Support your local butcher

I have, for sometime, refused to buy meat from Supermarkets (with the exception of Booths!) and have chosen to buy from local butchers.

The quality and the price is far and away better than any of the big supermarkets.

Last night we had Italian Pork Sausage from Roy Porters in Chatburn and for £2.85 a pound not only where they a bargain they tasted fantastic too! Served with creamy mash and onion gravy was a quick, cheap and tasty Friday night supper.

Today I went to Countrystyle Meats based (permanently) at the auction site at Clitheroe. Alan & Heather try to source locally and have a blackboard to advise you where the Pork, Lamb etc has come from. They also sell game.

From there I bought 4lb of chicken breasts for £12 and 5lb of quality beef mince for £7.50! They will pack into whatever size you want and will vacpac if required. As daughter is at uni we stock up there for her with mince vacpacked in to 1/2lb bags and individual chicken breast etc.

So support your local butcher and you will get superior, tastier quality meat and you will also know where it has come from.

Chicken Curry

When we were on holiday in Goa we went to Aprora market one evening, what a place that was! You could buy anything there. There was a very strange atmosphere to the place with the loud music and the smell of drugs in the air! Bartering was a must and you could buy things at about 10% of the original asking price. 

Whilst we were there we bought a lot of spices some premixed and ground and others whole. Kept in an air tight tin they keep their flavour for a long time. I tend to use these spices in my curries but have included others if you don't have access to spices from Goa! Most can be purchased from you local Asian supermarket.

4 Chicken Breasts - diced

1 Onion - sliced

Tin of Coconut Milk

Tin of Chopped Tomatoes

1 tsp Mustard Seeds

1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds - Ground

1/2 tsp Fenugreek - Ground

6 Cardamon Pods

Fresh Chili finely sliced (to taste)

1 Clove of garlic

Tablespoon of Curry Leaves

Fresh Corriander to serve

In a large frying pan heat some oil and add the mustard seeds until they begin to pop. Add the onions, cumin, fenugreek, cardamon, garlic and chilli - fry gently for a few minutes until the onions are soft.

Stir in the chicken and cook for a further 5 minutes stirring regularly.

Add the coconut, tomatoes and curry leaves and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the chopped corriander and serve with Basmati Rice and Naan Bread.

Enjoy with a glass of Kingfisher Beer.