- Food Lovers Club

Masterful Mustards

Making your own mustard is easier than you might think – it’s as simple as crushing the seeds with a liquid and adding a preserving agent such as vinegar, sugar or salt. But, of course, using one of Stokes Masterful Mustards is easier still. Enjoy our mustard musings.


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Mustard Musings

 

We’ve all read articles telling us about the health benefits of eating mustard, but for those of you with ‘cholesterol’ on your health radar … check this out.Yellow mustard is rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that help balance cholesterol. It reduces LDL (bad cholesterol) and increases HDL (good cholesterol) all helping the battle against cholesterol related cardiovascular diseases.

Dutch Mustard SoupOriginating in Groningen, Mosterdsoep or Dutch Mustard Soup is both simple and tasty (and good for you). The original recipe uses only leeks, but we take advantage of the Asparagus season and include these complementary flavours too.

You need:

  • 15ml butter
  • 5ml vegetable oil
  • 1 white onion, diced
  • 2 leeks, washed, finely sliced
  • 3 New Season British Asparagus spears
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 45ml Stokes Dijon Mustard
  • 750ml vegetable stock
  • 250ml single cream

Here’s how:

  1. Fry the onion, leek, chopped asparagus and garlic to soften it.
  2. Stir in the mustard, then add the stock and cream.
  3. Simmer for 10 minutes.
  4. Blitz the soup with a hand blender until smooth and keep it warm.
  5. Taste, season, add more mustard or other Stokes flavours if you wish.
  6. Serve and enjoy.

Mustard Inspiration:

 

Woodland Mushroom & Pancetta Strudel

 

Treat of the WeekThis is an absolute star of a recipe from resident Chef, Andy.

Crunch through the crispy filo pastry to a feast of Haricot beans, wild mushrooms and pancetta in a creamy, cheesy, Dijon Mustard sauce.

TASTY TIP

Add a bottle of Aspell’s Premier Cru Cider when building the Chicken Stock for an extra ‘wow factor‘. It really works!

Make this your Treat of the Week – HERE

Don't Blink - just enjoy.

 

Blink and you miss it. British grown Asparagus has a tiny season of just 6 to 8 weeks. So, get ready, it starts today. Get your favourite recipes dusted off, or start looking up something new.Asparagus is a precious crop with the most amazing, almost unique flavour. It should be the absolute star of the plate and cooked simply.

The Snap.

The spears will tell you where they need to break, separating the harder, woody base from the tender top end of the spear and tip. Just hold the tender end (tip) in your left hand (like a bicycle handle); with the thicker end in your right, pulling it down firmly (like a door handle) – and it will snap in just the right place.

TASTY TIP

The tender spear you cook but, don’t through the thicker end away. Bruise it with the back of a knife and use it to make delicious stock, or add it to soup like the Dutch Mustard Soup (above).

Keep it SimpleMake it the star of the show. Simply grilled, roast or steamed, seasoned and dressed with a little olive oil, perhaps Hollandaise and a poached egg.

British Asparagus

Eat it every day for 6 weeks – then wait until next Spring, and start again.

The British Asparagus Association

Only Joking

 

No choking, we’re only joking.

Q: Why did ketchup fail his final year in condiment school? A: Because he couldn’t cut the mustard.

 

My dad asked me to put some mustard on the shopping list. Now he can’t read any of it.

 

Q: Why is ketchup red? A: Because it saw the salad dressing.

 

I missed the documentary about condiments last week. Guess I’ll have to watch it on ketch up!