The first time I discovered Hotel Chocolat was when my friend, fellow book worm, tea enthusiast, and impromptu hogging fest companion ND and me collapsed into a warm cosy corner of the beautiful Hotel Chocolate cafe’/ shop at Borough Market ( why not read about what we did, what we ate and discover the sights and sounds of our visit with my blog posts here?)
It was love at first taste for me and ever since I have adored the fabulously creative chocolates from Hotel Chocolat. But did you know that they also make a whole range of delicious products like spreads, drinking chocolates, pasta, pesto, sauces, and even chilli oil all infused with cocoa and chocolate? There is a whole world of both sweet and savoury dishes that can be prepared by adding an extra touch of elegance and decadence with Hotel Chocolat products.
I was sent a bottle of the Hotel Chocolat Cocoa BalsamicĀ packaged in aĀ beautiful bagĀ for review.
I made a filling, colourful wintery salad using some fresh ingredients and the result was this gorgeously delicious salad!
Here is my easy recipe for :
Pomegranate,caramelised Walnut and baby Kale salad with Hotel Chocolat Cocoa Balsamic
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
- 1 small red onion sliced lengthwise
- 5- 6 smoked ham sliced fine
- 1/2 a pack of baby kale leaves
- 1/2 a pack of baby spinach leaves
- 1 small or 1/2 a big avocado
- 2 heaped tbsp pomegranate seeds
- a small handful of walnuts
- 2 tsp heaped Gran Luchito Chilli Honey
- Generous sloshes ofĀ Hotel Chocolat Cocoa Balsamic
- 1 small juicy red tomato sliced into circular discs
- A handful of cherry tomatoes
- Smoked Austrian cheese
- 1 boiled egg
Feel free to substitute the smoked ham with shredded chicken or chicken sausages, for a vegetarian version why not add boiled baby potatoes halved instead of meat?
Method:
- In a small vessel add enough water to place the egg into to boil.
- Heat a pan on medium heat, when the pan is hot add the chilli jam and throw in the walnuts and stir with a wooden spatula to coat the melting chilli jam on the walnuts. Reduce the flame to a minimum, DO NOT allow the chilli jam to smoke or burn. The caramelised walnuts are done in under a minute. Set aside to cool.
- Remove the egg from the boiled water, and hold it under running water, when the eggshell has cooled, peel it, halve and set aside.
- Chop the red onion lengthwise, and the tomato into circular discs and halve the cherry tomatoes.
- If the baby kale and baby spinach leaves are not washed, add them to a sieveĀ and wash them under running tap water.
- Then put the leaves in a huge salad bowl and add generous sloshes ofĀ Hotel Chocolat Cocoa Balsamic.
- On a huge plate or platter place the seasoned leaves and then place the smoked ham and cheese slices.
- Then place the avocado slices, tomato discs and cherry tomato halves.
- Scatter theĀ pomegranate seeds and the caramelised walnuts on top.
- With a wooden spatula, scrape off the remaining caramelised Gran Luchito chilli honey and scatter on the salad.
- Again drizzle theĀ Hotel Chocolat Cocoa Balsamic on top of the salad and serve immediately.
The tender roasted cocoa nibs soaked in Italian balsamic vinegar, create a rounded flavour that’s fabulous withĀ avocado, tomatoes, smoked ham and smoked cheese. The caramelised walnuts and freshĀ pomegranate seeds give this winter salad a great crunch and the chilli honey plays hide and seek with your taste buds. The baby kale leaves have a mild and pleasant taste and the spinach works as the good stuff for blood purification thanks to its high iron content.
This salad is fresh, wholesome and healthy as kale is associated with a whole host of health benefits. It containsĀ Vitamin K, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, fibre and carotenoids andĀ 45 ā different flavonoids with a variety of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Now for the fabulously FESTIVE GIVEAWAY OF A GOODY BAG FROM HOTEL CHOCOLAT
One lucky winner gets a beautiful Hotel Chocolat gift bag with the following products:
- Hotel Chocolat Chilli and cocoa oil
- Hotel Chocolat cocoa pasta
- Hotel Chocolat cocoa pesto
Hotel Chocolat Chilli and cocoa finishing oil
A special recipe used by Hotel Chocolat chefs in their Boucan restaurant in Saint Lucia ā extra-virgin olive oil rounded by rich notes of cocoa nibs and beans, with a kick of red chilli. Shake to wake the chilli flakes, then drizzle and dress lightly over chicken, fish, pasta, pizza and roast vegetables. Try crushing the cocoa for some fabulous bread-dipping.
Hotel Chocolat cocoa pasta
Durum wheat penne with unsweetened cocoa, as made by chefs at our Boucan restaurant in Saint Lucia and recommended by Nigella Lawson. Ideal for adding a thrill to dishes both savoury and sweet. As used by Nigella Lawson in her chocolate pasta with caramel and pecans recipe, and Hotel Chocolat’s very own Chocolate Pasta with Pesto recipe.
Hotel Chocolat cocoa pesto
Outstanding with pasta, risotto, salad, blinis, crusty bread, cold meats or straight from the jar as a dip: rough-chopped basil, crunchy pine nuts, Italian cheese and nutty roast cocoa nibs. A favourite from Hotel Chocolat’s Boucan kitchen in Saint Lucia.
How to enter the giveaway:
You too could WIN a GOODY BAG from Hotel Chocolat PACKED with exciting products from the cocoa cuisine range, all you have to do is :
- Like myĀ Facebook page and leave your Facebook name as part of your comment.
- Follow me on Twitter ā @manjirichitnis
- Tweet out the following ā #HOTELCHOCOLATGIVEAWAY #WIN @HotelChocolat GOODY BAG with @manjirichitnis, winter salad recipe bit.ly/1smP3Kv
- Leave a comment below telling me which type of chocolates do you like most and your Facebook name used to like my FB page. I will find you on Twitter via the hashtag so itās not required for you to mention your Twitter handle in the comments. Do not share your email id in the comments, please.
Please have a read through the Terms and Conditions below:
- Winners will be picked using Random Number Generator.
- The deadline for entering this contest is 8th JanuaryĀ 2015Ā midnight GMT.
- Entry is open only to residents of the U.K except for Scotland and Ireland.
- All entrants must be 18 years old and above.
- OneĀ lucky winner will be chosen using a random number generator.
- The giveaway prize is as mentioned in the post. NeitherĀ Hotel ChocolatĀ nor I are liable for any damage to the hamper and/or its contents in transit.
- Please allow a minimum of 25 days for delivery of the prize, which may reach earlier or later. The goody bags will be sent directly by Hotel Chocolat.
- The prize is as stated: no cash alternatives are available.
- I retain the right to DISQUALIFY any entrant who does not complete all the 3 steps mentioned above.
- The winner will be notified on 9th JanuaryĀ 2015Ā Ā on Twitter by me and here on my blog post. I shall tag the winner on Twitter via their Twitter id. If you are declared as the winner you agree to allow me and Hotel Chocolat to contactĀ you via email id to arrange for the goody bagĀ to be sent out to you.
- If the winner fails to respond by 15th JanuaryĀ 2015Ā then another winner will be chosen via Random Number Generator.
CONGRATULATIONS to the LUCKY winner of this fabulous GIVEAWAY of a GOODY BAG from Hotel Chocolat PACKED with exciting products from the cocoa cuisine range !!!
AND The lucky winnerĀ is *DRUMROLLS* ā¦ā¦.
Mark Johnson – Twitter id @tubbyjpin
Please get in touch with me at fruitsnveg@yahoo.com
THANK YOU to everyone who participated and keep following my posts for more exciting competitions!
*With thanks to Hotel Chocolat and the Ā PR team for arranging theĀ fabulousĀ gifts andĀ beautifulĀ Hotel ChocolatĀ goody bag and sending me a sample of Hotel Chocolate Cocoa Balsamic for review. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.Ā ReferencesĀ Wiki & Herald Tribune.
While you are here why not have a look at the other giveaways on my blog and increase your chances of winnings cool freebies!?!
- CLOSED Win one of TWO Goody Bags from KNORR packed with 2x of EACHĀ Knorr flavour pots and stock cubesĀ to participate click here – CLOSED
- CLOSED Win aĀ box of Chef Inspirations Saveurs Du Monde Box of 16 chocolatesĀ fromĀ Godiva, to participate click here– CLOSED
- CLOSEDĀ WIN 5 delicious saucesĀ from theĀ WORLDFOODS Asian Fusion Flavour Sauces,Ā to participate click hereĀ CLOSED
Now, I was commenting on your recipe, but I’m really tempted by the chocolate pesto, so…I’m Fiona Maclean on FB and Londonunattached on Instagram (though you haven’t asked me to do anything there)…and I’ve tweeted…and I’m now VERY hungry
hahah thanks Fiona, I keep looking at the pic of my salad and feel sad that we devoured it so quickly , need to cook all over again now!
Wow, all looks absolutely delicious! My Facebook is as per my name, as is my instagram.
My favourite chocolates are any kind of truffle. YUM!
Fingers crossed š
Your salad looks colourful and delicious and your candied walnuts are a fabulous idea. I would love to win this bag of delights to carry on my savoury chocolate experiments. My favourite chocolate is a very dark milk chocolate 50-60%. I’m choclette8 on Instagram (but I’m not quite sure why you want to know that as you’ve not asked us to do anything with it). I’ve tweeted and I’m Choclette Cacao on Facebook.
Thank you Choclette for your kind compliments, we are crazy fans of Hotel Chocolat and cannot wait to experiment with all their savoury chocolate offerings! Also love Gran Luchito range and am currently adding the candied walnuts on all my salads š
I’m intrigued by the Chocolate Balsamic, how delightful. I love the salad, it looks so delicious. I like most chocolate, probably prefer dark, but good milk chocolate when I’m in the mood for it. I like white chocolate in boxes of chocs but otherwise find it too sweet. I’m FarmersgirlCook on Instagram and Janice Pattie on Facebook š
Thanks, Janice, I am very happy with the cocoa Balsamic and can’t wait to try it in more dishes that I come up with! Thanks for the follows and likes!x
I like proper chocolate so my favorite is Valhrona … the balsamic looks just divine and different
I already follow you on all channels and fb is Kellyjo Walters x
am following on twitter as @TheBeesleyBuzz. Have liked on Facebook as Rebecca Beesley and have tweeted – here is the tweet ref: https://twitter.com/TheBeesleyBuzz/status/544278669485948928
I usually love white chocolate but I’d love to try that chocolate pasta out! thanks for hosting such an awesome giveaway! x
The chocolate pesto sounds very interesting – I wish I’d known about it a week sooner, as it would have made a great birthday present for a friend. My Facebook name is Jane Willis
Ooops, forgot to say, my favourite chocolates are truffles.
Last year I had a box of Heston Blumenthal chocolates from Waitrose. They were outstanding! Wonderfully smooth chocolates with different, subtle flavours. My Facebook name is Maya Russell.
I quite like a really dark chocolate, something above 70% generally but I’m pretty much open to most chocolate as long as it’s not cooking chocolate.
Facebook: turnersbabe (Jacqueline Allum)
Champagne truffles are my favourite chocolates, liked on facebook – Natalie Gillham, and following and tweeted the message on twitter @nataliegillham š x
I like nutty chocolate, hazelnuts are my favourite
Facebook – Alice Megan
Thank you for the giveaway! I follow you on twitter as @tracyknixon, I have tweeted, and I like your Facebook page as Tracy K Nixon.
I love fudges,truffles and salted caramels the most!
Champagne truffles are my weakness! My facebook name is Jan Beal
love milk chocolate. elainehollis
Hi, I love lots of different types of chocolates. My favourites are Thornton’s continentals though. @19lottie
Hello there! I’m Kunai Shah on Facebook – I would have to say my favourite chocolate is chilli infused chocolate, a combination of my two favourite ingredients.
Thank you š
Thank you for chance to win. Tweeted as Liquorice13. Liked on Facebook as Louise Jazz Smith. I love chilli chocolate and pralines
I love Belgian milk chocolates or coffee cream chocolates I love them both equally have tweeted @chrin60 and on facebook I am Christine Northrop
I love pralines, although am very partial to a salted caramel. Am on facebook as Victoria Norri
I love salted caramel chocolate! FB name: Alica Tiggerific Hopkins š
Salted caramel chocolates are my favourites!. FB Name: Emma Locker
Wow! Cocoa pesto sounds amazing! I love pralines. Facebook = Sare Davies
I love Belgium chocs from Harvey Nichols =Sandy Smith @1Sandella
FB = Hannah LAwrence
I am loving the mulled wine chocolates at the mo
I love chilli chocolate – the heat builds so I never want to eat very much at once š
Thanks for the chance to win the lovely prize-the salad recipe above has made me very hungry will definitely give this a try.
My favorite chocolate has to be very dark 70% with sea salt.
My FB like is Tessa Davies and my twitter forcompsonly.
I love Fry’s Chocolate cream. It’s unique and there isn’t even anything close to it. My facebook name is Andrew Petrie
name is Hayley Berry. Fav choc is Fry’s mint cream
I love ferrero rochers, my facebook name is claire eadie
tubbyjpin on facebook, any dark chocolate
Mint chocolate, Facebook jules laing
I love any coffee flavoured choc – Facebook – Ste Appleton
oooo this looks fab
facebook – cathy james
chocolate any no1 chocoholic
I love toffee/caramel truffles – theyre the best!
followed on facebook as ‘faye huntington’
faye.
https://www.facebook.com/stephanie.whitehouse.73
https://twitter.com/StoodlesCom/status/552777267429269504
I like ordinary Galaxy, but it has to be warm
I love dark chocolate, chocolate with cherries in and anything with marzipan! Facebook – Emily Anne Hutchinson
love Turkish delight chocolates- reminds me of the Ice Queen in Narnia… I am rosie kohsamui dharamsi on facebook
I love dark chocolate š – sarah catherine parker
My favourite chocolates are truffles. Absolutely love them, especially Hotel Chocolat truffles, which are just so smooth and delicious.
My facebook name is Helen Aiken.
My twitter id is @GromitFan1 and here’s the link to my tweet: https://twitter.com/GromitFan1/status/553225969193201665
Great giveaway – Fingers crossed…
Facebook – Leanne Lunn My fave chocs are vienesse Truffles
Champagne truffles. Terence Raymond Lewis