Scottish Mussels with Cider and Venison Chorizo

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.

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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.

BBQ Steak and Shrimp Kebabs with Maple and Mustard Glaze

Post in collaboration with Iceland Foods

Succulent and tender Shrimp & Steak Kebabs glazed with Maple Syrup and Wholegrain Mustard will raise your grilling game. BBQ made easy with the help of frozen food plus my top five tips for successful barbecuing.

When the sun shines everyone loves a BBQ. However as far as British Barbecues are concerned you really do have to grab the chance when the weather plays ball. This is where studious stocking of your freezer can play a part. The #PowerOfFrozen combined with sunshine can make for a perfect BBQ. Since I've been working with Iceland on their Power of Frozen campaign my eyes have really been opened to the quality and variety of frozen food they stock. Yes there are the basics of peas, fish fingers, garlic bread and pizza but I've also discovered specialty meats and fish, convenient fruit and vegetable medleys, rice, grains and superfoods. Oh and plenty of barbecue favourites! A well stocked freezer helps to avoid a last minute dash to the supermarket when barbecue weather beckons (and the disappointment of finding the supermarket shelves bare as everyone else has had the same idea!)

So you've been to Iceland (or used their convenient online ordering and home delivery service for which they've just won a Gold Grocer Award) and now it's time to fire up the BBQ. Whether you are using charcoal, gas or a disposable BBQ here are my top five tips for success...

1. Bin the firelighters and lighter fuel

They will taint the flavour of the food with a nasty chemical taste. Instead get yourself a Chimney Starter and don’t ruin a BBQ with lighter fluid flavored steaks.

2. Use a digital thermometer

Charred doesn't mean cooked and just because something looks done on the outside doesn't mean it is on the inside. A thermometer gives you peace of mind and ensures you can cook steaks exactly to personal preference whether that be rare, medium or well done.

3. If you're looking it ain't cooking

Try not to peek and don't keep lifting the lid - keep it closed while you grill. With the lid on heat works on the food from above as well as below. Take the lid off and all the hot air escapes and the food cooks from below only.

4. Practice good food safety

You want your BBQ to be memorable for all the right reasons. Use different utensils, plates and chopping boards for raw and cooked food. Keep cold foods below 5°C and hot foods above 63°C and don’t leave food that you would store refrigerated standing around in the warm before serving.

5. Sides should never be an afterthought

Accompaniments served with BBQ are often second rate at best. Don't let this be the case. Get inventive with your vegetables, salads and sauces. Upgrade humble burger buns to brioche and flatbreads. Put as much effort into the sides as you do with the chargrilled protein.

For today's recipe I've used a couple of premium products from Iceland's freezers. I'd previously tried the Extra Lean Belgian Blue Beef Steaks as there was a pack in my bag for the May Mystery Challenge however the Argentinian Red Shrimp were a new product for me. These wild caught Red Shrimp are responsibly sourced in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean. They are raw, headless & shell on. The flavour is amazingly sweet and succulent and the shells are pre-split for easy peeling - this is such a good idea and takes away all the hassle associated with eating prawns with no need for asbestos fingers! Whilst the quality of these ingredients mean they'd be perfect cooked 'au natural' I chose to combine them with a piquant glaze made with sweet maple syrup and tangy wholegrain mustard. This works a treat with pretty much anything on the grill so don't be afraid to also give it a try with chicken, sausages or salmon. To accompany I used one of my favourite Iceland products. Cous Cous with Vegetables. This takes only 7 minutes in the microwave to cook. I served it cold with some fresh herbs stirred through. 

The sun is out, the BBQ is lit and the heavens open. Fear not you can still make the recipe below indoors under the grill or on a griddle pan. Either way - rain or shine - I'd advise optimism and stocking up your freezer! Fingers crossed for a BBQ summer. 

BBQ Steak and Shrimp Kebabs with Maple and Mustard Glaze

200g Belgian Blue Beef Rump Steaks

300g Red Shrimp

1 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup

1 Tbsp Wholegrain Mustard

Salt & Pepper

Serving Suggestion - Cous Cous with Vegetables 

Shrimp - Defrost at room temperature for approximately 2-4 hours or overnight in refrigerator. 

Steak - Defrost in a fridge for 24 hours. Allow the steak to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature before cooking.

Cut the steak into bite sized chunks and thread onto skewers alternating with the red shrimp.

Mix together the maple syrup and mustard in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. 

Brush the glaze onto the steak and shrimp skewers.

Cook on a hot barbecue for 3 minutes on each side or until the steak is to your liking and the shrimp are cooked through. 

For further #PowerOfFrozen alfresco BBQ inspiration check out the following recipes from my fellow bloggers and go forth and stock up your freezer so you are ready at the drop of a hat when the sun does put in an appearance.

Bintu at Recipes from a Pantry - Grilled Scallops with Grilled Corn and Herb Oil Polenta 

Diana at Little Sunny Kitchen - Piri Piri King Prawn Skewers

Jane at The Hedgecombers - Surf & Turf Kebabs

Katherine at Veggie Desserts - Mexican Grilled Chipotle Salad in Tortilla Bowls

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Disclosure: This is a commissioned recipe for Iceland Foods. As always, all views expressed are my own. 

Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me to continue to share my Edible Scottish Adventures with you. I’m super choosy and promise to bring you only the cream of the crop.

Singapore Laksa Fried Rice

Inspired by a stay at Hotel Jen Orchard Gateway this fragrant seafood fried rice dish will transport you to the Hawker Centres of Singapore. A variation on the popular spicy noodle soup of Peranakan cuisine.

If asked to think of food and drink in connection with Singapore I'm guessing nine out of ten would say Singapore Sling and Singapore Noodles. I already covered the sling in my recent post - Little Red Dot Singapore Sling and my Singapore Top Ten and today should be time for the noodles... However I'm afraid I have some bad news. They don't actually exist! They're something that's been created purely for western palates. Ask for Singapore noodles in Singapore and you'll be met with very puzzled looks. That said you won't be stuck for choice as Singaporeans live to eat and the melting post of cultures that is the little red dot has a seriously good food scene. For me that's best demonstrated in the street food Hawker Centres where the cuisine covers Chinese, Indian, Malay, Indonesian, Peranakan and more.

On our recent trip to Singapore we stayed at the 4 star Hotel Jen Orchard Gateway. It was ideally located on the main shopping street of Orchard Road just above the Somerset MRT station. We were in a club room on the seventeenth floor which was modern, clean and stylish with a super comfy king sized bed. This also gave us access to the Club Lounge on the nineteenth floor with the additional benefits of exclusive check-in and check-out, complimentary drinks and snacks all day long, early evening cocktails and a breakfast buffet. Also on this level was the rooftop infinity pool which was an oasis of calm and had absolutely fantastic views across the city.

We were invited to dinner in the hotel restaurant Makan@Jen with Elsa and Nikki from the communications team for a Lets Makan Buffet. For SGD 42++ you get to feast on a fantastic spread of local Hawker style food including live cooking stations. Watch my Facebook Live video to see the full selection. It was great to have Elsa and Nikki to guide us through the food on offer and advise us which dishes were unmissable. We even braved century eggs! Not exactly appetising to look at, I didn't mind the taste but the texture was rather odd to say the least. It was a fantastic way to sample a wide selection of local delicacies all within one meal. My particular favourites were the seafood, roasted meats, lok-lok and satay. We rounded off proceedings with Ice kachang and multicoloured desserts. Special thanks to Nikki for mixing up the perfect Rojak and educating me in the art of Ice Kachang. Meanwhile Elsa has promised to try haggis if she visits Scotland.

During our stay we were also invited to a cocktail event where Chef Chef Lee Hoong Wan demonstrated his signature dish - Laksa Fried Rice. You can see him in action on my Facebook Live Video. This had been one of my favourite dishes at the Let's Makan buffet and in the Club Lounge. We were provided with the recipe to recreate at home however alas many of the Singaporean ingredients aren't readily available in Scotland so I've come up with my own version using ready made Laksa paste. However I picked up lots of great tips from Chef Lee and I've definitely upped my fried rice game as a result. 

• Always use cooked and cooled rice - I use the ready cooked pouches. 
• If the rice has dried out add a splash of chicken stock during cooking. 
• Don't skimp on the oil. 
• Turn up the heat and really fry the rice. 
• Keep everything moving in the pan. 
• Always make sure the egg is scrambled/cooked before mixing it into the rice or everything will be come sticky.
• Add vegetables such as beansprouts at the very end to ensure they remain crisp.

For my version I incorporated fish balls from a Chinese Supermarket but you could use crab sticks and/or substitute the seafood for Chicken. I got Laksa paste in Sainsbury's but also spotted some in the Chinese Supermarket which may have been more authentic. Either way feel free to use more or less to suit your own preferences for heat. The other main ingredient that unfortunately I couldn't get hold of were fried tofu pouches so I improvised with shredded omelette as a replacement. I'll be honest and say that it's not nearly as good as Chef Lee's but it's fragrance and flavours still managed to transport me back to the little red dot.

Singapore Laksa Fried Rice

Vegetable Oil

3 Free Range Eggs, beaten

6 spring onions, sliced and separated into white and green

250g Mixed Cooked Seafood (I used sliced fish balls, squid and prawns)

500g cooked rice

4 Tbsp Laksa Paste (use more or less to taste)

100g beansprouts

I am Sauce

Desiccated Coconut

Prepare all the ingredients as above.

Heat a splash of oil in a wok and use half of the beaten egg to make two very thin omelettes. Shred the omelettes and set aside along with the remaining beaten egg.

Add some more oil to the wok and fry the white parts of the spring onions for a couple of minutes.

Then add the pre-cooked and cooled rice. Keep it moving constantly over a high heat and fry for a couple of minutes.

Push the rice to one side of the wok, add the beaten egg and scramble.

Once the egg is cooked mix it into the rice and add in the shredded omelette pieces.

Next add in the Laksa Pate to taste and mix through before adding in the seafood. 
After a further couple of minutes add the beansprouts and toss everything together for 30 seconds.

Season to taste with soy sauce and serve topped with the reserved spring onion greens and desiccated coconut.

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Disclosure: Hotel Jen Singapore Orchard Gateway provided us with an upgrade to club status plus dinner for two at their 'Let's Makan' Buffet. 

As always, all views expressed are my own.

Cod, Prawn and Mussel Bouillabaisse (French Fish Stew)

Post in collaboration with Iceland Foods

A traditional French Fish Stew made with a little help from the #PowerOfFrozen. Serve your Cod, Prawn and Mussel Bouillabaisse with a crusty baguette to mop up all the deliciously flavoured juices. 

I do hope that you are remembering that this Sunday - 26th March 2017 - is Mother's Day. I've got a wee something for my Mum and I'm hoping that Foodie Boy and Foodie Girl have likewise remembered about me! Traditionally children and young people who were in service (think Downtown Abbey!) were given a day off on the forth Sunday of Lent so they could visit their families or return to their "mother" church. The children would pick wild flowers along the way to place in the church or give to their mothers. Eventually, the religious tradition evolved into the more commercialised Mother's Day gift giving as we know it today.

Iceland Foods asked me to come up with a three course meal that I would like to share with or make for my Mum for Mother's Day. Unfortunately I'm not going to see her on the 26th as she's around 120 miles away so she'll have to enjoy it in a virtual sense for now! I could have easily chosen the full three courses from the freezers in my local Iceland - but if I'd done that there wouldn't be a recipe to share! The taste, high quality and convenience of frozen food make it perfect for when you want to spend quality time with someone special and not be stuck in the kitchen.

For starters I pondered over Aromatic Crispy Duck with Pancakes and Jumbo Tempura Prawns but settled for Sticky Chicken Skewers which I served up on a simple salad sprinkled with sesame seeds and spring onions. You'll find the recipe for my main dish of Cod, Prawn and Mussel Bouillabaisse below, which needs no more alongside than a chunk of crusty bread to mop up all the delicious juices. For dessert I opted for the colourful Macaron Selection which is fantastic value at only £3 for 12 (or buy two packs for £5 and build your own Macaron tower!) However, I should confess that this was probably more for my own taste than my Mum's and she would perhaps prefer something chocolately like Iceland's Belgian Chocolate Melt in the Middle Puddings, Luxury Pot Au Chocolat or Chocolate & Hazelnut Marquise.

My Dad is allergic to shellfish hence Mussels and Prawns aren't something that my Mum would normally cook so I wanted to incorporate them into my recipe. Bouillabaisse is a classic French seafood stew and was traditionally made with whatever the fishermen hadn’t sold that morning. The distinctive flavours of a bouillabaisse broth include saffron, orange zest and fennel, however when it comes to the fish you can ring the changes to your own preference. I've used a trick picked up from the wonderful Nigel Slater to flavour the base of my broth using tinned anchovies. It works amazingly well and I promise you that even those who professs to dislike anchovies couldn't guess they were an ingredient but they really do add something special to the dish.

Recent advice has seen the recommendation for 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day increase to ten. I'll put my hand up and admit that this is a real struggle for me although I am trying my best and the selection of frozen veg available at Iceland are helping me along the way (even picky daughter has given the baby carrots her seal of approval!). In this dish I used onions, peppers, carrots and green beans but just like the fish you can easily ring the changes and include your own particular favourites. That's the #PowerOfFrozen. 

And now for the soppy bit... 

Happy Mothers Day Jeannette Cameron - the original Foodie Quine. You've been the number one supporter of my blog since day one when you were possibly my only reader! I'm especially proud of your strength and positivity over the last 18months since your breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent double mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. You are now significantly less Cancery and I love you lots. xxx 

(do I still need to send a card or will this suffice?!)

Cod, Prawn & Mussel Bouillabaisse (French Fish Stew)
Serves 4

30g tin of Anchovies in Oil

100g Frozen Diced Onions

2 Fat cloves of Garlic, crushed

1 Bulb Fennel, cubed

100g Frozen Sliced Mixed Peppers

Grated Zest and Juice of one Orange

400g Tin of good quality Chopped Tomatoes

4 Tbsp Tomato Puree

Pinch of Saffron threads

Pinch of Cayenne pepper

2 Star Anise

Black Pepper

100g Frozen Baby Carrots

100g Frozen Sliced Green Bean

Iceland 520g 4 Atlantic Cod Fillets (defrosted and cubed)

Iceland 220g Fish Market King Prawns (defrosted)

Iceland 250g Stir Through Cooked Mussels Moules Mariniere (defrosted)

Place a large casserole dish or heavy based pan on the hob over a medium heat. 

Pour in the oil from the tin of anchovies and once it is sizzling fry the onions, garlic and fennel for 5-7 minutes or until softened.

Tip the anchovies into the casserole and allow them to dissolve into a mushy paste before adding the peppers, orange zest and juice, tinned tomatoes and tomato puree.

Season with the saffron, cayenne, star anise and black pepper.

Put on the lid and simmer gently for 20 minutes.

Add the carrots and green beans and simmer for a further 10 minutes before you add the cubed cod, prawns and mussels.

Cook for a further 5 minutes or until the cod is opaque and tender. 

Remember to remove the star anise before serving.

Serving suggestion - serve in a shallow bowl sprinkled with chopped parsley and with griddled slices of French Bread spread with the white wine and shallot butter from the Moules Mariniere.

Be sure to check out what my blogging friends have been cooking up for their Mums with the help of the #PowerOfFrozen

Janie at The Hedgecombers - Dairy Free Seafood Chowder
Kate at Veggie Desserts - Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Creamy Spinach Sauce
Bintu at Recipes from a Pantry - Jerk Fish Stew with Pepper Pineapple Fried Rice
Diana at Little Sunny Kitchen - Herb Salmon with Garlic Kale and Quinoa Prawn Salad

Linking up to Recipe of the Week & Cook, Blog, Share

Disclosure: This is a commissioned recipe for Iceland Foods. As always, all views expressed are my own. 

Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me to continue to share my Edible Scottish Adventures with you. I’m super choosy and promise to bring you only the cream of the crop.

Moules Écosse - Scottish Gin and Tonic Mussels

Sometimes with a recipe you need to keep it simple and let the high quality ingredients shine through. Such is the case today. Without a doubt my favourite food is shellfish and my favourite drink Gin. When I was asked by the Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group to develop a recipe with Mussels to celebrate Seafood Week (7th - 14th October) I had a brainwave. I've had Mussels in white wine, cider and beer so why not Gin & Tonic? Scottish Shellfish needs Scottish Gin & Tonic so I reached out to local Aberdeenshire producers Esker Gin and Walter Gregor Tonic and a truly amazing dish was born.

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. 

The flavours in this dish are absolutely fantastic. Of course much of that comes from the wonderful Scottish shellfish but the Gin & Tonic adds some amazing delicate notes. Feel free to experiment with the proportion of Gin to Tonic to find what works best for you. Shallots can be substituted for onions if you like a milder flavour however by cooking them and the garlic out first with the butter any real harshness is removed. I swithered about adding cream at the end as the cooking liquor tastes amazing in unadulterated form however I felt that a small amount really lifted the dish. Crusty bread for dunking is of course essential when it comes to eating, or you may prefer to dive straight in with a soup spoon. Frites work well too. We enjoyed both with our Moules Écosse. Slainte! 

Gin & Tonic Mussels
Moules Écosse
Serves 4 as a Starter or 2 as a Main Course

25g Salted Butter 

1/2 Onion, very finely chopped 

1 large Garlic clove, crushed 

150ml Scottish Tonic Water 

50ml Scottish Gin 

1.5 kg Scottish Mussels 

4 Tbsp Double Cream 

1 bunch Parsley, chopped 

Salt & Pepper 

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.

Melt the butter in a large heavy based pan. (Make sure it's one that you have a well fitting lid for) 

Gently fry the chopped onion and crushed garlic until soft. 

Pour in the Gin & Tonic and when it comes to the boil add the mussels. 

Cover with the lid and simmer for four or five minutes, occasionally shaking the pan, until all of the mussels are opened. 

Add the cream and parsley and season with freshly ground salt and pepper. 

Serve with plenty of crusty bread to soak up all the Gin & Tonic infused Mussel juices.

For further inspiration of what you can cook with Fresh Scottish Mussels take a look through these fantastic recipes from some of my food blogging colleagues:

• Tanzanian Style Mussel Curry
• Mussels in a Thai Style Broth
• Dairy Free Moules Mariniere
• Seafood Linguine 
• Spanish Style Mussels

Disclosure : This is a commissioned recipe for the Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group. As always, all views expressed are my own. Thanks to Esker and Walter Gregor for providing the G&T. 

Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me to continue to share my Edible Scottish Adventures with you.

Coconut, Prawn & Spinach Camping Risotto

I'm a wee bit of reluctant camper. Truth be know glamping is more my thing. However given the right circumstances I'm happy to rough it under canvas for a couple of nights. Friends, sunshine, music and booze most definitely help but alas no Festivals for us this summer. We did however have a camping tripped planned to attend the Aboyne Highland Games. Foodie Loon, boy and girl are all members of Newtonhill Pipe Band. I've got two pipers and a drummer and throughout the summer I'm often a pipe band widow when they're gallivanting to various events but this time I was invited along.

Our previous family tent had seen better days so I jumped at the chance of a new one from Millets. A Vango Beta 450XL duly arrived along with a couple of camping chairs and a Trangia Camping Stove. To help us on our way we also received a camping care pack with an assortment of goodies. I was really impressed with the Steripod clip on toothbrush protectors. These will have a permanent place in my toilet bag, not just for camping. I can imagine that the giant wipes would be particularly useful in a festival situation and whilst there were a few midgies around there were no mozzies but the 'Zap It' has been set aside for our trip to Orlando in October.

The Trangia Camping Stove was a totally new concept to me. Apparently its an essential piece of kit for the serious Boy Scout or anyone doing their Duke of Edinburgh Award. They've been around for almost a century and remain as popular as ever. The entire packaged stove, including the 2 saucepans and a frying pan, is no larger than a standard cooking pot. Lightweight, durable and simple to use, it's easy to see why it has lasted the test of time and become so iconic. We used it at every meal over our two night stay from cooking up supernoodles to frying sausages and heating beans at breakfast. We struggled a wee bit in controling the heat and clearly need to work on finding out how best to adjust between full flame and off! There are a wide range of additional accessories for the stove and I suspect that Foodie Boy already has his eyes on some. Even before our trip I was conned into buying him the matching fuel bottle.

The Vango Beta 450XL is a 3 poled tunnel tent which offers generous sleeping space for 4 along with an extra living area for storage and shelter. No sooner had it arrived than my Boy Scout took it upon himself to erect it in the garden and spend a couple of nights under the stars. The pitching time is given as 15 minutes. On his own erecting it for the first time he had it done in less than 30 which is pretty good going in my book. With four hands to the pump it was pitched well within 15 minutes at the campsite with the whole set up being very intuitive. The porch/living area is absolutely huge in camping terms. The weather was kind to us on this trip but there would have been plenty room if we'd all had to sit inside. Diamond clear PVC windows provide lots of light and internal pockets and lantern hanging points are conveniently positioned. The winds picked up overnight so we were grateful for the tension band system which prevents any sideways movement. The real test would of course be could two pipers and one drummer get changed into their band uniforms within the tent?! I left them to it and I'm pleased to report that all three emerged fully attired and ready to perform. That's one spacious tent.

Camping does of course provide its own food and cooking challenges but with a wee bit of forward planning greater things than beans and hot dogs are possible. Here are a few of my top tips along with some camping recipes from blogging friends

Noodles, quick cook pasta, tinned potatoes and pre-cooked rice pouches are convenient carbs.

Tinned meat and fish are your friends (make sure you bring a tin opener if they don't have ring pulls!)

Egg based meals work well for any time of the day - not just breakfast.

Ambient goods such as chorizio and smoked sausage can be combinned with tinned tomatoes and pulses.

Measure ingredients for each meal ahead of time and pack in labeled ziplock bags. 

Simple one pot dishes work really well, don't try to overcomplicate things.

Prepare soups, stews or chili etc ahead of time. Freeze and used as ice packs in your cool bag.

Remember to pack salt and pepper. They will make a huge difference to your cooking. 'Acquire' some individual sachets.

• Camping Chicken Noodle Soup by Jo's Kitchen
• Chilli SPAM and Eggs by Camilla at Fab Food 4 All
• Middle Eastern Spiced Campfire Chickpeas by Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary
• Miso Soup with Ginger & Udon Noodles by Kate at Veggie Deserts
• Sausage and Cider Campfire Skillet by Janie at Hedgecombers
• Cook Anywhere Campfire Dinner by Elinor at Beach Hut Cook
• Cowboy Stew by Janie at Hedgecombers

Coconut, Prawn & Spinach Camping Risotto

This is much more of a general idea than a recipe. The basis of a risotto made with pre-cooked rice works really well and can be adapted by using different flavours of rice and substituting or adding extra ingredients.

N.B. We made and ate this on our first night when we arrived. Prawns and a coolbox may not be the best combination. Use tinned meat/fish, ambient chorizio/smoked sausage or buy something fresh from a farm shop to enjoy this mid camping.

250g Pack of precooked Coconut Rice

1 x 50g Sachet of Creamed Coconut

100g Baby Spinach

150g Cooked & Peeled King Prawns

Salt & Pepper

Heat through the precooked rice in a pot over a camping stove along with the creamed coconut and a a cup of water.

Add the spinach and let it wilt down.

Cook for a few more minutes until the rice is hot and most of the excess liquid has been absorbed.

Finally add the prawns. Warm them through, season with salt and pepper and serve.

Disclosure : Millets #WeDoSummer campaign provided our camping equipment for review. This is not a paid post. As always, all views expressed are my own. 
Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me to continue to share my Edible Scottish Adventures with you.

Seafood and Kale Pie with Parmesan Puff

Everyone loves a pie. They surely have to be the ultimate in comfort food whether they're topped with pastry, mash or even sans topping. A pie, whether humble or posh, just wraps you up and gives you a great big hug. There's a relatively recent phenomena where by practically every food seems to have its own celebration day. Some of those I'm happy to buy into more than others. Pies deservingly get their own week and #BritishPieWeek running from 7-13th March 2016 is most definitely something that I can get behind wholeheartedly. As such I'm delighted to be teaming up with Iceland (the frozen food folk - not the country) to lift the lid on pies and have created a Seafood and Kale Pie with Parmesan Puff. Pastry is something that I always have in my freezer and I'm teaming it up with a couple of interesting #PowerOfFrozen discoveries to create a pie worthy of celebrating.

Seafood and Kale Pie with Parmesan Puff

800g Artic Royal Premium Seafood Selection (prawns, squid, mussels)

100g Frozen Garden Peas

200g Frozen Curly Kale

270g Garlic & Herb Cream Cheese

2 Tbsp Capers

1 Tsp Dijon Mustard

4 Spring Onions, chopped

2 Tbsp Chopped Parsley

Salt & Pepper

425g Puff Pastry Block

1 Free Range Egg, Beaten

25g Parmesan Cheese, grated

Defrost the Seafood Selection in its bag overnight in a refrigerator, or for 1-2 hours at room temperature.

Defrost the Puff Pastry thoroughly in a refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 200c

Drain the seafood selection and place in a large bowl. To this add the peas and kale (no need to cook/defrost), cream cheese, capers, mustard, spring onions and parsley. 

Combine well and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the seafood mixture to a large ovenproof pie dish.

On a floured surface roll out the pastry to the required size to cover the pie. Thickness should be approx that of two £1 coins. Keep aside any scraps of pastry for decorating.

Lift the pastry on top of the filling, using the rolling pin to help you.

Brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle with grated Parmesan.

Use the leftover pastry to decorate your pie, remembering to also brush any decorations with egg wash.

Cook for 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.

For further ins-PIE-ration (groan!) take a look at the recipes below and join in the #BritishPieWeek celebrations.

Chilli Beef Pies

Kale, Pesto and Cauliflower Picnic Pies

Haggis Shepherds Pie with Scotch Lamb

Cheesy Spinach, Mushroom & Potato Crust Pie

Sweet Potato Crispy Topped Fish Pie

Giant Macaroni Pie with Bacon Lattice Topping

Chinese Chicken Pie
Triple Chocolate Ice Cream Pie

Disclosure : This is a commissioned recipe for Iceland. All views expressed are my own.

Fuss Free Flavours & Utterly Scrummy