Put the ice cubes into an ice crusher and crush. Set aside. Combine the first 6 ingredients with a hand blender and puree until smooth. Mix in the crushed ice. Serve immediately. Serves 6.
500 ml pineapple juice (or a can of crushed pineapple)
40 ml fresh lemon juice
1 litre ginger ale
Directions:
Combine Staffords Mint Jelly and boiling water and stir until jelly has dissolved. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix. Chill to almost freezing before serving. Makes about 3,3 litres of punch.
Preheat the oven to 220oC. Brush the sheets of filo pastry with melted butter and arrange two sheets on top of one another. Repeat this with the remaining sheets to form three piles. Place a spoonful of Staffords Quince Jelly in the centre of each pastry sheet.
Place the herbs, Stilton and seasoning into a bowl and mash together. Divide the Stilton mash between the three sheets. Fold up or crunch up each sheet to create three parcels. Brush each with melted butter. Place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 4-5 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Serve.
Chicken Meatballs on a Spit with Mushrooms and Vegetables - Top
Ingredients:
600g cooked or fried boned chicken
2 slices white bread
3 scallions
2 small eggs
10 ml freshly chopped ginger
salt, pepper
10 ml curry powder
500g Portobello mushrooms
1-2 red bell peppers
2 small zucchini
Vesuvio Olive Oil
Staffords Sweet Chilli Sauce
Directions:
Cut meat in small quarters. Grind meat together with the bread (in two portions) with a hand blender and place in a bowl.
Peel the ginger root. Using a hand blender, chop the scallions together with the ginger.
Combine everything with the meat seasoning and add salt, pepper and curry. Assemble everything and leave in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Clean the Portobello mushrooms with kitchen paper and cut in half. Cut red bell peppers in half and discard the seeds. Cut in large quarters. Wash and dry the zucchini and cut them in slices of 15 mm. Form small meat balls (about 5 ml of chicken meat mixture) and put them on the spit, alternating mushrooms, red bell peppers and zucchini.
Brush with olive oil and barbeque, fry in pan or grill in pre-heated oven.
Serve with Staffords Sweet Chilli Sauce. Serves 6.
Curried Avocado Triangles with Fresh Mint Sauce - Top
Ingredients:
1 large avocado
5 ml curry powder
pinch salt
24 wonton wraps (dough squares)
Vegetable oil as needed for deep frying
StaffordsMint Sauce
Directions:
Mash avocado, stir in curry powder and salt. Put a good 5 ml of avocado mixture in one corner of wrap. Brush edge with water. Fold over in a triangle, press to seal. Repeat with remaining wraps. Deep fry 4 triangles at a time until golden, about 3 minutes, keep warm until all are cooked. Serve 6 per serving with 60 ml Staffords Mint Sauce. Serves 4.
Mix olive oil and garlic, crushed with a hand blender in a bowl, season and set aside. Remove heads and shell of the prawns, leaving the tail fins intact. Devein and brush the prawns with olive oil. Fry until pink (about 2 minutes on each side) in a barbeque pan.
Romanesco Sauce:
Fry bread in a small amount of olive oil until golden and crisp, then set aside to cool off. Roast the almonds and nuts in hot oven, set aside to cool, and peel. To peel, scrub the nuts and almonds with a paper towel.
In the already preheated oven, roast the capsicum from all sides under high heat until they are dark brown and the skin starts to lift. Place them in a pot and cover with lid. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool. Peel and cut in the middle and discard the seeds.
Chop the parsley. Chop bread together with the nuts and garlic with a hand blender. Add the remaining ingredients except the Staffords Balsamic Vinegar and olive oil and chop to a smooth consistence. Add the Staffords Balsamic Vinegar and olive oil. Season according to taste and serve as a dip for the prawns. Serves 6.
Pan Grilled Baby Marrow Strips with Yoghurt Dressing - Top
Preparation: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
8 large baby marrows, cut lengthwise into thin strips
100 ml Vesuvio Olive Oil
4 ml salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 clove garlic clove, crushed
juice of 1 lemon
80 ml plain yoghurt
5 mlStaffords Dijon Mustard
1 handful fresh mint
1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
½ red sweet pepper, seeded and chopped
50 ml olive oil
Directions:
Brush the baby marrow strips with Vesuvio Olive Oil on both sides to prevent them from sticking. Place the strips on a heated griddle pan until they turn golden brown. If you do not have a griddle pan, place the marrow strips on a baking sheet under a preheated grill until golden brown. Turn the strips and grill the other side. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper while still warm.
Mix the garlic, lemon juice, yoghurt and Staffords Dijon Mustard. Place the marrow strips on a serving platter, drizzle the dressing over them and then sprinkle the chopped mint, chilli and red pepper on top. Drizzle olive oil all over and serve. Serves 8.
Staffords Old Style Dijon Mustard Frittata with Onions and Zucchini - Top
Ingredients:
20 g butter melted
39 g Staffords Old Style Dijon Mustard
2 medium onions thinly sliced
6 eggs
260 ml Vesuvio Olive Oil
¾ cup grated Parmesan
1 small zucchini thinly sliced
15 ml shredded basil
Directions:
Brush base and sides of deep 30 cm square cake pan with butter. Heat oil in medium frying pan. Cook onions stirring until soft. Cool.
Combine onion, Staffords Old Style Dijon Mustard, egg, cheese, zucchini and basil in medium bowl. Mix well. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake in moderate oven about 25 minutes or until lightly browned and set.
Cut into squares and serve. Serves 6.
Tomato Tarts with Ricotta, Dijon and Basil Oil - Top
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
400g packet puff pastry
2 ripe tomatoes
150g ricotta cheese
50g Staffords Dijon Mustard
15g coarse sea salt
100g Vesuvio Olive Oil
100g basil leaves
Directions:
Spray baking sheets with non-stick spray. Cut square shapes out of pastry and prick with a fork. Slice tomatoes and place on pastry to create a fan shape. Spread a little ricotta cheese over the tomato, then spread a little Staffords Dijon Mustard evenly over the tart with a sprinkling of salt. Blend together the Vesuvio Olive Oil and basil until smooth, pour over tartlets and bake at 180ºC for 20-25 minutes. Makes 12 small tarts.
Combine first four ingredients in saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until Stafford Apple Jelly melts.
Keep warm. Place pork chops on rack in broiler pan. Broil five inches from heat, seven minutes on each side.
Remove from oven; brush one side with Staffords Apple Jelly glaze, and broil three minutes. Flip and brush other side with glaze.
Top with apple slices, and drizzle with remaining glaze. Broil three minutes. Serves 4.
Apple and Mint Glazed Lamb Kebabs with Apricots - Top
Ingredients:
450 g boneless lean lamb, cubed
48 dried apricots, soaked
Vesuvio Olive Oil for brushing
45 mlStaffords Apple Jelly
45 ml Staffords Mint Jelly
lemon wedges
mint sprigs and lemon wedges to garnish 6 skewers
Directions:
Thread meat onto 6 skewers in this order: apricot, meat cube, 2 apricots, meat cube, 2 apricots, meat cube, apricot. Brush with a little Vesuvio Olive Oil. Cook in the Staffords Mint Jelly and Staffords Apple Jelly under a hot grill or over coals for 6 to 8 minutes, turning twice. Season and garnish with mint and lemon wedges. Serve with couscous or new potatoes tossed in butter, chives, mint and parsley. Serves 6.
Baked Ham with Cider and Spices, Quince and Orange Sauce - Top
Ingredients:
1 gammon ham (about 2 kg)
cold water (enough to cover the ham)
1 ¼ litre cider
1 litre carton apple juice
1 large onion
1 bay leaf
8 peppercorns
50g butter
100g light brown muscovado sugar
5 ml dry mustard
2.5g ground cloves
2.5g ground cinnamon
a few cloves
For the Quince and Orange Sauce:
45g Staffords Quince Jelly
grated rind and juice of 3 oranges
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
10 ml Staffords Old Style Mustard
5ml red wine vinegar
honey to taste
a little reserved stock
Directions:
Soak the ham overnight in cold water. Drain and put into a large saucepan with the cider and apple juice and top up with cold water until you just cover it. Add the onion, bay leaf and peppercorns and then bring up to the boil. Now skim the surface and reduce the heat. Simmer gently for 90 minutes.
Remove the joint from the pan, peel off the skin and mark the fat into diamond shapes with a sharp knife. Reserve the stock for the sauce and for later if you want to make soup. Preheat the oven to 220ºC.
Stand the gammon in a roasting tin. Mix the butter with the sugar, mustard and ground spices to a paste. Spread this over the fat. Press a clove into the middle of each diamond. Roast in the oven for about 15 to 30 minutes, or until the fat is crisp and golden.
In the meantime make the sauce by melting the Staffords Quince Jelly in a saucepan, adding the orange and lemon rind and juice and stirring well. Stir in the Staffords Old Style Mustard and vinegar and add the honey to taste. Add a little of the stock if necessary. To serve, slice up the ham, pour over a little sauce.
500ml Neapolitan sauce (can be purchased ready made)
500ml white sauce (can be purchased ready made)
100ml Vesuvio Olive Oil
500g brinjal (aubergine)
565g Staffords Pitted Lychees in Syrup
few pinches of salt
5g mixed spice
bunch fresh parsley
1kg grated cheddar or mozzarella
Directions:
Roast butternut slices and brinjals at 180ºC with a little Vesuvio Olive Oil for about 30 minutes until soft and slightly browned. Layer the white sauce, Neapolitan sauce, drained Staffords Pitted Lychees in Syrup, cooked vegetables and lasagne sheets. Add a pinch of salt as well as other spices including fresh parsley over each layer. After layering all the sheets, spread the rest of the white sauce over the top layer and add the grated cheese. Bake at 160ºC for 45 minutes; continually check the lasagne while it is baking (do not cover).
Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water. Meanwhile, make the sauce: fry the onion in a little olive oil until softened, add the tomatoes, wine and Staffords Capers and simmer until the pasta is cooked. Mix the pasta with the sauce and the cream – serve immediately. Serves 2
Glazed Ham - Top
Preparation: 45 minutes
Cooking: 280 minutes
Ingredients:
4 kg uncooked, pickled ham on the bone
2 carrots, cut into rings
2 celery sticks, cut into thick pieces
5 whole cloves
2 whole onions, peeled
15 ml allspice
5 ml black peppercorns
30 cloves whole cloves
250 ml Glaze: brown sugar
125 ml Staffords Old Style Mustard
60 ml apple cider vinegar
60 ml Staffords Cranberry Jelly
Directions:
Place the ham in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and remove from the heat. Drain the ham and rinse it in clean water to wash off the excess salt. Return the ham to the saucepan and add the carrots and celery. Press five whole cloves into one of the onions, and cut the other onion into quarters. Add the onions, allspice and black peppercorns to the ham in the saucepan. Add enough water to cover the ham completely. Bring to the boil and simmer as follows with the lid on: 30 minutes for every 500 g meat, or until you can easily pull off a thread of meat. Remove the saucepan from the plate and set it aside for a while to cool. Take the ham from the liquid and use a sharp knife to remove the skin without loosening the fat. Remove the crackling (the outer skin) and place the ham back into the liquid. Leave to stand until completely cool. Remove, cover with cling film and refrigerate. The ham can be kept in the fridge for up to two days before serving.
Preheat the oven to 220 ºC. Make diamond-shaped incisions in the fatty part of the ham. Press a clove into each diamond. Line a roasting tin with foil (this makes it easier to clean the tin) and place the ham in the tin.
Prepare the glaze by mixing the brown sugar, Staffords Old Style Mustard, apple cider vinegar and Staffords Cranberry Jelly in a mixing bowl and keep aside. Spread the glaze over the layer of fat containing the cloves. Place the ham in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Baste it a few times. Slice the ham and serve hot or at room temperature. Serves 10.
a bunch of asparagus, trimmed (or use a good handful of green beans instead)
2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes, quartered
a large bunch of fresh basil, leaves picked, baby leaves kept to one side
a handful of Stafford Pitted Whole Calamata Olives
Vesuvio Olive Oil
1 lemon
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tuna steaks
2 tablespoons crème fraîche
Directions:
Heat a griddle pan until it gets really hot then put your asparagus in it. Place a heavy saucepan on top so that it presses the spears right down on to the bars. Cook them for 2 minutes, turning them halfway through, until they have lovely charred marks. Pop the asparagus on a board and chop them in half at an angle.
Put the asparagus in a bowl with your tomatoes, half the basil leaves, the Stafford Pitted Whole Calamata Olives, a splash of Vesuvio Olive Oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season, then toss it all together and put it to one side while you get the fish ready.
Rub your tuna steaks with a little bit of oil and season them. Sear them for about a minute on each side in the griddle pan for a rare steak – leave them for 2 minutes on each side if you prefer them cooked medium, or 3 to 4 minutes each side if you like them well done.
Pound the remaining basil in a pestle and mortar then mix in the crème fraîche. Season and add some more lemon juice to taste.
Put the salad on a plate, then tear the tuna into strips and pop them on top. Spoon over some of the crème fraîche sauce and scatter over the baby basil leaves
Indian Spiced Lamb with Provencal Vegetables and Mint Sauce - Top
Preparation: Over 2 hours
Cooking: 30 - 60 minutes
Ingredients:
450g/1lb loin of lamb2 cloves garlic, crushed
100ml/3½fl oz plain yoghurt
1 lemon, juice only
10 ml garam masala
seasoning
Vesuvio Olive Oil
1 courgette, cut into chunks and griddled
1 brinjal (aubergine), cut into chunks and griddled
1 red pepper, cut into chunks and griddled
1 jar Staffords Mint Jelly
water
Directions:
Combine the garlic, yoghurt, lemon juice, garam masala, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the lamb and stir to ensure everything is evenly coated. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 2, but no more than 24 hours.
Heat a little Vesuvio Olive Oil in a non-stick frying pan, drain the lamb from its marinade and add to the pan. Fry for about 3 minutes on each side until cooked through. Remove from the pan and allow to rest.
To make the dressing, simply whisk the Staffords Mint Jelly with a little water.
Slice the lamb and place in the centre of the plate, place the vegetables around and drizzle the sauce over.
Coat lamb in cornflour. In a wok or heavy pan, heat the Vesuvio Olive Oil. Add the garlic and meat. Stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the leeks and cook for 2 minutes. Add the beans and courgettes. Cook for further 2 minutes and remove the pan from the heat. Combine the yoghurt and Staffords Mint Sauce. Stir into the meat and vegetables and reheat gently. Serve on Thai fragrant rice. Serves 4.
Spike alternate cubes of lamb, feta, watermelon and mint leaves onto metal skewers. Heat a large flat frying pan to very hot and add the vegetable oil. Place the skewers into the frying pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.
Stir the Staffords Mint Sauce into the yoghurt. Serve the mint yoghurt sauce with the hot kebabs.
Lavender, Garlic and Honey Roast Loin of Lamb with Mint Sauce - Top Preparation: less than 30 minutes
Cooking: 1- 2 hours
Ingredients:
For the lamb
2 lamb boneless loin fillets
2 cloves garlic
150 g anchovy fillets in olive oil
bunch lavender, freshly picked
salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 ml lavender honey (or other runny honey if unavailable)
For the Lavender Honey glaze
50ml/2fl oz/3½tbsp lavender honey (or other runny honey if unavailable)
50ml/2fl oz/3½tbsp Vesuvio Olive Oil
For the roasted vegetables
450 g new potatoes, washed, skins left on, cut into chunky slices
453 g parsnips, washed, skins left on, cut into chunky slices
453 g carrots, washed, skins left on, cut into chunky slices
225 g red onions, quartered
225 g fennel, thickly sliced
1 lemon, cut in half
2 sprigs rosemary
50 ml Vesuvio Olive Oil
75ml oz clear honey
StaffordsMint Sauce
Directions:
For the lamb, use a sharp knife to make about 20 small incisions, about 20 mm deep, in each loin of lamb. Peel the garlic cloves and cut into thin strips. Insert a sliver of garlic, half an anchovy fillet and a sprig of lavender into each incision until they are all filled.
Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Place the lamb in a roasting tray, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and drizzle with the lavender honey. Roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until cooked to your liking, basting with the juices every few minutes to keep the meat moist and prevent the honey from burning. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for ten minutes before serving.
For the lavender-honey glaze, warm the honey in a small pan. Add the Vesuvio Olive Oil and whisk to combine.
For the roasted vegetables, place all the vegetables into an oven tray with the lemon halves and drizzle with the Vesuvio Olive Oil and honey. Add the sprigs of fresh rosemary and season well.
Place in the oven and cook for about 20-40 minutes, or until the vegetables are done. Stir well to coat in the honey glaze.
Slice the lamb on the diagonal and serve on warm plates with a spoonful of roasted vegetables, a drizzle of honey glaze and a spoon of Staffords Mint Sauce.
To prepare the lamb, wipe with kitchen paper, then make about 10 large, deep cuts in the flesh with a large sharp knife. Grate the rind and squeeze the juice of one and a half lemons, and finely chop the garlic. Mix the lemon rind and juice, garlic, mint, Vesuvio Olive Oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Put the lamb in a large food bag (a pedal bin liner is ideal). Pour the mint and lemon mixture into the bag, then rub it into the lamb through the bag. This will save your hands from getting messy. Loosely fold the end of the bag over, and put the lamb in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight if more convenient.
To finish, put the lamb in a roasting tin and pour over any remaining marinade from the bag. Add 50 ml of water to the roasting tin to help stop the juices burning. Thinly slice the remaining half a lemon, then cut each slice in half. Fold the slices in half again and firmly push into the cuts in the meat.
Roast the lamb for 60-75 minutes on 200ºC for moist pink meat. If you prefer it more cooked, roast for a further 15-25 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a warm serving platter and cover tightly with foil. Leave for 15 minutes while you make the gravy.
Set the roasting tin on the hob over a medium heat. Spoon off any excess fat, then stir the flour into the pan juices, stirring well until it forms a paste.
Gradually stir in the stock, then the wine, stirring all the time until thickened and smooth. Stir in the Staffords Dijon Mustard and Staffords Cranberry Jelly and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
To carve the lamb, steady the joint with a carving fork or large fork. Make the first cut vertically, about halfway down the joint. Cut until you reach the bone. Cut slices either side of this first cut to give you neat slices of meat.
When you have removed all the meat from the top of the leg, turn it over and carve horizontally from the base. Serves 6-8.
Mushroom Ravioli in Garlic, Sage and Staffords Capers in Vinegar with Butter - Top
Ingredients:
Dough:
1 litre plain flour
pinch salt
2 eggs
15 ml Vesuvio Olive Oil
250 ml water approximately
Filling:
300 g braai mushrooms chopped up
20 g Staffords Dijon Mustard Old Style
50 ml cream
pinch salt
1 medium onion chopped
Sauce:
150 g butter
50 g sage
2 cloves garlic
Pinch salt
50 g Staffords Capers in Vinegar
1 egg yolk
15 ml water
Directions:
Dough
Combine flour and salt in medium bowl. Beat eggs and Vesuvio Olive Oil in small bowl until combined. Add to flour mixture. Gradually add the water, stirring until mixture is firm, pliable dough. Turn dough out on lightly floured surface, knead for 5 minutes. Place dough in very lightly oiled bowl and let stand for 30 minutes.
Filling
Fry the chopped onions with a little olive oil until brown, add the mushrooms and cook out till dry. Add theStaffords Dijon Mustard Old Style and cream slowly allowing the cream to be evaporated. Allow to cool.
Sauce
In a heavy based frying pan on a low heat melt the butter until it just starts to brown, then add the garlic, sage leaves and Staffords Capers in Vinegar. Cook for one minute then remove from stove. Sauce is ready. Add seasoning such as salt and pepper to increase the flavour.
Roll out half the dough to 2 mm thickness, cut into 100 mm strips, place 5 ml of filling at 50 mm intervals along one side of the pastry strip. Combine egg yolk and water in small bowl, brush along edge of pastry. Lift pastry over the filling. Repeat with remaining pastry and filling. Seal edge of pastry around filling, pressing together firmly. Cut between mounds of filling with fluted cutter.
Cook pasta in batches in uncovered saucepan of boiling water for 15 minutes. Remove from pan, place in the sage butter sauce and serve. Serves 6.
Dust chicken with flour. Heat Vesuvio Olive Oil and cook onion until softened. Add garlic, rosemary, bay leaf and bacon and stir for a few minutes. Add chicken pieces and brown on all sides, then add wine and leave to bubble for 5 minutes. Stir in stock and Staffords Dijon mustard and cook for 15 minutes (just done) to 1 hour (well done). Season. Serve with butter bean purée or mashed potatoes. Serves 4.
Pasta with a Ragǔ of Beef, Staffords Calamata Olives, Tomatoes and Staffords Capers in Vinegar - Top
Ingredients:
800 g ground beef
100 ml Vesuvio Olive Oil
1 large onion
1 large and 1 small can of Italian plum tomatoes, drained and chopped
2 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
3 garlic cloves
250 ml Staffords Calamata Olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
30 ml Staffords Capers in Vinegar
12 basil leaves
leaves of 2 twigs of parsley
leaves of 4 twigs of thyme
Freshly milled pepper
600 g pasta (penne or rigatoni)
Directions:
Cut the beef in cubes of 20 mm and grind it in small portions with a hand blender. Cover the ground of a big saucepan with olive oil. Fry meat on very high heat for about 15 minutes while stirring well.
Cut the onions in cubes and chop with a hand blender. Heat half of the remaining olive oil in a saucepan. Add onions, season lightly with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat while stirring, until softened but not brown, for about 5 minutes. Add the drained and chopped tomatoes (discard the seeds), cloves and bay leaves and cook over moderate heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and very little liquid remains.
Discard the bay leaves and the cloves (if you can find them). Puree the sauce with a hand blender. Add the meat mixture.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a smaller saucepan. Add chopped garlic and cook over low heat until golden, for about 5 minutes. Add the Staffords Calamata Olives and Staffords Capers in Vinegar and simmer for about 3 minutes. Add the mixture to the tomato sauce along with the chopped herbs. Serves 6.
Heat oil in a skillet. Add garlic and onion and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes or until golden. Add red peppers and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in pasta sauce and Stafford Calamata Olives, then bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly. Stir in basil. Serve over pasta
Coat pork tenderloins generously with Staffords Dijon Mustard Old Style. Oil a 220 x 330 mm baking dish.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange tenderloins in pan, and brown the meat. Turn to brown evenly. Transfer meat to prepared baking dish.
Bake in preheated oven at 175ºC for 20 minutes. Turn, and continue cooking for 20 minutes, or until done as desired.
Meanwhile, melt butter over medium heat in the same pan used to cook the pork. Cook shallots in butter until soft. Stir in Marsala, Staffords Dijon Mustard Old Style and cream, and cook until volume of liquid is reduced by half.
Slice pork and place on a serving dish. Spoon sauce over meat, and serve. Serves 6.
Roast rack of lamb with crushed potatoes and Calamata Olives - Top
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Potatoes
1 handful of cherry tomatoes
6-bone rack of lamb
Vesuvio Olive Oil
1 handful of Stafford Pitted Half Calamata Olives
1 small handful of garlic cloves
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
a few sprigs of rosemary
2 tablespoons Vesuvio Olive Oil
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Boil the potatoes until tender and squeeze the pips from the tomatoes.
Stick a large frying pan on a high heat, add a lug of olive oil and sear the lamb until golden. Remove and put to one side while you crush the drained potatoes in the frying pan – use the bottom of a jar or a masher – then fry for a couple of minutes over a low to medium heat.
Stir the tomatoes and Stafford Pitted Half Calamata Olives, into the potatoes with some seasoning and rosemary sprigs, drizzle with a little Vesuvio Olive Oil and place in a roasting tin. Place the lamb on top of the potatoes and cook according to pack instructions. Depending on the size of the racks, the lamb will take somewhere between 20 and 30 minutes to cook, but will still be pink in the middle (add 5 to 10 minutes if you like your meat well done)
When the lamb is cooked to your liking, slice it into chops and serve with the crispy potatoes and a little salsa verde or an extra drizzle of Vesuvio Olive Oil.
Rosemary-scented Pork Loin Stuffed with Roasted Garlic, Dried Apricots and Cranberries and Port Wine Pan Sauce - Top
Ingredients:
45 ml Vesuvio Olive Oil
16 whole peeled garlic cloves
30 ml minced garlic cloves
one 3,5 kg whole boneless pork loin, patted dry, at room temperature
salt and freshly ground pepper
45 ml minced fresh rosemary (snip with scissors), divided
16 dried apricots (or similar amount of your favorite dried fruit)
80 ml dried cranberries
heavy kitchen string or twine
60 ml cup apple jelly
60 ml cup port
125 ml chicken broth
30 ml Staffords Apple Jelly
10 ml cornstarch
Directions:
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 120ºC. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add whole garlic cloves and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon; reserve oil.
Turn pork loin fat-side down. Slit lengthwise, almost but not quite all the way through, to form a long pocket, leaving a 12 mm border of unslit meat at each end. Brush cavity with some of the reserved garlic cooking oil, and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and 15 ml of the rosemary. Line cavity with sautéed garlic and apricots; sprinkle in cranberries. Tie loin together with kitchen twine or heavy-duty string at 40 mm intervals.
Brush with remaining oil, and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Set roast, fat-side up, diagonally or curved (so it fits) on a large, lipped cookie sheet or jellyroll pan. Warm 60 ml Staffords Apple Jelly along with the minced garlic and remaining rosemary. Brush mixture onto meat.
Roast until a meat thermometer stuck into the centre registers 50ºC to 55ºC. (Start checking at about 90 minutes.) Remove from oven; raise oven temperature to 205ºC. Brush loin with pan drippings, return to oven, and continue to roast until the loin is golden brown and a meat thermometer stuck into the centre registers 70ºC, about 20 minutes longer. For even more attractive colouring, broil until spotty brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
Let roast rest 15 to 20 minutes; transfer to a carving board. Stir juices around pan to loosen brown bits. Pour through a strainer into a small pan, and stir in port, chicken broth and remaining 30 ml of Staffords Apple Jelly; bring to a simmer. Mix cornstarch with a couple of tablespoons of cold water; whisk into sauce. Simmer until lightly thickened. Slice pork and serve with a little sauce. Serves 16.
Sole Meuniere With Balsamic Vinegar & Brown Butter Sauce - Top
Ingredients:
4 sole fillets - (6 oz ea) skin removed
milk
30 ml Vesuvio Olive Oil
250 ml (130 g) flour seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper
60 ml finely-chopped parsley
100 ml butter
15 ml Staffords Organic Balsamic Vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
Soak fillets in milk for 20 minutes. Remove from milk and pat dry. Season fillets with salt and pepper. Heat 15 ml oil over moderate heat in each of 2 large sauté pans until hot. Put flour into a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Dredge fillets in flour, shaking off any excess flour. Dip the fillets back into the milk and then again into the flour. Place fillets in sauté pans and cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes each side, until golden brown and crispy. Transfer fillets from pans to a platter, sprinkle with parsley.
Wipe the skillet clean and add the butter. Heat until the butter begins to brown. Remove from heat and stir in Staffords Organic Balsamic Vinegar. Pour sauce over fish and serve. Garnish with lemon slices.
Heat oil in large frying pan, cook chicken until browned all over. Place chicken in ovenproof dish. Pour off most pan juices leaving about 15 ml in pan. Add onions and garlic to pan, cook until onions are soft. Add wine, Staffords White Balsamic Vinegar and Staffords Coconut Milk, bring to the boil and reduce to half. Add stock, stir over high heat for 2 minutes. Force tomatoes with their liquid through sieve, add to pan with paste, basil and sugar, cook another 1 minute.
Pour tomato and coconut mixture over chicken pieces, cover, and cook for 90 minutes.
Soak anchovies in milk for 5 minutes, drain on absorbent paper, chop up with Staffords Calamata Olives and parsley and sprinkle over the chicken pieces just before serving. Serves 4.
Mix all the ingredients for the marinade. Marinate the meat overnight.
Fry the bacon, onions and garlic until the onion has softened. Place the marinade with the water and meat into a pressure cooker (which should be half full). Put the lid on. Pressure cook for about 90 minutes. Allow to cool and remove lid. Put meat into a large dish and allow to cool. Remove the bones and mix thoroughly. Flavour with salt.
Make a paste of the wine, flour and Staffords QuinceJelly and stir into the meat. Return to the pressure cooker and heat until well cooked through and hot. Remove from heat and stir in the yoghurt. Spoon some of the sauce onto a plate and pile the meat on top. Enjoy with fresh gooseberries.
In a saucepan, add the curry paste and mix in the Staffords Coconut Milk. Add the Staffords Thick Sweet Soy Sauce and Staffords Thick Soy Sauce, bring to the boil. Add the chicken and vegetables and cook for 10 minutes before adding the Staffords Mango Slices in Syrup. Cook a further 10 minutes and serve garnished with coriander,with a side of jasmine rice. Serves 4.
Turkey Breast Roast - Delicious served with Staffords Cranberry Jelly - Top
Ingredients:
Rolled turkey breast (1 - 2,5 kg) – Oyster sauce to baste
Stuffing:
300 g (450 ml) couscous
600 ml chicken stock
250 g mixed dried fruit, cut into small pieces
250 ml black rooibos tea
500 g pork sausage meat
100 g pecan nuts, finely chopped
10 ml lemon rind
15 ml lemon juice
30 ml fresh rosemary, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper
250 g rindless streaky bacon
Gravy :
250 ml hot water
250 ml white wine
15 ml Staffords Balsamic Vinegar
15 ml sugar
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
10 ml chilled butter
Directions:
For the stuffing, place the couscous in a large mixing bowl, pour over the chicken stock and allow to swell. Cover the dried fruit with the hot tea and set aside to plump up. Loosen the couscous with a fork (not a spoon) and add well-drained dried fruit, sausage meat, nuts, lemon rind and juice, rosemary and seasoning. Mix through well to evenly distribute the ingredients. Use half the stuffing mixture to stuff the breast. Roll up and secure with kitchen string.
Brush the skin generously with the oyster sauce. Place the breast, skin-side down, on a lightly greased roasting tin. Roll the rest of the stuffing into golf ball sized balls and wrap a piece of bacon around each of them. Place the stuffing balls in the roasting tin with the turkey. Roast in a pre-heated oven at 200º C for 20 minutes, turn the breast over and roast for another 25 minutes per 500 g of meat at 180º C. Remove from the oven and transfer the breast to a serving dish and keep warm.
Pour the pan juices into a saucepan and add the hot water and white wine. Stir continuously over a high heat until well combined. Add the Staffords Balsamic Vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper and butter and simmer until thick and syrupy. Serve the gravy in a separate bowl. Delicious served with Staffords Cranberry Jelly.
Boil egg noodles in water for 3 minutes, do not over cook. Heat peanut oil in wok, add chopped vegetables and fry for 5 minutes, till soft and tender. Add the Staffords Thick Soya Sauce and Staffords Sweet Chilli Sauce. Mix in the cooked noodles and season, serve straight away. Top with fresh herbs if desired.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Mix together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt and add it alternately with the milk to the butter mixture. Stir in the apples and Staffords Choc Chips and pour into an 80 mm square baking dish. Mix the sauce ingredients together and pour over the apple mixture. Bake until the apples are cooked, about 30 minutes. Serve while still hot. Serves 4 - 6.
Place bananas, apple juice, confectionary sugar and lemon juice in medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until bananas are very soft, for about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bananas to a bowl. Add 75 ml liquid from pan to banana mix and discard remaining liquid. With a hand blender, puree until smooth, then chill.
Beat cream with whisk in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into chilled banana puree. Sprinkle with Staffords Chocolate Vermicelli.
This dish can be prepared 2 days in advance, covered well with plastic wrap and refrigerated. Serves 6.
Preheat oven to 180ºC. Brush a 6-hole muffin tin (large capacity) with melted butter or baking spray. Sift the flour into a large bowl; make a well in the centre. Add the eggs, Vesuvio Olive Oil, mixed berries, yoghurt and sugar. Using a hand blender, mix the batter until just combined. Batter should be lumpy.
Spoon three-quarters of the mixture in each muffin hole. Equally portion the cream cheese and Staffords Choc Chips and place a portion on each muffin. Spoon the rest of the batter over.
Bake for 30 minutes, until the muffins are golden brown. Using a flat-bladed knife, turn the muffins out onto a cooling rack. When cool, dust with icing sugar to serve.
Pre-heat oven to 180ºC. Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, using an electric beater; add the Staffords Rose Water and beat for another two minutes. Add flour slowly while kneading the dough together. Roll into 250 mm logs. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for an hour. Cut into 10 mm rounds, place on greased baking tray, and bake uncovered for about 10 minutes or until lightly brown. Allow to cool.
Preheat oven to 180°C. Use an electric beater to beat the egg yolks with 30 ml sugar until thick and pale yellow. Wash and dry the whisks, and then beat the egg whites with the remaining sugar until soft and glossy. Fold the mixtures together and pour into a lightly greased ovenproof frying pan. Bake for 10 minutes or until the omelette is puffed and golden. Transfer to the stove-top and continue cooking for a further two minutes over very low heat. Place the Staffords Choc Chips and berries on one half of the omelette and fold in half. Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately. Serves 3.
250 ml granulated sugar, plus extra sugar for dusting
20 ml Staffords Vanilla Extract
1 litre flour
2.5 ml teaspoon salt
250 ml almonds, finely chopped
Directions:
Preheat oven to 180°C. Melt the Staffords Dark Choc Discs and milk over low heat, preferably in a double boiler. In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar and Staffords Vanilla Extract. Slowly blend in the chocolate-milk mixture. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and salt. Mix slowly into the chocolate-butter mixture, and fold in the almonds.
Form dough into 40 mm balls and roll in sugar. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake balls for 12-15 minutes (until the cookies are set but not dark brown).
Chocolate and Almond Meringues - Top
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Oven temperature:140°C
Baking time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
4 large egg whites
260 (225g) castor sugar
pink food colouring
100 flaked almonds
100 g Stafford White Choc Discs melted
Directions:
Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, taking care not to over-beat. Beat in half the castor sugar a little at a time, then beat until the mixture is stiff and glossy.
Fold in the remaining castor sugar with a large metal spoon. Divide the mixture in half and stir a few drops of pink food colouring into one half.
Use two teaspoons to scoop dollops of the meringue mixture onto the baking trays. Sprinkle each one with flaked almonds. Bake in a preheated oven at 140°C for one hour, then switch off the oven and leave the meringues in the oven to dry out.
Once they have cooled completely, dip the bottom of each meringue into melted Stafford White Chocolate. Leave upside down on the baking tray until the chocolate has hardened. Alternatively, you can also drizzle the melted chocolate over the meringues for added decoration
500g Staffords Milk Choc Disks (chocolate) for melting
75ml cognac
15ml caster sugar
cream to garnish
strawberries or fresh fruit to garnish
Directions:
Melt Staffords Milk Choc Disks in double boiler and then remove from heat. Separate eggs, add yolks to the melted chocolate and mix well. Beat egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Whip cream until it is also forming stiff peaks. Add cognac, fold in chocolate mixture and egg whites to the cream. Add the caster sugar and mix well. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Garnish with Strawberries or fresh fruit and cream.
Combine the biscuits, melted Staffords Dark Choc Disks and butter and press into the base of a round tin. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until firm.
Beat the cream cheese, golden syrup and sugar with a hand blender until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the Staffords Rose Water and lightly whipped cream. Spread over the base and bake for 25 minutes, or until just set. Turn off the oven and cool with the door slightly ajar. Remove from the tin and trim the edges. Decorate using fresh small rose petals and lightly dust with icing sugar.
Preheat oven to 175ºC. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Pour in water, vegetable oil and Staffords Vanilla Extract; mix until well blended. Spread evenly in a 230 x 330 mm baking pan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is no longer shiny. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into squares.
If you prefer them more crispy, cook for slightly longer.
Chocolate Cheesecake - Top This is a delectable alternative to chocolate mousse.
Ingredients:
CRUST:
200 g Romany Cream biscuits, crushed
15 ml chocolate liqueur
40 ml butter, melted
FILLING:
250 ml (150g) dark chocolate Staffords Milk Choc Disks
80 ml cream
3 tubs (230g or 250g each) cream cheese
250 ml sugar
4 eggs
30 ml chocolate liqueur
pinch of salt
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Line a 220 mm spring form tin with baking paper and grease the paper.
CRUST: Mix the biscuits, liqueur and butter and press the mixture onto the base of the prepared tin.
FILLING: Heat the Staffords Milk Choc Disks and cream in a double boiler or in the microwave oven until the chocolate has melted. Beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, stirring well. Add the melted chocolate mixture, liqueur and salt and mix. Pour the filling into the prepared crust and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 180ºC and bake for another 15-20 minutes. Leave to cool completely and chill in the fridge overnight. Serves 8 - 10.
Preheat oven to 175ºC. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, Staffords Vanilla Extract and sugar until light and fluffy. Sift together the salt and flour and mix into the butter mixture. Fold in the Staffords ChocChips and nuts. Mix until well blended. Press batter into a 450 x 250 mm pan. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into bars and let cool in pan on wire rack.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt, then stir in the sugar. Combine the egg, milk, and oil. Add the liquid ingredients to the flour mixture. Mix well before stirring in the Staffords Choc Chips. Fry a ladle at a time in a non-stick frying pan. Turn when bubbles form on the surface and cook until both sides are golden brown. Keep warm. For the honey sauce, heat the honey, butter and cinnamon. Serve drizzled over the pancakes, along with cream or ice cream. Serves 8.
Preheat the oven to 1800C. Lightly grease cookie sheets with butter.
Melt the Staffords Dark Choc Discs in a double boiler over barely simmering water. Remove from hot water and set aside to cool for at least 5 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Add the sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, continuing to beat until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Fold in the melted chocolate, crumbs and Staffords Vanilla Extract.
Drop mixture by level teaspoonfuls, about 1 1/2 -inches apart, onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the meringues are dry and the bottoms are lightly browned.
Preheat the oven to 170 ºC. Grease a 240 mm pie dish with margarine. Place the rice, milk, evaporated milk and spices in a large saucepan and bring to boil. Stir continuously. Simmer gently until the rice is cooked and nearly all the liquid has been absorbed. Add the honey and cool slightly.
Beat the egg yolks lightly and stir into the rice mixture. Spoon into the prepared dish. Spread the surface of the mixture with Staffords Lemon Curd and arrange the orange segments on top.
Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the castor sugar by the spoonful while beating continuously. Spoon meringue onto the tart, spreading it over the entire surface. Bake for 20 minutes or until the meringue turns pale brown. Serve hot. Serves 6.
Coffee and Chocolate Brownies - Top
Yield: 16 squares
Ingredients:
500 g Staffords Dark Choc Discs, melted
150 g unsalted butter, melted
4 eggs
15 ml sugar
60 ml (35 g) flour
20 ml instant coffee
Directions:
Mix together the melted Stafford Dark Choc Discs, coffee and butter until the coffee has dissolved. Using a hand blender, whisk the eggs and sugar together until it leaves a trail behind, and it is lighter in colour. Lightly fold into a lightly greased glass dish (oven safe) and bake for 20-30 minutes.
Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the dish and completely cool the brownies. Portion the brownies into 16 squares, and to decorate, melt some Staffords Dark Choc Discs and dip some coffee beans in, set aside on greaseproof paper until the chocolate has cooled and place a few on top of each brownie.
Coffee Cheesecake - Top
If you like creamy cheesecake you’ll love this one with its subtle coffee flavour.
Ingredients:
CRUST:
330 g shortbread biscuits, crushed
55 g butter, melted
30 ml coffee liqueur
FILLING:
3 tubs (230 g or 250 g each) cream cheese
1 container (230 g) mascarpone cheese
200 ml sugar
30 ml coffee liqueur
10 ml coffee granules
3 eggs
60 ml cake flour
TOPPING:
250 g Staffords Dark Choc Disks
80 ml cream
30 ml strong coffee
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 180ºC and put a pan of water in the oven. Line a 220 mm spring form tin with baking paper and grease the paper.
CRUST: Mix the biscuits and melted butter and stir in the liqueur. Press the crust onto the bottom of the prepared tin.
FILLING: Beat the cream cheese, mascarpone cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in the liqueur and coffee granules. Slowly stir in the eggs and flour until just blended. Turn the mixture into the prepared crust and bake for 40-45 minutes or until just set. Open the oven door, switch off the oven and leave the cake to cool in the over for 20 minutes. Remove and leave to cool completely. Chill in the fridge for at least three hours before serving.
TOPPING: Heat the Staffords Dark Choc Disks, cream and coffee, stirring until the Staffords Dark Choc Disks have just melted. Drizzle over the cake in a zigzag pattern. Serves 8-10.
food colourings of your choice (blue, yellow, pink, lilac)
To decorate:
sprinkles
silver balls
Staffords Rainbow Vermicelli
sweets
crystallised flower petals
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 180°C. First make the cup cakes. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually mix in the beaten egg, mixing thoroughly between each addition to prevent the mixture from curdling. Mix in the Staffords Vanilla Extract. Using a metal spoon, fold in the flour, then mix in the milk. Divide the mixture among 12 paper cup cake cases and place in a 12 cup muffin tin or on a baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and springy to the touch. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, make the frosting. In a mixing bowl mix the butter gradually adding the icing sugar mixing very well until light and creamy. Add the milk and Staffords Vanilla Extract, mixing well. Divide the mixture into separate bowls to be coloured with your choice of colours. Using a cocktail stick, add the colours gradually until a pastel colour is reached. Spoon generous amounts of frosting onto the cooled cup cakes and swirl, using a warm, wet knife.
Decorate the cup cakes using silver balls,Staffords Rainbow Vermicelli, sweets or crystallised flower petals. Leave to set for 30 minutes. Serves 12.
Preheat oven to 180. Lightly grease baking tin and line with baking paper. Combine the raisins with rum in a small bowl set aside to soak. Place chocolate and butter in heatproof bowl and place over half filled sauce pan with boiling water remove from heat; allow to stand stirring occasionally until melted. Stir in the sugar and cream set aside and cool. Sift in flour add raisin mixture combine all ingredients together with egg. Pour mixture into prepare baking tin bake for 20-25minutes or until just set. Cool and then refrigerate overnight before cutting into small pieces dust with cocoa and top with Stafford White Chocolate Discs.
300 ml thickened cream, plus extra whipped cream to serve
Grated chocolate, to serve
Directions:
Melt Staffords 70% Cocoa chocolate and set aside to cool slightly. Place eggs and sugar in a large bowl and beat for 5 minutes. Fold in cooled chocolate and cocoa powder until combined.
In a separate bowl, whip cream until thickened. Fold the cream into the chocolate mixture. Spoon into glasses and chill in fridge for at least 1 hour. Remove from fridge 15 minutes before serving, then top with extra whipped cream and grated chocolate to serve. Serves 6.
Beat 125g soft butter with 170g caster sugar. Add 5ml Staffords Vanilla Extract and 2 large eggs and beat well. Fold in the flour, Staffords Choc Chips and milk. Spoon into greased muffin or cupcake tins and bake at 200ºC for 12 to 15 minutes.
Once cool, spread each cupcake with melted chocolate or chocolate spread, and sprinkle with Staffords Choc Chips or Choc Vermicelli. Top each one with a maraschino cherry.
Fold Staffords Lemon Curd into whipped cream. Place a slice of Swiss roll in centre of each of 4 plates. Drizzle half the sherry over them. Spoon a little lemon cream onto each. Repeat layers. Mix raspberry purée with sugar to taste and pour over trifles. Serves 4.
30ml Staffords Orange Flower Water or Staffords Rose Water
155g maraschino cherries, diced
3 maraschino cherries with stalks
handful of mint
Directions:
Brown the pistachios in a non-stick pan. Sprinkle with 5 ml sugar and stir until lightly caramelised. Allow them to cool. Brown the almonds in a non-stick pan. Sprinkle with 15 ml sugar and stir until lightly caramelized. Allow to cool.
Beat the egg whites until stiff. In a microwave, melt the honey for 30 seconds. Whisking continuously, add the boiling honey in a thin stream to the stiff egg whites, until the egg whites are shiny and smooth. Beat in the Staffords Orange Flower Water or Staffords Rose Water.
Beat the egg yolks and 105 g (125 ml) caster sugar together until the mixture lightens in colour, now fold in the egg-white mixture. Whip the cream until it forms peaks and fold into the nougat mixture.
Set aside 50 g almonds and 20 g pistachios and in a blender coarsely crush the remaining nuts. Fold the crushed nuts into the nougat mixture with the cherries.
Line a loaf tin (280 x 100 mm) with non-stick plastic wrap. Pour in the nougat mixture and smooth the top. Cover with plastic and freeze for 12 hours. Remove from the freezer and keep in refrigerator for up to 4 hours until serving time. Just before serving, un-mould it onto a serving platter and serve with fresh cherries, the reserved caramelized nuts and a sprig of mint. Serves 10.
450 g of package gum drops, remove the licorice ones
500 ml pitted dates, cut in half
300 ml cups walnuts
5 ml ground cinnamon
5 ml ground cloves
10 ml ground allspice
60 ml brandy
250 ml Staffords Apple Jelly
300 ml butter
750 ml white sugar
7 eggs
5 ml Staffords Vanilla Extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
5 ml baking soda
Directions:
Pour boiling water over raisins and currants to cover. Steep for 5 minutes, then drain. In a very large bowl, combine currants, raisins, gum drops, candied cherries, pitted dates, walnuts, spices, brandy and Staffords Apple Jelly. Stir to blend. Cover and let stand overnight.
Preheat oven to 135ºC. Grease three 100 x 200 mm loaf pans. Cream the butter and the sugar together until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one. Stir in the Staffords Vanilla Extract. Sift the flour and baking soda together. Blend in the flour mixture alternately with the fruit mixture. Pour evenly into three loaf pans. Bake at 135ºC for 2 to 3 hours or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the loaves comes out clean. Serves 30.
Mix together biscuits and butter to make a crumb crust. Press into base of a 22cm loose-bottom cake tin. Place in fridge to set.
Mix together cheese, condensed milk and lemon juice. Sprinkle gelatine over water and allow to form a soft sponge, then soften gelatine sponge over hot water or in a microwave on high for 10 seconds. Mix into cheese mixture. Fold in whipped cream and mix in half the Staffords Granadilla Curd. Pour onto biscuit base and leave to set, preferably overnight.
Remove cheesecake from tin and place on serving dish. Top with extra Staffords Granadilla Curd
Preparation: Less than 30 minutes
Cooking: Over 2 hours
Ingredients:
225g butter
225g caster sugar
4 eggs
225g self-raising flour
110g fresh cranberries
110g dried cranberries
4 pieces stem ginger plus 60 ml syrup from the jar
5 ml ground ginger
30 ml port
15 ml Staffords Cranberry Jelly
Directions:
Chop the stem ginger into small pieces. Mix the Staffords Cranberry Jelly, port and fresh cranberries together and put in the base of a lightly greased 1 litre pudding basin.
Cream the butter and the sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and ginger syrup. Fold in the flour, ground ginger, dried cranberries and chopped stem ginger. Turn into the pudding basin. Cover with a circle of baking parchment and foil. Secure the top with string and make a string handle from one side of the basin to another.
Steam for 2-3 hours. Insert a skewer into the pudding to make sure it is cooked. Turn out onto a dish and serve with cream or vanilla ice cream. Serves 6-8.
150 g sugar (or less, depending on ripeness of fruit)
500 ml mashed or puréed northern kiwis (without skin)
500 ml whipping cream
Directions:
The cream and kiwis should be well chilled. Beat the eggs and sugar until light and creamy. Add the mashed kiwis, cream and Staffords White Balsamic Vinegar and mix well. Follow the directions on your ice cream maker. Serve on a coulis of the kiwis with a little Staffords White Balsamic Vinegar added.
Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Line and butter two 210 mm sandwich tins.
Mix the egg yolk, 100 g of the sugar, the butter, flour, cornflour, baking powder, bicarb and lemon zest in a processor. Add the lemon juice and milk and process again. Divide the mixture between the prepared tins. You will think you do not even have enough to cover the bottom of the tins, but do not panic. Spread calmly with a rubber spatula until smooth.
Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until peaks form and then slowly whisk in 200 g sugar. Divide the whisked whites between the two sponge-filled tins, pouring, or, more accurately, spreading the meringue straight on top of the cake batter. Smooth one flat with a metal spatula, and with the back of a spoon, peak the other and sprinkle a teaspoonful of sugar over the peaks. Put the tins into the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
With a cake-tester, pierce the cake that has the flat meringue topping to check that it is cooked right through. (It will have risen now but will fall back flattish later.) Remove both cakes to a wire rack and let cool completely in the tins. Unmould the flat-topped one on to a cake stand or plate, meringue side down. Whisk the double cream until thick but not stiff and set aside.
Spread the flat sponge face of the flat-topped cake with the Staffords Lemon Curd and then spatula over the cream over it and top with the remaining cake, bronze-peaked meringue uppermost. Serves 8.
Whip the cream until stiff and stir in about 100 g of the Staffords Lemon Curd. Fold in the meringue and gently stir in the remaining Staffords Lemon Curd. Don’t over mix. Spoon into a freezer container and freeze until hard. Makes about 1,5 litres. Serves 6.
Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Brush a 6 – hole muffin tin (large capacity) with melted, butter, or spray and bake. Sift the flour into a large bowl; make a well in the centre. Add the eggs, Vesuvio Olive Oil, mixed berries, yoghurt and sugar. Using a hand blender, mix the batter until just combined.
Spoon three quarters of the mixture in each muffin hole. Equally portion the cream cheese and place a portion on each muffin with the. Spoon the rest of the batter over.
Bake for 30 minutes, until the muffins are golden brown. Using a flat-bladed knife turn the muffins out onto a cooling rack.
Whip the cream until stiff and spoon into the meringue nests. Top with a spoonful of Staffords Lemon Curd and freshly sliced strawberries. Sprinkle with lemon zest and serve immediately. Serves 4.
For the crust, mix flour, cocoa, and 45 ml sugar together in a bowl. Stir in oil and water until well blended. Press dough into the bottom and up the sides of a well-greased 200 mm spring form cake pan.
Place baking chocolate and 60 ml sugar in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, stir, and continue heating until chocolate is completely melted. Add butter, and heat for another 30 seconds. Stir, and spread over bottom of the crust. Refrigerate or freeze crust while preparing filling.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese to soften. Add white chocolate syrup and flour, and stir until well blended. Add one egg at a time until all are just incorporated into the mixture. Set aside.
Pour 125 ml of filling into a small bowl, and stir in Staffords Mint Jelly. Pour half of original filling into prepared pan, spreading evenly over crust. Pour in mint filling, spreading as evenly as possible without blending into bottom layer, then top with remaining filling.
Bake cake in a preheated oven at 205ºC for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 95oC and continue baking for another 30 minutes. When done baking, open oven door and allow cake to cool completely to prevent cracking (about 3 hours). Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 16.
Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies - Top
Ingredients:
375 ml (200 g) all-purpose flour
5 ml baking soda
250 ml butter or margarine, softened
125 ml creamy or chunky peanut butter
125 ml white sugar
125 ml brown sugar
5 ml Staffords Vanilla Extract
1 large egg
330 ml Staffords Choc Chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 180ºC. Combine flour and baking soda in small bowl. Set aside. Beat butter, peanut butter, white sugar, brown sugar and Staffords Vanilla Extract in large bowl until creamy. Beat in egg. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in Staffords Choc Chips. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets. Press down slightly with bottom of glass dipped in white sugar. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are set but centres are still soft. Cool on baking sheets for 4 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Olive Loaf with Stafford’s Pitted Calamata Olives - Top
Ingredients:
280g/500 ml cake flour
1 x 10g instant yeast
15 ml sugar
5 ml salt
200 ml lukewarm water
200ml lukewarm milk
1 egg
30 ml margarine
280g/500 ml cake flour
100g/ ¼ bottle Stafford’s Pitted Calamata Olives
Glaze:
30 ml water
1 egg yolk
pinch salt
Directions:
Sift all the dry ingredients, except the extra flour, into a bowl. Add the egg, warm water and warm milk and mix well. Add the margarine and work into mixture. Add sufficient of the extra flour gradually to form a soft dough.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Flour the bowl, return the dough to the bowl, sprinkle with flour. Cover with plastic and/or cloth and place in a mildly warm spot until the dough is doubled in size.
Turn out the dough on a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Punch down the risen dough and divide into equal portions, depending on the size you require.
Roll out each portion of dough into an oval shape on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin to a thickness of about 25 mm. Distribute the drained pitted olives evenly pressing each into the dough.
Roll up the dough neatly, tucking in the ends and place on a prepared flat baking tray with seam side and folded over ends underneath.
Beat the egg, water and salt together for the glaze and brush lightly over loaf. Allow to rise in a mildly warm protected spot until doubled.
Bake in preheated oven at 180?C for about 35 minutes or until golden and cooked right through. Tap the crust with the knuckles. If the bread is done it will sound hollow.
Cool the loaves. Turn over to determine whether the loaf is firm and golden at the base and sides. If not. Return to oven and bake a while longer. When the loaves are perfectly baked, place on a cooling rack to cool.
Preheat oven to 180 ºC. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan with melted butter or oil. Sift flour into a large bowl. Add sugar and Staffords Choc Chips, make a well in the centre.
Mix together egg, peanut butter, jam, butter and milk. Stir until just combined (do not overbeat). If the mixture is too dry, add 60 ml more milk. Spoon mixture evenly into muffin cups. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until skewer comes out clean when inserted into centre of cakes. Loosen muffins in pan, leaving for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool. Decorate with melted Staffords Dark Choc Discs and Staffords Choc Chips. Serves 12.
Poppy Seed Biscuits with Staffords White Choc Discs - Top
Ingredients:
160g cake flour
pinch of salt
1 egg
75g sugar
40ml sunflower oil
15g Bart Poppy seeds
1 teaspoon Staffords Lemon Curd
75g Staffords White Choc Discs
Directions:
PREPARATION
• Whisk together eggs, sugar and oil until well combined.
• In a bowl combine the Bart Poppy Seeds and Staffords Lemon Curd.
• Combine the salt with the flour and add to the egg mixture. Mix well with a fork.
• Knead well with your hands and place in the fridge for at least one hour.
BAKING
• Preheat the oven to 175°C.
• Roll out the dough to a thickness of 3mm. Using a sharp knife cut into strips of 4 cm wide, then cut across to form rectangles of approximately 4 cm x 7 cm. (You can also use a cookie cutter to cut into any shape).
• Transfer to a lined baking sheet, leaving a space of 1cm between biscuits.
• Bake for 7 – 9 minutes until lightly golden but not brown.
• Place onto cooling rack and allow to cool.
CHOCOLATE COVERING
• Melt the Staffords White Choc Discs slowly in a pan, placed over hot water “au bain maire” style. Stir to keep it from melting unevenly.
• When the chocolate is melted, use a spoon to spread it on top of biscuits and allow to set and cool completely.
HELPFUL TIP:
White chocolate melts at a lower temperature than dark chocolate, and when overheated, it goes lumpy. Be patient, and be sure to keep an eye on the water – do not allow it to boil.
Take out the frozen fruit from the deep freezer (saving some for decoration). Add powdered sugar and Staffords Rose Water and mix with a hand blender for approximately 30 seconds until the mixture is smooth. Serve immediately and decorate with raspberry and mint leaves. Serves 2.
Soak the raisins in the rum until they have expanded. Chop the raisins using a hand blender until they are roughly chopped up. Using a hand blender, combine, the melted Staffords Dark Chocolate Discs, cream and butter in a bowl. Stir in sifted icing sugar. Cover, refrigerate until firm. Shape into balls using a melon baller, roll in cocoa powder, place in small confectionery cases, refrigerate before serving. Makes about 15.
Line an oven tray with foil. Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Combine cream and butter in a small pan and stir over low heat until the butter melts and mixture is just boiling. Pour hot cream mixture over chocolate, then stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Stir in cake crumbs and rum, combining well. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally or until mixture is just firm enough to handle. Roll heaped teaspoonfuls of mixture into balls. Spread Staffords Choc Vermicelli on a sheet of greaseproof paper. Roll each truffle in sprinkles, then place on the prepared tray. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until firm. Serve in paper cupcake holders, if desired. Serves 20.
Defrost the raspberries in a strainer, leaving to drain for 30 minutes or drain tinned raspberries. Set aside 30 of the best-looking raspberries for decorating the trifle if you don't want to use glace cherries.
Make up custard, substituting 30 ml of the milk with sherry to enhance the sherry flavour of the trifle. Leave to cool. Cut the cake in half and sprinkle each layer with sherry to moisten (not soak) them. Spread the cut sides with the raspberry jam. Cut each layer into cubes.
Line the bottom of a large, glass bowl with one third of the cake squares, jam sides up. Arrange half of the drained raspberries over the cake. Spread half of the vanilla custard over the raspberries. Repeat the process, making another layer of cake squares, raspberries and custard. Leave enough cake to top the custard with the remaining cake squares, jam sides down.
Refrigerate until needed, but keep in mind that the longer the trifle stands, the more the layers merge and lose their distinct flavours and textures. Just before serving, whip the cream with the sugar and Staffords Vanilla Extract and spread it over the trifle.
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease 2 x 12 hole muffin pans
Cream the butter and the sugar together in a mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides and bottom of the mixer and the beater once or twice. Add the Staffords Vanilla Extract and mix until combined
Continue to beat, slowly, while adding the flour alternately with the milk. Add the Staffords Choc Chips, mix in and then spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pans, until ¾ full
Bake until golden in an oven preheated to 180°C for about 25 minute, until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, melt the Staffords Milk Choc Discs in the microwave with 20ml milk
When the cupcakes are cooked to the touch,ice them with the melted chocolate and sprinkle with the Staffords Rainbow and Choc Vermicelli.
Preheat the oven to 160°C. Sieve the plain flour, cornflour and icing sugar into the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter along with the Staffords Vanilla Extract. Process until the soft mixture coheres and begins to form a ball, loosely clumping around the blade. Turn this out on to a Swiss roll tin and press to form an even layer, using fingers or the back of a spoon, or both. Be patient, it will fit smoothly. Using the tip of a sharp knife, cut the pressed-out shortbread into fingers. Use the tines of a fork to make little holes in each marked-out biscuit. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, by which time the shortbread will still be pale still, but not doughy. Expect a little goldenness around the edges, but shortbread should be melting, not crisp. Remove the tin from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes or so, before removing, with a palette knife and your fingers, to a wire rack. Sprinkle with sugar and leave to cool completely before storing in a tin.
250ml mayonnaise (recipe as follows for a very east to prepare homemade one)
45 ml red-vine vinegar
45 ml fresh lemon juice
100ml Staffords Dijon Mustard
freshly milled black pepper
8 ml teaspoons Worcester sauce (optional)
75ml vegetable oil
20 ml Vesuvio Olive Oil
1 head romaine lettuce, washed, drained and cut
If you decide on homemade mayonnaise, start your preparation according to this recipe:
Homemade Mayonnaise
1 fresh egg
juice of 1 lemon
250ml Vesuvio Olive Oil
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Put the whole egg, lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper in a measuring beaker. Introduce a hand blender vertically onto the very bottom of the beaker. Press the position turbo press and process, always keeping the shaft in an upright position until the mixture on the bottom starts to emulsify. Now move the hand blender straight up and down until the mayonnaise is ready. If you are going to use the mayonnaise as a dip, you can add any flavour (like Staffords Dijon Mustard, garlic, herbs, fruit or sour cream, to make it lighter, etc.)
Caesar Salad:
Chop anchovies, garlic, parmesan in the chopper attachment of a blender. Add mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon juice, Staffords Dijon Mustard, pepper, Worcester sauce, and oils and blend until smooth. Covered and refrigerated, the sauce will stay fresh for up to 1 week.
Wash salad and pat dry. Slice the leaves diagonally (20 mm across). Put the leaves in a large bowl and add the dressing. Toss until the leaves are coated evenly. Serves 6.
Cut Parmesan in cubes of 20 mm and grate. Put all ingredients for the dressing in a bowl and blend with a hand blender until smooth. Set aside in a jar with a lid.
Preheat oven to 180ºC. Lightly brush the baguette slices with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and bake until golden.
Bring water, Staffords Balsamic Vinegar and salt to the boil in a frying pan, turn the heat down and add 2 eggs at a time. Poach eggs for about 4 minutes, according to taste. Set them aside on wet paper towel.
Trim the lettuce. Cut into slices and place in a large bowl. Pour the dressing and the grated Parmesan over the greens and toss gently. Serve on plates with the croutons and the poached egg on top.
Instead of poached eggs, Caesar Salad can be served also with grilled chicken, fish or Italian prosciutto. Serves 6-8.
Combine all ingredients in blender and mix until smooth. Serve with a salad.
Fresh Salad with Sherry and Mustard Dressing - Top
Ingredients:
Salad Dressing
45 ml finely chopped spring onion
30 ml sherry vinegar
15 ml Staffords Dijon Mustard
90 ml Vesuvio Olive Oil
Salad
2 slices day old white bread, crusts removed and cubed
few rashers bacon, rolled up
mixture of fresh lettuce and young spinach leaves
125 ml low fat cheese cubes
Directions:
Combine the spring onion, vinegar and Staffords Dijon Mustard and gradually beat in the oil. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Sprinkle the bread cubes with olive oil and grill with the bacon rolls until golden brown and crisp. Cool and mix with the remaining salad ingredients. Pour the salad dressing over the salad, mix lightly and season. Serve immediately. Serves 4.
Sauté chopped onions in butter until soft. Boil water and add salt. Remove from heat when boiling, add the couscous, stir and cover with lid, allow to stand for 10 minutes. Add coriander, Staffords Capers in Vinegar, nuts, onions, lemon juice, salt and pepper to the couscous. Mix everything together and serve hot.
Millionaire's Dressing for Salads and Vegetables - Top
Ingredients:
75ml Verjuice
75ml walnut oil
75ml Vesuvio Olive Oil
1 ½ tsp Staffords Dijon Mustard
2 crushed garlic cloves (or to taste)
black pepper and sea salt to taste
Directions:
Shake together all ingredients or blend with hand blender for a thicker, creamier emulsion.
Variations: For a cost-effective dressing, replace the walnut oil with olive oil; add your favourite herbs, eg. parsley, chives, oregano, basil, etc.; reduce oil and add60 ml fromage frais or crème fraiche - drizzle over ostrich or beef Carpaccio.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, mix together the ketchup, Staffords Mint Jelly, honey, red wine vinegar, and butter. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat, allow to cool, then serve. Serves 4.
Cut ciabatta into crouton shapes and toast in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil till brown. Cut tomatoes into wedges and discard the seeds, chop finely. Cut celery into four strips and chop coarsely. Cut cucumber into 20 mm thick slices. Cut the Staffords Mango Slices in Syrup into cubes. Combine onion with bread, basil, celery, tomato, mango and cucumber in large salad bowl.
Combine red wine vinegar, Vesuvio olive oil and garlic together and shake well to form a light dressing to pour over the salad. Serves 4.
Tomato and mozzarella salad served with a Balsamic Vinegar Dressing - Top
Ingredients:
2 x mozzarella balls
2 x tomatoes, roughly sliced
handful fresh basil
100ml Vesuvio Olive Oil
30ml Staffords Balasmic Vinegar
Directions:
Slice two mozzarella balls and place them on a serving platter. Top with tomatoes and scatter with fresh basil leaves. Pour Vesuvio Olive Oil and Staffords Balsamic Vinegar into a bottle with a lid and add the salt and freshly ground black pepper. Shake well to combine. Drizzle over the tomato salad and serve. Serves 4.
2 Little Gem lettuce, shredded, or 1 shredded lettuce
30g grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Toss the bread with the garlic. Heat half of the oil in a frying pan and fry the bread until crisp and golden. Whisk the Staffords Cranberry Jelly, red wine vinegar and olive oil together until smooth.
Carve the turkey and transfer to a salad bowl. Add the lettuce, dressing and croutons and toss well. Scatter the grated Parmesan cheese over the salad and serve. Serves 4.
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