Pick of the Month

There are few things in life that reward patience quite like English asparagus. For most of the year it is nowhere to be seen, leaving us to make do with lesser flavoured experiences flown from distant lands.These wonderful little spears grow in tidy rows, in unassuming fields, coaxed from the soil rather than forced, and harvested by hands that understand the difference between perfect readiness … and ruin.Chefs, of course, speak of it in reverent tones, as though discussing a fine vintage wine or a rare work of art. And perhaps they’re right to do so.

Because, when English asparagus is at its peak, sweet, grassy, impossibly fresh – it doesn’t need embellishment or theatrics. A knob of butter, a pinch of salt, and a moment of your full attention will do quite nicely.

How to cook

There’s lots of ways to cook asparagus, but we recommend:

• Steaming for 3-5 minutes
• Boil for 2-4 minutes in salted water
• Pan fry for 4-6 minutes in butter or oil
• Grill or roast for 8-10 minutes at high heat
• Air Fry 6-8 Minutes at 200c

Top tip: to finish it off, add a bit of salted butter, olive oil, lemon juice, or sea salt!  And our Garlic Mayonnaise as a dip.

Asparagus and Air Fryers – a match made in heaven:

Air fry asparagus by tossing trimmed spears in oil, salt, and pepper, then cooking at 200°C for 6–8 minutes, shaking halfway through. It results in tender, slightly crispy spears, ideal with lemon juice or Parmesan.

Having snapped off the woody end, cook in a single layer to ensure even roasting, adjusting the time based on thickness.With spicy lentils and poached egg.

Finely chop onion, celery and carrot to soften in oil before adding a 400g drained can of lentils and 2 good teaspoons of our Chilli Jam.

Cook the asparagus as above and serve with a runny egg on top, and dollop of Garlic Mayonnaise on the side.TASTY TIP: If you would like a bit of a kick from these green beauties, just drizzle a little Habanero HOT Sauce over the spears for the last two minutes of the grilling of frying – so good.

British shellfish, particularly from Scottish and Cornish waters, is worshipped by chefs for its world-class quality, freshness, and sustainability.

Renowned chefs often emphasize the importance of using local, seasonal shellfish, with many calling for a greater appreciation of these “hidden gems”.

But, there’s something quite odd playing out along the British coastline.Boats return to harbour brimming with some of the finest shellfish in the world, sweet, delicate langoustines; briny, mineral-rich clams; plump, shiny mussels, only for much of it to be boxed up, iced down, and shipped off to diners in Paris, Madrid, and beyond.

It’s not for lack of quality.British waters produce shellfish that chefs across Europe treat with near-religious reverence.

And it’s not about difficulty – a pot, a splash of wine (or cider), a knob of butter, and five minutes is often all that stands between you and something genuinely luxurious.Mussels in Mediterranean Tomato Sauce.

1. When cooking mussels (and clams for that matter) the process tends to create its own ocean-flavoured sauces. Just adding a few simple ingredients gives depth to the broth that can be served with pasta of soaked up with bread.
2. In a deep-sided pot on a gentle heat, melt a good knob of butter. Add 2 or 3 finely chopped shallots to soften before adding a couple of cloves of crushed garlic. About 5 minutes should do the trick.
3. Add a couple of diced tomatoes, chopped celery, a tin of chopped tomatoes, 125ml of dry white wine, and chopped parsley (stalks and all). Combine well, with two or three good slugs of our thick Tomato Ketchup and Chilli Ketchup to taste.
4. Add a net of mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded, discarding any that are open pre-cooking.
5. Follow the pack instructions, simmering for 8 minutes until the shells have opened – this time, discard any that have not opened.

Spaghetti Vongole

This is as Italian as it comes and, as such, has simple ingredients that marry with ease and taste amazing – rather like Stokes!

Nathan Outlaw’s passion to let the ingredients do the talking, taking a simple and respectful route to the plate, comes out in this dish.

RECIPE HEREMediterranean Fish Stew

You’ll find versions of this classic Fish Stew all along the south of France and down the Spanish coastal resorts and towns.

Basically use whatever seafood takes your fancy, including shellfish, mussels and clams.

RECIPE HERE

Mayonnaise & Fish is a match made in heaven.

Have you tried ‘mayonnaising‘? It’s the latest foodie trend for Food Lovers.

When ordinary mayo just isn’t enough, the real stuff becomes deliciously – amayonnaising.Start with the eggs. We found a producer farming high Welfare Standard British Free Range hens whose eggs are perfect and can be delivered to meet our strict criteria for hygiene and quality.

Salt – after much testing of many varieties of salt, we decided that only the best would do, from the Dead Sea. It’s natural, full of flavour yet without the harmful effects of sodium.

Oil – We add a really fine Rapeseed Oil to create the base of our Mayonnaise.

Then – for our Real Mayonnaise, we add a good drizzle (5%) of amazing Mediterranean extra virgin olive oil.

Only then are we proud enough to call it Stokes Real Mayonnaise.Garlic Mayonnaise – using just enough garlic to deliver a velvet smooth aioli-style sauce.

Juicy, sweet prawns love it – and so will you.

TIP:  Stir a spoon or two into creamy mashed potatoes for a mild garlic twist and extra smooth finish.

It makes a great ‘tip dip‘ for asparagus too.

Like a bit of chilli with your mayo? So do we, so…Habanero Chilli Mayonnaise – is a hot and spicy Mayonnaise with deep flavour from fermented Red Habanero Chilli and fragrant coriander for a real depth of flavour. All this is wrapped in our velvet smooth mayonnaise.

TIP: Try filling a half scooped out beef tomato, mix with a mixture of Habanero Chilli Mayonnaise, plain rice, chopped green peppers, spring onion, chopped parsley, and flakes of tinned tuna. It’s delicious.

It makes a great ‘tip dip‘ for asparagus too.

Unleash the Sicilian sunshine…Sicilian Lemon & Dill Mayonnaise – capture the Sicilian sunshine with this rich and fresh tasting mayonnaise, zingy with Sicilian Lemon Juice and aromatic chopped Dill.

TIP:  Serve the Sicilian sunshine as a dip with pan-fried piri-piri king prawns, or as an amazing dip with a plate of hot & spicy chicken wings, or with salt-and-pepper rings of calamari.

TIP: Use it to brighten up a sunny bowl of warm and waxy salad potatoes with chopped chives. It’s an appetising side dish with leftover roast chicken.

Guess what – it makes a great ‘tip dip‘ for asparagus too.