Basil

Chilliqueen – Sun-Dried Tomato & Balsamic Vinegar Chilli Jelly

by Hot Juan on October 5, 2011 · 0 comments

in Product Reviews

Chilliqueen Sun Dried Tomato & Balsamic Vinegar Chilli Jelly

Chilliqueen Sun Dried Tomato & Balsamic Vinegar Chilli Jelly

We have known Chilliqueen for a number of years, and they have now sent us a collection of their products to review, the first of which we are going to review is the Sun-Dried Tomato & Balsamic Vinegar Chilli Jelly, they recommend this as a glaze for meats, especially game, duck or sausages.

Chilliqueen are not in the realms of the superhot sauce makers, but have been working on getting the flavour from the chilli to enhance the flavours of their products. this jelly combines the chillies with the Mediterranean style sun-dried tomatoes

On cracking open the lid there is the reassuring pop of a well sealed jar, then comes a delightful hint of the Balsamic vinegar, in the dark jelly can be seen some chilli seeds floating evenly in the mix, it is thick-set as a good jelly should be.

Ingredients: Unrefined Sugar, Malt Vinegar, Water, Fresh Green Peppers, Sun-Dried Tomatoes (3.25%), Balsamic Vinegar (2.5%), Scotch Bonnet Chillies (0.94%) Chopped Basil, Natural Tomato Flavouring, Gelling Agent: Fruit Pectin.

Jar kindly provided by www.chilliqueen.co.uk

In the jelly there are tasty pieces of sun dried tomato flesh, there is a little warmth but not enough to worry event the most timid chilli eater, the flavours from the combination of the Sun Dried Tomatoes and Balsamic make an excellent combination, and I can only agree with Chilliqueen putting this jelly with a pan fried duck breast as a glaze for the last few moment of cooking sounds like a perfect match.

At only £3.50 for an 220g jar is excellent value for a gourmet product and it is also suitable for vegetarians, vegans and coeliacs, you can order online at  www.chilliqueen.co.uk

Flavour
(8.5/10)
Heat
(1/10)
Packaging
(8/10)
Value
(7/10)
Overall
(8/10)

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Bart Spices – Cajun Seasoning

by Hot Juan on July 19, 2011 · 0 comments

in Product Reviews

Bart Spices Cajun Seasoning

Bart Spices Cajun Seasoning

Bart Spices started in the 1960′s, a Bristol based company they have grown to a point where you find their products in most supermarkets and a lot of deli’s. 

Cajun Seasoning has become a big business in the USA with a number of brands all selling a similar recipe for a mix of salt with spices and herbs, it is easy to make your own, but having said that, most of the recipes seem to start with salt and it is good to see Bart’s does not list salt as the first ingredient.  Salt can enhance a flavour, but I much prefer to see it well down the list of ingredients. I can always add the salt myself.

The tin contains a 65g pack of the spice mix, I opened the pack and it about 3/4 fills the tin. It is a nice handy storage size and stacks so you can put a few in your cupboard. The spice mix is a very even consistency with a strong smell of fennel. The initial taste is also from the fennel but that soon subsides and the others ingredients come through, straight from the box it is still quite salty, but tastes great sprinkled on some plain crisps.

Ingredients: Paprika, Basil, Fennel, Salt, Garlic, Onion, Black Pepper, Chilli Powder, Cumin, Mustard.

A quick check of some of the other major spice brands shows this one as having probably the lowest salt content of all and with a complete lack of some odd and unusual ingredients, while checking the lists of other we found such wonders as Maltodextrin, Vegetable Oil and Silicon Dioxide. The last one being added as an anti-caking agent so they can package it easly, all of which make me appreciate Barts product even more.

I guess the best way to taste this is the simplest, so I have generously sprinkled some on to a chicken breast before cooking, and then baked it in the oven, the mix worked well as a flavouring, it does not have a much chilli flavour. When I think of Cajun food it is hot and spicy with lots of Cayenne, this was a little light in this area, the Paprika being there mostly for the colour it seems and the chilli powder being a little to far down the list.

It costs between £2.85 and £3.77 depending on where you shop which when you take into account the rather nice tin, it not bad value, but I do wonder if they do refill packs (I could not see any where I got this from).

If I was making this myself, I would cut the salt content, add some celery powder, dried peppers and some Cayenne to a point where I could start to taste it, everything else was great, and if I am choosing a spice mix or any other  herbs or spices, I would select Bart’s just because of the lack of  the Maltodextrin, Vegetable Oil and Silicon Dioxide and any other funny stuff.

Flavour
(6.5/10)
Heat
(1/10)
Packaging
(9/10)
Value
(7/10)
Overall
(7/10)

Note: Does anyone else get annoyed, it is almost impossible these days to buy a chicken breast with the skin still on! I like mine with the skin still on it helps it remain moist when cooking I can always removed it myself. Now we all have to have chicken breasts with the skin removed, to help keep it moist it is pumped full of water to keep them moist when cooking. Arrrraaah.  The side effect of  the added water does not seem to be moist chicken, but chicken breasts that shrink when cooked and are still dry. So now when I am stuck I buy bacon and wrap it around the breasts before cooking, all just to get back to something that used to work before we all became health obsessed and unable to remove chicken skin!!!!!

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Chimichurri – Argentinean BBQ Hot Sauce

by Hot Juan on April 17, 2010 · 1 comment

in Recipes

This is a BBQ hot sauce from Argentina, served with barbecued beef it can even used as a marinade. If you look on Wikipedia you will find that it may have been created by Irishman Jimmy McCurry in the 19th century, but it seems this could also have been Jimmy Curry an English meat importer or many other alternatives based on the corruption of English names, but probably none of the above is true.

There is no fixed recipe for this sauce, lots of things are optional, but basically you need lots or Parsley, Garlic, Olive Oil, Lemon Juice or Red/White Wine Vinegar and Chilli peppers, else you add whatever you like that seems to fit (play with your food its fun) fresh is always best, but if you have got it then dried will also work.

Ingredients:
80 ml Olive Oil
80 ml Water
80 ml Lemon Juice or Red/White Wine Vinegar
4-5 large Crushed Cloves Garlic
100g Fresh Curled Parsley
2-3 Red Chilli Peppers (de-seeded and chopped)
1 Tbsp Mexican Oregano (see Chilli Pepper Pete)
1 Tbsp Basil
1/2 Tsp Ground Cumin
2 Salad/Spring onions (Chopped)
1 Tsp Rock Salt

Remove any bit you don’t want to eat and add the rest into your food processor/blender and let rip, but stop before it becomes a fine paste..

If you don’t have a blender etc you can just finely chop all the ingredients for a more rustic look, probably far more traditional.

Place the sauce in a jar and store in the fridge for a few days before use (if you can wait that long), best added to the meat after cooking.

Recipe Disclaimer

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Lionel Hitchen (Essential Oils) Ltd – Experts in Oleoresins

by Hot Juan on April 13, 2010 · 0 comments

in General Information

In 1965 Lionel Hitchen formed Lionel Hitchen (Essential Oils) Ltd to manufacture concentrated citrus oils, over the years the business diversified into the manufacturer of Oleoresins.

Oleoresin Manufacturing Processes

Oleoresin Manufacturing Processes

Chilli Oleoresins form a interesting part of their range, they are produced using only the best quality raw materials, the chillies are ground and then placed in solvents to extract the active ingredients , the solvent is then distilled off in a vacuum to produce a highly concentrated oleoresin.

Oleoresins are highly stable when compared to fresh ingredients and are extremely resistant to microbiological contamination, providing a 100% reliable product in terms of flavour and strength.

Lionel Hitchen can provide extracts from a range of chillies including:-

  • Arbol - Primarily used to make sauces, but used in soups and stews, caramel, lollipops, and pan-coated confectioneries.
  • Habanero - Used in salsas, chutneys and Caribbean cuisine, mixing especially well in salsas with fruit.
  • Ancho - With a mild heat, it is used in mole, enchilada sauces, tamales and stews.
  • Chipotle – Used in soups, stews, ketchups and also in Chocolates where they provide a unique experience.
  • Jalapeno - Their popular use in “nachos” has made them a mandatory ingredient for sauces, dips, cheeses and snacks.
  • Guajilli - This chilli is the base for rich chili con carne and classic Tex-Mex cuisine. Guajillo are traditionally used in Mexican cuisine, from mole sauces to stews.

There range does not just include chillies but oleoresins from Aniseed, Basil, Bay, Caraway Oleoresin, Cardamom, Cassia , Celery Leaf, Celery Seed, Chive, Cinnamon, Clove, Coriander Leaf, Coriander Seed, Cumin, Cumin Roasted, Dill, Fennel, Garden Mint, Garlic , Ginger, Laurel, Leek, Lemongrass, Lovage, Mace, Marjoram, Massoia, Nutmeg, Onion, Oregano, Paprika, Parsley, Pepper, Pepper Bell, Pimento, Sage, Savory, Spearmint, Rosemary, Tarragon, Thyme, Tomato, Turmeric.

For more information visit www.lheo.co.uk

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