tesco Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Time for a coffee

June 29, 2013

I would like a croissant please

Without looking where do you think it costs more to buy a single croissant, Tesco or Marks and Spencers?

You know that by asking that very question that the answer has to be Marks and Spencers don’t you.

The other morning I was on my way into work when I stopped off to buy some skimmed milk for my coffee at work. I popped into the local Tesco Express (or are they called Tesco Metro) and picked up a two pint bottle. I looked at the date, it looked familiar and realised that the date was that day’s date. A quick check across the shelf, and all the other bottles had the same short date on them. So leaving the milk I decided to go somewhere else, I had been considering buying a croissant at 80 pence but thought not as I was in a bit of a hurry.

I walked down to Marks and Spencers to get my milk and was pleasantly surprised to see that their loose croissants were only 69 pence. They also looked a lot nicer and fresher than the ones from Tesco.

I was surprised as I wasn’t expecting Marks and Spencers to be cheaper, but was pleased that they were. Oh and before you ask the milk was the same price.

January 14, 2013

Paella Time

One of the reasons I write this blog is to remind me of places I have eaten and dishes I have cooked. One thing I have noted is how much I cook paella, so much so that I took a break from cooking it. I have made it recently, to go with a seafood platter, we liked it so much that I cooked almost the same meal again!

The key I have found with a decent paella is good rice and a decent stock. I have found though that the paella seasoning from Tesco is a good compromise if you don’t have any saffron.

In a large frying pan, heat some olive oil. I really keep thinking I should really invest in a proper large paella pan. It’s okay using my current frying pan, but I think it ‘s a little too deep. Using a larger shallower paella pan would make for a more authentic paella and get it cooked just right. Into the hot pan I added some cubed pancetta to which after it cooked, I added some vegetables. This time I did extra vegetables, so I took some diced onion, pepper, courgette, mushrooms and aubergine. This I cooked in the pan until it had softened. I then added the paella rice. I also added the paella seasoning mix to the pan, this contains saffron, as well as some dried tomato, onion and spices. It adds a depth of flavour and that authentic yellow colour. If you want a deeper yellow you need to add more saffron. This was all mixed with the oil, pancetta and vegetables.

I boosted the heat up and added a large splash of white wine. I then added stock to the pan so it covered the rice. As the dish cooked I added more stock.

I did stir now and again, but not too much. With a risotto you want to stir a lot to break down the rice a bit and create a creamy sauce. With paella you want to avoid that, but also get the paella to stick slightly to the bottom of the pan.

Just before serving I added some lemon segments and some griddled seafood. I am sure that some would say I should cook the squid and prawns in the paella, however I have found that they can overcook, becoming tasteless and rubbery. I now cook the squid and prawns separately, using a griddle normally and then place on top of the paella. If I am using chorizo I will do something similar.

I was very pleased with the end result and it was liked by everyone at the table.

November 25, 2012

Persian Jewelled Rice

I’ve had a jar of Tesco Persian Jewelled Rice Paste in my cupboard for a while. Having a little time today I decided to go ahead and use it.

I took some onion, pepper, courgette and mushrooms and sauted them off in a frying pan with a little butter and oil.

I then added the Jewelled Rice Paste and cooked it off for a couple of minutes. I then added 200g of basmati rice and 400ml of boiling water.

Placed a lid on the frying pan and let the rice simmer for 15-20 minutes until the rice had absorbed the liquid and was tender.

With spices and citrus flavours, it was really very nice. It was quite dry so you might need some sauce or chutney to go with it. According to the jar it recommended having chicken in the dish, I didn’t I went with vegetables instead.

It’s not “cheap” at £1.99, but the thing is with a dish like this, that you have basically cooked yourself, it does taste a lot fresher than reheating a chilled ready meal from the fridge. I think in the future I might have a go at making my own version of the paste using the ingredients as a guide.

Orange Juice From Concentrate (26%),Carrot (25%) ,Sultanas (10%) (Sultanas, Sunflower Oil) ,Lemon Juice From Concentrate (7%) ,Onion Purée ,Orange Zest (5%) ,Butter ,Vegetable Oil ,Sugar ,Cinnamon Powder ,Cornflour ,Sea Salt ,Roasted Cumin Seed ,Black Pepper ,Ground Cardamom ,Ground Saffron.

Overall I found it an easy dish to make and it was really nice to eat.

November 17, 2012

Another great offer from that Tesco

Not sure that Tesco quite understand that these kinds of offers aren’t in fact offers.

If you are going to do two for £4 then ensure that everything within that offer is over £2 otherwise what is the point? I have even seen stuff included that was (if it was in this offer) less than £2 in a two for £4 deal.

October 28, 2011

Bargain, not!

This is one of those bargains you find at Tesco and other supermarkets, £1.00 each or on special, two for £2.00… hmmm

October 16, 2011

When more is less

Ten Chocolate Mini Rolls cost £2.00, whilst six cost 97p. So if I buy two packs of six I get twelve for £1.94 which means for 6p less I get two more chocolate rolls.

Notice it is not a special offer, this is the “normal” price.

Another amazing bargain from the supermarkets, this time Tesco.

September 21, 2011

Aceitunas Manzanilla y Couchillo

This is from the new Tapas range from Tesco. A selection of manzanilla and couchillo olives dressed in oil and parsley.

These were very nice, certainly more flavour than the standard green and black olives you usually find in supermarkets.

August 10, 2010

Wild Rocket

Found this at my local Tesco.

It’s a packet of unwashed wild rocket.

Certainly felt a lot fresher than the stuff in bags (and I hope a lot less chemicals too).

Of course the obvious thing to do is not buy the stuff, but grow my own rocket.

August 31, 2009

Cooking Chorizo

In October last year I blogged about how Tesco were going to stop selling their cooking chorizo.

Only a couple of days ago I mentioned cooking Chorizo Frito al Vino using Tesco’s Cooking Chorizo.

You can imagine my disappointment that my local Tesco is discontinuing to sell the cooking chorizo.

I’ll have to start using the dried version.

Well imagine my delight when they started to sell it again.

Cooking Chorizo

For dishes such as Chorizo Frito al Vino and Paella it works much better than the dried version. It is easy to slice and cooks really easily.

August 10, 2009

Why so expensive?

The other day I made some Chorizo Frito al Vino and I used some Chorizo that I had bought from Morrisons. It had cost £1.99.

I was therefore surprised to see in Sainsburys when I wanted to buy a very similar Chorizo sausage that they were charging £2.99. It was even more expensive from the deli counter where it was £3.49.

I don’t know it if it will be a better Chorizo sausage, but if it is similar then a 50% markup is terrible.

Still missing the (fresh) cooking chorizo from Tesco.