Coco Kitchen - House Of Coco Magazine

Coco Kitchen September 3, 2020

#CocoKithcen : The Ivy Leeds

We all emerged from the pandemic lockdown, different people. We went into it with a hankering for some great food and cocktails, and we have come out slightly less hungry, but thirstier than ever before. We went along to The Ivy in Leeds to check out the ‘new normal’ post-pandemic dining experience in style.

Spoiler alert: dining out post-pandemic is 95% the same as it was before. Now, you can expect the tables to be further away, cashless payments encouraged pre-bookings, and more stringent cleaning. Erm, hello, aren’t these all great things? The Ivy, doing nothing by halves, has taken your personal safety and hygiene to the next level and has provided branded bottles of gorgeous hand sanitiser at the table.

Anyone who’s visited an Ivy Brasserie before (there are 33 of them now just in England alone, plus another four across Ireland, Scotland and Wales) will know that the menu is vast, and something certain from your visit is that at one point, you will be absolutely spoiled for choice.

If, by some miracle, you haven’t melted during the heatwave, you’ll be super glad to know that The Ivy has launched their summer menu, with dishes like quinoa and watermelon salad, or blackened cod fillet. But fear not, nobody is stopping you from tucking into a shepherd’s pie in 33-degree heat should you so wish.

Thrifty foodies will be very happy to know that The Ivy is taking part in Eat Out to Help Out scheme with a new bespoke set menu from Monday to Wednesday in August, saving a tenner on a two-course menu that would usually be £30, or three courses at £35 (pre-discount). Nice one, Rishi!

This new set-menu narrows down the options to three choices per course, but is somehow still just as difficult to choose as before. To start, choose between yellowfin tuna carpaccio with jalapeño and avocado sauce, crispy five-spice duck salad, or a stunning mozzarella with grapes, mint and hazelnuts. Tough right? And that’s before you get to the mains of a roasted beef filet drizzled in truffle sauce, lobster and tomato linguine, or grilled sea bass fillet with smoked aubergine. It’s like choosing a favourite child and we don’t even have kids.

To finish on a very high note, there’s a frozen berry and sorbet selection pitted against a baked apple tart with ice cream, but the third contender makes this an unfair fight. You guessed it, it’s the chocolate bombe. Get your Insta-stories at the ready for this culinary cabaret!

Between the lobster linguine and the chocolate bombe, washed down with a very carefully selected wine, it’s the same Ivy we have grown to love. There are some very small differences of course. When you arrive, pass no further than the floral entrance archway and you’ll be temperature-scanned. But we say, better they scan us on the way in than the way out, four months of lockdown and it doesn’t take much wine to fire us up.

Coco Kitchen August 30, 2020

Coco Kitchen Weekend Bakers: Easy Challah

Ain’t no challah back girl…

For a loaf that looks complex, challah is deceptively easy. Whether you opt for a simple three strand braid, an ambitious eight strand masterpiece, or just throw it it in a cake tin to do its thing, you won’t be disappointed with the soft crumb and golden crust of this classic.

Ingredients:

250ml lukewarm water
2 tsp dried yeast
500g strong white bread flour
50g sugar
2tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk (save the whites for the egg wash)
60ml vegetable/sunflower oil

Method:

Combine the yeast and water in a bowl with a pinch of the sugar. Leave to foam for 10 minutes.
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the eggs, egg yolk, and oil. Stir to form a loose dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured worktop and knead for 10 minutes. Alternatively, mix in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook for 5-6 minutes on a medium speed.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a loose sheet of cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 90 minutes.
Divide the dough into three or six equal pieces depending on the type of braid you have planned. Use a rolling pin to roll each piece into a circle the thickness of a 10p coin. Roll each circle into a scroll.
Gather the scrolls and layer the ends on top of each other before braiding. Tuck the ends before covering the loaf loosely in clingfilm and leaving to rise for another 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C (fan)/gas mark 4.
Brush the top of the loaf with the egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes.
Challah is beautiful toasted, but is also great in bread and butter puddings or served with a drizzle of honey or chocolate spread. Keep in a cool, dry place and consume within three days.

Coco Kitchen August 24, 2020

Coco Kitchen: Vegan Rose & Maca Hot Choc with Conscious Chocolate

A vegan Turkish Delight dream from the purveyors of organic, raw chocolate.

With International Chocolate Day hitting on September 13th 2020, Conscious Chocolate, industry leaders and pioneers in the healthiest of vegan and organic delights, will be launching their most Intense affair yet to mark the occasion; the sugar-free Pure Dark bar, made with 100% cacao.

Created with a satisfying snap and offering the taste of every part of the cocoa bean, the Pure Dark bar is a sumptuous single-origin chocolate bar, designed for those who enjoy the deepest, darkest of flavours. A truly natural experience, the Pure Dark Bar is made with premium Peruvian cacao, blended perfectly for a strong flavour that is creamy and fully-balanced, without an overpowering bitterness.

Smooth, luxuriant and bursting with raw goodness, the Pure Dark Bar, is the latest innovation from the brand who launched a sumptuously robust Work-From-Home care package in partnership with The Raw Chocolate Company during lockdown and a stunning Rainbow Collection to celebrate Pride Season, with proceeds going to Pride in London.

Of course, I couldn’t resist throwing together a recipe of my own using Conscious Chocolate’s Love Potion No. 9: Featuring rose, maca, and coconut blossom, Love Potion boasts all the flavours of Turkish Delight without the high sugar content or overly sweet after taste. Best enjoyed on a dark summer evening, this hot chocolate is unlike anything you’ve tasted before.

Vegan Rose, Maca, and Coconut Blossom Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

30g Conscious Chocolate Love Potion No. 9
1 cup sweetened soya/almond/coconut milk
2 tablespoons coconut cream
1 tablespoon Conscious Chocolate The Dark Side, grated
Sprinkling of chopped rose petals

Method:

Warm the milk in a pan over a gentle heat until simmering.
Chop the Love Potion bar and stir it into the hot milk, whisking until fully combined. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
Whip the coconut cream until fluffy.
Top the hot chocolate with the coconut cream and sprinkle with The Dark Side shavings and chopped rose petals. Serve immediately.

Behind the bar August 23, 2020

A culinary night out at Adam Handling Chelsea

With lockdown essentially curbing our gastronomic experiences to the confines of our own kitchens, we have found a new-found love and respect for the flavours, service, and sheer spectacle of the restaurant experience.

It is only fitting that one of our first forays back into London’s food scene was a meal at Adam Handling Chelsea, which certainly gave us several months of culinary spectacle in three delicious courses.

Adam Handling Chelsea is located in the stunning Belmond Cadogan Hotel, and the creation of Chef Patron Adam Handling who uses sustainably-sourced seasonal product to showcase the best of contemporary British cuisine.

Our experience began at the Adam Handling Chelsea Bar, which offers an impressive collection of wines and spirits in a luxurious yet cosy atmosphere. We started with a welcome cocktail, served blithely in a makeshift book, and accompanied by a small mason jar of homemade popcorn.

After the essential clink of our cocktail glasses, we made our way through the open kitchen and into the dining room, which can only be described as understated elegance. The menu will certainly please those who are familiar with Adam Handling’s most popular signature dishes, including his famously indulgent chicken butter.

We began our meal with the tuna and beef tartare, which came with a slight kick of mustard and tabasco. We followed this with the perfectly cooked BBQ Octopus, with black garlic and smoked potatoes deep-friend in a lemon purée; and the wood pigeon with girolles mushrooms and gooseberry chutney.

We complemented the strong flavours of our main courses with the green beans with almonds and the salt-baked cauliflower, which was so delicious it almost stole the show. For dessert, we tried the chocolate, bourbon in miso and rye – a sweet final flourish to an already impeccable meal.

The sommelier recommended a sulphite-free organic Valencian red wine called Vermell which offered a beautiful array of dark-fruit flavours and herbal notes. A fittingly fantastic wine pairing to accompany a truly spectacular meal.

Coco Kitchen August 9, 2020

Coco Kitchen: Dinner Party delights from Theo Randall at the intercontinental

A selection of delicious al fresco recipes for balmy summer nights

With summer now in full swing, Chef Theo Randall at the InterContinental Park Lane has whipped up a selection of his best Italian recipes, easy to recreate for any dinner party or BBQ at home. From mouth-watering Panzanella to a tangy Amalfi lemon tart, Chef Theo’s recipes bring London fine dining to your very own patio.

Spiedino of Sausages with Dandelion Cannellini Bean Salad

For this recipe, it is important that you use fat, well-seasoned Tuscan sausages, which are made with a combination of cured and fresh meat. You can get them from most Italian delis. The bread on the rosemary sticks goes really crispy from the sausage fat and tastes great.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS
2 sturdy sticks of rosemary, 20cm long
6 x 2cm cubes sourdough bread
6 slices pancetta
4 Tuscan sausages, each cut across into 4 pieces
4 plum tomatoes, each cut into quarters
For the cannellini bean salad
1 x 400g tin of cooked cannellini beans, drained and rinsed.
1/2 large radicchio, leaves separated
1 bunch of dandelion, washed and trimmed.
1 head of romaine lettuce, cut into 2cm slices
1 tbsp coarsely chopped mint
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 chopped red chilli, seeds removed.

METHOD

Light your bbq an hour before cooking the spiedinos.
Remove the leaves from the rosemary sticks, except for the leafy top.
Wrap each cube of bread in a slice of pancetta. Thread the pieces of sausage, pancetta-wrapped bread and tomato quarters on to the rosemary sticks, alternating the
ingredients and dividing them equally between the sticks.
Lay the rosemary skewers on the outsides of a hot bbq and cook slowly on both sides,
making sure the sausage and bread do not burn
Meanwhile, make the cannellini bean salad. Combine the Cannellini beans, dandelion, heart of romaine slices, radicchio leaves, and mint in a salad bowl.
Dress with the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and seasoning.
Serve the skewers hot with the salad on the side. Add some chopped fresh chilli and a drizzle of olive oil.

Chicken Liver and Pancetta Salad

INGREDIENTS
250g cleaned chicken livers
1 sprig of sage
100g sliced pancetta
100g lentils di Castelluccio or puy
1 lemon
2tbls aged balsamic vinegar
4tbls olive oil
250g mixed leaves like radicchio, dandelion, rocket, castelfranco.

METHOD
1. In a frying pan cook the pancetta until crispy.
2. Remove from the pan, add the chicken livers and cook until golden brown.
3. Put the pancetta back in the pan with the chicken livers and add the chopped sage. Add 1tbls of balsamic vinegar to the pan, toss all together and season.
4. Cook the lentils for approx 25minutes or until soft. Drain off water, season and add olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.
5. In a large bowl add 1tblsp of balsamic vinegar and 3 tbsp of olive oil. Mix together with the spring leaves and lentils.
6. Put on a plate and place the chicken livers and pancetta carefully on top.

Panzanella

30 minutes

Serves 4 as a starter

INGREDIENTS
2 red peppers
1 loaf of dry ciabatta bread
300g heritage tomatoes, preferably of mixed colours
1 heaped tsp small capers in vinegar
For the dressing
400g ripe plum tomatoes
1 garlic clove, peeled
Small bunch of basil
150ml extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 heaped tsp small capers in vinegar, drained
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD

Preheat a hot grill, then char the red peppers on all sides. Put them in a bowl and cover
with cling film. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before scraping off the charred skin with a
serrated knife. Rinse off the seeds, then rip the peppers into 1cm strips. Set aside.
Make the dressing while the peppers are cooling in the bowl. Score the skin of the
tomatoes, then put them into a pan of boiling water and leave to blanch for 1 minute. Lift
into a bowl of cold water with a slotted spoon, then peel off the skins. Crush the garlic with
1 teaspoon sea salt in a pestle and mortar until smooth. Add the basil, pounding it to a
paste. Squeeze the peeled tomatoes to a pulp, then add to the garlic the olive oil, red wine
vinegar and capers. Mix well together.
Remove the crusts from the ciabatta, then cut into 2cm pieces. Put them in a large salad
bowl and add the grilled peppers. Pour over the tomato dressing and toss well so the bread
can soak up all the dressing.
Roughly cut up the heritage tomatoes and toss with the rest of the basil leaves in a
separate bowl. Spread the tomatoes and basil over the top of the salad, then add the
capers. Clean up the sides of the bowl before serving.
BUON APPETITO!
“If you only have very soft, fresh bread, try baking it for a few minutes to harden it – then it
will absorb the dressing without going soggy.”

THEO RANDALL

Carne Salata

Cured beef with shaved green and yellow courgettes, Parmesan slivers, olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
16 thin slices of black Angus carne salata
70g of Parmesan shavings
2 small courgettes
2 tbsp of European pine nuts
1 tbsp of aged balsamic vinegar
1/2 lemon 3 tbsp of olive oil

METHOD
1. Carefully place the 4 slices of carne salata on a plate so they slightly overlap. Squeeze the lemon juice, olive oil, and aged balsamic on top, using the back of a spoon carefully spread this over the meat. In a bowl mix the remaining olive oil and juice of lemon, add salt and pepper then add the rocket. Using a potato peeler, peel large slices of courgette into the
bowl. Mix well and season. Place on top of the carne salata in a mound in the middle, add the Parmesan shavings and sprinkle over the pine nuts.

Amalfi Lemon Tart

45 minutes preparation time | Makes a 26cm tart to serve 8

FOR PASTRY
INGREDIENTS
250g Plain flour
75g Icing sugar
180g Butter
2 Egg yolks

FOR THE FILLING
INGREDIENTS
Grated zest of 5 Amalfi lemons
150ml freshly squeezed Amalfi lemon juice
300g caster sugar
300g unsalted butter, chilled
6 whole organic eggs
9 organic egg yolks

METHOD

Place the flour, icing sugar and butter in a food processor and mix until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the yolks and pulse for 10 seconds. Pour into a bowl and bind it together by hand. Leave it to rest in the fridge for one hour.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line the tart case with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Blind bake for 15 minutes until golden in colour. Remove the paper and baking beans, then return the tart case to the oven to bake for a further 5 minutes. Brush all over
the inside of the case with egg wash to seal. Bake for another 5 minutes, then set aside.
Preheat the grill to high. For the filling, combine the lemon zest and juice, sugar, and butter in a heavy-based saucepan and heat gently until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved. Whisk the eggs and yolks together in a bowl, then add to the saucepan. Stir over a
medium heat until the custard mixture thickens (make sure it doesn’t boil or the eggs will curdle). Still stirring, pour the filling into the tart case.
Place the tart under the grill and cook until black dots appear on the surface of the filling.
Leave to cool and set before serving.
BUON APPETITO!

Coco Kitchen July 20, 2020

Where to Get Kitchen Ingredients If You’re Still Avoiding the Shops

Lockdown is relaxing and people are getting more comfortable about venturing outside the house – but perhaps you’re still avoiding the shops? Maybe you’ve grown accustomed to having your groceries delivery coming every week? Or maybe you switched from the generic supermarket brands to straight from the source and you can’t bear to go back?

Whatever the reason, we’ve compiled a list of the best places to get your meat, dairy, fruit and veg – whatever your kitchen cupboards need. If your fridge shelves are short of a few ingredients, we’ve got the best places for you to stock up; if you’re looking for restaurant-quality items, there are a few pantry shops of your favourite eateries of which you might want to make a note.

Odysea

Get your Greek (and Mediterranean in general) fix from Odysea Ltd. Scour the website to find a variety of kitchen cupboard ingredients, as well as a wide selection of wines, meze dips, breads and much more. Indulge in the rarer Greek cheeses (as well as the classic feta) and stock up on quality olive oils and sauces. If you’re a vinegar snob, you’ll be in your element sifting through this site, as well as checking out the different bottles of molasses, such as pomegranate, carob, grape and date. Don’t miss out on the meze dip selections too; we’re drooling over the red pepper and feta and the aubergine tubs.

Back to the Butcher

Lake District Farmers

The only danger with ordering from Lake District Farmers is that once you’ve had this quality of meat, going back to the supermarket will be something you’re going to be less inclined to do. The size, colour and quality of all of the meats is impeccable. Pork chops that get a not so porky person enjoying every mouthful? These guys have got to be doing something right. Enjoy tasty Cumberland sausages, succulent lamb chops and streaky bacon. You can choose pre-put together boxes, focusing on beef, steak, BBQ or essentials, as well building your own box and choose from various quality cuts of beef, pork, lamb and chicken.

HG Walter

Bored of the meat selection at the supermarket? Or you simply are just avoiding it despite lockdown restrictions relaxing? Either way, HG Walter could be your one-stop shop for all things meaty. A family-run butchers which is one of London’s most respected, supplying to some of the best restaurants in the city such as The River Café and Kricket. Enjoy the ‘à la carte’ option, choosing your preferred cuts or opt for one of the pre-selected boxes such as the Meat Survival Kit or the BBQ Box. HG Walter offer everything from pork to poultry; veal to venison. It’s all there.

CasaCosta

Restauranteur Roberto Costa has launched CasaCosta, which will allow you to get the best ingredients used in an Italian kitchen to your home. Known for heading up Macellaio RC, the artisan steak spot, Costa is focusing on home delivery given the current situation. Ensuring that your kitchen cupboards and fridge are well stocked with the likes of Fassona beef, a favourite of Roberto’s throughout his career, as well as other quality, approved chicken, lamb and sausages. Make space in your larder for an array of charcuterie, fresh bread, pasta and sauces, as well as essentials like eggs, flour, bacon, balsamic, cheese and other dairy products. Don’t forget the fruit and vegetables and there’s even freshly made pizzas, focaccia and pesto for you to feast on. Indulge in classic dishes on the days you don’t want to cook, such as lasagna, cannelloni, polpette and parmigiana. Everything comes in environmentally-friendly packaging which can be reused and recycled, thanks to Woolcool.

Fish to Your Door

Even without Covid, the local Sainsbury’s Local and Tesco Express house few options when it comes to fish. Unless you’re after the basic cod and salmon; perhaps some haddock and prawns if you’re feeling ‘fancy’, it’s hard to get adventurous with the smaller supermarkets. Whether you’re after a wider variety or if you’re also someone who is still wary of going to your local shop under the current circumstances, Fish to Your Door could be the answer for you. A family-run business, having been operating out of Sussex for over 25 years, find the likes of turbot, squid and clams on the website – as well as much more. Buying the majority of their fish directly from local fisherman, they are proud to support these coastal communities and stock responsibly-sourced fish. Shop dover sole, crab and swordfish individually or take advantage of the Family Fish Boxes, which range from £30 to £50, depending on how much you’re planning to stock in the freezer.

Pale Green Dot

Fruit and vegetables are a little trickier to order online, during a regular supermarket delivery. You’re most likely to realise you need things before the online order arrives – or you risk over-ordering in the greens department and having things go off before you’ve had a chance to use them in your new career as a quarantine chef. This is where Pale Green Dot comes in: not only are you getting fruit and vegetables that are supplied to some of the best restaurants in the UK but order before 8pm and you’ll get your box the next day. Pale Green Dot sells a variety of fruit and vegetable boxes, as well as meat, dairy and cheese and boxes by cuisine. Prices start from £15 for fruit and vegetables and go up to £60 for meat. You can also organise weekly subscriptions so you never are stuck short of produce again.

Wolf & Lamb

In partnership with artisan producers, offering top quality produce, Wolf and Lamb delivery service means you can access fresh produce directly at home. No need to go to the shop or trek a little further to your favourite local shop as Wolf and Lamb includes a selection of fruit, vegetables, meat, pasta, deli and dairy products from independent specialists such as The Cheese Merchant, The Estate Dairy, Jones The Butcher and Brindisa. Customers can either curate their own boxes or choose from a pre-made bundle and have these delivered in 48 hours across London, within the M25 and in some parts of Essex and Hertfordshire. The cost of each bundle ranges from £20 to £39.50.

Coco Kitchen July 11, 2020

Weekend Bakes: Chocolate Mousse Cake

Moist sponge and a decadently thick layer of dark chocolate mousse, this cake to filling ratio is a game changer.

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

For the sponge:

115g self raising flour

115g caster sugar

115g cake margarine

2 medium eggs

2tsp cocoa mixed with 1tsp boiled water

For the filling:

200g dark chocolate

6 eggs, separated

25g caster sugar

Pinch of salt

For the topping: 200ml double cream

20g dark chocolate, grated

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160C/140C (fan)/gas mark 3. Grease and line two 15cm round cake tins in preparation.
Whisk together the baking margarine and caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the flour, 2 medium eggs, and cocoa until a smooth batter has formed.
Divide the batter between the two cake tins. Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool completely.
Break the dark chocolate into squares. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water (being careful not to let the bowl touch the water). Set aside to cool.
Separate the egg whites and yolks into two bowls. Whisk the caster sugar into the egg yolks.
Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites and whisk until soft peaks form.
Whisk the melted chocolate into the egg yolk mixture. Add the egg whites a third at a time, gently folding into the chocolate mixture to retain as much of the air as possible. Refrigerate for one hour.
Line a cake tin with a strip of greaseproof paper. Place one of the cakes at the bottom of the tin. Add the mousse and top with the second cake. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours.
Whip the double cream until firm peaks form. Remove the cake from the tin and paper. Top the cake with the whipped cream and chocolate shavings. In the unlikely event of having any left over, refrigerate and consume within 2 days.

Bolivia June 28, 2020

Coco Kitchen: 9 Foods to Promote Wellness

As we look towards the future and begin to take control of our lives once again, health and wellbeing are upmost in our thoughts and plans as we move forward.

Food is always on our minds at Team Coco HQ, especially foods that promote wellness, comfort and balance. We have put together some examples of exciting, tasty produce that can be enjoyed throughout the day as a fulfilling snack, a hearty meal, or a substitute for something less healthy.

Snacks

Tobia Teff Meksess Bars, £32 for 12 bars, tobiateff.co.uk

Bursting with an abundance of vitamins and minerals, Tobia Teff Meksess Bars are the perfect pick-me-up for all health conscious snackers!

The bars are made from a simple recipe of teff flakes and coconut oil mixed with agave syrup or honey to make a wholesome, gluten free alternative to sugary flapjack bars. They come in 4 flavours including Organic Milk Chocolate Swirl Honey, Organic Dark Chocolate Agave Swirl, Plain Organic Agave and Cinnamon, and Plain Organic Honey

Chiquita Bananas, prices vary, supermarkets, outdoor markets, fruit and veg shops

The humble banana as a true hero – peel back that lovely yellow skin and underneath you will find genuinely super amounts of important vitamins and minerals, packed into a sweet, delicious fruit. You’ll find that a Chiquita banana offers superior taste and quality that you won’t forget.

Amazingly, Chiquita bananas are not only the tastiest of the bunch, they’re also good for you. Bananas are one of the best fruit sources of “happy” vitamin B6, and are also a good source of vitamin C. The manganese in bananas is great for your skin, and their generous helping of potassium is good for heart health and blood pressure. Bananas can aid digestion and help beat gastrointestinal issues thanks to a helpful amount of soluble fibre, and their natural sugars provide a long-lasting boost of energy. Best of all, they don’t contain any fats or cholesterol.

Nairns Oatcakes, £1.39, Tesco and Waitrose

Nairn’s Organic Super Seeded Oatcakes use a mix of delicious flax and chia seeds, which are a great natural source of protein as well as being rich in omegas 3 & 6. The seeds make these oatcakes even more crunchy and tasty! These oatcakes attribute great health benefits such as the slow release energy properties from the oats ensuring you are energised throughout the day, and did you also know that two oatcakes contain double the amount of fibre than one slice of white bread!

Gosh!, £2 – £2.95 each, Morrisons, Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s

Gosh! Is a plant-based food range, which is free-from the top 14 allergens including gluten, nuts and soya. The full range includes falafels, burgers, sausages and bites, perfect cold and on the go or as a nutritious ingredient in a recipe.

Gosh! is ideal for those that are eating a flexitarian or plant-based diet. The whole Gosh! range is completely natural with absolutely no hidden additives, using only ingredients that you will recognise – which is why the range is fully registered by the Vegetarian, Vegan, Coeliac and Kosher food societies. With foods that are delicious, nutritious and free-from, as well as brand initiatives that encourage a kinder way of living, Gosh! are on a mission to bring truly nourishing experiences to as many people as possible. Whether it be for dietary reasons, health or a reduction in meat consumption to preserve the planet.

Meals

PEP Kitchen Frozen Ready Meals, £5.75 each, pepkitchen.co.uk

PEP Kitchen is a start-up food business led by chef founders Joe Coulter & Ben MacAndrews who, after eight years working in restaurants and street food, have teamed up with the aim of inspiring people to eat more plant-based food.

In the PEP range dishes like; ‘Gunpowder Roasted Roots with Coconut Dhal’, ‘Szechuan Mapo Tofu’ and ‘Jackfruit Massaman Curry’ strive to stand up alongside all ready meals on the market, vegan or otherwise. They are created with inspiration from some of the pair’s favourite street food experiences, using unique and bold flavour combinations.

All dishes are perfect portions for one, created to be super bold, tasty and equally nutritious; dishes largely come in under 400 calories, are gluten free, are high in fibre, and offer good sources of protein.

RE-NOURISH Soup, £2.89 each, renourish.co.uk, Waitrose, Co-op, Ocado, Selfridges and Planet Organic

Vegan soup brand, RE:NOURISH, recently launched two new soups to add to their existing range of flavours; FUEL – Yellow Split Pea & Turmeric Daal soup and ENERGY – Pea, Basil & Lemon soup.

RE:NOURISH has created a new occasion for soup with their carefully designed heatable, recyclable, and innovative grab-and-go bottles. Their delicious soups can be enjoyed with or without utensils and the entire range can be consumed warm or cold and can be frozen up for up to 3 months.

The company offers a number of uniquely convenient options, which are high in protein and contain up to half of the recommended daily intake of fibre. Each soup is intentionally designed with functionality in mind, from boosting the immune system with the flavorsome IMMUNITY – Kale, Spinach & Turmeric soup, to reducing stress with CALM – Tomato, Basil & Passion Flower soup.

Barilla Pasta, prices vary, Tesco, Asda, Co-op, Amazon and Ocado

Pasta is a staple carbohydrate in the UK, with 90-100g consumed per person, per week. Pasta has become somewhat of an indispensable item during the pandemic crisis, however many people still believe that pasta is bad for your diet and contributes to weight-gain, which is not the case if eaten correctly.

Barilla Pasta, the largest producer of dried pasta in the world want to let you know that pasta is good for you, and it’s good for the planet as it features high on the recommended consumption list with a low impact on the environment with all Barilla’s packaging now 100% recyclable. Pasta is a pillar of the Mediterranean diet, which is one of the healthiest in the world. Pasta keeps you fuller for longer thanks to its steady release of carbohydrates. It’s a myth that pasta leads to weight gain, excess calories cause this, so pasta can be enjoyed healthily.

Substitutes

YaconViva, Yacon Syrup, £9.99, yaconviva.co.uk and Amazon

Naturally delicious, with fibre-rich natural sweeteners, YaconViva Yacon Syrup is ideal for a variety of everyday uses, such as drizzling on desserts, yoghurts, smoothies, cereals and pancakes. A great alternative to maple syrup or honey, it can be used in baking as a substitute for sugar.

YaconViva Organic and Vegan Yacon Syrup comes from the Yacon plant, native to Peru and the Andes, yielding naturally sweet syrup that has a Glycemic Index (GI) of just 1. With low GI levels, the syrup has a slow sugar absorption meaning you won’t have the typical negative side effects, like headaches and increased thirst, associated with other sugars and sweeteners.

Natvia, £5.00, Tesco

Natvia is a great tasting sweetener made from 100% naturally sourced GMO-free ingredients. It tastes deliciously sweet, with no bitter aftertaste, or nasty chemicals – typical of other artificial sweeteners. If that wasn’t enough, Natvia has zero calories per serving. That’s 100% less calories than sugar. It almost sounds too good to be true doesn’t it? By simply swapping to Natvia, you can have more control over your sugar intake, in a healthy and natural way, whilst still enjoying the sweet taste that we all love.

Brunch June 11, 2020

Now you can enjoy London’s buzziest restaurants from the comfort of your own home

While the debate is still going about how we can safely return to our favourite pubs and restaurants, we shine the light on the coolest London restaurants bringing their culinary offerings straight to your couch. Because who says you can’t add a gourmet twist to your Thursday night takeaways?

Casa Calavera brings modern Mexican to your couch

Hakkasan Group has launched an authentic Mexican (virtual) pop-up that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home.

Casa Calavera was inspired by the traditional Mexican holiday ‘Día de Los Muertos’ and takes delicious culinary cues from the street side taquerias and beachfront restaurants of Mexico.

We can’t stop raving about the mouth-watering tacos which include the Chipotle beef brisket, grilled yellowtail with sirracha and pico de gallo, and grilled cactus with salsa verde and guacamole. Is it Taco Tuesday yet?

Casa Calavera is available online via Supper, Deliveroo, and UberEats.

Mac & Wild serves up the Venimoo DIY Burger Box

Mac & Wild has launched the D-I-Y burger of our dreams and is just the perfect thing to impress at your next socially distanced backyard barbecue.

Mac & Wild’s Venimoo DIY Burger Box includes four beef patties, four venison patties, four brioche buns, and a hefty serving of pickles, lettuce, cheese, onions, bearnaise and red job sauce. Now that’s how you fire up a grill.

Bar Douro delivers the perfect summer sundowner

To accompany those delicious Venimoo burgers, Bar Douro has launched a DIY White Port and Tonic Kit that will soon be your favourite summer sundowner. The cocktail is made with Churchill’s White Port, Fever Tree, and with a zesty orange peel that makes it the just the right drink for afternoons in the sunshine.

Yauatcha unveils rainbow dumplings in support of Magic Breakfast

One of our favourite Chinese dim sum teahouses, Yauatcha, has launched rainbow pot stickers in support of charity Magic Breakfast. The rainbow dumplings are available to order via Deliveroo, Supper and UberEats throughout the month of June, with each box funding a month of breakfasts for a child in need.

The red dumpling is filled with Szechuan tenderloin, the orange with cumin spiced lamb; the yellow with chicken and chive; the green with mushroom and bamboo pith; the blue with seafood and spinach; the indigo with pork and prawn and finally, the violet with truffle sweet potato.

Yauatcha and Magic Breakfast have set the goal of funding 8,000 breakfasts in June. One bite into this colourful array of dumplings, and we’re certain they’ll reach their goal in no time.

Coco Kitchen June 7, 2020

Coco Kitchen Weekend Bakes: Bacon & Goats’ Cheese Profiteroles

Crisp, buttery pastry, salty bacon, tart goats’ cheese and sticky onion jam. Forget what you thought you knew about profiteroles.

This isn’t a recipe, it’s a revelation. When I was younger, I always viewed profiteroles as the grown up’s version of the chocolate éclair. Small and dainty, I didn’t understand why anyone would want a bitesize version of what I considered to be patisserie perfection. But then I grew up and, on becoming the master of my own kitchen, realised that I can make my profiteroles as big as I want, eat as many as I want, and fill them with whatever weird and wonderful combinations that come to mind. That’s when I got what all the fuss was about.

Makes 30 profiteroles

Ingredients:

Choux pastry:

150g plain flour

100g unsalted butter

1tsp granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

4 eggs

Filling:

200g soft goat’s cheese

100g double cream

Black pepper, to season

Topping:

6tbsp red onion chutney

2 rashers smoked streaky bacon

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C(fan)/gas mark 6. Line a tray with baking paper in preparation.
Start the choux pastry by combining the butter and water in a pan and bringing to a rapid boil. Sieve together the flour, sugar and salt in a separate bowl.
Remove the pan from the heat, add the dry ingredients and stir briskly with a wooden spoon. You want to keep stirring until the dough forms a ball that pulls away from the sides of the pan. Leave to cool slightly.
Whisk the eggs together in a separate bowl. Pour the beaten eggs into the dough mixture, stirring continuously until it comes together. Use a large spoon or an ice cream scoop to drop large balls of dough onto the baking paper.
Bake the profiterole shells for 30-35 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Leave to cool on a wire rack, poking a hole in the base of each shell to release any steam.
Whip the double cream until soft peaks form. Fold in the goat’s cheese, add some black pepper, and try a little of the mixture to gauge the seasoning. Keep adding and tasting until the balance of pepper to cheese is just right for your palate.
Scoop the cheese filling into a piping bag fitted with a long, thin nozzle. Insert the nozzle into the holes you made in the profiteroles whilst they were cooling, dispensing a generous amount of filling in each shell.
Lightly grill the bacon until the fat is glisteningly crisp. When the bacon is cool, snip it into small pieces using a pair of kitchen scissors. Spread a layer of chutney over each profiterole and sprinkle with bacon confetti whilst resisting the urge to gobble up the entire batch yourself.