What inspires a great recipe? Let’s look at the difference between following a recipe and being inspired to create one. What ingredients combine to make a great recipe? A twist of inspiration. A shake of curiosity. A small handful of knowledge. Bringing out the very best in home cooking.
This week we’re celebrating the curiosity of cooking, the excitement of discovering fresh ingredients, and those clever little additions that turn something perfectly ordinary into something rather special.
Where do great recipes come from?
And what turns a handful of perfectly ordinary ingredients into something quite extraordinary?
Some recipes begin with a carefully considered plan. Others begin with a particularly handsome aubergine, a bargain at the butcher’s counter, or a punnet of mushrooms that simply refuses to be left on the supermarket shelf.
And occasionally, inspiration comes from opening the fridge, staring thoughtfully at the contents and wondering what on earth to do with them.
Sound familiar?
Whether you’re a professional chef creating tomorrow’s special, or an enthusiastic home cook wondering what to serve tonight, the spark of culinary inspiration can come from almost anywhere.
But, here’s the interesting bit.
Finding the ingredients is one thing. Knowing what will make them sing together is quite another.
Take our latest recipe in the Recipe Pages – Pork, Chorizo & Mushroom Casserole.
Perhaps it began with a beautiful pork tenderloin. Perhaps it was the earthy appeal of some chunky Portobello mushrooms. Or perhaps it was the thought of smoky, paprika-rich chorizo gently surrendering its delicious oils to a sizzling pan.
Individually, they’re lovely ingredients. Together, they’re promising. But add a little Stokes Dijon Mustard, a generous glug of our Chilli Ketchup, some dry cider and a touch of ‘Philly-style’ creamed cheese, and suddenly something rather wonderful happens.
The flavours find each other.
The mustard adds a gentle sharpness, the chilli brings a lively warmth, the cider provides a little acidity, and the cream cheese rounds everything off beautifully. Meanwhile, those chunky mushrooms contribute their unmistakable earthy character.
It’s not culinary wizardry. Although we’ll smile if you cook it this weekend and you all smile too.
You’ll find the NEW RECIPE HERE.
And that’s really what inspired this article.
Consider a Simple Beef Stew.
Good beef and seasonal vegetables provide the foundations, but a little Stokes Real Brown Sauce, Tomato Ketchup and Creamed Horseradish bring an entirely new dimension to the finished dish.
Or a colourful fresh Ratatouille, where ripe tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines and peppers are already doing a splendid job. And because the allotment was generous with French Beans – a handful of these too … why not!
Then, a good glug or two of Stokes Bloody Mary Ketchup with its shot of vodka and BM spices introduces another layer of flavour, bringing the whole delicious gathering together.
Enjoy the RECIPE HERE.
Then there’s the question of chilli.
No two chillies tell the same story.
A splash of Stokes Chipotle Ketchup brings a warm, smoky chilli character to a casserole, while our Chilli Ketchup offers a cleaner, brighter chilli kick.
Neither is necessarily better, I love them equally. They’re simply taking your ingredients on slightly different culinary adventures.
The taste journey is different.
This Crispy Chilli Beef is a great example of curiosity and inspiration and uses yet another variation on a chilli theme with our Sweet Chilli Sauce.
And that, surely, is the joy of cooking.
Understanding not just what ingredients taste like, but what they can do for each other.
A little sweetness to balance acidity. A touch of mustard to cut through richness. Something smoky to deepen the flavour. A squeeze of citrus to wake everything up.
Sometimes the smallest addition makes the biggest difference.
So, whether you’re browsing the farmers’ market, exploring the supermarket’s seasonal shelves or contemplating the contents of your fridge, perhaps the best question isn’t simply, “What shall I cook?”
It’s “What could I make these ingredients become?”
Because great cooking doesn’t always begin with a recipe.
Sometimes it begins with a little curiosity, a pinch of imagination and a very good sauce.
CHALLENGE:
Take a look at our most recent RECIPES HERE, and see what you might change, add, leave out to make it your own.
Inspiration, curiosity and taste – ENJOY.
We have put together a pack for foodies, full of our favourite real food sauces! 9 of some of our most popular sauces, to make your dining extra special and your dishes extra tasty!
Sometimes, a good, simple plate of food just needs a little help to make it a brilliant meal.
More often or not, it just needs a little sauce.
Our Real Brown Sauce, is our truly grownup take on a Great British Classic! Rich in date purée, black treacle & our unique blend of Persian spices. This versatile ingredient is perfect with sausages & bacon.
If you prefer brown to red, then this rich and spicy real brown sauce is just what you need.
The Great Taste award judges commented “Glossy, yet slightly gelatinous appearance. Good level of vinegar acidity and punch, date notes are certainly discernible. A good, complex brown sauce.”
Award winning Real Tomato Ketchup – it’s the star of the Stokes range!
200g of sun-ripened, juicy Mediterranean tomatoes are crammed into every 100g of this award-winning Real Tomato Ketchup, giving, it a rich, thick tomatoey flavour which makes you wonder how you hadn’t discovered it before!
Perfect with fish and chips, bangers & mash, and the great British breakfast. Also, a fantastic ingredient for your favourite recipes too like Shepherd’s Pie or Spaghetti Bolognese.
The Great Taste award judges commented ‘A very good textured ketchup. It’s smooth and glossy. There is definitely a lot of quality tomato in here.’
One of the beautifully flavoured variations on our Tommy K, is Chipotle Ketchup.
It’s a tasty twist on the classic, packed with sweet, juicy tomatoes and a smoky, spicy kick from Chipotle Chilli peppers.
Chipotle chillies are actually Jalapeños left to ripen on the plant until deep red, then smoked to create their distinctive, rich flavour. Perfect for spice lovers looking to add a little extra to their meals.
Serve with:
Turn up the heat with our Habanero HOT Sauce, our hottest ‘wee beastie‘ yet.
Habanero Hot Sauce – For those who love the heat!
This is our hottest sauce yet. Made with fiery, fermented Habanero chillies, it delivers a rich, intense depth with a very clever fruity finish.
A proud Great Taste Award winner, this exceptional sauce impressed the judges, who noted:
“A hot sauce with a delicious aroma: deep vinegar notes and fruit melange that promises much – the sweetness is delightfully perched with tangy fruitiness.”
Perfect for:
Dare to try it? 
Our BBQ Range adds so much to you food … barbecued or not.
Our Original BBQ Sauce is everything a BBQ sauce should be. Sweet, thick and smoky. Perfect to use as an accompaniment, marinade or a dipping sauce.
The Great Taste Award judges commented “A lighter-style barbecue sauce. Sweetness and smokiness are well-judged, and it has a rich, inviting colour. It lingers well on the palate. A welcome alternative to the over-punchy bbq sauces typically found on the market.”
Have a browse though all of our sauces and their tasting notes – HERE.
1. Login to your Stokes Sauces account. If you’re not yet registered, set up an account here.
2. Copy your unique referral link which can be found under the ‘Referral Coupons’ tab on your account dashboard and share with your friends.
3. When your friends visit the website and sign up for an account via your link, they will get 10% off at checkout.
4. Once your friend’s order has been processed, you’ll also receive a 10% off voucher code. This can be found under the ‘Referral Coupons’ tab on your account dashboard and valid for 3 months.
1. Copy & Share Your Link
2. Your friends can register via your link
3. You will get 10% coupon on the referral order purchase.
4. Your friend will also get a 10% discount coupon in return on Signup
