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Is it imagination or just a figment?

 

 

One of our lovely customers, Nina, came up with some fabulous ideas for using our fig paste.  Have just completed our latest batch so we can now try them all out…

fig paste jars

 

Melba Toast with melon and prosciutto

Spread a little stratta fig paste onto melba toast and top with melon and prosciotto.  Alternatively top with a full flavoured cheese, especially good with goats cheese.

 

Ice cream

Finish a bowl of ice cream with a thin ginger snap delicately spread with fig paste.

 

Trifle

Line your favourite trifle with langue de chat biscuits spread with fig paste.

 

 

 

 

 

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Stratta blog

Grilled partridge with baked swede and blackcurrant sauce

 

 

Heading into the autumn we are all seeking a little depth of flavour to warm the cockles, and the sauce in this partridge recipe certainly does that.  A little greenery and roast potatoes are welcome additions to this classic combination.

blackcurrant vinegar aromatic oil swede

 

  • 4 oven-ready spatchcocked partridge (or 8 partridge breasts)
  • stratta aromatic oil for brushing
  • 1 large swede, peeled and chopped into chunks around 4cm

For the sauce

  • 2 shallots peeled and finely chopped
  • Knob of butter
  • 2tsp flour
  • ½ tsp tomato purée
  • 30ml stratta blackcurrant vinegar
  • 60ml port (and a glass for the chef)
  • 250ml chicken stock
  • 40-50g fresh or frozen blackcurrants

 

Place the swede in an oven dish, season, brush with butter and bake in a 200ºC oven for around an hour.  Turn every so often and add more butter if needed.

To make the sauce melt the butter in a heavy bottomed pan and add the shallots, cook until lightly coloured.

Add the flour and tomato puree and stir over a low heat for a minute.

Gradually add the port while stirring to avoid lumps.  Then add the chicken stock and vinegar, bring to the boil and simmer gently for around 20 minutes until the sauce has reduced by about two-thirds.  Whisk occasionally.

Add the blackcurrants and keep warm.

Season and cook the partridge in a griddle pan with a little aromatic oil (or under a hot grill) for around 7-8 minutes on each side (slightly less for breasts) until cooked.

Serve and enjoy.

 

 

 

 

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Cucumber and kiwi salad

 

 

Still time in the September sun to enjoy the fresh flavours in this cucumber and kiwi salad.  Thank you to our Cumbrian contingent Paul and Katharine for passing this one on…

 

Cucumber and kiwi salad

 

  • Cucumber, sliced finely
  • stratta kiwi vinegar
  • 200ml sour cream
  • Garlic clove – crushed
  • Cucumber slices, smoked paprika and chives to garnish

Slice the cucumber finely and marinade in stratta kiwi vinegar for about an hour.

Crush the garlic into the sour cream.

Drain the cucumber and add into the sour cream.

Put back into the fridge until ready to use.

Sprinkle with smoked paprika and chives to serve.

 

 

 

 

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Stratta blog

Steyning Market cookery demonstrations

 

 

 

Mary will be at Steyning Market as usual this Saturday (5th September) and is taking part in a cookery demonstration along with several other producers.  This is one of a number of events in the area to launch the Horsham District Food and Drink Festival

Please do pop along and say hello if you are in the area

Here are the recipes she will be doing on the day so you can “cook along” at home if you can’t join her at the market.

 

 

Sweet chilli and ginger sauce

  • 5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 2 red chillies, roughly chopped
  • 2cm piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 2 dried kaffir lime leaves
  • 175g caster sugar
  • 50ml ginger and honey vinegar
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce

To make the dipping sauce, blend the garlic, chillies, ginger and lime leaves in a food processor until very finely chopped. Tip the sugar into a small saucepan, add 3 tbsp water and heat gently to dissolve. Continue to cook for another min or so until the syrup starts to thicken slightly.

Add the chilli and ginger mixture, and continue to cook for a further 2-3 mins. Then stir in the ginger and honey vinegar, lime juice and soy sauce. Remove from the heat and leave to cool to room temperature.

 

 

Purple shiso and purple shiso vinegar
Purple shiso and purple shiso vinegar

 

Tomato Salsa

  • 2 red onions
  • 2 plum tomatoes
  • 2 small red chillis (with or without seeds!)
  • large red pepper
  • bunch of fresh shiso or basil
  • splash of purple shiso vinegar

Finely dice all the ingredients, stir in vinegar and serve with the crab cakes