Seasonal Sensations

I’m sure you have had many days recently when your body has begged for the revitalising goodness that only ‘green’ can provide. This is where to go when you need ‘green’.

Make a nice vegetable stock with fresh green vegetables, or a stock bouillon. If your using the latter, take it to a refreshing new level by infusing its flavours with celery, by twisting and putting a stick into the simmering stock (the twisting releases the flavours).

Stir in a couple of tsp of our Classic English Mustard and the same of our sweet garden-fresh Mint Sauce and simmer to intensify the taste.

Meanwhile, soften a finely diced shallot in oil for 4 or 5 minutes then add sliced courgettes and fresh asparagus for a couple of minutes more. Now add frozen garden peas, broad beans and sliced spring onions.

Pour the stock into the pan and just let it sit for 5 minutes – off the heat.

Whilst still retaining a gentle crunch, spoon the vegetables onto bowls with a little of the stock, a squeeze of lime juice and a crumble of feta cheese. Enjoy it with slices of country loaf.

[TIP: don’t lose the cooking liquors. Reserve them in the fridge as the stock for a fabulous fresh gravy.]

Slightly spicy and deeply flavoursome, this sauce turns roast chicken joints into a wonderful midweek supper.

Brush chicken joints with Stokes Chipotle Ketchup (as an instant smoky chipotle chilli marinade) before putting them on the bottom shelf of the oven below a tray of 3 halved red peppers and 2 quartered onions. Bake at 200 C / Gas Mark 7. After 20 minutes, remove the pepper and onion tray, lifting the chicken to the upper shelf.

Scrape the skins off the peppers and chop roughly with the onions before putting them in a pan with 3 or 4 large, chopped vine tomatoes. Cook the mixture together with a splash of chicken stock, a few mixed herbs, 2 tbsp of Stokes Chilli Jam and a few good shakes of our Tomato Ketchup.

Season to taste and add more stock if it looks too dry. When the chicken is thoroughly cooked through, put the pieces in a serving dish with the sauce spooned over the top. Served with rice, pasta and even chips – it’s a simple winner.

Boil or steam 6 asparagus spears, plunging them into iced water just before they become tender (this retains their vibrant colour and stops them overcooking). Drain and keep them aside. They’ll tenderise further as they finish in the rice later.

Soften a finely diced shallot in olive oil, for several gentle minutes before adding just 1 grated clove of garlic. Add 200g of risotto rice, stirring to thoroughly coat it in the infused oil. Stir in 2 tsp of Stokes Creamed Horseradish Sauce and 1 tbsp of our Chilli Jam before adding a 250ml glass of white wine and 500ml of simmering vegetable stock, a splash at a time.

Stir continually as you keep adding stock. The longer you take, the better it will be.

After 15 minutes, the rice should have absorbed the liquid and offer a very gentle crunch. Add a good knob of butter, a squeeze of lemon and about 75g of grated Parmesan cheese. Let this absorb for 5 minutes before adding the, now sliced, asparagus for 2 or 3 minutes until it heats right through.

Whether a supermarket, farm shop or home delivery – please shop safely. The guidelines are straight forward:

1. Only if you need to;

2. Keep your distance;

3. WASH YOUR HANDS.

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