Tag Archives: Food

Roasted Christmas Day Lunch ‘Cottage Pie’ With Cheesy Mash Recipe

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Roasted Christmas Day lunch ‘cottage pie’ with cheesy mash

By Paul Merrett

Roasted Christmas Day lunch 'cottage pie recipe

After the excess of Christmas Day this is the perfect comfort food. It also manages to use up just about every savoury ingredient from a Christmas Day lunch which is a bonus too!

 

Use whatever you have left over to make your version of this dish, but this recipe will serve as a good guide.

 

Serves 4

About 500g of roast turkey – brown and white meat – roughly chopped

4 or 5 leftover chipolatas (if they’re wrapped in bacon that’s even better)

2 or 3 tablespoons of leftover stuffing

25 left over sprouts

Spoonful of leftover carrots

2 or 3 leftover roast potatoes

4 left over parsnips

Handful of peas from the freezer

1 pint of left over gravy (or make with gravy granules if you didn’t have any leftover)

2 teaspoons redcurrant jelly

Splash of Worcestershire sauce

Mashed potato – leftover or made from scratch by peeling 4 large potatoes, then chopping into large chunks. Boil for around 10-15 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain and return to the pot before adding a large knob of butter, salt and pepper and mashing.

Handful of grated cheddar

 

  • Find a large sauce pan and add the turkey and the gravy before bringing to a very gentle simmer
  • Meanwhile chop up the chipolatas in to bite sized chunks and tip them in to the pan
  • Do the same with the sprouts, carrots, parsnips and roast potatoes – again return the pan to a very gentle simmer – by now the mixture should be moist but not too wet
  • Add the peas and add the Worcestershire sauce and red currant jelly to taste
  • Finally chop the stuffing into chunks and add to the pan
  • Stir the pan very gently and then tip into a large shallow casserole dish
  • Pipe or spoon the mash on top and scatter with grated cheddar
  • Bake in the oven at 170C for about 20 minutes until golden brown and piping hot

 

 

Wine match

Cono Sur Bicicleta Pinot Noir

This voluptuous Pinot Noir has rich fruit notes of cherry, raspberry, plum and strawberry, making it a great lighter red wine to pair with white meat, pastas and even seafood. Young and refreshing with subtly smoky hints, it’s a perfect wine to match with food.

 

Stockists

£5.61 (25% off) in Sainsbury’s from 16th October-5th November and from 11th-31st December

£5.99 in Tesco from 23rd October-3rd December

£5.99 or £30 for a case of 6 in Musgraves from 28th October-17th November

£6.99 in One Stop from 5th November-3rd December

£6 in Morrisons from 19th November-6th January

£5.99 in The Co-operative from 20th November-3rd December

£5.50 in Asda from 5th December-1st January

£7.49 in Ocado

Restaurant News: VIVO – An All Day Italian Dining Experience in Islington

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If you are anything like us you love Italian food and are always looking for somewhere new to go. So we are pretty excited that a new Italian bakery, Vivo, is open on Upper Street in Islington.

restaurant new, new Italian restaurant open in Islington, Vivo

Vivo, a vibrant Italian bakery, is now open in the heart of bustling Upper Street in Islington, North London. Inspired by the traditional gastronomia and pasticceria of Italy, Vivo is an all day casual dining affair serving authentic and regional cuisine. The neighbourhood restaurant is an informal venue for both locals and visitors to the area. Vivo is the first venture from brothers Will and Ben Thompson who have drawn upon their travel experiences and passion for Italian food and culture for this exciting project.

 

The focal point of Vivo is a striking, 14 metre granite counter with a separate drinks bar, from which orders are taken and the food and drink served.  Dishes include freshly baked ciabattas and focaccias; torte rustica (Italian savoury pies), authentic Roman pizza ‘al taglio’ (rectangular slices); speciality cheese and meat boards. Guests looking for heartier dishes can opt for hot signature favourites such as beef or vegetarian lasagne and pork cannelloni. A selection of Italian desserts, pastries and sweets are also available such as Gianduja, hazelnut and raspberry tart and Strawberries and prosecco tiramisu. The varied menu makes Vivo the perfect destination for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

 

In keeping with continental cafe culture, coffee supplied by renowned Neapolitan roaster Kimbo is a key staple at Vivo. Guests can also choose from a selection of wines from various Italian regions as well as Prosecco on tap and a range of Italian beers, spirits and cocktails. Customers visiting during the early evening can enjoy aperitivo hour: complimentary snacks served to accompany drinks.

 

Vivo’s interiors balance modern, monolithic features with rustic earthy tones. Design features include the use of split face timber panels, dark granite surfaces, Portland stone walls and a combination of oak and York stone flooring. The ground floor caters for up to 50 covers with a mix of communal and individual tables whilst the open air roof terrace (seating 35) offers the perfect setting for al fresco dining in the warmer months.

Co-owner Will Thompson says, “The Vivo concept has developed from a love and study of Italian cuisine. We have travelled extensively throughout Italy, discovering unique regional dishes served in traditional ‘gastronomia’, high-end bakeries and Pasticcerie in the cosmopolitan, style conscious cities of Milan, Turin and Rome”.

 

Offering a delicious slice of Italy in the heart of North London, local restaurant Vivo is a colourful addition to the London foodie map, now open on Upper Street, Islington.

 

www.vivotaste.com

Ben Goldacre joins the line-up for the ‘School Dinners’

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SCHOOL DINNERS

Saturday 26th October 2013
Central Foundation Boys’ School, Cowper Street, London EC2A 4SH
6:30pm-10:30pm
Tickets: £60 + bf per head
www.schooldinners.info

The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education – Albert Einstein

SCHOOL DINNERS is a groundbreaking fine dining experience, introducing provocative cultural engagement in a distinctly ‘old school’ environment.

Today we can reveal that best-selling author, broadcaster, campaigner, medical doctor and academic Ben Goldacre has joined the impressive selection of guests speakers. Ben specialises in unpicking the misuse of science and statistics by journalists, politicians, quacks, drug companies, and more. His first book ‘Bad Science’ sold over 500,000 copies and reached #1 in the UK non-fiction charts.

The first event will also feature teacher turned performance poet Mark Grist, DJ, teacher, wordsmith and leader of London’s Run Dem Crew, Charlie Dark, and exquisite visionary vocalist ESKA. The full line-up, featuring other incredible teachers, speakers and raconteurs will be announced in the coming weeks.

Brought to you by cutting edge promoters Jack Arts (Red Bull Music Academy, Book Slam) and maestros of the pop-up menu, Cult Events (Pisco Fuego, The Candlestick Maker), SCHOOL DINNERS takes our students back to school for a slap up meal that nods playfully to those unlamented lunches of childhood, before an hour’s wit and wisdom from some of the nation’s finest and funniest minds.

Fuelled by our belief (sadly from personal experience) that education can be wasted on the young, SCHOOL DINNERS will be a unique night of gastronomy and enlightenment, while also providing much-needed funds for the Central Foundation Boys’ School.

Tickets are onsale now priced £60 + bf per person, which includes a four course meal and canapés. To buy tickets and for more info on School Dinners visit www.schooldinners.info

London’s First Beer Trolley Has Arrived At Honky Tonk

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cocktail, cocktails, where to go,London’s first beer trolley has arrived! Diners at both Honky Tonk Chelsea and their brand new venture Honky Tonk Clapham, will be able to try and taste the most delicious and refreshing beers on the market, all from the comfort of their seats. The trolley will be wheeled around the restaurant by a specially trained beer sommelier allowing you to pick your beer of choice. There will be a large selection of everything from the extra malty to the light and fruity, so that all needs are catered for. So whether you’re a regular beer drinker or more used to ordering fruity cocktails there will be something for everyone.

Honky Tonk is the brainchild of Mark Cutler, one of the founders of Notting Hill institution, supperclub London and looks set to become West London’s destination diner of choice. supperclub London is well loved for its innovative performances and creativity and Mark has developed this in Honky Tonk too. There will be regular live music and entertainment, with a particular emphasis on a variation of the blues, jazz and rockabilly played over a hundred years ago when the first honky tonks sprung up in the Southern and Southwestern United States.

This autumn a little slice of the big apple has also arrived in Clapham in the form of a second Honky Tonk. Following on from the success of Honky Tonk Chelsea, the venue offers an American-inspired restaurant, late night bar and live performances.

Honky Tonk Chelsea
6 Hollywood Road,
London
SW10 9HY
Tel: 0207 351 1588
W: www.honkytonklondon.com/

Opening Times: Tues- Sat, 6pm-12.30am

Honky Tonk Clapham
16A Clapham South Side
London
SW4 7AB
Tel: 020 7627 6257

Opening Times: Monday-Wednesday 5 pm to 12 pm, Thurs 5pm -1am,
Friday 5pm-1.30 am, Sat 12pm- 2am, Sunday12pm-11.30pm

The Great Wings Challenge London

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FRANK’S RedHot present The Ultimate Eating Competition in London!

 

Fancy a tasty challenge? With the rise of food challenges, following the success of TV programs such as Man V Food, we would all like to think we can get our teeth stuck into an eating competition! Well, FRANK’S RedHot is hosting one and asking how many Buffalo wings you can eat in five minutes? Taking place at StickyWings on Brick Lane on Sunday 13th of October, FRANK’S RedHot will be opening its doors between 1pm and 10pm to host a five minute four-person battle on the hour every hour. People will be treated to an afternoon and evening of eating, great fun and a healthy level of competitive spirit!

 

Competitions have already taken place in Bristol and Manchester where regional winners have been selected. Following the event on the 13th, two London winners will complete the four person line-up for an epic wing eating competition final which will be held on the 14th of November at 7pm at StickyWings. One person will be crowned ‘The Official FRANK’S RedHot Wings Eating Champion 2013’ and will be awarded a prize of £1500.

 

Come along and enjoy the original mouth-watering FRANK’S RedHot Buffalo wings, served exactly as they were in Anchor Bar back in ’64 in the UK’s very own Buffalo Wing Shack.

 

There is a small fee of £10 to enter so sign up at https://battleofbones.eventbrite.co.uk/ or in person at StickyWings Restaurant, 40 Brick Lane, to take part in one of the five minute London slots and be in with a chance of holding the ultimate title of FRANK’S RedHot Wings Eating Champion.

 

Lima Becomes Europe’s First Michelin Starred Peruvian Restaurant

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It was announced this morning in the 2014 Michelin Guide for UK & Ireland that LIMA restaurant in London’s Fitzrovia has achieved the distinction of becoming the first ever Peruvian restaurant in the UK and Europe to be awarded a coveted Michelin star.

 

The announcement was made at 7.00am this morning by Michelin which is arguably the most revered of all restaurant guides.   Having opened in August 2012 to critical acclaim, LIMA is the creation of executive chef Virgilio Martinez and the Gonzalez brothers. The menu, overseen by Martinez and head chef Robert Ortiz, integrates both traditional and contemporary Peruvian cuisine, representing the gastronomic expansion that has taken place in Peru in recent years.

 

Gabriel Gonzalez, co-owner of LIMA, said, “A Michelin star is an incredible accomplishment. I am so proud of Robert Ortiz and the team at LIMA who work to exceptional standards at every service, and feel this really is a testament to all of our hard work over the past year. To be the first Peruvian restaurant to achieve a star in UK and Europe is a huge accolade.”

 

Having opened only 13 months ago, Lima has undoubtedly played a huge part in the growing recognition and popularity of Peruvian food in the UK.

 

LIMA

31 Rathbone Place

London

W1T 1JH

www.limalondon.com

@Lima_London

Fattoria La Vialla Review: Organic Italian Food Fresh From The Farm

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I was first introduced to Fattoria La Vialla by my grandmother. Fattoria La Vialla is a family run organic Italian farm located in Tuscany. It produces food and wine strictly for itself in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner. Fattoria La Vialla sell directly to their customers like ‘a farmer who brings the fruits of his land right to your home’. No middlemen. It almost sounds too good to be true!

We got sent one of their large hampers to review. To say we were happy is too much of an understatement. You can see from the picture below just how impressive it is. Here is our review. Are their products as good as they look? Let’s find out…

photo 1

Fattoria = farm and wine estate

 

10

We were immediately blown away by the Fattoria La Vialla catalogue (or service card as they call it), which is the most beautiful and charming book I have ever seen. It’s packed with wonderful facts about the food and the amazing history of the farm. It’s filled with genuine love and passion, something you would never experience with a mega brand, and it leaves you feeling totally invested. I highly recommend asking for one.

Our hamper is generously packed, bottles and sauces of different sorts hide under straw. In total we have 4 bottles of wine, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, four different types of pasta, three different sauces, olives and a huge box of biscotti.

Wine The four bottles of wine consisted of:

fattoria la vialla wine

Barriccato, a strong, intense red. Fruity and wonderful. This is my favourite red wine now. Superb Riserva, fruity, woody and amazing.

Le Chiassaie is a sparkling white wine. La Vialla call this their ‘most classic’ and says it takes you to the very ‘soul’ of their farm. In that case, I would quite like to stay there, drinking this every day.

Vin Santo; even after all of that praise for the previous bottles of wine, this was probably my favourite. A wonderful sweet wine which is perfect to have in the (late) afternoon with biscotti. In Tuscany they call this ‘death’ because it is a match made in heaven. Made with the most high-quality grapes and then ‘forgotten’ for three years, the time and effort shows; I love it.

Biscotti

Biscotti – The box is a lot bigger than it looks

A wonderful box packed with three different Biscotti was included. These Tuscan biscuits were; Cantucci,; faithfully follows the traditional recipe, flour, almonds, sugar, almonds and organic eggs; amazing, Viallini,; invented by Piera, one of La Vialla’s cooks who is now retired, they taste like goodness and happiness, Brutti ma Buoni; classic and yummy. I can honestly say that all three biscotti were by far and away better than any biscotti I have ever had before. They’re in another league. When we finished the box we actually felt sad.

Olio, Olive Oil; I love the cute bottle, though not as much as I love the Extra Virgin Olive Oil. So high quality that you will never be able to eat supermarket bought olive oil ever again.

photo 4 (1)

 

 

The Pecorino Stagionato cheese is matured for at least 3 months. It’s a delicious hard cheese made from sheep’s milk. It has great flavor and texture. A classic Tuscan food staple.

Aceto Balsamico di Modena No kitchen is complete without Balsamic Vinegar and La Vialla’s has a complex fragrance of cooked fruit and wild berries. Delicious and can be added to almost any meal, even some dessert.

Olive Piccanti al Finocchio; I loved the olives. They make the ones we eat in Britain look completely sub-standard. They are big and juicy and full of flavour. I was not as keen on the spicy sauce. I am not a fan of hot things or spice in general. If you like spice this shouldn’t bother you though, and you can also use the leftover sauce for pasta, etc.

Pasta; A good selection of organic pasta came in the hamper. Calamari; which has a great, fun shape, the ever popular Spaghetti and the very traditionally Tuscan Pappardelle all’uovo. The pasta is as tasty and healthy as you would expect.

photo 3The Sauces were also amazing. Sugo Bombolino (what a name); Bombolino tomatoes, extra virgin oil, salt, garlic, basil and chilli pepper make up this great sauce. It was delicious. It tasted so real and was packed with so much flavor that I will definitely be ordering some more.

photo 4

My effort at cooking – Papperdelle pasta with lardons and Bombolino sauce, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and pasta all from Fattoria La Vialla

 

Sugo di carne alla toscana la vialla (Ragu), I must be honest, we have not tried this one yet. It has chicken liver in it which I have never eaten. Will give to another writer and report back. La Rosmarina; Rosemary Tomato sauce. Yum and yum. Like homemade sauce your grandmother would make. If your grandmother was Italian and a professional cook. Another incredible sauce.

photo 2 (1)

Another effort this time with the La Rosmarina sauce and Pecorino cheese

During my research of La Vialla I realised they also have a restaurant. I want to go. Every day. My only criticism of La Vialla is the lack of information on pricing. Apart from that, I am hook, line and sinker in love with their food, their social responsibility and environmentally-friendliness. If every food producer copied them the world would be a better place. There food is amazing, organic and the farm is family-run. I don’t know what else you could possibly want.

http://www.lavialla.it/uk/home_uk.php

In fact we were so inspired by La Vialla’s food that we have filmed are first cookery program using some of their ingredients. Sign up to our youtube channel to watch it and other cookery films in the near future.

 

Snog South Kensington | Food Review

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I was late to the snog party. They have been around for a while and I always wanted to get one. I shouldn’t have left it so long as they are delicious. They are also organic, made with British ingredients, have no fat, no artificial ingredients and they are low in calories. They taste amazing and the only low points is how long it takes to choose which one you want and the price. They are also low GI as they are sweetened with agave nectar.

You pick a frozen yogurt flavour; strawberry, chocolate or natural. You then choose a topping and there is a lot to choose from; oreo cookies, blueberry and marshmallows are what we had on our chocolate and strawberry yogurts, but you could also have almond, raspberry, (white and milk) chocolate, banana, mango, granola….

They are healthy and delcious, I loved Snog and will be going back.

snog, yogurt, frozer, south kensington, review,
Price: Over £10 for two yogurts? High. To be fair, prices vary, you could get a small one or a large one with only one topping. The above is a medium with two toppings, and a large with one. Prices start at £2.85 and depend on how many toppings you go for and whether you think someone might want to share your Snog.
Address: 32 Thurloe Pl, London, Greater London SW7 2HQ
Phone:020 7584 4926