Its Pancake Day.. Need I say more??

So its that time of year again where all catering staff and chefs alike clear their cupboards out ready for lent.

It is an age old ritual to clear the kitchen stores of all eggs, flour, sugar and milk before we fast for 40 days and 40 nights.

I have contacted a couple of the Bristol and Bath Chefs I know to ask them for their favourite pancake recipe and filling. After talking to them both they were in agreement that the best pancake is the original lemon and sugar version. Here is the recipe below.

Ingredients

110g Plain flour, sifted
pinch of salt
2 eggs
200ml milk mixed with 75ml water
50g Butter

To serve

caster sugar
lemon juice
lemon wedges

• Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl with a sieve held high above the bowl so the flour gets an airing. Now make a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it. Then begin whisking the eggs - any sort of whisk or even a fork will do - incorporating any bits of flour from around the edge of the bowl as you do so.

• Next gradually add small quantities of the milk and water mixture, still whisking (don't worry about any lumps as they will eventually disappear as you whisk). When all the liquid has been added, use a rubber spatula to scrape any elusive bits of flour from around the edge into the centre, then whisk once more until the batter is smooth, with the consistency of thin cream. Now melt the 50g/2oz of butter in a pan. Spoon 2 tbsp of it into the batter and whisk it in, then pour the rest into a bowl and use it to lubricate the pan, using a wodge of kitchen paper to smear it round before you make each pancake.

• Now get the pan really hot, then turn the heat down to medium and, to start with, do a test pancake to see if you're using the correct amount of batter. I find 2 tbsp is about right for an 18cm/7in pan. It's also helpful if you spoon the batter into a ladle so it can be poured into the hot pan in one go. As soon as the batter hits the hot pan, tip it around from side to side to get the base evenly coated with batter. It should take only half a minute or so to cook; you can lift the edge with a palette knife to see if it's tinged gold as it should be. Flip the pancake over with a pan slice or palette knife - the other side will need a few seconds only - then simply slide it out of the pan onto a plate.

• Stack the pancakes as you make them between sheets of greaseproof paper on a plate fitted over simmering water, to keep them warm while you make the rest.

• To serve, sprinkle each pancake with freshly squeezed lemon juice and caster sugar, fold in half, then in half again to form triangles, or else simply roll them up. Serve sprinkled with a little more sugar and lemon juice and extra sections of lemon.

Foot Note: Everyone loves pancakes.. Get out your pan and get cooking. This is probably one of the easiest recipes to follow and great fun for kids :o)

How do you toss yours?

Umm Cake, I like Cake :o)

This weekend I was on call for catering staff bookings, bar shifts and chef placements. We had 45 of our Catering team out at various locations across Bristol, North Somerset, Bath and the Cotswolds covering a Wedding, birthday meal and a local football game.

During the afternoon on Saturday I decided that I would put my hand to a bit of baking again. This time I decided to bake a Banana Tea bread. Perfect with a nice cup of Tea :)

Ingredients

175g Plain wholemeal flour
50g Medium oatmeal
100g Butter, softened
100g Dark muscovado sugar
2 tsp Baking powder
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
3-4 ripe bananas, about 350g peeled and mashed
100g Walnuts, roughly chopped

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/ Gas 4/ fan oven 160°C.
• Butter and line the base of a 1 kg loaf tin with baking paper.
• Put the wholemeal flour, oatmeal, butter, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and eggs into a large bowl and, using an electric hand whisk, beat together until evenly mixed.
• Stir in the bananas and walnuts, taking care not to over mix.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 1 ¼ hours or until a skewer inserted comes out clean (cover the cake with foil halfway through cooking to prevent the top from overbrowning).
• Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, and then carefully turn out, peel off the lining paper and cool completely on a wire rack.

Foot note: This bread was very easy to make and tasted absolutely divine. This is a definite winner.

Does the banana make this cake 1 of your 5 a day?

Whats in the cooking pot this week?

This week I decided to get my head into one of my Catering college recipe books. I spent 2 years studying to be a Chef and Hotel Manager and have found that this set me in good stead to run the restaurants and head up the kitchens that i have over the last 18 years.

So after looking through my cook book I decided to make a classic Leek and Potato soup. Nothing too taxing but perfect for this time of year.

Ingredients
400g Leeks (trimmed and washed)
25g Butter
750ml White stock
Bouquet garni
200g Potatoes
Salt
Pepper

• Cut the white and light green of leek into 1/2cm paysanne.
• Slowly cook in the butter in a pan with a lid on until soft, but without colouring.
• Add the stock, the bouquet garni, the potatoes cut into 1/2cm,
paysanne, 2 mm thick, season with salt and pepper.
• Simmer until the leeks and potatoes are cooked, approx. 15 min.

Paysanne: To cut into even, thin pieces, triangular, round or square.
Bouquet Garni: A foggot of herbs; Parsley, thyme and bay leaf usually tied inside pieces of leek and celery.

Foot Note: This soup was very warming and went perfect with a nice piece of focaccia bread.

If you are looking for a Chef, Catering Assistant or waiting staff then please contact us on 0117 904 1001.

Whats the Chef cooking this week?

This weeks recipe is a very much tried and tested Parmesan Chicken Breasts with Crispy Posh Ham. I have cooked this dish on a number of occasions in Bristol for my family and friends.

Being in the Catering recruitment business it is important that I keep myself in the chef industry. Having worked with various levels of catering staff in North Somerset and the Cotswolds I am always interested in seeing how different caterers prepare their food to high volume. So here is a great recipe that can be easily made for Wedding parties, Birthday celebrations or outside Catering events.

Ingredients
30g Parmesan cheese
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 skinless chicken breasts, preferably free-range or organic
freshly ground black pepper
I lemon
6 slices of prosciutto
olive oil

To prepare your chicken
• Grate your Parmesan
• Pick the thyme leaves off the stalks
• Carefully score the underside of the chicken breasts in a criss-cross fashion with a small knife
• Season with a little pepper (you don’t need: salt as the prosciutto is quite salty)
• Lay your breasts next to each other and sprinkle over most of the thyme leaves
• Grate a little lemon zest over them, then sprinkle with the Parmesan
• Lay 3 prosciutto slices on each chicken breast, overlapping them slightly
• Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining thyme leaves
• Put a square of cling film over each breast and give them a few really good bashes with the bottom of a pan until they're about I cm thick

To cook your chicken
• Put a frying pan over a medium heat
• Remove the cling film and carefully transfer the chicken breasts, prosciutto side down, into the pan
• Drizzle over some olive oil
• Cook for 3 minutes on each side. Turning halfway through, giving the ham side an extra 30 seconds to crisp up

To serve your chicken
• Either serve the chicken breasts whole or cut them into thick slices and pile them on a plate
• Serve with some lemon wedges for squeezing over, and a good drizzle of olive oil
• Lovely with mash and green veg or a crunchy salad!

Foot Note: I like to serve this with sweet potato mash and a mustard sauce. This is a really easy dish to make and it wows your friends making them think you have some really good catering skills.

Chef Agency makes a new recipe

As a Catering recruitment agency it is important to have a good knowledge of Chef skills and Chef work. In Bristol I have worked as a Chef de Partie in a few different restaurants and in Bath I had the Sous Chef job in a Hotel.

With various Chef work and Chef Jobs in North Somerset and South Wales I am still keeping on with my new year Catering recruitment blog and have cooked a Minced Beef Wellington.

Ingredients
1 Medium Onion
1 Carrot
1 Stick of celery
1 Potato
2 Cloves of garlic
2 Large Portobello mushrooms
olive oil
4 Sprigs of fresh rosemary
A Big handful of frozen peas
1 large egg,
500g good-quality minced beef
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Plain flour, for dusting
500g Puff pastry, chilled

To prepare your mince
• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4
• Peel and chop the onion, carrot, celery and potato into I cm sized dice
• Finely grate the garlic
• Clean and roughly chop the mushrooms so they're about the same size as your other veg
• Place all the veg into a large frying pan on a medium low heat with 2 lugs of olive oil
• Pick the rosemary leaves off the woody stalks, finely chop them and add to the pan
• Fry and stir for around 8 minutes or until the veg soften and colour lightly
• Add the frozen peas and cook for another minute
• Put the vegetable mixture into a large bowl to cool completely (approx 20 mins)
• Crack the egg into a cup and beat it up
• Add the minced beef to the bowl with a good pinch of salt and pepper and half the beaten egg
• With clean hands, scrunch and mix up well

To roll and fill your pastry
• Lightly dust your clean work surface and rolling pin with flour and roll out the puff pastry so it is roughly the size and shape of a small tea towel
• Dust with flour as you go
• Turn your pastry so you have a long edge in front of you and place the mince mixture along this edge
• Mould it into an even, long, sausage shape
• Brush the edges of the pastry with a little of the beaten egg
• Roll the mince up in the pastry until it's covered completely
• Squeeze the ends together - it will look like a big Christmas cracker!
• Dust a baking tray with flour and place your Wellington on top
• Brush all over with the rest of the beaten egg
• Bake in the preheated oven for an hour until golden

To serve your Wellington
• Slice the Wellington up into portions at the table
• Lovely served with some lightly boiled or steamed greens, cabbage tossed in a little butter or mashed potato

Final Verdict: This dish went really well with steamed spinach with garlic. Next time I will add more vegetables to the recipe. I also think that this would taste good as a spicy meat wellington with chilli and kidney beans.

New Year, New Catering Blog

After the Christmas season has past and we have filled all of our waiting staff positions I sat down with a glass of cider and started to write my new year’s resolutions.

So what could I achieve this year that would make me feel better about myself and grow into a better person?

Well apart from the usual give up tobacco, eat healthy and exercise more I started to think a little bit into how I could make the Back-2-Front blog more interesting?

Rather than writing the usual Catering Staff, Bar Staff, Chefs and catering jobs in Bristol I decided that I would write a journal about another of my resolutions.

I am planning to cook a new dish every week this year and thought I would share the recipes with you.

So what delight am I going to start the New Year with?? Well I was given a Indian cook book for Christmas so let’s cook a Ruby :o)

This week I cooked a very tasty dish called Menthi Aloo.

The scented aroma and distinctive flavour of methi (fresh fenugreek) transforms any dish. Methi Aloo can be served with most Indian main meals. Methi can be bought from shops that specialize in Indian foods. I bought it from Asda

1 small onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2.5 cm (1 in) piece of ginger, roughly chopped
80 ml (3 fl oz/Vs cup) oil
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
600 g (1 Ib 5 oz) potatoes, cut into cubes
2 green chillies, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
3 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 bunches of methi (about 140 g/5 oz of methi leaves),
roughly chopped unsalted butter (optional)

Put the onion, garlic and ginger in a food processor and chop together, but not to a paste, or chop with a knife and mix together.

Heat the oil in a karhai or heavy-based frying pan over medium heat and fry the onion mixture until softened.

Stir in the turmeric. Add the potato and chilli and fry for 5 minutes. Add the chilli, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper and stir for 1 minute.

Add 2 tablespoons water to the pan, cover, reduce the heat and simmer. As the potato cooks, it might start sticking to the pan, so after 10 minutes, add 2 more tablespoons of water if necessary. At no stage should the potato be allowed to brown.

After 10 minutes, stir in the methi and cook over low heat for 15 minutes, or until the potato is soft. Season with salt, to taste. Serve with a knob of unsalted butter melted on top if you like.

Final verdict is: I loved this dish. So much I actually cooked it again 2 days later. I will be adding this to my recipe book and will be cooking it when I next have guests around.

So here is the foot note which is all about Chefs in Bath, Cotswolds, North Somerset and Bristol. Full time Chef positions are rolling in so get your CV to us via our website.

Catering Staff for Christmas

Back-2-Front are looking for various levels of catering staff to join our team over the festive period.

If you are a Chef, Cook, Kitchen Porter, Waiting staff, bar staff or general catering assistant we would like to hear from you.

We supply various Hotels, restaurants, Bars and Outside Events in Bristol, South Wales, North Somerset, Bath and the Cotswolds.

All of our Catering staff are fully qualified with at least 3 years experience. If you have had experience working in a banqueting style operation and would like to earn some extra money this Christmas then we would like to hear from you.

To apply please visit our website and apply through our online registration form.

Chef bookings come in Thick and Fast

Back-2-Front Chef agency has had an influx of Chef Bookings come in over the past couple of weeks.

We are slowly but surely becoming the 1st choice for Chefs with caterers, hotels and restaurants in Bristol, Bath and the South West.

If you are a qualified Chef who is looking to work in various Pubs, restaurants and hotel kitchens and have a great work ethic then we have the hours to give you.

We are looking for committed, reliable and friendly Chefs to work across South Wales, Cotswolds, Bath, North Somerset and Bristol areas.

Head Chefs, Sous Chefs, CDP and Freelance Chefs are all welcome.

To apply for a Chef position then visit our website and apply through our online registration form.

Chef agency looking for chefs and kitchen porters

Back-2-Front Chef agency are looking to recruit experienced chefs who have a real passion for cooking within various kitchen environments.

Do you love the challenge of service, ensuring that the food is served on time to the restaurant always exceeding the guest’s expectations?

Are you the kind of Chef who takes pride in his work?

Do you believe in turning up for shift early to check that the produce is all fresh for the days menu?

We only recruit the best Chefs in the South West, supplying top Hotels, fine dining restaurants and high profile events and weddings.

Covering areas of Bristol, Bath, South Wales, Cotswolds and North Somerset we are always busy and would love to hear from you.

If you would like to join our brigade then visit our website and register with us - Quoting "Blog" - using our Online Registration Form.

Back-2-Front Chef Agency now supplying events all over Avon, Somerset, Thornbury and Wales

With our expanding business comes a great need to find intuitive people to help us grow.

So if your currently residing in the Avon area and are prepared to work in such far flung places as Bournemouth, Chepstow, Cheltenham and South Wales then we would like to hear from you. All we ask for is your skill?

Chef de Partie, Sous Chef and Head Chefs are currently being recruited for weddings, BBQ’s and as hotel relief.

It is of the upmost importance to supply the right staff for the right function so if you have experience with large or small event catering and work well both as an individual and as a team member, then contact us through our website.

Interviews are being conducted weekly in the centre of Bristol. If we know your availability we can work to your schedule and find work that suits you.

To apply for a job within Back-2-Front visit our website and register with us- Quoting "Blog" - using our online registration form.

Summer Chefs and Kitchen Staff required

Back-2-Front Chef Agency that supplies chefs, cooks and kitchen porters in Bristol and the Cotswolds are gaining more business every day.

We have various Kitchen roles including a Head Chef position in central Bath. Also a contract catering unit based in Bristol.

We are currently looking to increase the size of our Chef brigade to help manage the increase in catering bookings.

If you have had previous experience as a Chef de Partie, Sous Chef, Head Chef or a Kitchen Porter and would like to earn extra money over the summer months we would like to hear from you.

To apply for a job within Back-2-Front visit our website and register with us - Quoting "Blog" - using our Online Registration Form.

Chef Agency goes from strength to strength

Back-2-Front Chef Agency that supplies chefs, cooks and kitchen porters have just secured a outside catering contract for the rest of the summer.

The Caterer has 4 weddings every weekend over the summer and has pre-booked kitchen staff for every event.

We are currently looking to increase the size of our Chef brigade to help manage the increase in catering bookings.

If you have had previous experience as a Chef de Partie, Sous Chef or Head Chef and would like to earn extra money over the summer months we would like to hear from you.

To apply for a job within Back-2-Front visit our website and register with us - Quoting "Blog" - using our Online Registration Form.

Waiting Jobs, Bar Jobs. Catering jobs for Car Drivers in Bristol

Car Drivers needed to work at Weddings, Festivals and outside events this summer.

Wedding and festival season is here and we have plenty of bar jobs, waiting jobs and catering jobs available.

We are looking for friendly, energetic and experienced waiters and bar staff to work at various weddings and events across Bristol and North Somerset.

We have a number of jobs for dedicated car drivers in the Cotswolds and North Somerset. We pay enhanced rates with petrol money included.

Have you worked on a busy, lively bar and enjoyed the pace and variety this kind of work offers?

Or have you had a job in a restaurant and can carry 3 plates?

If the answer is yes we would love to hear from you. We pay a competitive rate and enhanced rates for car drivers.

To apply for a job within Back-2-Front visit our website and register with us- Quoting "Blog" - using our online registration form.

Weekend Chefs Required

Back-2-Front's Chef Agency is looking to recruit dedicated chef's to work every weekend over the summer.

We have various clients that have outside events on every weekend and require Chefs, Kitchen Porter's and Catering staff to help them to cook and serve.

Are you free on Saturday's and Sunday's? Do you want to earn some extra money this summer?

To apply for a job within Back-2-Front visit our website and register with us - Quoting "Blog" - using our Online Registration Form.

Chef agency looking for chefs and kitchen porters

Back-2-Front catering recruitment and chef agency are just about to move into one of its busiest seasons and we are looking to recruit a brigade of chefs to supply the numerous chef jobs that we have available.

We already have a number of weddings and outside events that we will supply chefs, kitchen porters and catering staff to in Bristol and around the south west.

We are actively looking to register a brigade of dedicated and skilled chefs, kitchen porters and catering staff to help us fill all of our catering jobs.

If you have had previous experience working at outside events weddings and banquets we would like to have a chat with you to discuss our future catering events and weddings.

Interviews are being held on Wednesday in central Bristol.

We pay a very competitive rate for all our chefs, kitchen porters and catering staff and with a busy summer ahead of us we will have plenty of chef jobs and catering work available.

To apply for a job within Back-2-Front visit our website and register with us - Quoting "Blog" - using our Online Registration Form.

Chef agency looking for chefs and kitchen porters

Back-2-Front catering recruitment and chef agency are just about to move into one of its busiest seasons and we are looking to recruit a brigade of chefs to supply the numerous chef jobs that we have available.

We already have a number of weddings and outside events that we will supply chefs, kitchen porters and catering staff to in Bristol and around the south west.

We are actively looking to register a brigade of dedicated and skilled chefs, kitchen porters and catering staff to help us fill all of our catering jobs.

If you have had previous experience working at outside events weddings and banquets we would like to have a chat with you to discuss our future catering events and weddings.

We pay a very competitive rate for all our chefs, kitchen porters and catering staff and with a busy summer ahead of us we will have plenty of chef jobs and catering work available.

To apply for a job within Back-2-Front visit our website and register with us - Quoting "Blog" - using our Online Registration Form.

Wedding Catering, Waiting and Bar Staff

Do you need to hire Catering/Waiting/Bar staff for your wedding?

At Back-2-Front we have numerous skilled staff ready to serve you and your guests for any occasion.

Birthday Parties, Anniversary Dinners, Award Ceremony’s, Bar mitzvahs, Christenings, Work functions, Christmas Parties, Conferences and Banquets, just about anything you want to celebrate.

We can even supply you will a Butler to cater for your every whim or even a Kitchen Porter to wash the dishes at the end of the night.

Our staff have a wealth of knowledge and experience ready to make your event run smoothly.