3 ways with mash

02/03/2021

3 ways with mash

3 WAYS WITH MASH

THE CINDERELLA OF SPUDS

Mashed potato is the unsung, humble heroine of spud cuisine, being simple to make, comforting to eat and a welcome side to almost any main. And let’s not forget its creamy, buttery texture! Delicious. It might be viewed as a fairly basic dish compared to, say, Dauphinoise potatoes – but that’s to ignore how fantastically flexible mash can be.

With just a handful of ingredients, you can transform your mash into a masterpiece, and make an everyday meal into a treat. While I’d contend that a classic buttery mash is gem in its own right, flirting with flavour can fun every now and then.

And what better time to experiment than British Pie Week (1-7 March)? Pie and mash go together like cheese and wine (which wouldn’t go amiss for afters, either), so we’re sharing three of our favourite modified mash recipes for you to try with your favourite pie.

MUSTARD MASH

This recipe comes courtesy of our founder Jo, for whom it’s a personal favourite. The combination of three types of mustard gives this mash a glorious colour (American), toothsome texture (Wholegrain) and wonderful bite (English). We’ve paired it with our Steak & Ale Pie, but it also takes sausage and onion gravy to a whole new level.

VEGETARIAN

| GLUTEN FREE

Difficulty: Easy
Preparation: 10 min
Cooking: 15-20 min
Servings: 8
Cost: Low

INGREDIENTS

Potatoes: 1.5kg, cut into bite-sized chunks
Butter: 100g
Milk: 100ml

English mustard: 1 tsp
Wholegrain mustard: 2 tsp
American yellow mustard: 2 tsp

DIRECTIONS

Add the potato chunks to a large pan of salted water and boil for 15-20 minutes or until soft. (To check whether they are done, pierce a potato with a fork. If it slides off easily, they are tender enough to mash.) Drain the potatoes in a colander and return to the pan to steam-dry for a few moments. Add the butter, milk and mustard, season well, then mash thoroughly until creamy. Cover to keep warm until serving.

MASH WITH GREENS

Using rocket adds a fresh, peppery flavour to lift to creamy mash. It makes the perfect accompaniment for our Chicken, Ham & Leek Pie, and works well with goulashes or casseroles. For a milder flavour, substitute baby spinach for the rocket.

VEGETARIAN

| GLUTEN FREE

Difficulty: Easy
Preparation: 10 min
Cooking: 20-25 min
Servings: 8
Cost: Low

INGREDIENTS

Floury potatoes: 650g, cut into bite-size chunks
Milk: 100ml

Butter: 25g
Rocket: 170g, roughly chopped

DIRECTIONS

Cook the potatoes in a large pan of salted water for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain well, then return to the pan to steam-dry for a few mins before mashing. Push the potatoes to one side of the pan and add the milk and butter to the other. Melt the butter into the milk over a gentle heat before combining with the potatoes. Add the rocket and mash to your preferred consistency. Season to taste, then serve.

SWEET POTATO MASH

The sweet, nutty flavours of sweet potato make for a wholesome and hearty mash that complements dishes with either sweet or spicy undertones, such as the Moroccan Style Chickpea pie from our EAT.PLNT vegan range, or our Chilli Con Carne – as pictured here. (We also have a delicious veggie version.) Sweet potatoes are also higher in antioxidants like Vitamin A and Vitamin C than white potatoes!

VEGETARIAN | GLUTEN FREE

Difficulty: Easy
Preparation: 15 min
Cooking: 150 min
Servings: 6
Cost: Low

INGREDIENTS

FSweet potatoes: 4 large (about 1kg)
Chipotle paste: 1 tbsp
Soured cream: 100 ml

Butter: 25g
Smocked paprika: ½ tsp

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/400˚F/Gas mark 6. Roast the sweet potatoes in the oven for 50 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a knife. Once roasted, peel back and discard the skins and mash the flesh in a bowl until smooth. Add the chipotle paste (harissa paste will also work), soured cream and butter and mix well. Season to taste.

TIPS FOR YOUR ‘TATERS

☑ Cut your potatoes into equal sized chunks so that they cook evenly. For quicker cooking, cut smaller chunks!

☑ Boil potatoes in salted water.

☑ Make sure your butter is at room temperature before adding to mash – and consider heating any milk used.

☑ For plant-based eating, use a non-dairy milk alternative and vegan butter. You can also buy or make vegan sour cream.

ALSO TRY …

☑ Cheesy mash (add 80g mature cheddar, 30g parmesan and 2tbsp of cream cheese to 1.5kg mashed potatoes).

☑ Garlic and herb mash (Boil 4 garlic cloves with 1.5kg potatoes, then mash with 4tbs of crème fraiche and a handful of chopped chives and parsley).

☑ For extra indulgence, serve mashed potatoes topped with a pat of butter and a sprinkle of herbs.

LOVE YOUR LEFTOVERS

Mashed potato freezes well, so if you have leftovers you can portion it up to defrost next time you want an easy meal for a stress-free evening. You could also try moulding leftover mash into flat circular discs and frying for a few minutes on each side until crispy on the outside. These potato cakes are always a treat served with a classic fried breakfast.

EASY AS PIE

Once you’ve chosen your mash and your pie, you’ll be ready for a proper celebration of British Pie Week. Personally, I’ll be trying the Chicken, Ham & Leek and mixing my mashes by trying the mustard medley.

While some die-hard pie fans insist on pastry, we’re also pretty fond of our potato-topped pies, so if you don’t fancy wielding the masher yourself, our sweet-potato topped Cottage Pie or classic Fish Pie might fit the bill.

For the final touches to your British Pie Week special, just add some tasty veg, like our Posh Peas, Honey Roast Parsnips or Cauliflower Cheese and you’ll be all set for a pie-fect evening.

26/01/2021

Decadent chocolate orange mud cake recipe

DECADENT CHOCOLATE ORANGE MUD CAKE RECIPE

In honour of National Chocolate Cake Day, the Gourmade team presents an irresistible recipe.

An excuse to celebrate!

National Chocolate Cake Day falls on 27 January, and at Gourmade we feel there’s really no better time. We’re a month past Christmas, waiting for the next pay-check and signs of spring while still in the depths of sharp wintry snaps, dark mornings and hard frosts. In short, we need cake in our lives – and what better cake than chocolate?

The team was frankly delighted with the task of taste-testing chocolate cake recipes. We’re all confident you’ll love the recipe we’ve chosen. An easy-to-make, sumptuously gooey orange chocolate mud cake ticks all the boxes for an indulgent dessert, elevenses treat or afternoon pick-me-up. It is definitely worth the calories! If you can bear to part with it, this makes a stand-out celebration cake to gift someone, too.

Even if you don’t have the time or inclination for baking, you shouldn’t miss out on National Chocolate Cake Day. Luckily, Gourmade is on hand with an offer you can’t refuse. On Wednesday, for one day only, we will be sending out free chocolate puddings. Yep, that’s right – you’ll receive either chocolate sponge puddings or a chocolate roulade completely free of charge! Just click here to take up this fantastic offer.

If you’re anything like us, you’ll want to do both. So … Let’s Cook!

VEGETARIAN

Difficulty: Easy
Preparation: 15 min
Cooking time: 25-30 min
Servings: 8
Cost: Low

INGREDIENTS

Plain flour: 220g
Sugar: 60g
Eggs: 3

Oranges: 3 (40ml juice, 30g peel and zest)
Baking soda: 10g
Milk chocolate spread: 500g

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 170˚C/325˚F/Gas Mark 3 (150˚C with a fan oven, but we don’t recommend using the fan setting for cakes, as it can cause a crusty outer layer). Grease a 9in/25cm cake tin (you can also line it if you wish). Separate the egg yolks from the whites,1 retaining both in individual mixing bowls. Beat the egg whites until they form firm peaks. 2 Add the sugar to the bowl with the egg yolks 3 and combine thoroughly.

Squeeze two or three oranges until you have 40ml juice. 4 Retain the peel. Add the orange juice to the sugar and egg yolks, 5 mixing until the consistency is smooth. Add the baking soda and sift the flour, adding it gradually whilst continually beating the mixture until it reaches a silky texture. 6

Next, remove the peel from the oranges, being careful not to retain the pith, and chop finely. 7 Add the chopped peel to the mixture and stir to combine. 8 Add 250g chocolate spread and beat well. 9

Then gently fold in the egg whites 10 (folding rather than stirring will give the cake a silkier texture when baked). 11 Grease a 9in/25cm cake tin (you can also line it if you wish) and once combined, pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 25-30 minutes. 12

The cake is cooked when a skewer comes out clean. While the cake cools (approx. 30 min), heat the remaining chocolate spread (you can use the oven which will still be hot, use a bain marie or cook in the microwave for short bursts) until it is softened and easy to spread. Pour the heated chocolate onto the cooled cake and use a palette knife to spread evenly and level off. 13 Grate the zest of one or more oranges to decorate, or use candied orange slices. Finally, refrigerate the cake for an hour before serving up a dense, gooey chocolate cake of supreme sticky deliciousness. 14

ALSO TRY …

For a nuttier flavour, replace the chocolate spread with a hazelnut one.

A mud cake traditionally has a denser, smoother consistency than standard cake. If you prefer a fluffier cake, replace the chocolate spread with an extra 100g sugar, 150g softened butter and 65g cocoa powder (or 100g dark chocolate melted using a bain marie). Combine thoroughly with the ingredients before adding the egg whites.

Happy National Chocolate Cake Day! If by any chance chocolate isn’t your thing, Gourmade offers a wonderful selection of desserts you could celebrate with instead – I recommend the Sicilian Lemon Tarts for those who like a tangy citrus palate cleanser, or the Salted Caramel Roulade for those with an extra sweet tooth!

18/01/2021

EASY PLANT-BASED CHILLI WITH ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

A hearty, healthy meal for Veganuary

Who doesn’t enjoy a good chilli? Packed with rich, smoky flavours, there are few meals so comforting, warming and satisfying for a midweek family meal or weekend treat in front of the TV. Not only is it easy to make, it’s also perfect for making in bulk and freezing.

If you’re doing Veganuary but don’t yet have a stockpile of recipes, chilli is a great one to try. There are as many recipes for plant-based chillis as there are vegetables, but this one is super-tasty (and see the top tips to make it super-speedy, too!) and doesn’t rely on meat substitutes. We’ve used vegan cheese both as a topping and to mix in to the chilli itself for extra indulgence (we recommend Asda’s free-from mature cheddar or Applewood’s smoked vegan cheese).

PLANT-BASED | VEGETARIAN | DAIRY-FREE | GLUTEN FREE

Difficulty: Easy
Preparation: 10 min
Servings: 4-6
Cost: Medium

INGREDIENTS

For the roasted butternut squash

Butternut squash: 1
Olive oil: ½ tbsp

Cayenne pepper or smoked paprika: ½ tsp
Cumin: ½ tsp
Seasoning: to taste

For the chilli

Vegetable oil: 1 tbsp
Onion: 1 (red or white), diced
Garlic: 4 cloves, crushed or finely chopped
Cumin: 1½ tbsp
Smoked paprika: 1½ tbsp
Black beans: 2 cans (800g), drained and rinsed
Red kidney beans, pinto beans or mixed beans: 1 can (400g), drained and rinsed

Chopped tomatoes or passata: 1 can (400g)
Chipotle paste: 3 tbsp
Vegetable stock: 1 cube dissolved in 350ml boiling water
Lime: 2 (1 juiced, 1 cut into wedges)
Coriander: 10g, roughly chopped
Vegan cheese: 120g, grated
Mint: 20g, leaves chopped
Spring onions: 4, sliced
Coconut yogurt: 200g

DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat the oven to 220˚C/200˚C fan/400˚F/Gas mark 6. Halve the butternut squash lengthways 1, then scoop out the seeds with a spoon, peel and chop into 1-inch pieces 2. Put on a baking tray with a drizzle of oil, the cayenne or paprika, cumin and seasoning and toss until coated. Bake for 20-25min, until tender 3. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Once hot, fry the onion for 4-5 minutes or until softened 4. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, then add the smoked paprika and cumin and stir for 30 seconds. (If the pan looks a little dry, add a further drizzle of oil.) Add the chopped tomatoes and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5-6 minutes, then add your drained, rinsed beans, lime juice, stock and chipotle paste and bring the mixture to the boil. Cook at a simmer for a further 5 minutes, then use a potato masher to lightly crush some of the beans. Keep stirring until the mashed and whole beans reach a rich, thickened consistency 5. Stir through the coriander and a third of the cheese until well combined. Serve topped with the roasted butternut squash, chopped mint, sliced spring onions and remaining cheese, and the lime wedges to garnish. The coconut yoghurt goes well as a dollop on top or to the side for dipping 6!

TOP TIPS

☑ To reduce cooking time, you can leave out the squash and still have a delicious meal. You could also replace the garlic with garlic paste when you cook the spices (around 1½ tbsp, according to taste), and use tomato frito or passata flavoured with onion and garlic to replace the onion and chopped tomatoes. Another swap for extra ease is using pre-prepared butternut squash, either fresh or frozen!

☑ If you don’t have any squash, you can use roasted sweet potato instead (use the same seasoning, but roast for 45 min to 1 hour at 200˚C).

☑ If you miss the texture of mince in your chilli, simply cut down on the number of beans and add some minced meat substitute. Add to the pan after the spices and fry for 5 minutes before adding the tomatoes. You won’t need to mash any of the beans in this case.

TO SERVE

The beauty of chilli is its versatility. You could serve with rice, use as a hearty jacket potato filling, or simply warm some tortillas (the wraps or the chips!) and have some fantastic finger food. Sliced avocado (or guacamole) and salad make great accompaniments for any of these options.

If you’re still struggling to find plant-based recipes that don’t take too much effort, check out EAT.PLNT’s fabulous range. We recommend the Spinach and Chickpea curry– yum!