Looking for a last minute Father’s Day gift?

Celebrate Father’s Day by giving him a bottle of Glenfiddich

For over 125 years, Glenfiddich has distilled whisky deep in the rolling hills of the Scottish highlands.

With a variety of expressions, Glenfiddich have a bottle for every type of father so you’ll find the perfect gift for him:

Glenfiddich 12 Year Old Single Malt Whisky, the signature expression is perfect for traditional fathers who take their whisky with a little water. 

Fathers who love adventure take their whisky on ice, and enjoy the bold taste of Glenfiddich 15 Year Old.

Wise fathers savour their whisky neat and appreciate the distinguished finish of Glenfiddich 18 Year Old.

The Glenfiddich Single Malt Whisky mini set - which includes the 12 Year Old, 15 Year Old and 18 Year Old single malts - provides the perfect introduction to whisky for new fathers celebrating their first Father’s Day.

Foodie Fun In Pictures: The KERB Food Market at MINT Polo in the Park 2013 

Foodie Fun: The KERB Food Market at MINT Polo in the Park

Thinking of something to do in London this weekend with a foodie twist?

Head down to MINT Polo in the Park in leafy South West London, where KERB street food vendors have bought a bit of the East end into the West. The variety is phenomenal, but staples such as burgers are available at multiple stalls. 

Try one or all of the foodie offerings while sipping on champagne and taking in the quintessentially British sport of Polo at the home of the sport Hurlingham Park. 

Amongst the Pimm’s, glamorous dresses and dashing polo players you’ll find: 

Ambriento - Tacos (all Gluten Free) 

Anna Mae’s - Mac and Cheese

Bean & Gone - Coffee

Big Apple Hot Dogs

Bleecker St. Burger
Daisy Green - Organic Frozen Yoghurt 

Dosa Deli  -   Dosa Wraps

Everybody Love Jhal Muri - Indian delights inspired by Kolkatan street food

Fundi  - Pizza 

Good & Proper Tea 

Jamon Jamon    - Paella

Kimchi Cult     - Korean Food 

Meringue Girls - Flavoured Meringues 

Mussel Men   - Blue Shell Mussels and Oysters 

Rainbo   - Homemade gyoza 

Sorbitium Ices - Ice Cream

Spit & Roast - Roast Chicken and Pork 

The Bowler    - Meat Balls 

Vinn Goute      - Seychelles Creole Cooking

Saturday is sold out, but there are still tickets available for Finals Day Sunday. 

www.polointhepark.com 

For more information about KERB Food Traders: www.kerbfood.com

RECIPE: MOULES

A quick dish with cooked mussels.

Ingredients

250g packet of cooked mussels


1/2 x 250g tub of Ricotta

175ml glass of white wine

2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 red onion sliced

2 garlic cloves finely sliced

100g button mushrooms cut in half

1/2 x 28g pack flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

1/2 x 200g packet of ready prepared Spring Greens

Coarse Sea Salt And Coarse Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Crusty bread, to serve

Method

Heat the oil in a large, deep pan. cook until translucent.

Add the garlic and cook for a minute.

Add the spring greens, then cover with a lid and steam. 

Add the mushroom.

Turn up the heat, then stir in the white wine, parsley.

Add the mussels then cover with a lid and steam for 3–4 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

RECIPE: ASPARAGUS, RED ONION AND BLUE CHEESE TART

Ingredients:

RECIPE: Tesco Everyday Value Pea and Bacon Soup

Tesco Everyday Value Pea and bacon soup 

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter or olive oil
1 red onion sliced
1/2 pack of cooking Tesco Everyday Value Cooking Bacon diced with the fat trimmed (packet weight 500g, £1.00) 
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 pack of Tesco Everyday Value Frozen Peas (packet weight 900g, £1.00)
1/2 tsp of coarse black pepper
1 Tesco Everyday Value Vegetable Stock Cube (packet of 10, 10p)
Handful of fresh mint chopped or 1 heaped tsp of dried mint

Optional:
1 small red chilli  finely chopped or 1/2 level teaspoon of dried chilli 

Method:
Heat the butter in a saucepan and gently fry the onions until they begin to soften.
Add the bacon chunks and fry until golden-brown and the onions start to brown.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the frozen peas and pour over 3 cups of water.
Break up the stock cube and sprinkle into the peas and water.
Add the mint, black pepper and chilli.
Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes, until the peas are tender.
Take the pan off the heat and using a hand blender, blend the soup until smooth.
Add the bacon and onions and return to the heat for a few minutes while stirring. 
Serve immediately with crusty bread rolls.

RECIPE: Month of Mushrooms

October is the Month of Mushrooms, according to The Mushroom Bureau, so here are two mushroom #recipes to get you in the funghi mood

Mushroom Tart

Ingredients:

Packet of ready rolled all-butter puff pastry

Flour for dusting

25g butter - see packaging for measurement guideline

250g - 300g packet of wild mushrooms

250g packet of ricotta cheese - Use 3/4 of the tub

Small handful parsley leaves, chopped or 2 tsps of dried parsley

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

Coarse ground black pepper 1 level tsp 

Salt 

1 egg beaten

Method:

Open the packet of ready rolled pastry, lay flat on a floured surface and cut out 4, Leave to chill on a lined baking tray in the fridge.

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. 

Heat a large frying pan until hot, then add the butter and fry the mushrooms for 5 mins until there is no liquid left in the pan. Season with salt and pepper then take off the heat and mix mushrooms with the ricotta, parsley and garlic.

Score a 1cm border around the edge of each pastry rectangle, then spoon the mushroom mix into the centre. Brush the edge with beaten egg, then bake the tarts for 20 minutes until puffed and golden. 

Serve immediately.

***

Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

A packet of 3 Portobello mushrooms

3 heaped tablespoons of full fat cream cheese - plain or flavoured

Parmesan cheese

1 clove of garlic, chopped - leave out if you choose garlic and herb full fat cheese

1 tbsp chopped fresh chives or 2 level tsps of dried chives - leave out if you choose garlic and herb full fat cheese

1 level tsp coarse ground black pepper

Optional:

Large slice of good quality ham, chopped

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

Take out the stalks and chop

Mix the stalks with soft cheese, pepper, herbs, garlic, and ham

Spoon the mixture into the mushrooms

Sprinkle with parmesan

Place the stuffed mushrooms onto a baking tray and bake in the oven for 6-8 minutes, or until the stuffing mixture is golden-brown.

Serve immediately

Healthy Recipe: Smoked Paprika Chicken or Roasted Chicken Breast with Mango and Chilli Salsa

Roasted Chicken Breast with Mango and Chilli Salsa

Smoked Paprika Chicken Breast with Mango and Chilli Salsa

Ingredients:

• 420g  - 500g Chicken Breasts or a packet of 3-4 Chicken Breasts
• 1/2 Small Red Onion
• Olive Oil
• 1 Tin on mango slices or mango puree
• 1 Peg Garlic
• Splash of white or rose wine (optional)

Seasoning:

• Smoked Paprika (optional)
• Ground black pepper
• Salt
• 1 Chilli or chilli flakes
• Mixed Herbs

Method:

• For the Chicken  (Prep time 5 mins, Cooking time 25 – 30 mins)
• Preheat oven to 180C
• Rinse the chicken breast with cold water and pat dry with a kitchen towel
• Place in an ovenproof dish
• Drizzle with olive oil and turn the chicken breasts till they are coated
• Season both sides with ground black pepper and salt .
• For the smoked paprika option -  Season both sides of the chicken breast so it has a light layer of paprika coating them.
• Pop in the oven and cook for 25 to 30 minutes
• For the Mango Salsa (Prep and cooking time 10-15mins)
• Dice 1/2 a small red onion
• Finely chop a peg of garlic
• If you are using a chilli instead of dried chilli flakes - Deseed and chop a chilli
• Open (and if sliced, drain) the tin of mango
• Put a frying pan on a moderate heat with a drizzle of olive oil
• Soften the onion and garlic until it starts to turn translucent
• Add the chilli stir for a minute
• Add the mango puree or slices and stir, break the slices down a bit as they start to cook through
• Add a splash of white or rose wine and 1/2 tsp of mixed herbs and stir in
• Lightly season with salt and leave to simmer for a minute
• Take off the heat and set aside for when the chicken is ready
• Remove the chicken from the oven when ready serve with the mango salsa on the side

Best served with:

A rocket salad (for salad dressing squeeze some lime or lemon juice on the rocket and a few drops of balsamic vinegar)

For a lighter alternative serve with grilled or baked white fish cooked in lime juice and a drizzle of honey.

Restaurant Dishes: Afternoon Tea at the Chesterfield Hotel, London

For a traditional British afternoon tea, visit beautiful The Chesterfield Hotel, steeped in history and located in the heart of London, it provides the perfect surroundings for this classic afternoon treat.  

Sip a glass of champagne and choose from a wide variety of traditional and exotic looseleaf and flower teas, which you can brew to perfection using the special Twinings tea timer. 

Delicately nibble on a selection of classic finger sandwiches including honey roast ham with cheddar cheese on onion bread, Scottish smoked salmon and cream cheese, egg mayonnaise on basil bread and roast chicken with grain mustard rounds edged with nibbed almonds. 

Follow with delicious freshly baked scones with clotted cream and home-made preserve. Selection of home-made pastries and cupcakes.

www.chesterfieldmayfair.com/bar-and-dining/afternoon-tea

Restaurant Dishes: Peter Pan Afternoon Tea at The Lancaster, London

Head to to the Lancaster Hotel to experience a little piece of Neverland in the form of Peter Pan Afternoon Tea. 

Kids can have their own pot of hot chocolate, while adults can opt for a glass of Champagne and a wide variety of quality teas.

Tuck in to Lost Boy’s Sandwiches including smoked salmon and cream cheese with chives and smoked chicken with spring onions and mayonnaise on walnut bread.

Mrs Darling’s Scones with clotted cream and lashings of strawberry jam.

Peter and Wendy’s treats including chocolate mousse, raspberry macaroons, strawberry mille-feuille, passion fruit pot au crème and mini Viennese biscuits? Oh and not forgetting  a ‘fairy dust shot’ sorbet.

After you’ve stuffed your faces follow the map with directions to the statue of Peter Pan in Hyde Park and a feed the ducks n the Serpentine with your fairy-dust pouch filled with breadcrumbs.

www.lancasterlondon.com

Restaurant Dishes: Burger and Lobster, London

In London you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to fancy moderately priced eats, especially with the emergence of drop-in, dish-specific faves such as Meat Liquor, Chicken and Steak et al.

Burger and Lobster stands out head and shoulders above the rest with it’s amazingly limited menu of a 10oz burger with cheese and bacon optional, a whole (roughly a kilo) lobster - grilled or steamed with a choice of flavoured butter or a lobster roll in a brioche bun. All come with a side of crispy fries and well-dressed salad.

Donning my lobster bib, I tucked into a succulent imported Canadian grilled lobster drizzled with lemon butter, accompanied by piping hot crispy skinny fries and a red onion, cherry tomato and crispy green leaf salad with dressing. The whole thing was finished in less than 15 minutes with the last five minutes spent inspecting every inch of the shell for remaining lobster meat I might have missed. When I was confident I’d done my job, my companion and I realised we hadn’t touched our wine, such was our enthusiasm to scoff down our delicious meals we were left with 3/4 full glasses and half a bottle of wine left.

Burger and Lobster stand head and shoulders above the rest of the ‘serves exactly what it says on the tin’ style restaurants as all the dishes are £20 and the limited menu means that they are executed perfectly.

The only annoying thing about the establishment is that you can’t book, which means hunger or my schedule drives me elsewhere when I just can’t wait to eat.

Burger and Lobster can be found in Mayfair and Soho.

www.burgerandlobster.com