Jack Skellington Pumpkin King Quesadillas

Saturday 28 October 2017
Celebrate Halloween, Dia de los Muertos (or Christmas?) with the Pumpkin King himself. The one and only Jack Skellington. Quick and easy to make but SO effective these Vegetarian Mexican Quesadillas are sure to be a spooky sensation.





I feel like I'm running out of time. Halloween is looming and I still have recipes that I want to share with you. Admittedly some of them are still in my head but some have actually been made, eaten and photographed. Today's Jack Skellington Pumpkin King Quesadilla is more of an idea than a full blown recipe but I'm so chuffed with how he turned out that I'm going to share how I made him. No need to make it like Jack - you could easily carve out whatever you like on your Quesadilla - just like you would on a real life Pumpkin. He would also work really well for any Dia de los Muertos - Day of the Dead celebrations. 





There's always a wee bit of discussion in this house as to whether The Nightmare Before Christmas is a Halloween or Christmas Movie. I reckon it counts as both. If for some reason you have absolutely no idea who Jack Skellington is then I'm afraid we can no longer be friends. Seriously if you don't know it, do check out the 1993 film. Quick synopsis is that Jack is to Halloween what the Easter Bunny is to Easter and Santa to Christmas. As the Pumpkin King he's MC for Halloween Towns annual celebrations however he's becoming somewhat depressed about his role and decides that instead he'd like to be Sandy Claws. Cue much shenanigans including bogeymen, unrequited love and mortal peril but it all works out for the best in the end.



I used Sweet Potato tortilla wraps to make Jack but you could easily use standard ones. I've also recently spotted fantastically coloured Beetroot and Spinach wraps in the supermarket which would also work really well for this. To make Jack I used a Jack Skellington Stencil from Pinterest. I had to scale the size down a wee bit on my printer/copier to get it to fit on the wrap and then cut out the shape using a combination of knife and scissors. There are loads of great pumpkin stencils out there which you could use or just go freehand. 





In addition to my Jack Skellington Pumpkin King Quesadilla 'recipe' I'm also going to take the opportunity to re-share some of my other Halloween recipes with you. Please do tag me @foodiequine or #foodiequine if you make and share on social media. 

www.foodiequine.co.uk Seven Spooky Halloween and Pumpkin Recipes. Pumpkin Pasties, Peanut Butter Ghosts, Traditional Toffee Apples, Pumpkin & Goat Cheese Tart, Pumpkin, Cauliflower & Chickpea Korma, Spooky Chocolate Candy Bark, Jack Skellington Pumpkin King Quesadillas.

Jack Skellington Pumpkin King Quesadillas

Tortilla Wraps (I used Sweet Potato, plain, Spinach or Beetroot would also work really well)
Refried Beans
Grated Mozzarella
Smoked Paprika and/or Chilli Flakes
To serve - tomato salsa, jalapenos and soured cream. 

Cut out Jack Skellington's face from your tortilla wrap (see instructions & template above)
Dry fry 'Jack' on both sides in a frying pan - a crepe pan works well for this - until crispy.
Set aside and dry fry a second wrap.
Warm through the refried beans in the microwave.
Spread the refried beans over the uncut wrap and top with a generous handful of grated Mozzarella.
Sprinkle with smoked paprika and/or chilli flakes to taste.
Melt the cheese under a preheated grill and top with the 'Jack' tortilla to make a Quesadilla.
Serve accompanied with tomato salsa, jalapenos and soured cream.



♥ Pin me for later...
www.foodiequine.co.uk Celebrate Halloween, Dia de los Muertos (or Christmas?) with the Pumpkin King himself. Jack Skellington! Quick and easy to make but SO effective these Vegetarian Mexican Quesadillas are sure to be a spooky sensation.

2

Butternut Squash, Cauliflower and Chickpea Korma

Wednesday 25 October 2017
Veggie curry has never tasted so good. Vegan and Gluten Free this recipe is perfect for using seasonal Pumpkin innards - we need to realise that pumpkins are a valuable source of food and not just for decoration. It can also be made year round using fresh or frozen butternut squash. 



It's pumpkin season, possibly my favourite time of the year. Despite my Scottish upbringing and Halloween being all about Neep Lanterns and Guising I've fallen hook line and sinker for Fall. My home is currently adorned with autumnal and pumpkin decor of all shapes, sizes and types. I've got cushions, candles, wreaths, garlands, plates, mugs and more. Pumpkin spice and everything nice, that's what Autumn is made of! This time last year we were on holiday in Orlando and needless to say lots of autumnal bits and pieces came home in my suitcase. You can read all about it my Pumpkin Pasties and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter post. Of course this time of year is also the perfect excuse to unearth my rather amazing Staub pumpkin cast iron cocotte. Isn't she just lovely?






Sadly there is a scary amount of Pumpkin waste at this time of year. We need to realise that pumpkins are a valuable source of food and not just for decoration. 1.8 million pumpkins were carved in Scotland for Halloween last year with over 1.1 million thrown away. That’s enough pumpkins to stretch from Edinburgh to Stornoway - a frightful amount of food waste. Seven out of ten pumpkins carved for Halloween didn’t get eaten, please don't let yours be one. The recipe I'm sharing today is actually one that I make all year round using butternut squash but works equally well using the innards of a Pumpkin that you're going to be carving. Butternut Squash is a bit of a nightmare to prep so for year round convenience I've taken to buying bags of it frozen. Peeled, deseeded and chopped you can chuck it straight into a roasting tin or casserole.






Using frozen squash alongside frozen cauliflower and onions this becomes a quick store cupboard meal as I've always got coconut milk and cream to hand. It's also accidentally vegan and gluten free which I only actually realised after the first couple of times that I made it! I've tweaked the recipe to add additional texture with chickpeas and toasted almonds to avoid it being too mushy and I reckon it's pretty much the perfect veggie curry served up alongside some brown rice. If you have them available spinach and/or kale also make great additions. Of course you can pimp up the spice content to suit yourself. I'm a mild and creamy girl when it comes to curry. Ain't no Pumpkin Vindaloo going to get past these lips!





Pumpkin (Butternut Squash), Cauliflower and Chickpea Korma - Vegan & GF

Splash of Rapeseed or Vegetable Oil
1 Onion, diced
2 cloves Garlic, crushed
1 Tsp Cumin
1 Tsp Coriander
2 Tsp Turmeric
1 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Ground Black Pepper
50g sachet of Coconut Cream
500g Squash or Pumpkin, cubed
400ml tin Coconut Milk
500g (or 1 head) Cauliflower, broken into florettes
400g tin Chickpeas, drained
25g Toasted flaked Almonds
Chopped Fresh Coriander to garnish



Heat the oil in a large heavy based pan/casserole and cook the onion and garlic over a low heat for 10 minutes or until soft and lightly golden.
Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt and pepper and cook out for a couple of minutes before adding the sachet of coconut cream and allowing it to melt down.
Pour in the Coconut Milk and add the cubed Pumpkin or Squash, turn up the heat, bring to the boil and then pop the lid on and reduce to a simmer.
Cook for 15 minutes before adding the cauliflower florets.
After a further 15 minutes check to see that both the pumpkin and cauliflower are tender (if not allow extra time) add the chickpeas and warm through.
Serve topped with the toasted almonds and chopped fresh coriander.






For further ideas of how to use up your Pumpkin innards check out the following recipes from some of my fellow food bloggers and join the Love Food Hate Waste pumpkin rescue trail this Halloween.



♥ Pin me for later...



www.foodiequine.co.uk Veggie curry has never tasted so good. Vegan and Gluten Free this recipe is perfect for using seasonal Pumpkin innards - we need to realise that pumpkins are a valuable source of food and not just for decoration. It can also be made year round using fresh or frozen butternut squash.

22

Aberdeen to London on the Caledonian Sleeper Train

Monday 23 October 2017
Post in conjunction with Caledonian Sleeper


The Caledonian Sleeper train is the most civilised way to travel between Scotland and London allowing you to travel by night and save a day. Definitely a great railway journey to add to your bucket list with new rolling stock scheduled for Spring 2018. 


Those who follow me on social media will have spotted that we've been on somewhat of a foodie adventure in London for the first five days of the October half term. On this occasion our mode of transport was the Caledonian Sleeper train. We've travelled on the sleeper previously when the kids were younger and I've also traveled on my own as a first class passenger for a business trip. The Caledonian Sleeper is an overnight train service which runs between Scotland and London. There's something kind of magical about going to bed in one country and waking up in another. I'm sure it must be up there as one of the world's greatest railway journeys. Our point of departure was Stonehaven station where we boarded at 22:01 and arrived the next day in London Euston at 07.47.


There are three choices of accommodation on board. First class, standard and seated. Upon boarding you are greeted by a host and shown to your cabin. Travelling as a family of four in standard class we were in adjacent cabins. Your host can open an interconnecting door between them for you which logistically works really well. At this point they'll also take your breakfast order for tea, coffee or juice. (If traveling first class there's the option of cooked breakfast in bed!) The cabins are small and space is tight to say the least. They are equipped with bunk beds, a sink, USB charging points (bring a long cable for these) and not much else. Cat swinging could indeed prove difficult. However literally all you are going to be doing is sleeping, washing your face and brushing your teeth in them. Before hitting the sheets if you wish to indulge in something to eat or drink you can head to the Lounge Car which is a wonderful place to socialise with your fellow passengers.


In the Lounge you can pretend to be onboard the Orient Express whilst tucking into some Scottish food and drink (or you can practice your quickstep - did you see Kevin and Susan from Strictly on the sleeper train?) We didn't eat onboard on either leg of our travels but the menu looked enticing with a great selection of Scottish produce. Rock Rose Gin and Mackies Crisps were the perfect night cap before heading back to the Cabin. (Foodie Loon did ask what time the bar closed - the answer is that it doesn't!) A sleep pack is provided containing eye mask (alas not the unicorn ones that Kevin & Susan had), and ear plugs and there's also a bottle of water, soap and a towel. Male and Female toilets are located at the end of each carriage.


But the big question is how did we sleep? Not too bad would be the answer. The earplugs and eyemask definitely help. I'd say ear plus are essential and you may wish to bring your own or use noise reducing headphones. There is a constant rumble of noise from the train, the tracks, tunnels and bridges. Plus the train splits and connects during the journey which can be a bit of a thunderous jolt to say the least. But in comparison to a long haul flight in economy you're lying flat, have sheets, duvet and pillows and no one pushing past you or hogging the arm rest. Not my best nights sleep but far from my worst. A morning knock on the door from our host woke us all up with our choices of breakfast drinks and the most amazingly crumbly shortbread from Reid's of Caithness. With that we were all set to head off on our Edible London Adventures.


On the way home you can board the train in Euston from 20:30 and it departs at 21:15. Heading home the train seemed very long with the Aberdeen bound section right at the end of the platform. This is because it splits into three at Edinburgh Waverley in the early hours of the morning. The three sections then arrive later in the morning in Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William. Don't go wandering through the train in the middle of the night or you could end up in the wrong place come morning! Top tip when travelling from London is to board early and head straight to the lounge car as it gets very busy and seats are at a premium. We disembarked at Stonehaven just before the scheduled arrival time of 07:15. If you're not going to the final destination you do need to make sure that you are ready to get off in plenty time as there are no announcements.


There are definitely pro's and cons to the Caledonian Sleeper but for us as a family it worked well and here's why.

The pros... 
  • Ability to travel from our local station, 15 minutes from home, where we can leave our car with no parking charges 
  • No need for the early check in and security procedures of airport travel 
  • No restrictions on luggage 
  • Arrive bright and early right in the centre of London with no need for transfers 
  • Enjoy a full first and last day of your trip (meant we could have 5 full days in London with only 4 nights in a hotel) 
  • More freedom to move about than on an aeroplane 
  • Great value for money when booked in advance 
The cons... 
  • If travelling alone in standard class you may have to share with someone of the same sex 
  • Can't lock doors of cabins from the outside 
  • No plug sockets in cabins 
  • No wifi 
  • Not the best for light sleepers 
  • Decor is somewhat shabby and showing its age 

CGI of Suite in the new Caledonian Sleeper

When it comes to the cons many of these are about to be tackled with a brand new £150m fleet of trains set to come on track from spring 2018. The new trains will offer a range of accommodation options including Suites (double bed with en-suite), Club Rooms (twin or single with en-suite), Classic Rooms (twin or single) and Comfort Seats. There will also be hotel-style key card entry system, more accessible rooms, upgraded panels for phone and gadget charging, and wifi throughout the train. Follow the journey of the new sleeper service at newtrains.sleeper.scot  I for one can't wait to try out the reincarnation. 

CGI of Club Car in the new Caledonian Sleeper


♥ Pin me for later...
www.foodiequine.co.uk The Caledonian Sleeper train is the most civilised way to travel between Scotland and London allowing you to travel by night and save a day. Definitely a great railway journey to add to your bucket list with new rolling stock scheduled for Spring 2018.


Disclosure: We traveled to/from London as guests of the Caledonian Sleeper. 
As always, all views expressed are my own.
Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me as a passionate Scottish Food Blogger to continue to share my Edible Food and Travel Adventures with you. I’m super choosy who I work with and promise to bring you only the cream of the crop.

8

Talking Turkey with Barra Bronzes

Thursday 19 October 2017
Meet the Aberdeenshire producer. Talking Turkey with Craig Michie of Barra Bronzes. Great Taste award winning free range slow grown Scottish turkeys for Thanksgiving and Christmas.





Last year our turkey came from Aberdeenshire's Barra Bronzes. My whole family agreed that it was the best we'd ever eaten. So succulent and flavourful and so much meat in places I've never seen meat on a bird before. Absolute 5* Quality and super quick and easy to cook. Before and since then I've been following Craig Michie and his birds on both social and traditional media. He created quite a stir with Countryfile and The Mart appearances, both Craig and the turkeys proving to be natural TV stars. 


As a foodie, cooking at Christmas is of course one of the main events. Over the years I've served up a variety of birds for the big day and tried pretty much all the methods of cooking them. The quest, particularly when it comes to turkey, is to avoid it drying out. Easier said than done. I must admit that last year when Craig told me that no basting, brining, bacon, butter or tinfoil was required for my Barra Bronze I was somewhat sceptical. However undeterred we collected our bird from the farm where it had been expertly trussed, wrapped in greaseproof paper and individually boxed. Inside the box was a pop up thermometer and a sprig of herbs. All I needed to add was an onion in the cavity and follow the cooking instructions provided. Nothing complex, season with salt and pepper and cook breast side down for all but the last 40 minutes. The upside down thing is because most of the fat is on the back of the turkey so this allows it to percolate through the breast. This self basting makes the meat juicy and also allows the bird to cook much, much quicker. 


After having tasted the product I wanted to find out more about what made it so special, so on a bright Autumnal day I headed to the outskirts of Inverurie to meet the Turkeys. All 2,000 of them. What an amazing sight to see - and hear. Boy are they noisy! They are also very inquisitive and quickly surrounded me and followed me around the field like the pied piper. Strangely I didn't feel at all threatened by them, they pecked at my boots but weren't in any way wild. They seemed very contented, healthy and happy with plenty of freedom and room to roam. I'm not sure how intelligent they are but they definitely all seemed to have their own personalities, not to mention looks.


The birds arrive on the farm at the end of May at a day old which by Christmas time makes them the slowest grown in the country. To begin with they need constant monitoring night and day which is hugely labour intensive. They remain penned indoors with a heat source for the first few weeks until the beginning of July when they get outdoors. Here they can sup up the scenery with views of Barra Hill to the East and Bennachie to the west. During the day they have free range to forage and are fed on a home mix of cereals all grown on the farm. Two huge mesh sided tunnels house the turkeys at night and throughout the day should they wish to shelter from the elements. These are equipped with automated feeders, fresh water and roosting platforms.



The turkeys grow slowly over a 26-27 week period to ensure optimum quality in terms of flavour and texture. This is almost 3 times as long as a standard turkey. To keep them safe throughout this time two Alpacas look after the flock and will make short work of any badgers or foxes. They scared me a lot more than the turkeys did! When it comes to Thanksgiving and Christmas the Turkeys are processed onsite at the farm butchery which ensures minimum stress to them and greatly improves the quality of the meat. They are dry plucked and finished off by hand before being hung in a cold store for a fortnight which allows the meat to mature and develop even more depth in flavour. Time to say goodbye to the turkeys but as we were leaving I suddenly realised I hadn't heard any 'Gobble Gobbles'. Turns out that it's only the males that say this and they are seriously outnumbered by the girls. Every day's a school day.




Meet The Producer



What's your name and where do you come from?
Craig Michie from Lochend of Barra, Inverurie

How did you end up farming turkeys for a living?
I had a real passion to produce something special, something different and with that Barra Bronzes was formed

What's the best and worst thing about your job?
The best thing about the job is seeing happy customers leave on Christmas Eve with a Barra Bronze.
Worst is working against the clock to pluck lots of turkeys - Christmas can never be delayed!

What makes Barra Bronzes different? 
There is not one thing that makes a Barra Bronze different - there are many. Our birds are the slowest grown in the country which gives you a fuller flavour. They are all female as the eating quality is better. They have twice the space of the free range standards to ensure the best welfare and final product. We also feed them on a special diet from the cereals we grow on the farm. This ensures they grow really slowly to enrich flavour.

Where and how can people buy your products? 
People can buy our product online at www.barrabronzes.co.uk for both home delivery and farm collection

Lastly, share the love and recommend another Aberdeen/shire producer? 
Esker Gin (great choice Craig - check out my recipe for Gin & Tonic Mussels made with Esker Gin)





♥ Pin me for later...
www.foodiequine.co.uk Meet the Aberdeenshire producer. Talking Turkey with Craig Michie of Barra Bronzes. Great Taste award winning free range slow grown Scottish turkeys for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Disclosure: This is not a paid post however I have been and will be compensated in Turkey! As always, all views expressed are my own. 
Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me as a passionate Scottish Food Blogger to continue to share my Edible Food and Travel Adventures with you. I’m super choosy who I work with and promise to bring you only the cream of the crop.

0

New Store - HomeSense Union Square Aberdeen

Thursday 12 October 2017
Post in collaboration with HomeSense


There's a new store in Aberdeen's Union Square Shopping Centre. If you love TK Maxx home, you’ll find lots more to adore at HomeSense. It's an Aladdin's cave of treasures for interior and homewear lovers.





When it comes to shopping for clothes, shoes, handbags and the likes I'm really not all that fussed. I sure ain't no fashion blogger. Homewear and kitchen bits and bobs on the other hand - I simply can't pass an interesting looking shop by. So you can imagine my excitement when I heard that HomeSense were opening a store in Aberdeen. If you've never heard of them you'll know exactly what I mean when I describe the premise. Basically they are part of the TK Maxx group and they stock all the wonderful living, dining, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and furniture bits and pieces. A store opening practically on my doorstep with over 15,000 square feet of goodies across two floors - I may have actually squealed!


The Aberdeen store which is located in the Union Square outdoor shopping park (between Dreams and Hobbycraft) is the first stand-alone HomeBase store in Scotland. It officially opened its doors at 10am on Thursday 12th October, but along with a group of Aberdeen bloggers and social influencers I was able to get a sneaky peek in advance. It's the 51st store in the UK and the second in Scotland (check out the one in Edinburgh) and has provided a boost to the local economy with the creation of 40 new jobs. As part of the TK Maxx family it operates an 'off-price’ concept always up to 60% less than the RRP. The really exciting bit for me is that you never know what you are going to find as they have such an eclectic and ever changing mix. This does however mean that if you spot something you have to grab it there and then to avoid missing out. Frequent deliveries mean thousands of new items each week, so there's always the thrill of a new find, every time you visit.




When I shared with my Facebook followers that HomeSense was coming to town there was huge excitement all round. The post had a reach in excess of 70,000 with over 7,000 reactions, comments and shares. Aberdonians are of course known for liking a bargain and they aren't going to be disappointed. The store itself is an absolute treasure trove. It's light, bright and well laid out by room, product type and colour. There are nifty wee pull along trolley baskets as well as traditional large trolleys and if you buy anything too big staff are happy to help out.


Split across two floors downstairs you'll find decorative items, soft furnishings, stationery, seasonal goodies, bath & body, clocks, mirrors, art, candles (more than I've ever seen!) and lighting whilst upstairs it's bathroom, bedding, towels, cookware, kitchen, dining, food, children and pets. Pretty much everything you need to make your home look gorgeous at a great price.
Without further ado here's a quick visual tour of the shop and a rundown of what I bought at the preview event...



SO many gorgeous things, I could quite literally have browsed and scoured the shelves and aisles for hours. With a restrained trolley basket of goodies I headed for the till. No prizes for guessing what my current favourite interiors colour scheme is - yup it's all about the copper and rose gold tones. I picked up a pot rest, cooling tray, storage bin and pumpkin candle. Keeping with the pumpkin theme I also bought Pumpkin Spice coffee syrup. My eclectic collection of foodie themed Christmas tree ornaments was extended with a stand mixer and a fish. For the kitchen there were dishcloths, tongs and a terrine tin and from the decorative goodies a couple of quirky trinket dishes. Santa may also have done some shopping but of course he can't share his purchases.


Final piece of excitement of the night was at the till. Whilst the TK Maxx receipts are red (which always makes them super easy to find in your handbag or purse) the HomeSense ones are green. I'm easily pleased! I've a feeling I'm going to be seeing rather a lot of those green receipts. Whilst at the till I also used my Treasure card for the first time which is the new TK Maxx and HomeSense loyalty card. Pick one up next time you're instore and register it online for rewards, invitations and surprises. 


Discover the new HomeSense Aberdeen store at 
6/7 East Terrace, 
Union Square
Aberdeen
AB11 5RD

Opening Hours
Mon - Fri 10am - 8pm
Sat 10am - 7pm
Sun 10am - 6pm




Disclosure: This is a commissioned post for HomeSense. As always, all views expressed are my own. 
Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me as a passionate Scottish Food Blogger to continue to share my Edible Food and Travel Adventures with you. I’m super choosy who I work with and promise to bring you only the cream of the crop.
10

Salted Caramel Cookie Frozen Yogurt Bark

Monday 9 October 2017
Post in collaboration with Maryland Cookies

This frozen yogurt bark with salted caramel cookies, pistachios and dried cranberries is quick to put together and tastes delicious. A no bake treat that's fun to make and an ideal recipe for kids to help out with. The perfect combination of crisp, creamy, and barely sweet.






Cookie Monster will do anything for a cookie and after trying the new Maryland Thins I'm on pretty much the same wavelength! Maryland are the UK's no.1 cookie brand with just the right balance of chocolate chips & cookie dough. Their new offering is ideal for anyone looking for a lighter snacking option. At half the thickness of a standard Maryland Cookie the Thins weigh in with less sugar and calories but all of the taste. They are available in two variants - Milk & Dark Choc Chip and Salted Caramel (rrp £1.49/128g). Now I'm a complete sucker for all thing salted caramel so no surprises what my favourite is. Two cookies come in at a respectable 79 calories (or 4 syns on Slimming World), of course the only issue is stopping at two... Their taste and texture is undeniably moreish.






When it comes to eating a cookie there are plenty of options - not just popping it into your mouth whole. Dunk one in a dessert, sandwich with Ice cream for a Cookiewich or dip into a hot cuppa. Cookie Crumbs can be used to form the base for a pie or cheesecake, to pimp up a milkshake or as a garnish for a cocktail - I'm thinking Espresso Martini with a Salted Caramel Cookie Crumb Rim! But that will need to wait for another today. Today's recipe is for Salted Caramel Cookie Frozen Yogurt Bark. This is such a delicious recipe that is super quick to make. It's a great snack and much healthier than chocolate bark or ice cream. Once you have the basic principle you can ring the changes with what you add in terms of fruit (fresh or dried), nuts, seeds, coconut, granola etc.  Frozen Yogurt Bark works well as a snack, dessert or even for breakfast. Any legitimate excuse to enjoy cookies for breakfast and I'm there. Such a great recipe to make with kids too - providing they have the patience to wait until it's frozen. 


Salted Caramel Cookie Frozen Yogurt Bark 

2 x 400g Tubs of Vanilla Yogurt 
60g Pistachios, roughly chopped 
60g Dried Cranberries 
12 Salted Caramel Cookies 

Line a 23cm x 32cm shallow baking tray with greaseproof paper and create a space in you freezer where it will fit.
Mix together the yogurt, 40g of the pistachios, 40g of the cranberries. Crumble in 6 of the cookies and combine well. Tip into the lined tray and smooth out. 
Decoratively arrange the remaining pistachios, cranberries and broken cookie pieces on top of the yogurt base then freeze for at least 2 hours. (make sure that it's sitting perfectly horizontally) 
Remove from the baking tray and chop into large shards.
Eat immediately or store in the freezer in a sealed bag or tub until required. (can be frozen for up to 2 months)


♥ Pin me for later...

www.foodiequine.co.uk

Disclosure: This is a commissioned post for Maryland Thins. As always, all views expressed are my own.
Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me as a passionate Scottish Food Blogger to continue to share my Edible Food and Travel Adventures with you. I’m super choosy who I work with and promise to bring you only the cream of the crop.
24

Scottish Mussels with Cider and Venison Chorizo

Friday 6 October 2017
Post in Collaboration with Scottish Shellfish


Scottish Mussels combine with Cider from Angus and Wild Venison Chorizo from the Highlands to create a mouthwatering dish of Moules in celebration of Seafood Week. Quick and easy to cook and surprisingly cheap there's no need to be scared of preparing, cooking and eating Mussels at home. 


Having been commissioned in 2016 to develop a recipe using Mussels to celebrate Seafood Week I was delighted to be approached again by the Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group for 2017. But how could I top last year's effort of Moules Écosse - Scottish Gin & Tonic Mussels? The answer had to be to combine my favourite shellfish with two more fantastic products from Scotland's Larder. Apples from Angus and Wild Scottish Venison from the Highlands. I reached out to two wonderful Scottish producers for my recipe. Cider Bothy and Great Glen Charcuterie. Combining their products with Shetland Mussels produced a dish that's most definitely worthy of celebrating Day Two of Seafood Week 2017 which focuses on the mighty mussel.


Cider Bothy is the sister company to the fantastic Gin Bothy who I visited on my recent press trip for a Wee taste of Angus and it's Larder. Owner Kim was firstly an accidental Gin maker and is now also an accidental Cider maker! When sourcing local fruits for use in her infused gins she often came across the response of 'we don't have rhubarb/raspberries/strawberries but we do have lots of apples'. Hence the birth of Cider Bothy. 100% local and natural with both still and sparkling variants. 
Great Glen Charcuterie based in the Highlands use sustainably sourced local wild venison from the surrounding area to produce their range of award winning Charcuterie. I've been a long time fan of their products and have met owner Anja an her family at a number of markets and events over the years. For this recipe I used their Venison and Pork Chorizo which works particularly well in cooking as it has a higher fat content that their pure venison chorizos. 


Many of us love to eat Mussels when dining out but are more wary of cooking them at home thinking they are fiddly to clean and dangerous to eat. There is really nothing to be scared of as long as you follow the 4 simple steps below you really can't go wrong. With their plump and sweet tasting flesh they are one of the best and most affordable Scottish shellfish out there. The old myth about only eating mussels ‘when there is an ‘R’ in the month’ is incorrect and they are perfect to enjoy any day of the year.
  1. Store mussels in a bowl, covered with a damp cloth, in the bottom of the fridge. Apart from when cleaning, don't store or submerge the mussels in water or you'll drown them. 
  2. Sort through the mussels to check that they are all closed. Give any that aren’t a gentle tap on a surface to see if they close shut. Discard those that don’t close, along with any that are cracked or damaged. 
  3. Scrub the mussels well with a stiff brush under cold, running water and use the back of a knife to remove any barnacles. Pull away any tendrils or ‘beards’ from the sides of the shells. Rinse well again. 
  4. Cook the mussels according to your recipe and discard any shells that have not opened up.

Scottish Mussels with Cider and Venison Chorizo
(Serves 4 as a Starter or 2 as a Main Course)

For the full Eat Scottish experience I used Cider Bothy Sparkling Cider and Great Glen Charcuterie Venison & Pork Chorizo.

Ingredients
25g Salted Butter 
4 Shallots, finely sliced
2 large Garlic Cloves, crushed 
60g Chorizo, peeled and sliced 
500ml Cider 
1.5 kg Scottish Mussels 
1 handful Flatleaf Parsley, chopped 
Salt & Pepper 
Double Cream/Crème Fraiche - optional

Method
  1. Wash the mussels under cold running water and pull out any beards. If any are open, give them a wee tap to see if they will close shut. Discard those that don’t close, along with any that are cracked or damaged.
  2. Melt the butter in a large heavy based pan. (Make sure it's one that you have a well-fitting lid for) 
  3. Gently fry the finely sliced shallots until soft. 
  4. Add the crushed garlic and sliced Chorizo and cook for a couple of minutes more.
  5. Turn up the heat and pour in the Cider. When it comes to the boil add the mussels. 
  6. Cover with the lid, turn down the heat and simmer for four or five minutes, occasionally shaking the pan, until all of the mussels are opened. 
  7. Add the cream (if desired) and parsley and season with freshly ground salt and pepper. 
  8. Serve with plenty of crusty bread to mop up all the juices.

♥ Pin me for later...

www.foodiequine.co.uk Scottish Mussels combine with Cider from Angus and Wild Venison Chorizo from the Highlands to create a mouthwatering dish of Moules in celebration of Seafood Week. Quick and easy to cook and surprisingly cheap there's no need to be scared of preparing, cooking and eating Mussels at home.


Disclosure: This is a commissioned post for Scottish Shellfish. As always, all views expressed are my own.
Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me as a passionate Scottish Food Blogger to continue to share my Edible Food and Travel Adventures with you. I’m super choosy who I work with and promise to bring you only the cream of the crop.
14
Foodie Quine. Design by Mimi Hammill. Powered by Blogger.