Menu for Thursday 24th May:

• Bruschetta 
• Asparagus, sage and Pecorino risotto served with a mixed leaf , herb and tomato salad 
• Rhubarb and ginger pudding with custard
• Coffee/tea with something sweet

This is a one day course

next course is on Saturday 22nd September

9.30 am – 4.00 pm

Included in the cost are all the ingredients used on the course,  some basic ingredients to take home and get you started, lunch, tasters and refreshments.

At the end if this day you will have:

• looked at the ingredients used,especially spices, spice mixes and harissa;
• discussed where to buy the ingredients and how to store them;
• prepared a selection of dishes and be inspired to cook others, suitable for family day-to-day meals and celebration meals.

Program for the day:

• introduction to the ingredients;
• discussion of use, purchase and storage of basic ingredients;
• * tagines, prepare a lamb/beef /vegetable tagine (you take one home), how to improvise with cooking pots;
• *prepare couscous
• have  lunch (3 guesses as to what it will be!);
• *make a chicken pastilla
• demonstration of almond pastries and orange salad
• *make harira (traditonal soup)
• * make a selection of mezze.

* 4 portions of each are made.

Cost for day:
£110.00 (included in the cost are lunch, tasters, some basic ingredients to take home and get you started, and refreshments).
All prices quoted are correct at time of publication, but could be subject to change due to fluctuating costs of ingredients. Notice will always be given
If 4 people book as a group, you pay for 3.

How to prepare for the course:
Bring any questions you have / let Sandy know in advance if you have any particular dishes you would like to explore.

If you want to discuss any details or dates, please contact Sandy.

We are in the midst of the British asparagus season!

Although I posted this last year, it is still relevant for 2012.

Although supermarkets sell asparagus twelve months of the year, British asparagus is only available for around a month at this time of year. The flavour and texture are far superior to South American and African imports. Of course British asparagus wins hands down on the food mile argument!

• When you choose asparagus, they should be firm (not rubbery). Whether the spears are thin or fat, this generally does not matter. For ease of preparaton and cooking they should all be of a similar “girth”.
• To prepare,  always rinse them first as they are often grown in sandy soil and can be very gritty.
• To see how fibrous the ends are snap a bit of the stem off. If it snaps cleanly, then they are unlikely to be too fibrous. To double check bite the snapped end. If this is even slightly fibrous, peel the ends with a vegetable peeler. Depending on the degree of fibrousness, peel as far as the stem starts to “flower”.
• Ideally asparagus should be steamed or boiled, stem side in water, tips steamed. They always take longer to cook than I imagine they will. After 5 minutes, taste a bit of stem, and then judge timing from then. (If you have boiled them, the water can be used to add flavour to a risotto).
• Asparagus are best served without any fuss -  dipped in melted butter, hollandaise sauce or a soft boiled egg. (Try duck eggs!)
• Sage is a great herb to compliment asparagus. Either chop a leaf or two into the melted butter, or shallow fry a few leaves (in sunflower or rapeseed oil, for a few seconds on each side, until translucent but not coloured).
• Soups and rissottos are great for using asparagus which are just past there best.
• Asparagus are  lovely in quiches and tortillas.
• Chicken, white fish and ham (not smoked) go well with asparagus.

Monday 14th May 2012

• Why not come along to one of this months dining clubs: Thursday 24th – Vegetarian (delicious food for meat and non meat eaters (with a menu appearance from some local asparagus!); Thursday 31st – Dining Club with a Moroccan menu theme.
• If you are looking for a place to host a party for  friends or family, why not consider 1 High Street?
• There is one place left on this Saturday’s Thai cooking class, tempted? give me a call, or click here to find out more.

Cooking this week:

• Red onion, beef and barley soup @ £2.40 per 240ml portion, (check out the list in the freezer for more flavours)
• Beef tagine (slowly cooked with prunes) @ £5.60 per portion
  (order fresh or frozen, portion size 400g)
• Chicken and asparagus pie (topped with shortcrust pastry)  @ £5.60 per portion (order fresh or frozen, 400g portion)
• Asparagus and sage tortilla (whole, 1/2 or 1/4 available – 1/4 is enough for 1 person for main course, or two for a light supper) @ £16/ £8.00 /£4.00 per portion .

Nettle and Sorrel Leaves

I posted this last year, but wild garlic, young nettles and sorrel (if you can find it) is out there now, so go foraging and cooking. (May 5th, 2012)

The recent warm weather has prompted everything to start growing with vigour. Young nettles and ramsons are particularly plentiful in our woods. If you are in the mood for a forage, remember to pick them from areas where you are sure no agricultural spraying or effluence may contaminate the leaves and flowers. I also ensure that when I pick I am not on a common dog walking patch. Picking wild flowers is not permitted, but the leaves of nettles and ramsons (and the odd flower head) I classify in the realms of blackberrying.  Sorrel is another leaf that is abundance now, it does grow in the wild, but many people grow it in their gardens. It is very easy to raise from seed.

Flowering Ramsons

Young Sorrel Leaves

Monday 7th May 2012

• This months vegetarian dining club, Thursday 24 May,  will have local asparagus 0n the menu, click here for more information
• There are places left for May’s Thai cooking course, Saturday 19th, click here for more info.

Your order will not be confirmed until Friday morning this week (11th)

Cooking this week:

• Chorizo and butterbean soup @ £2.40 per 240ml portion, (check out the list in the freezer for more flavours))
• Beef and olive meatballs cooked in a rich tomato and oregano sauce @ £5.50 per portion
  (order fresh or frozen, portion size 400g)
• Broad bean, pea and mint risotto  @ £5.50 per portion (order fresh or frozen, 400g portion)

Monday 30th  April 2012

• The menu for the  ”Jubilee Dinner” on Thursday 7th of June is now available here and at Eynsham Cellars. Check it out and let us know if you would like more info, or to book. 
• One place left for May’s Thai cooking course, Saturday 19th, click here for more info.

Cooking this week:

• A great selection of soups available in the freezer, (check out the list)
• Slow roasted fragrant pork spare ribs in a honey, soy and sherry sauce @ £5.50 per portion
  (order fresh or frozen, portion size 400g)
• Sandy’s fab chili with fine diced and minced beef, a hint of dark chocolate, kidney beans and spice @ £5.50 per portion (order fresh or frozen, 400g portion) - crème fraiche and basmati rice available as and extra
• Spinach, mushroom and ricotta puff pastry parcel with a thyme crème fraiche @ £5.50 each 

The Cellars@Cornucopia

Diamond Jubilee dinner

Thursday 7^th June 2012
7.30pm for 8.00pm

Menu

Iconic Nibbles
devils on horseback; salt and shake crisps;
quails egg Scotch egg; smoked salmon blini
Nyetimber Classic Cuvee 2004, Sussex

Coronation chicken salad
(inspired by Heston’s new take on this classic dish)
McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Semillon 2005,
Hunter Valley, New South Wales 

Whiskey sour sorbet

Beef Wellington (or mushroom and spinach Wellington)
Herby roasted Jersey royal new potatoes
Seasonal vegetables
McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant Philip Shiraz
Hunter Valley, New South Wales, 2009 

Gooseberry and elderflower syllabub
Lourensford Noble Late Harvest 2009, Stellenbosch

Cheese 

Coffee

The menu has been created using British ingredients and recipes, matched to wines from the commonwealth.

The price per person is £49.50.

For more information, or to book, contact Sandy at Cornucopia Cooks; or Iain and Oli at the Eynsham Cellars

Monday 23rd April 2012

• Eynsham Cellars and Cornucopia Cooks are hosting a “Jubilee Dinner” on Thursday 7th of June. Iain and Oli are choosing a selection of wines from the commonwealth and I will be matching foods to them, using seasonal and British ingredients – menu coming soon! 
• Summer is on it’s way, if you fancy spending a Saturday learning how to make a pukka tomato sauce, pesto and many other summer dishes, click here for more info (Course date, Saturday 2nd June)
• This weeks dining club, a few places available, come and join us and enjoy an Italian inspired menu and plenty of chat……. 

Cooking this week:

• Butternut squash, sweet potato and coconut soup @ £2.40 per 450ml portion
• A great selection of soups available in the freezer, (check out the list)
• Chicken Provençal @ £5.00 per portion (chicken leg portion slow cooked in a Provençal sauce)(order fresh or frozen, portion size 400g)
• Pork, cider and apple casserole or pie @ £5.50 per portion (order fresh or frozen, 400g portion) 
• Sweet potato, feta, spinach and hazelnut filo parcel @ £5.50 each 
• Rhubarb and ginger sticky pudding @ £4.50 each (plenty for 2, enough for 3)

10.00am – 4.00pm

Next course 2nd June 2012

All ingredients for foods you make,  lunch, tasters and refreshments included in cost.

We will:

• Look at foods in season, discuss flavour, texture and keeping qualities (is it worth freezing etc).
  (let me know in advance if there are any particular ingredients you are interested in, especially if you grow fruit and veg and find yourself with “gluts”).
• Discuss how to substitute ingredients which aren’t in season, with seasonal ingredients.
• Make a starter, main course and pudding for four, using seasonal produce (you take home to eat soon or to freeze).

Program for the day:

• *Make a classic tomato sauce
• Demonstration of melanzane parmigiana  and moussaka and ciabatta garlic bread
• *You make either melanzane parmigiana or moussaka and ciabatta garlic bread
• Demonstration of preparing quinoa
• Grill mackerel fillets (fillet your own mackerel)
• Lunch – grilled mackerel with an olive, caper and dill salsa and quinoa  salad (all recipes supplied)
• *Make a raspberry polenta tart
• *Make pesto, grilled courgette and halloumi salad
• Demonstration of making a tortilla
• Demonstration of making meringues (we will make rosewater and pistachio, but many other flavours can be made)

£90.00 (this includes the items you take home )

What you need to bring:
questions; bags / containers to take home your cooked items.

All prices quoted are subject to change due to fluctuating costs of ingredients. Notice will always be given.