Palm Oil and the destruction of our Rainforest

The other day I posted a picture on facebook of an Orangutang that had died in a fire caused by people burning virgin rainforest to make room for the production of palm oil. 

This shocked me and I decided to look into this more.

Palm oil is cheap and it's a common ingredient in lots of foods and household products, but just like with everything else that's 'cheap'- it comes at a horrible cost.

Huge areas of unspoiled rain forest are bulldozed to the ground each and every minute to make way for palm oil plantations in countries like Borneo, Sumatra, Indonesia and Malaysia.

This deforesting operation is being done on a scale and speed that is unbelievably staggering.

It's appallingly apparent that the people managing the palm oil business and the workers who are carrying out the actual clearing of the forest have zero regard for the fact that they're destroying the abundant and endangered wildlife that calls the forests home.

As a matter of fact the deforestation workers are instructed to get rid of any wildlife that happens to get in the way- and it doesn't matter how inhumanely they complete this task- including running over orangutans with their logging trucks.

Because of forests being cleared to make way for palm oil plantations, in just the last 20 years 90% of orangutan habitat has been obliterated. That's a difficult reality to let sink in.

If this kind of deforestation continues at the pace it's happening at now, orangutans could face extinction in the wild in 2016, and the jungle habitat that they call home could be entirely gone within 20 years. 

Nearly 50% of products sold in supermarkets contain palm oil. Palm oil is grown, at the moment mainly in Malaysia and Indonesia. But now the Congo is under threat. To see HOW YOUR DAILY ROUTINE CAN HELP THE RAINFOREST go to:

http://www.rainforestfoundationuk.org/media.ashx/38436-rainforest-foundation-uk-palm-oil-guide-2016-update.pdf

Animals threatened by Palm Oil development in the Congo

BUFFALO 

CHIMPANZEE 

ELEPHANT 

GORILLA

However, there is something that we can do to make sure that a disaster such as this never happens!

All we have to do is stop buying products that contain palm oil that is not a certified sustainable palm oil product as an ingredient, this will help reduce the insane demand for this incredibly unsustainable product.

Palm oil is found in many of the products that we use every day - from breadsticks to anti-dandruff shampoos - so for goodness sake, please check the label each and every time you buy.

A good site to visit for supermarkets and companies that use sustainable palm oil is http://www.ethicalconsumer.org/shoppingethically/palmoilfreelist.aspx

Labskaus - Lobscouse – Lobsgóws

Labskaus - Lobscouse – Lobsgóws

The origin of the name is unclear but Labskaus was first mentioned in Germany in 1701 for a dish associated with sailors.  At that time they would be at sea for weeks and sometimes months and had to use provisions that would last a long time such as salted meat, potatoes and onions.  This dish can still be found on menus in Northern German, Danish and Swedish restaurant with many variations including the Schleswig-Holstein version which includes beetroot, gherkin and rollmops topped with a fried egg.  Takes a bit of getting use to as it comes out pink.

The seafarers from Northern Germany naturally came to Liverpool docks and passed on the recipe which was adopted to such an extent that those working in Liverpool docks were called ‘Scoucers’ after this dish.

In the 19^th Century thousands of Welsh people flocked to Liverpool to find work.  They brought the recipe back with them and adjusted it slightly depending on where they lived, the local ingredients available and include either beef, lamb or pork.

Each family in North Wales will have their own version of Lobsgóws this is my version with a few added ingredients from the traditional.

Serves 4 to 5

500g Diced beef  (traditional shin beef but I tend to use stewing steak)

500g Diced Potatoes

250g Diced carrots

250g Chopped onions

250g Diced parsnips

250g Diced Swede

2 tablespoons

2 teaspoon Sherry vinegar

3 teaspoon Red Current Jelly

2 teaspoons Worcester sauce

1 teaspoon Thyme

¼ teaspoon Pepper

Stock enough to cover

Salt to taste

Add oil to a heavy base casserole dish and fry the meat in batches until brown.

Remove meat from dish and reduce the heat and gently fry the onion until soft.

Return beef to casserole dish add the stock, vinegar, redcurrant jelly, Worcester sauce, thyme and pepper.  

Place casserole dish in a preheated oven at 160ºC and cook for 1 hour.

Add the diced vegetables and more stock to cover if needed and return to the oven at 150ºC for a further two hours.  

Check after 1 hour to see if more water is required and taste, add more seasoning if required.

After cooking for 2 hours check if meat is nice and tender, if not cook for a further ½ hour.

This dish can then be served with crusty bread, but it will taste even better if left for one day and then reheated.

Chicken Basque with Blaen-y-Nant Chorizo

Chicken Basque with Blaen-y-Nant Chorizo

Chicken Basque ready for the oven

My mother-in-law is an exceptionally good cook and every time we go to stay with them we are spoilt by an array of excellent meals.  But occasionally my father-in-law takes over cooking duties and even though he does not have a wide range of dishes this recipe is one he conjures up and always goes down well. 

Even though this dish has a long list of ingredients it is quite easy to put together and does not take long to prepare.

I have used free range chicken pieces but also a locally produced chorizo from Blaen-y-Nant Farm which is located in the Hearathog Hills just above where I live. The farm is home to the Howatson family business, where livestock is lovingly cared for by the family.  The animals are then used to creat artisan cured meats ensuring full tractability, product provenance, low food miles and from experience superior taste.

Ingredients

8 pieces of Free Range chicken pieces

1 tbs Welsh Rapeseed Oil (Blodyn Aur)

1 red pepper

2 small onions

50g sun-dried tomatoes

3 garlic cloves chopped

200g Blaen-y-Nant chorizo sausage thinly sliced

220g brown balsamic rice

Either 300 ml of home made chicken stock or 1 Chicken stock cube dissolved in about 300 mls of water

1 tbs tomato puree

1 tsp Herbes de Provence 

1 tsp paprika

40g black olives (optional)

1 orange cut into thin slices

pinch of salt and pepper to season

Add the oil to a large heavy duty casserole pan.  

On a medium heat gently fry the onions and peppers for about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, tomato puree, chorizo and sun dried tomatoes and fry for a further minute.

Add the uncooked rice.

Place the chicken on top of the rice.

Sprinkle the herbs and paprika onto the chicken, add pinch of salt and pepper to season.

Add the olives and oranges.

Pour the chicken stock over the chicken and rice.  The stock should just about cover the chicken, if not add some more water.

Chicken Basque ready to be served.

You can either cook this on the hob on a medium heat for about an hour, check occasionally and if it is becoming to dry add some more water or place in the oven on 180C for about 1 hour then turn down to 170C for about 30 minutes. Again check after 1 hour that it isn't to dry, add about 100ml of water.  When ready place in a bowl and goes well with some rustic bread.

Served and ready to be eaten and enjoyed

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Italian Style Welsh Lamb Chops

Italian Style Welsh Lamb Chops

This is an excellent, easy dish to prepare for an evening meal. Again I have used my local butcher, J. H. Jones in Denbigh who only sources lamb from local farms no more than 5 or 6 miles from his shop.  The sauce works well with this dish and for an additional option for a slight fiery kick add some bird's eye chillies.  When I served this with some couscous to my family there was nothing left on the plate except the bones.

When done the lamb is succulent and just falls off the bone.

Ingredients

8 Welsh Lamb Chops

1 tin 400g chopped tomatoes

2 small shallot onions chopped

4 cloves of garlic chopped

4 pieces of sundried tomatoes

1 tbs tomato puree

3 pieces of anchovies

1 birds eye chilli diced finely (optional

3 sprigs of rosemary (or 1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary)

1 sprig of mint (or 1 tsp dried mint)

pinch of black pepper and salt to season

1 tbs Welsh Rapeseed oil (Blodyn Aur)

1/2 tbs balsamic vinegar

200ml water

Add the oil to a heavy duty casserole pan placed on a medium heat on the hob.

Add the onion and garlic and gently fry for about 5 minutes.

Add the sun dried tomatoes. chilli, anchovies and puree and fry for a further minute.

Arrange the chops on top of the onions.

Add the chopped tomatoes, rosemary, mint, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

Top up with water until the lamb is just covered.

Place in a preheated oven on 180C and allow to cook for about 1 hour.

The lamb goes well with either couscous or mashed potatoes.

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Salt and Pepper Squid

Salt and Pepper Squid

Salt and Pepper Squid ready to eat

These are easy to make and excellent as a side dish for a Chinese or Thai meal.  Ask your fishmonger to clean the squid for you if you prefer not to do it yourself.  Once prepared the squid takes less than a minute to cook but are sensational to eat.


  Ingredients

400g Squid cleaned
60g cornflour
60g plain flour
2 tsp black pepper cracked
2 tbs ground szechuan peppercorns
2 tsp salt (Halen Mon)
Welsh Rapeseed Oil (Blodyn Aur)

Cut the squid into rings and cut the tentacles if they are too long.

Grind the pepper and peppercorns and add to the flour and salt.  Mix well together. Add the squid to the flour mixture and toss until they are coated all over.

Prepared Squid

I sallow fried the squid in enough oil to cover them once they were placed in the wok.  I cooked these in small batches for about 30 to 40 seconds each time.  I removed them and placed them in an oven proof dish and put them in the oven to keep warm on 120C until they are all cooked.

I served these with some sweet chilli sauce.  My children are my biggest critics but these were a big hit. 

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Sa Va Tu'o'ng O't Prawn and Noodles Soup

Sa Va Tu'o'ng O't Prawn and Noodles Soup

Sa Va Tu'orn ot Prawn and Noodles Soup

I have gone Posh with this recipe.  Posh Pickles http://www.poshpicklesandpreserves.com/ based in Cheshire recently sent me a jar of Vietnamese Sa Va Tu'o'ng O't relish to try out.

I enjoy using new ingredients also mixing and matching ingredients from different countries.  This lemongrass and chilli relish had a lot to prove being a Great Taste 2015 award winner plus Silver at the World Hot Sauce Awards.  It definitely did not disappoint with it's delicate lemony essence balanced by the chilli to give it a slight kick.

I am sure this relish would work well in a more robust dish but I wanted to see if it faired as well in a more delicate seafood dish using prawns and noodles.  I have also used a dash of mirin and teriyaki sauce which go well with seafood plus some sugar snap peas and baby sweetcorn.

The combination worked exceptionally well and it was a thumbs up from the family when I made it. I can highly recommend this relish and will definitely be using it again.

Ingredients Serves 4

350g Prawns
250g Noodles
2 tsp Sa Va Tu'o'ng O't
1 tsp Teriyaki sauce
1 tsp Soy sauce
1 tsp Mirin
75g Sugar snap peas
100g Baby sweetcorn
Sprig of coriander
Lime quartered (optional)
1000ml water


I buy my prawns from our local asian food store as they are much cheaper than the supermarkets.  I have to peel and devein them myself but this does not take long.

Prawns peeled and deveined

Chop up the vegetables ready to be cooked.

Baby sweetcorn and sugar snap peas ready to be chopped

In a large saucepan add the water, Sa Va Tu'o'ng O't relish, teriyaki, Mirin and soy sauce and vegetables.  Bring to the boil then Sa Va Tu'o'ng O't turn down and allow to simmer gentle for a few minutes.  In another saucepan with plenty of water cook the noodles for 5 to 6 minutes.

About 2 minutes before the noodles are ready pop the prawns into the Sa Va Tu'o'ng O't broth.

Once the prawns are ready drain the noodles and serve into 4 separate bowls.  Using a ladle add the prawn and Sa Va Tu'o'ng O't broth to each dish and serve with some chopped coriander and a quarter of lime which can be squeezed onto the dish.

The finished dish ready to be eaten

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Kedgeree with Smoked Haddock

Kedgeree with Smoked Haddock

Kedgeree is thought to have originated with an Indian rice-and bean or rice and lentil dish Khichri, traced back to 1340 or earlier. It is widely believed that the dish was brought to to the UK by returning British colonials who had enjoyed it in India and introduced it to the UK as a breakfast dish in Victorian times, part of the fashionable Anglo-Indian cuisine.  It is a firm favorite in our house but more at supper time than breakfast.

Kedgeree

Ingredients Serves 2

300g undyed smoked haddock

150g peeled prawns

200ml milk to cover fish

1tsp parsley

2 bay leaves

250g pre cooked rice

1 small onion finely chopped

2 tsp mild curry powder

1 tsp English mustard

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Pinch of salt and pepper

2 eggs

Cut the haddock into 3 or 4 pieces and place in a microwavable dish

Add the milk, parsley and bay leaves and cover with cling film.

Pierce the cling film before placing the dish in the microwave and cook for 3 to 4 minutes depending on the power of your microwave.  Remove and set aside leaving the clingfilm on the dish.

In a wok or frying pan placed over a moderate heat, pour in one tablespoon of oil and add the onions, mustard, curry powder and cayenne pepper.  Fry gently until the onions are soft.

Add the rice and the milk you used to cook the haddock.

Add a pinch of salt and pepper and stir gently.  Then add the prawns and haddock removing any skin. The haddock should easily flake away from the skin.

Cover and allow to simmer for a few minutes.

Place the ingredients into a serving dish and add 2 or 3 hard boiled eggs sliced in half.

If you enjoy this dish please feel free to share with others.

Welsh Leek and Sweet Potato Soup

Welsh Leek and Sweet Potato Soup

Those that follow this blog might have seen a bit of a trend recently. Leeks are quintessentially associated with Wales and are used widely in Welsh dishes.

The leek is proudly sported every St. David's day in Wales on March 1st and of course at every international rugby match.  But the history of the leek in Wales goes back much further. In 589 AD as the story goes St. David himself ordered his soldiers to wear the leek on their helmets in a battle against the 'hated' pagan Saxon invaders of Britain. This might be a myth but demonstrates the close association there is between the Welsh and the leek.

Ingredients Serves 4

3 medium Welsh Leeks sliced

1 tbs Welsh rapeseed oil

4 180g sweet potatoes diced

pinch of salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of dry chilli (optional)

2 tbs cream

water to cover 

1 cube of vegetable stock

Pour the oil into a thick based saucepan and place on a medium heat.  

Add the leeks and sweat gently for about 4 to 5 minutes.  

Add the diced potatoes and enough water just to cover all the vegetables.

Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are soft to cut.

Once ready, blitz the ingredients and spoon in the cream.

When serving sprinkle a pinch of chillies onto the surface of the soup.

When serving sprinkle a pinch of chillies onto the surface of the soup.

Enjoy with some fresh crusty bread.  If you enjoy this dish please share.