As a highly experienced fruit and veg wholesaler in the M4 Corridor Area, it's no surprise that we're very passionate about the vegetables in our Christmas dinner. So what's the best way to serve these tasty festive treats, and are there any culinary tips you can use inyour kitchen to elevate the flavour of these tasty greens from just one of your five a day to a celebration of local produce and flavour for you and your family to enjoy during the holidays?
1. Sprouts
Love them or hate them; sprouts are a topic of much debate over the holiday season. Some absolutely adore them and would not consider Christmas dinner complete unless there is a portion of sprouts on their plate. So how can you get the most out of your sprouts this Christmas? What can you do to elevate this ingredient from tasty vegetable treat, to a memorable dish?
Did you know that the changing weather and climate has caused the flavour of sprouts to change? In past decades, this tasty vegetable had a bitter and sharp taste which is a result of the high amounts of compounds called glucosinolates found in sprouts. However, most modern sprouts are free of this bitterness and according to information from the Royal Horticultural Society , “Those with the RHS AGM have been tasted by RHS experts and found to be free of excessive bitterness."
One fantastic way to prepare and see sprouts is by cooking them alongside bacon. After trimmed and simmering them in a saucepan of boiling water for a few minutes, drain the sprouts then cook them in a pan with some diced bacon, olive oil, and season to taste with black pepper.
2. Potatoes
There are lots of ways that you can cook potatoes, you could roast them, boil them, steam them; however if you're looking for a creamy and smooth tasting potato dish, mashed potatoes are a superb choice. All you need to do is peel them and simmer until they are soft, then heat some milk and butter, and beat into the potatoes alongside some chopped parsley, and finally season to taste.
3. Parsnips
If you're looking for tasty roast vegetables, many opt for roast potatoes and whilst they are delicious, if you're looking for something to add an extra level of taste to your Christmas dinner roast parsnips are a great choice. All you have to do is chop the vegetables into cubes, season with salt and pepper, and add some olive oil. Then just cook them for 20-30 minutes in an oven heated to 200c.
4. Cauliflower
Some might argue that a roast dinner isn't really a roast dinner without some delicious cauliflower cheese on the table. Seen by many as one of the staples of British cuisine, cauliflower cheese is quite simple to make, only requiring a few steps to complete. The trick is to add a lot of cream, roast the cauliflower first, and brown the roux in order to deepen the flavour of the sauce, adding tasty toasty notes.
5. Carrots
If you want to do something different with your carrots this year, Jamie Oliver has a superb whole-baked carrots recipe, and it only involves a few steps. First you have to toss your carrots with olive oil and vinegar, and then add some salt and pepper, thyme sprigs, and garlic cloves. Then place the carrots in a roasting tray and cover tightly with foil, cooking them for 30-40 minutes at 200c. Once the carrots are tender, remove the foil and cook them further allowing them to brown and caramelise, which should take approximately 10 further minutes.
Over our decades of experience as a fruit and veg wholesaler, we have worked alongside many professionals including Michelin star chefs and the executive chef of the Queen. Simply put, the standards and the level of quality we are able to offer are second to none. However, the high quality of our fresh produce isn't the only reason why we feel our vegetables are the superior choice. In order to provide an even greater service to our customers in the catering and restaurant industries, we provide a reliable and efficient delivery service covering the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey, Sussex and North Hampshire areas. Our delivery team are able to provide our customers with produce 6 days a week, however should the needarise; our delivery request service is available 365 days a year.
We've been a family run fruit and veg wholesaler business since 1974. For over 40 years we have been running our business with both old fashioned values within a modern business framework. We started our business with a small shop and van in the centre of Reading, gaining a reputation for both great quality and customer service; a reputation which we still hold to this day. We procure our produce on a daily basis from well-respected traders from Covent Garden and Western International markets, whilst also buying directly from selected farms across the South East; giving us the ability to ensure that our customers not only receive high quality, but also great value for money.
Here at CA Belcher, we always strive to meet all of our customer's requirements and establish a long standing working relationship. So if you are interested in placing an order, or if you would like more information regarding any of the products that are available for purchase from CABelcher, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us by calling 0118975 2466, or by sending us an email at enquiries@cabelcher.com. Our team will be happy to help.
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Make an EnquiryUnit 7, Cutbush Industrial Park Danehill, Lower Earley Reading, Berkshire RG6 4UT
Telephone: 0118 975 2466
Fax: 0118 975 5955
Email: enquiries@cabelcher.co.uk
