Recipe Ideas

Slow cooker beef brisket tacos with pink pickled onions & spicy tomato salsa

Serves 6-8 people | 40 minutes preparation, plus 6 hours cooking

INGREDIENTS

For the beef:

1.5kg beef brisket (or another joint suitable for slow cooking)

2 tbsp sunflower oil

Salt

1 large onion, roughly chopped

6 cloves of garlic, minced

1 x 400g tin of tomatoes

1 x 200g jar Mrs Bridges Spicy Tomato Salsa

1 tbsp Mrs Bridges Dijon Mustard

1 tbsp cumin

2 tbsp dark brown sugar

2 chillies from a tin of chipotles in adobo (or 1 tsp chilli powder & 1 tsp smoked paprika)

3 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp cider vinegar

To serve:

1 red onion, halved & finely sliced

3 tbsp cider vinegar / tsp sugar

Pinch of salt

12-18 corn or flour tortillas (depending how hungry your guests are)

20g coriander, roughly chopped

1 ripe avocado, peeled & cubed

100g pickled jalapenos

Wedges of lime

100ml Mrs Bridges Spicy Tomato Salsa

300ml sour cream

 

METHOD

Cut the beef brisket into 3 or 4 large chunks and generously salt all sides of the beef. Heat a heavy-bottomed frying pan over a high heat, once hot add the oil and then the beef, turning the beef once each side is browned. Once the beef is browned put it into the slow cooker. Add the chopped onions to the frying pan and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until starting to brown and soften. Add the onion into the slow cooker.

In a large bowl mix together the tinned tomatoes, Mrs Bridges Spicy Tomato Salsa, mustard, brown sugar, cumin, chipotles in adobo, soy and vinegar. Pour this mixture on top of the beef and then turn the slow cooker to high and cook for one hour. After one hour turn the cooker down to low and cook for a further 5-6 hours or until the beef is tender and can be easily shredded, While the beef is cooking make the pink pickled onions. Put the sliced onion in a small bowl. Add the vinegar, sugar and salt and 3 tablespoons of water. Mix well and leave to pickle for at least an hour. Prepare all the other toppings for the tacos - roughly chop the coriander and jalapenos, peel and cube the avocado and cut the lime into wedges. Shred the beef using two forks, it should fall apart easily. Warm the tortillas, either in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for 10 seconds on each side or for 15 seconds in the microwave. Keep the tortillas warm by wrapping them together in a clean tea towel. Serve the shredded beef with the tortillas and all the toppings and allow your guests to make up their own tacos.

COOKS TIP

Leftover beef freezes well for up to three months. Allow to defrost fully and then reheat in a pan until piping hot. Also delicious served with rice or nachos.

 

 

 

 

Fig, prosciutto & gorgonzola flatbreads

Serves 2 | 10 minutes preparation, 5 minutes cooking

INGREDIENTS

1 large flatbread (or pre-cooked pizzo bose)

50g Mrs Bridges Fig Preserve

4 slices of prosciutto

2 ripe figs, cut into 6 wedges each

1 tbsp olive oil

100g gorgonzola, crumbled

A pinch of mild chilli flakes (such as oleppo pepper)

20g rocket leaves

20g parmesan, shaved into flakes or strips

 

METHOD

Preheat the grill to high. Put the flatbread on a baking tray. Spread the fig preserve all over the flatbread and then arrange the prosciutto and figs on top. Sprinkle over the gorgonzola and the chilli flakes. Drizzle over the olive oil. Put the flatbread under the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes, checking frequently and rotating if needed, until the cheese is melted, and the figs are starting to caramelise. Take the flatbread out from under the grill and sprinkle over the fresh rocket and parmesan shavings. Serve immediately.

 

GOOD TO KNOW

Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for 3 days and make a great packed lunch.

 

 

 

Aubergine Milanese with new potatoes in a herb & mustard dressing

Serves 4 | 40 minutes preparation, 50 minutes cooking

 

 

INGREDIENTS

2 large aubergines

50g flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt

100g panko breadcrumbs

15g parmesan, finely grated

Salt & pepper

Olive oil for frying

½ lemon, cut into wedges to serve

For the potato salad:

1kg waxy new potatoes, cut into bitesize chunks

½ lemon, juice only

4 tbsp olive oil

100g mayonnaise

2 tsp Mrs Bridges Dijon Mustard

6 small gherkins (or cornichons), roughly chopped

20g dill, roughly chopped

Salt & black pepper

 

METHOD

Cut the aubergine lengthways into long, wide slices about 1.5cm (1/2 inch) thick and season generously with salt. You should have at least 8 slices of aubergine. Heat 1cm (1/3 inch) of olive oil in the base of a wide frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the slices of aubergine in batches in the pan until softened and just starting to brown. Approximately 3 minutes on each side. Set aside to cool. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and season generously with salt. Add the potatoes and cook for 10-12 minutes or until tender and then drain. To make the dressing put the lemon juice, olive oil, mayonnaise and mustard in a small bowl and whisk until combined. Add the gherkins, dill and half the dressing to the warm potatoes and mix. Season the flour generously with salt and pepper and put in a shallow, wide bowl. Put the beaten eggs in a shallow wide bowl and then add the grated parmesan to the breadcrumbs and put that in a shallow, wide bowl too, Dip each slice of cooked aubergine in the flour, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs, making sure they are completely coated in each layer and set aside on a lined baking tray. Heat the oil in the wide frying pan over a medium heat, adding more olive oil if needed. Once hot fry the breadcrumbed aubergine in batches for approximately 3-4 minutes on each side, or until crisp and golden. Keep the aubergine warm in a low oven while your fry the remaining slices. Serve the aubergine immediately with the potato salad, the reserved salad dressing drizzled over the top and a wedge of lemon to squeeze over the aubergine. This is good served with a crisp green salad or steamed green beans.

 

COOKS TIP

This can also be made with chicken breasts. The chicken does not need to be precooked but it should be flattened with a rolling pin or a meat tenderiser until it is 1.5cm (½ inch thick) before breadcrumbing

 

 

 

 

Lemon & raspberry mini trifles

Serves 4 | 15 minutes preparation

 

 

INGREDIENTS

60ml limoncello

200g madeira cake, cut into 2cm (½ inch) cubes

 200ml double cream

50g Mrs Bridges Lemon Curd, plus extra to serve

300g raspberries, half lightly crushed the rest left whole

300ml thick custard

30g flaked almonds, toasted

 

METHOD

Divide the cubed madeira cake between 4 serving glasses. Drizzle a tablespoon of limoncello over the cake in each glass and allow it to soak in for 15 minutes. Put the double cream and Mrs Bridges Lemon Curd in a large mixing bowl and whisk until softly whipped. Divide the crushed raspberries between the four glasses, on top of the cake, and add a few whole raspberries. Divide the custard between the four glasses and then add a few more raspberries. Top with the lemon curd cream and more raspberries. Put a couple of tablespoons of Mrs Bridges Lemon Curd in a small bowl and stir vigorously to loosen. Drizzle this over the top of the cream, top with the toasted almonds and serve immediately.

 

GOOD TO KNOW

If not serving immediately, cover and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reserve the almonds to sprinkle on just before serving

 

 

Apricot parfait with pistachio crumble

Serves 8 | 40 minutes preparation, plus 12 hours chilling & 10 minutes cooking

 

 

INGREDIENTS

4 eggs, separated

100g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

400ml double cream

200g Mrs Bridges Apricot & Peach Preserve

50g pistachios, roughly chopped

15g dried apricots, chopped into 1cm cubes

Sunflower oil to line the tin

For the crumble topping: 

50g plain flour

35g cold butter, cubed

2 tbsp light brown sugar

30g pistachios, roughly chopped

 

METHOD

Lightly oil a 900g (2lb) loaf tin and then double line with clingfilm, leaving a generous amount of clingfilm hanging Put the egg yolk and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl if using an electric whisk and whisk together until light and airy. Combine the double cream and vanilla extract and whisk until softly whipped. Gently fold the cream into the egg and sugar mixture. In a very clean bowl whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Very gently fold the egg whites into the rest of the mixture, it is best to do this in three batches. Sprinkle over the pistachios and apricots and gently fold in. Put ⅓ mixture into the prepared loaf tin. Drizzle or dollop over ½ of Mrs Bridges Peach & Apricot Preserve. Repeat twice more with the remaining parfait and jam. Using the overhanging clingfilm to wrap the top of the parfait and put in the freezer for at least 12 hours. To make the crumble topping preheat the oven to 180°C conventional (160°C fan, gas mark 4). Put the flour in a mixing bowl, add the cubed butter and use your fingertips to rub together until you have a breadcrumb-like texture. Stir in the sugar. Spread the mixture out on a lined baking tray and bake for 10 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Stir in the pistachios. When you are ready to serve take the parfait out of the freezer, unwrap the top of the parfait and use a butter knife or a palette knife to gently loosen the parfait from the edges of the tin. Put a serving board or platter on top of the tin and then, holding the tin onto the board turn the whole thing upside down. The parfait should come out onto the serving board. If it doesn't just leave it for a couple of minutes, as it warms up it should come out more easily. Carefully remove the clingfilm. If you would like to smooth the sides, then dip a palette knife (or a butter knife) into a mug of boiling water and gently smooth the top and sides. Sprinkle over the crumble topping and serve immediately, cut into slices. 

 

GOOD TO KNOW

This dessert can be made ahead and will keep well-wrapped in the freezer for up to 2 months, though it is best eaten in the first 2 weeks