Recipe: Intensely Creamy Strawberry Pavlova

Ingredients:

2 Egg whites

100g Caster sugar

300g Strawberries

300g Raspberries

3x 120g Pots Activia Intensely Creamy Sumptuously Strawberry Yoghurt

80g Unsalted pistachio nuts

Sprigs of mint

Dusting of icing sugar

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 120C.  Grease and line 2 baking sheets.  Whisk 2 egg whites until fairly stiff.  Measure out 100g of caster sugar and add one tablespoon at a time to the egg whites, whisking continuously until the mixture is stiff and glossy.  Dollop 8 equal spoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking sheets, leaving plenty of room between each one.

Make a hollow in the centre of each then bake for 2 hours.  Remove from the oven and leave to cool.  Take 300g of strawberries and 300g of raspberries and set a few aside.  Roughly chop the remaining strawberries and gently mix with the raspberries and 3x 120g pots of Activia Intensely Creamy Sumptuously Strawberry Yoghurt.  Spoon into the meringues.  Chop 80g of unsalted pistachio nuts and decorate each meringue with the remaining blueberries, a sprig of mint, the chopped pistachios and a dusting of icing sugar.

Smoooookin'!

We all know by now that the delicious flavour and beauty of BBQing lies in the smoke! Fancy tech smokers have begun to creep into the houses of many across the country, and they aren't cheap. Never fear! If you've got a barbi with a lid, we've got the tips you need to convert it into a fancy smoker.

1 - The variety of wood you use should change depending on what kind of food you're smoking. Pecan wood will add a beautiful flavour to brisket whilst hickory works perfectly with ribs. Just be careful to avoid unsuitable and potentially toxic kind of wood.

2 - Get soaked! It often a good idea to wet your wood as the steam from your chips will keep all of the succulent meat nice and juicy. If you'd rather, you can wet half of the chips and keep the rest dry for and even balance.

3 - Wrap the chips in tin foil like a burrito and poke lots of holes evenly throughout the packet and it's ready to go!

4 - Location, location, location. You don't want the food to be too close to the smoke as it can be a little too smoky. The best place to smoke anything is undoubtedly the top rack of the BBQ. So long as the meat isn't too close to direct heat and the the BBQ is properly ventilated, you'll be OK.

5 - Be patient! We know you'll be tempted, but don't keep peeking under the lid to see if the food is ready. You'll know when to intervene by regularly checking the temperature and watching for the smoke to dissipate. 

6 - After the first hour, lift up the lid and allow the smoke to clear before getting too close. Filling a clean spray bottle with apple juice can act as a great baster for meat. Keep basting every 20 minutes until the meat is falling off the bone.

Enjoy.

Recipe: Chicken Supreme Stuffed with Boursin

If you're ever in need of some great summer food inspiration, head over Boursin's YouTube channel for recipe vids with Marcus Bean. Here's a little stuffed chicken recipe to whet your appetite. 

Recipe: Coriander and Ginger Lamb Chops

If you picked up the Mail on Sunday, you would have seen this delicious recipe! It's a variation on a dish we picked up from a small roadhouse on the way out of Bondi, and the slightly fusion edge enhances the overall flavour.

What you need:

6 Lamb Chops

50g Ginger

1 ripe papaya, peeled and roughly chopped

30g bunch of fresh coriander, finely chopped

50ml extra virgin olive oil

2 or 3 hot chillies, finely chopped and deseeded

100ml Activia Low Fat natural yoghurt 

30g unsalted butter

What you do:

Mix ginger, papaya, oil and coriander in liquidiser, mix in the chillies and yoghurt

Remove fat/meat from top 2 inches of the chop and flatten out meat, removing any extra fat

Coat the chops with marinade and refrigerate in sealed bag for at least 4 hours

Sear on a high heat then grill for around 10 mins of medium heat and the a further 5 minutes on low

Keep turning to prevent burning

Season with salt & pepper and leave to rest for a few minutes before serving 

Recipe: Honey n' Cream grilled Nectarines

We're always preaching that BBQs shouldn't be reserved for sausages and burgers alone. With this recipe, you can take a step towards becoming a barbi hero and dazzle friends at your next alfresco party. This is an extravagant, indulgent, sweet treat that's perfect for a pallet cleanser.

What you need:

- Nectarines halved and stoned x 4

- 20ml Honey

- 10ml black treacle

- 5g ground cinnamon

- Vanilla ice cream (or Activia Intensely Creamy yogurt!)

- 20g clotted cream

What you do:

- Mix honey & black treacle and brush over the surface of the nectarines

- Grill face down on a medium heat for 5 minutes or until warmed through

- Serve with a scoop of ice cream and smaller scoop of cream on top...

or, for a healthier option, pour over some delicious Activia Intensely Creamy Yogurt!   

More than tasty tasters!

On the RoadShow we've got a lot more than just tasty summer goodies for you to eat and drink. One such AWESOME item you can get your hands on is a little Heinz recipe book, full of great ideas for summer BBQing! Here's a little snippet below for Marinated Chicken Drumsticks!

Oh, and it's free! Come and grab one.

(click to see full size)

Recipe: Awesome Asparagus

We think this is one of the simplest, yet most impressive alfresco snacks or starters that you can prepare. We prefer baby or young asparagus with lots of Parmigianino, but please remember to shave; do not grate!

What you need
16 Asparagus spears
Juice of 1 lime
30ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
15ml Balsamic vinegar
A small wedge of Parmigianino Reggiano
2 tsp’s Sea salt
1 tsp Cracked black pepper

What you do
Mix lime juice, oil and balsamic plus ½ salt & black pepper

Coat asparagus and grill slowly on medium, turn frequently and baste occasionally.

Remove asparagus once cooked through, lightly cover with shavings of Parmigianino and drizzle remaining lime, oil & balsamic, season with salt & black pepper to taste.

What ya got cookin'? - Mission Deli Wraps

Meet our chefs, Scott & Andy... Nawww, aren't they cute. These handsome chaps will be preparing all of the food being served across the stores this summer; from sausages to chicken to Mission Deli's wrap filling, it's their splendid concoction. Here's a step by step guide on how you make a Mission Deli stir fry wrap.

1 - The quality of any great dish is in the detail. We start with Clover Cooking Spray, a healthier option with 86% less saturated fat than cooking with butter, but it still tastes great!

2 - We've got sooooo many tasty ingredients in this stir fry. Bean sprouts, cabbage, carrot, pak choi, spring onion and mushrooms to name a few. Get those sizzlin' in a hot pan Scott!

3 - Fry until it's all nice and cooked, yet still crispy. Spoon the mix into the middle of a Mediterranean Mission Deli wrap and (like the great philosophers Limp Bizkit once said) keep rollin'. Once it's wrapped up, cut into equal portions.

4 - ...and that's it! A simple, delicious and incredibly healthy deli wrap that's good to share at any summer alfresco party! Alternatively, scoff the lot yourself.

Recipe: Marvellous Miso, Mustard & Sesame Aubergines

As if it needed to be proved, here is a superb and simple example of a vegetable that’s just great on the grill. Aubergine is, in our opinion, vastly underrated; the miso and sesame add a wonderfully oriental flavour, balanced by the Dijon and honey!

What you need

Ripe aubergines x 2

1 tbsp Miso paste

1 tbsp honey – runny

1 tsp creamy Dijon mustard

1 tsp grated ginger

1 x crushed garlic cloves

1tbsp mixed soy sauce & cider vinegar

20g toasted sesame seeds

What you do

o  Mix Miso paste, honey, mustard, ginger, garlic, soy, vinegar & ½ sesame seeds.

o  Cut aubergines length-wise then cross-cut flesh; brush scored side with ½ Miso mix.

o  Place on medium grill, cut face-down to sear then turn and baste with remaining Miso mix, turn frequently until charred all over, about 15 minutes.

o  Set aside to cool, for around 5-10 minutes.

National BBQ Week

You may have seen across social media (Facebook & Twitter for those not in the loop) that we're running National BBQ Week this week. BBQing sits at the very core of our alfresco ethos and there are few better ways to enjoy a communal mealtime than gastro grillin'.

National BBQ Week is one of the UK's biggest awareness weeks and has changed consumer BBQ attitudes and usage from just 9 million in 1997 to over 120 million last year! Now in its 19th year, National BBQ Week sees friends, families, pubs and hotels come together and embrace the BBQ culture, whatever the weather.

We want you to get involved! Whether it's just having a simple BBQ in the garden with the family, or sharing an alfresco afternoon with the whole of the village, we want to see your pics, tips and recipes.

Send them over on Twitter using #NatBBQWeek and we'll share the best ones.

Recipe - Sizzlin’ Sea Bass with Fennel & Sweet Basil

One of the issues with UK BBQing is that we feel limited to the same sausage/burger scenario tossed in between a nondescript bap. Now, don't get us wrong, we love a good hotdog as much as Kel loves Orange Soda, but there is so much more you can do on a glorious grill. Here's one of our recipes from last year's campaign, produced by our very own Grillmaster; Sizzlin' Sea Bass with Fennel & Sweet Basil.



Serves 4


Sea Bass is probably my favourite fish and when grill-sautéed with fennel & basil, it simply moves onto another plane. The foil helps keep the fish moist and in-shape, if you feel brave try searing the skin and serve skin side-up! 

What you need:


Sea Bass fillets (unskinned) x 4
Fennel bulb – grated
4 finely sliced garlic cloves
5g roughly chopped sweet basil
5g chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 Lemon – sliced
10g sea salt & 5g black peppercorn
5g fennel seeds
25ml olive oil Plus 
4 sheets cooking foil 

What you do:


- Cut diagonal lines across skin of sea bass


- Mix fennel, garlic, basil, parsley and place equal amounts on each foil


- Place fish skin side up on top then sprinkle with salt, pepper and fennel seeds, drizzle over oil, place lemon slices on top then wrap foil over to form parcel.

- Place foil parcels on medium heat and grill for 4-5 minutes each side or until fish is opaque.

- Open up parcel and squeeze fresh lemon to taste

- Tuck in!