We have been using Gousto for about six months now and have been impressed with their variety of meals and step-by-step instructions which even I can follow! So we decided to show you how easy it is to cook with Gousto.
Disclaimer: We have no affiliation with Gousto and this recipe was ordered from our own account.
Shredded Hoisin Chicken Wraps
Ingredients:
You are provided with the necessary ingredients and the only one not included was vegetable oil.
British chicken breast strips Tortillas Cucumber Gem lettuce Hoisin sauce Soy sauce Spring onion Toasted sesame seeds
Method
First we had to let the chicken air for a little bit before we started cooking it and then drizzle a little vegetable oil into a pan over a hight heat. Cook the chicken strips for about 5-6 minutes on each side until golden and the chicken is cooked through.
Then it’s time to cut up your cucumber into discs and then into matchsticks and slice your spring onions lengthways into thin strips.
Once the chicken is cooked, you need to shred it apart using two forks.
Put the shredded chicken back in the pan and add your soy sauce and hoisin sauce to it and cook until warmed through.
Wash your lettuce, pat it dry with kitchen paper and then finely shred it.
The tortillas just need to go into a microwave for about 20 seconds, just to warm.
Assemble the wraps…
Cover the tortilla with some hoisin sauce (we added this from our own hoisin sauce bottle!)
Add some lettuce on top…
then cucumber…
and sliced spring onions…
and lastly the shredded chicken.
Thoughts
This was a very simple recipe to follow with not much cooking involved and it took us about 20 minutes from start to finish. There are more complicated recipes and we will be doing one of them in the near future. The meal was tasty and three tortillas was just enough for us, which is another good thing about Gousto, it gives you portion control.
I have uploaded a video where we make this dish on my YouTube Channel, please give it a watch and see how we got on.
Atul Kochhar is at the forefront of fine Indian dining. He is an established restaurateur, television personality and author of cookery books.
Kanisha opened in March, 2019 and Atul appointed his protegee, Ashok Kumar as Executive Chef.
The restaurant is named after King Kanishka, an emperor of the Kushan dynasty known for his military, political and spiritual achievements.
Atul was the first Indian chef to receive a Michelin star in 2001 and won a second in 2007. He is the Chef/Patron of seven British restaurants which promote the best of Indian gastronomic fare combining modern techniques and traditional recipes and ingredients.
Ashok Kumar was featured in The Great British Menu, London and Southeast region in 2024 where the theme was celebrating the Olympics and Paralympics with a banquet hosted by the British Ambassador in France.
We were in London for a very special reason, we were going to a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, so we decided to have a special meal to celebrate this and because we had eaten lots of times at Sindhu on P&O Cruises (Atul’s restaurant on board), we booked Kanishka.
We decided to go for the Tasting Menu which was £105 each but decided against the wine pairing as we’re not very big drinkers, so we ordered a bottle of wine instead.
As it happened, both Phil and I had different menu choices for each course, most probably because he loves fish and I am definitely not a fan!
NASHTA Atul Kochhar Blanc de Blanc
The first course was Nashta, which is the one in the background – the outer casing was very crispy and crunchy and the filling was smooth and moreish, almost like a humous texture and taste. The front two were complimentary and everyone received those, the one on the right was VERY spicy and they were both mouthfuls of tastiness.
Then it was onto the next course:
NADRU KI CHAAT Lotus stem kebabs and crisp with tamarind, cherry chutney, yoghurt
DEVON CRAB BONDA Devon crab fritter with chickpea sundal, tomato chutney with Isle of Wight tomatoes
I had the kebabs, which didn’t look like the kebabs we normally get from our local van in the layby and Phil had the crab. The kebab had lots of different textures which all blended together extremely well and the pomegranate seeds really made it pop! Phil said his crab was delicious, he wished he could have ate more!
So, I ordered the DHUYEN KI BATAK – home smoked Margret Duck breast, orange and spring onion chaat but forgot to take a picture of it! I have to say, this dish was superb, probably my favourite one of the night. The duck was cooked to perfection and together with the refreshing orange segments and spring onions, it tasted wonderful. Phil loves scallops and this was one of the best ones he’s had and together with the chicken jus, was incredible. He did wish though that he had a slice of bread to mop up that delicious sauce.
CHICKEN TIKKA PIE Speciality of the house served with spring berry chutney
JOHN DORY Cornish John Dory with Isle of Wight tomatoes
I had the chicken tikka pie which definitely didn’t taste like any other pie I’ve had! It was absolutely delicious. Phil enjoyed the John Dory and was impressed with the tomatoes which came from the Isle of Wight!
Time for a break – a toilet break – which I just had to take a picture of, it was a very nice restroom!
DO TARIKE KA GOSHT Lamp chop, lamb loin, Swiss chard and jus
PURANI DILLI KA BUTTER CHICKEN A classic of old Delhi – chicken tikka in rich tomato sauce
Phil’s lamb chop was ‘melt in the mouth’ and the spices were just about the right amount, not too spicy so that the taste gets overwhelmed. My butter chicken was amazing, there were side dishes that came with it and there was quite a bit of it, especially after eating all the previous courses! This has made me change my order when I go to an Indian now, I always order the butter chicken rather than the Chicken Korma!
Indian desserts are usually not very good but these were on another level! Refreshing and light after such a lot of food!
We met the Executive Chef, Ashok Kumar, who was in the TV programme The Great British Menu and we had a chat with him, but unfortunately forgot to take a picture!
Thoughts
This was an amazing meal and we felt it was good value at £105 each. The staff were very attentive and friendly. There was a smell of varnish as they were in the process of redecorating, but as we were sat downstairs we couldn’t smell it whilst we were eating.
Please be aware that this blog will include spoilers… you have been warned!
A parody of Barbie, with arguments over who is the best Barbie between Noel and Alison and Ken (Paul Hollywood) picking Weird Barbie (Prue) with a bad American accent, kicked off the new series of Bake Off.
Signature Bake: Loaf Cake
Prue says that to really impress her, the bakers need something that surprises her, “They could put two kinds of sponge together, so it looks marbled or they could bury something interesting inside.”
Paul Hollywood advises us that, “Time management is critical, you don’t want to put decoration on top of a warm cake, it will literally just melt and slide off. It’s gonna be tricky.”
They have been warned!
Illiyin’s “Cinnamon Roll” Loaf Cake – The judges loved this loaf cake praising the flavours. This earned Illiyin the first handshake of the series.
Gill’s “It’s all V’s Fault” Loaf Cake – The marbling was good inside the cake and it tasted nice and orangey, but it was let down by the overall look as the icing had melted.
John’s Cherry & Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake – A proper loaf with enough height, the inside was more of a splodge than a swirl, but the overall flavour was good.
Andy’s “My First Bake” Loaf Cake – Lovely flavour but the texture was very heavy.
Mike’s Lemon & Linseed Loaf Cake – Paul noticed it had a big crack inside. The lemon flavouring was spot on, but Paul couldn’t taste the linseed and Mike obviously had an issue with timing as the icing was melting.
Georgie’s Vanilla & Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake – Nice flavour, but was criticised for not having enough height. Paul said, “I don’t dislike it, I just think it could be better.”
Sumayah’s “Halwa Surprise” Loaf Cake – A good strong bake that hadn’t been overmixed with the perfect coconut level in the flavour.
Jeff’s “Guiding Star” Loaf Cake – Prue was impressed with the star running through the cake. The flavours were good, but the overall look was compared to “lava flow.”
Nelly’s Coconut Loaf Cake – Prue commented that it was basically pudding and was delicious. Not the best decorated but flavour-wise was lovely.
Dylan’s “Sticky Rice” Loaf Cake – Neat with a good height. The flavour was there but the bake itself was doughy and dense,
Christiaan’s “Umami Apple” Loaf Cake – Clever decoration, but the judges weren’t impressed with the miso/apple combination.
Hazel’s “Raspberry Surprise” Loaf Cake – The shards were too thick and it was slightly overbaked.
So we already have the first handshake of the competition, was it too early or do you think that doesn’t matter, if Paul thinks it’s worthy then that’s fine?
Technical Challenge
We were told the news that Jeff wasn’t feeling well, so he won’t be participating in the rest of the programme.
The technical challenge was to bake 8 symmetrical mini-Battenburg cakes but there was a twist – it’s a Taste and Bake Challenge. There was an example of a Battenburg under the gingham cloth and they had five minutes to inspect that before starting on their own ones.
There was a certain amount of trepidation from the bakers, apart from Georgie who admitted she’d looked at a Battenburg recipe last night! (That’s my girl! – if you look at my previous blog, she’s one of two I have chosen to win this year!)
11. Mike 10. Hazel 9. Sumayah 8. Andy 7. Illiyin 6. Gill 5. Nelly 4. Dylan 3. John 2. Christiaan And the winner was…. GEORGIE!
Showstopper Challenge
Paul highlights Christiaan, Mike and Hazel, who may be in trouble and have to leave the show today.
This week’s Challenge is a hyper realistic illusion cake with flavours and types of sponges up to the bakers in just four hours.
Georgie’s “Fanny the Chicken” Illusion Cake – Prue commented it was an odd shape, but that the chicken had a real personality. Alison asks the judges, “How does Fanny taste, guys?” The judge’s managed to keep a straight face and replied, “Absolutely lovely!” Bake Off with its best innuendos. Two of the sponges were overbaked but it had a lovely lemon flavour.
Sumayah’s “Pato the Duck” Illusion Cake – An exceptional illusion cake, probably one of the most realistic looking cakes in the tent. Beautifully baked. But no handshake!
Wow!
Dylan’s “Canopic Jar” Illusion Cake – Impressive illusion cake. An unusual flavour, but delicious.
Christiaan’s “Sweet Seams are Made with This” Illusion Cake – Prue loved this sewing machine illusion cake comparing it to her own one at home. Paul didn’t hold back on his critique saying it was massively overbaked and bone dry and the flavour was quite sour.
John’s “The Perfect Brunch” Illusion Cake- The judges were impressed with the illusion cake and they loved the flavours.
Gill’s “Crown Green Bowling” Illusion Cake – Good illusion, although Prue wished the bowls were more rounded, The judges loved the taste of it.
Mike’s “My Favourite Cake & Books” Illusion Cake – Each book could be picked up separately, the judges loved them. A beautiful cake, executed very well from Paul and Prue just said, “Ditto.”
Amazing!
Andy’s “It’s an Overnight Job” Illusion Cake – Exceptional illusion cake, Paul could tell straight away that it was overbaked. Lovely flavour with the sharpness of the raspberries.
Hazel’s “Handbag” Illusion Cake – For a first for Bake Off, Hazel carried her handbag illusion cake by its handles. But Paul commented it wasn’t very neat, overbaked but a beautiful lemon flavour.
Nelly’s “Retro 90’s Shoes” Illusion Cake- Good chocolate flavour, but lacking the flavour of the raspberries.
Illiyam’s “Flowers in a Vase” Illusion Cake – Paul and Prue loved the flowers but weren’t keen on the vase. A well baked cake with amazing flavours, but the design was slightly flawed.
Who went home?
Actually nobody went home because Jeff was ill, but they were warned that two people could go home next week.
Star Baker
Thoughts….
A great start to the series, cake week is always a good one as we do get some great bakes. Not to brag but my two choices, John and Georgie won both the Technical and Star Baker! I think Christiaan and Hazel may be gone next week, but let’s hope they do better with biscuits.
Maybe not sending anyone home in the first programme could be established in future series, I know that I would probably need at least a week to settle in and get my nerves under control, they do this in Strictly and it gives everyone a chance for a little bit more practice.
Next Week:
Biscuit Week and it looks like carnage as we see two people fall to the ground…
So here we go again, the new series of The Great British Bake Off when we all feel inspired to bake whilst sat on the sofa watching, but know in our heart-of-hearts that it won’t happen as we’re already thinking, “I can get that for £1 in Tescos!”
Bake Off Contestants 2024
I will be reviewing episodes each week (I will be on holiday for a couple of weeks but will try to catch up!) – so let’s start with a meet and greet of the bakers!
44 years old and a car mechanic from Essex.
33 years old and a menswear designer from London.
Aged 20, a retail assistant from Buckinghamshire.
34 years, a Paediatric Nurse from Carmarthenshire.
A 53 year old senior category manager from Lancashire.
Aged 71, a former nail technician from Kent.
31 years old, a birth trauma specialist midwife from Norfolk.
Aged 67 and from West Yorkshire, a former university lecturer.
A directorate support manager, aged 37 and from the West Midlands.
Aged 29 and a farm manager from Wiltshire.
A palliative care assistant, aged 44 and from Dorset.
Aged 19, dentistry student from Lancashire.
I’m going to make a bold move and choose my top two just from reading the descriptions of each baker!!
Number Two Choice:
Georgie – she is a self proclaimed cannoli connoisseur and lives in a Welsh farmhouse with her husband, three children, ten chickens, two ducks, two dogs and a cat!
Number One Choice:
John – John learned to bake with his nan and now bakes to honour his nan’s memory, he loves classic bakes with a twist! His favourite bake is a classic lemon tart.
It’s great to see them all back again – I was a bit sceptical when Alison Hammond joined the team, but I was soon loving her comments and of course her infectious laugh!
I’m very excited for this new series and I can’t wait to see if there will be any cooking disasters, messy workstations and of course, soggy bottoms!
It was while we were watching a television programme called The Overlap on Tour when Mother Mash was featured that we decided that the next time we were in London we were going to go there.
So, true to our word, we visited Mother Mash in Carnaby to taste their pie and mash and, of course, their gravy!
Mother Mash – Carnaby (taken from their website)
We were shown to our table, (we had pre-booked as we had heard it got very busy) and presented with their menu. There were three steps to ordering your meal:
There were eight different types of mash…
CLASSIC – natural mash with milk and butter
CHEESY – natural mash with mature chedder
CHEESY MUSTARD – natural mash with mature cheddar and wholegrain mustard
CHAMP – traditional Irish mash with milk, butter, cheddar cheese and spring onions
HORSERADISH – natural mash with creamy horseradish
COLCANNON – traditional Irish mash with milk, butter, cabbage and onions
SWEET POTATO – natural sweet potato with carrot and a sprinkling of chilli
BUBBLE AND SQUEAK – traditional old English recipe, fried mash potatoes, cabbage, peas and onions
You had the choice of either sausages or a pie…
Sausages
CUMBERLAND – classic British pork with pepper
LINCOLNSHIRE – classic British pork with sage
LONDON SMOKEY – hickory wood smoked port
PORK AND CHILLI (Gluten Free) – Pork, chilli, cumin and smoked paprika
MOTHER PLUCKER – chicken with sundried tomato and pepper
VEGETABLE AND HERB (Vegan) – vegan sausage
Pies
STEAK AND BLACKHEART STOUR
CHICKEN, MUSHROOM AND BACON
TRADITIONAL MINCE BEEF
SPICED VEGETABLE AND CAMEMBERT
BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND SWEET POTATO (Vegetarian)
And the last decision you have to make…
TRADITIONAL – simple gravy using the juice from sausages and vegetables
ONION – caramelised red and white Spanish onions with vegetarian stock (vegetarian/gluten free)
FARMER’S – red wine, onion, smoked bacon and mushrooms
LIQUOR – traditional parsley sauce (vegetarian)
VEGGIE – seasonable vegetables, tomato puree and horseradish (vegan/vegetarian/gluten free).
So, I chose the cheesy mash, I had the special for the day which was steak and stilton and onion gravy and hubby had the bubble and squeak mash, traditional mince beef with the farmer’s gravy.
My pie and mash!
The steak and stilton pie was delicious, the cheese really came through and mixed with the steak was wonderful. The pastry was flaky, buttery and tasty. The gravy was on another level, it was flavourful and just the right amount of thickness. I love mashed potato and the cheesy mash was smooth and very moreish.
Hubby enjoyed his and washed down with a bottle of lager, he was a happy man.
Always a good sign – my clean plate!
There are also sides you can have – mushy peas, baked beans, buttered savoy cabbage to name a few. We decided to just have the pie and mash.
Their pudding menu had some sweet pies – apple pie, apple crumble and apple and blackberry pie together with sticky toffee pudding, chocolate brownie and ginger bread. But we were too full and with all of our willpower declined a pudding.
Thoughts…
We thought this was very good value for money, considering we were in the heart of London – we paid a total of £41 (with tip) and came out of the restaurant feeling full.
The waiting staff were very good, the food was served quickly and hot, but we didn’t feel rushed.
I would definitely recommend a visit to Mother Mash, they have two restaurants in London, one in Carnaby and one in Covent Garden and we will be visiting them again when we’re in London.
This restaurant has been on my husband’s bucket list for a very long time and so when we found ourselves in London for a day, we decided that it was time to visit The Cinnamon Club.
The Cinnamon Club
Set in the historic Grade II listed former Westminster Library, The Cinnamon Club is an institution in the world of Indian fine dining. The original modern Indian restaurant in London, The Cinnamon Club has a long history of serving innovative and creative Indian cuisine in a magnificently majestic setting.
Chef Vivek Singh and his team of chefs have developed a stunning new menu that combines The Cinnamon Club’s signatures with new dishes and celebratory platters.
The Cinnamon Club website
Cinnamon Club
On arrival we were both impressed by the décor and the attentiveness of the staff. We chose to have the set menu which was £38 and it offered a good range of different ingredients.
We decided to have distilled water as we had to drive back home afterwards and didn’t want to have any alcohol.
I chose the Tandoori free range chicken chops with peri-peri- spices and passion fruit raita and hubby chose smoked venison and prune kebab, date chutney with chana masala hummus.
Before we were served the Starters, we were presented with an appetizer which was very tasty. (Sorry, I can’t remember the exact ingredients!)
Appetizer
Tandoori ChickenSmoked Venison
For our mains, I had Keema Methi Gosht – lamb and mince curry with fresh fenugreek and pilau rice. Hubby had Red spiced roast haddock, dried shrimp chutney, Bengali lentil and coconut dal.
We also ordered an extra side of stir-fried greens with garlic and chilli, for an extra charge of £7.00. My curry was very spicy, but I reasoned that you wouldn’t want to go to a high class restaurant and eat bland food. The meat was tender and just fell apart and the pilau rice was light and tasted flavourful and as you can see, I cleared my plate. Hubby cleared his too, even though his nose ran a little bit due to the spiciness, once he got used to it, he thoroughly enjoyed it.
Dessert was an experience to remember: our local Indian isn’t known for its desserts, but at The Cinnamon Club, it was another story….
Tasting plate of assorted desserts
We paid a supplement of £5 per person and boy, was it worth it. My hubby loves his desserts, I’m not such a big fan, but the chocolate mousse with the bird nest on top was amazing! There wasn’t one that we didn’t like and we polished them off between us.
An Americano coffee to finish and we received the bill which was £101, very reasonable for a restaurant in the heart of London which included an appetizer, starters, main course and dessert!
Thoughts
We had a wonderful time and even when the restaurant was busy, the waiting staff still came and filled up our glasses with water, they were all very friendly and polite.
The food was deliciously spiced with layers of texture and flavouring.
The experience met with hubby’s expectations and it is definitely somewhere we will be visiting again.
The tables for two are pretty close together and a couple sat on the table next to us while we were waiting for our dessert, we instantly started talking to each other and it was great to have a chat and find out about each other. We discovered that both myself and the lady both had had bowel cancer, so it was nice to share that experience with her.
If you follow my blog you’ll see that we use the Hairy Biker’s recipes a lot – we have seven of their cook books and we enjoy following their recipes to create amazing dishes. So, we were saddened to hear the news of Dave Myer’s passing.
I followed Dave’s cancer journey as much as I could mainly because I was battling cancer at the same time and I felt a connection with what he was going through. I think it was a shock because it did seem like he was beating it, he was recording the Hairy Biker’s cooking show on which he discussed his cancer diagnosis and even said that he was enjoying his food once again.
His cooking partner, Si King, broke the news on social media with a heartfelt statement:
Hi everyone, I’m afraid I bear some sad news. Most of you will know Dave has been fighting cancer for the past couple of years. Last night, on 28th February 2024, with Lili, Dave’s wife, his family, close friend David and myself by his side, he passed away peacefully at home. All who knew Dave are devastated at his passing. His beloved wife brought him such happiness as did her children, Iza and Sergiu who Dave loved like his own.
Personally, I am not sure I can put into words on how I feel at the moment. My best friend is on a journey that for now, I can’t follow. I will miss him every day and the bond and friendship we shared over half a lifetime. I wish you god’s speed brother; you are and will remain a beacon in this world. See you on the other side. Love ya.
I know Dave and his family would want me to thank all of you who sent messages of support in recent times. It meant the world to him, his family and all The Hairy Bikers team. I am sending you all much love and gratitude for those simple acts of kindness, generosity and spirit. We are eternally grateful for them.
May I ask you all for one further kindness and allow Lili, his wife, his family, close friends and I some time and some peace to process our huge loss. I am sure I will see you all soon.
Love Si x
The Hairy Bikers met on a Catherine Cookson mini-series and formed a bond over their love of food and motorcycles. From there was borne their own show where they travelled on their motorcycles to sample local cuisines and showcasing their own dishes.
They published over 25 cookbooks ranging from comfort foods to diet books to Mediterranean style recipes.
Whenever I have blogged when I have been following their recipes I always get a huge response – the stats don’t lie! The top one being their Bread and Butter Pudding with orange and raspberries, which is amazing.
Since his passing I have read lots of comments on social media about his zest for life, how he treated people with respect and care and most of all, his sense of humour.
Thoughts also go to Dave’s family and of course, Si. I’m not sure what he will do next, but he will have the support and love from all the Hairy Biker fans and all those around him.
From the moment we walked into the restaurant, to when we left, we were made to feel very special – nothing was too much trouble for any of the staff (not that we made any demands, but there was a particularly testing table that arrived as we were about to leave.) I loved the décor, it was just to my taste and we were sat at the window!
We did wonder who St. Petroc was, so we went to good old Google and found this: “St. Petroc, also known as Petrock, was a British prince and Christian saint. He was renowned for his goodness to both men and animals and he founded monasteries at Padstow and Bodmin. Although he had been brought up as a prince and trained to rule over people, he had a call to lead a holy life.”
We chose to have the Set Lunch at a cost of £26 each, with additional sides of Savoy Cabbage with bacon and chives and Tenderstem Broccoli with salsa verde.
We both decided on the same courses, Tomato Soup with Basil for starters, 4oz Steak Frites with thin cut chips and rocket salad for Mains and Sticky Toffee Pudding with Cornish clotted cream for dessert. I forgot to take a picture of the starter, but it was just soup!
The whole meal was absolutely delicious, hubby particularly loved the Tenderstem Broccoli and we ate everything, nothing was left to waste. The soup was very tasty, the steak just melted in your mouth, the chips were crispy with a light potato filling and the dessert was heavenly, not too rich, not too heavy and topped off perfectly with the clotted cream.
And just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, a special Happy Birthday plate was presented to the table!
The whole meal, including drinks, cost us £90 . I always say that I don’t mind paying that extra if the meal is worth it and boy was this meal worth it!
A journey through the meaning of life and anything else that grabs my attention!
Making My Home A Haven is important to me. Sharing homemaking skills. Recipes and food. Bible Studies. This is a treasure chest of goodies. So take a seat. Have a glass of tea and enjoy. You will learn all about who I am and Our Neck Of The Woods.
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