All posts filed under: DO NOT USE

The Big Chopper winner

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Congratulations to Denise Baker-McClearn from the Moel Faban Secret Supper Club who is the winner of a brand new shiny Big Chopper board. If you ever visit her supper club (and I hear it’s VERY good), make sure that she’s using it to prepare your grub! For those of you that are still interested in getting your hands on one for your kitchen, the guys at The Big Chopper have agreed a special offer. If you go to their website (www.thebigchopper.co.uk) and buy a Big Chopper or Big Pink One you’ll get a bread or fish board worth £9.99 absolutely free! Simply add a Big Chopper and your choice of bread or fish board to your shopping cart, then use the promotional code CHOPPERDQ9BWDFE during the checkout process to receive your chosen board for free!

Smoked Mackerel, chicory and potato salad

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Summer is here at last. This year, for the first time, I have started to realise just how delicious a salad can be. Chicory has long stared out at me from the supermarket shelf and last week was the first time that I walked over, picked it up and put it in my basket. This salad really was delicious, filling and perfect for a hot summers day. Ingredients (serves 2) 8 chicory leaves, washed 1/2 avocado, sliced lengthways 1/4 red onion, finely sliced 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 6 new potatoes 2 smoked Mackerel fillets Handful of pea shoots Sea salt and black pepper Method 1. Boil new potatoes in hot salted water for 25 minutes, or until soft 2. Meanwhile, place the red onion in a small bowl. Cover with red wine vinegar and a sprinkle of sea salt 3. Drain potatoes and assemble salad on the plate. Enjoy!

COMPETITION – The Big Chopper

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A couple of weeks ago, The Big Chopper was introduced to me. What is the big chopper I hear you say. It took me a couple of minutes to realise just what shape the two lockable chopping boards became when joined together (I think I’m one of the naive ones!) but when I did, it made me chuckle. It’s a cleaver idea really. One board for meat, one for veg and when joined together it looks like… well, you can see what it looks like! I was asked to give one away and thought it would be a great idea, especially since the company is supporting the charity male cancer charity Orchid – 50% of online sales are being donated. I have used mine a couple of times and they’re not just pretty (!!) but practical too. Simply lock to chop and unlock to store! See below for ways to enter: 1. Mandatory. Like the Big Chopper Facebook page here and leave a comment on the wall to say that you have entered via http://www.foodforthink.com …

My Britain’s Best Dish journey plus recipe

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I can finally write my post now. I was a semi finalist on this years Britain’s Best Dish. The process started at the end of last year when a girl that I used to work with told me that she had been a contestant a couple of years ago. She had won £500 by getting through to the regional finals and recommended that I auditioned – so I did. I didn’t really take it seriously at first – I had never seen the programme before but had heard through the grapevine that it was a ‘poor mans Masterchef‘. Hmmm – nevertheless, I went for it because I love cooking and I wanted a bit of a challenge. I made it through the producer auditions to be a contestant on the show and I represented the Midlands because of my Nottingham roots. I won the regional heat and the regional final (hello £500) to get to Hackney Catering college where I went head to head with the other 6 regional finalists in the dessert category. Much …

Small plates – lamb and pearl barley, tomato salad and roasties

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Small plates are all the rage at the moment. Some of my favourite London restaurants are serving them and those restaurants have become extremely popular over the last year. Take Polpo as an example. The small Beak Street Venetian restaurant did so well that owner Russell Norman quickly opened a sister restaurant, Polpetto on Dean Street above the infamous a French House watering hole. This was followed by Spuntino, a scarily cool American diner set in downtown New York in the prohibition era. This week he is also due to open his fourth, no doubt fabulous restaurant in Covent Garden, Da Polpo. I can’t wait. So my Sunday dinner this week was mostly inspired by a few dishes that I have recently had at Polpo. Roast shoulder of Lamb with pearl barley and pan fried mushrooms, vine ripened and Golden Beauty plum tomatoes with marinated red onion, basil and radish and a simple plate of rosemary roast potatoes. For some reason, food seems more satisfying when sharing with your fellow diners and I much prefer …