No. 32 - April 2005
Welcome to the Recipes4us.co.uk free monthly newsletter and April 1st sees our 5th Birthday! If you have any suggestions for additions to this newsletter, please write to me at Newsletter@Recipes4us.co.uk .
Happy Cooking !
Florence Sandeman, Editor
Food Funny
What's the definition of a Recipe?
A series of step-by-step instructions for preparing ingredients you forgot to buy, in utensils you don't own, to make a dish the dog won't eat.
What's New This Month
Cooking by Country
Malaysia
Click the picture to find out about the Malaysian culinary cultures and history, present day cooking and customs plus lots of recipe
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Ingredient Analysis
Almonds
Click the picture to find lots of information about Almonds plus lots of recipes
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Cooking Tip of the Month
To peel tomatoes and peaches quickly and easily: Drop them in boiling water for 20 seconds, then into a bowl of ice water. The skins will slip right off. You can make this even easier by making a small X cut into the bottom of the fruit; the skin around the cut will pull away from the fruit in the water.
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What's in Season
Asparagus, broccoli carrots, chervil, early cucumbers, kale, morel mushrooms, radishes, rhubarb, rosemary, spinach, early strawberries, watercress - don't forget Spring Lamb!
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How does your Kitchen Garden grow
Sowing is still the order of the day but unlike March April is a time when you can sow the majority of vegetable and herb seeds outdoors unless there is an unusually long cold snap.
Outdoors
Continue to sow Broad beans, Brussels sprouts, dill, summer cabbage, carrots, turnips cauliflowers, Kohl Rabi, Leeks, peas, lettuce, marjoram, parsnips, radish, spinach, spring onions
Start thinning out seeds which were sown last month but in order to prevent large gaps occurring, only thin to half the final distance.
Indoors
Continue to sow Aubergines, Capsicums (Sweet peppers), Chives, mint,, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, sweet basil, thyme, tomatoes
Start thinning out seeds which were sown in pots or trays last month once they are about 12mm/1/2" tall.. Don't delay too long as crowded plants not only fight for light, making them grow tall and spindly, but they are also more prone to damping off disease
For detailed growing instructions visit growing herbs and vegetables section
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Readers' Questions
Question
I have only ever eaten figs cooked in one way or another but can you tell me if you can eat them "straight from the tree" I read your article about figs and it says that they are pollinated by small insects crawling into them. Does this mean eating them from the tree, skins and all, could be risky.
Answer
I would imagine that by the time a fig is ripe enough to eat any "occupants" would have vacated. In any event, millions of people have eaten fresh figs for thousands of years and it didn't kill them.
In fact, at the right time of year, you will find fresh figs on sale in supermarkets and green grocers here in the UK although getting really ripe and sweet fresh figs over here is a matter of luck, probably because of the shipping.
I would urge you to give it a go if you manage to get some....they are DELICIOUS.
You can read all about figs Here and there are, of course, lots of recipes too.
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The things I have to do in the name of food
A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to the Argentinean Ambassador's residence in Belgravia, London ( a very salubrious location) for the launch of a initiative to promote Argentinean products....in this case Beef and Wine.
I got to taste the wine , well actually it's what I drank all evening, and was very pleasantly surprised by it, being an old fashioned girl who prefers French wines. I also got to taste the beef. Well! I'd always heard that Argentinean beef was good, but it far surpassed my expectations. Now, as you may have guessed, I am usually very supportive of British products, and I LOVE British beef but I must admit I'd rank the Argentinean beef on par with it.
Oh, just as a side, I was schmoozing with an Importer whilst I was there and was amazed to hear that it was mainly our dairy cows which were infected with BSE (mad cows disease) because they were the ones given feed made with animal products. I'd like to know whose bright idea it was to feed a herbivore on animal products. I'd listen to their theory...... then SMACK them.
Anyway, back to Argentinean beef ....below is short promo piece about the launch and although I loved the beef, I don't think I was the journalist who made the comment below.... then again the wine was very good.
Argentine Beef - A Quality Promise Explained
On the 14th March the Argentine Beef Promotion Institute launched their £2million campaign to increase awareness of Argentine beef in the UK.
Over 150 people attended the reception at the Argentine Ambassador's residence, with representatives from leading restaurants, supermarkets, importers and food trade media.
Guests were invited to sample Argentine Beef and wine imported from Argentina. Beef was prepared as Empanadas of Beef, Carpaccio of Lomo, sandwiches and canapés in different styles. Many were amazed at the taste of the beef with one journalist remarking that Argentine Beef was 'honestly the best beef I have ever come across.'
The evening began with a promotional DVD
showing the extensive farming methods employed in Argentina as well as the stringent quality controls that govern Argentine Beef production, followed by a speech by Arturo Llavallol, President of the Argentine Beef Promotion Institute.
"We are planning a £2million trade and consumer education campaign to build awareness of the high quality and taste that the Argentine brand can offer to the UK," said Arturo Llavallol, president of the Argentine Beef Promotion Institute.
"Last year Britons consumed some $65million worth of Argentine beef. With the right brand-building campaign we are confident that we can grow our business here in the UK, complementing the local product, thereby growing demand for premium beef."___________________________________
Ever fancied a Gastronomic holiday abroad? Well, my good friend and owner/ webmaster of food site Hub-UK may have just the ticket for you. Click on the banner below to find out more but don't wait too long as places are limited to this exclusive event.
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! ! ! STOP PRESS ! ! !
It's St. George's Day on 23rd April. We have some super traditional English recipes on both the St. Georges day page and the England Cooking by Country page. Why not treat yourself to a good old fashioned English Tea.....Scones with jam and clotted cream, Victoria Sponge cake, Devonshire Splits or even better to one of our Traditional puddings.
Recipe of the Month
Morel Rosti
Did you know that the Morel mushroom is still in the process of evolving from a single celled organism (a yeast) into a
multi-celled organism? That's why its structure looks the way it does. Here's a simple recipe for this unusual and prized
mushroom.
Serves 4
Cooking and Prep time:
45 minutes
Ingredients
50g/2oz Butter1 tbsp Olive Oil
50g/2oz Streaky Bacon, chopped
75g/3oz Onions, finely chopped675g/1-1/2lb Potatoes, peeled and coarsely grated
8 Small Morel Mushrooms, chopped
Salt and Black PepperFreshly chopped Chives and Parsley
Instructions
1. Heat half the butter and olive oil in a saucepan, add the bacon and onions and cook over a medium heat, turning from time to time, until softened.
2. Add the grated potatoes and some of the herbs, mix well, season with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes stirring frequently.
3. Add the morels and mix well.
4. Heat the remaining butter and oil in a large frying pan and when hot transfer the potato mixture to the frying pan, spreading the mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan (like a pancake) and cook each side until browned.
5. Sprinkle with the remaining chives and parsley.
New and featured Recipes
V = Vegetarian GF = Gluten/wheat Free DF = Dairy Free
Accompaniments
Indonesian Rice Vegan GF DF
Green Beans with Basil Vegan GF DF
Potato & Almond Croquettes V GF DF
Bilimbi Sambal GF DF
Malay Mixed Salad V DF
Anchovy Chutney GF DF
Malay Rice Roll Vegan GF DF
Cucumber Pickle GF DF
Nasi Lemak Vegan GF DF
Roti Canai DF
Desserts Cakes & Bakes
Almond Paste (Marzipan) V GF DF
Almond Ice Cream V GF
Toucinho do Ceu V GF DF
Banana in Coconut Milk Vegan GF DF
Mung Bean Pudding Vegan GF DF
Steamed Banana Parcels Vegan DF
Soups, Appetisers & Starters
Camembert Stuffed Vine Leaves V GF
Baked Brie with Mushrooms V GF
Spiced Carrot Soup V GF
Main Courses
Bobotie (beef)
Mrouziya (Lamb) GF DF
Malay Grilled Fish GF DF
Squid Satay GF DF
Stuffed Bean Curds Vegan DF
Rendang Daging (beef) GF DF
Malay Chicken Curry GF DF
Nasi Lemak Vegan GF DF
Whether you're looking for everyday, exotic or unusual food and drink, visit
Food shopping has never been easier !
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