Marks and Spencer Archives

Here are 2 summer recipes that M&S asked us to review. Featuring fresh berries they are both quick and simple to assemble. The salad in particular is exceptionally good and a great way to use up the glut of fat berries in my fruit bed.

Raspberry, melon and feta salad with mint and lime dressing

This salad makes the perfect starter for a summer dinner or as a light lunch. Using ready prepared melon saves a huge amount of prep time and by using a mixed pack you get added variety and stunning colours. The beauty of this really lies in its simplicity and it looks beautiful too. A dressing of lime juice and honey coats the fruit and a large bunch of fresh mint adds a refreshing tang. Tossed together with some crumbled feta the saltiness of the cheese gives a savoury kick from a dish that could otherwise be a dessert. Last time I made this I added blueberries and a freshly picked sliced cucumber too which we all loved.

Verdict: A fanstastic summer salad which lends itself to adaptations – try different berries, herbs and cheese.

Download the original recipe for Raspberry feta salad

Blueberry and lemon meringue semi-freddo

Apart from whipping the cream this is a super easy dessert to make – and as you freeze it its perfect to make ahead of time. It’s presented as a semi freddo style dessert which means taking it out of the freezer 30 minutes before eating. I would normally do this just after serving the main course unless you don’t mind a longer break between courses. Although we loved the flavour of this dessert and the half frozen texture of the blueberries it was very rich. I would make this again but probably use half fat creme fraiche mixed with some thick fat free Greek style yoghurt. You could also get away with using less lemon curd as you already have the sweetness of the meringue and doubling up the fruit would also work. Another plus here is format, the original recipe uses a loaf tin but I used a loose bottomed cake tin. You can also use individual dishes providing they are suitable for the freezer.

Verdict: Very rich and calorific but with a few sensible tweaks to the ingredients a great recipe to have in your repertoire.

Download the original recipe for blueberry and lemon meringue semi-freddo

When we were contacted by Marks and Spencer’s PR company to do some recipe testing we thought why not? While we always try and buy from independent shops our busy unpredictable lifestyles sometimes mean we get the timing wrong. The small Simply M&S Stores at service stations offer convenience, quality and long opening hours. The fact you can get in and out fast is a big plus. Bigger stores have also got some great products and I like the range of cooks ingredients recently introduced.

We were supplied with ingredients to try out two recipes. A cook from scratch Fish Provencal with line caught cod and the other a Thai green chicken curry using a jar of ‘Count on us” reduced calorie sauce.

Fish provencal

This tasty dish was a real hit! Using a selection of fresh vegetables alongside a can of cherry tomatoes gave the sauce a rich texture with a short cooking time. The suggested 15 minutes prep time on the recipe was a challenge even with my knife skills but it is a relatively quick dish to make. Using fresh herbs and crunchy peppers gives plenty of texture and depth of flavour. If you prefer your veggies softer then simply add an extra 8-10 minutes to the suggested cooking time and you end up with a more ratatouille style sauce. Served with steamed couscous, this dish was satisfying to eat and felt body kind. The recipe states its 325 calories but this doesn’t take into account the couscous. I thought this was a bit misleading at its shown on the recipe image.

Verdict? I would definately make this again! Download the recipe here

Thai green chicken curry

This dish is packed with fresh chicken and crunchy vegetables. The sauce (from the ‘count on us’ range) is very mild so if you are used to eating spicy punchy Thai food this may not be for you. This low calorie sauce has very little coconut milk in it hence the muted texture and mouthfeel. You zip the dish up just before serving with fish sauce so you can up the quantity add some extra zing. Again the calorie value here does not include the noodles so if you are counting add that into the equation. Its difficult to make a low calorie version of a Thai green curry that relies on the georgous creamy nutty flavour and texture of coconut (and very calorific) so if you avoid this dish on that basis it could work for you.

Verdict: The low calorie nature of this classic Asian dish is a big compromise , but if you like mild curries it might just suit your palate. Download the recipe for Thai Green Curry here

Eat Surrey

Reviewer of Independent Food Businesses in Surrey

Tag Archives: Marks and Spencer

Recipe review: Raspberries and blueberries

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Recipe Review: Fish provencal and Thai green chicken curry

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