July is National Picnic Month and with temperatures in some part of the UK reaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit this week, there’s never been a better time to eat alfresco, just remember the factor 50!
We like to practice what we preach here at SK, so this week we made and served a picnic lunch for one of our supermarket clients. Being based in the North East of England, you never know what the weather is going to be like, but we couldn’t have picked a better week to do it.
Wynyard (our HQ) was hotter than most of Greece, which is not something we can say often, although it won’t be long before the umbrellas are back out and, in our case, not to protect us from the sun!
We thought our picnic was great, but we have to also take our hats off to KFC (and you also won’t hear us say that often either), whose bizarre promotion has won National Picnic Month.
One of the branches in the USA has come up with the Picnic Polo, a wearable red and white gingham polo short with an extra-large pocket which unfolds to become a large picnic blanket.
It is designed to encourage wearers to have picnics in unexpected locations, such as office conference rooms, airports and rooftop bars.
The first 15 customers that visited the KFC drive through on a particular day received their Picnic Polo kit, although we are still waiting to see pictures of anyone who used them. If you were one of the lucky people to get on and are too embarrassed to use it, them please send them to me, c/o SK Foods, as I have absolutely no shame!
While I am waiting for delivery, here’s this week’s picnic-inspired recipe.
Black pudding and apple quiche
Pastry:
- 350g plain flour
- 200g cold salted butter cut into cubes
- 2 egg yolks
- 15mls cold water
- 2 extra egg yolks
- 15mls of milk
Method:
In a food processor add the flour and butter and mix until a breadcrumb texture is formed. Then add the egg yolks and water and mix to a dough. If the mix doesn’t form into a dough add a little more water. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Pre heat your oven to 180oc.
Roll out your chilled pastry on a floured surface to 1cm thick. Line your mould or tin with the pastry being carefully not to split it. Once lined chill for 5 minutes.
Cut out a sheet of greaseproof, crumple it up then open out and place inside your pastry case then using baking beans fill your tart case (you can also use rice). Blind bake in the oven until pastry is golden brown and cooked through.
Once out the oven whisk together the 2 yolks and milk and brush onto the inside of the tart case and all up the edges and cook for a further 5 minutes, this will form a protective barrier against the quiche mix leaking out.
Quiche mix and filling:
- 5 medium eggs
- 100mls of milk
- 200mls double of cream
- 6 slices of black pudding cubed
- 1 granny smith apple peeled and cubed
- 10g fresh chopped thyme
- 3 chopped spring onions
- 50g of cheddar cheese grated
- Salt and pepper
- Extra butter for frying
Method:
Fry off the black pudding, apple, thyme and spring onion in the same pan with a knob off butter until the black pudding is crisp and the apple is soft.
Whisk together the eggs, milk, cream and seasoning.
Fill the tart case with black pudding and apple mix then fill with liquid quiche mix and sprinkle with cheese.
Cook at 170oc until the egg is firm and cooked all the way through. Allow to cool.
Perfect for picnics, outdoor or indoor!
About Chris Brown
Sous Chef of SK Foods.
Your food. Our Passion.
