Archive for August, 2009
August has arrived along with the rain, where is the heatwave the weather forecasters promised us?
Our vegetable garden is loving this wet and warm weather and it’s hard to keep up with the prolific crop of courgettes, which with the blink of an eye seem to turn into marrows!
Here is a tasty recipe for anyone with the same over abundance of courgettes, not to mention if you also have fresh peas, mint and potatoes growing, enabling you to make a complete dish from the garden.
Courgette, pea and mint soup
INGREDIENTS – serves 4
1 oz Butter
1 small onion, about 4oz – peeled and chopped
6 oz potatoes peeled and diced
4oz frozen peas
1 lb Courgettes, chopped into chunks
2 pints Chicken stock (use vegetable if cooking for a vegetarian)
1 handful of mint leaves
Salt and pepper
METHOD
Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the chopped onions and potatoes.
- Cover the pad and cook over a gentle heat for about 10 minutes, until the onions and potatoes are soft.
- Add the chopped courgettes and peas and cook for another 5 minutes
- Pour in the chicken stock and add half the mint leaves
- Cover the saucepan and simmer for 30 minutes
- Leave to cool and then puree the contents of the pan in a blender together with the remaining mint leaves
- Taste and season with salt and pepper
- Can be served warm or chilled.
One more recipe for an abundant crop.
Here is a delicious recipe using apples which the children on our cookery workshop last week thoroughly enjoyed making. I have to admit I did pinch it from the BBC good food magazine website but I do not have a problem with admitting that, because it’s very good!
Would you like freshly prepared meals delivered to you?
July and August being popular holiday months, often means having friends to stay and this year we have seen a big increase in clients ordering prepared dishes from us to help cater for their increased families.
We have a wide range of dishes that we cook to order from our most popular caramelised red onion and goat’s cheese tart through to a gooey mocha chocolate and raspberry roulade. When time is precious during the summer holidays, allow us to help!
Do you need something organised for you?
Tracy Leach of Icon Interiors also runs a most useful consierge company which is great news if you need a personal p.a. service for those time consuming jobs or hard to come by theatre tickets etc. Take a look at what they can do for you.
Let us know if you need cover for your party
Don’t forget that we can cover all your party needs at Creative Catering, including a temporary cover in the garden just in case this unpredictable weather continues. A marquee in the garden does not have to be free standing, we have lots of clients who attach one from their house, to cover a patio or lawn, which provides an extension to their house for summer entertaining and you never know you may just need it for shade from the sun!
A marquee to cover a patio can extend your home for summer entertaining
Are you stuck for a Children’s birthday party idea?
Our Cookery Birthday Parties are proving very popular this year, not only with the junior chefs but Mums and Dads too.
Up to 12 children spend 3 1/2 hours cooking delicious party food (the menu is planned around their age and capability) Some of the food is enjoyed for the birthday tea but there is always plenty to take home. So if you have a weak spot for chocolate Malteser fridge cake then send your children to us!
We provide all the ingredients, the birthday tea and a personalised cake and if the thought of sorting out the birthday goodie bags is causing you a headache, then we can take care of those too.
Please call Nicki or Kaye to have a chat about a personalised birthday party for your child.