Festival of Sussex Gins

Festival of Sussex Gins is Back!

Following the roaring success of last years Festival of Sussex Gins those lovely people from Brighton Gin Club are holding another one, this time it promises to be the worlds biggest celebration of Sussex gin producers.

 This year they are coming out of Brighton and will be holding the event in Clair Hall, Haywards Heath on Saturday, 29th September 2018.  Clair Hall is perfectly situated right next door to the train station so there is no excuse not to sample all that gin goodness. There are two session times - 1pm to 4pm and 6pm to 9pm

Head over to the website to book your tickets at www.brightonginclub.com and as a little thank you from our friends Jason and Jo use the code 'ILoveGin' and receive 25% off.

Given how great last years event was you will definitely enjoy it, hope to see you there.  

Cheers... Mark

Jo and Jason of Sussex Gin Club

Steak with a beetroot salad and horseradish cream

Steak with a beetroot salad and horseradish cream

• 2 sirloin steaks
• Handful of cooked baby beetroot, halved
• Handful of baby plum tomatoes, halved
• Salad of choice
• 2 tbsp finely grated horseradish
• 125g sour cream
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Few glugs of Worcestershire sauce
• Salt & Pepper
• Olive oil

Method:

Combine the sour cream, horseradish, lemon juice and a few grinds of black pepper and set aside.  You can check how hot the horseradish is and if you fancy it hotter add another tablespoon.

Heat a frying pan over a medium heat.  Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over each side of the steak and rub in (a pastry brush is good for this) and add a few grinds of fresh black pepper and sea salt.  Add the steaks to the pan and cook for several minutes on each side, obviously longer depending how you like your steak.  When turning the steak over I add a few glugs of Worcestershire which combined with the juices from the steak makes a nice little gravy to drizzle over the cooked steak.

Once the steak is cooked, set aside and leave to rest for a few minutes.  Place your salad onto your plates, add the beetroot and tomatoes and dollop over the horseradish cream.  Add the steak to the plate and drizzle on some of the cooking juices and you are set to go!

This is a cracking dish and so simple as well.  I used chilli infused beetroot and a hot and spicy salad mix, so with the horseradish this dish had a good kick which we love.  Again, use what salad you like and plain beetroot works just as well, enjoy.

Lemon & coriander chicken with a chorizo and white bean salad

Lemon & coriander chicken with a chorizo and white bean salad

• 2 chicken breasts (butterflied and cut into strips)
• 2 handfuls chopped coriander 
• Juice of one lemon
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• Couple handfuls of chopped chorizo
• 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 red onion, finely sliced
• Bag of rocket salad (or salad of choice)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Method:

Place the chopped chicken into a tupperware container (or suitable bowl/dish), add the garlic, one handful of chopped coriander and the lemon juice, mix together and leave in the fridge for an hour to marinade.

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees (fan assisted) or 200 for regular ovens.  Line a baking tray with foil and cook the chicken for around 20 minutes or until cooked through.  

Put the olive oil, vinegar, mustard and remaining coriander into a bowl and whisk together until combined (it should look thick and glossy).  

Heat a non stick frying pan over a medium heat, fry the chorizo for several minutes until the oils are released then add the beans and cook for a further ten minutes, then turn the heat right down until the chicken has cooked (you want to keep the beans and chorizo warm until ready to serve).

Divide your salad leaves between two plates, top with the chicken, tomatoes and onion.  Spoon over the chorizo and bean mix and drizzle the dressing over the finished dish.

Whilst it's getting a bit cooler for salads, this dish hits the spot, the chicken, chorizo and beans really lifts it up, you can enjoy with some nice crusty bread and salted butter!

Chorizo, beans & eggs

Chorizo, beans & eggs

• Handful of chopped chorizo
• 1/2 pepper finely diced
• Half a small chilli, finely diced (optional)
• 2 eggs
• 2 slices of toasted bread
• Half tin of cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
• Splash of white wine vinegar

Pre heat a small frying pan on the hob, add the chorizo, peppers and chilli and fry for a few minutes until the oils are released from the chorizo.  Whilst doing this bring a medium sized pan of water to a rolling boil.  Add the beans to the frying pan and mix through, the oils will colour the beans and add plenty of flavour, continue to cook for several mi Utes to ensure the beans are heated through.

Add a splash of white wine vinegar to the pan of boiling water and tip the eggs in, cook for 3 minutes and remove with a slotted spoon and place onto a piece of kitchen roll in order to absorb any excess water.  Place your toast onto a plate, top with the chorizo and bean mix and place your poached egg on top. 

This is perfect for breakfast or brunch, obviously alter the amount of ingredients depending on how many you are cooking for and leave out the chilli if you prefer it less spicy.  You can omit the bread and replace with hash browns or rather than a poached egg add fried or scrambled eggs, the choice is yours.