They can be found everywhere, and sometimes plain with a dusting of sugar, other times bursting with Nutella from within the crispy batter surface (other brands of hazelnut-chocolate spread are available).

Bretons (a Celtic ethnic group located in the region of Brittany in France) created crepes using fibre rich, high protein grain. Then they would grind it down and combine it with water and a touch of salt to create a batter. With a layer of butter on a hot surface, the batter was spread with a wooden scraper into a flat, round shape, then flipped, folded and filled with a fresh filling. They are still usually produced using this method today.

Get Started

1. Preparation
   For a crepe, you need five simple ingredients: eggs, milk, flour, butter and salt. It is possible to whisk the ingredients together by hand, however, perfect crepes – a blender is recommended. You could use a traditional blender, however a stick blender may be a good choice for this sort of quick turnaround product. The consistency of the batter is the main factor behind tasty Crepes. They should be slightly thinner than heavy cream, with no lumps. Add sugar and vanilla to the mixture for a sweet crepe; or chopped herbs or grated Parmesan work as a savoury direction.
2. Let the mixture rest
   Allow the batter to rest for at least 30 minutes, it ensures the batter has absorbed all of the liquid, and is a key ingredient in ensuring you have THE perfect  crepes. You could also leave the mixture refrigerated for up to 2 days, to get similar results.
3. Give the batter a stir
   Before cooking, if the mixture seems too thick, gently whisk in milk, a tablespoon at a time, until it’s thinned to the right consistency.
4. Crepe Pan, Frying Pan or Crepe Maker?
   Using a crepe pan is ideal for cooking the perfect crepes because the short sides of the pan make the crepes easy to flip over. The heavy bottom ensures even, consistent cooking. If you dont have a crepe pan specifically, you can use a medium non-stick or well seasoned cast-iron frying pan.
   Alternatively, specialist crepe makers are available, that are the best of both worlds and allow you to get consistent results with your crepes.
5. A medium, even heat
   Set the heat to medium, allow the pan time to get heated to an average, even temperature. Depending on your equipment, you may need to lower the heat if the pan starts to get too hot.
6. Butter is key
   You butter believe it, butter is the best way to cook crepes, as it’s great at stopping the crepes from sticking, as well as adding a lovely taste to them – just be sure not to add too much.
7. Crepe cooking technique
   Once you’ve poured your mixture onto the heated pan, lift it and use your wrist to tilt the pan in each direction, to ensure the mixture is spread evenly around the heating surface.
8. Release the crepe!
   When the crepe is dry on top, and starts to release from the pan, it’s time to flip! Use a rubber spatula to peel an edge, then use your fingers to pinch an edge and flip the crepe over. Just be careful to avoid your fingers touching the pan itself. Ideally you want the bottom to end up golden brown when complete.
9. Crepes complete
   When they’re ready, use your spatula to move the crepe onto a plate or baking tray, and cover with paper towels, to keep them warm until you’re ready to fill them.
10. Practice makes perfect
    Don’t expect your first crepe to be picture perfect – it takes practice to get used to the art of making the perfect crepe. Keep trying!

Give it a try – Crepes are delcious and can be eaten both as a sweet treat or a savoury dish.

The post How to make the perfect crepe appeared first on CS Catering Equipment's Blog.

Fudgey, cakey, doughy and chocolatey, it’s no doubt that the brownie is a popular sweet treat and even better with a cup of tea or coffee.

After the success of CS Catering’s Time for a Cuppa event in aid of Dementia UK just a few short weeks ago, this author has decided to share their own recipe, sort of like a little ego-boost after the recipe was met with wave upon wave of compliments…?‍

So because, after all, an ego stroke is always nice; here’s a recipe for chocolate orange brownies so you too can wow at the next charity bake sale.

We’ve got quite a spread on for @DementiaUK‘s Time for a Cuppa week! Not only is our money box filling up nicely, so are we! ????? pic.twitter.com/Jfnx19NWWs

— CS Catering (@Catering_Equip) March 8, 2018

Ingredients

• 185g orange chocolate (approx 1 and a quarter Terry’s Chocolate oranges)
• 185g unsalted butter
• 85g plain flour
• 40g cocoa powder
• 100g white chocolate
• 3 large eggs
• 275g caster sugar

Method

1. Melt the butter and dark chocolate either by placing in a medium bowl in a microwave for 2-3 minutes (remembered to cover lightly with clingfilm) or by placing a heatproof bowl over a water-filled pan at low heat.
2. Now set your oven to pre-heat to 160°C on a fan oven, 180°C on a conventional oven or gas mark 4.
3. Using a baking tin, tray or heatproof dish, grease the inside with butter or alternatively use a sheet of greaseproof baking paper and place a thin strip lengthways (like a pinstripe) before dusting with some flour to prevent any stubborn sticking.
4. Sieve 85g of plain flour and 40g of cocoa powder into a medium bowl to remove any lumps.
5. Break the 100g white chocolate into chunks – smaller chunks means a greater spread within the brownie mixture.
6. Crack the 3 large eggs into a large bowl and add the 275g caster sugar.
7. Mix the sugar and eggs with an electric whisk at maximum speed for around 8 minutes until the resulting mixture begins to resemble a milkshake from the UK’s most popular fast-food chain. You’ll know it’s ready when you lift the beaters and the dripping mix leaves a trail on the surface – I test by doing a figure of 8.
8. The molten chocolate and butter mixture should now have cooled sufficiently to be poured on the sugar-egg mix. Fold these together gently until it now begins to resemble a chocolate milkshake from the same fast-food chain – make sure you go right under to get all the chocolate mixed as this tends to sink to the bottom of the bowl.
9. Now sieve the flour-cocoa mix into this chocolate milkshake resembling mix and slowly fold until any dry flour bits are no longer visible – once you think you’re done – keep folding for an extra 2-3 mins to ensure no clumps.
10. Throw in your white chocolate chunks and stir a few times for even distribution.
11. Now slowly pour this thick brownie mixture into your baking tray or dish and then softly spread using a spatula to ensure a nice, even spread.
12. Place in the oven for 25 mins, once 25 mins are up, take it out and give the tray a wobble if it moves like jelly then give it another 5-10 mins until the top of the brownies have a shiny surface that is cracking like paper – to prevent it from burning you can always cover the top with aluminium foil.
13. Once done, take out of the oven and allow the brownies to cool until they are completely cold, then cut into squares.

Thirteen steps there to what I’d consider the perfect chocolate brownies, yes, I said they are perfect. Get on my level.

The very best thing about this tried, tested and tweaked recipe is that because I’ve played around with it, all you need to do to change-it-up is swap out the orange chocolate for any flavour of chocolate you want.

Not only that but if you can swap the white chocolate for anything from M&Ms to Maltesers for a completely different experience and taste without worrying if it will work or not!

Although personally, I wouldn’t suggest using mint chocolate as the base for brownies, you can really do what you want with it.

The post The world’s best Chocolate Orange Brownie recipe appeared first on CS Catering Equipment's Blog.

One of the biggest crying shames we face as a nation that is slowly embracing the somewhat typically American Halloween traditions – is the waste of good quality pumpkins.

Relegated to simply becoming husks for the sake of horror-based mood lighting, the seasonal staple can be turned into a warming dish too!

Pumpkin soup uses up that often thrown away innards of the orange coloured vegetable (although it’s technically a fruit!).

It’s really easy to whip up Pumpkin Soup, and you can freeze it for up to 3 months, so don’t worry if you make too much for one sitting.

Our recipe makes a silky smooth solution that tastes superb.

You’ll need

For the soup

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 finely chopped onions]
• 1kg pumpkin deseeded and chopped into chunks (keep the seeds aside for later)
• 700ml vegetable stock or chicken stock
• 150ml double cream
• Coriander

For the croutons

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 slices of wholemeal seeded bread with crusts removed
• Pumpkin seeds (pre-roasted)

A post shared by Tatiana (@tatiana_yukka) on Oct 31, 2017 at 12:38am PDT

Method

The post Halloween Eats: Pumpkin Soup appeared first on CS Catering Equipment's Blog.

National Chocolate Week is a celebration of all things cocoa from the 9-15th October that culminates in the Chocolate Show, which runs from the 13-15th October at Olympia National Hall, London.

And with hundreds of events expected throughout the week from the UK’s top chocolatiers and chocolate companie and even bars, restaurants are getting involved.

We thought we’d weigh-in and give you a couple of our favourite classy chocolate recipes to help you celebrate all things chocolate in style. These recipes are on us ;)…

Before we lay some sumptious deluxe chocolate recipes on you, let’s take a look at the history of the event in a little closer detail.

History

Chocolate Week is organised by Sylive Douce and Francois Jeantet, founders and organisers of the Salon du Chocolat around the world which includes the Chocolate Show in London.

This year marks the fourth year of the show, which has grown in size and stature since it’s inception in 2012.

The fifth iteration of the event will see 20,000 chocoholics descend on London’s Olympia to see the best of the UK’s chocolate companies exhibiting alongside a whole host of international brands.

Aiming to promote the intricate fine flavours of chocolate, working with cocoa farmers and us as consumers to achieve a fair price for the farmers efforts.

By hosting a large event at the end of the week, the organisers are able to host the best of the industry under one roof, and in-turn help encourage change within the industry.

Our sister company – Caffe Society – supports similar efforts with Fairtrade coffee and Rainforest Alliance blends that not only help the farmers and growers achieve a fair price, promote ethical growing methods but also gives us consumers the best products that the world can offer.

But what about these chocolate recipes you wanted? Coming right up!

Ultimate Indulgence Brownies

Brownies are a halfway house between cake, fudge and a chocolate bar. Incredibly simple to make, and even easier to eat! This recipe is one of the best sweet treats if you want to whip up something special, but don’t have the time!

Ingredients

• 200g butter
• 400g plain chocolate
• 225g light muscovado sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 150g pecan nuts, chopped
• 25g cocoa powder
• 75g self-raising flour
• 3 eggs, beaten

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 1700°C.
2. Grease and line a deep, square 20cm baking tin.
3. Melt the butter and chocolate gently in a bain-marie, then remove from the heat and stir in the sugar, nuts, vanilla extract, sifted cocoa powder and flour and eggs.
4. Pour the mixture into the tin, level and bake for about an hour and 15 minutes.
5. The brownies should be set on the surface but soft and gooey in the centre.
6. Leave to cool for two hours then turn out and cut into squares.
7. Enjoy!

Chocolatey Bread Pudding

A photo posted by GG Karas (@gkinali) on Oct 1, 2016 at 11:19am PDT

This author was under the impression that Bread Pudding was an almost exclusively-British bread dessert, but bread-based puddings are popular all over the world it seems!

A great way to use up stale bread or bread that is not quite perfect for that sandwich you were planning on serving, combining a classic dessert with cocoa improves it in so many ways.

We’ve added a baguette to our recipe for a little taste of the continent to your bready goodness…

Ingredients

• 200g French stick, cut into chunks
• 100g milk chocolate, in small chunks
• 500g vanilla custard (shop bought or homemade)
• 150ml milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon Demerara sugar
• 50g walnuts, chopped
• 50g plain chocolate, in small chunks

Method

1. Place the milk chocolate, custard and milk into a pan and heat gently, stirring occasionally until the chocolate has melted then beat in the egg.
2. Add the chunks of baguette into a large bowl and pour the chocolate custard mixture over the bread.
3. Mix thoroughly, cover and chill in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
5. Put the chocolate bread mixture into a buttered ovenproof dish and bake for about 30 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the Demerara over the top, followed by the walnuts and plain chocolate chunks.
7. Bake for another 30 minutes.
8. Serve warm, dusted with icing sugar and drizzled with cream.

Are these recipes enough to satiate your lust for all things chocolate? If not then please visit Chocolate Week to find out more at: www.chocolateweek.co.uk

The post National Chocolate Week: Chocolate Heaven appeared first on CS Catering Equipment's Blog.

A base for countless dishes, and the key component in so many of our favourite meals, yet without a doubt the stock is often one of the most overlooked key areas you can save time and money in your kitchen.

The problem is that it’s just so easy to buy a packet in the supermarket, yet home-made stocks add an unmistakable depth of flavour to your cooking, either vegetable, meat, chicken or fish.

Almost all stocks are made in the same basic method, which is by cooking up bones or fish trimmings along with vegetables and herbs.

Quick Tip: Try to avoid more strongly flavoured vegetables such as cabbage, or turnip, or those such as potatoes that tend to disintegrate as the result can be a mushy mess.

Even just as a money saving exercise, it makes sense to cook up stock in batches and freeze for later usage in your dishes. Time-saved is a huge benefit if you’re already stretching your resources thinly with intricate dishes and require fast service.

You’ll need some bones or trimmings get started, but if you are lacking the means to do this at home, you can always ask your butcher or fishmonger for bones and trimmings.

Making stock

Ingredients

So, what are the base requirements for making a great quality stock? The foundation ingredients for about a litre of stock are:

• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 celery sticks, sliced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• A selection of herbs such as a bouquet garni, plus peppercorns and some salt
• About a kilo of meat or chicken bones or fish trimmings

Method

The method is the same for all stock and is almost effortlessly simple…almost: add cold water and bring the pot to the boil, then simmer for varying amounts of time.

1. Prepare ingredients
2. Add to pot of cold water
3. Season with salt and pepper
4. Bring mixture to the boil before reducing to a simmer
5. For fish stock this means one litre of water and 30 minutes cooking time, for chicken add two litres of water and cook for two hours, while meat will need two litres of water and a good four hours of simmering after the bones are roasted.
6. Try to aim for about equal amounts of bones and meat for the best flavour.
7. Add further seasoning or herbs to your taste
8. Allow to simmer and reduce until rich.
9. After cooking, strain stock through a sieve or muslin and cool quickly.

If you want to save your stock for later usage or freezing, simply allow it to cool before placing into a freezer safe container.

Most stock will be safe for freezer storage for up to 6 months, remember to defrost thoroughly before using as the base for your future recipes.

The post The secret to super stock: Pre-make your own! appeared first on CS Catering Equipment's Blog.

World Chocolate Day is held every year on the 7th July, this date being rumoured as the date in which chocolate was introduced to Europe over 465 years ago.

In that time chocolate has taken over, it’s everywhere. But not always where you’d expect it — sometimes you’ll even find it in everyday dishes that can truly change the way you experience your favourite food.

To celebrate the cocoa-holiday, we’ve collated five of our favourite everyday chocolate recipes that aren’t simply desserts and deserve to be tasted by chocoholics all over the World.

5. Chilli con Carne – with chocolate

Yes, the spicy taste of chilli somehow makes a great chilli taste even better, we think it’s due to the nature of dark chocolate.

The bitterness helps take the edge off the spicy dish without destroying or overpowering the taste.

Milk chocolate isn’t advised, the sugar content can make this traditionally spicy dish too sweet.

A video posted by Jennifer Ward (@jen__ward) on Jun 13, 2016 at 6:10am PDT

Ingredients

• tbsp olive oil
• red onion, finely chopped
• red peppers, deseeded and sliced
• hot chilli powder
• cumin
• paprika
• beef mince 5% fat
• passata with onion and garlic
• beef stock, made with 1 beef stock cube
• tin red kidney beans in water, drained and thoroughly rinsed
• squares (20g) dark chocolate (or any other chocolate with at least 70% cocoa solids)
• half fat crème fraîche

Method

1. Heat up the oil in a large saucepan and add the chopped onion. Cook for around 2-3 minutes until the onion begins to soften and add the peppers. Cook this mixture for another 3-4 minutes until the peppers just start to become tender.
2. Add the chilli powder, cumin and paprika to the pan and stir through, cooking for approximately a minute. Add the 500g minced beef to the pan and move around, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the beef has browned all over.
3. Pour in the passata and stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
4. Heat the chocolate in a microwave for around 30 seconds or until melted. Add this to the chilli mixture, along with the beans. Alternatively, you can add the solid pieces of chocolate straight to the chilli. Stir to combine, then simmer for another 15 minutes until the mixture has thickened slightly.
5. Meanwhile, prepare some long grain rice and serve with the chilli once prepared.

PLEASE NOTE: Adding any more than 20g of dark chocolate could overpower the chilli, so add more sparingly!

4. Chicken with Mole Poblano sauce

Contrary to the name, no moles are needed to make this chicken dish, instead, chocolate is used to help make a rich sauce that is complemented by fresh coriander.

As with many recipes that utilise chocolate, the combination of sweet, spicy and richness make for a winning taste.

A post shared by Pepitos (@pepitosderby) on Jun 28, 2017 at 5:46am PDT

An authentic Mexican dish, but with a chocolate twist, the mole sauce can be made in a whole number of ways. Mole Poblano is one of the variations made with chocolate.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons corn oil or coconut oil
• 8 whole chicken legs with thighs attached
• 2 cups (4.8 dl) hot salsa (Mexican or Tex-Mex)
• 1 cup (2.4 dl) chicken broth
• 1 sweet pepper, chopped
• 6 sun dried tomatoes, soaked in hot water
• 4 tablespoons raisins
• 4 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 corn tortilla
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• ½ teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 oz (60 g) bittersweet chocolate
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Method

1. Cook the chicken legs in corn oil or coconut oil if you prefer.
2. In a blender mix salsa or tomatoes, sweet pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, raisins, peanut butter, tortilla, chicken broth, salt and spices, and puree on high speed.
3. Heat the sauce, add chocolate and mix well.
4. Add more salt or spices as needed.
5. Cook the chicken legs in the sauce at low heat until tender, approximately one hour.
6. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on the chicken, and serve with rice and a salad.

3. Cocoa rubbed baby back ribs

The influx of barbecue restaurants and Texas-BBQ inspired menus up and down the country means most will know their way around slow cooked short ribs.

Sticky-sweet barbecue ribs are obviously popular, so the addition of chocolate shouldn’t come as a great surprise — except for the taste.

Source: wholesomesweet.com

Traditional ribs — but definitely not how you expect them.

Ingredients

• ¹⁄₃ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¹⁄₂ cup light brown sugar
• 3 tbsp. ancho chili powder
• 2 tbsp. kosher salt
• 2 tbsp. granulated onion
• 1 tbsp. granulated garlic
• 1 tbsp. dried oregano
• 1 tbsp. dried mustard
• 2 tsp. dried ginger
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground allspice
• 2 racks (3 lb.) pork baby back ribs

Method

1. Mix the cocoa powder and spices together in a bowl until well mixed.
2. Coat and rub a generous helping of the spice mixture onto the ribs. Wrap in foil or cellophane and leave in a fridge overnight.
3. Around 3 hours before planning to serve the ribs, take them out of the fridge and allow them to settle to room temperature.
4. If cooking in an oven, preheat to 450°C and transfer ribs to a baking tray or sheet with a wire rack. Cook curved side up first until brown then flip and cook for a further 15-20 minutes.
5. Follow same procedure if cooking on a barbecue — plus you get the added bonus of that lovely charred taste and texture.

2. Olive oil and sea salt chocolate toasties

Nutella toasted sandwiches are another secret we’d like to share before we delve into this amazing recipe — courtesy of BBC Good Food.

And if you’ve ever tried chocolate with a hint of sea salt, you’ll know just how strangely amazing it actually is — especially with bitter dark chocolate — for some reason it just adds another flavour dimension!

Well, this amazing toastie-treat could be top of your lunchtime priority list this weekend.

Source: magazine.foxnews.com

Ingredients

• 2.75oz/75g milk or bittersweet (dark) chocolate, broken into squares
• 4 slices good-quality crusty bread or white sourdough
• Salt, for sprinkling
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Method

1. Split the chocolate pieces between two slices of bread and sprinkle with salt, then sandwich with the remaining two slices of bread.
2. Put a skillet (frying pan) big enough to fit both sandwiches on to a medium heat, then brush the top of the sandwiches with plenty of olive oil.
3. Put the sandwiches, in the pan, oil-side down, and fry for about 2–3 minutes until golden.
4. Brush the unoiled bread with oil then flip the sandwich over. Fry again for another two minutes, or until the chocolate is oozing, then serve immediately.

Tip: Try serving this with fresh orange segments on the side for added freshness.

1. Pistachio and triple-chocolate brownies

Yeah, we may have said this was ‘alternative recipes’ earlier on, but honestly, this recipe is just too good not to share — I’ve personally had them at least three times in the last six months — honestly amazing.

It would be rude not to include a lovely stodgy brownie recipe on World Chocolate Day and it makes an amazing treat with a cup of tea or coffee.

A photo posted by Stephanie Parr (@rabbitlover87) on Apr 26, 2014 at 3:41pm PDT

Ingredients

• 180g (3⁄4 cup, plus 2 tsp) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
• 150g (1 cup) good-quality dark (bittersweet) chocolate, chopped into small pieces
• 100g (2/3 cup) good-quality milk chocolate, chopped into small pieces
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 200g (1 cup) soft light brown sugar
• 100g (1⁄2 cup) caster (superfine) sugar
• 90g (2/3 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 40g (1⁄2 cup) cocoa powder
• 50g (1/3 cup) good-quality white chocolate, chopped into small pieces
• 50g (2 oz) pistachio nuts, roughly chopped

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
2. Lightly grease and line a 20cm x 20cm (8in x 8in) baking tin with baking paper.
3. Melt the butter, dark chocolate and 50g (1⁄3 cup) of the milk chocolate in a medium-size bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
4. As soon as the chocolate and butter have melted, remove the bowl from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
5. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and sugars together until thickened and pale – this should take up to five minutes. Pour the chocolate mixture into the egg and sugar and gently fold through until just combined.
6. Sift over the flour and cocoa powder and fold these through until just combined.
7. Finally, carefully fold in the remaining milk chocolate, the white chocolate and the pistachios until they are well distributed through the mixture.
8. Spoon the brownie mix into the prepared tin and use the back of a spoon to smooth it out. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the brownie has a crisp, sugary crust and is just set. Leave the brownie in its tin, placed on a wire rack to cool. The brownies are delicious served warm but will keep in an airtight container for up to three days. Brownies tend to go stale more quickly if cut in advance of serving, so cut these into squares just before eating.

The post World Chocolate Day 2017: 5 alternate everyday chocolate recipes appeared first on CS Catering Equipment's Blog.

One of the most useful, simple and versatile pieces of kitchen kit that you will ever own, the slow cooker – despite a resurgence in popularity – is a criminally underused item in almost all home and commercial kitchens.

Designed to simmer food over a longer period than when boiling or searing, this means that food made with a slow cooker tends to be richer and much more flavoursome.

To help you get serious with your slow cooker, we have taken a few classic recipes and made a few tweaks of our own that we think you will absolutely adore.

Moroccan chickpea stew

A great vegetarian recipe, this North African staple is a really simple and healthy dish that is incredibly filling.

By adding a small amount of chorizo, we add a subtle rich meaty flavour that only enhances this dish even further, if you would prefer the dish to remain 100% vegetarian, then the chorizo can be removed with very little effect on the flavour.

Amazing served on it’s own or with a side of rice and couscous, Moroccan chickpea stew is only 300 calories per serving!

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small diced onion
• 200g chorizo (can be removed if vegetarian dish preferred)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 100ml vegetable stock
• 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
• 2 small potatoes, chopped small
• 1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 50g red split lentils
• 50g cup crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 25g cup golden raisins
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Salt to taste
• Coriander to serve
• Greek yoghurt to serve

Method

• In a pan, saute the onions and garlic in oil until tender (about 3 min).
• Once the onions and garlic are ready, place them and all other items into slow cooker and then leave on high for 4 to 5 hours, removing the lid to stir on occasion.
• When cooked, chickpeas will have softened without losing structure.
• Serve with fresh coriander and a dollop of Greek yoghurt.

It really is that simple to make, and unlike most slow cooker recipes, we insist that our onions and garlic are sauteed for an extra flavour burst.

This dish serves between 6 to 8, and costs just 80 pence per serving! What an excellent, tasty and incredibly cheap way to offer something slightly different on your menu!

The post Slow cooker staples: Moroccan chickpea stew appeared first on CS Catering Equipment's Blog.

Not all of Great Britain will gorge on meat during this winter season, you might have made some seasonal adjustments to your menu to account for the colder weather and of course Christmas period.

But did you consider the implications on your vegetarian options? Have you made any changes to suit this customer base?

Well if you hadn’t, or needed inspiration as to what to offer, then you’ve found the right place! This last minute vegetarian Christmas menu might be just what you need.

For many the thought of another nut roast this Christmas is enough to drive them stir crazy, so we promise there won’t be any nut roast recipes to ruin this Christmas season!

Starters/Appetisers

Curried lentil, parsnip and apple soup

A photo posted by Sophie Buh (@sophiebuh79) on Dec 9, 2016 at 12:54am PST

The wonderful combination of spice with the seasonal root vegetables and sweet apple make for an incredibly warming, and moreish soup.

Even better still, this soup can be frozen after preparation and then reheated as required.

Please note: This dish is 100% Vegan unless accompanied or served with fresh yoghurt.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 3 tbsp medium curry paste
• 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
• 500g parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
• 140 dried red lentils
• 2 Bramley apples (approx 400g), peeled, cored and cut into chunks
• 1½ litres vegetable stock, made with 1 stock cube
• natural yoghurt (to serve)
• chopped coriander and chili(to serve)

Method

1. Heat the sunflower oil in a large saucepan, before frying the curry paste and onions together over a medium heat. Fry for approximately 3 minutes.
2. Add the parsnips, lentils and apple pieces.
3. Pour in the stock and bring the mixture to a simmer.
4. Cook at at a reduced heat for around 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the parsnips and apple are soft, the lentils should be mushy.
5. Remove the mixture from the heat and blitz with a stick blender until smooth. If using a food processor, allow to cool for several minutes before blending.
6. Season to your tastes.
7. Heat through before serving with garnishing with coriander, chili and/or natural yoghurt.

Not all appetisers have to be boring! Even more so when you’ve got a wealth of quality ingredients to make a vegetarian Christmas feast.

Although not a Vegan option, these simple little nibbles are incredibly moreish for all!

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 2 x 80g bags washed baby spinach
• 2 x 250g packs halloumi cheese
• 4 naan bread

Method

1. Warm the butter in a large pan with the crushed garlic cloves and garam masala.
2. Roughly chop the spinach and add to the melted butter and spices.
3. Cook until the spinach has wilted, then season to add taste.
4. Cut the halloumi and grill the tops until golden brown.
5. Heat the naan bread under a grill – just to warm through – the spread with the spinach mixture.
6. Evenly distribute the grilled Halloumi over the bread, then cut the bread to fit each slice of cheese, and secure with cocktail sticks. Serve warm for the best experience.

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Pasta at Christmas? Yes, but this is a superb dish no matter the time of year, incredibly filling but devilishly moreish…

Ingredients

• 450g butternut squash, peeled and chopped
• 25g butter
• Grated nutmeg
• 25g vegetarian Parmesan or Parmesan-style cheese, coarsely grated

For the porcini dresssing

• 1 tbsp finely chopped dried porcini mushrooms
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp soy sauce

To serve

• Saffron
• 85g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
• 1 fat garlic clove, shredded
• 100g bag baby spinach
• 4 sheets fresh lasagne, halved
• shavings of Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative)

Method

1. Put the squash and butter in a pan with 5 tbsp water.
2. Tightly cover the pan and cook for 15 mins until the squash is just tender, but not coloured.
3. Roughly mash after seasoning with nutmeg and Parmesan.
4. Meanwhile, to make the dressing, put the chopped porcini mushrooms in a small bowl with 3 tbsp of boiling water.
5. Cover with cling film and cook for 1 min in the microwave on High, then leave to cool.
6. Mix 1 tbsp oil with the vinegar and soy, then add the soaked mushrooms with almost all the of the liquid (leave the last drop behind as it might contain grit)
7. To serve, boil a pan of water with the saffrom and some salt for 5 minutes to extract some colour and flavour.
8. Meanwhile, fry the mushrooms in the remaining oil. When they are nearly cooked, add the garlic so that it browns and crisps, but doesn’t burn.
9. Pierce the bag of spinach and wilt in the microwave for approximately 1 minute.
10. Reheat the squash in the microwave as necessary at this point.
11. Boil the lasagne for 1 minute until just tender, then drain.
12. Place 3 small piles of spinach on 2 warm serving plates.
13. Top each with a a square of lasagne sheet, then a spoonful of squash – spread it out a little, before adding a few spinach leaves.
14. Top this base layer in the exact same way until 4 layers have been stacked on the plate.
15. Garnish with the garlic mushrooms and sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.

Squash and blue cheese Wellington

A photo posted by Lorna Hales (@lorna.hales) on Nov 10, 2015 at 9:37am PST

Pastry, cheese and the delicious squash combine to make a throughly filling and hearty meal for all those who come for lunch.

If you don’t want to make the pastry yourself, it’s incredibly easy and tastes great with pre-made puff pastry. Best of all, you can freeze this long before cooking, making it a perfect per-prepared option for busy kitchens or for when you get unexpected vegetarian guests at your restaurant.

Ingredients

• 850g from the long end of a large butternut squash, to give you a solid piece, peeled
• 400g pack sallot, peeled and halved
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 50g pecans
• 1½ tbsp maple syrup
• 1½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 500g pack all-butter puff pastry
• plain flour, for dusting
• 1 tbsp chopped sage
• 200g blue Wensleydale cheese, diced
• 4 tbsp olive oil to glaze

Method

1. Pre-heat your oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6.
2. Cut the squash lengthways into 8 long chunky pieces and put in a large roasting tin with the shallots.
3. Add a dash of oil, season and roast for approximately 20 minutes.
4. Add the pecans and roast for a further 10 minutes, or until the squash is cooked but still firm.
5. Leave the squash to cool completely, but tip the nuts and shallots into a non-stick pan.
6. Add the maple syrup, balsamic vinegar and plenty of seasoning, and stir over the heat until the shallots start to carmelise. Leave to cool.
7. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle about 30 x 40 cm. Trim 2cm from one of the long edges and set aside.
8. Transfer the pastry to a baking tray.
9. Places 4 of the pieces of squash down the longest length in the middle to make a rectangular block, keeping a generous border of pastry all the way round.
10. Now place another 2 pieces of squash on top.
11. Trim the remaining 2 pieces and put crossways at the end.
12. Scatter over the sage and blue cheese, then top with the shallots and pecans.
13. Lightly press to compact everything together.
14. Brush round the pastry edges with olive oil, then draw the 2 long edges up to meet and pinch together to seal – similar to a Cornish pasty.
15. Tuck under the pastry at both ends, then brush all over with egg. Cut leaf shapes from the remaining pastry trimmings and use to decorate the top of the Wellington.
16. Glaze once more and make a couple of small air holes with the point of a knife.
17. To freeze: Open-freeze on a baking tray until soild, then wrap in cling film then foil. It should keep for 2 months.
18. To serve (from frozen): Oven should be pre-heated to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6. Unwrap the Wellington and place on a hot tray.
19. Bake for 30 mins, cover lightly with foil and bake for a further 35-40 minutes, remembering to take off the foil during the last 10 minutes of baking.
20. Leave to settle for 10 mins before thickly slicing., or the cheese will melt too quickly and run out.
21. If cooking from fresh, chill the Wellington for at least 30 minutes before cooking – it then needs only 30 to 40 minutes in the oven.

Desserts

Not Christmas meal is complete without a hearty dessert, cheese and biscuits might be the preference of some, but we think that a proper sweet treat can be an absolute showstopper in your Christmas menu.

Chocolate peanut butter and avocado pudding

The avocado neutral flavour and creamy texture makes this a slightly different experience, an exceptional substitute for dairy in desserts or smoothies. Make these in advance and keep chilled in the fridge before serving.

Ingredients

• 2 large ripe avocados, halved and stoned
• 1 large banana, chopped
• 5 soft prunes
• 6 tbsp unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
• 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter (unsweetened if possible)
• 3 tbsp cacao powder (or good quality cocoa powder)
• 100g coconut milk yoghurt
• 2 tsp maple syrup or honey
• dark chocolate (80% cocoa)

Method

1. Scoop the avocado flesh into a food processor.
2. Add the chopped banana, prunes, almond or coconut milk, smooth peanut butter and cacao powder.
3. Blend the until smooth, adding a little more milk if the blade gets stuck.
4. Scrape down the sides once or twice and blend again.
5. Divide the mixture between 4 small glasses.
6. Mix the coconut yoghurt with the maple syrup or honey and top each pudding with a generous dollop.
7. Finely grate a little dark chocolate over the top and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Gingerbread

Synonymous with Christmas, these crispy treats are 100% Vegan and gluten free, but still remain moist and tasty.

Perfect to accompany an after dinner cup of tea or coffee!

Ingredients

• 1 flax egg
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup almond butter
• 3 tbsp molasses
• ¼ cup vegan butter, softened
• ¾ tsp ginger
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg (optional)
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1¼ to 1¾ cups gluten free baking / pancake mix

Method

1. In a large mixing bowl, prepare flax egg by mixing flax and water and letting rest for 5 minutes.
2. Add softened butter, molasses, almond butter, brown sugar, salt, spices, baking soda and beat on a low with a mixer, or vigorously whisk.
3. Add gluten free flour to the wet ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon. Stir until well combined. Your dough should hold its shape when pressed, but not feel dry.
4. Cover and chill dough for at least one hour, preferably overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Carefully roll out dough to a little thicker than 1/8 inch between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment/wax paper, generously sprinkling the bottom layer and the top of the dough with white or brown rice flour before rolling. You don’t want it too thin or they’ll be too crisp.
7. Remove top sheet and, working quickly, dip your cookie cutters in rice flour and cut out shapes. Next, lift the plastic wrap (with all of the dough) and place it on a baking sheet or large plate and freeze for 5 minutes to let them firm up. This will make them easier to transfer to your baking sheet for baking.
8. Next, use a lightly floured spatula to carefully transfer the cookies to a baking sheet, working quickly. Leave 2 inches for spreading.
9. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until they appear only slightly browned on the edges. They’ll continue firming up as they sit on the pan. Let rest on the pan for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
10. Once cooled, decorate with frosting or sprinkle with powdered sugar. Piping on a mix of 2 cups icing sugar, 1 Tbsp melted butter, and 1-2 Tbsp almond milk. Just make sure it’s on the thicker side so it doesn’t run.
11. Store covered at room temperature for several days. Freeze for longer term storage. The batch should make between 25-35 cookies, depending on the size of your cookie cutter / or if you decide not to cut them and roll them into balls.

Chocolate banana ice cream

This low fat ice cream is a superb addition to another dessert, but that doesn’t quite do it justice. Amazing on it’s own with a dash of chocolate sauce, the combination of smooth chocolate and banana makes this an excellent after dinner option.

Ridiculously easy to make, this dessert only contains two ingredients!

Ingredients

• 1 frozen banana
• 1 tsp cocoa powder

Method

1. Add you banana and cocoa powder to a blender
2. Blitz until smooth
3. Serve

That’s your lot! Hopefully this quick menu has helped you get sorted just in time for the the Christmas period, it’s well worth offering solid vegetarian options as more and more people are choosing to remove meat from their diets.

Healthy and tasty, we are sure that your guests will find something they love!

The post A last minute Vegetarian Christmas menu appeared first on CS Catering Equipment's Blog.

When you think of Denmark, you probably wouldn’t think of curry as one of the nations signature dishes.

Boller i Karry is Denmark’s traditional meatball and curry medley that is much-loved throughout the small, but beautiful country.

Mildly spiced, this is not a recipe you want to miss out on, and could be an excellent addition to any family menu…

Not just tasty, these meatballs are also incredibly colourful, with the recipe supposedly dating back to around the 1840s.

This coincided with the introduction of curry powder mixes to the Danish public, but due to the limited availability of rice, these meatballs were served with potatoes.

The real secret to this dish is the incredibly mild spice flavour – it must not in any way be hot like dishes from the Far East – instead being smooth and mellow.

With over 150 years of history, there is a reason why this is such a common sight on Danish dinner plates. Those Danes must be on to something…

Ingredients

A photo posted by Jonas Østerby (@jonasoesterby) on Sep 6, 2016 at 10:11am PDT

Meatballs

• 500 g pork or mixed (pork + beef) mince
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 100 ml (7 Tbsp) milk
• 1 egg
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• salt and black pepper

Curry sauce

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2-4 tsp mild Indian-style curry powder
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 Tbsp flour
• about 600 ml bouillon (= the water you boiled the meatballs in)
• 100 ml single or double cream
• 1 Granny Smith apple, coarsely grated
• salt and black pepper

Method

A photo posted by Lisa (@lisaballisager) on Nov 19, 2016 at 10:31am PST

Meatballs

• Start by making meatballs. Mix all ingredients, then form into large meatballs (I took heaped teaspoonfuls of the mixture).
• Fill a medium-sized saucepan with water, bring into a boil and season with salt (you can throw in some bay leaves and allspice berries as well, if you wish).
• Gently drop the meatballs into the “bouillon” and cook for 7-8 minutes, until fully cooked.
• Remove from the stock with a slotted spoon and put aside on a plate.

Curry sauce

• Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the curry powder.
• Stir, then add the onion and fry gently for 5-7 minutes.
• Stir in the flour, cook for a minute or two, then add about 2 or 2,5 cups of “meatball bouillon”.
• Stir carefully, so no lumps remain.
• Add the cream, then the grated apple.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper, then return the meatballs to the sauce and cook until the meatballs are piping hot.
• Serve with boiled long-grain rice and some vegetables of your choice.

The post Dishes around the World: Boller i Karry appeared first on CS Catering Equipment's Blog.

You’ve probably never had Kālua pig before, that’s because it’s one of Hawaii’s best kept culinary secrets.

The word Kālua literally means “to cook in an underground oven”, with any dish cooked in this method taking the name, such as kālua pig or kālua turkey.

Incredibly simple, healthy and also insanely tasty. Kālua pork is slight variation on one of the Pacific islands finest exports, and we’re going to explain how to cook the dish without needing an underground oven!

Traditionally cooked in a a dirt pit called an “imu”, and on sandalwood. This Hawaiian cooking pit is usually about 6 feet (1.8m) long, 4 feet (1.2m) wide and 3 feet (90cm) deep.

Rocks are used in the bottom of the pit to keep the cooking temperature consistent once any flames have died down. When the rocks get extremely hot, the pit is lined with banana leaves.

The pig/pork is salted, stuffed with more hot rocks, then wrapped in ti and banana leaves and covered with wet burlap, and a layer of sand or soil.

Cooked for 6 to 8 hours, the pig absorbs the smoke and steam from the wood and leaves, giving it a unique smoky flavour.

Served at luau feasts, at one time the United States Department of Agriculture prevented traditional kālua pig from being sold commercially except in Hawaii.

For those of us that don’t have access to a cooking pit, we are going to show you how to cook classic kālua pig/pork in a pressure cooker.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 lbs pork roast
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons Wright’s Hickory Liquid Smoke
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon Kosher salt

Method

1. Select Browning and add the oil to the cooking pot. When it’s hot, brown the pork on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to a platter when browned.
2. Turn pressure cooker off and add the water, liquid smoke, soy sauce and brown sugar to the cooking pot. Add the pork and its juice juices to the pot. Sprinkle the salt over the top of the pork.
3. Select High Pressure and set timer for 60 minutes. When it beeps, use a natural pressure release to release the pressure, for about 20 minutes. When the valve drops, remove the lid carefully.
4. Remove the meat from the pressure cooker and shred with two forks. Serve immediately with some steamed rice.

The post Dishes around the World: Kalua pig appeared first on CS Catering Equipment's Blog.