Aromatic Chilli Beef

Photo: © childsdesign

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It has to be said that we are lovers of spicy food. It doesn’t have to be ragingly hot but the flavour is definitely number one on the list.
This recipe uses three types of dried chillies which have their own unique flavours and fruity characteristics and when combined with Indian spices marry so well with beef.

There’s certainly nothing ‘authentic’ about the recipe but it does taste darn good. We suppose this is what you get when Mexican meets Indian.

View recipe

Food lovers guide to National Curry Week

Curry is undeniably a favourite dish in Britain, so just as well it’s National Curry Week!
We’ve been busy rummaging through the food trail finding all the things to bring you the perfect curry experience.

Ingredients

Spices
For those who like to experiment with exotic ingredients then take a look at can be found at The Artisan Smokehouse. for a wide range of spices. They are available to buy online here

Chillies
Of course chillies are a vital part to any curry and you can find a variety of dried ones from the mild to the very hot from Capsicana Chilli Co
Although the chillies are from Mexico they are very suitable for giving your curries a real depth of flavour as well as a kick. Available to buy online here

If you prefer to use fresh chillies, Edible Ornamentals grow and sell direct from their nursery in Bedfordshire. The chillies are available when in season, so it is wise to check with them first to see what they have.

Chutneys

Everyone likes some chutney on the side, great with poppadums, onion bhajis and pakoras these two from Fancy That From Wharfedale would be perfect accompaniments.

If you like some spice in your chutney the Hot Bengal Chutney is exotic and fruity with the sizzle of chilli flakes. Your can order direct from their website here

The obvious partner to a curry is mango chutney. Mand’s Marvellous Mango Chutney is spicy and sweet, also available to buy online here

Snacks

For some snacks with a spicy twist we have Filbert’s Fine Foods who make two exotic and fragrantly flavoured nut and seed mixes.

Perhaps not Indian in influence Zanzibar Nuts & Seeds contain African flavours but still have a spice combination to please including coconut, ginger and cinnamon. You can buy online here

Kasbah Spiced Almonds are a taste of Morocco with fiery Harissa, mint and garlic. They are available to buy online here

Drinks

What better way to end a meal than with a cup of tea. The Kandula Tea Company have a range of handpicked teas from Sri Lanka. For a true taste of India, try Ebony Chai Tea which has a unique combination of aromatic Ceylon spices, including star anise, cardamom, cloves, ginger, cinnamon and rose petals, to create an exotic whole spiced Chai. Available to buy online here

Recipes

Thanks to our members including producers and chefs, we have lots of recipes for you to try from curries to Indian-inspired dishes.

Recipes from Alan Coxon

• Chettinad Salmon Curry View recipe
• Punjabi Style Lamb Cutlets View recipe
• Chettinad Prawns View recipe
• Burmese Style Curry with Sweet Fried Potatoes View recipe
• Punchy Chicken Curry View recipe
• Curried Lamb Shanks View recipe

Recipes from Capsicana

• Butter Chicken View recipe
• Chettinad Chicken View recipe
• Fish Curry View recipe
• Masala Dosa Filling View recipe
• Chicken Jalfrezi View recipe
• Vindaloo View recipe

The Spice of Life: The Health benefits of Chillies

Illustration: ©The Artisan Food Trail / Lisa Childs

We’ve been enjoying a fantastic chilli harvest in the AFT kitchen garden and with the tips that Jo from Edible Ornamentals has given us, the plants are still producing masses of flowers even though the weather has turned down the heat at night.

We eat a fair few chillies so were wondering whether they were doing us any good – well they are part of your five a day, but what else are they good for? There are numerous articles in the press attributing various health benefits associated with the eating of chillies, but just how much of it is based on actual scientific fact?

Well, who better to ask than Priya Tew of Dietitian UK.

AFT: So what are the ‘magic’ ingredients that make chillies good for us?
PT: Chillies contain a range of wonderful micronutrients including vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, manganese, iron and Vitamin A. However it is a lesser known nutrient called Capsaicin which gives chillies some special health benefits. The more pungent the chilli, the more capsaicin it contains. So a Scotch bonnet contains more than a Spanish Pimento.

AFT: We all know having a good curry can clear out the nasal passages and can help if you feel like you have a cold coming. But what else can chillies help with?
PT: Chillies have been shown to aid blood sugar control so could be helpful in the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes. A study showed eating chilli as part of a meal helped lower the amount of insulin needed to bring down blood sugar levels after a meal (1).

AFT: We’ve read that the natural chemicals in chillies can act as a pain reliever and help inflammation, is this true?
PT: Capsaicin can be helpful in inflammation. It works by preventing a neuropeptide known as Substance P from working. Its has been suggested as being useful in arthritis, psoriases and diabetic neuropathy but may have far more uses in other inflammatory diseases too. Applying creams containing capsaicin have been shown to reduce pain although you may experience a slight burning sensation after application! (2).

AFT: There are lots of ‘super-foods’ that can apparently help fight heart disease, so do chillies have any ‘super’ properties?
PT: Capsaicin looks like it has benefits in cardiovascular disease as well. Eating meals containing chopped chillies can decrease the levels of dangerous cholesterol (3).

AFT: Is there any truth in articles we’ve read that chillies could help you shed a few pounds?
PT: There is also evidence to show that eating chilli raises your metabolism after a meal, hence you feel warmer – so you burn more calories, which could help with weight loss.

It certainly sounds like chillies are indeed beneficial to us all and even if you do find some chillies a little too hot at least you know they’re doing you good!

1. Ahuja KD, Robertson IK, Geraghty DP, Ball MJ. Effects of chili consumption on postprandial glucose, insulin, and energy metabolism. Am J Clin Nutr. 84(1):63-9 (2006).
2. Ellis CN, Berberian B, et al. A double-blind evaluation of topical capsaicin in pruritic psoriasis. J Amer Acad Dermatol 29:438-42 (1993).
3. Ahuja KD, Ball MJ. Effects of daily ingestion of chilli on serum lipoprotein oxidation in adult men and women. Br J Nutr. 2006 Aug;96(2):239-42. (2006).

Priya Tew is a registered dietitian who runs her own nutrition consultancy business, Dietitian UK.

As a mum and food lover she is passionate about helping people to discover good quality food and to show them how healthy eating is not just tasty but vitally important.

www.dietitianuk.co.uk

Fathers' Day Chilli Fiesta bringing spice to Bedfordshire this Sunday!

Nicely planned to fall on Fathers' Day, the 2012 Chilli Fiesta will take place at The Mansion House, Old Warden Park on
17th June.
Last year's event was a staggering success with thousands of people flocking from across the UK. This year is set to be bigger and better than ever before.

There's no better way to spend a fantastic Father's Day with guaranteed fun for all the family. Just a few of the treats in store include: demonstrations from award winning chefs in the Chilli Kitchen; Chef's Academy Cook-along and stalls offering free samples and selling everything chilli from cheese to chocolate.
If things get too hot, you can quench your thirst in the Chilli Bar which sells chilli beer and other refreshments. To keep children entertained there will also be circus games, a funfair and entertainers.

Among the many food exhibitors, these are the 

Artisan Food Trail producers that are confirmed as taking part:

Cardona & Son
A small and family run producer of the loveliest and tastiest rare breed pork - on menus in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire pubs.

Edible Ornamentals
Situated in Chawston, Bedfordshire where market gardens are abundant and growing delicious vegetables is simply a way of life. Passionate, slightly obsessive chilli growers.

Samphire
Award winning food from Norfolk smallholding.
Gary Rhodes said their rare breed sausages were the best he's ever tasted and Giles Coren gave their pork pies 10/10.

Alder Tree
Award winning ices are handmade on their fruit farm in Suffolk to a traditional family recipe. Made with only fruit, cream and sugar, they are naturally delicious!

Bray's Cottage Pork Pies
Famous award winning hand made pork pies well known amongst foodies nationally for being the pork pie unlike other pork pies.

Yare Valley Oils
Producer of a high quality Extra Virgin Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil in Norfolk.

Breckland Orchard
Award winning ‘Posh Pop’. Produced with passion and available throughout the UK.



Here are just a few of the fun activities on offer at the 2012 Chilli Fiesta...

Chef's Academy Cook-Along
Spice up your meal times and join in cooking some of the hottest dishes around. All the equipment and ingredients is provided so you just have to turn up, pay £5 and be prepared to have some fun!
What's more, there will be an Academy Award prize of free tickets to the Rhythm Festivals for whoever creates the best dish.

Chilli Arena
Sit back, chill out and enjoy the live music, circus acts, flame-throwers and a wide range of other entertainment throughout the day at the Chilli Arena.

Chilli Bar
If things get too hot, you can quench your thirst in the Chilli Bar which overlooks the entertainment area and sells chilli beer, real ales, soft drinks and other refreshments.

Chilli Kitchen
Can you stand the heat of the Chilli Kitchen?
Showcasing some fabulous, fiery food these free demonstrations are presented by award winning chef Raj Mandal throughout the day.

Chilli Eating Contest
How much heat can you handle?!

This competition is only for the brave! See if you can you beat last year's winner.
Only £3 to enter and you could win free tickets to this summer's Rhythm Festivals at The Mansion House.

Gardening Academy
Throughout the day there will be demonstrations from a range of gardening experts including Artisan Food Trail member Joanna Plumb from award winning Edible Ornamentals demonstrating the secrets of growing a successful chilli crop. In addition, Kathy Brown will talk about edible flowers and local honey man Wally Thrale on bee-keeping.

What's more the fiesta will host its very own version of Gardeners' Question Time. A panel of horticulture experts from Shuttleworth College will be able to answer any gardening questions you may have. Just turn up with your question on the day.

Garden Quarter
For those of you with green fingers this area will provide you with a wide range of unusual plants, seeds and equipment. Not to mention a wide range of chilli plants of course!

World Food Quarter
The world is your oyster in the World Food Quarter. You can wonder from stall to stall at your leisure, try before you buy and give your taste buds a well deserved treat!

For more information about the event visit the website: www.chillifiesta.org

A chilli weekend in December with Edible Ornamentals

Photo: © childsdesign

Good news for chilli fans, because this weekend Edible Ornamentals will be at various markets and fairs selling their delicious Bedfordshire-grown chilli products.
If you know someone who loves chillies maybe you'll find the perfect Christmas gift for them.

You'll be able to find Edible Ornamentals at the following places this weekend:


Saturday 3rd December

• Mill Road Winter Fair,                                                                       Cambridge – starts 10.30am (map)
• Wyboston Christmas Fayre,                                                             Wyboston Village Hall – starts 10am (map)
• Four Seasons Market,                                                             Potton Market Square, Beds – 9am – 1pm (map)

Sunday 4th December

• Queens Park Farmers Market,                                                         Salusbury Primary School, London – 10am – 2pm (map)
• Marylebone Farmers Market,                                                   Cramer Street Car Park, London – 10am – 2pm (map)

For more information about Edible Ornamentals visit their page on 
The Artisan Food Trail here

Bedfordshire's Hottest Kept Secret: Edible Ornamentals

From their base at at Cherwood Nursery, in the Bedfordshire hamlet of Chawston, Edible Ornamentals are commercial growers of chillies, herbs, vegetables and edible flowers. Their product range includes chilli plants, fresh chillies, dried, smoked, and pickled chillies along with our their gourmet range of fiery sauces and salsas.
The Edible Ornamentals nursery and farm shop are open to the public and, depending on the season, you can even pick your own chillies or fresh vegetables in the dedicated PYO polytunnel. 

The nursery is also a destination for thousands of people participating in scheduled cookery classes or chilli tour and tasting experiences. Their products can be purchased from website or at exclusive farmers’ markets, food and wine shows, and garden shows throughout the United Kingdom.
Edible Ornamentals also supply wholesale quantities of their entire product range to exclusive delicatessens, restaurants, farm shops, garden centres, Waitrose, Fortnum and Mason, Harrods, and other specialist chilli companies in the UK and Europe.

Photos: © childsdesign

Joanna and Shawn Plumb developed a passion for Mexican and Tex-Mex food while living in San Antonio, Texas in the early 90’s. They started growing their own fresh vegetables including Jalapeno chilli peppers. After moving to England in 1996 they started selling chilli plants, part time, in 2001.  In 2004 they began selling pickled Jalapeno and Fresno chillies in jars and later a traditional red salsa recipe (Salsamania).

Their first production kitchen was set up in 2005 in a rented unit at Vinegar Hill near Upper Caldecote, Bedfordshire and later in 2007 they purchased Cherwood Nursery, in the Bedfordshire village of Chawston. 

The former flower nursery had fallen into disrepair and since Joanna and Shawn arrived they’ve cleaned up the site, erected six polytunnels, built a log cabin for the farm shop, built a new commercial kitchen and storage facilities, as well as taking on staff.

Today, all cooking and growing activities are now consolidated at Cherwood Nursery and are also open to the public who can come and pick their own fresh vegetables and more than 50 varieties of chillies.

Craft and gourmet products are produced using traditional methods by Edible Ornamentals and they use as many of their own ingredients as possible.

As part of the Slow Food movement, Joanna has visited local schools speaking to young children about where fruit and vegetables come from and the importance of seasonality.

Edible Ornamentals frequently entertain groups such as the Women’s Institute, Rotary and other civic associations with talks, tours and delicious food! They also support Hidden Britain, Taste Real Food Bedford, and are proud to be Charter Members of Tastes of Bedfordshire.

Visit Edible Ornamentals on The Artisan Food Trail here

Stuffed Poblanos with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

We recently visited Edible Ornamentals and came back with a nice little haul picked fresh from inside one of their hot polytunnels. Walking along row upon row of the dense, lush chilli foliage, every plant was heavily laden with peppers of every shape and colour, from cool green to fiery orange and red.

Poblano chillies

We hadn’t tried poblano chillies before, so Joanna Plumb, owner and passionate chilli grower, plucked several for us try. Poblanos are not hot but very flavoursome and later we found them much much nicer than a standard green bell pepper which can be bitter and indigestible. Poblanos have a fresh, subtle taste.

Jalapeño chillies

As well as growing chillies, Edible Ornamentals cultivate tomatillos (shown in main photo), a common ingredient in authentic Mexican cuisine. They are also known as husk tomatoes and are related to the Cape Gooseberry or Physalis. The size of a large tomato, green and encased in a paper lantern-like structure, they looked very attractive hanging from the bushy six footer bushes. We took some to make salsa based on a recipe by Thomasina Miers.
The flavour is fruity, fresh and tangy, reminiscent of pineapples with a hint of kiwi fruit, we’re now addicted.

We couldn’t leave without some heat, so Jo dropped some big shiny green Jalapeños (for the salsa) into our bag as well as a few incendiary Habaneros for more explosive kitchen creations.

View recipe

Photos: ©childsdesign 2011

Events News Flash!! Felbrigg Hall Chilli Festival

If you're in Norfolk tomorrow (3rd August) and love all things chilli, try to get along to Felbrigg Hall for a day of tongue tingling food and drink as well as all the fun of the fete.

We're pleased to announce that several of The Artisan Food Trail's
listed producers will be there representing the best of all things edible
in East Anglia:

The Artisan Smokehouse
Brays' Cottage Pork Pies
Breckland Orchard
Edible Ornamentals
Peachey's Preserves
Samphire

The weather forecast is looking promising too.
More information about the event can be found here
Photo: ©childsdesign 2010

Getting a kick out of British chillies

As August (hopefully) hots up, British chillies are at their seasonal peak
with growers' greenhouses and polytunnels full to bursting with the ripening fiery fruits. There are numerous festivals throughout the month celebrating the chilli's flavour and versatility, including Felbrigg Hall in Norfolk (3 August), West Dean in Sussex (5-7 August) and Benington in Hertfordshire
(28-29 August) giving visitors the opportunity to try chilli in a variety of foods and drink.

All these festivals are great fun, but have you ever wanted to get up close and find out how the chillies are grown?
Edible Ornamentals run tours around their award winning nursery based in Bedfordshire giving people a real insight in to how it's all done plus there's plenty of excitement and goodies to be had too.

The fully escorted tour covers everything you'd want to know about the piquant peppers from culinary inspiration and cooking tips, growing advice, history and culture to learning about their natural health benefits.

Are you brave enough to try the hottest chilli?

Edible Ornamentals grow a diverse range of chilli peppers from the mild to the ragingly hot, so whether you're an appreciator of taste or a hardened chilli head there's something for everyone. Are you brave enough to try the hottest chilli? Then take the challenge!

Joanna Plumb

The on site commercial kitchen is open to explore where the sauces and preserves are made using chillies picked fresh from the farm. Fresh chillies can be sampled so you can decide on which ones to pick to take home. There's also a chance to taste the delicious range of gourmet sauces, if you want to find out which ones you'd like to buy.

Chilli Tour & Tasting for Two is bookable through 
Virgin Experience Days – see website


Photos: ©childsdesign 2010

Chicken or Pork with Red Mole Sauce (Coloradito)

This recipe is from one of our latest additions to The Artisan Food Trail, Capsicana Chilli Co and uses two types of their dried chillies, Ancho Poblano and Guajillo. Ben gave us his whole range to photograph for his website and kindly let us keep them to test out in our kitchen.

The chillies are sun-dried so are a little wrinkly in appearance, but what they lack in looks, they certainly make up for in flavour. Grown in their native habitat they have absorbed every ray of Mexican sunshine and no doubt the soil has imparted its individual characteristics too (terroir is what they call it, we believe).
Drop them into a bowl and pour over a little hot water and leave to soak for 20 minutes and they're ready to use. We reserved the seeds too and might have a go at growing them in our kitchen garden.

Capsicana's website says: Mole sauce is a rich chocolate sauce flavoured with chillies and spices and a whole host of other ingredients. This particular recipe is a famous traditional recipe from the Martinez family of Oaxaca City and is served every day at their wonderful restaurant Casa de la Abuela. It uses Ancho Poblano and Guajillo chillies. Mole is traditionally served with turkey but can be used with Chicken or Pork. Mole sauces are thought to originate from the state of Puebla east of Mexico City. The exact origin of Mole Poblano is disputed but one of the more interesting stories is that it was served to Cortez and the invading Conquistadors by the Aztec King Moctezuma.

Our verdict? We loved it.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

For the meat

• 500g chicken breast or pork tenderloin,
• ¼ piece of 1 small onion
• pinch of salt and pepper

For the mole

• 1½ tbsp sesame seeds
• 25g Ancho Poblano chillies, tops and seeds removed (keep seeds)
• 17g Guajillo Chillies, tops and seeds removed (keep seeds)
• 22g of dark chocolate (70-75% cacao)
• ½ thick slice of day old brioche bread
• 1 inch cinnamon stick or ¼ tsp ground
• 2 black peppercorns
• 3 cloves
• 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
• ½ small onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves (pressed)
• 2 small sized ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 2 inch chunk of plantain or very ripe banana
• 5g of fresh thyme
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 15g of raisins
• 37g of blanched almonds
• 750ml of chicken or pork stock
• ½ tsp of salt, or to taste

Method
Place a large pan of water on high heat, add the ¼ piece of onion and bring to boil. Add meat and boil until cooked through. Remove from boiling pan, allow to cool for 10 minutes. Using a fork, shred the meat, cover and place in fridge until required

Place the sesame seeds in a small heavy bottomed frying pan over a medium heat. Stir constantly shaking pan until they start to turn golden. Scrape seeds into bowl and put to one side

Grate the chocolate coarsely or break into small pieces and put to one side

Crush the bread into fine crumbs or grind in food processor and put to one side

Wash and dry roast the chillies a couple at a time for 30-60 seconds in the a heavy bottomed frying pan. Do this on a medium heat and shake the pan as you do this to make sure they do not burn. Then place them in a bowl and cover generously with boiling water. Soak for 20 minutes

Grind the cinnamon, cloves and peppercorns together with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder
Drain the chillies and put the water to one side

Heat 15ml of oil in a medium sized skillet over medium heat, add the ground spices and cook for 1-2 minutes stirring constantly. Add the onion, garlic, tomatoes, plantain (or banana), thyme, oregano, sesame seeds, raisins and almonds. Cook uncovered stirring frequently for about 15 minutes

Allow this to cool for about 10 minutes and then place half in a blender with about 250ml of the chicken or pork stock and half of the drained chillies. Blend for 3 minutes or until very smooth. Repeat with remainder of sauce and chillies

In a large non stick saucepan heat the rest of the oil over a medium high heat. Add the blended mixture stirring constantly. Stir in the remaining stock a little at a time. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes. Stir in the bread crumbs and cook stirring constantly for about 10 minutes or until the sauce is lightly thickened. Stir in the chocolate and cook stirring constantly until well dissolved. Add salt

Stir in the shredded meat; cook, partly covered for 7-10 minutes stirring occasionally until heated through. Taste and season further if desired
Serve with rice or in tortilla wraps

Courtesy of Zarela Martinez. This recipe comes from her popular Mexican cookery book Food and Life of Oaxaca. Other titles by Zarela include Food From my Heart and Zarela's Veracruz. To read more about Zarela please see her profile on the Capsicana website friends page here.

Photo: ©childsdesign 2011