Scotland has long been renowned as a nation blessed with producing some of the finest foods in the world and, as any top chef will champion, only the best quality ingredients can create outstanding results from the kitchen.
Scotland has an enviable larder and now a new fine food website has thrown open the scullery doors to foodie lovers across the country.
JK Fine Food has this week launched a delicious online venture giving customers the chance to buy directly the same superior Scottish produce previously only supplied to top hotels and restaurants.
JK The Home of Fine Food (www.jkfinefoods.co.uk) boasts a mouthwatering array of fresh meats, seafood, wine, desserts and hampers, which can be delivered right to your door within 24 hours, wherever you live in the UK.
It’s the creation of Aberdeen businessman John King, who is a connoisseur in the finest Scottish produce following more than 20 years of building the family business King Foods, which is the north-east’s leading privately owned catering food supplier.
The range of meats, sourced directly from Millers of Speyside in the Scottish Highlands, includes anything from succulent 28-day aged fillet steaks and rib roasts to poultry, lamb and game. And if you’re pushed for time there are quick, easy options for mid-week dinners such as pre-prepared chicken olives, stuffed with a variety of goodies, or a choice of burgers and sausages.
Customers can also enjoy the delights of the North Sea, straight from the dock of Peterhead harbour to their plate, fresh within 48 hours. The website has a superb selection of everyday fish, as well as luxury fish, shellfish and smoked fish. In fact, if you like a tipple with your nibble, you can even mix your food and drink passion with gin & tonic or mojito smoked Scottish salmon!
To complement the delicious fine foods, the site has a delightful selection of sparkling prosecco and wines from supplier Corney & Barrow which is currently unavailable in retail stores or supermarkets, therefore exclusive to the consumer via JK The Home of Fine Food.
Which brings us to the heavenly, melt in the mouth desserts, created and prepared exclusively for JK by a top Michelin-trained patisserie chef. Whether you prefer a sharp lemon tart, rich chocolate fondant or a millionaire shortbread cheesecake, these will be sure to please any palate.
So, if you like quality produce seven days a week, if you’re planning a cosy night in at the weekend or cooking up a storm for a dinner party, this website has everything you need to create a five-star dining experience in your home any day of the week.
It even has a superb range of hampers to choose from as a gift or just for you… and dare we even mention Christmas yet!
If you appreciate good food, this website gives you the chance to delve into Scotland’s fine larder and create amazing dishes at home with some excellent recipe suggestions from the head chef at Aberdeen’s five-star Marcliffe Hotel, Ross Spence.
Visit www.jkfinefoods.co.uk or call 01224 896606. Free delivery on orders over £70
MARCLIFFE KING CRAB – AT HOME
by Ross Spence, head chef, The Marcliffe Hotel & Spa
FOR THE CRAB:
8-10 oz crab per person, allow to thaw in your refrigerator overnight
500g mixed salad leaves
1 cucumber, peeled and seeds removed, finely sliced
1 green pepper, seeds removed, finely sliced
4 spring onions, finely sliced
FOR THE SAFFRON MAYONNAISE:
1 good pinch saffron
50ml boiling water
3 egg yolks, pasteurised if possible
1/2 tsp English mustard
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
200ml sunflower oil
50ml rapeseed oil
Salt and pepper
To make the saffron mayonnaise, soak the saffron in the boiling water for 10 minutes. In a bowl, combine the egg yolks, mustard and vinegar and mix well. Mix the two oils together, and then slowly whisk into the yolks, adding gradually and making sure the oil is properly emulsified before you add any more. Once all the oil is emulsified, add the saffron strands and water, and then mix well. Adjust the seasoning to taste. If you feel the mayonnaise is too thick, you can add more water until you are happy with the consistency.
To prepare the king crab, separate the crab at the knuckles on each leg and use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut the shell, making the crab meat easier to remove from the shell. Mix the green pepper, cucumber and spring onions with the salad leaves and dress with basic vinaigrette.
Arrange the king crab on the plate with the salad next to it, and serve the mayonnaise on the side to dip into.
If you like, you can warm the crab gently under a grill and serve warm with garlic butter or Thermidor sauce.