Casseroles & Cassoulets

Big tastes, bold Autumn suppers.

A celebration of casseroles, stews and the wonderful flavours of Autumn.

This is the season of big flavours, slow cooking and glorious ingredients. Earthy mushrooms, sweet butternut squash, carrots, parsnips and other beautiful root vegetables are at their seasonal best.Add tender beef, succulent duck or hearty sausages, a generous splash of something warming and, of course, a little help from Stokes Sauces, and you’ve all the makings of a truly memorable Autumn supper.

But here’s a question to ponder while the oven warms and the wine breathes…

Just what is the difference between a casserole and a stew?

It’s a deliciously blurred distinction, but traditionally the difference lies in how they’re cooked.

A stew is generally prepared on the hob, with ingredients gently simmering together in a rich, flavourful liquid. A casserole, meanwhile, traditionally takes its name from the deep, ovenproof dish in which it’s cooked, allowing ingredients to slowly mingle and develop their flavours in the gentle, surrounding heat of the oven.Of course, these days the two are often interchangeable. Both celebrate the magic of time, transforming humble ingredients into something quite extraordinary. And both offer that wonderful moment when you lift the lid and the kitchen fills with aromas that promise something special.Then there’s the cassoulet. Ah, now we’re talking!

Originating in the south of France, cassoulet is a magnificent, rustic, slow-cooked dish traditionally built around white beans, rich meats and deeply savoury flavours. Named after the earthenware cassole in which it was originally cooked, it’s the sort of dish that makes you want to pull up a chair, tear off a piece of crusty bread and settle in for the evening.Our Gressingham Confit Duck Cassoulet brings a little French country-kitchen indulgence to the autumn table. Rich, comforting and wonderfully satisfying.

An extra special touch is the addition of this Cranberry Sauce is packed with cranberries and finished with orange zest and a dash of port. It’s a romantic must.

You’ll find the RECIPE HERE.

And if we’re celebrating the season’s finest ingredients, we simply must talk about squash and mushrooms.Our latest Beef, Squash and Brandied Mushroom Stew brings together the sweetness of seasonal squash, the earthy richness of mushrooms flamed in brandy and the deep, savoury character of beef …  autumnal indulgence for sure.

It is everything a proper stew should be. It’s generous, warming and full of flavour.

NEW RECIPE HERE.For something equally comforting, our Hearty Sausage Casserole proves that good, honest ingredients, cooked with care and a generous helping of flavour, can create a supper that everyone looks forward to.

Be sure to use good butcher’s sausages that keep their meaty substance – the sausage is king in this simple family meal.

You’ll find the RECIPE HERE.

Now then Food Lovers, let’s not forget the magnificent mushroom.

Autumn is mushroom season, and few ingredients capture its earthy, woodland character quite so beautifully.Our Rustic Mushroom Soup is a celebration of that unmistakable flavour. Rich, warming and wonderfully comforting, it’s perfect for lunch after a crisp autumn walk, or as a delicious beginning to a leisurely supper.

Enjoy the RECIPE HERE.

The secret ingredient to all of these wholesome family recipes? A little patience. And a lot of flavour.

Perhaps that’s what makes Autumn cooking so rewarding. There’s no need to rush. Let the ingredients do their thing. Allow the flavours to deepen, the sauces to thicken and the aromas to work their magic as they spread from room to room.

We seriously believe that great food is about bringing people together, celebrating good ingredients and making every mouthful something to savour.

So, whether you’re reaching for your favourite casserole dish, dusting off the slow cooker or gently simmering something wonderful on the hob, we’ve gathered a few delicious recipes to inspire your Autumn cooking.

Four fabulous dishes. A season of wonderful ingredients. And plenty of reasons to gather around the table.

Welcome to Autumn, Stokes style.

JUST ADD … Stokes:

Because we focus on our mantra of ‘Taste Without Compromise‘ we only use the finest ingredients in our proudly premium products.

They are made to our inspired twists of traditional recipes, lovingly cooked by our passionate team.

The result … fewer Eeees, more Aaaahhs.

So, you know you can have confidence in Stokes to add fantastic natural flavours to favourite meals.

Need a little help with meal planning over Half Term? Try some of these:Naughty Nachos

Naughty, but nice – something to nibble and share for supper. Build your favourite combination, with or without chilli.

[See Andy’s Beef Brisket Chilli Nachos RECIPE HERE.]

And ‘just add’:

Burger Relish – a salsa-style rich, slightly sweet blend of red pepper, tomato, and onion, with a subtle hint of chilli. Combine it with a little Chilli Jam, to add a sweet, addictive little kick to the otherwise gentle salsa, all now oozing big flavour.DID YOU KNOW?

Tacos originated from Mexican silver miners in the 18^th century. Gunpowder was wrapped in a paper like a “taquito” and inserted into rocks before detonation.

By this time, tacos became known as the food of the working class, which included miners.

For your busy half-termers, they’re fun to make and packed with flavour.

RECIPE: Follow Chef, Andy’s recipe for a heart-warming Chilli – HERE.

But, mix ‘n’ match the flavours by topping the taco with different sauces (according to taste).  One of our stunning BBQ Sauces collection adds a little gunpowder of its own to the tacos.Now we’re thinking along the same lines, imagine what you can do with baked beans?!?

The RECIPE for this very posh Beans on Toast can be found HERE.

Truly scrumptious – but, how about a smoky background heat by adding Chipotle Ketchup. If that’s too smoky for you, give it a gentle chilli charge, using our Chilli Ketchup instead. Or, what about BBQ beans cowboys, using our Original BBQ Sauce, it’s sweet, thick, and smoky – hi ho Silver, away!This might be a good one for next weekend – guaranteed to keep the ghouls and ghosties away.

Quickly marinate your chicken wings in our Habanero HOT Sauce, then hit the chicken button on the air fryer. Check that the meat is cooked right through, the juices run clear and the skin is crispy.

Serve with sour cream, fresh limes and chopped coriander to balance the fiery, fermented Habanero chillies, that add a rich, intense depth to the tomato base and subtle but inspired fruity finish to the sauce / marinade.

RECIPE HERE.