October 14th, 2011

It is the season of little oranges. Do you pick a tangerine, clementine or satsuma?

Are you one of those who picks the one which looks like it will be easiest to peel and what are the differences?

They are all varieties of the mandarin family, originating in Japan, and are in season in the northern hemisphere from October to February.  The trees are all evergreens and the fruits very low in calories, high in anti-oxidants, vitamin A and vitamin C and, as we all know, they are excellent pocket food – just don’t leave them in your pocket!

The mandarin grows best in subtropical areas and is often sold with a leaf still intact. It has tight segments, a strong smell, and is sweet and juicy.

A clementine has a deep orange colour with a smooth, glossy appearance. Clementines separate easily into between seven and 14 fat, juicy segments. They are very easy to peel and are almost always seedless. They are the smallest of the family and have the least acidity. Their skins are full of complex aromatic oils used in aromatherapy. Clementines are good for cooking.

The satsuma is also usually seedless and slightly larger than the mandarin or clementine. One of the distinguishing features of the satsuma is the thin, leathery skin dotted with large and prominent oil glands, which is lightly attached around the fruit, enabling it to be peeled very easily. The satsuma has particularly delicate flesh and bruises easily. Satsumas hate the cold!

The tangerine is the middle size of the small orange family. Again it’s easy to peel but it often contain pips, its firm segments are heavy for their size. Fresh tangerine juice and frozen juice concentrate are commonly available in the United States. Tangerines are often used in salads and desserts. The peel is dried and used in Sichuan cuisine.

The tangelo, widely known as the honeybell, is a hybrid of a tangerine and a grapefruit. They are very juicy and are easily distinguished from the others by a characteristic “nose” at the top of the fruit.

Sticky Clementine cake

This cake contains no flour, it’s gluten free and has a great tangy flavour as it uses the whole fruit,

• 5 clementines
• 6 eggs
• 225g caster sugar
• 250g ground almonds
• 1 heaped tsp baking powder

Method

Boil the whole clementines, skins and all for two hours making sure the water doesn’t boil dry. Allow to cool and place in a blender. Whizz to a puree and crack in the eggs, add the sugar and whizz again to dissolve the sugar. Add the ground almonds and baking powder and whizz one more time.

Pour into a greased, lined 10 inch cake tin and put in the oven at 140C for 30-40 mins. The cake should be firm but not coloured. Allow to cool before turning out and serve with crème fraiche or fromage frais.

Whichever pocket snack you choose this season, make sure its a firm fruit with a good smell and check for bruises.

Tags: Cake, Clementine, Food, Oranges, recipe, Satsuma, Tangerine
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October 2nd, 2011

From hunter gatherer, to super markets and back to Crab apples in 500 words!

We used to be hunter gatherers foraging the hedgerows.

Autumn is a great time for berries, herbs, seeds and fungus to name a few and the hunting season is about to begin, even though most of us get our food from shops these days. Shops too have changed considerable over the last 50 years. Remember the days when items were kept behind the counter and weighed, measured and wrapped in brown paper parcels tied up with string.

I have to admit I’m too young but I can picture it in a good Western movie. When I did a little research I was surprised that it was not until 1916 that an American entrepreneur called Clarence Saunders developed the first self service store called Piggly Wiggly. It was widely regarded as a concept of genius!

The first proper supermarket was not opened until 1930.  Packing high, pricing low was the slogan and separate aisles and departments within stores began to develop. The Americans closely followed by the Canadians fast tracked towards today’s individual plastic wrapped vegetables. We Brits were a little slower to understand this consumer trend and it was not until 1947 that we began to see a few supermarkets in our larger cities.  In 1951 ex-US Navy sailor Patrick Galvani, opened a chain of supermarkets across the country but he lost out to a little known fledgling company called Tesco in 1960 and the rest is history.

Back to last weekend when I was out gathering. We were staying at a cottage in the Cotswolds and in the garden was a laden crab apple. They are beautiful mini red apples about the size of a cherry tomato.  I recognised them instantly as we have been buying them, dipping them in caramel and serving them as a fun sweet canapé or dessert garnish.  I rallied my troops (better know as kids), we picked three kilos and made jelly.

• 3 kg crab apples
• 750g golden caster sugar
• 1 lemon, juiced

We washed the apples and removed the blossom heads.  We put them all into a large saucepan, covered them in water and brought them to the boil, then simmered them for about half an hour.  We allowed to cool a little before handling.  I lined a sieve with muslin and whilst still warm poured the pulp through it.  I placed a bowl below to allow it to drip overnight.

In the morning we had about a litre of juice.  We put it all back in the saucepan and added the sugar and lemon juice to taste, the measurements are guidelines.  We stirred to dissolve the sugar and brought it back to the boil before keeping it on a good rolling boil for a good half an hour. We skimmed off any froth and tested whether the jelly was ready to set  by dipping a clean spoon into the boiling jam and chilling in the fridge.  When it solidified on the back of the spoon it was ready.

We poured the jam into warm, sterilised preserving jars and tightly sealed them while still slightly warm.
It is good served with baked ham, in a cheese sandwich or to make a cream sauce to serve with roasted pork tenderloin.  Delicious  foraging!

Tags: Apples, Catering, Crab Apples, Food, History, recipe
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September 27th, 2011

Christmas Season Vacancies – Waiter’s and Waitresses

We are a vibrant Cardiff based free lance catering business with a friendly spirited team, catering top end events in and around the city.

We are looking to build a waiting team this Christmas as our front of house service is crucial to delivering the standard of excellence we offer to our clients.

Basic experience is welcome and a clean driving license is a bonus.  Salary is paid on a freelance bases.  Hours of work will vary and will cover weekends.  Suitable to students with that touch of class

If you’d like to apply, please send your CV to info@ejatering.co.uk.  or Call Richard 02920 331723

Tags: Catering, Christmas, Food, Job, Vacancies, Waiter, Waitresses
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May 5th, 2011

We Have Moved, What’s News & Property to Let!

We have moved to Unit P5, Capital Business Park, Parkway, Cardiff, CF3 2PU.  Our contact details remain the same and it’s business as usual – we’re only 12 minutes drive away from Clive Road.

We are delighted to announce that Waffles (the cafe next door to our old premises) will be stocking our freshly prepared frozen ej@home range for our local customers.  Please buy directly from them.  We will also stock frozen meals at our new premises.

Here is our regular menu, your favourites, available from tomorrow:

• Summer pea and ham soup
• Leek and potato soup
• Smoked haddock chowder
• (V) Mushroom stroganoff
• (V) Vegetable, apricot and chickpea tagine
• Chicken, chorizo and tomato stew
• Lamb and apricot tagine
• Breast of chicken in orange and mustard sauce
• Oriental five spice beef with honey and soy
• Salmon and prawn with a fennel and tarragon cream sauce

Snippet of Information – if you are looking for accommodation, our old property at Clive Road has been converted into a neat little first floor one bedroom flat and the downstairs has the potential for shop/gallery/studio space.  If you are interested, please give us a ring.

Tags: Catering, Food, menu, Moved
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April 4th, 2011

Glanusk Estate – Polo Event – 9th July 2011

It is with great pleasure to announce that we will be catering, once again, for this year’s prestigious International Polo Match between Wales and Ireland at Glanusk Estate.   The event this year has an improved layout and post Polo evening party featuring DJ’s and garden area and plenty of bars! Those who book private boxes may enjoy their box until the close of the event.

Tickets go on sale on 10th April 2011, please get in touch with Glanusk directly to purchase tickets www.glanuskestate.com.  Or get in touch with us to see the menus.

Tags: Catering, Events, Food, Polo
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March 18th, 2011

Mother’s Day Treat

Being a mother herself, Emma has organised a treat (in collaboration with Tracy at The Flower Lodge, Rhiwbina) that she hopes to receive herself on Sunday 3rd April.

Together with head chef, Nathan, they have recreated the classic Black Forest Gateau with a modern look and flavour.   The Flower Lodge has added a vibrant bouquet (see attached).

After the photograph was taken Emma gave the cake to her mum to try, and this was her response “divine and to die for darling, perfect size, it’s moist and just yum, can I have the flowers too!”.

Black Forest Gateau with vanilla cream plus bouquet of colourful tulips  – £35 or pre order before the 24th March for £30.

Freshly baked on Friday 1st April and ready for collection either from The Flower Lodge in Rhiwbina or EJ Cookshop, 65 Clive Road.

Tags: Flowers, Food, Gataeu, Mother's Day
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March 11th, 2011

Could you be a locavore for lent?

We all know a carnivore eats meat, a herbivore eats vegetables and an omnivore eats both but the other day my mum walked in saying she was going to try to be a locavore. It seems it’s an American term for shopping and eating only local foods.

A few days later I bumped into an old friend on Cardiff’s Lower Cathedral Road whose New Year resolution was to shop and eat only from local sources for a year to see how it would change his eating habits. The results are changing far more than just his eating habits.  He shops more regularly as it is often on foot and involves carrying bags.  As the journey on foot is slower and more purposeful he makes sure he never forgets his bag for life and so very proudly has not taken a new plastic bag this year.

Menu planning has become much more important and he finds himself reading lots of food related articles, recipe books and magazines.  His cooking is more efficient and creative, he is eating a lot more vegetarian meals, treating meat as a treat.  But the best of all is the social aspect, regularly shopping locally on foot he is meeting all sorts of old friends, work colleagues, it is doing wonders for business networking and making new friends.  Financially it is probably similar, what he is buying is a little more expensive but the quality more than makes up for it and he is not wasting any food.  Plus as the allotments begin to yield he is on a good few promises. He is well and truly becoming a character of the high street!

The Riverside Sunday market in Cardiff is a buzz of creative local suppliers. Standards and quality is high, food miles are low.  You follow the seasonal vegetables at their best .  I have recently starting juicing regularly. The yield, flavour, smell and colour is so superior from local seasonal vegetables I am in danger of becoming a carrot snob!

Here are a couple of my favourite juices:

• A healthy booster
• 4 carrots
• 2 apples
• 1 celery stick
• An inch or so of ginger

Detox and Vitamin C pick me up:

• 2 raw beetroot
• 1 carrot
• 1 orange

Power and Irons

• 2 small handfuls of spinach
• 4 broccoli florets
• 1 carrot
• 2 apples
• Small bunch of seedless grapes

Each recipe makes about a glass of juice

A year may be too much of a commitment for most of us to become locavores but we can try to be mindful about what and where we buy.  Maybe try buying vegetables only from a grocers for a month, there are lots of good ones. Be healthy, be a locavore this Lent!

Tags: cardiff, Detox, Food, Juice, Lent, Locally, Market, Riverside
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March 8th, 2011

Pancake Day – Shrove Tuesday

Here’s Emma’s recipe for perfect pancakes.

• Sieve 125gr self raising flour into a bowl
• Add a pinch of salt
• Add a tablespoon of golden caster sugar
• Make a well in the middle and whisk in 2 large free range eggs and 6 fl oz of milk
• Leave the batter to stand for 10-20 mins

Heat a non stick frying pan with a small splash of oil and spoon in individual serving spoons of mixture at a time. This will make a small drop scone pancake. Cook on each side for a minute and repeat.

For starters serve with bacon and sweet corn and for pudding serve with chocolate ice cream, hot chocolate sauce with a flake in the top and dust with icing sugar. Or just simple lemon juice and good quality honey.

However you eat them, enjoy!

Tags: Catering, Emma, Food, Pancake Day, Pancakes, recipe, Shrove Tuesday
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February 21st, 2011

What’s Cooking?

Here’s what’s simmering away in the kitchen right now.  Come and collect some supper for tonight or fill your freezer ready for those hectic days.  They are an ideal back up for entertaining last minute guests.

• Free range chicken Tandoori
• Oriental Five Spice Welsh Black Beef
• Sausage and chorizo cassoulet
• Welsh lamb tagine with plump apricots
• £4.50 for 1 or £8.50 for 2
• Homemade bread and butter pudding – large slice (enough for 2) £3.50 a slice

Pop in and see us soon.

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February 14th, 2011

What’s in the Freezer?

Our freezer is full to the brim, pop in and fill yours with our tasty nutritious ready made meals.  Perfect for those busy days when you don’t have time to cook.  All double portions:-

• Mushroom & thyme soup  - £3.50
• Smooth smoked haddock chowder - £4.00
• Meaty Welsh lamb cawl – £8.50
• Coq au vin with smoky bacon – £8.50
• Free range chicken with mustard and orange cream sauce – £8.50
• Welsh beef in Brains SA with chantenay carrots  - £8.50
• Classic Italian bolognese  - £8.50
• Pork & butterbean cassoulet  - £8.50
• (V) Pumpkin and butterbean cassoulet – £8.50

Tags: cardiff, Catering, Food, menu
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