12 Marvellous Mince Meals - Beef, Pork, Lamb

A dozen marvellous mince meals perfect for weeknights. Ring the changes with minced beef, lamb or pork. Quick, easy and affordable to make these mince recipes are sure to become family favourites. Curry, meatballs, burgers, meatloaf, chilli, pasta, pies and more. Packed full of global flavours from Thailand, India, Greece, Mexico and Scotland. 

It's most definitely Autumn. The equinox has passed, there's a chill in the air, the leaves are turning and it's time for comfort food. At my community cookery class this week we made mince, tatties and doughballs - surely the ultimate comfort food. Mince is such a versatile ingredient whether it be beef, pork or lamb. To give you some inspiration for weeknight meals now that the nights are drawing in I've pulled together a dozen of my marvellous mince recipes. Many of them will be interchangeable with regards to the meat in question so feel free to mix up your mince. 

SPAM®, Halloumi and Avocado Kebabs with Sweet Chilli

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Post in collaboration with SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham

Barbecued SPAM®, Halloumi Cheese and Avocado Kebabs with Sweet Chilli are the perfect hipster showcase for the iconic meat in a tin. Chopped Pork and Ham brings Sizzle Pork And Mmm™ to any meal and works fantastically well on the BBQ. In addition to kebabs I've got SPAM® recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Think Mac ‘n’ Cheese, Hawaiian Style Pizza, Sizzling fajitas, Fries and SPAMBLED™ eggs. 

Summer will be on us before we know it and fingers crossed it will be another hot one! If you’re looking for some new and interesting recipes for the BBQ this year, why not try out iconic meat SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham to make some delicious sizzling snacks to enjoy in the garden or on the campsite. If the weather doesn't play ball these will work equally well on a griddle pan or under the grill. SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham is the perfect quick and easy meat for an alfresco feast that will impress friends and family. It’s already cooked in the can, to seal in the goodness and ensure safety - which makes it ideal for camping and festival season. 

Sizzling SPAM® Fajitas

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Post in collaboration with SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham

Sizzling SPAM® fajitas are the perfect showcase for the iconic meat in a tin. Chopped Pork and Ham brings Sizzle Pork And Mmm™ to any meal. In addition to Mexican fajitas I've got SPAM® recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Think Mac ‘n’ Cheese, Hawaiian Style Pizza, Fries and SPAMBLED™ eggs.

It's that time of year again. SPAM® Appreciation Week. No, not the annoying stuff clogging up your inbox, but the iconic meat in a tin. SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham. Running from 4th to 11th March 2019, the appreciation week is now in its 16th year. This is the fourth year I've worked on the campaign and the theme for 2019 is Sizzle Pork And Mmm™. No longer seen as just a cupboard staple, SPAM® products can be sliced, diced and sizzled in a pan or wok, to create quick and easy SPAMTASTIC™ meals and snacks for all the family.

Discover more SPAM® recipes on Foodie Quine

SPAM® Mac ‘n’ Cheese

SPAM® Hawaiian Style Pizza

SPAM® Fries

SPAMBLED™ eggs

What does SPAM® mean to you? Monty Python? School Dinners? Guilty Pleasure?! Over the years it has been maligned, celebrated and musicalised. SPAM® Fritters were one of my absolute favourite school dinners back in the 80's accompanied by the obligatory ice cream scoops of mash and spaghetti in tomato sauce. 

Scottish Pork Mince Keema Curry

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Post in collaboration with The Scotch Kitchen

A pork mince curry recipe many not be the most authentic Indian keema but this Scottish spicy minced pork recipe is full of flavour and makes an ideal fuss free and family friendly midweek meal. This pork curry in a hurry is a healthy dish that will keep you from reaching for that takeaway menu. Go places with Specially Selected Pork. 

Weather is the one thing you just can't plan for. I was supposed to spend last Friday cooking Specially Selected Pork with celebrity chef Phil Vickery. Alas snow intervened and he couldn't make it to Aberdeen. Bet that's never happened to him on Ready Steady Cook or This Morning! Luckily The Chester Hotel head chef Kevin Dalgleish stepped in as a last minute substitution and along with Rebecca (Mrs Meldrum) and Gemma (The Lifestyle Hunter) we cooked up a storm making and tasting adventurous new pork dishes which are perfect for mid-week family meals.

Bruschetta with Jerte Picota Cherries, Serrano Ham, and Goat Cheese

Post in collaboration with Jerte Picota Cherries

Perfect for a light lunch or as a canape, crunchy melba toast is topped with salty Serrano ham, piquant goats cheese, seasonal Spanish Jerte Picota Cherries and a sticky balsamic cherry drizzle. Cherry Bruschetta is an ideal quick and easy seasonal nibble for a Summer party.

I'm back with more seasonal Jerte Picota Cherries for which I make absolutely no apology about. These delicious fruity treats are only around for a short six week season so you need to make the most of them whilst you can. Following on from my recipe for Bulgar Wheat Salad with Cherries, Feta and Pistachios I'm once again channelling my savoury tooth and forsaking the traditional cherry and chocolate or cherry and almond combinations. The Flavour Thesaurus tells me that cherry and goat cheese are a perfect match - so who am I to disagree? 

BBQ Percy Pig Pork Loin Steaks

What better match for the BBQ? Juicy tender pork loin steaks topped with sticky caramelised Marks & Spencer Percy Pigs. Think gammon steak and pineapple - only better! This little piggy went to the barbecue...

I have a feeling that this might be a Marmite recipe. As in you will either love it or hate it. Certainly when I shared it as a work in progress on twitter and instagram the reaction ranged from 'Omggggg so clever' to 'was this a dare?'

Personally I think it's a work of genius but I'm prepared to accept that not everyone might see it like that. In my mind surely there is no better culinary match than Pork and Percy Pig. Pop down to your local butcher for some quality pork and M&S for the iconic gummy sweets and give it a try! Think gammon steak and pineapple - only better. 

SPAM® Mac and Cheese

Post in collaboration with SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham

Celebrate the one true and original SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham with a quick family friendly Mac 'n' Cheese recipe that everyone will love. Leeks and SPAM® stirred through the Mac, plus a crispy golden cheese and SPAM® topping makes the most perfect comfort food.

SPAM. SPAM. SPAM. No, not the annoying stuff clogging up your inbox but the iconic meat in a tin. SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham. What does it mean to you? Monty Python? School Dinners? Guilty Pleasure?! Over the years it has been maligned, celebrated and musicalised. SPAM Fritters were one of my absolute favourite school dinners back in the 80's accompanied by the obligatory ice cream scoops of mash and spaghetti in tomato sauce. Those were the days! 

Spaghetti Carbonara Frittata

Spaghetti Carbonara Frittata, a twist on the Italian favourite. The perfect midweek meal using eggs, ham and pasta (plus any other fridge leftovers). Wonderfully filling and works really well served cold for picnics or packed lunches. 

Did you know that 4th January is Spaghetti Day? Nope, neither did I. That was until I bought a Christmas Pressie for myself (aren't they the best kind?!) of a National Days Poster from mylegoman.com  This fab hand drawn A2 poster provides a charming pictorial guide to 2018 with a calendar of national food/drink days, some of the big national events and a few of the large sporting events of the year. Yesterday was Chocolate Covered Cherry Day and tomorrow is National Sausage Day but for now I'm taking the opportunity to update and re-share a recipe for Spaghetti Day. 

I first published the recipe below in March 2015 but it's been a family favourite long before and ever since. A really tasty and wonderfully filling midweek supper dish. Exactly the same ingredients you would find in a traditional Spaghetti Carbonara, it's just the quantity ratios have been juggled. The recipe makes 4-6 portions depending on how hungry you are and if you serve anything alongside. It is however very much worth your while to keep at least one slice back to pop in the fridge. It makes an awesome cold breakfast the next morning, or you could pop it in your packed lunch box or take it on a picnic. 

The great thing with this recipe is that you can adapt it to suit whatever happens to be lingering in the fridge. I've been known to add peppers, mushrooms, salami and potatoes. You don't even have to use spaghetti, any pasta will do. In the wise words of Nigel Slater "I like it when people use a recipe as a starting point, going off piste and tweaking it until it is right for them. That is when I feel recipes are often at their best, as something to inspire rather than something to be followed word for word, robot style."

Spaghetti Carbonara Frittata

200g spaghetti

125g sliced thick cut ham

6 free range eggs

large handful of wild garlic - chopped (or chives/spring onions)

generous pinch of ground black pepper

100g strong cheese grated 

splash of oil

Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water for 12 minutes and drain.

In a large bowl beat the eggs and add a pinch of pepper (no salt required as the ham is salty enough)

To the beaten eggs add chopped wild garlic/chives/spring onions, 75g of the grated cheese, the chopped ham and drained spaghetti and mix thoroughly.

Heat a splash of oil in a large frying pan then add mixture, spread it out and cook over a low heat for 8 minutes.

Meanwhile preheat your grill.

Sprinkle the remaining 25g of cheese over the top and grill for 5 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbling and lightly browned.

Slice, serve and enjoy.

The ham that I used to make my pictured Frittata was actually my Irn Bru Ham whose recipe continues to provide so much interest worldwide, particularly for Christmas, Hogmanay and Burns Night. We enjoyed it ourselves on Boxing Day last year (still seems strange saying that - hello 2018) and I was delighted to have so many of you sharing your Christmas successes with it on my Facebook page. Super chuffed to have been a small part of some of my readers festive meals. Makes it all worthwhile. Although I'm not sure what's going to happen now that Irn Bru are planning to change the recipe! Alas I don't think I've got quite enough influence to prevent that happening so I suggest you start stockpiling. 

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Sticky Ginger Beer Pork Medallion Strips

Post in collaboration with Love Pork

A quick and easy midweek meal which will be on the table in under 15 minutes. Family friendly Sticky Ginger Beer Pork Medallion Strips uses only five ingredients (salt and pepper don't count surely?) Tasty, lean, versatile and quick to cook, British Pork Medallions are a great way to add excitement to mid-week meals.

When it comes to Pork, there's a new kid on the butchers block. Pork Medallions. Despite being quick and easy to cook with, this cut is little known and somewhat under-appreciated. Now I'm a big fan of pork - see my Irn Bru Pulled Pork, Thai Pork Mince and Juniper, Jasmine & Lime Ham recipes - however up until now Pork Medallions just haven't been on my radar. Turns out they are the perfect cut for all your midweek meals. Versatile, quick to cook, lean and super tasty. Absolutely no need to keep pork purely for a Sunday Roast - although I do love a bit of crackling and apple sauce.

Pork Medallions will be taking pride of place this Autumn as part of a drive by pig farmers to wake up British taste buds to this clever cut of pork. From now on you'll be able to find them in supermarkets and butchers around the country - if you don't spot them do ask. I found them easily in my local small village supermarket but do check that they are British. First impressions were that they were super cute and super lean. Whilst so far I've only used them for midweek family meals I can imagine that they would totally look the part in a dinner party dish. Whilst their leanness is good for the waistline, like any cut of meat it's important to cook them correctly to guarantee the best taste and avoid them drying out or becoming overcooked. For these tasty morsels timing and resting is the key to tender and succulent success.

Top tips from Love Pork to ensure the best from your Pork Medallions are as follows. 

• Marinate loin medallions before cooking. A quick 10 minute marinade, whilst you’re preparing the veg, will make the meat really tender and will heighten the flavour of the dish 
• As with all meat, always allow a couple of minutes to rest pork loin medallions after cooking and before eating.
• Tenderise the meat by flattening it with a rolling pin or the bottom of a pan before cooking.
• Pork Medallions shouldn't be overcooked. If in doubt take them out of the pan and leave to rest - you can always put them back in to cook a little bit longer. 

I'm sharing my own family friendly recipe below but be sure to visit www.lovepork.co.uk for further recipe inspiration. The recipes there showcase just how versatile, easy and convenient to cook pork is and will help you to break the midweek monotony with a myriad of international cuisines. Also check out my blogging colleagues creations of Pan-Seared Pork Medallions with Applies and Fried Sage and Pork Medallions with Apricot and Leek Sauce.

My recipe for Sticky Ginger Beer Pork Medallion Strips couldn't be simpler. Only 4 (or perhaps 5 - does oil and S&P count?!) ingredients and two of those are Ketchup and Brown Sauce. You don't get much more family friendly. I recommend using a Fiery Ginger Beer for a good spicy kick. However you choose to serve them, these will be on the table in less than 15 minutes. The perfect midweek meal and really harnesses the power of pork medallions!

Sticky Ginger Beer Pork Medallion Strips

Serves 2-4 people

300g Pork Medallions

Oil

Salt & Pepper

2 Tbsp Tomato Ketchup

2 Tbsp Brown Sauce

200ml Ginger Beer

Brush or spray each side of the Pork Medallions with oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place in a pre-heated non stick frying pan over a medium/high heat and shallow fry for 10-12 minutes turning once during cooking.

Remove from the pan and allow to rest in a warm place for 3-5 minutes whilst you make the sticky ginger beer glaze.

In the same pan that you cooked the pork in whisk together the ketchup, brown sauce and ginger beer over a high heat until it reduces to a sticky glaze.

Slice the pork medallions into strips and return to the pan. Stir through to coat in the sticky ginger beer glaze.

Serving Suggestions

I served my Sticky Ginger Beer Pork Medallion Strips in Corn Tacos with Pink Slaw and Mexican Rice on the side (Mexican rice pouch with added chick peas and parsley)

They would also work well as a baked potato topper, stuffed inside pita bread, rolled up in a wrap or on top of rice, pasta or noodles. Their versatility knows no bounds.

Now it's your turn! 

To be in with the chance of winning a fantastic food hamper with a total value of at least £50 simply share a picture of yourself on social media cooking pork medallions, tagging me @foodiequine and #pickpork 

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Happy Cooking & Good Luck!

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Disclosure: This is a commissioned post for Love Pork. As always, all views expressed are my own.

Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me as a passionate Scottish Food Blogger to continue to share my Edible Food and Travel Adventures with you. I’m super choosy who I work with and promise to bring you only the cream of the crop.

SPAM® Pizza Hawaiian Style

Post in collaboration with SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham

Hawaii has the highest rate of SPAM®  consumption in America so it seems only fitting to create a SPAM® Hawaiian Style Pizza! Pineapple splits the crowd when it comes to pizza toppings but combined with SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham they are a match made in a tin can - if not in heaven!

SPAM. SPAM. SPAM. No, not the annoying stuff clogging up your inbox but the iconic meat in a tin. SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham. What does it mean to you? Monty Python? School Dinners? Guilty Pleasure?! Over the years it has been maligned, celebrated and musicalised. SPAM Fritters were one of my absolute favourite school dinners back in the day accompanied by the obligatory ice cream scoops of mash and spaghetti in tomato sauce. Nostalgia ain't what it used to be. 

Would you believe that the world’s most iconic meat is celebrating 80 years as a global brand this year? What better time to celebrate in the UK than the official SPAM® Appreciation Week which kicks off today and runs from 6-12 March 2017. The popular SPAM Can Tour will also return for second year, launching in Liverpool on 6th May and touring the country until end of August. The specially designed, eye-catching airstream will be serving up free SPAM samples, giving away recipe ideas, plus exciting opportunities to obtain limited edition merchandise. To celebrate SPAM Appreciation Week, there’s also a chance for fans to win a VIP trip to the Liverpool event and be special guests on the first tour stop.

Once out of the can SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham is certainly more than just a square meal! SPAM can… be sliced, diced, chopped, grilled and fried to make delicious quick and easy meals and snacks. Why not try SPAM as a pizza topping as per the recipe below?

Discover more SPAM® recipes on Foodie Quine

SPAM® Mac ‘n’ Cheese

Sizzling SPAM® Fajitas 

SPAM® Fries

SPAMBLED™ eggs

 SPAM® Hawaiian Style Pizza

Ingredients
1 x 200g can or tub of SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham, cut in to small cubes
1 x large pizza base
250g of Passata tomato sauce (for pizza base topping)
Drained pineapple chunks
150g of grated Mozzarella Cheese

Method
1. Preheat oven (according to pizza base instructions)
2. Spread Passata (tomato sauce) evenly over top of the pizza base
3. Top with cubes of SPAM Chopped Pork and Ham, pineapple chunks and Mozzarella Cheese
4. Bake in the oven for around 15-20 minutes, until topping is slightly browned/crispy
5. Serve and enjoy

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Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for SPAM Chopped Pork and Ham. As always, all views expressed are my own. Image, recipe and prizes courtesy of SPAM. 
Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me to continue to share my Edible Scottish Adventures with you.

Thai Pork Mince

Ready in under 30 minutes Thai Pork Mince makes a perfect midweek meal for the whole family to enjoy. The colours of the finished dish are as vibrant as its Thai flavours and it's sure to be a recipe you'll make over and over again. Scottish Specially Selected Pork lends itself equally well to both fast and slow methods of cooking and combines wonderfully with Asian flavours.

I'm a huge advocate for Scottish red meat and work alongside Quality Meat Scotland to promote it within primary schools by means of interactive cooking demonstrations. One of the questions I'm often asked by the kids is why do we have Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb but not Scotch Pork. Apparently that's what it used to be called but when our Beef and Lamb were awarded PGI status (Protected Geographical Indication) the name was changed to Specially Selected Pork so as not to be misleading. So now you know! Nevertheless, when you see Specially Selected Pork on the label you can be assured that the pork comes from Scottish farms that meet stringent criteria including animal welfare and natural production methods. The scheme ensures full traceability and covers the entire lifespan of animals and as well as the farms includes the feed, auction marts, transport and processing sectors. Generations of animal husbandry skills underpin the production of Specially Selected Pork which means that the end customer can be sure that the product you are buying is of the highest quality.

When it comes to cooking with pork the possibilities are endless. Setting aside the ubiquitous bacon and sausages you are still spoilt for choice. Mince, Ribs, Roasted with Crackling, Pulled, Meatballs, Burgers, Casseroles, Stir Frys, Belly, Loin, Gammon, Ham, Chops, Kebabs and more. Specially Selected Pork lends itself equally well to both fast and slow methods of cooking and combines wonderfully with Asian flavours. The quick and easy recipe I'm sharing below does exactly that. Ready in under 30 minutes it makes a perfect midweek meal for the whole family to enjoy. Its also Gluten Free if you use Tamari or a GF Soy Sauce. The colours of the finished dish are as vibrant as its Thai flavours and it's sure to be a recipe you'll make over and over again. 

Thai Pork Mince

Serves 4

Prep Time 10 Minutes

Cooking Time 15 Minutes

Ingredients

500g Specially Selected Pork Mince

1 Tbsp Demerara Sugar

1 Shallot, finely chopped

2 Garlic Cloves, crushed

Thumb sized piece of Ginger, grated

3 tsp Lemongrass Paste (or 1 lemon grass stalk, bashed and finely chopped)

1 Red Chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

1 x 50g sachet Creamed Coconut

1 Tbsp Thai Fish Sauce

2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar

4 Tbsp Soy Sauce

Garnish

Salted Peanuts, chopped

Fresh Coriander, chopped

Red Chilli, sliced

Serving Suggestion

Gem Lettuce Cups or Jasmine Rice

Over a high heat brown the Specially Selected Pork Mince in a wok along with the demerara sugar. Remove the mince with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Turn down the heat to medium and fry the shallot, garlic, chilli and lemongrass for a couple of minutes in the pork mince fat until fragrant.

Return the mince to the wok and stir to combine.

Add the sachet of creamed coconut and allow it to melt down before adding the fish sauce, rice vinegar and soy sauce.

Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 Minutes.

Serve in gem lettuce cups or with jasmine rice garnished with chopped peanuts, coriander and red chilli.

For further Pork inspiration take a look at my recipes below and you'll see exactly how versatile an ingredient it is.

• Irn Bru Pulled Pork
• Moo Ping Pork 
• Irn Bru Glazed Ham
• Sausage, Feta & Tomato Filo Pie
• Pork Mince Keema Curry
• BBQ Percy Pig Pork Loin Steaks
• Sticky Ginger Beer Pork Medallion Strips
• Slow Cooked Ham with Juniper, Lime and Jasmine

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Disclosure : This is a commissioned recipe for Specially Selected Pork. As always, all views expressed are my own. 

Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me to continue to share my Edible Scottish Adventures with you. I’m super choosy who I work with and promise to only ever bring you the cream of the crop.

Sausage, Feta and Tomato Filo Pie

Three cheers for the humble British Banger! Quick, tasty, economical and versatile Sausages deserve to be celebrated. Now in it's 18th year, British Sausage Week runs from the 31st October to the 6th November 2016 and does just that. Despite scare stories, the majority of sausages being produced today by British pig farmers are made from fresh pork rather than processed meat. To ensure that your sausages are up to scratch just look for the Red Tractor when you are shopping. Sausages that depict a Red Tractor logo are traceable from farm to fork and have been produced responsibly by the nation’s skilled butchers and producers. Put simply, you can Trust the Tractor when it comes to choosing a superior sausage. 

Sausages are versatile enough to be eaten for practically any meal or occasion. You can't go camping without them and a cooked breakfast most certainly isn't complete if they don't put in an appearance. Not only can they be enjoyed in traditional ways with mash or in casseroles, they also lend themselves to being transformed into dishes from other cuisines. Personally I absolutely adore Toad in the Hole and for a convenient family meal sausages are ideal to throw in the slow cooker. My sausage and croissant wreath proves immensely popular every Christmas. I've had the chance to have a go at making my own sausages with a couple of local butchers and suffice to say it's a lot more tricky than it looks! (Check out my experience at The Store and HM Sheridan)

There are over 500 varieties of pork sausages available in the UK which include almost every conceivable flavour combination. I've tried some weird and wonderful creations including Shortbread and Irn Bru and Strawberry and Champagne (both really good!) Suffice to say whatever your taste there's a sausage out there that will match it. Kid's love them which means they're perfect for the whole family and provide a quick, easy and tasty option for mid-week meal. The recipe I'm sharing below showcases the sheer versatility of sausages. They don't necessarily have to be cooked whole and can be chopped up or squeezed from their casings. This pie has somewhat of a Mediterranean feel about it with basil, tomatoes and feta. Even picky girl loved it! I've a feeling it may become a new family favourite. 

To discover new ways to enjoy sausages visit britishsausageweek.com or follow @LovePork on Twitter or Facebook.

Sausage, Feta and Tomato Filo Pie

Serves 4

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

8 pork sausages

3tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

200g cherry tomatoes

2tbsp fresh basil, chopped

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

Salt & Pepper

500g passata (sieved tomatoes)

6 sheets filo pastry

200g feta cheese, cubed

Method

• Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Grease a roasting tin (21cm x 25cm, 4cm deep), and line it with baking parchment.

• Brush a frying pan with a little oil, heat to a medium heat and add the sausages, turning frequently until they are browned all over, then remove from the heat.

• Whilst the sausages are browning, heat the oil in a separate large pan and add the onion and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes, until soft.

• Add the smoked paprika, cherry tomatoes, chopped basil and passata to the cooked onion and garlic. Season well with salt and pepper.

• Slice each sausage in to quarters and add to the sauce. Cook for a further 5 minutes.

• Lay a sheet of filo pastry on the work surface and brush with olive oil. Repeat until you have three sheets on top of each other and transfer them to the lined roasting tin.

• Spoon the sausage mixture into the tin, on top of the filo sheets. Add the cubes of feta all over the filling.

• Fold the edges of the filo over onto the filling. Brush three further sheets of filo with oil, fold them in half (with oiled side on top) and place on top of the sausage mixture, to form a lid.

• Place in the pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top, and the filling is bubbling.

Check out what some of my food blogging colleagues have been cooking up for British Sausage Week

• Toadies with Onion Gravy from Jo's Kitchen
• Creamy Sausage Soup with Buttered Breadcrumbs and Sage from Kitchen Sanctuary
• Beer-Glazed Roast Pork Sausages from Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary

Disclosure : This is a commissioned post for Love Pork. As always, all views expressed are my own.

Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me to continue to share my Edible Scottish Adventures with you.

Orzo Risotto with Chorizo

Isn't it great when two things that you love collide. For a number of years now I've followed Great Glen Charcuterie on social media, eaten their products and even met proprietor Anja on a couple of occasions at food festivals. I've also been receiving Charcuterie Boxes from Carnivore Club which have featured a number of wonderful British producers and was delighted when I found out that this month's supplier was Great Glen Charcuterie. Postal subscription services for food boxes have really taken off in recent years both as as gift options or as a monthly treat for yourself. Carnivore Club UK is a monthly delivery service of British Artisan Charcuterie. The meats in the box change every month and I've tried products from The Real Boar Company, Forest Pig and Cobble Lane Cured. The price point for the box is definitely that of a luxury product but it does enable you to explore different charcuterie that you many not have otherwise discovered on your own.

Get 10% off your first purchase at www.carnivoreclub.co with code foodiequine
£32 for one box or £29 if you commit to the monthly subscription (Subscriptions can be monthly, bimonthly or quarterly)

There's a big interest in British Charcuterie at the moment and there was recently a fab piece on Jamie & Jimmy's Friday Night Feast about the British Charcutiers who are making products to rival the best Europe has to offer. Great Glen based in the Scottish Highlands specialise in producing charcuterie using only wild Scottish Venison. All their products are produced by hand and air dried to preserve their wonderful flavours. The meat selection contained in this months Carnivore Club Box comprised of Green Peppercorn Salami, Venison Bresaola, Venison Pork Salami, Venison & Pork Chorizo and Chilli Venison Chorizo. For me the absolute standout item was the Venison Bresaola. Wonderful texture and sumptuous smoky flavour. I ate it on its own straight from the packet. The great thing about the varied contents of the Carnivore Club boxes is that there is enough for you to enjoy some as antipasti with olives, capers, cheese and crusty bread and to incorporate others into dishes such as pasta, pizza, salads, frittata, stews etc. The chilli venison chorizo made its way into scrambled eggs where it had quite a kick. Both salamis were enjoyed in sandwiches and on a picnic and I used the latest addition to Great Glen's product line, the Venison & Pork Chorizo, in the Orzotto recipe I've shared below. A quick and simple dish that showcases a quality artisan product.

Orzo Risotto with Chorizo

Serves 4 

300g Orzo

750ml Chicken Stock

150g Frozen Peas

250g Baby Spinach

50g Freshly Grated Parmesan

65g Great Glen Charcuterie Venison & Pork Chorizio

Salt & Pepper

Place the orzo and the chicken stock in a heavy based pan and bring to the boil. 

Add the frozen peas and leave to simmer for 10 minutes. 

Check and stir regularly to ensure it doesn't stick and add more boiling water from the kettle if required. 

When it’s ready, the pasta should be soft and starchy and all the water absorbed. 

Add the spinach and let it wilt down then add the Parmesan and season with salt and black pepper. 

Finally stir through the chopped Venison & Pork Chorizo and serve. 

Carnivore Club have provided a one off Meat Box (winner will receive the next available monthly box) as a giveaway for readers of Foodie Quine. Prize value is £32.  

Entry is via the Rafflecopter widget below. To enter, let me know in a comment "What's your favourite type of Charcuterie" For additional bonus entries you can follow me on Twitter, Tweet about the Giveaway, follow me on Instagram or like me on Facebook. 

Giveaway ends 29th April 2016 12:00am. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure - Carnivore Club provided me with Meat Boxes to review. All views expressed are my own. This is not a paid post.

Slow Cooked Ham with Juniper, Lime and Jasmine

Spring is definitely in the air. Or at least it seemed that way yesterday. The morning started out bright and sunny however by afternoon the snow was dinging down. That's Scotland for you! Despite the changeable weather there are some delicious spring flavours in the recipe I'm sharing today. My Slow Cooked Ham with Juniper, Lime and Jasmine would work really well as the centerpiece for an Easter Sunday Lunch. However being made the slow cooker it's equally suited to a midweek meal and the leftovers make the most awesome sandwiches.

Fentimans, the botanically brewed drinks folk, have just launched a new flavour to add to their range of natural drinks. Their ‘Sparkling Lime and Jasmine’ has been available from 1st March and joins their existing line up with the likes of Ginger Beer, Rose Lemonade, Curiosity Cola, Victorian Lemonade, and Dandelion & Burdock. If like me you're a Gin lover you'll no doubt be all too familiar with their premium Tonic Water mixers. However in this day and age many of us are looking for viable alternatives to alcohol for a myriad of reasons. This sophisticated and refreshing botanical brew definitely fits the bill without the sickly sweetness of many of its peers.

The iconic 'olde worlde' bottle looks fab with its distinctive dog’s head logo. I was intrigued to discover that the dog was Thomas Fentiman's pet dog 'Fearless', who won awards for obedience at Crufts in 1933 and 1934. Enough about the looks - how does it taste? "Yum, it's kinda bitter and not overtly sweet and a bit like tonic. I really like it!" The description is probably best left to their own tasting notes rather than my own 

A light but finely balanced liquid with a distinctive botanical aroma. The initial refreshing bitterness on the tongue is quickly balanced by the botanical sweetness of lime flower, hyssop and myrtle to leave a clean, dry citrus note. The aroma is created by a complex mix of botanical infusions including white jasmine flowers.

Despite my talk of temperance I know you're all still all patiently waiting for the answer to the big question. How does Fentimans Sparkling Lime & Jasmine taste as a mixer with Gin? The answer is awesome. Cheers!

Slow Cooked Ham with Juniper, Lime and Jasmine

Ham

1.5kg Unsmoked Gammon Joint

1 Onion, peeled and quartered

1 Tsp Juniper Berries

2 x 275ml Bottles of Fentimans Sparkling Lime & Jasmine

Glaze

3 Tbsp Lemon & Lime Marmalade

1 Tsp Juniper Berries

Zest of 1 Lime

Gravy

2 Tbsp Lemon & Lime Marmalade

1 Tbsp Cornflour

Ground Black Pepper

Place the gammon joint in the bottom of the slow cooker crock pot along with the onion and juniper berries. Pour over two bottles of Fentimans Sparkling Lime & Jasmine.

Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.

(If you don't have a slow cooker you can cook the gammon in a large pan on the hob. Bring to the boil, reduce to a good simmer, put the lid on and cook for 1½ hours.)

Preheat the oven to 200c.

When the ham is cooked (raw it's gammon - cooked it's ham) take it out of the slow cooker and let it cool a little for ease of handling. 

Remove any skin and leave a layer of fat. 

Score the fat with a sharp knife to make fairly large diamond shapes. 

Spread the marmalade over the joint of ham, stud each diamond with a juniper berry and sprinkle on the lime zest.

Cook in a lined roasting tin for approximately 20 minutes or until the glaze is burnished and bubbly. Check and baste every 5 minutes. 

Meanwhile sieve the cooking juices from the slow cooker into a small saucepan and discard the onion and juniper berries.

Boil vigorously to reduce the volume by half.

Add the marmalade, thicken with the cornflower slaked with water and season with black pepper.

To serve decant the gravy into an empty Fentimans Sparkling Lime and Jasmine bottle.

For further Fentimans Sparkling Lime and Jasmine inspiration take a look at these ideas from my food blogger friends

Juniper Berry Lime Cupcakes with Lime & Jasmine Icing

Lime & Jasmine Cupcakes

Baked Lime & Jasmine Doughnuts

Lime & Jasmine Collins Cocktail

Disclosure : This is a commissioned recipe for Fentimans. All views expressed are my own.
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Farmersgirl Kitchen & Baking Queen 74