Brussel Sprout Gratin with streaky bacon

27 Nov 2023

Brussel Sprout Gratin (with streaky bacon - if you want!)

This is a fantastic recipe for something a little bit different on your Christmas table.

SERVES 4 - 25 MINUTES

To make this recipe you will need:

500g thinly sliced Brussel sprouts
2 tablespoons plain flour
3 rashers of Primrose Herd smoked streaky bacon
100g Davidstow Mature cheddar cheese (use leftover cheese here too, parmesan, gruyere or anything meltable work just as well)
1 mug of breadcrumbs (I used stale bread, blitzed in my food processor but you could use shop bought natural breadcrumbs)
¾ pint full-fat milk
2 cloves garlic
½ of a whole grated nutmeg
1 leek, trimmed and diced (don’t use the harder green ends, keep those for putting underneath the meat to roast, adds great flavour for the gravy)
2 teaspoons of dried Sage

And here’s how to do it…

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees.
In an oven-proof pan, crisp the bacon on a medium heat. (this takes up to ten minutes).
Once crispy, remove the bacon and set it aside, keeping the bacon fat in the pan.
Add the leek and brussels sprouts to the pan with the bacon fat. Stir them into the fat and season with salt and pepper.
Place the pan in the hot oven and cook for 5 minutes until the sprouts are slightly roasted.
Remove the pan from the oven and add the garlic.
Return the pan to the stovetop on low heat and add the flour. Stir the mixture together.
Gradually add the milk to the pan while stirring continuously.
Grate in the nutmeg and roughly three-quarters of the cheddar cheese, reserving some for topping.
Chop the crispy bacon into small pieces and mix it with the breadcrumbs and dried sage.
Add the remaining grated cheese and combine.
Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top of the gratin. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with more salt and pepper.
Place the pan back in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 220 degrees Celsius (428 degrees Fahrenheit) until the gratin is golden and bubbling.
Serve the Brussels sprout gratin alongside your christmas Turkey, honey-glazed carrots, and crispy roast potatoes.

Posted in Christmas Recipes

Christmas 2023 Opening Hours and Delivery Schedule

24 Nov 2023

Cornish Food Box Christmas Opening Hours & Delivery Schedule

Final Orders for Christmas & New Year = Friday 15th December

** If you would like to make changes to your regular subscription during this period please email tor@thecornishfoodboxcompany.co.uk with your updates.**

** We cannot amend any orders or subscriptions after midday on Friday 15th December.**

Our delivery schedule and opening hours are:

Friday 22nd December = Deliveries/Collections as usual
Saturday 23rd December = Deliveries/Collections as usual
Christmas Eve = CLOSED
Christmas Day = CLOSED
Boxing Day = CLOSED
Wednesday 27th December = CLOSED
Friday 29th December = Deliveries/Collections as usual
Saturday 30th December = Deliveries/Collections as usual
New Years Eve = CLOSED
New Years Day = CLOSED
Tuesday 2nd January = CLOSED
Wednesday 3rd January = Deliveries will be delayed.
Thursday 4th January = Deliveries as usual.

Posted in News

How to cook the PERFECT steak.

18 Nov 2023

How to cook the PERFECT steak.

Simple and easy to follow recipe from Mum on Muddy Lane with the added bonus of a cherry & clotted cream sauce!!

Another fantastic and simple recipe using amazing Cornish produce to create delicious meals at home. This recipe was made using the PACK OF 4 RUMP STEAKS from James Kittow Butchers. Or why not get a STEAK LOVERS BOX and try them all!

To make this recipe you will need:

James Kittows Cornish Rump Steak 4pk
Butter (about 20g per steak)
Salt and Cracked Black pepper
Garlic 2- 3 cloves per steak, no need to peel)
A few sprigs of woody herbs like thyme or rosemary
Olive oil
A non-stick pan
Tongs

FOR THE SHERRY & CLOTTED CREAM PAN SAUCE

100ml of sherry
Tbsp Clotted Cream
Black Pepper

And here’s how to do it…

Firstly choose your cooking preference and time below.

These instructions are for an average sized, good quality rump or sirloin steak, with fat down one side, that weighs around 8oz.

RARE: 2 .5 mins each side + 3 minutes rest time.
MEDIUM RARE: 3.5 mins each side + 4 minutes rest time.
MEDIUM: 4 mins each side + 4 minutes rest time.
WELL DONE: 5-6 mins each side + 5 minutes rest time.

I advise that you cook one steak at a time, cooking the most well done one first, and the most rare last, so that they have the right amount of time to rest before being served.

Take the steaks out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.
Pat excess blood or liquid from the steaks using kitchen towels.
Coat the steaks in a couple of teaspoons of olive oil on all sides.
Heat a dry pan (no oil) on a high heat.
Into the HOT pan, using the tongs, sear the fat edge (IF THERE IS ONE) of the steak for about 2 minutes until the fat has rendered and is crisp and golden.
Then, lay the steak down on one side in the pan. Let it sizzle, and cook for the chosen time (rare, medium-rare, medium, or well-done).
Season well with salt and pepper, flip the steak and repeat the cooking process.
After flipping, add the knob of butter, the garlic and the herbs to the pan. Season this side of the steak with salt and pepper.
As the butter melts, spoon it over the steak to baste. This means to carefully scoop the melted butter from the pan onto a spoon and drizzle across the steak, repeatedly. You may need to tilt the pan to do this, so have oven gloves to hand!
Continue basting until your chosen cooking time is up.
Remove the steak from the pan and let it rest for the specified time.
This method should ensure a beautiful seared colour on the outside and a perfectly cooked inner, according to your individual preference.

Sherry and Clotted Cream Steak Pan Sauce

Dont throw away any of the fat or garlic or herbs from your pan.
Instead, de-glaze the pan with about 100ml of sherry (let the flame catch the pan to burn off the alcohol with a flame).
Add a tablespoon of Cornish clotted cream, and a good pinch of black pepper.
Let it simmer for a few minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, and serve with the steak, some delicious Cornish spuds and steamed greens.

Absolutely delicious! Enjoy x

Posted in Recipes and Cornish Beef Recipes

Pulled Cinnamon Lamb Shoulder with Seasonal Cabbage Slaw.

15 Nov 2023

Pulled Cinnamon Cornish Lamb Shoulder & Seasonal Cabbage Slaw

A perfectly generous meal to share with friends and family. This is a huge Friday night favourite in our house.

Lamb shoulder is a cut that can look really daunting but is a easy, slow cook piece of meat which when cooked falls apart and is absolutely delicious.

Serves 6. Takes 3.5 hours.

To make this recipe you will need:

Cornish Shoulder of Lamb (950g)
2 Cornish Carrots
2 Sticks of Celery
1 Cornish Onion
350ml Chicken Stock
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 cup boiling water
Olive oil
5 Garlic Cloves
1 thumb size piece of ginger
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp Cornish Runny Honey
2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
Cornish Sea Salt & Black Pepper

For the Cabbage Slaw:

Half a cabbage shredded (Savoy, Pointed or anything in season in your box!)
1 tbsp Cornish natural yoghurt
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Cornish Sea Salt & Pepper
The juice of one satsuma/orange/clementine
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp chilli flakes
Fresh Mint Bunch

And here’s how to do it…

Set the oven to 220⁰c
Start by chopping all of your aromatics (garlic, ginger, celery, carrots, onions). I grate the carrot as I like how it mulches down into the sauce.
Rub olive oil and salt over the whole piece of lamb.
Put a heavy bottomed pan on the hob and get it nice and hot.
Add olive oil, and when it's spitting, add the lamb so it seals and browns on both sides. This takes about 10 minutes.
Remove the lamb to a plate.
Now add the aromatics, all of them in one go and soften down for five minutes.
Add the tomato puree.
Add the cinnamon and fennel seeds and cook down for a minute or two.
Add all the stock, and bring it to a simmer.
Place the lamb skin side up on top.
Drizzle the lamb with the balsamic and honey and place a heavy lid on top.
Put this in the oven for 45 minutes at 220⁰c, then remove it and add 1 cup of boiled water, baste the lamb, put the lid back on and return to the oven.
TURN THE OVEN DOWN TO 160⁰C
Leave it to cook for a further 3 hours and 15 minutes.

To make your Cabbage Slaw & Minty Yogurt.

Mix all of your slaw dressing ingredients together in a bowl except the yogurt and mint.
Toss the shredded cabbage and make sure everything is throughly coated.
It's as simple as that!
For the minty yogurt - chop your fresh mint, and stir through your yogurt.
Add some salt and pepper to taste.

Let your lamb rest once it comes out of the oven and then using forks you can shred the lamb. It should come apart really easily.

Don't worry if it looks dark on the outside - it's not burnt - this is all caramelisation and the best bit!!

Serve with flatbreads or pitta, the cabbage slaw and some minty yogurt

Posted in Recipes and Cornish Lamb Recipes

What size turkey do I need?

11 Nov 2023

Our Christmas turkey size guide gives you all the info you need to work out what size turkey you need this Christmas. Whether you are having a whole bird, turkey crown or breast joint we have you covered.

Spiced Cottage Pie with Crispy Turmeric Roast Potatoes

10 Nov 2023

Spiced Cottage Pie with Crispy Turmeric Potatoes

A twist on the classic cottage pie that is a guaranteed crowd pleaser and something a bit different.

This is great Autumn/Winter recipe to use up the fantastic produce from one of our FAMILY FOOD BOXES which often feature mince through the winter months.

To make this recipe you will need:

500g James Kittow Cornish Beef Mince
2 tbsp Garam masala
2 tsp ground Turmeric
A few good pinches of Cornish Sea salt
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp mango chutney
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tbsp mild Curry powder
1 beef jelly stock pot (or stock cube) dissolved in just 1 mug of boiling water.
Olive oil
1 stick of celery diced
1 onion diced
6 mushrooms diced
4 large Potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped into small 1.5 inch pieces
2 carrots diced

And here’s how to do it…

1. Preheat the oven at 220⁰.

2. Fill a large pan with water, add a heaped teaspoon of sea salt and add the potatoes.

3. Cook from cold to boiling for around 15 minutes, or until a butter knife slips easily but not falling apart.

4. Drain and leave to steam dry.

5. Once most of the moisture has gone, add the turmeric and a good pinch of salt and pepper and a generous glug of olive oil, toss the potatoes in the saucepan until completely coated and yellow.

6. Set aside.

Meanwhile...

1. Heat up another pan with a drizzle of olive oil and add the beef mince.

2. Break it down with a spatula so that it isn’t clumped together.

3. Add ALL the garam masala, a pinch of salt, and the teaspoon of sugar and cook over a medium heat until the mince starts to caramelize.

4. The mince should appear dark and slightly crispy. This takes around 15 minutes. Set the mince aside on a plate.

5. To the same pan that you cooked the mince in, sweat down all the veg with another drizzle of oil.

6. Once soft add the curry powder, the mango chutney and the mug of stock.

7. Add the tomato puree, and the cooked mince into the veg and let it all simmer for 5 minutes.
8. Transfer the mince and veg into an oven proof pie dish. Taste and season as required. It should be mildy spiced and slightly sweet.

9. Now scatter the potatoes all over the top of the mince and cook in the oven for 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden and crispy like roast potatoes.

Serve this with mango chutney and some well seasoned, steamed Purple Sprouting Broccoli, but it would go beautifully with Spring Greens, Cabbage or Swiss chard or any other seasonal greens from your Cornish veg box.

ENJOY XX

Posted in Recipes and Cornish Beef Recipes

Why our chicken doesn't cost the earth.

4 Nov 2023

Marsh Farm, set within the rolling hills of Bude, has been in the Wickett family for four generations, but they have been farming in the area for many years before that.

Keith Wickett is continuing traditional methods of rearing free range poultry, keeping the skillset alive, and providing Devon and Cornwall with quality Cornish produce. Many of the region's finest restaurants and hotels have worked with Keith for many years because of the wonderful taste, flavour and quality of the poultry he produces.

The chickens are reared at a slow pace, allowing them to grow naturally, in a stress free environment. The chickens live for twice as long as the supermarket alternative. Prior to restrictions put in place due to Avian Flu Keith's chickens are free-range by day and shut in at night for their safety. Today the birds are kept indoors in small groups with plenty of room.

Over the last few years things have got tough down on the farm with the rising costs of energy, feed and transport, as well as Avian Flu restrictions, problems with staffing and the rising costs of the quality chicks needed. Farming can be a lonely occupation with incredibly long hours and constant worry around the future of the family farm.

The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution - a charity set up in 1860 to support farmers and their families, have found that poultry farmers are finding things particularly tough at the moment. "The risk of disease outbreak, on top of rising input costs, payment and policy changes and labour challenges, continues to bring increased uncertainty for poultry producers. Inevitably, these factors are having a detrimental effect on farmer’s mental health particularly when many are genuinely concerned for the future of their family farms."

As normal the big 'industrialised' farming operations are first in the queue when it comes to being able to demand the best prices. Smaller family farms like Keith, who are rearing birds in small flocks in stress free environments are struggling the most.

Not only are Keith's chickens reared in small flocks, fed non GM feed, double the age of the supermarket birds BUT they are also approx. cheaper or the same price as a free range bird in the supermarkets.

- Small Flocks
- Stress Free Environment
-Direct from a family run Cornish Farm
- Twice the age of supermarket bird
- Same price as supermarket birds
- Save when you subscribe to a regular order
- Support Cornish & British Farmers

Posted in News

One Pot Cornish Chicken with Potato and Butternut Squash Gratin

4 Nov 2023

One Pot Roast Cornish Chicken with Butternut Squash & Potato Gratin

This is a guaranteed instant family favourite and a really easy way to make a one pot roast dinner with a difference.

This is great Autumn/Winter recipe to use up the fantastic produce from one of our ESSENTIAL FAMILY BUDGET BOXES which includes a delicious whole free range Cornish chicken and seasonal greens.

To make this recipe you will need:

1 Butternut Squash (use a mandolin or slice thinly with a knife to about 2mm thick)
4 large Cornish Potatoes, sliced the same size as above.
1 Cornish Onion, thinly sliced
Cornish salted butter for greasing the pan and seasoning the chicken.
1 free range Cornish Chicken, giblets removed.
1 Mug (approx 200ml) of hot chicken stock.
Grated cheese, I used a mixture of Parmesan and Davidstow cheddar, but use up whatever hard cheeses are leftover in your fridge.

FOR THE DRESSING

3 tablespoons olive oil.
3 teaspoons of Dijon mustard.
The juice of 1 lemon (keep the squeezed lemon skins to put in the chicken cavity).
Black Pepper and Cornish Seasalt.
3 garlic cloves diced.
1 tbsp dried thyme.

And here’s how to do it…

Set your oven to 220⁰C.
Start by prepping and slicing all of your ingredients.
Mix all of the dressing ingredients together in a mug.
Grease a deep oven proof pan with butter.
Layer up the butternut squash, onion and potatoes, drizzling a couple of teaspoons of the dressing between each layer, until everything is completely used up.
Prepare your stock in the same mug that had the dressing in, no need to rinse it, you want all that flavour.
Pour the stock over the layered veg.
Put the whole chicken on top of the veg, and rub it all over with the butter, salt and pepper.
Place the lemon halves that you used for the juice into the cavity of the chicken.
Wrap the whole thing tightly in foil so no steam can escape, and pop in the oven for 1 hour.
Remove from the oven and take off the foil.
Return it all to the oven, for a further 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and the juices run clear when you poke a knife in at the bone.
Set the chicken aside, under foil and a clean tea towel, to keep it warm whilst it rests.
Grate the cheese over the gratin, and drizzle with a little olive oil and a pinch of black pepper, and put back into the oven for 20 more minutes until golden.
Serve the gratin with slices of the chicken and seasonal Cornish greens.

TOP TIP

Cook your greens (I used chard) in a wok in a little butter or olive oil, with fresh ginger, garlic and lemon zest to really bring a zingy side to accompany the dish.

Posted in Recipes and Cornish Chicken Recipes

Christmas Cheese

6 Oct 2023

Cornish Christmas Cheeseboards

How to create the perfect cheeseboard for your festive table

Christmas simply isn’t complete without at least one epic cheeseboard. From gooey brie to the tang of a blue it’s the range of flavours and textures that makes the difference. When partnered with a great range of chutneys, pickles, breads and crackers, and a selection of charcuterie and pâté, it is the perfect way to feed your guests or family.

We are incredibly lucky to have an amazing range of cheeses produced in Cornwall. The temperate climate and long growing season mean we produce rich milk which is perfect for cheese production. Cornish cheeses regularly win prestigious awards and are highly regarded both within the UK and globally. I have set out a selection which will provide the texture and flavour variety which goes to make a truly fantastic cheeseboard.

For your cheese selection you want a mix of both hard and soft cheese so you have a range of textures. As a minimum you’ll want 3 – a brie, a blue and a semi-hard such as Miss Muffet or Gouda but having 4 or 5 will give you more scope for variety.

All the following cheeses feature in our cheseboards, hampers and are available to order individually. There is a hamper to suit every occasion from our Small Cheese Hamper to our Large Deli Delights Hamper. They make a fantastic gift over the festive season, perfect for nibbling beside the fire with a glass of port or good bottle of red.

Cornish Blue

This is the blue cheese for those that find stilton too much. Designed to be eaten as a young cheese, Cornish Blue is a very different product from traditional English blue cheeses. Its flavour is mild and creamy, with a dense texture and buttery richness, instead of the ‘salty tang’ common of other traditional blue cheeses it has a gentle sweetness.

Cornish Blue is a vegetarian, pasteurised, cow's milk cheese handmade by artisan cheesemakers at Philip and Carol Stansfield's family farm on the edge of Bodmin Moor near Liskeard in Cornwall. It is dry salted by hand before being left to mature for between 12 and 14 weeks.

Enjoy the cheese at room temperature on crusty bread or crackers with chutney and glass of port or red wine. Its mild flavour makes it very versatile and a perfect complement to many sauces & recipes.

It was voted Best Blue cheese at the 2006 British Cheese Awards and 2010 & 2014 World Cheese Awards, and it won World Champion Cheese at the World Cheese Awards 2010.

Cornish Jack

Cornish Jack is a traditional farmhouse Swiss cheese made by Lawrence and Rosie at the Padstow Cheese Company based at Port Issac. It is full fat hard cheese with a fruity flavour and nutty tones. It has won several awards including Gold at the Global Cheese Awards in 2016.

This cheese is made using pasturised milk from Trewithen Dairies and traditional rennet in its making so is not suitable for vegetarians. Matured for between 4 to 6 months the curd develops irregular holes, formed by bubbles of carbon dioxide as the cheese matures.

Fantastic as part of a cheeseboard, this versatile cheese is also great melted on top of a burger or cheese toastie. It goes really well with white wines and most beers.

Miss Wenna Brie

A mellow, smooth mould ripened soft cheese with a delicately wafer-thin velvety rind and subtle aroma. This brie is made with vegetarian rennet and pasteurised cow’s milk.

A brie is a must on any cheeseboard, and this is sure to be a firm favourite for everyone. It won a Gold award at the Global Cheese Awards in 2018 and is made by Curds and Croust in Liskeard from Roddas milk by master cheesemaker Martin Gaylard.

This brie goes well with the traditional cheeseboard accompaniments and is an excellent partner for sweet chili jam.

Cornish Gouda

A very versatile cheese it’s great on sandwiches or a cheeseboard. It is made on the farm near Looe from the milk from their family pedigree dairy herd.

The cheese has been developed by Giel who started the Cornish Gouda Company when he was just 19 to ensure a future for the farm. It is made using traditional techniques learnt in Holland. The farm strives for zero food miles in its supply chain. Their cheese is made solely from their own milk, with all of the cows born and reared on the farm and fed by crops grown on its land. A biomass boiler supplies the energy for the cheese production.

Matured for 5 up to 18+ months this cheese comes in a range of maturity levels from the easy eating semi mature with its creamy smooth texture up to the much drier richer extra-mature with large crystals giving a fantastic crunch. The mature cheese won ‘Best hard cheese’ at the Great British Cheese Awards. Suitable for vegetarians as it is made with vegetarian rennet and pasteurised cow’s milk.

Miss Muffet

This is a sweet continental style washed curd cheese with a nutty creamy flavour. It has a semi-soft smooth texture and a unique pink/grey natural mould rind. It is ripened over a 4-6 week period which develops its sweet flavour due to the very low acidity left in the thoroughly washed curds.

Just one of several fantastic cheeses made by Sue Proudfoot of Whalesborough Cheese based in Bude. It is made from pasteurised cow’s milk and is suitable for vegetarians. Over the years it has won several awards including a Three Star Gold at the Great Taste Awards 2011 and The Best Modern Cheese award at the Nantwich International Cheese Show 2013.

This cheese works well as part of a cheeseboard especially when partnered with chutneys featuring honey and nutty notes.

Helford Camembert

Helford Camembert is a full fat, traditionally made Camembert with an edible white rind. It has a 9 week from make shelf life but can be eaten from 2 weeks on according to taste. As it matures it becomes more runny. The South West’s only truly artisan Camembert.

It is made from vegetarian rennet and pasteurised milk by Treveador Farm Dairy in the far South-West of Cornwall. In 2018 it won Gold at The Artisan Cheese Awards for best farmhouse cheese.

Serve at room temperature on your cheeseboard to ensure you get the full developed flavour. Also delicious baked and served with toppings such as candied nuts or garlic, honey and rosemary.

Accompaniments

Alongside your cheeses you will want to serve a selection of sweet and salty accompaniments, and for meat lovers charcuterie and pâté, paired with different crackers and breads. It is not only the variety of tastes which is important but the colours and textures.

In our hampers we provide oat biscuits and thin crackers, with fruity chutneys. Our charcuterie comes from Deli Farm Charcuterie who make premium salami, coppa, and other air-dried meats, and we source our award-winning rillettes and pâtés from Cornish Charcuterie. They have a fantastic selection from traditional pork rillettes through to salmon pâté with horseradish and dill and vegetarian alternatives such as their mushroom with chili and coriander. A selection of these meat and fish products gives contracting colours and textures which work so well with a great cheese selection.

Add extra tang to your platter with salty olives, pickles, and crunchy nuts. If you want to add a homemade element then picked cucumber or courgette, often called ‘Bread & Butter Pickle’ is wonderful and really easy to make. Complete the look with juicy grapes artfully draped and you will have a cheeseboard designed to wow!