All you need to do is tell us what being a vegetarian means to you - in film format! Scared? Don’t be! You can be as creative as you want, but it’s all got to be filmed in just six seconds using Vine

What is Vine?

Just in case you’re not sure, Vine is a mobile phone app, available on IOS devices, where users can upload a six second video, which can then be shared on Twitter.

Here is an example of a Vine we created for our delicious La Vieja Fabrica jams: https://vine.co/v/bH0iUOa7q0v

Where do I begin?!

Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

- Favourite vegetarian recipe

- Why you became a vegetarian

- Why you want to be a vegetarian

- Health benefits of being a vegetarian

- Great meat alternatives

The list in endless!

How do I enter?

The competition starts today (14/05/2013)!

Once you have completed your Vine, Tweet us @FragataUK. We will handpick our favourite and announce the winner on Monday 27th May.

Good luck! 

Everywhere from the office to the pub, we’ve been discussing our favourite contestants, and of course the tastiest looking dishes. Following the final, which aired last Thursday 2nd May, everyone at Fragata agreed that Natalie Colman was a worthy winner and her creations were outstanding.

In Natalie’s honour, we held a quick poll at Fragata HQ earlier this week to highlight our favourite dish from this series of the hit cooking show. Natalie’s mouth-watering Pan-fried sea bass fillet with cauliflower puree, cauliflower cous cous and tempura cauliflower came out on top, and this provided us with the get-go to pop on our chef whites and cook up something similar.

Taking inspiration from Natalie’s use of cauliflower, we devised a delicious roasted cauliflower dish, complete with Fragata pimiento piquillo peppers, green olives and pine nuts. The recipe is perfect for a quick and easy post-work supper, or as a tasty accompaniment to a weekend dinner party. Brimming with colourful Spanish tapas ingredients, the versatile vegetable dish is not only a Summer favourite, but the perfect Winter warmer too, when eaten alongside a Sunday roast.

Our cauliflower recipe may look incredible, but the best bit is that it doesn’t take a master chef to create either – and you certainly won’t need John or Gregg keeping tabs on you in the kitchen!

If you fancy sampling it in the luxury of your own kitchen, try it out at home with the recipe below. Tweet us a pic @FragataUK with the hashtag #FragataMasterChef if you decide to give it a go!

Roasted cauliflower with Fragata pimiento piquillo peppers and green olives

What you’ll need…

Serves 4

1 head cauliflower

1-2 Fragata pimiento piquillo peppers

2/3 cup Fragata pitted green olives, sliced

1-2 tbsp Fragata capers

2 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp pine nuts (slivered almonds also work well)

Hand full of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Juice of 1/4 lemon

Method

1. Preheat oven to 425F/220C.

2. Cut the cauliflower into smallish pieces of the same size and cut the peppers into thin slices. Put chopped cauliflower and peppers into a plastic bowl and toss with the olive oil, stirring so the vegetables are lightly coated with oil. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper and stir again.

3. Spread the vegetables out in a single layer on a baking tray and roast for 20 minutes.

4. While the cauliflower and peppers are roasting, slice the olives, measure out the pine nuts and capers, and chop the parsley.

5. After 20 minutes, remove baking tray from the oven. Put the cauliflower and peppers back into the same bowl and toss with the olives, pine nuts, capers and parsley.

6. Spread the mixture on to the baking tray and roast for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the vegetables are starting to brown.

7. Serve hot, adding salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and a squeeze of lemon.

Lord Byron once famously described Seville as: “a pleasant city, famous for oranges and women…of all the Spanish towns is none more pretty.” Of course we agree, however we recently re-visited the famous Feria de April (Seville Fair) and as we strolled the festival laden streets, it occurred to us that we might sometimes take the beautiful home city of Fragata for granted.

Spring in Seville has an atmosphere like nowhere else; full of anticipation and excitement for the days to get warmer and longer, and flowers to bloom. It’s no surprise that the Sevillian people would want to celebrate the season (and the city’s famed delicious produce) with a festival.

The Feria de April takes place every year around this time – roughly two weeks after Easter Sunday. Set in the South West of Seville, the festival appears next to the River Guadalquivir and is a spectacle to behold! From 16 to 21 April, the area is transformed and the city is strewn with gorgeous garlands and spectacular stalls full to the brim with Spanish and Sevillian goodies.

Thousands of traditionally dressed revellers from across the country gather in Seville for a week of non-stop eating, drinking and dancing (interspersed with the odd bull fight!). The tapas flows from day to night (and so does the Manzanilla wine!).

It’s an amazing few days and we’ll definitely be back next year. We hope to see you there.

ENDS

Image credits: Marcosborne & Cosmic Spain

Here at Fragata, we love nothing more than a long Summer night – especially when good food is involved! – so we’ve created a scrumptious platter that will delight your garden party guests.

Featuring homemade piri piri thyme oil, delicious roasted garlic and thick crusty bread, it’s so easy to make – meaning that you get to spend less time indoors cooking and more time outside topping up that tan!

Here’s what you’ll need…

Fragata sharing platter

1 Jar (290g) Fragata pitted Halkidiki and Kalamata olives with sundried tomato, peppers and garlic

Pack of tomatoes, on the vine

Fragata Guindillas

Clove of garlic

Loaf of crusty bread

4 Fragata Piri Piri Peppers

Thyme

450ml olive oil (not virgin)

Method… 

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F, gas mark 6

2. Empty the jar of Halkidiki and Kalamata olives into a suitable dish, draining half of the oil

3. Cut a loaf of bread into slices and place onto a large serving board

4. Place 5 guindilla chillies onto the board

Roasted garlic:

1. Peel away the outer layers of the garlic bulb skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact

2. Using a knife, cut off 1/2 inch of the top of cloves, exposing the individual cloves of garlic

3. Drizzle a couple of teaspoons of olive oil over the clove. Cover with aluminum foil

4. Bake for 30 minutes

5. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and serve.

Piri piri and thyme olive oil: 

1. Add whole Fragata piri piri peppers and thyme to the oil and heat for 3-4 minutes 2. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly

2. Carefully pour the oil into a sterilised, sealable glass bottle using a funnel. Seal the bottle.

3. Keep the bottle in a cool, dark place, shaking once per week. The chilli will become more intense the longer it is stored.

Image credit: CubaGallery

As you may know, here at Fragata we’re part of Seville-based company Angel Camacho Alimentacion, which not only markets our range, but a whole host of other Mediterranean food products, including the delicious La Vieja Fabrica jams and marmalades.

Over the past 116 years, Angel Camacho has been marketing these products across the globe, and we’re now thrilled to announce that it has become the first company in the world to calculate and verify the carbon footprint of its olives and jams under the PAS 2050:2011 standard.

What does this mean? 

Well, by using this international measurement, Angel Camacho is now able to identify the greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmosphere during the process of making and manufacturing its products – including activities such as harvesting, transportation and distribution.

Angel Camacho can now see the impact of these activities, and as a result the company has developed an energy consumption reduction plan and implemented various measures to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions and its carbon footprint accordingly.

So, now you cam enjoy your Fragata goodies in the knowledge that you’re doing your bit for the environment!

Want to know more about Angel Camacho Alimentacion?

Angel Camacho Alimentacion is a family-owned Andalusian company founded in 1897 which produces and distributes a wide range of food products including table olives, olive oils and pickles under the Fragata and Mario brands, jams and marmalades under the La Vieja Fabrica and Stovit brands and teas and herbal teas under the Susaron brand.

At year-end 2012, Angel Camacho had a consolidated turnover of over 172.5 million euros and a staff of 865 employees. The current corporate strategy includes investment in improvements to the industrial processes and processing and packaging facilities of its different product lines (olives, jams and marmalades, teas and herbal teas).

Our tasty olive and sun-dried tomato bread is sure to bring a slice of Spanish sunshine to your lunch break. Serve with a light fish stew, spicy pasta dish or simply on its own with a generous knob of butter, and get set to transform your mealtimes. It’s a taste sensation, if we do say so ourselves!

Give it a go yourself with our quick and easy recipe below. Let us know how you get on, and Tweet us pics of your own Meditaranean-inspired bread (or “Med bread”!) if you take on the challenge with the hashtag: #ImadeFragataMedbread.

Enjoy yourselves bread lovers!

Fragata olive and sun-dried tomato bread

What you’ll need…

• 400g strong white bread flour
• 1.5 tsp yeast
• 1tbsp oil
• 300ml warm water
• 1 can Fragata garlic olives
• 1/2 can Fragata pimento olives
• 8 sun-dried tomatoes
• pinch of salt
• pinch of sugar

Method…

1. Preheat oven to 180c/gas mark 4
2. Place all the ingredients – besides the water – into a large bowl
3. Mix all ingredients together with your hands, adding the warm water gradually
4. Knead all the ingredients for 10 minutes
5. Place the dough back into the bowl and cover with cling film
6. Leave the dough in a warm, dry place, such as an airing cupboard to prove for around 30minutes, or until it has doubled in size
7. Mould the dough into a loaf baking tin
8. Place the tin in the oven for around 30 minutes. Check the bread by tapping the bottom of the loaf. If the bread sounds hollow, then it’s ready
9. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and serve with a generous knob of butter.

Image credit: have you any wool?

It’s nearly time for a long weekend that’s set to be filled with good food, drink, and of course, chocolate!

But if all the chocolatey goodness becomes a bit too much and you feel like you need to get something a bit more healthy and nutritious inside you, then we have the perfect recipe to banish the Easter bulge.

This hearty yet simple lentil and cashew nut roast is perfect for a relaxing Easter Sunday lunch with the family. Serve with a generous dollop of sweet potato mash and green beans or a light spring salad if you’ve really over indulged…

Enjoy!

Have a wonderful Easter weekend,

Fragata x

Lentil and cashew nut roast

What you’ll need…

75g  Fragata pimiento piquillo peppers, finely chopped

200g red split lentils

450ml vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

100g unsalted cashew nuts

1½ tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 large or 2 small leeks, trimmed and finely chopped

100g mushrooms, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tbsp lemon juice

75g vegan cheese

100g wholemeal breadcrumbs

3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 egg, lightly beaten

Method

1. Rinse the lentils in a sieve under cold running water. Drain, then tip into a saucepan. Add the stock and bay leaf, and bring to the boil.

2. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook for 15 minutes until the lentils are soft and pulpy, and the stock has been absorbed. Stir once or twice to prevent the lentils sticking. Discard the bay leaf.

3. While the lentils are cooking, put the cashew nuts in a non-stick frying pan and toast over a moderate heat until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool, then roughly chop.

4. Preheat the oven to 190°C/gas 5. Line the bottom of a 1.4 litre loaf tin with a piece of greaseproof paper.

5. Add the oil to the frying pan and cook the onion over a moderate heat for 5 minutes.  Add the leeks, Fragata pimiento piquillo peppers, mushrooms and garlic to the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Stir in the lemon juice.

6. Tip the lentils and vegetables into a mixing bowl. Stir in the breadcrumbs, cashew nuts and 2 tbsp of the parsley, followed by the grated cheese and beaten egg. Season to taste, then spoon into the loaf tin. Level the top and cover with a piece of lightly oiled foil.

7. Bake the loaf for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a further 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

8. Remove from the oven and leave to cool while set in the tin. After 10 minutes, turn out and cut into thick slices.

Image credit: Bellasdolls

WOW! What a few days we’ve had! We made a trip to The Big Smoke at the weekend and spent Sunday to Wednesday exhibiting at the International Food and Drink Event at the ExCel in London.

The trade event, which spans over four days, sees around 28,000 visitors descend on the ExCel from a vast range of businesses all over the world. The crowds come together to explore the latest in culinary delights – from olives to cucumber water and even cheese in a can (seriously).

It was a great opportunity to meet lots of lovely people – from retailers to distributors – and the event was a great success. Check out our images below for a sneak peek behind the scenes…

Here’s a shot of our lovely stand (you couldn’t miss us that’s for sure!)…

We had a large display of all our products and of course yummy samples for passersby to try…

Chicken is always a perfect dinner option. It’s fast yet healthy, wonderfully filling and incredibly versatile so suits any season – whatever the weather.

We have created a delicious lemon olive and pan roasted chicken dish for the Spring evenings, which tastes fresh and Summery – even if it’s too cold to eat alfresco!

Check it out here and start the sunny season early…

Pan Roasted Chicken

What you’ll need…

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 lemons. 1 thinly sliced, 1 juiced
• 4 cloves Fragata garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 pound trimmed green beans
• 8 lemon stuffed Fragata olives
• 8 small red potatoes, quartered
• 4 chicken thighs with skin
• Couple sprigs thyme

Method…

1. Pre heat oven to 230°C/Gas mark 8. Coat a large baking dish or cast-iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

2. Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer in the bottom of the dish or skillet.

3. In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the green beans and olives and toss to coat.

4. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the green beans and olives and arrange them on top of the lemon slices.

5. Add the potatoes to the same olive-oil mixture and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, arrange the potatoes along the inside edge of the dish or skillet on top of the green beans and olives.

6. Place the chicken in the same bowl with the olive-oil mixture and coat thoroughly. Place the chicken, skin-side up, in the dish or skillet.

7. Pour any of the remaining olive oil mixture over the chicken.

8. Roast for 50 minutes.

9. Remove the chicken from the dish or skillet and place the beans, olives and potatoes back in oven for 10 minutes more (or until the potatoes are tender).

10. Place a chicken thigh on each of 4 serving plates, and divide the green beans,olives and potatoes equally. Serve warm and enjoy!

Image credit: William Richardson

A Meze is perfect for any occasion, from a small intimate dinner party to a full-on shindig. Above all, Meze foods are delicious! What’s not to love about tasty pick-and-mix-style food that can be eaten with your hands?

There are many variations of Meze and plenty of different dishes to choose from. But sometimes so much choice can be overwhelming, so, after much deliberation, we have compiled our top five dishes that we think no Greek meze should be without…

- Olives. Call us bias, but olives make a Meze. They go well with everything and also taste fantastic on their own. It’s a tough call, but we’d have to say our Halkidiki and Kalamata Olives with Rosemary, Garlic and Chilli have been a highlight of some of our most recent gatherings.

- Fragata Pimiento Piquillo Peppers provide the Meze with sweetness and a bite of spice, and also bring a splash of colour to the tasty treats on offer.

- Hummus; homemade, of course. A simple plain hummus is always welcome, but if you fancy being a bit more adventurous, we suggest adding coriander or paprika.

- Halloumi Cheese. There was a big debate over which cheese would make it to our top five list, but halloumi won. Grill it, and it’s the ultimate addition to the sharing platter.

- Cubed lamb. Lamb is a quintessentially Grecian food. For a real taste of Greece, marinate the lamb in the rosemary, garlic and chilli juices from our olives and serve hot from the roasting pan.

Of course, no Meze is complete without a big helping of warm pitta bread, brilliant for soaking up any left over juices!

What makes your dream Meze? Do you agree with our list? Send us pics of your creations, as we’d love to see what you’ve been feasting on!