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30th March 2020 By Catriona

Social distancing – week 2 ANNOUNCEMENT

w/c 30 March 2020

Thank you to all those lovely people who ventured as far as my front step last week to collect their meals and to those who kindly ordered from my drop and go service.

This should have been the first week of our school Easter break. We should have been excitedly preparing for our annual ski trip. Instead we are all locked down, still battling our way through what we didn’t manage to complete of last week’s home schooling, acting as games-maker/minister of fun/referee/peace negotiator as well as doing all the household chores that we would usually shamelessly outsource. In the midst of which my husband is valiantly trying to work.

Far from ideal, but everyone is in the same boat and we are in a much luckier position than many. We are all well, safe and together – and we have the luxury of a garden. Moreover, it just needs to be done.

In our village (and I’m sure in very many others across the country), a wonderfully, community spirited initiative has been gaining momentum and is now in full flight. An ever expanding group of volunteers is supporting vulnerable or self isolating individuals by being their “buddy” or running errands to get newspapers and essentials like bread & milk from our village shop run by the amazing, indefatigable, utterly selfless Ajay, Seema and their team.

This week a virtual social activity programme has been launched with a whole host of initiatives from a daily service, to virtual coffee mornings, to quizzes and even a cookery demonstration by yours truly!

I have been lucky enough to be buddied up with two delightful ladies in their 80s who are both stuck at home. I have really enjoyed getting to know them better as we have chatted on the phone about everything from organising newspaper deliveries to where to buy the ingredients for simnel cake! For some their phones are ringing off the hook with family and friends rallying round to pass the time of day or offer help, whilst for others the phone rarely rings and they are have no other means of getting even the most basic of shopping so are reliant on ready meals, snacks and the television for company.

There are many restaurants, pubs and caterers whose livelihood is in peril whilst they are shut down and so desperately need to generate business through food deliveries.

Therefore, rather than offering my weekly menu, for the moment, I am going to focus my energies (and what ingredients I can source) on providing home cooked meals, at cost (i.e. excluding any element of cost for time or profit), to vulnerable or socially isolated individuals in my village, for whom this might be really necessary.

I am sure you will all survive without your Just Add Parsley meals but if anyone finds themselves in a jam, please do get in touch and I will do my very best to help out.

16th March 2020 By Catriona

Nutrition & Hydration week

w/c mon 16 March 2019

What timing and what times we live in!

My first choice of theme for this week was “Irish” in honour of St Patrick but then I spotted that this week is actually national Nutrition and Hydration week. How prescient! This is exactly what we all need in these difficult times.

Therefore I have ditched the soda bread and champ and instead chosen a menu which focusses on healthy, energy giving, sustaining food which I hope will also lift our spirits and give us some much needed resources to help stave off whatever ailments come our way.

So here goes:

Soup (£5 per generous 2 person pot)
Roasted tomato & basil
Chicken & turmeric

Salads (£4/6)
Leon “superfood salad” (quinoa and lots of green vegetables)
French beans, mange tout with hazelnut & orange

Supper (£10 for 2, £18 for 4 and £4ph for more)
Oven roasted chicken with chorizo, chick peas & tomatoes; or
Roasted mushrooms with artichokes, basil & giant couscous

Tart (£16/9)
Mushroom, thyme & brie

Order in your usual way by 5pm on Tuesday 17 March, please for collection/delivery on the evening of Thursday 19th evening or Friday 20th.  Deliveries to Duncombe School will be made on the morning of Friday 20th.

Please notify me of any allergies or dietary requirements at the time of ordering.

9th March 2020 By Catriona

Memories of Malaysia

w/c Mon 9 March 2020

My family was lucky enough to have the trip of a lifetime last summer as part of my husband’s sabbatical and our first stop was Malaysia. What an extraordinary fusion of cultures, sights, sounds, tastes and smells! Hot, humid, hedonistic, loud and colourful. The children were initially wary of the unfamiliar menu options and slightly overwhelming street food experience but quickly warmed to the flavours of peanut, coconut and spices. They were soon competing with each other to see who could eat the most satay (the record was 15!).

I have therefore been recreating some of the delicious dishes we enjoyed in the Just Add Parsley kitchen. The first time I offered a Malaysian menu it proved particularly popular so I though it was time to reprise.

Soup:  Prawn Laksa (£5.50)

Satay: Chicken or vegetable satay & satay sauce – £2.00 per generous skewer. 

Supper dish:  Nasi Lemak – arguably Malaysia’s National dish of coconut rice but instead of a dried anchovy sambal, I am going to be serving this with a chicken or sweet potato & butternut squash massaman curry
(£12 for 2, £22 for 4 and £5 ph for more). 

Granola: nothing to do with Malaysia but I am making a batch of granola this week for a client request so I will make a double batch. (£5.50 for a 350g bag)

Orders in your usual way by 5pm on Tuesday 10 March, please. I shall be enjoying my Christmas present treat of a relaxing Spa day on Thursday so I will be cooking on Wednesday this week. Deliveries will therefore either be on the evening of Wednesday 11th evening or Friday 13th. You are welcome to collect by arrangement on Thursday 12th. Deliveries to Duncombe School will be made on the morning of Thursday 12th.

Please notify me of any allergies or dietary requirements at the time of ordering.

Have a good week.

24th February 2020 By Catriona

BBC News – Facebook home food sellers concern

Facebook: Home food businesses concern FSA watchdog
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51475289

I am very grateful to Olivia Vandyk of Gingham Cloud for drawing to my attention the attached BBC news article about unregulated home food businesses (and whether Facebook should take responsibility for food advertised or sold via Facebook by unregulated suppliers).

I am pleased to confirm (and reassure, if that is necessary) that Just Add Parsley was registered with East Herts Council, Environmental Health as a Food Business from its inception on 5 April 2018. I have a Level 2 Food Safety qualification and the requisite insurances. Moreover, my premises, the business and it’s processes were put through their paces when inspected by East Herts Environmental Health Service following which I was thrilled and very proud to be awarded an overall rating of the maximum 5 Stars under the National Food Hygiene Rating Scheme. I even have the sticker to prove it!

24th February 2020 By Catriona

Aromatic Morocco

w/c mon 24 February 2020

I hope everyone had a restful and restorative (if blustery and soggy) break over half term and enjoyed their Thai food and family meals. My family certainly made light work of the red curry and bahian chicken!

This week I am inspired by the wonderfully warming and evocative spices and aromas of Moroccan food. Some of the dishes in my menu are popular favourites but, as ever, with a tweak because I am always looking to refresh and improve my recipes.

So here goes:

Vegetable Harira – this soup is based on the traditional rich, hearty lamb stew which was often eaten to break the Ramadan fast. My vegetarian version has all of the spice and flavour but instead is made with sweet potato, carrots, celery, tomatoes, lentils. (£5 for a generous pot for 2)

Fried aubergine salad with grilled halloumi, bulgur wheat & pomegranate
and/or
Artichoke, pea & preserved lemon salad
(both £4/6)

Tart: roasted red pepper, preserved lemon & butter bean (£9/16)

Supper: chicken, date & olive tagine (£10 for 2; £18 for 4; £4 ph for more)

Please contact me in your usual way to place your order by 5pm on Tuesday 25 February. Orders will be available for collection on the afternoon of Thursday 27th or I will be making deliveries to Duncombe School on the morning of Friday 28th.

Please notify me of any allergies or dietary requirements at the time of ordering.

10th February 2020 By Catriona

tastes of thailand

w/c mon 10 February 2020

Thank you to everyone who ordered Indian food last week. I hope you enjoyed your meals. My family certainly enjoyed hoovering up the left overs. The yoghurt & pistachio chicken and cauliflower, cashew & coconut curries were definitely their favourites.

I promised a Thai menu this week but since it is nearly half term (hurrah!), I thought I would also offer a couple of delicious family dishes which might come in handy over the weekend and busy week ahead. Everything is cooked freshly to order so is suitable for home freezing or maybe to be taken away for a well earned half term break. Here goes:

Tom Yum soup with chicken -this has always proved to be my most popular soup, slightly spicy but with very clean fresh flavours and packed with all the delicious ginger, lime leaves, lemongrass, oyster mushrooms that you would expect from a proper Thai recipe (£5 for a generous pot for 2)

Satays: choose you favourite satay from chicken, prawn or beef (or order a mixture). All come with my homemade satay sauce. both the satays and the sauce are made with peanuts. My (then) 9yr old’s record was to polish off 15 in one meal though I’m not suggesting that this is normal or advisable!) (£2 per skewer)

Crunchy Thai salad with peanut dressing: think thai influenced slaw without the mayo. Lots of shredded raw vegetables, rice noodles, peanuts and a peanut dressing. (£4 for a small salad/£6 for a larger portion)

Thai red chicken curry: I have recently offered green curry and yellow curry so I thought it was about time for a red curry. A mild but flavoursome curry full of galangal, lemongrass, lime, thai basil and, of course, red chillies. (£10 for 2; £18 for 4; £4ph for more)

Crab, chilli, coconut & lime tart: this might be my most popular tart too! Crab meat, chilli and lime zest mixed with coconut cream and baked on a puff pastry base. Absolutely not authentic Thai in concept but nonetheless delicious. (£9 half/£16 whole).

Half term crowd pleasers:

Bahian chicken stew a recipe from the NE of Brazil which combines chicken thighs & prawns with peppers, tomatoes, subtle chilli, coconut milk and peanuts.

Lamb tagine my version of the highly flavoursome slow cooked lamb dish made with a worktop full of warming spices and apricots.

(£10 for 2; £18 for 4; £4ph for more)

Please contact me in your usual way to place your order by 5pm on Tuesday 11 February. Orders will be available for collection on the afternoon of Thursday 13th or I will be making deliveries to Duncombe School and in Bishop’s Stortford on the evening of Thursday 13th/morning of Friday 14th.
Please notify me of any allergies or dietary requirements at the time of ordering.

3rd February 2020 By Catriona

Indian week

w/c mon 3 February 2020

Thank you to everyone for your suggestions for last week’s menu and thanks too to all those who ordered. I’d almost forgotten how much fun it was to have such a busy Wednesday & Thursday in the Just Add Parsley kitchen. I am therefore delighted to be launching into Indian week this week with a spring in my step. Spices at the ready!

I have slightly changed the menu format because Indian food doesn’t really lend itself to tarts and salads.

Instead, I shall be offering:

Dal (£5 for a generous pot for 2);
Chana Masala (chick pea curry) ((£4/£6);
Mid-week supper curries:
Vegetarian Slow cooked red pepper & paneer; or
Vegan cauliflower, cashew, pea and coconut, or
Pistachio & yoghurt with chicken
(all £10 for 2; £18 for 4 & £4ph for more)

Obviously no Indian menu would be complete without my take on onion bhajis – oven baked not fried so slightly healthier (£1 each) and, of course, the ever popular, coriander chutney (£7 per jar).

I shall also be making my perennially popular honey & peanut butter energy booster bars (£1.50 each) and homemade granola (£5.50 per 350g bag) both packed with oats, nuts and seeds.

Last, but definitely not least, don’t forget that you can always order chicken breasts and salmon steaks cooked sous vide: deliciously moist, flavoursome and with no added oil or fat. (£5 each or £9 for 2)

Orders in your usual way by 5pm on Tuesday 4 February, please, for collection/delivery on Thursday 6th or delivery to Duncombe on Friday 7th.

24th December 2019 By Catriona

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

The last Christmas orders have been delivered, my mince pies are made, my turkey is brining and the stuffing is waiting in the fridge, vegetables are prepped so I have hung up my apron and attended the crib service (where I was the very proud Mummy of an Angel and the Virgin Mary).

Time for a glass of fizz and to thank everyone who has supported me and Just Add Parsley this year. It has been my absolute pleasure to cook for you all and to see the business grow. I am delighted that everyone seems to have enjoyed their food from the Just Add Parsley kitchen whether it was a salad or dinner for 150. I have hugely appreciated your feedback and seeing so many at my lunches.

I have lots of new ideas for the New Year and there will definitely be more of the very popular demonstration and tasting lunches in 2020. But for now it is family time. Feet up, glass of wine, Christmas film on the telly.

Have a wonderfully relaxing, peaceful Christmas and New Year and I shall look forward to cooking for you again in 2020.

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