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COOKING
NEWSLETTER - SEPTEMBER 2012
Welcome
to the Hub-UK Newsletter. If you have ideas that you think
might work we would love to hear from you and by the same
token if you think something is rubbish let us know .
. . but do it nicely! newsletter@hub-uk.com
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There is always something happening in supermarkets -
new products, product demonstrations, shelves reorganised
so you can't find anything. Not always interesting, quite
often boring and sometimes a chore but just occasionally something
catches your eye, something is interesting . . .
Dessert of the Year Award?
Hub-UK does not have a Dessert of the Year Award but if it
did . . .
I had hoped to be able to write a detailed description telling
you how wonderful this particular dessert tastes but find
myself lost for words. It is certainly yummy, in fact it is
very, very yummy!
The dessert in question, Lemon Possets with Raspberries,
is from Morrison's, part of the M Kitchen Bistro range.
I have always associated Morrison's with more down to earth
basic foods so it has been interesting over the last year
or so to see them develop a whole range of luxury meals and
accompaniments. Some have featured in previous Newsletters
(October 2011) and I am also particularly taken with the Chicken
Tikka Massala which to my mind tastes as good as any takeaway.
But back to Lemon Possets with Raspberries. I think what
appeals is the balance of sweetness and creaminess, and of
course I love raspberries! The raspberry compote is just enough
to provide the flavour without being overwhelming. The lemon
flavour which is the “double cream, Spanish lemon juice”
is hardly noticeable which is where this dessert really wins,
as most desserts with lemon are ruined by too strong a taste.
The dessert was recently on offer at £2.00 (there are
two pots in each one) but the price has now gone back to £2.50.
Personally I think £2.00 is too much to pay for a dessert
but I like to try things at least once. I tried this several
times whilst it was on offer and I have to say I am unable
to resist having it again so am not put off by the price!
A high recommendation in itself.
The photographs do not do this dessert justice so the best
thing to do is try it for yourself. You will not be disappointed.
Editorial note: This site is not paid to
promote any of the products or places featured in this newsletter.
London
Restaurant Festival 2012 from 1St October to 15th October
 The
London Restaurant Festival 2012 starts on the 1st October
and goes on until the 15th October. There are some new and
exciting events taking place this year including Graze, Street
ThEATre and The Big Debate:
- Street
ThEATre . . .
I nvites guests on a theatrical journey through London’s
largest street food extravaganza. Taking place at the Old
Vic Tunnels and partnering with Eat St this free event is
suitable for all the family. Street Food stalls will include
Big Apple Hot Dogs, Kimchi Cult, The Ribman, Pizza Pilgrims
and Bhangra Burger and to bring the market to life there
will also be a host of entertainment including music, poetry
reading, exciting performance art and puppet shows.
13th October
- The
Big Debate . . .
The Big Debate will see Grace Dent, Oliver Peyton, Jonathan
Meades and Matthew Fort go head-to-head for a heated discussion
at The Tabernacle in Notting Hill. Set to be the sell-out
event of this year’s London Restaurant Festival, The
Big Debate will be the food fight to end all food fights.
In partnership with live events company 5x15, this controversial
and particularly topical motion - THE MORE WE LOOK, THE
LESS WE COOK: TOO MANY TV CHEFS ARE SPOILING A DOMESTIC
CRAFT will be subjected to a real flame grilling.
8th October
- Graze
. . .
Arestaurant hopping experience where you enjoy dinner across
one street for one evening. London’s most iconic streets
have been identified to host the evening and include Bermondsey
Street, Exmouth Market and Soho. Restaurants including Caravan,
Moro, Bubbledogs, Jose, Copita, French & Grace and Trishna
have all signed up and key-ring holders are entitled to
a free glass of wine at each restaurant.
1st to 15th October
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- Gourmet
Odyssey . . .
Festival favourite the Gourmet Odyssey, created by London
Restaurant Festival, returns to showcase London’s most
original gastronomic road trip. Festival goers will be taken
by a Routemaster bus on a culinary journey around London
enjoying a starter, main course and dessert each at a different
restaurant. This year, the Gourmet Odyssey will be themed
and focus on new restaurants as well as institutions still
overseen by the masters. Restaurants participating include
Old Bengal Bar, Tramshed, HIX Mayfair, Wilton’s, Banca
and Brasserie Zedel.
29th September, 6th and 13th October
- Tapas
Tour . . .
Following the success of last year, The Tapas Tour is back
by popular demand allowing ticket holders the chance to
experience traditional Spanish style tapas crawls across
the city during the festival fortnight. Participants this
year include some of London's finest and specialist tapas
bars: Fernandez & Wells, Brindisa Soho, Iberica, PIX
and Copita.
6th, 7th, 13th, 14th October
- Eat
Film . . .
Also Returns this year in partnership with Firmdale Hotels
and Grey Goose vodka, London Restaurant Festival invites
a food personality to curate a three course dinner inspired
by one of their favourite films. Hosts include Russell Norman
of Polpo and Bermondsey’s favourite foodies –
Lady Velo and the Farietale Foodie.
1st and 3rd October
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EASY
TO MAKE RECIPES . . . CUTTING
CORNERS
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 Summer
may have gone but some recipes can bring back the memories,
none more than a dessert recipe like this one from Natoora.
APRICOT
VERRINE
Ingredients:
500g fresh apricots
120g caster sugar
50ml fresh double cream
4 tbsp cherry jam
100g flaked almonds
How
to make:
Choose
4 beautiful glasses to house your verrines.
- Wash
the apricots.
- Boil
for 3 minutes, and leave to cool until you are able to
handle them. Then halve and stone them, setting aside
half an apricot for each of your glasses and a 2 more,
cut into strips.
- With
the rest of the apricots, blend them until smooth and
add the sugar.
- Whip
the cream and add to the pureed apricots.
- Place
the saved apricot halves in the glasses, then spoon over
half the apricot puree.
- Add
a spoon of cherry jam in each and sprinkle some flaked
almonds on top.
- Then
fill the glass with the rest of the apricot puree.
- Decorate
with a few flaked almonds and the fresh apricot strips.
www.natoora.co.uk
CARROT
AND PEA SOUP WITH CINNAMON CROUTONS
 This
recipe was sent to me (along with hundreds of others) by a
lady called Shirley Cline, who lived in San Francisco. Shirley
was passionate about cooking and food and it was a great pleasure
to have communicated with her for a few years. Sadly she passed
away in 2004 and there were no more emails with her wonderful
and varied recipes. If you search the site for her name you
will find a wonderful selection of recipes.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup onion chopped small
2 cups carrot chopped small
1/2 cup leeks, white part only, split and thinly sliced
1 quart vegetable stock
1 pinch sugar
1 small potato, peeled and finely diced about 1/4 cup
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Cinnamon Croutons:
1 1/2 cups 1/4 inch crustless bread cubes, made from Brioche
or French bread
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
Method
- Coat
a saucepan with olive oil and place over medium heat.
- Add
onion, carrot, leek and saute them stirring frequently.
- After
5 to 8 minutes add the vegetable stock.
- Season
with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar.
- Bring
to a boil.
- Add
the potato, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes,
or until the vegetables are tender.
- Add
the peas and keep simmering for another 10 minutes.
- Transfer
the mixture in batches to the container of an electric
blender or food processor. Process until very smooth.
- Return
the soup to a saucepan and bring back to a simmer.
-
Adjust the consistency of the soup by adding a little
vegetable broth or water, if too thick.
- Now
add the cream and taste carefully to correct seasoning.
- Keep
hot and prepare the cinnamon croutons.
- For
the croutons heat the olive oil in a heavy medium pan
over a medium heat.
- Add
the bread cubes and stir until medium brown, about 3 minutes.
- Then
sprinkle with cinnamon powder. The croutons can be prepared
ahead, transferred to a small tray and set aside at room
temperature.
- Serve
the soup in shallow soup bowls with the cinnamon croutons
on the side or floating atop the soup.
Serves
4
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WHEN
SCHOOLS TAUGHT DOMESTIC SCIENCE
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WEETABIX
TREACLE TART
 I
am always fascinated by hand written recipes or cut-out recipes
that have been stuffed into the pages of old recipe books.
Another fascination is for the recipe pamphlets food manufacturers
used to publish. One such pamphlet I came across was for recipes
using Weetabix as an ingredient. There is no date on when
it was published but teh style suggest perhaps the 50s.
Ingredients
6 ozs Short-crust pastry
3 - 4 tbsps golden syrup
Juice and grated rind of 1/2 lemon
1 crumbled Weetabix
Method
- Line
a greased pie plate with pastry and prick the bottom well.
- Add
the syrup mixed with the lemon juice and rind.
- Sprinkle
the Weetabix crumbs on top.
- Roll
out pastry trimmings, cut into 3 strips, twist, damp ends
and place crosswise on top to decorate (optional).
- Bake
for 20 - 25 minutes in a fairly hot oven (230C / Gas mark
8).
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THE
MIXING BOWL . . . RANDOM BITS AND PIECES
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Food
tip on removing excess salt from stocks, sauces, soups and
stews
 If
your stock, sauce, soup, stew, etc is too salty; add a peeled
potato or potatoes into it, depending on how salty it is and
how much of the stock, sauce, soup or stew you have.
As the potato cooks it will absorb a lot of the salt. The
cooked potato can then just be discarded (or used if really
wished). Repeat if necessary
If it is only a little salty, a little sugar or honey can
be added to counteract it
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