It may not seem like it but a new season is slowly creeping upon us. With the changing seasons comes changing menus. So here are some recipes for Chopin potatoes and Flower sprouts from Marks and Spencer.
In case you were wondering, Chopin potatoes were launched in 2008, exclusively to Marks and Spencer, and were the result of 12 years of research. In the past there were only floury or waxy potatoes, but Chopin potatoes introduced creamy into the mix. Flower sprouts are a relatively more recent invention but is still 10 years in the making. As the name might suggest, it’s a mixture between Brussels sprouts and errr kale actually.
Japanese Seared Beef with Chopin Wasabi Mash
Serves 4
Prep time: 15mins Cooking time: 10 mins
Ingredients:
450g Beef Fillet (long thin piece works best)
600g Chopin potatoes peeled and chopped into chunks
1tbsp Wasabi paste
40ml Soy Sauce
1tbsp sesame oil
3cm root ginger, peeled and grated
Method:
- Peel the potatoes and cut into quarters, boil in water for 10 mins until they are soft. Drain then return to the warm pan and mash, add wasabi paste and mash together thoroughly. Put the lid on and set aside while you cook the meat.
- Heat a heavy based frying pan. Rub freshly ground black pepper into the beef then sear on all sides in the pan. The meat will be rare but if you prefer it cooked a little more cook for further a minute or 2 each side. Once cooked set aside to rest.
- Mix together the soy, sesame oil and ginger. Spoon a dollop of potato onto each plate then slice the beef very thinly and divide between the plates, drizzle each with the sauce and serve.
Notes: For a change try tuna steaks instead of the beef. Add a little more or less wasabi paste depending on how hot you like it.
Honey & Mango Chicken with Spicy Chopin Potato Wedges
Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking times: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
For the wedges:
1tsp coriander seeds
1tsp black onion seeds
1 star anise
1 tsp rock salt
600g Chopin Potatoes
2 tsp oil
For the chicken:
1 tsp oil
4 shallots sliced
100g mango chutney
25g runny honey
3 tbsp water
4 lean skinless chicken breasts
Method:
- Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan. In a pestle and mortar grind together the spices and salt to make a powder. Cut the potatoes into wedges. Put them in a large bowl, drizzle over the oil and stir and toss until they are all coated in oil. Sprinkle over the spices and toss again till evenly coated.
- Tip the wedges into a roasting tin and cook in the top of the oven for 10 minutes. While the wedges start to cook, heat the oil for the chicken in a small saucepan and gently cook the shallots. Once they are softened add the chutney, honey and water and bubble for a minute. Place the chicken in an oven proof dish, skin side up, and spoon over the sticky sauce.
- Once the wedges have cooked for 10 minutes toss them over in the roasting tin and move them to the bottom half of the oven and put the chicken in above. Cook everything for a further 30 minutes. Check the chicken 10 minutes before the end of cooking time and baste with the sauce, if the sauce has completely dried up add a little water into the bottom of the dish.
- Check the chicken is cooked through and serve with the wedges and the sauce from the dish drizzled over.
Seared Tuna & Flower sprout stir fry
Serves 2
Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tuna steaks
2tsp sesame oil
100g Tenderstem broccoli
2cm ginger grated
1 garlic clove finely diced
160g Flower Sprouts trimmed & halved
1tbsp sesame seeds
1 lime
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 spring onions, cut into 4 cm lengths and finely sliced lengthways
Method
- Rub the tuna steaks with a little of the sesame oil and season on both sides. In a hot frying pan or griddle cook for 1 minute on each side (or a little more if you prefer it well done). Remove from the pan and set aside to rest.
- In a wok or large frying pan heat the remaining oil and tip in the broccoli, ginger and garlic.
- Stir fry for 3-4 minutes then add the sprouts and cook for a further 2-3 until the veg are tender. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and stir through then squeeze over the juice of ½ the lime and the soy. Give a final stir and divide between two plates.
- Slice the tuna into thick slices and lay on top of the stir fry, top with the spring onions and a wedge of lime.
Prawn & Flower Sprout Ramen
Serves 2
Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1 ltr vegetable stock
20g miso paste
4cm piece of ginger peeled and cut in 2
80g baby sweetcorn
10 raw tiger prawns
80g Flower Sprouts
300g udon noodles (ready to wok)
4 spring onions finely sliced
Japanese seven spice mix (optional)
Method:
- Bring the stock to a simmer in a large pan, add the miso and the pieces of ginger. Drop in the sweetcorn and cook for 2 minutes.
- Reduce the heat so the liquid is just turning over and add the prawns, flower sprouts and noodles to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes till the prawns are cooked through but not over done and rubbery.
- Discard the ginger pieces then divide the noodles, prawns and vegetables between 2 bowls, ladle over the broth and top with spring onions and a sprinkle of seven spice.
Spanish Chicken Pie with Chopin Potato Top
Serves 6
Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
1kg Chopin potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
300g cooked chicken, shredded into pieces
2 onions, diced
1 garlic clove, finely diced
2 x 400g tin tomatoes
240g jar roasted red peppers or Mediterranean vegetables, well drained of oil and chopped into bite size pieces
1 tsp heaped smoked paprika
Method:
- Heat the oven to 180°C. Boil the potatoes for 15 minutes until tender. While they’re cooking, heat a drizzle of oil from the roast veg jar in a frying pan, add the onion and fry gently for 5 minutes then add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes and tip in the tomatoes and paprika, stir well and bring to a simmer.
- Once the potatoes are cooked drain then and mash until smooth. Add the tomatoes, chicken and vegetables into a large oven dish and combine then season to taste.
- Top the chicken mixture with the potato and ruff up the top slightly with a fork. Cook for 25 minutes till piping hot all the way through.
Notes: Use leftover chicken from a roast or cook from fresh
Sausage and Flower Sprout hot pot with a Chopin potato top
Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
8 good quality pork sausages
1 onion diced
1 leek thickly sliced
2 carrots thickly sliced
1tbsp plain flour
1tbsp tomato purée
500ml beef stock
160g Flower Sprouts, trimmed
4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves picked off
500g Chopin potatoes sliced
Knob of butter
Method:
- Heat the oven to 180°C.
- In a large casserole dish brown the sausages on all sides then remove from the pan and set aside. Add the onion to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until they start to soften (add a splash of oil if little fat has come out of the sausages).
- Add the leeks and carrots and cook for 2-3 minutes stirring. Sprinkle over the flour and cook for another minute then stir in the tomato purée and pour in the stock stirring all the time to prevent any lumps.
- Add the sprouts and thyme and season then return the sausages to the pan. Remove from the heat and arrange the potatoes over the top in one layer. Dot with some butter and a grind of black pepper then cook in the oven for 50 minutes or until the potatoes are browned and tender.