Autumn’s here already but what a great time for cooking. Whether it’s a simple, quick and easy bowl of comforting soup or a really sumptuous bowl of winter warming stew.
We’ve chosen a few recipes for you which will demonstrate how easy it is to use our cooking stocks whether you’re a beginner, an everyday cook or if you’re a really good home chef that just loves entertaining.
All of the following recipes have been cooked and tested in our very own professional kitchen and we hope you will find something here for you.
Soups
A good stock is the basis of a good soup and without it, most lack power or finesse. Amongst these soups you’ll find some great suggestions whether it’s for a cold autumn or winters night or as a starter for a lovely Sunday lunch.
Stews, casseroles and braises
You can’t beat a good stew, casserole or simple braise. However before we start, our resident Chef Jonathan, asked me to point out the difference between a stew or casserole. So here you are:
Stews
A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients cooked in a liquid e.g. Stock, beer or wine, and served in the resultant gravy. Heat is applied from underneath the cooking vessel and cooking is at a simmer, not boiling, on top of the stove. Examples include Lamb stew, Bouillabaisse, Goulash or Bourguignon.
Casserole
A casserole is a combination of solid food ingredients cooked and served in a large deep dish which is baked in the oven so that the heat circulates all around the cooking vessel. Can be covered or uncovered, e.g. using a Ragout, Hotpot, Cassoulet or Tagine.
Glad that’s sorted!
Risottos
Now this really is simple food at its best. Just as warming as a winter stew, the basic recipe is made by gradually stirring hot stock until all the stock has been absorbed and the risotto is creamy with firm (al dente), separate rice grains.
It is easy to prepare, the secrets being the choice of rice, the quality of stock, and the constant stirring. For some tips on making a great risotto take a look in our tips section.
On the side
Just a small selection of some different accompaniments to our recipes. These are real favourites amongst our chefs and we’re sure you’ll like them too.
Over the top
Our stocks can also be used to really boost the flavour of sauces but you can make them up from scratch too. Here are a couple of really easy but delicious sauces that can go with a number of chicken or fish based dishes.
