Travels for Taste

Tales of travel and food with a touch of spice

Pomegranate, caramelised Walnut and baby Kale salad

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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 Balsamic packaged in a  beautiful bag for review.

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I made a filling, colourful wintery salad using some fresh ingredients and the result was this gorgeously delicious salad!

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Here is my easy recipe for :

Pomegranate,caramelised Walnut and baby Kale salad with Hotel Chocolat Cocoa Balsamic

Manjiri Chitnis

Pomegranate, Caramelised Walnut and Baby Kale salad

5 from 13 votes
Print Recipe
Servings: 2 people
Course: Salad
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 small Red Onion sliced lengthwise
  • 5 – 6 pieces Smoked Ham sliced fine
  • 1/2 pack Baby Kale Leaves
  • 1/2 pack Baby Spinach Leaves
  • 1 Big Avocado
  • 2 tbsp heaped Pomegranate Seeds
  • 1 Samll Handful Walnuts
  • 2 tsp Chilli Honey
  • Fruity Balsamic Vinegar as per taste
  • 1 – 2 small Red Tomato sliced into circular discs
  • 1 handful Cherry Tomatoes
  • Smoked Austrian cheese
  • 1 Boiled Egg

Method
 

  1. In a small vessel add enough water to place the egg into to boil
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. Remove the egg from the boiled water, and hold it under running water, when the egg shell has cooled, peel it, halve and set aside
  5. Chop the red onion lengthwise, and the tomato into circular discs and halve the cherry tomatoes
  6. If the baby kale and baby spinach leaves are not washed, add them to a sieve and wash them under running tap water
  7. Then put the leaves in a huge salad bowl and add generous sloshes of Hotel Chocolat Cocoa Balsamic
  8. On a huge plate or platter place the seasoned leaves and then place the smoked ham and cheese slices
  9. Then place the avocado slices, tomato discs and cherry tomato halves
  10. Scatter the pomegranate seeds and the caramelised walnuts on top
  11. With a wooden spatula, scrape off the remaining caramelised Gran Luchito chilli honey and scatter on the salad
  12. Again drizzle the Hotel Chocolat Cocoa Balsamic on top of the salad and serve immediately

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?

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The tender roasted cocoa nibs soaked in Italian balsamic vinegar, create a rounded flavour that’s fabulous with avocado, tomatoes, smoked ham and smoked cheese. The caramelised walnuts and fresh 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 contains Vitamin K, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, fibre and carotenoids and 45 — different flavonoids with a variety of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

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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 – 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.

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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 :

  1. Like my Facebook page and leave your Facebook name as part of your comment.
  2. Follow me on Twitter – @manjirichitnis
  3. Tweet out the following – #HOTELCHOCOLATGIVEAWAY #WIN @HotelChocolat GOODY BAG with @manjirichitnis, winter salad recipe bit.ly/1smP3Kv
  4. 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 it’s 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 January 2015 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.
  • One lucky winner will be chosen using a random number generator.
  • The giveaway prize is as mentioned in the post. Neither Hotel Chocolat 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 January 2015  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 contact you via email id to arrange for the goody bag to be sent out to you.
  • If the winner fails to respond by 15th January 2015  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 winner is *DRUMROLLS* …….

Mark Johnson – Twitter id 

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!

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*With thanks to Hotel Chocolat and the  PR team for arranging the fabulous gifts and beautiful Hotel Chocolat 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. References 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 EACH Knorr flavour pots and stock cubes to participate click here – CLOSED
  • CLOSED Win a box of Chef Inspirations Saveurs Du Monde Box of 16 chocolates from Godiva, to participate click here– CLOSED
  • CLOSED WIN 5 delicious sauces from the WORLDFOODS Asian Fusion Flavour Sauces, to participate click here CLOSED

Easy three peppercorn Baked fish recipe, Knorr Giveaway – Closed

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After the masterclass with Master Chef Marco Pierre White, where he cooked us steak in Knorr Beef stock cube and served it with a creamy three peppercorn sauce – I was hooked onto the taste of the Knorr three peppercorn flavour pot. This mix of 3 peppercorns will add a depth of flavour to your dishes. Whether used in a straightforward steak sauce or a luxury pork stroganoff, this little pot will instantly add a touch of indulgence to your meal.

Unilever has agreed to Giveaway TWO lucky winners a chance to WIN one of TWO goody bags PACKED to the brim with Knorr flavour pots and stock cubes. These stock pots have been created by Chef Cameron Healy who is part of a team of dedicated professional chefs, based at Knorr Headquarters, who work together to develop Knorr’s culinary creations, with good food, convenience and innovation as the main thought process behind these products.

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As you know by now I love seafood and I simply cannot resist buying fresh fish. Last week on my way home from work I saw fresh herring at the supermarket and just had to bring home some for dinner. I wanted a very light quick and easy fish dish which I could have with a heavy creamy soup so I rustled up this easy baked fish. Since we were already going to consume a creamy soup I wanted to avoid using single cream to make any gravy sauce.

This baked fish recipe is a super quick and easy meal idea with very few ingredients and makes for a delicious meal. Served with a fresh leafy baby kale and cherry tomato salad it makes a refreshingly light choice. No oil is used in this dish and though the butter is 2 tbsp it is the only thing that you will add other than the flavour pot. Besides Herring are very high in the long-chain Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, they are also a source of vitamin D.

A low – calorie meal for two readies in under 25 minutes – can it get any better? Think not!

I have used the Knorr three peppercorn flavour pot that was in my goody bag which all loggers received at the end of a day packed with masterclasses spent at the Unilever headquarter in the U.K at Leatherhead.

If you love cooking with the flavour of fresh herbs and spices, but prefer the convenience of dried, Knorr flavour pots allow you to create delicious meals infused with aromatic and fresh flavours in no time at all AND with the very same convenience that dried products offer.

Knorr three peppercorn Baked fish recipe

Manjiri Chitnis

Easy three peppercorn Baked fish

Print Recipe
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 whole Herrings fresh – with the head and tail removed
  • 1.5 Three peppercorn flavour pots
  • 1 Large Red Onion finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp heaped Butter
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 4 cloves Garlic finely chopped
  • Smoked sea salt as per taste

Method
 

  1. Pre – Heat the oven to 180 °C. Keep the butter out so that it is not straight from the fridge
  2. Wash the herring fish under running tap water. I asked the fishmonger to slit it through the middle and clean it from the inside for me after removing the head and the tail
  3. Place the fish on baking parchment in a baking tray and sprinkle liberally with Maldon smoked sea salt
  4. Wrap the parchment to make a neat parcel
  5. Bake the fish in the oven for 20 minutes at 180 °C
  6. Meanwhile, heat a heavy-bottom pan on medium heat
  7. When the pan is at add 2 heaped tbsp of butter
  8. Add in the bay leaf and then finely chopped onion and finely chopped garlic with skins
  9. Then add in the Knorr three peppercorn flavour pots and cook until the onion has gone soft
  10. Once the fish has been baked, remove from the oven and allow for the steam to escape
  11. When you can hold the fish in your hand without scalding remove the skin which should come of pretty easily and remove the bone, it comes straight off which is great, one clean sweep. Don’t worry if the fish falls apart, it will still taste amazing!
  12. Plate each fish onto 2 plates
  13. Place the onion onto the fish and serve with baby kale and chopped cherry tomatoes. If you wish to sprinkle some sea salt on the salad leaves
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WIN one of TWO goody bags PACKED to the brim with Knorr flavour pots and stock cubes

Each GOODY BAG from KNORR contains :

  • 2 x Mexican Flavour Pot
  • 2x Garden Herbs Flavour Pot
  • 2 x Paprika Flavour Pot
  • 2x Ginger and Lemongrass Flavour Pot
  • 2x Curry Flavour Pot
  • 2x Garlic Flavour Pot
  • 2x Mixed Chillies Flavour Pot
  • 2x Fish Stock Cube
  • 2x Pork Stock Cube
  • 2x Ham Stock Cube
  • 2 x Chicken Stock Pot
  • 2 x Beef Stock Pot
  • 2 x Veg Stock Pot
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How to enter the giveaway:

You too could WIN ONE of TWO of these GOODY BAGS from KNORR PACKED with exciting products from the flavour pots and stock sauces range, all you have to do is :

  1. Follow me on twitter – @manjirichitnis
  2. Like my Facebook page and leave your Facebook name as part of your comment.
  3. Follow me on Instagram
  4. Tweet out the following –  with 1 of 2 GOODY BAGS with Flavour Pots & Stock Cubes, Baked fish recipe
  5. Leave a comment below telling me which is your favourite herb, your Facebook name used to like my FB page, your Instagram handle. I will find you on twitter via the hashtag so it’s not required for you to mention your twitter handle in the comments. Do not share your email id in the comments, please.
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Please have a read through the Terms and Conditions below:

  • Winners will be picked using Random Number.
  • Deadline for entering this contest is 15th January’ 2015 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.
  • Two lucky winners will be chosen using a random number generator.
  • The giveaway prize is as mentioned in the post. Neither Knorr or I am liable for any damage of hamper and / or contents in transit.
  • Please allow a minimum of 15 days for delivery of the prize, which may reach earlier or later. The goody bags will be sent directly by Knorr.
  • 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 16th January’ 2015  on Twitter by me and here on my blog post. I shall tag the 2 winners on Twitter via their twitter ids. If you are declared as the winner you agree to allow me and Knorr to contact you via email id to arrange for the goody bag to be sent out to you.
  • If the TWO winners fail to respond by 18th January’ 2015   then other winners will be chosen.

*With thanks to Unilever and the Knorr PR team for arranging the fabulous gifts for the two goody bags. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own. References Wiki.

While you are here why not have a look at the other giveaways on my blog and increase your chances of winnings cool freebies!?!

  • Win one beautiful Hotel Chocolat gift bag with fabulous cocoa cuisine products, to participate click here.
  • CLOSED Win a box of Chef Inspirations Saveurs Du Monde Box of 16 chocolates from Godiva, to participate click here– CLOSED.
  • CLOSED Win 5 delicious sauces from the WORLDFOODS Asian Fusion Flavour Sauces, to participate click here – CLOSED.
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Low calorie, baked white fish, ready in under 30 minutes

In the Knorr kitchen with Master chef Marco Pierre White

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Unilever – a name synonymous with some of the best and biggest brands , is headquartered in London at Leatherhead and I was invited a few weeks ago to spend an entire day exclusively in the Unilever kitchen cooking up a storm with some of the most amazing brands  in the food and drinks industry with a series of Masterclasses.

I arrived at the Leatherhead office on a rather grey and chilly October morning and since I managed to reach on time inspite of a massive delay on the SW trains and just before some major traffic signal issue threw the tube network off balance at the peak morning rush hour , I spent some time waiting in the beautiful lounge and gazing around. The fact that I was sitting in the very building where many brilliant minds conceptualise and give us brands like P.G Tips which are a part of our everyday lives lent a sense of admiration and awe to my thoughts.

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When the other bloggers arrived I was glad to see some familiar and friendly faces – Heidi from Heidi’s Kitchen Talks and Fiona of London Unattached . It’s always makes me very happy to meet in person  bloggers whose blogs I regularly visit and feel as if I already know – like Dom from Belleau Kitchen.

To kick start the day , we sat down to a very engaging and interesting session with Tea Expert – Jane Pettigrew. Of course we were served this lavish spread before the session and after much of crunching and munching we got onto some tea tasting.

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Now we are all familiar with the cute P.G Tips talking monkey and his friend Al who have been regaling us with some rather hilarious adverts on the telly for a while now, but are you aware of the vast range of teas available with P.G.Tips? Also, did you know that drinking Tea regularly helps keep cholesterol levels low?

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For all green tea aficionados – here’s a fab tip from Jane – Green Tea is best brewed at 80 C because adding boiling water will make the tea taste bitter. Useful tip knowing this, knowing that green tea has many health benefits – it helps cleanse the kidneys aids weight loss and is great for keeping age related diseases at bay.

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We tasted several teas including the new P.G.Tips range of fruity, herbal and green teas.

With a sudden flurry of activity the room was abuzz with an electric energy and the very charming and rather famous Master Chef – Marco Pierre White was in the kitchen with us. Gasps and silent whispering later we gathered around as he showed us how to cook the perfect steak and took us through a taste test. Steak which was rubbed with just sea-salt and pepper and steak rubbed a little olive oil and a Knorr Beef Stock Cube. Opinions for the which tasted the best strongly leaned in favour of the ones flavoured with the Knorr stock cube due to it’s rich meaty taste with well balanced herbs and spices.

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Then Chef Marco made a rich, creamy sauce using my favourite Knorr 3 peppercorn flavour pot and a whole bottle of Worcestershire sauce, which paired with the perfectly cooked steaks seasoned with Knorr Beef Stock Cubes went down a real treat.

We were then given workstations and assigned the task of cooking up one main dish in pairs. Fiona and me had to cook up a curried parsnip soup and flavour it using the versatile Knorr vegetable stock cubes. I must say that it was only when the masterchef stepped in to take over that the soup actually turned out really amazing…well, no shame in admitting that the Masterchef knows best right? 🙂

This is one picture that I am going to really treasure forever!

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The charisma of this great personality filled the room with an unmistakable electric energy. And yet inspite of his obvious charm he came across as very humble and very real as he shared his experiences of working in a professional kitchen at the very start of his star studded career.

The other bloggers made Bruschetta with fresh tomatoes and Knorr Mixed herb flavour pot, a simple bolognese sauce and Risotto al Funghi – all using various Knorr flavour pots and sauces.

As you can see they also had great fun posing;)

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After a fabulous lunch sharing the food we had prepared together we then had a baking masterclass with Stork expert baker Sue Batty. We made fluffy cupcakes and Sue gave us complete rein to let our imagination run wild with the toppings and flavourings. The end result of course was a combination of colourful and delicious cupcakes.

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After we were given goody bags stuffed to the gills we were dropped off to the station, bringing to an end a fabulous day packed with masterclasses, cooking with a masterchef, getting excellent tips from a tea and baking experts.After a  rainy and chilly journey back home I enjoyed my evening cuppa with not one but 2 cute P.G.Tips company as Fiona’s monkey decided to come home with me. As you can see from the picture below, both of these naughty monkeys tried to sabotage my cuppa;)

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Keep an eye out the cute limited edition monkey available with certain packs of P.G.Tips – I want to collect them all!

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*With thanks to Master Chef Marco Pierre White, Tea Expert Jane  Pettigrew, Baking Expert Sue Batty ,Unilever and the entire PR team for a fabulous day out. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own. 

 

 

 

Muscadet-Sèvre et Maine from Roberson Wines – A review

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Muscadet-Sèvre et Maine is a French white that defies convention. It is named after the characteristic of the grape variety used to make this wine –  melon grape variety which has ‘wine with a musk-like taste’ , unlike other French Wines which all get their names after their growing regions.

I was sent a bottle of this fine French wine by Roberson Wines for review. Intrigued by the words Sur Lie on the label I did a bit of reading up and found that it is the French expression for “on the lees.” lees is the coarse sediment, which consists mainly of dead yeast cells and small grape particles that accumulate during fermentation. Wine makers believe that certain wines benefit from being aged sur lie.

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These wines have a creamy, yeasty flavor and a touch of carbon dioxide which gives a slight prickling sensation on the tongue.

Both hubster and me liked the wine for its light and crisp taste and found it a great companion to our seafood starter for the evening – a light prawn pan fry with white onions.

I would highly recommend this white wine to those looking for a light fresh white with hints of citrus to pair with seafood, vegetable stir fries or when you simply want easy drinking – fuss free yet something that will sit well at a party table or for a quite dinner for two.

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*With thanks to Roberson Wines . No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own. References Wiki and Kens Wine Guide.

Reblochon Cheese, Onion, Swiss Chard and Mushrooms Tart

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I had been eyeing this beautiful red Swiss Chard at the Chapel market on a street vegetable vendors stall for days and today I finally managed to buy myself a bunch of these beauties.

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I also purchased a gorgeous beefsteak tomato, chestnut mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, sweet baby carrots, 2 avocados,and guess what ?All this booty came at £6.50 only ,woohoo! Totally amazing right, beautiful fresh ingredients purchased from a very friendly lady from a bustling vibrant market over lunch hour – I mean what more could I ask for ?

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Since it was Thanksgiving on Thursday, a treat was in order and with my beautiful vegetable bounty a vegetable tart smothered in cheese was what I would be making! I was sent a lovely french cheese to sample a few days back and it was begging to be used , perfect!

I was sent Reblochon de Savoie AOC, which is an artisanal cheese from the Haute-Savoie and Val d’Arly region. Reblochon was the first of the 46 AOC cheeses in France to receive that stamp of quality in 1958. It contains only 22% fat which makes it as light or lighter than other cooked pressed cheeses including Gruyère or Emmental. Reblochon is packaged individually by the producer, it is placed onto a thin spruce-wood board, thus regulating its moisture content and allowing it to mature.

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Autumnal swiss chard which I have used in my recipe  is rich in vitamins A,K and C and is also rich in minerals, dietary fiber, and protein. All parts of the chard plant contain oxalic acid. Packed with good stuff this tart is!

Manjiri Chitnis

Cheese, Onion, Swiss Chard and Mushrooms Tart

Print Recipe
Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 block Cheese – I used Reblochon
  • 320 Grams Ready made Puff Pastry
  • 4 Medium sized Eggs
  • 5 leaves Swiss Chard
  • 8 Chestnut Mushrooms
  • 3 stalks Spring onions
  • 1 medium-sized Red Onion
  • 2 tbsp heaped Chilli Honey
  • 5 – 6 slices Beefsteak Tomato
  • 2 small Potatoes
  • 1.5 tsp Red chilli flakes
  • 1.5 tsp Garlic puree
  • 2 cloves Garlic finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil
  • Salt to taste

Method
 

  1. Peel the potatoes, slice them wafer-thin
  2. Heat 2 tsp of olive oil on a pan and place the potato slices of the pan, brown on each side till they are really crisp
  3. Chop the red onion fine and cut the spring onion as fine as possible
  4. Roughly cut the mushrooms into chunks
  5. In a small saucepan add 1 tsp of olive oil , when the oil is hot add the chopped red onion & spring onions and when they begin to sweat add in the mushrooms
  6. Cook on a medium flame till the onions turns a nice light brown colour and add in the chilli honey
  7. The heat from the pan will create the perfect environment for the honey to melt just enough to coat the onion and the mushroom and impart a fabulously warming sweet and hot flavour
  8. Place the puff pastry on a baking tray lined with baking parchment
  9. Add the onion and mushroom mixture on the puff pastry
  10. Then add the roughly chopped swiss chard leaves, season with some sea salt
  11. Place the slices of beefsteak tomato on the top
  12. Scoop out the nutty and delicious cheese from the rind with a spoon and scatter it onto the chard and tomato slices
  13. Beat the eggs in a bowl and add some sea salt and red chilli powder as per taste
  14. Whisk the eggs with a fork till they foam so as to aerate them
  15. Pour the egg mixture onto the chard and tomatoes
  16. Pre-heat the oven to 200° C
  17. Place the baking tray into the pre-heated oven
  18. Bake the savoury tart for 35minutes, for the first 15 minutes at 150° C and then at 180° C – 200° C
  19. The egg and cheese mix will cook and release a beautiful aroma which will just rush through when you get the tart out of the oven
  20. Place the crispy potato slices on top and if you wish scatter a few chopped nuts on the top for added crunch

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I really liked the texture of the cheese and the floral, nutty and herbal flavours it imparts to this gorgeous vegetable laden tart which reflect its Alpine provenance.

Serve the tart with fruity red wines such as those made with Gamay or Pinot Noir grapes, or a lively and refreshing white such as Chasselas which complement the cheese.

*With thanks to Reblochon for sending me a sample of their delicious artisanal cheese for review. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Vin Chaud – Hot French Mulled Wine with Red Wine

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Last week Sunday was mostly grey and rainy , but I wasn’t feeling blue about the weather, I spent the day mostly curled up with a good book watching Netflix with the hubster around. We also decided that since it was the day the lights went on at Regent’s street it was the perfect day to get out the ladder and reach for the large brown carton which contains amongst other odds and ends our plastic Christmas tree neatly folded and wrapped, all our precious baubles and ….the neatly wrapped bundle of lights…..

As the crowds gathered around to watch the lights go on at Regents Street around 3pm, as hubster was gently snoring away after a rather delicious (if I may say so myself) meal of fried king fish, red lentil curry and rice, I decided that it was perfect time to take stock of what was in my store cupboard and check on my dried fruits which are now steeping in a rather rich alcohol base – ready for the day I will make the Christmas pudding. It was then that I found a beautiful tin with 2 packets of gorgeous spices to make Mulled wine, which was part of my goody bag given during July at the Christmas Show by waitrose.

There is something absolutely magical and heartwarming about opening a packet of spices , it is like flipping through an old album, happy memories of holidays spent with family , turkey carved, gifts unwrapped on Christmas morning….. all seem to come tumbling out of my blue tin spice jar which has a picture of Santa pulling his sleigh along the snow. The light brown tightly curled cinnamon sticks and hard dried orange sitting amongst deep red dried berries and fragrant cardamom… like a bouquet of aromas…

Waitrose Cellar had sent me a case of carefully picked red wines to let me experiment and come up with a recipe for mulled wine, from a country of my choice and taking inspiration from their Mulled wine page .They have a beautiful collection of recipes for mulled wines from around the world.  They also sent as part of the case a bottle of wine that was mulled by their team of wine experts.

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I remembered reading a recipe for Vin Chaud  or Hot French Mulled Wine on  David Lebovitz’s blog long ago and I knew I wanted to pick this French version of mulled wine and create it using the red wine – Marqués de Calatrava Organic Selecci´on Reservada Tempranillo from my wine case sent by Waitrose. Priced at £8.99 it is described as having notes of juicy strawberry with subtle spices and vanilla. This  fruity red made from Tempranillo grapes grown in the La Mancha region. It is a medium to full-bodied wine with a rich palate. It sounded apt for making Vin Chaud as it would marry well with the ginger and pepper required in the recipe used by David Lebovitz, which was inspired by a recipe Food52 cookbook. He has very rightly mentioned that adding cinnamon into the Vin Chaud which is actually made with white wine, overpowers the taste of the other warming spices in the hot French mulled wine.

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I also found another recipe for Vin Chaud by Rebecca Franklin a French food expert on about.com and it recommends the addition of cinnamon and cognac –  now Cognac –  I am a huge fan of. Friends who know me well, tire of my boring old way of almost always ordering a large peg of cognac with hot water when we go out during winter season. It’s just something to do with the rich, strong ,smooth and warm drink sipped slowly that warms my blood ,like a mini warm toasty log-fire inside my body, an internal thermostat of sorts…  🙂

So I decided to use combine both the recipes and both hubster and me are really satisfied with the end result. So much so that we ended up greedily pouring ourselves a more than generous portion of the Vin Chaud to perilous after effects which involved both us falling fast asleep while the tv played a few episodes of Breaking Bad to no one in particular – humm

Note to self – do not guzzle wine on an empty stomach especially Vin Chaud made with a large ‘splash’ of Cognac added in….

This warm festive mulled wine infused with hot spices and spiked with Cognac, honey and pepper is a great choice for serving at Christmas Parties and for sipping on co during cold, winter evenings – imagine drinking this fab French mulled wine in the dead of winter when you have just stepped in after braving the wretched winter winds , as the heating and warm socks work their effect on the outside, the hot wine induces a sense of warmth and festivity within – no one will judge you if you do go a bit overboard…

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Vin Chaud – Hot French Mulled Wine

Manjiri Chitnis

Vin Chaud – Hot French Mulled Wine with Red Wine

Print Recipe
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: French
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Bottle Red Wine – I used Marqués de CalatravaOrganic Selecci´on Reservada Tempranillo
  • 3 Pods Cardamom
  • 3 Cloves
  • 2 slices Ginger
  • 1 Star Anise
  • 60 ml Cognac ie. 1/4 cup
  • 1 Dried orange slice
  • A generous sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper

Method
 

  1. Pour the red wine into a saucepan add in all the ingredients and simmer over the lowest setting on your hob
  2. Keep stirring and do not allow the wine to boil
  3. Heat until the wine begins to bring up steam
  4. Strain using a sieve or a cheesecloth-lined funnel
  5. Pour into glasses and enjoy the warm, spicy mulled wine

Serves:6

Ingredients:

  •  1 bottle of Marqués de Calatrava Organic Selecci´on Reservada Tempranillo
  • 3 cardamom pods
  • 3 cloves
  • 2 slices ginger
  • 1 whole star anise
  • 1/4 cup i.e 60ml Cognac
  • 1 dried orange slice
  • a generous sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper
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I do hope this festive Hot French mulled wine warms the cockles of your heart this winter. Cheers!

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Inspired to try your hand at some fun cocktails at home? Why not have a look at my other recipes below:

*With thanks to Waitrose Cellar . No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own. Thanks to David Lebovitz for his inspiring post on Vin Chaud.

Festive Hot Chocolate Vodka Martini with chilli Cocktail Recipe

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A girl needs a good Martini at times and I like mine with Vodka rather than the classic gin, although there are times I would be found sipping on a Gin based Martini too. My recipe for Festive Hot Chocolate Vodka Martini with chilli,  is sure to be an instant hit at your cocktail parties and your friends and family are going to beg for more so stock up on the ingredients and learn to shake that cocktail with some style aka Tom cruise from the flick Cocktail!

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House of Fraser sent me a very elegant set of 4 Pied e Terre Martini glasses  with REAL GOLD spiral detailing ,yes you heard that right , for review , so a Chocolate Martini was in order.I do have a large bottle of Smirnoff Vodka Martini but this Martini recipe had to be special and befitting these rather special martini glasses.

Hubby was equally excited to contribute towards this fab Martini evening I planned for a lazy Sunday with some friends, so when I sent him out to buy Vanilla flavoured Vodka he came back with a beautiful bottle of M&S ”HOT” Chocolate Vodka with chocolate flavouring and a hint of chilli for warmth – Perfect!

It’s often by such happy coincidences that something really fabulous can be conjured. I have been using rather sparingly the Baileys Chocolate Luxe Limited Edition Creamy Irish liqueur which I purchased at the Chocolate Festival in April this year.And just like an opportunity to experiment with the liqueur has presented itself – aha!

So folks before I share the recipe for my Festive Hot Chocolate Vodka Martini with chilli  served in the Pied e Terre Martini glasses with REAL GOLD sprial detailing, let me bestow upon you – my unsuspecting readers my newfound knowledge about chocolate liqueurs acquired after spending  a few hours browsing the net and harassing several people including a very sweet gentleman who makes a living mixing drinks.This will ensure that you do not endure the angst that poor hubster and I experienced, as we searched high and low for Crème de cacao before realising that a creamy chocolate liqueur can be used instead and gives a creamy consistency to the martini which the Crème de cacao does not. Crème de cacao was not to be found on supermarket shelves and believe you me, we went into most of the big ones, they are available to buy online though – but that for me amounts to hassle and a longer wait than just grabbing whats on the shelves ,right ?

Since Crème de cacao can be replaced by the chocolate liqueur and I had the Baileys Chocolate Luxe Limited Edition Creamy Irish liqueur , I was quite relieved. Or else I would have had to either order the Crème de cacao online or spend ££ on Godiva’s Chocolate liqueur which does sound so very sinfully delicious ummm

A bit about the Pied e Terre Martini glasses with REAL GOLD spiral detailing – these sophisticated glasses are available to buy from House of Fraser and are rather reasonably priced at £30 for a set of 4, they surely make for a fabulous gift idea for the festive season or any special anniversary or birthday or simply to spoil a martini lover.

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Festive Hot Chocolate  Vodka Martini with chilli recipe

Manjiri Chitnis

Festive Hot Chocolate Vodka Martini with chilli recipe

Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings: 2 drinks
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 75  ml  Chocolate Irish Cream Liqueur
  • 120 ml Chocolate Vodka
  • Powdered Lindt Chilli chocolate for rimming
  • Shavings of Lindt Chilli chocolate for garnishing
  • Ice

Equipment

  • 1 Cocktail shaker

Method
 

  1. Wash, wipe dry the Martini glasses and place them facedown on a kitchen roll with the powdered Lindt Chilli chocolate to line the rim of the glass
  2. Place these lined-rim glasses to chill in the freezer
  3. Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with the ice cubes
  4. Shake vigorously
  5. Strain into chilled martini glasses lined with Hershey’s chocolate syrup
  6. Garnish with Shavings of Lindt Chilli chocolate to get the extra chilli kick going

Notes:

  • 1 ounce = 29.5 ml approx half a peg
  • 1 peg = 60 ml
  • I used Baileys Chocolate Irish Cream Liqueur, you can use any supermarket brand
  • I used M&S ”HOT” Chocolate Vodka with chocolate flavouring and a hint of chilli
  • You can substitute any chocolate of your liking instead of the ones I used
  • You can also experiment with using any other type of Vodka to make this cocktail, there are many flavoured Vodka’s now available and it is also easy to add in spices to flavour your vodka.
  • If you really want to up your game with flavouring spirits then add your slection of herbs and spices and infuse plain vodka in glass bottles and leave them to soak in all the flavours for a few mont
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Enjoy with friends and family for a fabulous festive feast guaranteed to satisfy ANY chocolatey cravings !

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Inspired to try your hand at some fun cocktails at home? Why not have a look at my other recipes below:

*With thanks to House of Fraser for a complimentary set of 4 Pied e Terre Martini glasses with REAL GOLD spiral detailing. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

*Recipe inspiration from Cocktail expert Colleen Graham’s recipe and  Murrye Bernard’s recipe.

Indian Masala Egg Omelette

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Weekend mornings demand a good breakfast, especially if you have had a tad too much wine on Friday evening 😉

I love making a simple Indian omelette and my dinner guests who stayed with us for the night, last Friday, had to be fed a hearty breakfast before they set out to go home. Like my aai I am obsessed with feeding people and cannot imagine sending off guests on an empty stomach.

Luckily, now that I am part of the Happy Eggs Taste 100 Blogger network a  #happyeggtastemakers, I had 2 boxes of these lovely Happy eggs at home, red onion or the Mumbai pink onion which I buy from my fav Indian-Pakistani grocery store and loads of frozen coriander.

Egg Recipes from Travelsfortaste
EgEh

This is a very basic recipe for the Indian masala omelette- with a bit of twist , added in my me . I also love adding in cheese and bulking it up with ham or sausages which I did for my guests, but hubster is a purist of sorts when it comes to the masala omelettes (read fussy hehehe) and so made 2 huge omelettes , one using the recipe that follows and another with the cheese, sausages and Parma Ham – so… so… so… good !!

Indian Masala Omelette

Manjiri Chitnis

Indian Masala Egg Omelette

Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1 medium – sized Red onion or Pink Mumbai onion chopped fine
  • 3 medium – sized Eggs
  • 2 Green chillies chopped into fairly large chunky pieces- easy to pick out for the faint hearted!
  • A pinch of Turmeric Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Red Chilli Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Garam Masala
  • 1 tbsp Finely Chopped Fresh Coriander (Cilantro) Leaves
  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • Salt to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Pan
  • 1 Chopping Board
  • 1 Knife
  • 1 Whisk / Fork

Method
 

  1. Finely chop the red onion
  2. Chop the green chilli into fairly big pieces sothey can be picked out by those that don't want to chew on them
  3. Crack the eggs into the bowl
  4. Add in the chopped onions, green chilli chopped,red chilli powder, turmeric and salt. Whisk with a fork till the mixture foams and is well aerated , this will give you a beautifully 'fluffy' omelette
  5. Then add the chopped coriander and mix again
  6. I add in the turmeric as it has loads of healthbenefits – it has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strongantioxidant, and our guest who do not consume turmeric on a regularbasis loved the idea
  7. Now add in the cheese – torn roughly if it using acheese single or crushed if using a soft cheese or crumbly cheese, sausages andParma Ham. Lightly beat the egg mixture once more with a fork to mix well
  8. Place a big pan on medium heat and when it beginsto heat up melt the butter
  9. When the butter begins tosizzle and pan resembles what you see in the image then it's the right time toadd the egg mixture
  10. Move the pan around so that the mixture spreadsevenly and cook on a low flame for about 2 minutes
  11. When the omelette leaves the sides of the pan ,slightly lift it with a wooden spatula and check , if it has browned it's time to flip it over. You can tell by the aroma wafting around too
  12. With a big wooden spatula gently flip over and cookon the other side, I place a lid over my pan at this stage to trap the steam and it also gives me a really fluffy omelette, of course it will fall flat if you don't serve immediately
  13. Once done, turn off the heat and cut in half using a wooden spatula. Fold and place in between hot buttered toast for a fabulous breakfast
Masala Egg Omelette

Notes

Additional Ingredients that can be added in to bulk up this delicious Indian Masala omlette:

  • Sliced mushrooms, button mushrooms go really well with this recipe
  • A sliced cheese single, ideally Cheddar, I also love adding in cheese that comes flavoured with garlic and/or chilli flakes
  • 2 Pork sausages
  • 2 thin slices of Parma Ham
  • Adding the garam masala is something I like to do as it gives the omelette a fabulous amped up flavour but feel free to leave that out if you aren’t a fan
Masala Anda Omelette recipe by Travelsfortaste
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An Indian masala omelette, served at breakfast with hot buttered toast and hot cups of masala chai, I think is a breakfast fit for a king – Made better with Happy Eggs I say!

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I am so egg-cited to be part Happy Eggs Taste 100 Blogger network, they  sent  me this beautifully packaged cute box with a massive chocolate cookie made using Happy Eggs and a lovely picture of the latest campaign – Top of The Flocks – where Happy Eggs produced an original album of classical music following a study by the University of Bristol looking at the positive benefits of music on hens.The results showed that Happy Hens prefer Bach to Beyonce – they have refined taste these hens! Happy Hens produced 6% more eggs in nest boxes playing classical music compared to pop! Awesome or what?! – always good to know where your eggs are coming from isn’t it?!

Ahem… as you can that by the time I actually got around to taking a photo of the welcome kit , hubster and me had managed to devour most of the cookie …well , don’t blame us  – it was soo yum!

Egg recipes from travelsfortaste

Well a new year and a new beginning and with tomorrow being the first day for getting back to work, I will be making us egg omlettes and devouring them with freshly ground coffee and buttery toast – after all Monday mornings are never kind especially in the winter and more so after a long break!

Make Ahead – perfect for a make ahead style breakfast, this mixture can store in the fridge very easily.

Linking my savoury Indian Masala egg omelette recipe with the monthly link up at Belleau Kitchen for the Simply Eggcellent recipe link-up – love the name!

Also linking up with #BrilliantBreakfasts at Made with Pink blog by Andrea, for I think without a doubt a masala omelette makes a darned good breakfast!

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*With thanks to Happy Eggs for taking me on as part of their Exclusive Blogger Network and  for a complimentary voucher sent with their cute welcome pack . No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Indian Masala Omelete

WHY NOT TRY MY OTHER RECIPES WITH EGGS AS THE STAR INGREDIENT?

I VISISTED A BUSY EGG FARM WHERE HENS ROAM IN RURAL ENGLAND, HAVE A READ AND BROWSE THROUGH SOME PICTURES FOR A VIRTUAL TOUR

Behind the scenes at an Egg Farm

Kadhai Chicken Masala

by 116 Comments

As the nights close in, Indian comfort food tops my list of things I crave. And nothing spells comfort food louder than a warming curry and some rice with some spicy kebabs on the side. The problem is when these craving hit mid-week and I am simply too exhausted to make elaborate meals. That’s when I turn to my store cupboard for some help.

Loyd Grossman has come up with a new Limited Edition Mint Masala gravy sauce which I was sent to review along with some delicious naan , a bottle of Chicken Tikka Masala and boil in the bag Basmati rice all packaged in this beautiful box !

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I wanted to create something easy to make using the Mint Masala Gravy sauce and came up a recipe for Minty Chicken Masala Kadhai  – best served with some buttery warm naan!

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Manjiri Chitnis

Kadhai Chicken Masala

5 from 13 votes
Minty Kadhai Chicken in a delicious masala
Print Recipe
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Fusion Indian
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 450 grams Diced chicken breast
  • Loyd Grossman Limited Edition Mint Masala
  • 1 medium-sized red onion
  • 2 tsp Umami paste
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 2 Dried Kashmiri red chillies
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp Butter for the naans
  • 1 tbsp Oil
  • 2 Sprays Oil for greasing the griddle pan
  • 1 Boiled egg
  • 1/2 Red onion sliced lengthwise to serve with the naan

Equipment

  • Pan
  • Knife and chopping board

Method
 

  1. Wash and cut the chicken breasts into cubes
  2. Coat the chicken with 300 gm of the Lloyd Grossman Limited Edition Mint Masala for about 30 minutes
  3. The yoghurt in the Mint Masala speeds up the way the spices are absorbed into the chicken
  4. Chop the red onion fine
  5. Heat the oil in a saucepan and when it is hot add the bay leaves and red chillies and sauté till the bay leaf begins to change colour, then add the onions.
  6. Sauté the onions till they turn pink and reduce
  7. Then add some of the umami paste and 2 large tbsp of the Lloyd Grossman Limited Edition Mint Masala gravy sauce and sauté for 2 minutes on a low flame
  8. Keep stirring to ensure the onion does not burn. Season with salt
  9. Take off the flame and set aside
  10. After 30 minutes heat the griddle pan till it’s very hot and place on medium heat.
  11. Spray some oil onto the griddle pan, it will sizzle and smoke
  12. Drop the marinated chicken cubes on the pan
  13. ‘Bruise’ the chicken cubes on the pan till they are grilled, flip and grill on the other side.
  14. Repeat until chicken cooks through
  15. Ensure chicken pieces are not too large as they will remain raw in the middle
  16. Once cooked add them into the sautéed onion thick gravy sauce
  17. Mix well and sauté on a very low flame for half a minute
  18. To serve heat some butter on a large pan and heat the naan till they are soft and buttery
  19. Transfer the Minty chicken kadhai into the shiny balti serving dish and place the halved boiled egg on top
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The fresh flavours of the minty gravy sauce are enhanced by the delicious umami onion gravy. Lap up the thick gravy and juicy ,tasty grilled chicken cubes with the soft warm naan, scooping up some of the soft boiled yolk as well… ummmmm

Vegetarians needn’t feel disappointed . Try the same recipes using Paneer or Indian cottage cheese, only thing is while ‘bruising’ the paneer on the griddle pan it has to be handled gently so as not to break the cubes and also while mixing it into the thick onion gravy it should be mixed with care.

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GIVEAWAY for 2 LUCKY WINNERS !

WIN ONE OF TWO Loyd Grossman GIFT HAMPERS!

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Each Gift Hamper contains  LIMITED EDITION Loyd Grossman Mint Masala – 1 bottle , Loyd Grossman Chicken Tikka Masala 1 bottle, Pack of 4 naans from Loyd Grossman , one packet with 4 boil in the bag basmati rice pouches and a SHINY new BALTI serving dish – dishwasher proof.

How to enter the giveaway:

You too could WIN ONE of TWO of these beautiful hampers from Loyd Grossman , all you have to do is :

  1. Follow me on twitter – @manjirichitnis
  2. Tweet out the following – WIN 1 of 2 LIMITED EDITION Mint Masala Hampers with , Minty Chicken Masala Kadhai recipe
  3. Leave a comment below telling me what is your favourite Indian food

Please have a read through the Terms and Conditions below:

  • Winners will be picked using Random Number.
  • Deadline for entering this contest is 8th November ‘2014 midnight GMT.
  • Entry is open only to residents of the U.K except Scotland and Ireland.
  • All entrants must be 18 years old and above.
  • Two lucky winners will be chosen using random number generator.
  • The giveaway prize is as mentioned in the post. Neither Lloyd Grossman or I am liable for any damage of hamper and / or contents in transit.
  • Please allow a minimum of 15 days for delivery of the prize, which may reach earlier or later.
  • The prize is as stated: no cash alternatives are available.
  • I retain the right to DISQUALIFY any entrant who do not complete all the 3 steps mentioned above.
  • The winner will be notified on 9th Nov’14 on Twitter by me and here on my blog post. I shall tag the 2 winners on Twitter via their twitter id’s . If you are declared as the winner you agree to allow me and Lloyd Grossman to contact you via email id  to arrange for the gift hamper to be sent out to you.
  • If the TWO winners fail to respond BY 12th Nov’14  then other winners will be chosen.

CONGRATULATIONS to the 2 LUCKY winners of this fabulous GIVEAWAY of LIMITED EDITION Loyd Grossman Mint Masala Gift Hampers!!!

AND The lucky winners are: *DRUMROLLS* …….

Claire Wilkinson –  Twitter id 

Michelle – Twitter id 

*With thanks to Loyd Grossman for sending me a complimentary Loyd Grossman LIMITED EDITION Mint Masala Hamper . No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

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Minty Chicken Masala Kadhai

Chickpea and sweet Chilli Paneer salad

by 5 Comments

Chickpeas are comfort food especially when used to make chole , a spicy chickpea curry best devoured with steamed rice. But chickpeas also taste great in salads and because they take up various flavourings so easily , they are perfect ingredients to be used in quick ,filling salads like my Chickpea and Olive salad with sweet chilli Paneer.

On a very rainy weekend , I was alone at home and curled up reading a very good book . Though my tummy was rumbling by mid- day I didn’t really want to let go off my book and cook an elaborate meal. So a hunt around the kitchen cabinets and fridge resulted in the following finds – a an of chickpeas sitting around and some soft paneer in the fridge , half an onion chopped – perfect.Now all I needed was some inspiration…

Sitting in the corner was a brown paper carton sent a few days ago by Olives et al – a few interesting bottles staring at me with beautiful labels and rather interesting names – a quick unpacking of the box revealed the following contents –

  • Smoky Chipotle Chilli Olives – marinated in Extra-Virgin Olive Oil naturally infused with Chipotle chillis.
  • Mojo Pink Grapefruit dressing and  marinade
  • North African Style Red Chilli Harissa sauce
  • Sweet Chilly Billy Jelly Chilly and Ginger Relish

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I decided to rustle up a quick salad in a jiffy using some of the samples and these ingredients and the result was a very punchy ,pleasing salad that I am sure to recreate soon! Especially on another rainy evening or afternoon when I won’t be able to tear myself away from yet another gripping novel …

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Serves : 2

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp Olives et al Sweet Chilly Billy Jelly Chilly and Ginger Relish
  • 1 tsp Olive et al Mojo Pink Grapefruit dressing and  marinade
  • 397 gm Chickpea can
  • 267gm Paneer /Cottage cheese
  • 1/2 red onion medium size chopped
  • Few Olives et al Smoky Chipotle Chilli Olives
  • Sea salt to garnish

Method

  • Cut the slab of paneer into large chunks so that they do not crumble.
  • Heat a  griddle pan on a low flame and add 2 tbsp of Olives et al Sweet Chilly Billy Jelly Chilly and Ginger Relish to the pan , spread using a  wooden spatula . Place the paneer gently on the chilli relish and allow the relish to caramelise and harden then flip and give the the other side of the paneer cubes the same treatment.

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  • This will give the paneer a delicious sticky and crunchy coating with just the right flavouring.
  • In a large mixing bowl add the entire can of chickpeas and pour some of the salty water it is preserved in over the chickpeas.
  • Toss in a few olives and pour a small amount of the chilli oil they are marinated on over the chickpeas. Garnish with sea salt to taste.Mix well.
  • Then add the sticky paneer cubes . Mix gently using a wooden spatula.
  • I then poured a very small amount of the Olive et al Mojo Pink Grapefruit dressing and marinade  over the salad – a perfectly beautiful dressing described on the Olives et al site as – ‘Inspired by a Caribbean sauce from the Cayman Islands known locally simply as Mojo Sauce ….Happily unusual, wonderfully versatile and loved by all’ Now I know why its a best seller !

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I would have loved to garnish with finely chopped cucumber but sadly my vegetable tray was quite bare that day but do feel free to add a generous amount onto the salad . Coriander marries well with chickpea in any form.

All this salad now needed was a fork and I fell back into the pages of my novel in like 15 minutes flat, how’s that for a quick and easy filling recipe that tastes fab and makes you go back for seconds and thirds ? Super I say 🙂

While browsing the website I noticed the beautiful logo for Olives et al and read the fabulous story of how this multi award winning company was born In the early 90s , brain child of Annie and Giles Henschel  who embarked on a year-long adventure that would be the inspiration for Olives Et Al. Travelling on motorbikes through the Mediterranean, the Middle East and North Africa, they fell in love with the food we ate along the way and gathered many precious recipes along the way.

It is this motorbike journey that is hidden as a story in their beautifully intricate logo , reminds me so very much of my days in Pune spent zipping across the city in a black Honda Activa scooter that I prefer to call a bike , it had fantastic pick up, was gearless and because of it’s heavy errr ‘bottom’ on which the seats rested it didn’t shake like an autumn leaf even at high speeds on the highway – sigh… seems like a whole lifetime away …

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They launched Olives Et Al in 1993 to satisfy their own culinary cravings and to share quality olives with a wider audience. They began producing Marinated Olives using some of their “souvenir” recipes. Over time, their range of products has grown and now includes, Oils and Balsamics, Speciality Olives, Sauces, Snacks, Kiln Roasted Nuts and Dressings and Marinades – all made in Dorset and free from  free of artificial colouring, flavours or preservatives.

Their products can  be purchased directly from their website or in delis across the country and in  various food stores.

With  thanks to Olives et al  for the complimentary samples. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review . As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

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