The first curry recipe featured in a British cookbook was back in 1747 in a publication titled The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Simple.
Since then our national love for curries has grown to epic proportions. So much so that it is now recognised as the nation’s favourite dish. Whether your preferences lie with the super spicy or the mildly fragrant, one thing is for sure…curry is firmly a la mode.
So why have Donald Russell produced a “Curry??
We have been inundated with customer requests for a range of Curries since launching our simplicity range 2 years ago. And by jingo we’ve cracked it! Our Head Chef Stefan has created three deliciously spiced curries varying on the “Scoville Scale”. From our mild and creamy “Chicken Korma to the spiciest of our range – the “Beef Madras, this range has a wide bouquet of flavours to suit all taste buds.
We wanted to create a range of curries which first and foremost, would be packed with the delicious meat we are known for. Our new Curries are brazenly boastful in the meat stakes due to their exceptionally high meat content of over 40%, and as you would expect from us, there are no artificial colourings, preservatives or flavour enhancers in these dishes.
After unanimous taste tests it was obvious that using flavoursome Beef Shin in the Beef Madras, and chunky, hand-cut, chicken thighs in the Korma and Masala, provided the very best flavour profiles.
We know you guys all lead busy lives, which is why we have specifically cooked up our Curries to be piping hot and delicious in just 6 minutes after you pop them into the microwave from frozen without compromising on the quality. Our Curries can also be heated up on the hob or in the oven if you would prefer.
When our chefs are preparing our Curries they use whole spices and herbs and because of this you may find some natural fibres and stalks still remain in the sauces – Proof that we use only the best, authentic ingredients to give you the best flavour experience!
We really hope you enjoy sampling our new selection of Curries and can’t wait to hear what you think of them! Why not find us on facebook or join in the discussion on Twitter using the hash tag #DRcurry
Happy feasting guys,
Talk soon,
Leisa
Earlier this week I was cooking one of our Whole Salmon
for a few lunch guests who were here visiting and I thought you guys might also like to try it. We source our Whole Salmon from welfare dedicated farms located along the picturesque Scottish coastline.
One of the best things about the Whole Salmon is its versatility; it’s lightly flavoured and with its firm texture it is ideal for roasting, poaching or BBQing. And because its meaty flesh can take on robust flavours well, the sky is the limit when it comes to accompaniments and side dishes.
Here are a few of my favourites…
Peperonata
- 2 Red Onions
- 2tbsp Olive Oil
- 3 Peppers – red, yellow or orange (cored and cut into 2cm cubes)
- 3 Tomatoes (cut into 2cm cubes)
- 200g Baby Courgettes
- Salt and Pepper
- For the Peperonata, fry the Onions in Olive Oil until caramelised. Add the Peppers and cook for a further 3-4 minutes. Add the Tomatoes and Courgettes, season with Salt and Pepper then cover with a lid and cook on a medium heat for 5-6 minutes until softened. Serve warm.
Herb Butter
- ½ bunch Coriander (chopped)
- ½ bunch Mint (chopped)
- 1 Shallot (finely chopped)
- 60g Butter
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- Salt and Pepper
- To make the Herb Butter place the Coriander, Mint, Shallot, and Butter into a food processor. Blend to a smooth consistency, season with the Lemon juice, Salt & Pepper and spread on your fish prior to cooking or place neat slices on the hot cooked Salmon.
Black Olive Salsa
- 12-16 stoned Black Olives (chopped)
- 2 Tomatoes (chopped)
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- Salt and Pepper
- Handful Basil leaves (chopped)
- Place the Olives in a small pan with the Tomatoes, 2 tbsp Olive Oil and Lemon juice. Heat gently and season with Salt, Pepper and Basil.
Hope you guys enjoy trying some of my accompaniments and of course enjoy the healthy treat that is a Whole Salmon!
Bye for now,
Stefan
The Carne Con Chilli was first introduced to the range several years ago and, as Donald Russell is first and foremost a Butcher, the dish was created to showcase our top quality meat. You may be asking why our Chilli is not called ‘Chilli Con Carne’ like most of the Chilli recipes out there. Well with so much meat in it (over 40%, which is a great heap for a Chilli!) it was decided that Carne Con Chilli was a much more befitting name for our approach…this is meat with chilli and never the other way around!
Our Chilli was originally formulated very mild, to appeal to more sensitive palates. But as time went on it become clear that although the Carne Con Chilli was packed to the rafters with prime beef and pork (by using a blend of both, minced, the full meaty flavours really come out!) it did need an injection of much needed heat.
So it was back to the development kitchen for Stefan. He chopped and he diced, he sautéed and he simmered, and after a lengthy process the new and improved recipe was ready.
Before trying the new Chilli I was sceptical…I am a big fan of spicy dishes but there was just not enough heat in the original recipe. Well let me assure you that that has been well and truly addressed with this, the latest and greatest improved recipe in our range. And although it won’t blow your socks off, it may just warm your toes!
You may notice that the meat is quite chunky when compared to other mince-based dishes and this is simply due to Stefan changing the searing process of the meat, to ensure maximum meatiness, integrated in its rich sauce.
One of the best things about the new Chilli is that is can be cooked from frozen in 5 minutes in the microwave, meaning that good food has never been so fast! You can also cook the new Chilli in the oven or on the hob if you’d prefer.
I stuck to tradition and served this with rice, tortilla chips, and the obligatory sour cream, guacamole and cheese (yum!), but if baked potatoes are more your thing then they too will make a fantastic accompaniment for our Chilli.
What’s your favourite way to eat Chilli?If you’d like to join in our foodie discussions, why not find us on facebook or tweet us?
Talk soon,
Leisa
