When the sun is shining, there’s little Brits love more than a barbecue. Succulent salmon and Scotch ribeye steak are perfect for barbecues on long summer afternoons – a great people pleaser if you are inviting plenty of guests.

Cooking salmon on the barbecue

You can enjoy barbecued salmon in a number of different ways. Here are our choices:

How to barbecue salmon whole

Cooking salmon whole is perfect for large groups of guests and it’s very easy to do.

Light your BBQ to warm and fill the cavity of the fish with a generous covering of salt and rub a healthy amount into the skin. At this point you can also stuff the salmon with flavours of your choice, such as lemon or herbs. If you decide to do so, butcher’s string may be needed to hold the fish together.

With a sharp knife, cut deeply into the fish body, creating slashes that go down to the spine. This will help the fish to cook quicker and allows that lovely smoky flavour to seep inside. Brush both sides of the fish with oil and dab on some flour. Place the salmon on the heat and begin to cook.

Place the cover over the BBQ but make sure there is air ventilation, through either vents or a small gap in the opening. The cooking time for each fish will vary, depending on its size and how hot it gets. But expect to cook for at least 40 minutes.

When the skin starts to brown and crisp up, safely turn the fish using cooking tongs. Once done, carefully remove from the heat and place on a serving dish to cool for 5 minutes. If you used butcher’s string you should remove this now.

Altogether, cooking this whole salmon should not take more than an hour and can serve up to 10 guests.

How to cook the perfect steak on the barbecue

Of course, there are other meats perfect for cooking on the barbecue. We love a nice fillet of Scotch Ribeye; season this liberally with salt around an hour before you intend to cook it. This will give it ample time to draw the moisture out of the meat and allow it to sink back in – creating tender meat. During this time the meat should come to room temperature.

If you have a coal BBQ, arrange the coals to fill one side. This will give you a hot and cool area for optimal cooking. Place the steak on this cool side with the cover on the BBQ. There is no need to sear it first. Make sure to flip the meat frequently using cooking tongs, replacing the cover each time.

When the steak is almost done, sear it quickly on the hot coals and remove it from the grill to rest. After about 10 minutes, plate up and serve with your cooked salmon.
Serve your salmon and steak up to your guests with some seasoned wedges, a light summer salad, onion rings, or a homemade spicy dip. Not sure what drink will suit your meal?

We’ve a blog for that too!

(Images: iStock)

The Henley Regatta is the world’s best known regatta and is a summer highlight for many, for both sport and socialising. And this year’s event is set to start soon (2nd – 6th July).

The Henley Regatta

The Henley Regatta is an annual rowing event that is held for 5 days over the first weekend in July. Over 200 races are held along the river Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England where the event got its name.

The event attracts thousands of visitors to the area every year and has been running since 1839. Olympians and rowers of international standard compete in head-to-head knock out competitions along the mile long course culminating in the most prestigious event – the Grand Challenge Cup!

The Henley Regatta has been known as the ‘Henley Royal Regatta’ since 1851, when Prince Albert became its first royal patron. Since then each reigning monarch has taken over patronage.

Fine Dining at Henley

If you are planning on attending the regatta* then you will know there is so much more to the event than boat races. Henley is known for its fine food and great socialising.

There are several different bar, restaurant and café areas where you can relax with friends and make new acquaintances. You could enjoy a three-course lunch in the Luncheon Tent, or have a traditional afternoon tea here to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the races.
For something a little more formal, take a seat at the Seafood Restaurant where you can enjoy great seafood, shellfish, and even better company. Or take a short trip down the road to the Macdonald Hotel and Resort where John Ross Junior products can be proudly found on the menu.

*If you have tickets, then make sure to check out the strict dress code before you go.

Enjoy From Home

If you won’t be heading down to the South East of England this weekend, not to worry, you can still enjoy the quality food you would expect at Henley, from the comfort of your home. Why not try this boating inspired recipe?

Salmon and Lettuce Boats

Ingredients:

• 1 Cos or Romaine lettuce
• 1 spring onion
• 160g plain kiln roasted John Ross Junior Smoked Salmon
• ½ an avocado
• 2 tbsp. cream cheese
• 1 tbsp. chopped dill
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• Olive oil
• Lemon zest for garnish

Method:

The first thing to do is prepare the ingredients. Start off by carefully pulling the lettuce leaves off. Wash these well and leave to dry. Slice up the spring onion and the avocado into small bite sized pieces and put to one side. Lay out the lettuce leaves so they form cup or boat like shapes on your chopping board.

Place a small amount of oil in a frying pan, and on a medium heat cook the capers for about a minute. They should turn golden and crisp. In a separate bowl combine the smoked salmon, cream cheese, spring onion, lemon juice and dill. Mix well.

Divide this mixture among the lettuce leaves, sprinkle with capers and top with the lemon zest for decoration. And finally season to taste with salt and pepper.

You now have some deliciously healthy smoked salmon and lettuce boats inspired by the weekend’s boat racing!

(images: Wikipedia and Taste)

Quality salmon is incorporated into a number of rich, exciting, creative dishes across the globe. England may have already exited the World Cup, but we’re intent on bringing nations together by celebrating the international popularity of this smoked fish.

How do other nations and continents prepare their salmon? Let’s take a look:

In spicy Brazilian orange

This tangy, slightly spicy dish is particularly popular in Brazil and other parts of South America. Simply marinade your salmon fillets in lemon and orange juice for half an hour then cover in a combination of orange skin, lime skin, two tablespoons of brown sugar, squeezed garlic and a generous sprinkling of cayenne pepper. Delicioso!

In an Asian Rangoon

One for those with nimbler fingers than the average, but salmon Rangoon is a rich, enticing appetiser. Deep-fried Rangoons are traditionally served with crab but smoked salmon and cream cheese presents an even more indulgent option.

Once you’ve combined a mixture of salmon, cream cheese and thinly-sliced spring onions, place them in wanton wrappers and fold up to make a cute little parcel. Then fry in a couple of inches of hot oil until it’s lightly browned. Not as healthy as many salmon dishes, but undeniably excellent.

In a Spanish potato tortilla

Potato and salmon tortilla is an excellent option for buffets and cold lunches. Combine 6 large free-range eggs with softened, chopped potatoes and plenty of dill and pepper in an ovenproof bowl and then bake for around 40 minutes, or whenever the egg has just set. Eat cold and enjoy.

In an English wellington

Wellingtons are, of course, associated with beef, but there’s a very strong case to be made for salmon being a better fit for this puff pastry dish – particularly when you want something a little lighter in the summer months.

Simply encase a salmon fillet in a bed of puff pastry with a cooling mixture of dill, cucumber, honey and mustard, and leave to bake for around 40 minutes. Salmon wellington is anything other than an ersatz option.

In a Thai one-pot style

This recipe is perfect for avoiding mess in the kitchen and, of course, tastes brilliant. Add your salmon fillet to a skillet on a medium heat for a few minutes until it’s browned and then remove it. Then fry spring onions with lemongrass and pour in a fair whack of coconut milk, lime juice and a couple of teaspoons of Thai red curry paste to taste. Serve with green veg and fragrant rice.

What’s your favourite, most unique way to serve salmon? Follow us on Twitter or Like us on Facebook and let us know!

(Image: Steven Depolo under CC BY 2.0)

June 2014

Food connoisseurs seeking a modern twist on traditionally prepared smoked salmon need look no further. London’s internationally renowned department store, Harrods, has made traditional smokehouse John Ross Jr’s Tea Smoked Salmon with Lapsang Souchong Tea exclusively available at its iconic food hall.

Cured and smoked in traditional red brick kilns listed by Historic Scotland and dating back to 1857, John Ross Jr’s Tea Smoked Salmon with Lapsang Souchong Tea is delicately smoked over a blend of tea and smouldering oak chippings for 24 hours.

Tapping into Britain’s growing demand for innovative smoked salmon flavours and using China’s most famous tea leaf, often distinguished by its smoky aroma, John Ross Jr’s latest artisan product delivers a beautifully smoked flavour and succulent, rich texture reminiscent of how smoked salmon used to taste.

John Ross Jr’s Tea Smoked Salmon is available in 200g packs for £9.95 and joins the smokehouse’s range of artisan products already available at the Knightsbridge retailer.

Christopher Leigh, John Ross Jr’s Master Smoker, comments: “We’ve created a product that is going to strike a chord with foodies who appreciate a rich, depth of flavour and those who enjoy their smoked salmon with a strong, punchy smoke. This product hasn’t been developed as a marketing ploy or to tap into the latest trends. We wanted to develop a smoked salmon that appealed to those with discerning palates and our latest creation does just that. We’ve created an aromatic flavour that strikes the perfect balance between traditional and contemporary tastes and we’re delighted to make the product exclusively available through Harrods.”

For more information visit www.johnrossjr.com or www.harrods.com.

Ends

Notes to editors:

John Ross Jr
As holder of the Royal Warrant and supplier to world-renowned hotels and restaurants across the UK and 36 other countries, John Ross Jr is now an internationally recognised brand. Supplying the world’s most celebrated restaurants from Gary Rhodes’ Rhodes 24 to the London Intercontinental, John Ross Jr has received international acclaim for its Scottish Smoked Salmon.
John Ross Jr (Aberdeen) has been producing superior Scottish smoked salmon in the truly traditional way for over 150 years making us one of the last remaining producers using this technique.
We genuinely produce our product in the time-honoured fashion and our brick kilns are so rare they have been awarded ‘listed’ status by Historic Scotland. The rare red brick kilns sited at the centre of our busy fish processing area have survived throughout the 20th century and into 21st century. Used every day, the traditional brick kilns are used to smoke what many world-class chefs view as the best smoked salmon in the world.
Our core team, which includes five family members, has almost a century of collective experience of the smoked salmon business.

For more information please visit www.johnrossjr.com.

For further information please contact:

 John Ross Jr
Stuart Pearson
The PR Farm
01483 892301 / 07812 086211
stuart@theprfarm.com.

Harrods
Pooja Sharma-Jones
Food Halls and Restaurants Marketing & Communications Manager
020 72256884
pooja.sharma-jones@harrods.com

Wimbledon is here once again. And whether or not Andy Murray retains his title, the one thing that Wimbledon signifies is summer (well, most of the time).

To celebrate Wimbledon and all things summery, we thought we’d try and give you some inspiration for alfresco light bites whilst taking in one of the most quintessentially British events of the year.

If you’re about to buy smoked salmon online then make sure you have enough in to make the two recipes below.

Once you’ve read this all you will need to do is serve, eat and love over the next couple of weeks.

Enjoy!

Grand Slam Salmon with a tangy horseradish sauce

This dish is very simple to make, which means that you can spend less time preparing food and more time watching the tennis!

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• A third of a tablespoon of flat leaf parsley (chopped)
• ½ tablespoon horseradish
• A third of a tablespoon of whole-grain mustard
• A sprinkling of freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)
• 4 slices of wholegrain or soda bread
• 4 slices of John Ross Jr’s Traditional Smoked Salmon
• Fresh dill (to taste)

Method

1. Mix together the mayonnaise, parsley, horseradish, mustard and pepper. Stir well.
2. Grab two plates, place two slices of the bread on each one then lay one slice of smoked salmon on each slice. Add a spoonful of sauce on each slice before garnishing with the dill.

Strawberries and cream cheese smoked salmon on Bruschetta

Strawberries and cream or smoked salmon? Now you can have both – at the same time!

We came across this recipe and couldn’t resist. It is Wimbledon, after all.

Ingredients

• Four slices, John Ross Jr’s Traditional Smoked Salmon
• One fresh French baguette
• A pack of Philadelphia (or equivalent)
• 1 cup of fresh strawberries – with stalks cut out
• 1 sprig of basil

Method

Prepare the strawberry cream cheese by combining the strawberries and cream cheese in a processor. Refrigerate until needed.

Slice the baguette according to how hungry you are. Spread each slice with the strawberry cream cheese and then layer the smoked salmon on top. Finely slice the basil and sprinkle on top before placing the pieces in the oven for 3-5 minutes.

Serve with a sprig of basil and a halved strawberry on top.

Royal Ascot 2014 is underway and the ladies are donning their hats for a wonderful few days of racing, socialising and of course wining and dining. To get into the spirit of things we thought we’d take a look at a few salmon recipes inspired by the millinery on display at this year’s event; some however look so beautiful you won’t want to eat them!

Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Canapés

If you follow our blog you will know that we are fond of a smoked salmon, cream cheese and chive combination. And with a little bit of artistic flare you can turn this basic aperitif into a masterpiece.

Transform this dish with some carefully arranged sprigs of fresh dill and place on a long serving plate. Zest a large lemon, or peel finely, and top the salmon with the strands. This will add a pop of colour and interest to the plate.

Smoked Salmon and Asparagus Spears

Asparagus is a spring time vegetable which is hugely popular. So if you can still source it, you’ll have a deliciously fresh bite sized dish.

All you will need is:

• 16 asparagus spears
• 250g of smoked salmon
• 2 sheets of nori (optional)

Method:

Start off by cooking the asparagus. To do this, boil the spears in water for around 2 minutes. When ready they will be bright green and crisp. Remove from the heat and refresh under cold water.

Slice the salmon into strips and wrap around the asparagus. For added flavour you could then cover this with strips of nori. Place on a plate seam side down to avoid unwrapping, ready for serving.

Smoked Salmon Roses

All of the finest canapés look appetising, as most people eat with their eyes. So the better a dish looks the better it should taste!

If you have a few free minutes and would like to improve the appearance of your salmon recipes, try turning your fish into flowers.

Fish flowers are easier than you may think. Simply, finely slice the salmon into thin strips, and at irregular intervals gently fray the edges with a sharp knife or scissors. Wrap the smoked salmon around itself into a loose cone and place down. As the curl relaxes, the fish will form the shape of a flower in bloom. Try for yourself!

At the Races

If you are attending the races this week, Pimm’s and afternoon tea are a must, but fine dining experiences are also available if you are looking for a meal. With inventive cuisine and only the best chefs, whether you have a private box or are stood in the grandstand, the food here is bound to impress, just as much as the view will from this spectacular location.

Enjoy Royal Ascot and remember – you dress to impress, so your food should look great too!

Wimbledon is just around the corner – will you be watching?

We will be, and we’ll be enjoying some delicious smoked salmon light bites and snacks while we watch … (of course, there will be strawberries and cream for dessert too!)

If you’d like to join us in some smoked salmon appreciation when the tennis starts on June 23rd then take a look at a few of these delightful recipes:

Cheese and Crackers, With Smoked Salmon and Chives

Cheese and crackers has long been a popular combination here in the UK, as well as further afield. We think adding a little smoked salmon into the equation will make this snack even more delicious.

Simply stack crackers with a cream cheese infused with freshly chopped chives, and top with a small slice of smoked salmon. We think each of these is a little bite of heaven.

Smoked Salmon and Cucumber

For light hors d’oeuvres that are truly refreshing, try these easy, stackable nibbles. You will need:

• 100g smoked salmon
• 125g cream cheese
• ½ a cucumber
• Fresh dill

Slice the cucumber into disks and place on a plate individually, with a piece of dill on each. Spread each slice with a generous amount of cream cheese and top with a small piece of smoked salmon. This recipe should make 10 even-sized stacks and if kept covered can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Smoked Salmon and Watercress Rolls

These fishy rolls look a little more refined, and are sure to impress if you have friends round to watch the tennis. Plus they’re really simple to make.

Ingredients:

• 50g cream cheese
• 25g soured cream
• Lemon juice
• Fresh dill
• 100g smoked salmon
• 75g watercress

Method:

In preparation for making these smoked salmon and watercress rolls, line a large Tupperware box with cling film. In a separate bowl, combine the sour cream, cream cheese and lemon juice until smooth, before adding the dill.

Lay slices of the smoked salmon on a clean, dry surface and divide the creamy mixture between each piece. Make sure to leave a small gap from the edges, otherwise when you roll the salmon the cream will come out of the ends. On top of the cream cheese add the watercress and roll up tightly.

Store the rolls, seam-side down, in a cling filmed Tupperware box on the bottom shelf of your fridge until serving; this will help them hold their shape. When ready to eat, simply place on a plate and dress with a little more watercress. They are meant to be eaten whilst chilled so serve them up to your hungry guests as soon as they settle down to enjoy the tennis.

Do you have any other delicious smoked salmon snacks planned for Wimbledon? We’d love to hear your recipes – especially if you buy salmon online from us here at John Ross Jr. Facebook us some pics of your masterpieces!

They say that food is the way to a man’s heart. So, with Father’s Day coming up, why not treat dad to the perfect Father’s Day gift.

As a special offer we’re giving our customers 20 per cent off John Ross Jr’s D Cut side of smoked salmon (usually £26.50) for Father’s Day. To receive the discount enter the code ‘BXQWK55MKEOW’ when you buy salmon online between 6-13 June.

Whether dad is a foodie or not, he won’t be able to resist being bowled over by a spread of fine foods – so look no further and take advantage of our one-time offer.

Other perfect gift ideas for dad include:

•    Traditional Smoked Salmon (£27.95)

A whole side of our Traditional Smoked Salmon for food connoisseurs – and dad! It never tastes better when its been left to mature and is sliced by hand in your own kitchen. Don’t be afraid of carving it yourself, it really is not as hard as you would think.

•    Sliced Side of Whisky Smoked Salmon (£29.95)

Just under a kilo of sliced Balvenie Whisky infused, traditional smoked salmon – a twist on convention with a delicious rounded sweetness.

•    Sliced Side of Tea Smoked Salmon (£31.95)

This sensational new smoked salmon has been slowly cold smoked using Chinese tea – Lapsang Souchong Tea – renowned for its aromatic flavour. The use of the tea in the kilns creates a truly aromatic, smooth yet deeply rich smokiness – unlike any smoked salmon we’ve ever made.

Alternative Fish Fingers: Tasty Recipes from Scratch

Trying to get your children to eat quality food that is good for them can be tricky. But one child’s meal has stood the test of time and is extremely popular – fish fingers. So we thought we’d share our favourite recipe for your very own homemade version.

Fish Fingers

Fish fingers, or fish sticks as they are known in America, were first referenced in a magazine in 1900 and have been a firm family favourite since World War II.

Fish fingers made with fillets are considered the best quality version and they are usually made with white fish. Personally, we think our fresh cod fillets make for the tastiest homemade fish fingers around. Have a go at the following recipe and let us know if you agree!

How to Make Fish Fingers

Ingredients:
500g skinless fish fillets (cod, salmon and haddock work best)
50g golden breadcrumbs
1 free-range egg
3tbsp plain flour
3tbsp sunflower oil
Salt
Black pepper
½ a lemon for decoration

Method
1.    Start off by mixing the flour with a sprinkle of salt and black pepper.
2.    In another bowl beat the egg until smooth and glossy.
3.    Cut the fish into 4 or 8 thick pieces using a sharp knife and dip each piece into the flour until evenly coated. Remove from the flour and dip them into the beaten egg, then the breadcrumbs. Place onto a plate.
4.    Once you have prepared the fish fingers it is time to cook them. Heat the oil in a pan until sizzling and add the fish fingers. Cook the fish fingers for around 5 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. If you have a deep-fat fryer cooking times may be reduced. Make sure to turn them every now and again so that they are cooked evenly on all sides. If your pan is small you may have to cook in batches.
5.    When ready, remove the fish fingers from the pan using a spatula and place on some kitchen roll. This will make sure any excess grease is drained away.
6.    Serve up with a side of your choice. We’d recommend a lemon slice and some good old-fashioned bread and butter. Enjoy!

For more delicious recipes take a look at our serving suggestions page!