on the 11th July TOTAL Greek Yoghurt are launching a new collection on their website called 1000 ways to LOVE your TOTAL which is actually quite a nice way to show some yummy recipes and suggestions of how to use their gorgeous creamy yoghurt… and the lovely people at TOTAL invited me to a launch event in the big smoke… a cookery masterclass with the rather gorgeous chef Paul Merrett no less… and you know me, I could hardly refuse the opportunity to eat good food and maybe pick up a tip or two in the process!
… it’s also important for me to let you know that I don’t take these kind of invitations lightly… i’m not about to start promoting a product that I don’t use or don’t like… as it happens I don’t eat or cook with yoghurt very often but when I do I always use TOTAL Greek Yoghurt… it is particularly thick and creamy and has a wonderful tartness that I love… I grew up in suburban London surrounded by myriad of cultures one of which was Greek and many of my Greek friends mums always extolled the virtues of this excellent and authentic yoghurt… if you haven’t tried it or used it yet then you must… it has been on the supermarket shelves since the 1980’s and is now an international product…
… after a swift haircut the day started as I arrived early at the La Cucina Caldesi Cookery School in Marylebone… it was just me and the lovely Paul for about 10 minutes, which was nice because we could chat and gossip about food, cooks and the appalling state of British cookery television… but once everyone else had arrived we were split into groups and told that WE would be doing the cooking for the day… this was a great idea and meant we’d all get to be truly involved in the process…
…Paul had devised a full meal for us with starter, main course and dessert… all using the lovely yoghurt in the recipes as well as accompanying them…
… I was teamed with the delightful Fleur from Homemade by Fleur a blogger I follow and a regular contributor to random recipes and mummy blogger Liz from the brilliant Me and My Shadow… although the day was not in any way a competition and others may tell you differently, our team was clearly the best and our food the tastiest!… I had an absolute blast with them… and amazing food aside it was a brilliant day…
as there were three distinct and delicious recipes I’m going to split this post into three and make you wait patiently for the piece-de-resistance (as far as I was concerned anyway) – the dessert… but the three course meal went something like this… we started with a Fresh and Smoked Salmon Rillette with Wholemeal Toast followed by a Spiced Butternut Tagine with Roasted pepper and Tomato & Toasted Fennel Seed Yoghurt, served with Cauliflower Couscous… let me tell you here and now that the Cauliflower Couscous was a revelation and will be making many an appearance on this blog, in fact I would go as far to say the whole trip down to London was worth it for this dish alone… the meal was finished off with a stunning Semolina Sponge Cake with Almonds, Hazelnuts, Greek Yoghurt and Honey…
so we’ll start today with the Fresh and Smoked Salmon Rillette with Wholemeal Toast
i’m a HUGE salmon fan and could have eaten this by the bucket full…
2 tablespoons TOTAL Greek Yoghurt
200g fresh salmon
1/2 lemon – juiced
60g diced and very softened butter
1 dessert spoon fresh dill – chopped
2 teaspoons horseradish relish
75g smoked salmon – shredded
pepper
– place the salmon in a small oven-proof dish, cover in foil and bake in a gentle oven (170C) for 6 or 7 minutes (the trick is to get it barely cooked)
– let the salmon cool and then flake it into a bowl
– add the rest of the ingredients and gently fold them together but be careful not to break up the salmon too much
– chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving with a slice or two of brown toast
… there will be more from me and
the yummy TOTAL Greek Yoghurt over the next few days but until then don’t forget to…
eat and of course, enjoy!
Amazing!!! So cool to read your blog post before I've even had a chance to get in the door and take my shoes off. It was such a fab day and I have been telling my husband about it all. So many highlights, but a big one was making new friends. You and Liz were fab team mates. I had a real laugh, and for a mummy of three this was the most delightful way to spend my 'day off'. Pics lovely too. I want more cake! X
Like you, I have always been a bit of a fan of Total. I guess living in London and having lots of little corner shops selling Greek and Turkish foods, I've been a bit spoilt.
Am loving the salmon and can't wait for the couscous!
I interviewed Paul Merrett recently. Fell a little bit in love with the man right there. Isn't he lovely?
Salmon rillettes – lovely – a food made in heaven – perfect for apéros on our little terrace overlooking the rooftops in France…..thaks for the recipe !!
It was a brilliant day wasn't it! Next time, I promise to say hello, so that we can be bloggy friends 🙂
That was super quick Dom. Brilliant write up. What a fun day and lovely to meet you all . Am off to dine at Paul's soon.
We have some good yogurts over here (across the pond), but none I would qvell over. The salmon on the other hand is mouthwatering. I'm in the process of making gravlax even as we “speak.”
Looks like you had a ball and your team mates for the day seem lovely. Food looks gorgeous too 🙂
Dom… check you out Mr super blogger 🙂 It was really lovely to meet you. x
I dont get this at all? salmon dos not flake in the same way as belly pork and it should be cooked with the herbs while it cooks not added later.Yoghurt no this is in no way related to rillettes or the traditional way of making rilettes -sorry.
don't knock it till you've tried it mate
What a fun day, and I love Total Yogurt! The sponge cake looks particularly tempting, I'll be eagerly awaiting post #3!
what a bizarre, naive, surising from you, narrow-minded and quite frankly rude comment to leave… since when did I ever suggest on my blog that I did things traditionally… if you simple google the word rillette you get recipes where the suggested main ingredient is hugely varied: pork, duck, chicken, tuna and salmon… Im more than happy to receive negative comments on my blog but unless you have something more constructive I'd rather you didn't bother…
What a very strange comment!
I can't believe you've got this posted up so quick. What a fabulous summary of a great day.
Really loved meeting you and Fleur, I had a scream with you two and I particularly like being someone's bitch ;0)
Hope our paths cross again soon. x
Sounds like a fabulous day. Im curious about the cauliflower couscous! The cake sounds delicious too
Sounds like a lovely day and event. Yes, Paul is a bit lovely. Look at those big blue eyes! Glad you got to meet and hang out with Fleur she is very lovely, too. Nice recipe, look forward to trying it. Ren
What an ill-informed comment! There are plenty different types of rillettes. Salmon rillettes are fairly common in France, and I've always had them made along similar lines to the recipe here with either yoghurt or crème fraîche.
Sounds like you had a wonderful day and these rillettes sound delicious! I adore salmon and I think I could eat them by the bucketload, too. I can't wait until you post the cake recipe – it looks fantastic.
What a rude and narrow-minded person. Experimenting and playing around with recipes is what it's all about, otherwise we'd still be eating nuts and charred rabbit.
Sounds like a great day and all the food looks fantastic too!
What a fun day you had for yourself. Don't you just love Greek yogurt I do believe we have Total yogurt over here but it has the name Fage' on the container ( pronounces fay-yah). When school is in session I eat it everyday for lunch with fruit, honey and walnuts. Salmon is such a delicious rich fish. Love that too!
Thanks folks! Some lovely comments here and what a lovely write up Mr Franks!
You have trolls = You have arrived as a superblogger! 🙂