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With Christmas near, we want to inspire you with recipes that hero in-season ingredients!

Chestnut

Fresh chestnuts come into season from the end of September to the end of January. The comforting, Christmassy appeal of this sweet nut is a brilliant ingredient to add to your winter menus. Our Chestnut Mushroom Stroganoff recipe is the perfect dish to provide a hearty, vegetarian offering through the cold weather. This recipe is from our Sauce of Inspiration recipe book, why not discover more by downloading the full book for FREE!

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Click here to view the full recipe: Chestnut Mushroom Stroganoff  

Dates

Grown in North Africa and Israel, only a handful of dates are exported to Britain! Rich and packed with a deep flavour, dates are the perfect ingredient to add a sweet twist to something savoury. Why not try our Date and Herb stuffing featured within our Roast Leg of Lamb recipe? We know it’ll be a popular addition to your customers roast dinners. Click here to view the full recipe: Roast Leg of Lamb with Date and Herb Stuffing  

Duck

A little goes a long way with Duck, although it is less meaty compared to other poultry; this flavourful rich ingredient is extremely nutritious. Duck is popular in Chinese and Thai cuisine, so we want to add a little Asian inspired spice to your menu! Our Thai Spiced Duck Broth features both of Duck Glace and Aromatic Stock Base, creating a flavour profile like no other. Click here for the full recipe: Thai Spiced Duck Broth  

Leeks

Soups are the hero of winter and the perfect opportunity to use in-season vegetables. Although harsh when they are raw, leeks are delicately mild with a hint of sweetness when cooked; providing an ideal base to build a delicious soup! We have used in-season Leeks as well as our gluten free Vegetable Stock, within our King Louis Leek and Potato Soup; a great starter on your winter menu. Click here to view the full recipe: King Louis Leek and Potato Soup  

Grouse

Of all the game, grouse is considerably the king; native to Scotland its flesh is rich with a distinctive gamey flavour. It can sometimes prove difficult finding the perfect finish to your grouse dish; but have no fear, we have a rich sauce that can be ready to serve in less than 30 minutes. Using two of our richest products’ Game Glace and Signature Beef Jus, our Signature Beef and Red Wine Game Jus recipe is robustly flavoured and can be served with your own finishing touch - serve it with a garnish of your choice. Click here for the full recipe: Signature Beef and Red Wine Game Jus

Eggs

Eggs are in-season all year round, but we couldn’t forget a Christmas classic… Egg Nog! Our recipe contains only 4 ingredients, creating a premium yet cost effective addition to your menu! Using our Crème Anglaise, this recipe is also gluten free! Click here for the full recipe: Essential’s Christmas Egg Nog   Want your recipe to feature on our new monthly blog post? Inspire thousands of chefs with your recipe and receive a FREE Essential Cuisine mug and recipe book from our collection*. Simply email your recipe idea to [email protected] *Subject to availability.