish overseas agency Vita, and a sustainable potato-cultivation project shared with partners in Ethiopia.
One more way in which Irish agriculture makes its presence felt and its foods available, throughout the wider world, even while these farms and the families who run them seem to thrive by respecting and replenishing their roots. After more than two centuries, the Keogh boys still live less than five minutes from the original, inherited farmstead. “Farming is so intensive you have to live on the land,” as Ross puts it. “This is not a job, it’s a way of life.”
RED GOLD
Written by Karen D’Souza
Glamour Cherries, the ‘Ferrari’ of the cherry world, are the only cherries harvested anywhere in the world between March and April. This outstanding stone fruit from producer Rio Cinca will be available exclusively at Spinneys in April. We chatted with commercial director Oscar Ortiz to learn more
Sometime in early 2000, cherry farmers around the world began hearing reports about how their counterparts in the US and France were growing cherries in greenhouses.
“We decided to do the same with 10 trees in a very rudimentary greenhouse in Lleida, Spain,” says Oscar Ortiz, commercial director. “But the outcome was less than desirable. We harvested only 10 cherries and they were not sweet.”
However, one factor about the greenhouse experiment surprised everyone – the cherries were ready to be picked by 15 April, nearly a month before they were harvested anywhere else in the world. Buoyed by this, the team tried again the next year. This time, they built a 5,000 squaremetre greenhouse as a research base to experiment with more varieties. Their goal: to produce an early crop of outstanding quality.
“We had to deal with a few years of failure, but in 2004 we were finally rewarded with cherries that had the quality and sweetness we’d set out to achieve. We began marketing these cherries under the brand name Glamour Cherries,” explains Oscar.
Meanwhile, similar trials in other parts of the world had failed to bear fruit, “so in 2010 we patented the production of cherries in greenhouses,” he adds.
Climatic conditions created in the team’s high-tech greenhouses ensure the cherry trees produce fruit with a shiny, deep red skin, sugar levels between 17-20 brix and a crisp, juicy bite. Glamour Cherries are the only variety available anywhere in the world between the second week of March and the third week of April, adding to the brand’s exclusivity and higher price range. And Spinneys is excited to be the only retailer in the region to stock these cherries.
Today, Rio Cinca’s cherry greenhouses cover 70,000 square metres and produce 100 tonnes of fruit. It also harvests open-fields cherries from May to June when the temperature ranges between 7°C-30°C, which allows the fruit to ripen slowy and, thus, achieve optimum sugar levels.
“Our biggest export markets are the UK and France, followed closely by the UAE. This is largely due to the excellent quality and exclusivity of Glamour Cherries,” says Oscar.
We are delighted to have secured exclusivity on ‘Glamour’ cherries. We have bought bigger volumes this year and will be offering them at hard-to-beat prices. Please do look out for them in stores and we hope that you enjoy them as much as we do.
THIS PAGE, FROM TOP: Glamour Cherries are exceptionally sweet with a crisp, juicy bite; cherry trees in bloom inside a greenhouse; the Rio Cinca sales team on a farm visit.
Neil Gibson says
Produce category manager
Weeknight wonders
Whip up easy, nutritious, family-friendly dinners for four in under 30 minutes
BUTTERNUT AND MACADAMIA MILK CURRY
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4
1 red onion
800g butternut
1 garlic clove
100g store-bought korma curry paste
250ml unflavoured macadamia milk (see below)
SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste
SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground, to taste
1 x 400g tin brown lentils
To serve
100g macadamia nuts
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander
To further increase the nutritional value of this recipe, add mixed roast vegetables to the butternut and scatter baby spinach leaves over the curry just before serving.
1 Preheat the oven to 240°C, gas mark 9. 2 Finely chop the onion. Peel the butternut and cut into chunks. Crush the garlic clove.
3 Place the onion, butternut, garlic and curry paste in a roasting tray and toss to coat. Pour in the macadamia milk and add the seasoning. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. 4 Drain and rinse the lentils.
5 Remove the foil from the tray, add the lentils and bake for a further 10 minutes. 6 Toast the macadamia nuts in a pan over a medium heat until golden. Roughly chop them.
7 To serve, top the curry with the macadamia nuts and coriander.
Butternut and macadamia milk curry
THE
1 Any of our rice milks would make a lighter, less heavy curry.
2 Oat milk will also result in a lighter curry.
3 Pea milk is another option as it has a mild flavour and lower fat content.
4 Coconut milk works, too. Toasted coconut flakes would also add to the flavour.
THE MACADAMIA MILK CAN BE REPLACED WITH ANY OTHER PLANT-BASED MILK TO CHANGE
FLAVOUR AND CONSISTENCY OF THE CURRY.
ZA’ATAR BROCCOLI MAC AND CHEESE
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4
250g macaroni or rigatoni pasta
300g SpinneysFOOD Organic Tenderstem Broccoli
310ml whole milk
250ml single cream
240g SpinneysFOOD Grated Cheddar
160g finely grated Parmesan SpinneysFOOD Sea Salt, to taste
SpinneysFOOD Whole Black Peppercorns, freshly ground to taste
1 garlic clove
3 sprigs SpinneysFOOD Fresh Thyme
100g Panko breadcrumbs or fresh breadcrumbs
3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Zaatar
40g unsalted butter
1 Preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6. 2 Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 8 minutes. 3 Roughly chop the broccoli, then add it to the salted water along with the pasta and cook for a further 2 minutes or until tender.
4 Drain and return to the saucepan with the milk, cream, Cheddar, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and keep stirring to coat. 5 Divide the macaroni mixture between two 1½L-capacity ovenproof dishes. 6 Crush the garlic clove and chop the thyme.
7 Combine the breadcrumbs, garlic, za’atar, thyme and butter in a bowl and sprinkle over the pasta. 8 Bake for 15 minutes or until golden and crunchy.
Za’atar broccoli mac and cheese
VEGGIE
MUSHROOM FALAFEL WITH HERB TABBOULEH
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
For the tabbouleh
140g fine bulgur
475ml boiling SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
2 handfuls of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley
2 handfuls of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander
1 Place the bulgur in a bowl. Pour the boiling water over and stir. Leave to stand until the liquid is absorbed.
2 To make the falafel, chop the onion, garlic and mushrooms. Melt the butter in a large pan and sauté the onion for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, mushrooms and cook until all the liquid has absorbed. Season to taste. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and allow to cool. Add the cheeses, flour, nutmeg and mix well.
3 To finish the tabbouleh, chop the parsley, coriander and mint. Add to the bulgur along with the olive oil, lemon juice and seasoning.
4 Heat the oil to 190°C in a large heavy pot or deep fryer. 5 Place the extra flour in a shallow bowl. Crack the egg into a second shallow bowl and beat to blend. Place the breadcrumbs into another shallow bowl. 6 Roll the mushroom mixture into walnut-sized balls. Roll each ball in the flour, shaking off any excess; then dip into the egg, followed by the breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess. 7 Fry the falafel in the hot oil until golden brown. 8 Drain well then serve with the tabbouleh and yoghurt on the side.
Small handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint
3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste
SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground, to taste
For the falafel
1 brown onion
3 garlic cloves
600g SpinneysFOOD D+ Button Mushrooms
50g butter
SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste
SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground, to taste
100g cream cheese
100g grated Parmesan
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour, plus extra for coating
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1 egg
100g Panko breadcrumbs
SpinneysFOOD Pure Canola Oil, for deep-frying
To serve
125ml plain yoghurt
Mushroom falafel with herb tabbouleh
VEGGIE
OVEN-BAKED YELLOW HARISSA FISH FILLETS
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Makes: 4
For the yellow harissa
3 yellow capsicums
½ small habanero pepper
2 garlic cloves
2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Coriander
2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin
1 tsp ground caraway seeds
2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Turmeric
1½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
12 baby potatoes
150g baby tomatoes
4 x 120g fish fillets, deboned SpinneysFOOD Microgreens, for garnishing
Yellow harissa is less spicy and more aromatic than red harissa. It is especially good with fish and lamb.
1 Heat the grill to the highest setting.
2 Core and seed the capsicums and pepper and lay them on a baking tray. Grill until blackened and soft. Place in a bowl, cover with cling film and leave for 5 minutes. Peel off the blackened skin and discard.
3 Peel and grate the garlic. 4 Put the capsicums, pepper, garlic, dry spices and salt in a food processor and blitz to a smooth paste. With the motor running, stream in the oil and process just until the mixture becomes smooth and emulsified. 5 Halve the baby potatoes and tomatoes. 6 Arrange the fish fillets, potatoes and tomatoes on a baking sheet. Spread the harissa over and roast in the preheated oven at 200°C, gas mark 6, until golden and cooked through – approx. 20 minutes. 7 Garnish with the micro-greens and serve.
Oven-baked yellow harissa fish fillets
CHICKEN, FETA AND SPINACH ARAYES
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
1 Peel and thinly slice the onions. Peel and finely chop the garlic.
2 Heat the olive oil in large pan over a high heat. Add the onions and sauté until golden brown. Add the garlic and sauté for 3 minutes.
3 Chop the oregano then add to the pan along with the za’atar. Add the spinach and sauté just until wilted. Season with the salt and pepper. Transfer the filling to a bowl. 4 Add the feta and chicken mince and mix well. Adjust the seasoning. 5 Cut each pita in half. Stuff the filling into each half. Lightly brush the outside of each pita with olive oil. 6 Heat a grill or panini press to medium or heat a large pan over a medium heat. 7 Place the pitas on the grill, panini press or pan and toast each side until crispy and brown. 8 Serve drizzled with the mayonnaise.
YOU COULD ALSO TRY...
Replacing the chicken mince with lamb or beef mince. A tablespoon of pine nuts mixed into the mince is also delicious.
2 large red onions
3 large garlic cloves
4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 sprigs SpinneysFOOD Fresh Oregano
2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Zaatar
200g SpinneysFOOD Organic Baby Spinach
SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste
SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground, to taste
75g SpinneysFOOD Feta Cheese
200g chicken mince
4 pitas
4 tbsp mayonnaise
Chicken, feta and spinach arayes
St Patrick’s Day
We celebrate the potato – one of Ireland’s most iconic ingredients – with a selection of recipes
Crushed new potato ‘salad’ with roast garlic aioli
CRUSHED NEW POTATO ‘SALAD’ WITH ROAST GARLIC AIOLI
New potatoes are great for cold salads – their thin skin and creamy, delicate texture pair well with acidic dressings and crunchy ingredients. Their clean flavour also holds rich ingredients like mayonnaise.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Serves: 4
1 head of garlic
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1kg new potatoes
1 lemon
85g salted butter
1 leek
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Dill
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
For the aioli
2 large egg yolks
1 tbsp white grape vinegar
2 tsp smoked paprika
250ml SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Line a baking tray with baking paper. 2 Place the garlic on the prepared tray. Drizzle with the olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes or until tender. Stand for 10 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Squeeze the softened garlic from the skins. 3 Boil the potatoes in a large pan of boiling salted water for 15-20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and cool. 4 Juice the lemon. Finely chop the leek and dill. 5 Heat the butter in a large frying pan then add the leek and sauté for 5 minutes or until turning translucent. Add the garlic and fry for a further 5 minutes. Add the mustard and lemon juice and mix. Transfer to a bowl. 6 Tip the cooled potatoes on to a clean work surface and use the flat side of a knife to lightly squash each one. 7 Heat a little oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the potatoes and fry for 10-15 minutes, or until they being to crisp up. Place on paper towels to drain. 8 Meanwhile, prepare the aioli. Place the egg yolks, roasted garlic, vinegar, paprika and plenty of seasoning in a small blender and blitz until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the sunflower oil while still blending on a low speed, until it emulsifies, thickens and is smooth. 9 Put the crispy smashed potatoes into a bowl
TOP TIP!
To speed up the baking time for potatoes, insert a metal skewer into the middle of each spud then place them in the oven. The metal skewer conducts heat into the centre of the potato and cooks it faster.
and mix in most of the leek butter. 10 Spread the aioli across a platter and pile the potatoes on top. Finish with a drizzle butter and serve.
COLCANNON-STYLE LOADED BAKED POTATOES
Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes with cabbage or kale. Since this dish includes both baked and mashed potatoes, it’s important to use the correct variety. Russet potatoes are the best choice.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Makes: 12
6 large Russet potatoes
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground, to taste
250g beef bacon
1 large leek
150g spinach or kale
250ml full-cream milk
50g salted butter
2 tbsp sour cream
50g Irish Cheddar cheese
VEGGIE
To serve
40g spring onions
1 Preheat the oven to 200˚C, gas mark 5.
2 Rub the potatoes with the olive oil and season with the salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for approx. 1 hour 15 minutes, or until very tender (see TOP TIP!).
3 Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Place the bacon in a large sauté pan and cook over a medium heat until crisp, approx. 4 minutes per side. Remove bacon from pan and set aside to cool. Discard all but 1 tbsp of fat in the pan. 4 Chop the leek. Then add to the reserved bacon fat and sauté over a medium heat for approx. 3 minutes. Add the kale and cook until bright green and tender, approx. 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
5 Once the potatoes are tender, remove from the oven. Allow to cool slightly then cut in half with a very sharp knife. Scoop the flesh from the potatoes into a large bowl, being careful not to break the potato ‘shell’. Set the potato shells aside on the same baking sheet. 6 Add milk, butter and sour cream to the potato flesh and mash until smooth. Chop the bacon and
add it to the bowl along with the leeks and kale and ¾ of the grated Cheddar. Season to taste and mix well. 7 Scoop the prepared potato filling into the reserved potato shells and top each potato half with the remaining Cheddar. 8 Bake for approx. 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Preheat the grill to high and grill for 2 minutes, or until golden brown. 9 Chop the spring onions and sprinkle over the potatoes. 10 Serve immediately.
BOXTY PANCAKES
Yukon potatoes are an all-round potato making them great for mashing, sautéing, roasting or soups. Their creamy yet firm texture is perfect for these pancakes
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes: 12
For the pancakes
900g Yukon gold potatoes
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
125ml whole milk
45g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
½ tsp baking powder
1 large egg
4 tbsp single cream
50g unsalted Irish butter
SpinneysFOOD Organic Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for frying
To serve
Crème fraîche
300g smoked salmon ribbons
SpinneysFOOD Fresh Chives
1 Peel the potatoes then roughly chop half. Place in a saucepan of salted water and bring to a boil. Simmer until fork-tender, approx. 10 minutes. 2 Coarsely grate the remaining potatoes into a bowl. Toss with half the salt then wrap in a muslin cloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. 3 Place the milk, flour, baking powder, egg and remaining salt in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. 4 Drain the boiled potatoes, return to the saucepan and mash until smooth. Add the cream, 45g of butter and grated potatoes. Stir the mashed potato into the milk mixture. 5 Heat a non-stick frying pan with a little oil. Drop 4 tbsp of the batter into the pan and cook until golden. Flip and cook on the
Boxty pancakes
Colcannon-style loaded baked potatoes
other side until golden brown. 6 Serve the potato pancakes warm, topped with a dollop of crème fraîche, salmon ribbons and chives.
DOMINO HORSERADISH POTATO GRATIN
Russet potatoes are the perfect potato variety for the lazy cook. Their skin is delicious, which means they’re best left unpeeled, and their large size means less prep work when making this dish.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Serves: 6
45g salted butter, plus extra for greasing
1½kg unpeeled Russet potatoes
3 sprigs SpinneysFOOD Fresh Thyme
Whether its for roasting and baking or mashing and frying, we have a variety of potatoes to suit your needs.
250ml double cream
250ml single cream
3 tbsp horseradish sauce
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
1 Preheat oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.
Butter a medium-sized cast-iron pan. 2 Slice the potatoes into very thin rounds using a mandolin or knife. Stack the slices in piles as you go. Pick the thyme leaves. 3 Combine the creams and horseradish sauce along with the rest of the butter and salt in a bowl then pour over the potatoes. Sprinkle the thyme over the top and season well. 4 Place the pan in the oven and bake for 1 hour until the potatoes are tender and cooked through, then put the grill on its highest setting and brown the top of the gratin until golden and caramelised.
All-Purpose Potatoes
Russet Potatoes
Melissa’s Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes
Garden of Elveden Maris Piper Potatoes
Domino horseradish potato gratin
VEGGIE
Garden of Elveden Baby Salad Potatoes
Women in food
We celebrate International Women ’ s Day with UAE-based chefs, business owners and foodies
Your love of chocolate turned into a rewarding career; what is your advice to young entrepreneurs who wish to pursue their passion?
Try as many different things as you can – you’ll find your calling when you’re ready. It wasn’t until after numerous jobs that courage – and frustration – finally drove me to pursue my chocolate dreams. It’s also worth knowing that practising a passion differs from the reality of operating a business. Thankfully, I'm equally enthusiastic about management and marketing as I am about chocolate – which is great because I spend most of my time on logistics, invoicing and making sure the printers are on schedule.
A lot of labour and love goes into making each chocolate bar at Mirzam. What’s your favourite part of the process and how do you go about the challenges that come with it?
The creativity that goes into developing a new recipe is the most enjoyable part of chocolate making; we conduct extensive research on the history of different regions, cultures, spices and ingredients and use our findings to put together recipes that tell a story. As the workload increases during peak seasons, creativity becomes harder to find and ideas more difficult to cultivate.
It’s good to take a step back from time to time to rediscover the inspiration I need for new collections. Travel and family time help a lot.
Describe a typical workday.
I’m normally in the factory before the team comes in and start the day by putting together a to-do list of important tasks. At least twice a week I make sure not to take any external meetings to focus on the factory and spend one day a week in our retail space to work on our displays and product storytelling. With Ramadan and Easter around the corner, the team and I will be reviewing our products and packaging and checking in on our ingredients to make sure all is good to go for the busy season.
Sustainability is at the core of Mirzam, why is it important in business?
Kathy Johnston
Mirzam is a 100% Emirati-owned business with a long-term view; sustainability is a must when working toward goals that extend beyond ‘now’. We are working on evolving into an organisation that can sustainably operate over many generations. For that, we hope to create products that reflect the best of what can be manufactured in the UAE with the highestquality ingredients from around the world.
What are the advantages/ disadvantages of being a woman in a competitive industry?
I’ve never been treated differently because of my gender in the UAE. I am grateful for everything the country has done on that front and proud to be part of the growth. Many of the UAE’s achievements and goals can be credited to the scores of women whose voices are heard here. In craft chocolate, particularly, there are many women-led businesses doing remarkable things.
Who do you look up to in the industry?
Neha, the ‘Ramen Lady’ behind Kinoya is a wonderful human who is bringing new-generation magic into F&B reality. She uses social media to transparently highlight her challenges, leadership style and journey; I‘m in awe of her courage.
“Many of the UAE’s achievements and goals can be credited to the scores
of women
whose
voices are heard here”
CHIEF CH OCOLATEOFFICER
Lama Jammal
You studied hospitality, worked in fashion then switched to food. What made you gravitate toward F&B?
Creativity helps me blow off steam and makes me feel alive. While I loved running my boutique stores in Beirut, I found creativity to be ‘seasonal’ whereby you only use your imagination to its full extent before collections. With food and especially with Mamalu Kitchen, I feel creative all the time; I change the menu every month, so my creative juices are constantly flowing. I now can also involve my children in my business and raise them while pursuing my entrepreneurial journey.
Why was it important to host cooking classes for nannies and families at Mamalu Kitchen?
Families had a lot of help raising their children in the past; they had sisters, aunts and neighbours within arm’s reach. Today, many families are expatriated and away from that community. We’re lucky to live in a region where we have access to the support of incredible women, housekeepers and nannies, who have become our chosen family; they’ve become the sister, aunt and neighbour. I launched Mamalu Kitchen to empower these women and help them become independent at home. With that, we slowly built a community of like-minded families connecting over food.
What is a piece of advice that helped you in your entrepreneurial journey?
Get rid of mom guilt; we’re all trying our best. What helped me was compartmentalising my life and ‘rating’ each part – whatever scores the lowest is what I focus on to achieve balance as a working mum. It’s also important to surround yourself with the right team at work and at home. When hiring people I look for the values I seek in friendships; the right people can help you do your job better.
What have your children taught you?
Launching my business when my twins were only two months old helped me realise that time
“We ’re lucky to live in a region where we have access to the support of incredible women”
is incredibly precious; any moment you’re away from your kids, if you’re not giving it your all, then it’s not worth it. When you have children, you’ll also realise you can’t control everything, that life doesn’t work that way, so you learn to live in the moment and to find peace in that.
What’s your advice to anyone who wants to start a business?
Passion is a huge word; whatever you decide to pursue doesn’t have to be something you’re passionate about. Don’t complicate it, instead, find something you’re good at or keep going back to and turn it into an obsession. You’re going to work really hard, so if you’re not obsessed with what you’re doing, you’ll find it difficult to excel. After that, it’s time to execute.
What advantage does being a woman in the industry give you?
I started my business to help women tackle
the same problems I was facing. I’m my own market, which is a mom with kids and a hectic life; I understand what women like myself are looking for and I cater to their needs.
Who do you look up to in the industry?
I love Julia Child – her quotes are all over my cooking studio – and Nigella Lawson. They paved the way for food enthusiasts to explore cooking. They also challenged the notion that one needed professional training to master the art of food.
What’s your take on associating gender to merit, i.e. female chef, female CEO?
I’m a total feminist, but I see the beauty in highlighting gender in the professional world. There’s another dimension to being a woman; we’re more intuitive, emotional, we can procreate, juggle so many things and we lead with empathy – that’s worth celebrating.
CO-FOUND E R –
Luma Makhlouf
MAIZTACOS
& REGRUBDOOG
“The food industry is quite male-dominated, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. I am currently looking for female chefs”
You started out in tech startups, how did you end up in F&B?
I wanted to be a chef since I was a kid and have worked in restaurants since I was 14 years old –it is legal in Chicago with parental consent. I then studied finance and worked in the startup industry in Dubai, which I loved. When I became financially stable, I finally enrolled in culinary school after my now-husband, Haider, encouraged me to pursue my culinary journey. We had always dreamt of “hopefully one day starting a business together”.
Speaking of your husband, you share your successful businesses with him. How do you keep things balanced? Find someone whose skillset complements yours. My husband is great at admin work and loves the operations side of things, whereas I handle the creative part. Maiz Tacos and Good Burger are both our babies, so it took us time to understand each other’s place in the equation. Owning a business is not easy, but it pays off when you put in the effort of working together –that’s the most important part.
You’re a mum to a beautiful young girl, Ayla; what is one thing she’s taught you?
We opened Maiz Tacos the day before she was born; it was really important for me to be okay with not seeing the fruit of my labour while my husband handled the launch. I realised that staying home with my baby daughter was what I was supposed to be doing at that moment; it was exactly where I was supposed to be. Ayla taught me that the world wouldn’t end if I slowed down.
What is the secret to your success?
It’s about remembering your values and objectives and staying true to them. What works for Haider and I, is running a family business, which means never serving customers something we wouldn’t eat at home. We knew that we would always be a 100% fresh, preservativefree brand, which means having the best suppliers. At Maiz Tacos and Good Burger, we only use the best ingredients and constantly improve our recipes.
How do you go about creativity and how do you handle its challenges?
As long as I can keep doing things that nobody else is – even if it might sound ‘crazy’ – I’ll take the risk. For that, I keep an eye out on market trends, listen to our customers and trust in my taste – this wouldn’t be my job if I didnt. When faced with a challenge, it’s important to think on your feet. We were in the weeds in the kitchen one busy night, with chicken breasts on the grill that weren’t moving. I made the decision to sub them for chicken thighs right then and there; the feedback in the following days was incredible.
What is your role as a woman in this industry?
It’s all about being a role model to someone. I can’t imagine my daughter not having somebody to look up to and say, “This girl is also brown, she’s also Palestinian, she did it, so I can do it, too.” The food industry is quite male-dominated, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. I’m currently looking for female chefs; if one of my waitresses asks me to work in the kitchen one day, I’d say yes in a heartbeat. There’s something powerful about giving back and sharing your knowledge with somebody else.
“I really enjoy working with women – I think there’s spirit. And things get done”
Nisha Ramisetty
You started your career at Goldman Sachs, did a stint at Google and finally held an events director position at Dubai World Trade Centre before venturing into the world of chef-curated recipe kits. What made you jump from finance and tech to food?
It all happened organically. From early on in my career, despite enjoying my previous jobs, I knew I would rather be involved with something creative and that there had to be more out there for me. I wanted to be an entrepreneur and leave a legacy. The catalyst however was Covid. Feelings of wanting to go on my own were heightened and we were stuck at home, so my partner Sam and I spent time cooking food from all over the world. Travelling to weird and whacky places, tasting different cuisines and meeting chefs is a great passion of ours. We travelled from our kitchen to handle not being able to get out and explore. With each meal, we found ourselves with leftover ingredients, so we started sharing these along with recipes for the dishes with our friends. We saw a demand, which led to the idea of creating chef-curated recipe kits. As luck would have it, at the same time, I heard about the Spinneys Local Business Incubator Programme on the radio. So, we took our chances, sent in a pitch and won! We’ve just launched our fourth collection and sell at Spinneys and Waitrose.
You took quite a risk – is doing so something you’d advise anyone wanting to start their own business? I’d say be prepared to take risks, but evaluate
them before jumping in. Be clear of your intentions from the start and look at the pros and cons of what you could be getting yourself into. Assess your support systems because we all need some sort of back-up or assistance, be it anything from financial to emotional help. We were fortunate to have the support of the Local Business Incubator – as well as that of our families at the beginning.
Your business partner is also your life partner – how do you balance your relationship and business?
Sam has a full-time job, so he’s involved, but I run and manage the day-to-day operations. I’m not going to pretend everything is perfect – as a couple and as business partners, we squabble over a lot! But, we also couldn’t imagine not doing what we do and we’re so fortunate to be able to trust and support each other. Sam is cerebral and articulate, while I’m the one with business acumen. Together we’re both good at and enjoy anything creative – that’s when we really come together.
Your packaging design always includes beautiful and bespoke artwork. How do you go about choosing the artists from the countries you’re showcasing in your recipes? And why is this a focus?
Both Sam and I love art. I grew up surrounded by it as all the women in my family are artists, in some shape or form and I sketch and paint, too. We knew that including artwork on our packaging would set us apart. We seek out up-and-coming as well as award-winning artists,
one of whom has happened to also be a friend. We’ve consciously tried to showcase female artists, too. I really enjoy working with women –I think there’s spirit. And things get done!
Are there any women in business whom you see as mentors, or look up to?
On a global scale, Indra Nooyi, the former chairman and CEO of PepsiCo inspires me. I’m from Hyderabad, but grew up in the US and it’s encouraging to see more and more women of South Asian descent in leadership positions across business sectors in the west. In the UAE, I appreciate the support from Kunwal from Moreish by K, Zahra Abdalla, Mel from Curious Elephant, Kanika Hughes from Leelas Lunches, Lidija Abughazaleh of Lidija’s Kitchen and Nivedita from Chili Date. Most women in the local food industry are nurturing; we understand that we’re all growing together.
What’s the future of Naksha Collections?
We’re looking to expand internationally. Our concept has won a place in the London School of Economics’ LSE Generate Accelerator programme, so the UK market is where we will start. We’d love to be involved with experiences – where food, travel, art and music all play a part. Yes, we allow the people in the UAE to explore through our recipe kits, but imagine if this was taken to the next level? I’d like to launch a co-working space for women in the UAE food industry. Whatever the future holds, I want to be one of those brands that supports new players coming in.
Treat yourself to something sweet
Holi
Celebrate the colourful festival of spring with our contemporary twists on traditional Indian sweets
Jalebi waffles
Pistachio kaju katli
JALEBI WAFFLES
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes: 24
For the syrup
200g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar
200ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
1 tsp orange blossom water
Pinch of cream of tartar
For the jalebi waffles
130g SpinneysFOOD Self-Raising Flour
1 tbsp corn flour
½ tsp tartaric acid
½ tsp ground cardamom
Pinch of SpinneysFOOD Sea Salt
1 tbsp full-cream yoghurt
175ml cold SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
1 tbsp melted ghee
Pink, yellow, green and purple food colouring
SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil, for deep frying
1 Start by making the syrup. Place the sugar and water in a saucepan over a high heat and simmer until the syrup reaches thread stage
or 118°C on a sugar thermometer. Stir in the orange blossom water and cream of tartar. Keep warm and set aside. 2 To make the batter, mix the flour, corn flour, tartaric acid, ground cardamom and salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix the yoghurt and water and pour it into a mixing bowl. Whisk until the batter is smooth. 3 Melt the ghee and add to the batter. 4 Divide the batter between four bowls and add a different colour to each bowl, then mix well. 5 Preheat the oil to 160°C in a large pan. Dip the bottom of the waffle iron into the hot oil for 30 seconds to preheat it. 6 Carefully dip the hot iron into the batter, taking care not to let the batter reach over the edges of the waffle iron. Return the batter-coated iron to the hot oil and hold it in the oil for 10-15 seconds, moving it up and down so the oil reaches into the grooves. Set the iron onto the bottom of the pot or deep fryer and allow the waffle to fry until the waffles are crispy – approx. 2 minutes. Alternatively, if you don’t have a waffle iron, place the batter in a squeeze bottle or disposable piping bag and pipe the batter into the hot oil in spirals. 7 Using a chopstick, carefully slip the waffle off the iron, then remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. Repeat until all the batter has been
used. 8 Once all the jalebi waffles have been fried, bring the syrup to a gentle simmer. Carefully drizzle the waffles with the hot syrup. 9 Serve immediately.
PISTACHIO KAJU KATLI
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Makes: 16 diamonds
100g raw cashew nuts
100g slivered pistachio nuts
200g white granulated sugar
75ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
150ml ghee
4-6 tbsp whole milk
½ tsp ground cardamom
Edible silver leaf, for decorating
1 Using a coffee grinder (making sure the cashew nuts are dry), blitz the cashew and pistachio nuts into a fine powder. Pulse to get a fine flour, stopping when the nuts start releasing the oils and turn to a paste. Set aside. 2 Place the sugar and water in a thick-bottomed saucepan and dissolve the sugar over a low heat. Simmer until the mixture reaches 116°C or
Funfetti waffle cone burfi
VEGGIE
VEGGIE
Mukhwas chocolate bark is best served as an after-dinner treat. The fennel and white chocolate are a delicious combination, but dark chocolate would work equally well.
soft ball stage. 3 Add the nut flour, ghee, milk and cardamom and stir to form a thick paste. Add more milk if necessary. 4 Spread onto a piece of baking paper on a baking tray and flatten using a rolling pin to 1½cm thick. 5 Apply the edible silver leaf using a small pastry brush before it sets. 6 Using a sharp knife, cut the fudge into diamond shapes. 7 Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
FUNFETTI WAFFLE CONE BURFI
Prep time: 25 minutes (plus setting time)
Cook time: 15 minutes
Makes: 24 squares
400g full-fat milk powder
200ml double cream
2 x 397g tins sweetened condensed milk
4 large sugar waffle cones
4 tbsp funfetti sprinkles
1 Grease and line a 20cm x 20cm baking tin. Combine the milk powder, cream and condensed milk in a pan placed over a low heat. Stir constantly until the mixture starts releasing oil and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. It should reach 116°C or soft ball stage. Keep stirring to ensure the mixture doesn’t burn as it can catch quite easily. 3 Remove from the heat and spread half of the mixture inside the greased baking tin. 4 Crush the waffle cones and scatter half over the burfi mixture immediately. 5 Scatter with half the sprinkles. 6 Top with the rest of the burfi mixture and the remaining crushed waffle cones and sprinkles. 7 Allow to sit at room temperature until set, approx. 8 hours or preferably overnight. 8 Slice into squares and serve.
MUKHWAS WHITE CHOCOLATE BARK
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Makes 24 triangles
200g white baking chocolate
6 tbsp mukhwas
Colourful sprinkles of your choice
1 Place the baking chocolate in a glass or metal bowl and set it over bain marie. Allow to melt over a low heat until smooth. 2 Line a baking tray with baking paper and spread the melted chocolate in a thin even layer. Immediately sprinkle with the mukhwas and sprinkles. 4 Allow to set at room temperature (don’t refrigerate) until hard. 5 Use a hot, sharp knife to cut the bark into triangles. Remove from the baking paper and store in an airtight container.
Mukhwas white chocolate bark
VEGGIE
VEGGIE
Nowruz
Celebrate the Iranian New Year with dishes that feature bunches of aromatic herbs
Herby frittata
For our twist on a traditional sabzi polo (herb rice with a crunchy tahdig), we turned the warm dish cold and refreshed it with salad leaves and a zingy dressing. It’s the perfect accompaniment to grilled fish or meat.
HERBY FRITTATA
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves: 8
1 leek
8 spring onions
50g walnuts
3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
90g SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley
90g SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander
45g SpinneysFOOD Fresh Dill
60g spinach
5 large eggs
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Turmeric
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Salt
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground
1 tbsp dried unsweetened cranberries or barberries
1 Finely chop the leek and spring onions. Chop the walnuts. 2 Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large cast-iron pan placed over a medium-high heat. Add the leek and spring onions and allow to soften. 3 Roughly chop the herbs and spinach, add to the pan and continue cooking for 2 minutes while stirring. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, turmeric, salt and pepper. 4 Add the herb mixture, walnuts and cranberries, if using.
5 Return the frittata mixture to the skillet and cook over a low heat until the sides start to brown –approx. 5 minutes. 6 Preheat the grill of the oven to its highest setting. 7 Place the pan under the grill and continue to cook until set – approx. 5 minutes. 8 Remove from the heat and turn out on to a plate to serve.
120g mixed salad leaves
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4
200g SpinneysFOOD Long-Grain Basmati Rice
2 lemons
30g SpinneysFOOD Fresh Dill
15g SpinneysFOOD Fresh Chives
15g SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander, plus extra for garnishing
15g SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley, plus extra for garnishing
15g SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint, plus extra for garnishing
125ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
SpinneysFOOD Sea Salt, to taste
4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil
1 Rinse the rice at least three times. Set aside. 2 Zest and juice the lemons. Chop all the herbs and place in a large bowl along with the lemon zest. 3 Fill a large non-stick pot with water and add a generous pinch of salt. Place over a high heat, cover with a lid and bring the water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the rice to the water and cook for 7-8 minutes until the grains are soft on the outside, but still firm on the inside. Drain using a colander and mix half the herbs with the rice. 4 Place the pot back on a medium heat and make sure it’s dry. Pour the oil into the pot to heat. 5 Scoop the rice and herbs back into the pot. Bring most of the rice to the middle, shaping it into a mound. Using the edge
SABZI POLO SALAD
Sabzi polo salad
VEGGIE
VEGAN
TOP TIP!
This is a great way of preserving soft goat’s cheese – just make sure you thoroughly sterilize the jar you store it in. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Herb marinated goat’s cheese
Herby bean and lamb stew
This herb-laden stew can be served with our sabzi polo rice salad – don’t be tempted to reduce the amount of herbs in this recipe, it is what makes the dish.
of a spatula, make 5 holes in the surface of the rice to let the steam out. 6 Pour the water around the edges. Wrap the lid in a clean towel and put it on the pot. Steam the rice for 15 minutes, until the steam comes out from the bottom of the pot. 7 Pour the vegetable oil on the rice, cover and steam for a further 20-30 minutes on a low heat. 8 Unmould the rice on to a platter and break the tahdig into pieces.
9 Toss with the salad leaves. 10 Sprinkle with the remaining herbs and squeeze the lemon juice over and drizzle with the olive oil.
250ml SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil, enough to cover the cheese in your container
Pinch of red chilli flakes
SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste
SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground, to taste
To serve
Laffa naan
1 Thinly slice the cheese into thin rounds. Thinly slice the garlic. Chop the herbs. 2 Coat the bottom of a glass dish with a little olive oil, then add some of the cheese wheels and the garlic. Sprinkle over the herbs then place more cheese and herbs followed by oil. 3 Sprinkle over the chilli, seasoning and make sure to cover with the oil. 4 Allow to stand for at least 2 hours before serving with laffa naan.
HERBY BEAN AND LAMB STEW
Prep time: 5 minutes (plus overnight soaking)
Cook time: 1 hour
Serves: 4
120g dried kidney beans
1 white onion
700g lamb shoulder
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Turmeric
2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground
125ml SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1L SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
200g SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley
60g SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander
2 bunches SpinneysFOOD Fresh Chives
1 bunch spring onions
4 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
8 dried Persian limes
To serve
Plain yoghurt
1 Soak the kidney beans overnight. Thinly slice the onion. 2 Cube the lamb and season with the turmeric, salt and pepper. Mix well to coat. 3 Heat the pot of a pressure cooker over a high heat and add half the oil. 4 Add in the lamb and brown evenly on all sides for 15 minutes. Add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Drain the beans and add to the pot along with the water. Seal the pot and pressure cook for 30 minutes. 5 Wash and finely chop the herbs. 6 Place a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the remaining oil and sauté the herbs in the oil, stirring constantly until wilted and very dark green and the mixture gives off a bright green oil. 7 Add the herb mixture to the lamb. 8 Pierce the limes and add them to the pot. Simmer for a further 20 minutes. 9 Adjust the seasoning and serve.
VEGGIE
Mother’s Day
Delicious breakfast and afternoon tea ideas for mums
Treat Mom to a comforting and delicious breakfast using croissants and berries
2 Whisk the cream, milk, eggs, caster sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl. 3 Halve the croissants. 4 Spread the butter and jam on the cut side of each croissant, then join the halves together. 5 Place the croissants, top-side up, into a cast-iron skillet. 6 Pour over all the custard mixture and leave to soak for 10 minutes. Arrange the berries on top. 7 Bake for 30 minutes until the custard has set and the top is crisp. 8 Serve warm.
VEGGIE
Pinkies up
According to Pinterest, afternoon tea is the new happy hour. “It’s more than a meal – it’s a moment, an aesthetic and a pose.” Gather friends to celebrate this trend on Mother’s Day!
Cucumber and Boursin finger sandwiches
Smoked salmon and chopped egg finger sandwiches
Beetroot hummus and roast chicken finger sandwiches
BEETROOT HUMMUS AND ROAST CHICKEN FINGER SANDWICHES
Prep time: 10 minutes
Makes 8
For the hummus
1 x 400g tin SpinneysFOOD Organic Chickpeas
1 garlic clove
225g cooked beetroot
1 tbsp tahini
4 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin
SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste
SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground, to taste
1 roasted chicken breast
8 slices SpinneysFOOD High Fibre White Bread or brioche
SpinneysFOOD Microgreens, for garnishing (optional)
1 Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Crush the garlic clove. Chop the beetroot. 2 Place the chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, beetroot, cumin, salt and pepper in a food processor and blitz until smooth. 3 Thinly slice the chicken breast. 4 Lay 4 slices of bread out on a work surface and spread with half the hummus. Arrange the chicken on top as neatly and evenly as possible and season with salt and pepper. 5 Spread the remaining slices with the hummus. Gently press the slices together and trim off the crusts using a serrated knife. Cut each sandwich into two long fingers. 6 Serve garnished with micro-greens, if desired.
CUCUMBER AND BOURSIN FINGER SANDWICHES
Prep time: 15 minutes
Makes: 8
8 slices SpinneysFOOD High Fibre White Bread
1 small SpinneysFOOD Organic Cucumber
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley
100g Boursin cheese, at room temperature
1 Lay 4 slices of bread out on a work surface.
2 Thinly slice the cucumber and toss in the vinegar. Finely chop the parsley. 3 Beat the Boursin cheese and parsley together until spreadable. 4 Spread half the bread slices with the cheese mix and top with the cucumber slices. Spread the remaining bread slices with the cheese mix. Gently press the slices together and trim off the crusts using a serrated knife. 5 Cut the sandwiches into neat rectangles and serve.
SMOKED SALMON AND CHOPPED EGG FINGER SANDWICHES
Prep time: 5-7 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Makes: 8
4 large eggs
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fresh Chives
125ml mayonnaise
SpinneysFOOD Salt, to taste
SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground, to taste
8 thin slices of SpinneysFOOD High Fibre Brown Bread
200g thinly sliced smoked salmon
1 Bring a pot of water to the boil. Lower the eggs into the water and boil for 8 minutes. Then, plunge the eggs into ice water to cool before peeling off the shells. 2 Chop the chives, then combine them with the mayonnaise and seasoning. 3 Roughly chop the eggs and fold into the mayonnaise. 4 Lay 4 slices of bread out on a clean work surface and spread half the egg-mayonnaise mix onto each slice. Top with the smoked salmon. 5 Cover with the remaining slices and sandwich together. Using a serrated knife, trim off the crusts.
6 Cut each sandwich into dainty bite-sized rectangles and serve.
COFFEE AND PECAN NUT CAKE
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 8-10
For the cake
100g pecan nuts
4 tsp instant coffee
3 tsp boiling SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
225g butter, softened
125g white granulated sugar
100g light muscovado sugar
4 large eggs
225g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of SpinneysFOOD Salt
2 tbsp whole milk
For the pecan praline
100g golden caster sugar
100g pecan nuts
For the frosting
3 tbsp instant coffee
3 tbsp hot SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
450g salted butter
100g SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Grease and line 3 x 20cm springform cake tins. 2 Toast the pecans, then roughly chop them. 3 Combine the coffee and boiling water and set aside. 4 Place the butter and sugars in a large bowl and cream until light and fluffy – approx. 8 minutes. Add the eggs in one at a time, beating well between each addition. Add the coffee. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
Add the milk and mix again until smooth.
5 Fold in the toasted pecans. 6 Divide the batter between the 3 tins and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before unmoulding and cooling completely.
7 To make the praline, place the sugar in a small saucepan over a medium heat and caramelise until golden brown. Add the pecan nuts and swirl to coat. Stir the nuts until the mixture crystallises and coats the nuts. Set aside to cool. 8 Mix the coffee with the hot water and set aside to cool. 9 To make the frosting, place the butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl and cream until light and fluffy. Add the cooled instant coffee and beat until the sugar is dissolved. 10 Assemble the cake by sandwiching the cake layers with the frosting, ending with a layer of frosting. 11 Scatter the pecan praline on top and serve.
VIENNESE WHIRLS
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 12 minutes
Makes: 10
For the whirls
200g butter, softened
75g SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
200g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
3 tbsp corn flour
½ tsp baking powder
Pinch of SpinneysFOOD Salt
1-2 tbsp whole milk
For the buttercream
75g unsalted butter, softened
150g SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp rose water
3-4 tbsp raspberry jam
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. 2 To make the whirls, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl until light and fluffy – approx. 8 minutes. Sift in the flour, corn flour, baking powder, salt and then add the milk. 3 Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe 20 even rounds onto a lined baking sheet. Chill the whirls in the fridge for 30 minutes. 4 Place the sheet in the middle of the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes until firm and starting to turn golden brown at the edges. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 5 Meanwhile, make the buttercream. Place the butter and sugar in a bowl and cream together until light and fluffy –approx. 8 minutes. Add the rose water. 6 Turn all the biscuits upside down and spread half of them with buttercream. Spread the remaining biscuits with jam and sandwich them together. 7 Dust with the extra icing sugar and serve.
VEGGIE
VEGGIE
VEGGIE
Make this cake two weeks in advance. Wrap the cooled layers in cling film and freeze. Frozen layers are easier to assemble and ensures the cake is straight.
Coffee and pecan nut cake
APRICOT, ALMOND AND SEMOLINA BUNDT CAKE
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Serves: 8
For the syrup
400g white granulated sugar
375ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
1 SpinneysFOOD Cinnamon Stick
1 strip orange zest
4 SpinneysFOOD Cardamom Pods
2 tsp orange blossom water
For the cake
6 fresh apricots
360g fine semolina
95g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
4 tsp baking powder
6 large eggs
250g granulated white sugar
210ml SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil, plus more for greasing
360ml almond milk
85g shredded or desiccated coconut
50g flaked almonds
TOP TIP!
Replace the raspberry jam with any jam of your choice – peach, plum, apricot or strawberry jam would all work well.
Viennese whirls
This cake is moist, studded with chunks of fresh apricots and covered in a sweet fragrant glaze. Make sure to grease and sugar the Bundt tin to ensure it unmoulds easily.
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Grease and sugar a 25cm Bundt tin. 2 To make the syrup, place the sugar, water, cinnamon stick, orange zest and cracked cardamom pods in a small saucepan and bring to a boil until thickened – approx. 10 minutes. Strain and set aside 180ml of the syrup. Add 1 tsp orange blossom to this syrup. 3 Pit and halve the apricots then add half of them to the remaining syrup and bring to the boil. Simmer until the apricots are soft. Add the remaining orange blossom water. 4 Transfer to a blender and
blitz until smooth. 5 Combine the semolina, flour and baking powder in a bowl. Place the eggs and sugar in a large bowl and beat on a high speed until pale and fluffy – approx. 8 minutes. Slowly stream in the oil, almond milk and apricot purée. Add the semolina mixture. Fold in the coconut, apricots and almonds. Pour the batter into the prepared tin. 6 Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean – approx. 35 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and immediately drizzle with the reserved syrup.
Apricot, almond and semolina Bundt cake
VEGGIE
TEA FLOWER BOMBS
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Makes: 8
250g white granulated sugar
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
10g SpinneysFOOD Edible Flowers
Tea bags of your choice
2 x 8-hole silicone dome moulds
1 Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan over a medium heat and gently melt. Do not stir, but instead swirl the pan around
TOP TIP!
Experiment with different teas and match them to edible flowers for a special touch.
to allow even melting. 2 Once the sugar has melted, bring to a boil and cook until it turns golden brown. 3 Drop a small amount of caramel into room temperature water. It should form a firm ball almost immediately. 4 Working quickly, pour the caramel into silicone moulds. Rotate the mould to coat it evenly then flip the mould upside down onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool. 5 Add the flowers and a teabag to half the silicone halves and allow the string of the tea bag to hang out. 6 Gently unmould the rest of the silicone halves. 7 Heat a non-stick pan over a medium heat, then carefully melt the edges of the caramel domes and ‘glue’ them together. 8 Use on the day they are made.
Add to your afternoon tea spread with our selection of biscuits and teas.
VEGAN
Tea flower bomb
Bramble Foods Clotted Cream Shortbreads
Pukka Calm Collection
Grandma Wild’s Finest Strawberry & Cream Viennese Biscuits with White Chocolate Chips
Namastea Candy Crush Tea
SpinneysFOOD Pure Black Tea
WHIP UP waffles
Foodie celebrity Zahra Abdalla has passed on her passion for cooking to her kids. Her son Sami is particularly good at baking cookies and cakes, but he also loves to whip up a batch of waffles. They’re perfect for a Mother’s Day treat, or to celebrate International Waffle Day on 25 March
WAFFLES WITH MASCARPONE CREAM AND STRAWBERRIES
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes: 8
For the mascarpone cream
160ml whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla essence
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar
80g mascarpone cheese
Pinch of lemon rind
For the strawberry topping
300g frozen strawberries
4 tbsp white granulated sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
200g SpinneysFOOD Local Strawberries
For the waffle batter
140g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Salt
2 eggs
125g butter
430ml milk
1½ tsp vanilla extract
1 To make the mascarpone cream, add the cream, vanilla bean paste and sifted icing sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, mix the ingredients until stiff peaks have formed. Fold in the mascarpone cheese and lemon rind. Mix until all the ingredients are fully combined. Allow to chill in the fridge until ready to use.
2 To make the topping, place the frozen strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan over a medium-high heat and cook for approx. 5-7 minutes. Press the berries through a strainer, reserve the liquid in the bowl and discard the strawberry pulp. Return the strawberry juice to the saucepan and continue to cook over a medium heat for a further 5-7 minutes, or until it reduces to a thick syrup. Remove from the heat and
allow to cool completely. 3 Hull and quarter the fresh strawberries. Place them in a bowl along with the cooled strawberry reduction and gently stir until they are fully coated with the reduction. 4 To prepare the batter, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a medium-sized bowl. Keep aside. Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Melt the butter. Whisk together the eggs yolks, milk, butter and vanilla extract in a medium-sized bowl. Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until moderately stiff peaks have formed. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and combine the ingredients using a rubber spatula. Carefully fold in the egg whites. It is okay to have a few lumps in the batter. 5 Heat the waffle iron. Once hot, brush it with butter or vegetable oil, then fill it with the batter, close the lid and cook until the waffle has browned. Repeat until all the batter has been used. Cool the waffles on a wire rack. 6 Serve the waffles with a dollop of the mascarpone cream mixture and strawberry topping.
Recipe by Zahra Abdalla ; Photography by Aasiya Jagadeesh
Ramadan & Eid
Find all the inspiration you need for planning suhoor and iftar meals as well as Eid treats
Crispy pita with eggs and coriander-tahini yoghurt
SHARE THE
flavours
Stock up on SpinneysFOOD pantry essentials, as well as the freshest ingredients to make these recipes for your suhoor and iftar meals
Qamar al-deen apricot rose slushies
Chickpea omelette with broccolini
Turmeric broth with caramelised ginger
Vine leaf wrapped roast lamb with rose water pickled onions
Walnut and preserved lemon kibbe
CRISPY PITA WITH EGGS AND CORIANDER-TAHINI YOGHURT
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 large eggs
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground
4 whole pitas
For the coriander-tahini dressing
50g feta cheese
3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander
2 tbsp tahini
1 garlic clove
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin
To serve
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD White Sesame Seeds
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint
1 Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized non-stick pan over a medium-high heat. 2 Once the oil is hot, crack each egg into the pan and season with the salt and pepper. Fry until the white parts are golden brown and bubbly around the edges. If you like your egg yolk on the firmer side, cover it with a lid while cooking. Once done, remove from the pan using a spatula and set aside. Turn off the heat but keep the pan on the stove. 3 Add the pitas to the pan, flipping every few seconds, until warmed and just starting to brown. Remove from heat. 4 Place the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blitz, adding extra water if needed, to form a smooth dressing. 5 Serve the pitas topped with the fried eggs, a drizzle of the dressing, sesame seeds and roughly torn mint.
QAMAR AL-DEEN APRICOT ROSE SLUSHIES
Prep time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4-6
250g dried apricots or qamar al-deen paste
500ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
100g white granulated sugar
300g SpinneysFOOD Ice
1 tsp rose water
To serve
SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint
Dried rose buds
1 Chop the dried apricots, or tear the qamar al-deen paste into small pieces, and place in a large bowl. 2 Add in the water and sugar and stir to combine. 3 Place the apricot mixture with the ice and the rose water in a food processor.
Turmeric broth tastes as delicious cold as it does hot. If you want to bulk it up, add a few tender vegetables when cooking, such as pak choi, spinach and mushrooms.
Blitz until smooth. 4 Divide between glasses and decorate with the mint and dried rose buds.
CHICKPEA OMELETTE WITH BROCCOLINI
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
For the chickpea omelette
400g silken tofu
180g chickpea flour
4 tbsp nutritional yeast
125ml nut milk
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground
400g broccolini
4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus extra for drizzling
To serve Pea shoots
1 Place the silken tofu along with the chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, milk and oil in a blender. Season with the salt and pepper and blitz. Allow the batter to rest for a few minutes.
2 Meanwhile, rinse and halve the brocolini.
3 Heat the oil in a medium-sized pan over a medium heat. 4 Pour enough batter to spread evenly in the pan. Reduce to a low-medium heat. Place some off the broccolini on top. Cover with a lid and fry for 5-10 minutes or until firm and cooked through. Repeat this process with the rest of the batter. 5 Serve the omelettes with pea shoots and a drizzle of oil.
TURMERIC BROTH WITH CARAMELISED GINGER
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4
5cm piece fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves
4 spring onions
½ bunch SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander
2 tbsp white granulated sugar
3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Turmeric
1 green chilli
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
2L SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground
1 Thinly slice the ginger. Finely grate the garlic. Finely slice the spring onions. Chop half the coriander. 2 Combine the sugar and water in a large saucepan placed over a medium heat. Stir often, until the sugar dissolves, approx. 2 minutes. Continue to simmer, swirling the pan occasionally, until the syrup is golden amber, approx. 4-6 minutes. 3 Add the ginger to the pot and lower the heat, stirring occasionally, until the ginger has softened slightly. Remove the ginger from the heat. 4 Add the turmeric, garlic and spring onion to the pan with 1 tbsp of water. Sauté until the garlic is fragrant, approx. 2 minutes. Add the coriander to the pan along with the chilli and salt.
5 Pour in the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally for approx. 10-12 minutes.
6 Remove the pot from the heat. Season with salt, if needed. 7 Serve topped with the caramelised ginger, roughly torn coriander and freshly ground black pepper.
WALNUT AND PRESERVED LEMON KIBBEH
Prep time: 30 minutes (plus soaking time)
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4
200g bulgur wheat
For the filling 3 leeks
100g SpinneysFOOD Walnuts
30g preserved lemon
2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
250g SpinneysFOOD Angus Beef Mince
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
50g raisins
80ml pomegranate molasses
For the kibbeh
250g SpinneysFOOD Angus Beef Mince
2 tsp baharat
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint
1 Place the bulgur wheat in a bowl and cover with cold water, set aside to soak for 1 hour.
2 Preheat the oven to 180˚C, gas mark 4.
3 Finely chop the leeks. Roughly chop the walnuts. Finely chop the preserved lemon.
VEGGIE
VEGAN
VEGAN
VEGAN
Haleem freezes incredibly well and can be stored for up to 3 months. When reheating, place it in a pot over a medium heat with a splash of water. Then simmer gently until fully reheated.
Caramelised onion and chicken haleem with mixed herbs
4 Heat the oil in a large cast-iron pan placed over a medium heat. Sauté half the leeks along with the beef mince until golden and crispy. Season with the salt. Add the walnuts to the pan. Sauté until lightly toasted before adding the raisins and molasses. Sauté for a further minute or two until the molasses has cooked down to a syrupy consistency. 5 Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the preserved lemon. Set aside. 6 To make the kibbeh, place the bulgur wheat, beef mince, baharat, cinnamon, salt and mint leaves in a food processor and pulse until just combined. 7 Lightly grease a 20cm round baking dish. Dip your hands in iced water. 8 Using half the kibbeh mixture, take a handful of kibbeh, flatten between your palms until 6mm thick and spread on the bottom of the baking dish. Repeat until the bottom is fully covered. Dip yours hands in iced water again and smooth the layer of kibbeh, making sure it’s even. Top with the filling then place the rest of the kibbeh on top and smooth it out well. Run a knife around the edge to separate it from the pan. Score the kibbeh by making triangles, but don’t cut all the way through. This will ensure the kibbeh cooks through. 9 Place the dish in the oven and bake until browned, approx. 25-30 minutes. 10 Leave to cool before placing on a platter to serve.
VINE LEAF WRAPPED ROAST LAMB WITH ROSE WATER PICKLED ONIONS
Prep time: 30 minutes (plus marination time)
Cook time: 3½ hours
Serves: 6
For the lamb
3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Cumin Seeds
3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Coriander Seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 SpinneysFOOD Cinnamon Stick
7cm piece of fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves
125ml SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus extra for drizzling
140ml pomegranate molasses
2 lemons
2.4kg lamb shoulder on the bone
2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground 16-20 vine leaves in brine
500ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
500ml lamb or vegetable stock
For the pickled onions
100ml red grape vinegar
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Sea Salt
1 tsp mild honey
2 red onions
1 tsp rose water
To serve
SpinneysFOOD Pomegranate Jewels
SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint
1 Place the whole spices in a pan over a low heat and dry roast until fragrant. Transfer to a spice grinder and blitz while still warm. Place in a bowl. 2 Grate the ginger and garlic on a microplane straight into the spice mixture, then add the olive oil and 4 tbsp of the molasses. 3 Finely grate the lemon rind and add to the spice mixture. 4 Score the fat side of the lamb and season with the salt and pepper. Rub the spice mixture into the meat. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 5 Preheat the oven to 150°C, gas mark 2. 6 On a clean work surface, lay out the vine leaves, overlapping them slightly in a large rectangle bigger than the lamb. Wrap the marinated lamb in the vine leaves, placing more on top if necessary to cover the gaps. Tie with string. Place the lamb in a roasting pan and add the water to the pan. Cover with baking paper then foil. Roast until the meat is falling from the bone (approx. 3 hours). Remove the foil and paper, increase the temperature to 180°C, gas mark 4, and continue to roast until browned (40-45 minutes). 7 Remove the lamb from the pan (reserve the pan juices) and allow to rest for 30 minutes, while keeping it warm. 8 Pour the pan juices into a saucepan and add the stock and the remaining pomegranate molasses. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced to a jus consistency (approx. 10-12 minutes). 9 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. 10 Place the lamb and juice in an ovenproof pan, bring to a boil over a medium heat, then bake in the oven until the liquid reduces slightly and the lamb begins to caramelise (approx. 10-15 minutes). 11 To make the pickled onions, place the vinegar, salt and honey in a bowl and stir until the salt and honey have dissolved. Thinly slice the onions and toss thoroughly, then leave to macerate for 1 hour. Just before serving, add a splash of rose water. 12 Sprinkle the pomegranate seeds over the lamb and serve with the pickled onions and mint on the side.
Handful of mixed SpinneysFOOD Herbs (parsley, dill, coriander, mint), plus extra to serve
To serve
Double-cream yoghurt
1 Soak the dals in cold water overnight, then drain. 2 Slice the chicken into strips. Finely grate the ginger and garlic. Finely slice the onions.
3 Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan. 4 Slice the chicken breasts in strips and fry in the oil until golden. Set aside and shred once cool. 5 Add the ghee to the same pan to heat. Add the cumin seeds and allow them to splutter. Add the onions and sauté over a low heat until golden and caramelised. Add the garlic and ginger, sautéing for a few minutes. 6 Roughly chop the tomatoes and stir through along with the turmeric. Cook for a few minutes, stirring, until just browned. 7 Add in the dal, chicken and salt. Pour in enough water to cover. Lower the heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the dal is soft. Add more water while its cooking, if needed to prevent it from catching at the bottom. 8 Stir in the oats.
9 Finely chop the herbs and stir through the haleem. Continue simmering for a further 5 minutes. 10 Divide between 4 bowls and top with yoghurt and extra herbs.
CANDIED CITRUS AND RICOTTA KUNAFA CIGARS
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 40 minutes
Makes: 24 cigars
For the filling
400g ricotta cheese
125g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon
1 tbsp mixed candied citrus peel
For the syrup
400g granulated white sugar
250ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp orange blossom water
500g fresh kunafa (kataifi pastry)
340g melted ghee
To serve
20g pistachio slivers
1 To make the filling, mix the ricotta, sugar, cinnamon and candied citrus peel together in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use. 2 To make the syrup, combine the sugar, water and squeeze of lemon juice in a saucepan. Heat gently while stirring until the sugar has dissolved completely, then bring to a rolling boil and stop stirring. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the orange blossom water. Set aside to cool. 3 Working with small pieces
VEGGIE
Candied citrus and ricotta kunafa cigars
White chocolate and cardamom kheer with blackberries
of the kunafa (cover the rest with a damp tea towel) and kitchen scissors, cut strands 5cm x 12cm wide to form a rectangle. Remove 1cm from the rectangle and lay it across the other so it forms a ‘T’ shape. Place 1 tsp of the filling in the middle and roll the pastry up tightly so the filling is encased in the pastry. Place the kunafa roll, seam-side down, in a greased rectangular cake tin. Repeat until all the filling has been used. Allow it to stand at room temperature so the pastry dries out. 4 Preheat the oven to 200˚C, gas mark 6. 5 Pour the melted ghee all over the kunafa rolls until saturated. 6 Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the kunafa is deep, golden brown in colour, flipping the rolls once or twice to the other side during baking. 7 Remove from the oven, and using tongs, transfer the kunafa cigars to paper towels to drain the excess ghee. While still
piping hot, place them in a clean pan and pour the cooled syrup over each one. Allow the syrup to soak in, then transfer to a serving platter. 8 Sprinkle each kunafa cigar with pistachio slivers and serve.
WHITE CHOCOLATE AND CARDAMOM KHEER WITH BLACKBERRIES
Prep time: 5 minutes (plus cooling time)
Cook time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4-6
1½L full-fat milk
200g arborio rice
1 vanilla bean
100g white chocolate
½ tsp ground cardamom
20g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar
750ml whipping cream
To serve
SpinneysFOOD Local Blackberries
1 To make the pudding, add the milk and rice to a deep saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 40 minutes, stirring continuously.
2 Slice down the length of each vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds. Chop the white chocolate. 3 Add the cardamom to the milk mixture. Stir in the white chocolate, sugar and vanilla seeds. Remove from the heat. 4 Cover the saucepan with a lid and allow to cool overnight in a cool place or in the fridge.
5 Place the whipping cream in a large bowl and whip until stiff peak stage. Fold into the mixture.
6 Serve the pudding with fresh blackberries.
VEGGIE
IFTAR A VEGAN
Easy, plant-based recipes for wholesome and hearty Ramadan meals
Tomato biryani
Cauliflower curry with crispy butter beans
TOMATO BIRYANI
This vegan biryani is jam packed with umami flavour and is a lighter, less heavy way to break the fast.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Serves: 6
4 heirloom tomatoes
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste
SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground, to taste
190g SpinneysFOOD Long-Grain Basmati Rice
1 small red onion
3 green chillies
2 garlic cloves
5cm piece fresh ginger
2 tbsp coconut oil
6 SpinneysFOOD Cardamom Pods
2 SpinneysFOOD Cinnamon Sticks
¼ tsp whole cloves
1 x 400g tin SpinneysFOOD Chopped Italian Tomatoes
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Turmeric
375ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.
2 Thickly slice the tomatoes and arrange on a baking tray. Drizzle with the olive oil and season well. 3 Roast for 20 minutes or until caramelised. Set aside. 4 Rinse the rice three times until the water runs clear, then drain. 5 Slice the onion, chillies and garlic. Grate the ginger. 6 In a medium saucepan, heat the coconut oil over a medium heat then add the cardamom, cinnamon
and cloves and toast for 30 seconds. Add the onion, chillies, garlic and ginger. Sauté for 5 minutes or until light brown. Stir in the tinned tomatoes, salt and turmeric. 7 Simmer for 10 minutes or until a light film of oil forms on the surface. 8 Add the rice and stir. 9 Add the water and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes or until the juices have absorbed. Cover with a lid and reduce to a low heat. Cook for 10 minutes then remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. 10 Serve garnished with the roasted tomatoes.
CAULIFLOWER CURRY WITH CRISPY BUTTER BEANS
This curry is very versatile in that any vegetable can be added – broccoli, butternut, squash, spinach, courgettes, aubergines would all work well. Increase the nutritional value by adding cooked lentils or chickpeas.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
For the curry
1 brown onion
2 garlic cloves
5cm piece fresh ginger
½ lemon
3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Turmeric
1 x 400g tin coconut milk
400ml vegetable stock
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground
800g cauliflower florets
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley
For the crispy butter beans
3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 x 400g tin butter beans
1 Finely chop the onion and crush the garlic. Finely grate the ginger. Juice the lemon. 2 In a large pan, heat the oil over a low heat. Add in the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and sauté for a further 1 minute. Add the lemon juice and stir to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the turmeric and ginger. Add the coconut milk and season generously with the salt and pepper. Stir and bring to a simmer. 3 Add in the cauliflower florets and cover with a lid. Simmer for 5-7 minutes or until the florets are tender. 4 Chop the parsley. 5 Remove the curry from the heat and stir in the parsley. 6 To make the crispy butter beans, heat the oil in a non-stick pan over a high heat. Drain the butter beans well, rinse and pat dry with a paper towel. Add the butter beans to the hot oil and fry until golden and crisp. Season well. 7 Serve the curry topped with the crispy beans.
LENTIL HARIRA
This hearty soup is incredibly versatile. Use any lentils and pulses you have in your pantry. If you’re short on time, use tinned lentils and chickpeas, rinsed well. Add towards the end of the cooking time to keep their texture.
Lentil harira
VEGAN
VEGAN
Prep time: 20 minutes (plus soaking time)
Cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Serves: 6
100g brown lentils
300g red lentils
200g dried chickpeas
1 red onion
4 garlic cloves
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Ginger
1½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground
2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Turmeric
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin
½ tsp saffron strands
5cm piece SpinneysFOOD Cinnamon Stick
1 x 400g tin SpinneysFOOD Whole Peeled Italian Tomatoes
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
2L SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
250g angel hair pasta
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander
To serve Lemon wedges
1 Cover the lentils and chickpeas with water and soak them overnight. 2 Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. 3 Heat the oil in a large pot and add the onions and garlic. Sauté until soft – approx. 5 minutes. Add the ginger, pepper, turmeric, cumin, saffron and cinnamon and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the tomato and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with the salt.
4 Add the lentils and chickpeas and water and
bring to a boil. Simmer for 1 hour or until the lentils are soft. Add more water, if necessary.
5 Add the pasta and cook for 3 minutes.
6 Chop the coriander leaves and sprinkle over the soup. 7 Serve with lemon wedges.
MIXED VEGETABLE PAKORAS WITH CHUTNEY
Deep-fried pakoras are a delicious way to start iftar and this version, made with chickpea flour, has a serious crunch. The chutneys provide a lovely balance of sour and sweet. If you’d prefer spicier pakoras, add a large pinch of cayenne powder to the batter. You can use any vegetables, but try to stick to those that cook quickly.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
1kg mixed vegetables (broccolini, aubergine, courgettes, beans, spring onions)
For the sweet chutney
250ml apple purée
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fresh Cumin
½ tsp black salt
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Chilli Powder
Juice of 2 limes
4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
For the green chutney
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint
2cm piece of ginger
1 serrano chilli
1 tbsp roasted peanuts
1 tsp fennel seeds
For the pakora batter
Small handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander 85g chickpea flour
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Garam Masala
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
4 tbsp iced SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
SpinneysFOOD Pure Canola Oil, for deep frying
1 Prepare the vegetables by peeling and cutting them into similar sizes so they take the same amount of time to cook. Set aside. 2 To make the sweet chutney, mix the apple purée, coriander, cumin, black salt, chilli powder, juice of 1 lime and water together. Set aside. 3 To make the green chutney, place the herbs, ginger, chilli, peanuts and fennel seeds in a food processor and pulse until roughly combined. 4 To prepare the batter, chop the coriander and place it in a bowl. Add in the flour, garam masala and salt. Mix together. Slowly stir in the ice water to form a batter the consistency of cream – add more or less water, if necessary. Whisk the batter until foamy at the edges. 5 Heat the oil to 175°C in a pot or deep fryer. 6 Dip the vegetables into the batter one at a time, then drop them into the hot oil. Fry until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels. 7 Serve the pakoras warm with the chutneys.
Mixed vegetable pakoras with chutney
VEGAN
VEGAN
GOURMET gifts
These home-made treats will make sure you’re the best guest at any Eid feast
Sticky chai masala
TOP TIP!
Ghoraybah taste better a day (or even longer) after baking as they absorb flavour from the cloves. If you’d prefer, swap the cloves for whole almonds.
Ghoraybah
This barberry jam gets even better the longer you keep it. Serve it on brioche toast or croissants, with liver paté, roast duck or lamb, or as a condiment with charcuterie and cheese.
STICKY CHAI MASALA
To make the best chai, combine 250ml milk of your choice with 2 tbsp sticky chai masala in a saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes. Strain to serve.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Makes: 330g
16 SpinneysFOOD Cardamom Pods
8 star anise
6 cloves
3 SpinneysFOOD Cinnamon Sticks, broken into pieces
2 tsp allspice
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fennel Seeds
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Whole Black Peppercorns
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
80g loose leaf black tea
4 tbsp freshly grated ginger
125ml SpinneysFOOD Honey or Maple Syrup
2 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 Using a mortar and pestle, pound the cardamom, star anise, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, fennel seeds and black peppercorns until broken into small pieces but powdered.
2 Combine the spices, including the nutmeg,
with the loose-leaf tea and grated ginger.
3 Place the honey, lemon juice and vanilla extract in a small saucepan over a low heat and stir to combine. Once warm, pour the honey mixture over the tea mixture and stir well.
4 Pack the sticky chai masala into a clean and dry container and chill for up to one week.
GHORAYBAH
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Makes: 20
125g SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar
125g ghee
1 tsp almond or vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
240g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
1 tbsp whole milk or water
80 whole cloves
1 Preheat the oven to 150°C, gas mark 2. Line two baking sheets with baking paper. 2 In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the icing sugar, ghee and vanilla extract until creamy – approx. 5 minutes.
Add the baking powder, flour and milk until it forms a soft dough. 3 Divide the dough into 20 balls and arrange on the baking sheets.
4 Flatten the balls slightly and press 4 cloves into each ball. 5 Bake for 10-15 minutes – the shortbreads shouldn’t change colour. 6 Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.
BARBERRY JAM
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes: 250g
125g dried barberries
250ml apple juice
1 SpinneysFOOD Cinnamon Stick
2 SpinneysFOOD Cardamom Pods
Pinch of saffron threads (optional)
100g white granulated sugar
1 Place the barberries, apple juice, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods and saffron in a large saucepan placed over a high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. 2 Slowly add the sugar, while stirring. Simmer for 20 minutes over a Barberry jam
VEGAN
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VEGGIE
Add 2 tbsp of toasted sesame seeds to the caramel sauce to give it extra nutty crunch – it is delicious served over vanilla ice cream.
low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. 3 Pour the jam into sterilised jam jars. Cover the mouth of each jar with wax paper. Immediately seal the jars and allow to cool.
4 Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
TAHINI SALTED CARAMEL
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Makes: 200ml
120g white granulated sugar
3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
Pinch of cream of tartar
1 tbsp tahini
30g butter
150ml single cream
Pinch of SpinneysFOOD Sea Salt Flakes
1 Bring the sugar, water and cream of tartar to a boil in a medium saucepan placed over a medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil until the sugar begins to caramelise in spots. Continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until the caramel is a deep golden colour –approx. 10 minutes. 2 Remove the caramel from the heat and carefully whisk in the tahini and butter, followed by the cream and salt.
3 Leave to cool slightly before serving.
TOP TIP!
Caramel sauce can be made two weeks ahead. Store in the refrigerator.
Looking for Ramadan and Eid foodie gifts for friends and family? Explore our selection in stores.
SpinneysFOOD
Khodri Dates with Assorted Fillings
Al Nassma Camel Milk Chocolate Gift Box
Kimri Lotus and Pecan DatesFerrero Rocher Lantern
Kinder Ramadan Calendar
Tahini salted caramel
VEGGIE
ONLY THE LINDT GOLD BUNNY MAKES IT A MAGICAL EASTER
There’s no better Easter than the one spent in the company of the LINDT GOLD BUNNY. For over 70 years the Master Swiss Chocolatiers have crafted more than chocolate, they’ve created magical moments of togetherness with the LINDT GOLD BUNNY. LINDT – Passion and love for chocolate since 1845.
Easter
Make delicious breads, devilled eggs, experiment with simnel recipes and have fun with the kids
Try these traditional spiced Easter bakes from Italy, Germany, Russia and Greece
Pupo con l’uovo
Chocolate tsoureki
The traditional way to serve a Kulich is to cut off the crown and slice the base into rounds. To keep any leftovers moist, replace the crown.
PUPO CON L’UOVO
Sicilian Easter bread
Prep time: 1 hour (plus proofing time)
Cook time: 50 minutes
Makes: 12
For the dough
1 orange
1 lemon
200ml whole milk
10g instant yeast
4 large eggs + 4 egg yolks
1kg cake flour
100g salted butter, softened
100g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar
50g SpinneysFOOD Honey
4 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Salt
1 tsp aniseed
For baking the bread
12 large eggs
Milk, for brushing
Pearled sugar, for decorating
1 Finely zest the orange and lemon. 2 Place the milk and yeast in the bowl of a mixer and stir to dissolve. Add the 4 eggs, flour, butter, sugar, honey, salt, orange and lemon zest and aniseed. 3 Using a dough hook, knead the dough for 8-10 minutes or until a soft, smooth dough forms. Cover with cling film and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Mix in the egg yolks then cover again and allow to rise in a warm place until puffy and doubled in size. 4 Meanwhile, boil the 12 eggs in water for 4 minutes or until very soft-boiled. Plunge into cold water to stop cooking. 5 Knock the air out of the dough by kneading it gently. Divide into 12 balls.
Roll each ball into a 20cm long sausage then wrap two sausages around each other to form a braid. 6 Join the edges together to form a circle, then carefully transfer to a lined baking sheet. Place a soft-boiled egg in the middle of each circle. 7 Cover and place in a warm place until doubled in size. 8 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. 9 Brush the dough with the milk and sprinkle with the sugar. 10 Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and puffed.
CHOCOLATE TSOUREKI
Greek Easter bread
Prep time: 30 minutes (plus proofing and overnight refrigeration time)
Cook time: 1 hour
Makes: 1
580g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
250ml lukewarm SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
4 tsp instant yeast
60g salted butter
1 orange
100g granulated white sugar
2 tbsp milk powder
2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Salt
1 tsp ground mahlep or almond extract
½ tsp mastiha (mastic) crystals or ground aniseed
3 large eggs
200g dark chocolate
1 Mix 180g of flour, water and yeast in a large bowl. Allow it to stand in a warm place until doubled in size, approx. 1 hour. 2 Melt the butter and allow to cool. Zest the orange.
3 In a large bowl, combine the remaining flour, sugar, milk powder, salt and spices. Add 2 eggs, the cooled melted butter and orange zest to the yeast mixture, then add it to the flour mixture to form a soft, slightly sticky dough.
4 Knead for 8-10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with cling film, allow to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. 5 Refrigerate for 8-12 hours, or overnight. 6 Melt the chocolate.
7 Knead the dough gently to knock out the air. Roll the dough out into a large 40cm x 50cm rectangle. Spread with the melted chocolate then roll into a long sausage. Cut the sausage in half lengthways and twist the two pieces around each other. Pinch the ends together at one end. Form the bread into a wreath. Cover the bread with lightly greased cling film. Allow the loaf to rise at room temperature for 2-2½ hours. 8 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. 9 Lightly beat the remaining egg and brush it over the loaf. Transfer the dough to a lined baking sheet and bake for 1 hour or until the internal temperature reaches 87°C. Tent the bread with aluminum foil for the last 30 minutes, to prevent over-browning. 10 Remove the chocolate tsoureki from the oven. 11 Allow it to cool completely before slicing to serve.
Kulich
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KULICH
Russian Easter bread
Prep time: 40 minutes (plus proofing time)
Cook time: 1 hour
Makes: 3
2 tsp instant dry yeast
4 tbsp warm SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
4 tbsp white granulated sugar
125ml lukewarm milk
130g brown sugar
8 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
580g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
120g salted butter
60g golden raisins
30g flaked almonds
4 tbsp chopped candied citrus peel
2 large egg whites
For the glaze
1 large egg white
60g SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
Few drops of almond extract
1 In a large bowl, combine the yeast, water, sugar and milk. Mix until the yeast and sugar have dissolved. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. 2 Add the brown sugar, egg yolks, vanilla extract,
cardamom, salt and flour to make a soft dough. Then add the salted butter, raisins, flaked almonds, and citrus peel. 3 In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into the dough and knead until an elastic dough forms. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat both sides. Cover with greased cling film and allow to rise until doubled in size. 4 Grease three 15cm round cake tins. Line the sides with foil and extend them up the sides. 5 Punch down the dough and knead it a few times. Place it in the prepared tins, cover with greased cling film and allow to rise until the dough reaches the top of the tins. 6 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. 7 Bake the bread for 10 minutes then reduce the temperature to 180°C, gas mark 4, and bake for a further 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. 8 Remove the kulich from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before unmoulding. 9 To make the glaze, combine all the ingredients in a bowl. 10 Pour the glaze over the cooled kulich and serve.
OSTERBREZELN
German Easter pretzels
Prep time: 30 minutes (plus proofing time)
Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes: 20
For the pretzels
750g bread flour
10g instant dry yeast
100g lukewarm milk
5 large eggs
3 tbsp white granulated sugar
3 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Salt
1 lemon
200g butter
100g sultanas
100g candied citrus peel
100g flaked almonds
For the glaze
125g SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar 2 tbsp lemon juice
1 Combine the flour, yeast, milk, 4 of the eggs, sugar and salt in a bowl. Cover and place in a warm place until doubled in size – approx. 1 hour. 2 Zest the lemon. 3 Add the butter, sultanas, candied citrus peel and zest to the flour mixture and mix well. 4 Divide the dough into 20 balls. Working with one ball at a time, roll it into a 25cm-long sausage then shape it into a pretzel, tucking the ends underneath. Repeat with the remaining balls. 5 Place them on floured baking sheets, cover and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. 6 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. 7 Meanwhile, whisk the remaining egg and brush the pretzels lightly with the egg wash. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds. 8 Bake the pretzels for 20 minutes, or until golden and puffed. 9 To make the glaze, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and mix in the lemon juice. 10 Remove the pretzels from the oven and immediately brush with the glaze. Allow to cool before serving.
Osterbrezeln
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CRACKING GOOD
BLT devilled eggs
Jalapeño popper devilled eggs
One of the most delicious (and nostalgic) ways to eat hard-boiled eggs is to devil them. Traditionally, this would mean a topping with mustard, mayo and vinegar. But, try this trio with more elaborate fi llings, instead
Turkish devilled eggs
HOW TO BOIL EGGS PERFECTLY
Bring a pot of water to a boil and gently add fresh, room temperature eggs. Boil the eggs for 8 minutes, then cool them in ice water before peeling off the shells.
TURKISH DEVILLED EGGS
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Makes: 12
1 garlic clove
Handful of mixed SpinneysFOOD Herbs (parsley, dill and mint)
1 lemon
6 hard-boiled eggs
3 tbsp double-cream yoghurt
Pinch of sumac
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
¼ tsp apple cider vinegar
½ tsp tahini
50g salted butter
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Chilli Powder
1 Peel and crush the garlic. Pick and chop the herbs. Juice the lemon. 2 Slice the eggs in half using a knife that’s been dipped in hot water. Scoop out the yolks and place them in a
small bowl. 3 Add the yoghurt, garlic, sumac, salt, vinegar, tahini and lemon juice. Mash the mixture with a fork until smooth. 4 Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe swirls into the halved egg whites. 5 Add the butter to a small saucepan and cook over a medium heat until it just starts to brown.
6 Then, quickly remove from heat and add the olive oil and chilli powder. Stir to combine and set aside to cool for a few minutes. 7 Spoon the butter mixture over the eggs, top with chopped herbs, then serve.
JALAPEÑO POPPER DEVILLED EGGS
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 8 minutes
Makes: 12
60g SpinneysFOOD Grated Mature Cheddar Cheese
6 hard-boiled eggs
3 tbsp mayonnaise
3 tbsp full-fat cream cheese
2 pickled jalapeños
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander, for garnishing
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Chop the jalapeños. 2 Place 2 tbsp of the Cheddar on the prepared sheet into rough 5cm circles. 3 Bake for 8 minutes or until bubbly and golden. Allow to cool then remove from the baking sheet and break into pieces. 4 Halve the hard-boiled eggs and remove the yolks. Place the yolks in a small bowl and mash with a fork. 5 Add the mayo, cream cheese, jalapeño and mix well. Season. 6 Spoon the mixture into the egg whites, top with the crispy cheese and coriander leaves.
BLT DEVILLED EGGS
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Makes: 12
5 rashers of beef bacon
6 hard-boiled eggs
4 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground
12 small sundried tomatoes
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Microgreens
1 Chop the bacon into pieces. Heat a pan over high heat and fry the bacon until crispy. Set aside. 2 Slice each egg in half lengthways and carefully remove the yolks to a medium bowl. Mash the yolks well with a fork. 3 Add the mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper. Continue mashing and blending with the fork until the yolk mixture is creamy. 4 Using a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle, pipe the yolk mixture back into the egg halves.
5 Garnish with a piece of bacon, sundried tomatoes and micro-greens.
To peel a hard-boiled egg easily, place the egg in a cup or glass. Place your hand over the opening and shake. The eggshell should become easier to peel.
VEGGIE
VEGGIE
SIMNEL SNAZZY
A marzipan-covered simnel fruit cake is eaten in the UK and Ireland over Easter. Try our takes on this old-fashioned dessert
Simnel fruit bars with toasted marzipan
TOP TIP!
The crunchy streusel topping with crumbled marzipan is what makes this cake delicious. Serve it still warm with custard or at room temperature with a dollop of créme fraîche or double cream.
Raspberry simnel drizzle cake
These dark and decadent chocolate brownies are loaded with chunks of marzipan, spices and dried fruit. Make sure not to overbake the brownies – they should be gooey when removed from the oven.
Simnel brownies
SIMNEL FRUIT BARS WITH TOASTED MARZIPAN
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Makes: 36
50g whole almonds
280g SpinneysFOOD Self-Raising Flour
2 tsp mixed spice
300g light brown sugar
120g desiccated coconut
200g fruit cake mix (raisins, sultanas, mixed peel)
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
110g salted butter
100ml SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil
1 tbsp cocoa powder
250g marzipan
150g apricot jam
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Grease a 40cm x 30cm baking tin. Chop the almonds. 2 Mix the flour, spice, sugar, coconut, fruit cake mix and almonds in a bowl. Beat the eggs and vanilla together and add to the dry ingredients. 3 Melt the butter and oil in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Add the cocoa and mix well. 4 Add the cocoa mixture to the flour mixture and combine well. 5 Spread the mixture into the prepared baking tin and press down firmly. 6 Bake for 20-30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. 7 Roll out the marzipan to the same size as the baking tin. 8 As soon as the bars come out of the oven, brush with the apricot jam and place the marzipan on top and press down to cover. Using a blowtorch, toast the top of the marzipan. Alternatively, preheat the grill to the highest setting and place the tin under the grill for 5 minutes or until golden brown.
9 Cut into bars and serve. 10 Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
RASPBERRY SIMNEL DRIZZLE CAKE
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Serves: 8
For the streusel topping
50g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
4 tbsp white granulated sugar
60g salted butter
35g slivered almonds
For the cake
1 orange
265g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp mixed spice
150g white granulated sugar
60g salted butter, softened
250ml whole milk
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
250g marzipan
100g SpinneysFOOD Local Raspberries
150g SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar
1 Preheat oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Grease a 20cm round tin. 2 To make the marzipan streusel, mix the flour and sugar together in a large bowl, then rub the butter into the mixture until crumbly. Stir in the almonds. Set aside. 3 To make the cake, zest and juice the orange. Set the juice aside. Place the zest in a bowl along with the flour, mixed spice, sugar, butter, milk, baking powder, vanilla extract and egg. Combine until smooth. 4 Finely chop the marzipan. 5 Spread half the batter in the prepared tin, then sprinkle with half the chopped marzipan, raspberries and streusel. Cover with the rest of the batter and sprinkle with the remaining marzipan, raspberries and streusel. 6 Bake for approx. 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool. 7 Mix the sifted icing sugar with just enough orange juice to form a thin glaze. 8 Drizzle over the cake and serve.
SIMNEL BROWNIES
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Makes: 16
200g 70% dark chocolate
100g marzipan
1 orange
150g salted butter, plus extra for greasing
150g muscovado sugar
3 large eggs
75g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp mixed spice
50g mixed dried fruit
100g flaked almonds
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Grease a 20cm square baking tin and line the base with baking paper. Roughly chop the dark chocolate and place in a large bowl. Roughly chop the marzipan. Zest the orange. 2 Melt the butter and bring to a simmer. Pour over the chopped chocolate. Stir until smooth. 3 Mix in the sugar, then leave to cool for a few minutes.
4 Beat in the eggs, then sift in the flour, mixed spice, zest, dried fruit and ¾ of the marzipan. Fold until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
5 Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top. Sprinkle with the remaining marzipan and flaked almonds. 6 Bake for 25 minutes or until the top starts to crack, but the centre remains gooey. 7 Turn off the oven and leave the brownies inside for a further 5 minutes before removing. 8 Allow to cool completely in the tin before slicing.
Stock up on these ingredients to make your own simnel.
Waitrose Cooks’ Ingredients White Marzipan
Bonne Maman Apricot Jam
SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
Waitrose Cooks’ Ingredients Organic Mixed Spice
Essential Waitrose Mixed Fruit
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VEGGIE
Easter smash eggs
hit SMASH
Give your kids an interactive Easter experience with these hollow chocolate eggs filled with mini eggs
EASTER SMASH EGGS
Prep time: 20 minutes (plus setting time)
Cook time: 5 minutes
Makes: 3
200g dark baking chocolate
25g coconut oil
240g puffed rice cereal
30g desiccated coconut
125g candy-coated mini eggs
6 x 10cm chocolate egg moulds
1 Chop the dark chocolate and place it in a microwave-safe bowl along with the coconut oil. Microwave on low, stirring every 30 seconds, until completely melted. 2 Stir in the cereal and desiccated coconut. 3 Divide the chocolate mixture between the moulds, pressing down firmly and evenly. 4 Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set. 5 Carefully remove the egg halves from the moulds. 6 Place a third of the candy eggs into 3 egg halves. 7 Gently heat a non-stick pan over a low heat and melt the edges of half the eggs. Lightly press the remaining egg halves onto the filled egg halves to seal. 8 Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set.
Galaxy Enchanted Eggs Terry’s Chocolate Orange Mini Eggs Cadbury Mini EggsCadbury Mini Eggs Smarties Mini Eggs
We have a wide selection of mini eggs to fill your hollow chocolate eggs.
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CARROT TOPS
Get the kids involved in making these sweet and savoury recipes using the Easter Bunny’s favourite ingredient
Carrot cake ice cream lollies
Carrot pancakes with spiced almond butter
Carrot baby muffins with lemon-labneh icing
CARROT CAKE ICE CREAM LOLLIES
Prep time: 10 minutes (plus freezing time)
Cook time: 10 minutes
Makes: 18 small lollies or 9 regular lollies
250ml cream
100ml milk
60g SpinneysFOOD Unrefined Sugar
Pinch of SpinneysFOOD Fine Salt
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
1 large carrot
50g full-fat cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Place the cream, milk, sugar, salt and spices in a saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to a simmer. 2 Finely grate the carrot and add to the milk mixture. Boil for 5 minutes or until the carrot is very soft. 3 Add the cream cheese and vanilla extract. 4 Place the mixture in a blender and blitz until smooth. 5 Pour into ice lolly moulds and insert a stick into each. Freeze until solid. 6 Unmould and serve.
CARROT PANCAKES WITH SPICED ALMOND BUTTER
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes: 10 pancakes
For the pancakes
1 x 100g medium carrot
2 large eggs
125ml apple sauce or purée
125ml plain yoghurt
3 tbsp milk
3 tbsp date or coconut sugar
2 tbsp melted butter or coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
250ml wholewheat flour
1½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon
For the spiced almond butter
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon
4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Almond Nut Butter
1 Peel and grate the carrot. Lightly beat the eggs. 2 Place the grated carrot in a bowl and pour over boiling water. Microwave for 2-3 minutes until soft. Drain well and pat dry (try to remove as much moisture as possible). 3 Add the eggs, apple sauce, yoghurt, milk, sugar, butter and vanilla extract to the carrots and mix. Then add the flour, baking powder and cinnamon powder and mix. 4 Heat a non-stick pan over a medium heat. 5 Pour 60ml of the batter into the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes then flip and cook on the other side. Repeat with the rest of the batter. 6 Mix the cinnamon powder with the almond butter. 7 Serve the pancakes with the spiced almond butter on the side.
CARROT BABY MUFFINS WITH LEMON LABNEH ICING
Prep time: 20 minutes
(plus overnight draining time)
Cook time: 10 minutes
Makes: 12
For the labneh icing
250g labneh
1 lemon
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar
For the carrot baby muffins
100g carrot
100g tinned pineapple
1 large egg
4 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Organic Honey
85g gluten-free self-raising flour
1 tsp mixed spice
To serve
1 lemon
1 tsp xylitol icing sugar
1 To make the icing, place the chilled labneh in a bowl. Zest and juice the lemon. Add the icing sugar, zest and juice to the labneh and stir until smooth. 2 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. 3 To make the baby muffins, finely grate the carrots (no need to peel). Drain the tinned pineapple and place in a sieve. Using a spoon or your hands, press out as much liquid as possible. Set aside. Combine the egg, melted coconut oil and honey in a bowl. Add in the carrot and pineapple along with the flour and spice. Stir to combine. 4 Lightly grease a mini muffin tin and divide the mixture between the muffin holes. 5 Bake for 8-10 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool completely.
6 Spread the labneh icing over the muffins.
7 Zest the lemon. 8 Sprinkle the zest and icing sugar over the muffins and serve.
SWEET POTATO AND CARROT NUGGETS
Prep time: 35 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves: 6
250g SpinneysFOOD Beauregard Sweet Potato
250g carrots
1 x 400g tin SpinneysFOOD Organic Chick Peas
½ white onion
1 garlic clove
35g chickpea flour
1 tbsp dukkah
1½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Salt
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground
5 sprigs SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander
SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil, for frying
To serve
100g cucumber sticks
1 Peel and coarsely chop the sweet potato and carrots. Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
2 Place the sweet potato and carrot in a food processor and pulse until the consistency of finely chopped nuts. 3 Add the rest of the ingredients and blitz until combined. 4 Press the mixture out on to a sheet of baking paper until 2cm thick. 5 Using any cookie cutter, cut out shapes to form nuggets. 6 Heat a large pot of oil to 165°C. 7 Working in batches, fry the nuggets for approx. 5 minutes a side, or until golden and crunchy. 8 Drain on paper towels.
9 Serve with the cucumber sticks.
Sweet potato and carrot nuggets
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VEGAN
Bougie burgers
Want to know how to elevate a burger by using gourmet patties and French cheese?
Turn over to fi nd recipes that Dalia Soubra, Zahra Abdalla, Chef Mohamed Chabchoul and Tiffany Eslick made at a recent Spinneys’ event for some of Dubai’s culinary community. The four chefs topped decadent lamb, Wagyu beef and bone marrow patties with Brie, Comté, Raclette and creamy Brillat Savarin!
DALIA SOUBRA’S BONE MARROW AND BRILLAT SAVARIN BURGER
With undertones of chanterelle mushrooms, Brillat Savarin is a triple-cream dessert cheese. Dalia’s decision to use it on a burger with a pomegranate-onion jam is decadent and genius.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Makes: 4 burgers
For the pomegranate-onion jam
4 yellow onions
25g salted French butter
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Pure Canola Oil
3 tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
125ml pomegranate molasses
For the sauce
25g pickles
125g ketchup
125g Kewpie mayo
4 SpinneysFOOD Ultimate Beef Burger patties
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Salt, to season
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, to season
200g Brillat Savarin cheese
4 SpinneysFOOD Potato Buns
4 tbsp French butter
100g rocket
1 Peel and finely slice the onions. 2 In a deep pan, heat the butter and oil. Add the onions and sauté on a low heat, stirring frequently. Once softened add the sugar and salt. Cook gently, stirring to make sure the bottom doesn’t catch, for 20-30 minutes or until the onions are soft but still hold their shape. Finish by stirring in the pomegranate molasses. Taste for seasoning and cool completely. 3 To make the sauce, finely chop the pickles and place in a medium bowl
along with the ketchup and Kewpie mayo. Stir to combine. 4 Heat a large cast-iron pan over a medium-high heat or heat a gas BBQ to high.
5 Season the burger patties on both sides and place on the grill. Sear for 4-5 minutes on either side. In the last 2 minutes, place 50g of the Brillat Savarin on each patty, and remove from the heat. 6 Meanwhile, halve the buns, brush the insides with French butter and toast on the grill for 2 minutes. 7 To assemble, spread some of the sauce over the base of each burger bun. Top with the rocket, patties with cheese and 1-2 tbsp of the pomegranate-onion jam. Close the burgers and serve immediately.
TIFFANY ESLICK’S BONE MARROW AND RACLETTE FONDUE BURGER
Raclette melts beautifully. Pairing this with a salty and buttery bone marrow patty is an ideal combo. Tiff added paprika for smokiness and pickles for sourness and to cut through the meat’s fat.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Makes: 4 burgers
For the caramelised onions
4 brown onions
25g salted French butter
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Pure Canola Oil
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp balsamic glaze
For the mustard mayo
2 tbsp cornichons
1 tbsp capers
125g Kewpie mayonnaise
2 tsp cornichon pickling water
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
100g gherkins, plus extra for serving
Dalia Soubra’s bone marrow and Brillat Savarin burger
4 SpinneysFOOD Ultimate Beef Burger patties
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Salt, to season
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, to season
8 slices Raclette cheese
4 SpinneysFOOD Brioche Burger Buns
2 tbsp French butter
1 Boston lettuce, core removed
½ tsp smoked paprika
1 Peel and finely slice the onions. 2 In a deep pan, heat the butter and oil. Add the onions and sauté on a low heat, stirring frequently. Once softened add the salt and sugar. Cook gently, stirring to make sure the bottom doesn’t catch, for 20-30 minutes or until onions are soft but still hold shape. Finish by stirring in the balsamic, taste for seasoning and cool completely. 3 For the mustard mayo, finely dice the cornichons and capers. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the mayonnaise, diced cornichons, diced capers, cornichon pickling water and Dijon mustard. Combine using a whisk and cover with cling film and refrigerate.
4 Heat a large cast-iron pan over a medium-high heat or set a gas BBQ to high. 5 Season the burger patties on both sides and place on the grill. Sear for 4-5 minutes on either side. In the last 2 minutes, place 2 slices of Raclette cheese on each patty, close the grill and allow the cheese to melt. 6 Thinly slice the gherkins. 7 Meanwhile, halve the buns, brush the insides with French butter and toast on the grill for 2 minutes. 8 To assemble, divide the mayo between the buns and spread to evenly cover the base. Place 2 lettuce leaves on each bun and top with the patty.
Tiffany Eslick’s bone marrow and Raclette fondue burger
Sprinkle some smoked paprika over the cheese. Divide the gherkin slices between the patties and top with 1-2 tbsp of the caramelised onions.
9 Close the burgers. Using toothpicks, skewer the extra gherkins then hold each burger together with a toothpick. Serve immediately.
ZAHRA ABDALLA’S PERSIAN LAMB AND BRIE BURGER
This burger is pure indulgence with melted Brie, made-from-scratch juicy lamb patties and tangy sour cherry jam, all enclosed in either a potato or brioche bun.
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes: 4 burgers
For the lamb patties
500g minced lamb shoulder
2 medium brown onions
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Black Pepper
Pinch of SpinneysFOOD Chilli Powder
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Finely Ground Turmeric
For the sour cherry jam
100g sour cherry jam
Pinch of freshly ground SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
200g Brie cheese
4 SpinneysFOOD Potato Buns or SpinneysFOOD Brioche
Burger Buns
2 tbsp French butter
50g Kewpie mayo
50g rocket leaves
1 Mince the brown onions and drain the excess liquid. 2 In a medium-size bowl combine the minced lamb, minced onions, salt, black pepper, chilli pepper and turmeric. Knead for at least
10 minutes until the mixture is fully combined. Cover, refrigerate and leave to rest for 30 minutes, ideally for a couple of hours. 3 Divide the meat into 125g patties. In a small saucepan, heat the sour cherry jam and season with the freshly ground black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. 4 Heat a large cast-iron pan over a medium-high heat or heat a gas BBQ to high. 5 Season the burger patties on both sides and place on the grill. Sear for 4-5 minutes on either side. In the last 2 minutes, place 2 slices of Brie cheese on each patty, close the grill and allow the cheese to melt. Meanwhile, halve the buns and brush the insides with French butter. Toast on the grill for 2 minutes. 6 Remove the buns and cover each side with a good amount of the mayo. To assemble, top the bases with rocket, the lamb burger patties and a teaspoon of sour cherry jam.
7 Close the burgers and serve immediately.
CHEF CHABCHOUL’S WAGYU BEEF AND COMTÉ BURGER
Nutty, salty and slightly sharp, Comté cheese melts and crisps well, resulting in an irresistibly crunchy layer to this Wagyu beef burger. Onion soubise adds a subtle caramelisation.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Makes: 4 burgers
For the pink sauce
125g Kewpie mayo
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp hot sauce
2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
For the onion soubise
4 brown onions
60g salted butter
Few sprigs of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Thyme leaves, picked ½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
40g soft brown sugar
200ml veal stock
4 SpinneysFOOD Wagyu Beef Patties
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Salt, to season
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Pepper, to season
200g Comté cheese
4 SpinneysFOOD Potato Burger Buns or SpinneysFOOD Brioche Burger Buns
4 tbsp French butter
1 head iceberg lettuce, broken into leaves
4 plum tomatoes, sliced
1 Combine the pink sauce ingredients and set aside. 2 To make the onion soubise, peel and finely slice the onions. Place a large pot over a low heat and melt the butter. Add in the onions and sauté, stirring until golden, for approx 25-30 minutes. Add in the thyme and season with salt. After 5 minutes, stir in the brown sugar and cook for a further 5 minutes before adding in the stock. Allow to simmer for a further 5 minutes. Cool, then place in a blender and blitz until smooth and creamy. 3 Heat a large cast-iron pan over a medium-high heat or heat a gas BBQ to high. 4 Season the burger patties on both sides and place on the grill. Sear for 4-5 minutes on either side. In the last 2 minutes, place 50g of Comté cheese on each patty, close the grill and allow the cheese to melt. 5 Meanwhile, halve the buns and spread each half with pink sauce. 6 Break the lettuce head into leaves and slice the plum tomatoes. 7 Place1-2 lettuce leaves on each of the burger bases. Top with the patties, 1-2 tbsp of the onion soubise and the tomato slices. 8 Close the burgers and serve immediately.
Chef Chabchoul’s Wagyu beef and Comté burger
Zahra Abdalla’s lamb and Brie burger
Live well
Dr Rupy Aujla on food as medicine, why dark chocolate is good for you, new baby brands, family outings and more
The views from 1484 by Puro are spectacular
The doctor is in
Dr Rupy Aujla, the face behind The Doctor’s Kitchen series of books, podcast and now an app, talks about food as medicine and its effect on overall well-being
H owdoes food play a role in affecting overall health, both mental and physical?
Food has this unique ability to give us pleasure, to give us health benefits, to improve our physiology, to improve our mental well-being. It’s pretty incredible when you dive into the research behind nutritional medicine.
Food was traditionally seen as fuel or something to tweak, for example, go bigger or lose weight. Whereas what I’m trying to do with The Doctor’s Kitchen is to remind people about the health elements of food and educate people on the research but also not forget the community aspect of eating. We communicate through shared meals, so that is one way in which it can also affect our emotional health.
Another more interesting way is the concept of nutritional psychiatry, which is perhaps about five to six years old as a term. That area is really garnering a lot of interest and ways in which we can tailor personalised diets towards people who have health conditions in the mental health space.
What do you think about ‘fad diets’?
I’m not a fan of diets per se because I think it already implies short-term. We really need to find a sustainable way of eating that fits in with the person’s taste, preferences, traditions, cultures, which is why I like the approach of a Mediterranean way of eating, because that doesn’t necessarily mean Mediterraneanflavoured. It just means that you have the principles, which are lots of colours, largely
plants, fibre and a focus on plant-based proteins. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to go full vegetarian or full plant-based and it certainly doesn’t mean the opposite of paleo and carnivorism. There’s a happy medium and you can fit multiple different cuisines within that paradigm and within those principles of eating.
Have you found that there are any misconceptions when people think about healthy food?
When people say or think of the words ‘healthy eating’, a Eurocentric-flavoured meal pops to mind. When I think of healthy eating, I think of a dal with fresh spinach that’s just been wilted through it and a lovely tadka dressing. Or, I might think of Ethiopian food with beautiful, fermented breads and stewed vegetables and some fresh salad on the side with onions and tomatoes. I want people to think and appreciate their own heritage in their own ways of eating that they enjoy and apply a healthy lens to that.
You mentioned people being able to show their traditional heritage through their food; why is that important to you? Traditionally what people have seen as healthy eating is restrictive and not really in line with something that they identify with, whereas I think that’s a warped Eurocentric view of what healthy eating is. I want to take people on a journey through food as medicine through what they actually want to eat. Also, it’s important because when I’m in the clinic and I’m trying to change
someone’s behaviour such that they eat better, it’s very far removed to have them eat something that’s vastly different. It’s a lot harder to instil that behaviour change that is sustainable for them over the long-term. So if I can say, ‘well, you can still have that adobo or you can still have this Korean meal, or you can still have this Sri Lankan curry… we just need to tweak it with this way or dial this down, dial up this’, that’s a lot easier for people to stomach and a lot more enjoyable for them as well.
Sustainability is key because the inclusion of these ingredients doesn’t mean anything. It only matters if you can create a habit that is daily and that is life-long.
Do you have a favourite meal that you like to cook or eat?
You know, I don’t! Sometimes it’s a traybake, sometimes it’s a lasagna, sometimes I’m in the mood for ful mudammes, sometimes I have a typical British winter warming stew with seasonal vegetables. I have such a diverse diet; we’re so lucky and privileged to live in a society where we have access to all these different ingredients, we should really appreciate that.
And while appreciating those ingredients, you’re also looking after your health so it’s a fun activity that has health benefits.
THIS PAGE: Dr Rupy Aujla’s second book, Eat to Beat Illness ; fragrant jewelled rice from his third book, Doctor’s Kitchen 3-2-1; herb and walnut crumbled fish with pickled red cabbage.
1
POWERHOUSE OF NUTRIENTS
Not all chocolate is created equal but good-quality dark chocolate with a high cocoa content is full of minerals such as iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, zinc, potassium, selenium and phosphorus. However, it is also a calorie-dense food – being high in sugar and fat – so moderation is key. “Some studies have shown that including chocolate into the diet may help the body metabolise glucose. But, you need to ensure you are eating dark chocolate, of at least 70% and within a certain amount. Nothing more than 30g per day,” says Jordana Smith, licensed dietitian Genesis Healthcare Centre.
2
SOURCE OF ANTIOXIDANTS
Free radicals are everywhere – in the air, water and food – and they’re linked to aging and a host of diseases. Antioxidants are great at keeping them in check and, lucky for us, dark chocolate is full of compounds with free radical-busting properties. “Cacao, which is a compound of chocolate, contains many phytonutrients in the form of flavonoids. These act as antioxidants, which may impact cancer prevention. However, you do need to be ensuring the amount of cacao present, which means dark chocolate should contain 70% or more cacao,” explains Jordana.
3 STRESS BUSTER
Eating dark chocolate usually has a positive effect on one’s mood. Research has backed this by confirming that people who consumed dark chocolate had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. The mere smell and taste of chocolate can produce feelings of happiness, but dark chocolate actually stimulates the release of dopamine in the brain, which leads to feelings of euphoria. So, the next time you need a healthy pick-me-up, a generuous bite of dark chocolate should do the trick.
After dark
It’s been around for thousands of years and is consumed in myriad forms until today. But is dark chocolate good for you? And how much is too much?
in the blood responsible for vasoconstriction, therefore allowing blood to flow more easily through the body.”
5
GOOD FOR THE GUT
Chocolate lovers don’t need an excuse to snack on chocolate but here’s a good one just in case. Research indicates that during
bacteria in the gut. This in turn supports a healthy metabolism. It’s been a and is tod
ood
“Cacao, which is a compound of chocolate, contains many phytonutrients in the form of flavonoids. These act as antioxidants, which may impact cancer prevention”
Baby bites
Tiny tots deserve nutritious food and these brands promise that and more
SLURRP FARM
Founded by mums Shauravi Malik and Meghana Narayan in 2016, Slurrp Farm is a children’s food brand that is 100% wheat-free. Shauravi and Meghana decided to create the brand when they couldn’t find tasty and nutritious food in the market for their own kids. They also realised that it was a common problem faced by parents everywhere.
They went back to their families’ recipes, especially those from their grandmothers’
kitchens and developed them to suit modern tastes while still retaining the goodness of traditional superfoods, such as millets, oats and amaranth, which they’d eaten as children. Slurrp Farm’s range is free from preservatives, artificial flavours and trans fats. It also includes options that are suitable for kids with lactose intolerance. Look out for the brand’s convenient and easy-to-prep millet pancake mix, millet dosa mix and more in stores soon.
For more information, visit slurrpfarm.com
ELLA’S KITCHEN
In 2006, Ella’s dad (Yes, there is actually an Ella!) Paul Lindley realised that most baby food in the market was bland and uninspiring. So, he made a promise to Ella and her brother that he would only prepare food that tasted, looked and smelt great. He founded Ella’s Kitchen, a brand that encourages little ones to develop a healthy relationship with food not only through taste, but also play. Today, Ella’s Kitchen has a range of food for children of different age groups, kid-friendly cookbooks, foodie games and more. Here’s a simple recipe from Ella’s Kitchen The Cook Book for you to try with your kids
MIXED FRUIT PORRIDGE
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
1 large banana, roughly chopped
125g SpinneysFOOD Local Strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped
½ mango, roughly chopped
1½ tbsp SpinneysFOOD Organic Honey
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon
2 tbsp water
600ml whole milk
150g porridge oats
1 Place the fruit, honey, cinnamon and water in a saucepan placed over a medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring gently to combine for 3-4 minutes until the fruit is soft and a toffeelike sauce has formed. 2 In a separate pan, bring the milk to a boil, stirring occasionally, then remove it from the heat and add the oats. Stir well, then return to the pan to a low heat, stirring continuously for 5-6 minutes until the porridge has thickened. 3 Stir half the fruit mixture through the porridge and mix well. 4 Divide between 4 bowls and top with the remaining fruit and serve.
For more information, visit ellaskitchen.co.uk
FIVE TO TRY –
outdoor ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES
Mum of two Helen Farmer rounds up her pick of the alfresco fun before temperatures rise
Buckle up folks, we have a summer of soft play and Encanto on repeat ahead of us, so while the weather is glorious, it’s time to get outside. From burning off some excess energy to exploring the UAE, here are some of my favourites that both the children and the grownups will enjoy.
BEACH BIKE TRACK
While joggers and walkers have long enjoyed beach views from their track, bikes and scooters have just got their very own. It opened in February, mirroring the shoreline from the Burj Al Arab to Jumeira 1, and covers 7km. Car parks are dotted along the way (the one behind Sunset Mall is usually quiet and there’s the chance to rent Careem bikes here, too), and there are plenty of spots for coffee and toilet breaks. We love Circle at Kite Beach for pancakes, and don’t forget to bring your water bottle, as you’ll find new Dubai Can refill stations down the
track, too. Just be safe with a helmet and move to the side if you need to stop.
KAYAKING
One of the best family trips we’ve done was around the mangroves in Ajman’s Al Zorah Nature Reserve. Organised by Quest for Adventure, an adult and child will share a kayak for a two-hour guided tour, where you’ll spot wildlife, including a flock of flamingos (fun fact: the collective noun for flamingos is a ‘flamboyance’). No prior experience is needed, but if it’s windy you’ll need a reasonable level of fitness – and a willingness to get your feet wet as the tide can mean a walk through water, which the children will love. Booking is essential, and prices start from 135 AED.
AVENTURA PARK
Dubai’s largest zipline park just keeps getting bigger. Tucked away in Mushrif Park, it’s an oasis
of fun, boasting 24 ziplines, six circuits and 80 obstacles for woodland adventures. Depending on their height and ability, children can explore a number of routes, both low and up in the Ghaf trees and there’s also an area for really little ones to try, while adults can challenge themselves with some adrenalin-pumping courses. There’s also a lovely café and a nature trail if you’d rather stay close to the ground.
aventuraparks.com
JEBEL JAIS
The UAE has caught hiking fever and Ras Al Khaimah’s Jebel Jais has some lovely, kid-friendly routes around the bottom. Head to the top of the emirate’s highest peak, however, and you’ll be rewarded with amazing views, 1484 by Puro café and a lot of action. The new sledder (think Cool Runnings) is open to over 3s and costs 60 AED for an adult and child to ride together. Older kids can try the zipline, ropes course, Bear Grylls Explorer Camp and more. visitjebeljais.com
HATTA WADI HUB
We camp in Hatta a lot and often head here in the morning, either for a hike up to the Hatta sign, or to try some of the activities. There’s everything from zorbing and waterslides to mountain biking and huge trampolines, and you can book on the spot. It gets busy, so I’d recommend getting there first thing, grabbing a coffee from the café and making a plan. Axe throwing is available for adults if you need to get rid of some aggression… visithatta.com
DON’T MISS
Listen out for Farmer’s Kitchen on Dubai Eye103.8FM in collaboration with Spinneys. It airs from 2-5pm on Fridays.
wise WATER
Orla Carbery has turned a near tragedy into a platform to educate people on the importance of water safety in the UAE
Anear fatal accident in 2016 made you realise there is a dire need to educate people about water safety in and around water bodies. Could you tell us about your experience?
In June 2016, my daughter Aoife nearly drowned in a friend’s pool while on a play date with a few other children. I was also there along with another mother and the kids’ nannies, but nothing could have prepared us for what happened. All our children were given swimming lessons from an early age. Being able to swim and having an awareness of water safety is a vital skill. My daughters were diving underwater and swimming around my legs. I took my eyes off them for a few seconds to catch my son as he came off a slide, but when I turned around again to do a headcount, one child was missing.
None of us adults had realised that the pool had a new vacuum cleaning system at the bottom of the pool, flush with the wall that hadn’t been installed correctly. Aoife, however, had noticed it and being a curious child, she found a leaf and put it near the vacuum to watch it being sucked in. Unfortunately, the suction was so strong that her arm got pulled in up to her elbow and she was unable to free herself.
That must have been terrifying. What did you do next?
We saw her lying motionless at the bottom of the pool. She had stopped breathing and had suffered cardiac arrest. In our panic, we didn’t even think of simple things like turning off the switch for the cleaning system. When we finally got her arm free, more than 2 minutes had passed and she’d lost consciousness. I immediately began CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and managed to revive her. Aoife spent three days in the ICU and the doctors said it was a miracle that she survived.
What did you do after the accident?
I know in my gut that Aoife was saved for a reason. And I wanted to prevent more accidents and senseless deaths caused by drowning. It’s not just pools and larger bodies of water that
can be hazardous. It can also happen indoors in bathtubs, Jacuzzis and spa areas. I began sharing my experience in online groups and spoke about it at a few events. But it took another three years to create Aoife’s Campaign, which is based on four principles: adult supervision, barriers, classes in CPR and swimming, and drains (ABCD). The campaign is also proudly supported by Baby Secure (@baby.secure.dxb), a leading pool fencing company in the UAE.
What prompted you to organise a workshop?
I’d had this idea for a while, but I was unwell for a period of time following the accident. And although I had spoken at schools and on the radio, I felt it wasn’t enough to increase awareness. But these things take time to develop. Even my water safety booklet, which is available at Spinneys, took five months to write.
How did the first workshop come about? It all happened organically in 2021. My hairdresser was talking about Aoife’s Campaign in her salon and one of her clients overheard her. She asked if I’d be interested in speaking to a few families about water safety at her villa. I jumped at the chance. From there it took me several weeks to prepare the content for a 2½-hour workshop. The feedback I received was incredible and has really motivated me. I do believe the workshop will have a greater impact on people because I have a personal connection to the subject. In its present form it is aimed at children between 6-13 years of age. I would like to create one for adults as well. My aim is to educate children and their families so they can become water safety advocates.
Have you held any more workshops since then?
I’ll admit the pandemic has put a damper on my plans, but I’m hoping to gain momentum this year and conduct many more.
For more information about Orla’s water safety workshop, contact her @aoifescampaign on Instagram and Facebook.
DON’T MISS
Orla has written an interactive and educational booklet titled Water Safety, which is aimed at children aged 3 years and older. It will soon be available in English and Arabic at Spinneys stores across the UAE. Inside you’ll find plenty of information on how to stay safe around various water bodies, tips on dealing with emergencies, fun facts, puzzles and more. All proceeds from the sale of the book will go towards educating children from lower-income group families.
THIS IMAGE: Orla and Aoife Carbery.
Interview by Karen D’Souza
Get that sun-kissed glow in the comfort of your own home with Bondi Sands’ self-tanning foams and milk. These salon-quality formulas keep your skin nourished and hydrated, which means your tan will last longer. When you’re ready to remove it, the brand’s gentle Self Tan Eraser will do the trick in minutes without excessive exfoliation and harmful ingredients. Not only that, but the aloe vera in it will leave your skin moisturised.
This Aussie-owned and made brand also offers a range of sun protection products from lotions, oils and sprays to lip balms and after-sun gels. Aussies know the sun so you can enjoy a
COMES
sun
Bondi Sands brings the fun from down under to the rest of the world with its award-winning suncare, self-tanning and skincare products. Look out for these in Spinneys stores now
sun-soaked day, confidently protected with these high-quality, water-resistant formulas.
Sustainability is one of Bondi Sands’ key values. The company has pledged to make all its packaging 100% recyclable by 2025. Its suncare line is reef-friendly to protect the world’s oceans and waterways and all its products are cruelty-free.
Furthermore, Bondi Sands purchases trees for a forest plantation, which is home to native vegetation and endangered animal species, in an effort to offset its carbon emissions.
For more information, visit bondisands.com
Conscious
beauty
Nourish and pamper your skin with Salt By Hendrix, an Australian beauty brand with a difference
Founded in 2016, Salt By Hendrix is an Aussie brand dedicated to creating conscious beauty products. It whips up formulas from the finest botanical extracts and actives to deliver products that are accessible to everyone. Today, it has a range of luxury bath soaks, teas and body scrubs, body oils, face masks, serums, facial oils, lip butters and more.
Salt By Hendrix’s collection has sustainably sourced plant-based ingredients, with many of them being high-performance native Australian extracts. The invigorating jojoba oil-infused pink grapefruit and vanilla body polish will leave you with baby soft skin, while the soothing, aromatic rose and heather flower soak infusion with magnesium flakes with help ease sore muscles and cramps after a long day. For a natural, bronze glow, the blush skies body oil – packed with nourishing ingredients like argan oil and shea butter – will be your best friend. It is also easily absorbed. Find these products in store soon!
The brand’s eye-catching, vibrant packaging is made from a mix of recyclable glass, PCR (Post Consumer Recyclable) and biodegradable PLA plastics with plans to increase its efforts toward a more sustainable future.
For more information, visit saltbyhendrix.com
Written by Karen D’Souza Photography Supplied
luxury A touch of
Indulge your senses every day with Grace Cole skincare products now available at Spinneys
Turn your daily rituals like bathing into a luxury experience with Grace Cole’s exquisitely crafted skincare products that won’t break the bank. The team works with master perfumers to develop fragrances with a fine balance of delicate floral notes and fresh fruity extracts to elevate its range of body butters, lotions, scrubs, hand washes and shower gels.
Proudly made in England, Grace Cole products are cruelty-free. They’re also largely vegan, with an ongoing mission to turn the entire range 100% vegan by the end of 2022.
Beside creating products like nourishing body butters and gentle cleansers, Grace Cole ensures that all its formulations have a high number of active ingredients in skin-friendly pH levels. They’re also free from parabens and SLS.
In addition, Grace Cole is dedicated to working with the best suppliers in the UK to ensure its supply chain is as localised as possible thereby giving it complete clarity and quality control over its offerings.
For more information, visit gracecole.co.uk
RECIPE INDEX
BREAKFAST & BRUNCH
Boxty pancakes 37
Herby frittata 51
Berry and croissant bread and butter skillet 57
Cucumber and Boursin finger sandwiches 60
Smoked salmon and chopped egg finger sandwiches 60
Beetroot hummus and roast chicken finger sandwiches 60
Crispy pita with eggs and coriander-tahini yoghurt 69
Chickpea omelette with broccolini 69
Turkish devilled eggs 90
Jalapeño popper devilled eggs 90
BLT devilled eggs 90
Mixed fruit porridge 108
STARTERS, SOUPS, SALADS & SIDES
Mixed herb fattoush salad with barberry jam dressing 16
Falafel-spiced sweet potato chips 17
Sticky aubergine with pickled carrots 17
Crushed new potato ‘salad’ with roast garlic aioli 36
Colcannon-style loaded baked potatoes 36
Domino horseradish potato gratin 38
Sabzi polo salad 51
Herb marinated goat’s cheese 53
Turmeric broth with caramelised ginger 69
Walnut and preserved lemon kibbeh 69
Tomato biryani 76
Lentil harira 76
Mixed vegetable pakoras with chutney 77
DRINKS
Juniper berry, mint and blackcurrant spritz 11
Tea flower bombs 63
Qamar al-deen apricot rose slushies 69
Sticky chai masala 80
MAINS
Sticky ClemenGold chicken 21
Stir-fry fish cakes 24
Butternut and macadamia milk curry 30
Za’atar broccoli mac and cheese 31
Mushroom falafel with herb tabbouleh 32
Oven-baked yellow harissa fish fillets 33
Chicken, feta and spinach arayes 34
Herby bean and lamb stew 53
Vine leaf wrapped roast lamb with rose water pickled onions 71
Caramelised onion and chicken haleem with mixed herbs 71
