Food News
From refreshing apple juice complete with cocktail recipe to the best chocolates ever and a new vegetable from South America, we’ve unearthed some fabulous new food and drink products for you to try. By Delia Online’s editor Jo Hill.
Have a heart!
A new vegetable worth trying is hearts of palm which have a fairly firm texture and slight sweetness. Harvested from the soft core of cultivated palm trees in South America. High in protein, low in fat and one of your five a day, hearts of palm are used in salads, typically in the Mediterranean, in stir-fries, in pasta dishes or as a pizza topping. They can also be served on their own with, a squeeze of lemon and some black pepper. £1.98 for a 410g can from major supermarkets. For more information and to see this Tangy Feta Salad recipe, visit www.greengiant.co.uk
Red alert...
Tracklements has added a gorgeous new relish to their seasonal range: Beetroot and Horseradish. Shreds of beetroot give depth and earthy sweetness to this relish, while the horseradish adds a touch of heat. Perfectly balanced, I reckon this would be lovely with a platter of cold meats and olives, with cheeses or served alongside roast beef or smoked meats. As with all Tracklements products, the relish is made in small batches, which gives it a lovely home-made feel. £2.50 for 220g jar from delis and online at www.tracklements.co.uk
Full steam ahead!
We all know steaming vegetables, fish and chicken is the healthiest way to cook them. The Lekué has a platinum silicone steamer with a removable tray on which you can steam just about anything, even foods like omelettes that wouldn’t work in a conventional steamer, thus retaining all goodness and moisture in the process. Hugely popular in Japan, the steam case can be used either in the microwave or in the oven. I tried it out using rice and salmon, and both were perfectly cooked. There are two sizes: one for 1-2 servings; the other for 4. This would also be a great choice for someone living alone as it’s effectively one-pot steaming! From £27.50 for a regular size. Call 01254 503780 for stockists details.
Rod and Ben’s for summer...
Regular readers will know that I’ve featured Rod and Ben’s soups before, but they’re so good I couldn’t resist showcasing their new summer flavours – I particularly liked award-winning Pea & Mint, Cucumber and Dill and Smoked Haddock Chowder (fish caught off the Cornish coast is then smoked at Tregida Smokehouse). All the soups are wheat and gluten free and certainly pack a punch when it comes to flavour and goodness. Highly recommended. £3.20-£3.99 from various delis nationwide and other outlets or online at www.rodandbens.com
Apple juice from Innocent
Innocent are best known for their smoothies, but I was blown away by their new cloudy apple juice: amazingly fresh tasting it contains 8 hand-picked juicy apples and costs £1.99 nationwide. Try it in this gorgeous cocktail, Apple do Nicely (serves 6): Mash a punnet of washed fresh raspberries in a bowl using a fork. Add lots of ice cubes to a large jug then pour in a 900ml bottle of Innocent apple juice. Add the raspberry puree and a small handful of fresh, finely chopped mint to the jug and mix it all together. Serve in pretty glasses with mint sprigs to decorate.
Pasta at the double!
Two new pasta products impressed me this month: The Fresh Pasta Company has a range of wonderful hand-made, fresh filled pasta with fillings that are more exciting than the usual: Butternut Squash and Sage Tortelloni, Handmade Venison Tortelloni and Hand-made Spinach and Ricotta and Walnut Tortelloni (each one £5.99 for 250g). Find them in selected Waitrose, Ocado, Harvey Nichols, Harrods, John Lewis Food Hall, Fortnum & Mason and other fine retailers. Another, cheaper option is Giovanni Rana’s new Fresh Filled Pasta Creations: Tortellini filled with Prosciutto Crudo in tomato sauce; spinach and ricotta in basil sauce and Prosciutto Crudo in Alfredo Sauce (with peas, smoked ham and Parmigiano Reggiano shavings), each £2.99. Ready in the microwave in just four minutes, they’d make an ideal quick lunch or supper for busy people who haven’t really got time to cook. Find them in Sainsbury’s and Asda.
Chocs away...
I must admit that chocolate isn’t one of the things that gets me excited usually, but the new Dusted Truffles from Monty Bojangles were, without doubt, the best chocolates I’ve eaten in a long time: melt in the mouth, with a dusting of fine cocoa. Their slightly misshapen look just added to their appeal, giving them a hand-made air. There are new variants in the range: Spicy and Stunning Ginger, Pure and Playful Cocoa Nib and Rich and Ravishing Toasted Hazelnut, which have been added to the existing Chocolatey, Orange, Cookie, Chilli and Toffee & Salt. For me, the Spicy and Stunning Ginger was the favourite, as the hot ginger neatly cut through the richness of the chocolate. Truly sublime... find them at Waitrose, from £2.03.
New pesto for summer!
I love pesto – not only is it brilliant with pasta, but you can use it as a pizza topping, brush some over grilled salmon or chicken, use a bit in salad dressings, or brush a little over vegetables just before serving. In other words, versatility in a jar. Filippo Berio has brought out two new gorgeous pesto sauces: Tomato & Ricotta and Hot Chilli. The Tomato & Ricotta is based on a traditional Sicilian recipe, combining the sweetness of tomatoes with the creaminess of ricotta cheese, while the Hot Chilli adds a fiery element to peppers and tomatoes. £1.99 from Morrisons.
Soft options
Thirsty summer weather always sees a rise in the amount of soft drinks consumed. Several have taken my fancy: bottlegreen has a wonderful new Green Tea & Elderflower Presse (from £2.30 from supermarkets) – bottlegreen has selected the finest handpicked elderflowers and combined them with infused green tea and lightly sparkling water to create the perfect summertime drink. Cordials are another summer highlight – you can try adding them to cocktails or desserts too! I loved the new range from Five Valleys Cordials, a refreshing range of chic cordials all made from natural ingredients with no nasties. Made by a Cotswolds couple and sold exclusively in Waitrose stores, there are three cordials in the range - Apricot & Ginger, Lemon & Mint (my favourite) and Pomegranate & Rose – all perfect mixed with still or sparking water. Or they can be added to cocktails, marinades, as a cooking ingredient to fruit crumbles, or made into ice-lollies, £3.19 per bottle. You can also buy them online at www.fivevalleyscordials.co.uk
Harveys® Half Hour!
Sherry hasn’t had the most exciting image of late, which is a shame as it’s a very fine drink. Harveys Bristol Cream® is looking to redress this with the launch of Harveys® Half Hour – the idea being that busy women should take some time out to enjoy a little ‘me’ time... preferably with a glass of Harveys® in one hand! And we don’t want any old-fashioned schooners: the contemporary way to enjoy this lovely sherry made from a blend of fino, amontillado, oloroso and PX wines, is in a tumbler served over ice with a slice of orange to complement the dried fruit and toasted almond flavours. £8.80 for 75cl from supermarkets and off licences nationwide.
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