Good evening to you all! I can’t quite believe its February already, soon it will be springtime and these bitter cold days and frosty evenings will be but a distant memory. In the meantime to warm your cockles on these chilly nights I’m going to share a recipe for a spicy chilli con carne which can be served simply with boiled rice or why not try layering with the salsa, nachos, and sour cream to make an amazing finger licking sharing dish for all the family. This recipe comes to you from our head chef at the Athenaeum Bar & Kitchen David Pringle. CHIILI RECIPE     feeds approx 6 people 500g good quality steak mince                   1 large onion finely diced 3 chopped garlic cloves                                  25g smoked paprika 25g chilli powder                                              25g ground coriander 25g cumin powder                                           2 tins chopped tomatoes 2 pints beef stock                                            I raw grated beetroot Fresh oregano/basil                                        Salt & pepper I tin kidney beans (optional)                       1 fresh chilli Fry the chopped onion and fresh chilli (seeds on for super spiciness) in a pan with a little oil until soft. Add the mince and cook until the mince is well browned. Add the chopped garlic, smoked paprika, chilli powder, coriander and cumin. Cook slowly on a low heat for 10-15 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and beef stock and cook further still on a low heat for 2-3 hours stirring occasionally until the sauce has reduced to a suitable consistency. After this time add the kidney beans, grated beetroot and fresh oregano/basil and cook for a further 10 minutes. Season to taste and serve.   I have been very lucky this past week in that I have dined out at The Athenaeum Bar & Kitchen twice. Both times, may I add, with younger diners in tow age range from 2 to teen. The youngsters were very well accommodated for and half portions of any dish on the menu were available with a choice of board games and foosball table to keep them amused. This was great news for my friend who’s 2 year old wanted to be like the grown up’s and eat and drink everything we had including coffee! The staff very happily obliged putting warm milk into an espresso cup and voila one happy child! So child friendly is definitely a way to describe The Athenaeum. On my second visit was for the launch of the new carvery Sunday Roast available every Sunday 12-9pm serving delicious chicken, lamb or beef with all the usual trimmings! Just divine!! And perfect for those who can’t be bothered with the hassle of cooking and washing dishes on the day of the week meant for rest. Get down to the Athenaeum this Sunday with the Sunday papers, I highly recommend it! Following up from the last blog where we were off to cook in a lady’s home (Glenda) I am very happy to update what a huge success the whole evening was! We cooked for 12 lovely ladies which turned out to be their works night out. They even had a buff waiter serving drinks for an hour before dinner! Cheeky!! A great evening was had by all and this is Glenda’s lovely email to us after the event. Hi Chris Been meaning to email you to thank you for an absolutely fantastic evening! Everyone loved it, and they all said it was the best food they had ever tasted!!! I guess that was obvious based on the very clean plates after every course! It was a fantastic evening, the food was amazing, the presentation was brilliant, and my kitchen has never been cleaner!!! The girls said it was the best Xmas party they had ever been to, and it was all down to you all, so thanks again. It was quite something to manage to please every single guest, and to have every one of them singing your praises (and they still are!!) so thanks again, and we have all been recommending you to friends and members!   We are currently in the process of packaging up a similar deal available to purchase, so you too can experience Beetroot at home. This will involve Chris and his chefs coming to cook for you and your guests in the comfort of your own home to produce the ultimate dining experience! I will keep you all posted when this will be available. Other exciting news this week is that one of our young chefs Gregg Williamson, Chef-De-Partie from The Courtyard is off to work staiges at Tom Kitchin Restaurant, 21212 Restaurant and Martin Wishart Honours Brasserie. Gregg is off to work a week in each Edinburgh kitchen to gain valuable knowledge, skills and understanding of the workings and magic that happens in Michelin starred restaurants. We are all very proud of him, Chris especially, and wish him all the very best. This will hopefully lead on to further employment for the talented young chef in the busy kitchens of some of the world’s top chefs when he leaves the company later this year. Don’t forget everyone there is still plenty time to book tables for this week at either venue! Please call in advance to avoid disappointment. Why not get on down to The Athenaeum tonight for Jerk Tuesday!! available this evening (and every Tuesday) from7pm. Serving up a variety of soul food including cajun chicken wings, jambalaya, cornbread and ribs to name a few dishes. All with the soothing beats of reggae and dub music playing in the background to transport you out of Aberdeen just for one night!! Call to book a table at The Courtyard                   01224 589109 La Stella                               01224 211414 The Athenaeum               01224 595585 Remember you can always contact me via email with any queries or ideas for this blog mrsbeetroot@hotmail.co.uk Speak soon! Lynsey

Good evening to you all! I can’t quite believe its February already, soon it will be springtime and these bitter cold days and frosty evenings will be but a distant memory. In the meantime to warm your cockles on these chilly nights I’m going to share a recipe for a spicy chilli con carne which can be served simply with boiled rice or why not try layering with the salsa, nachos, and sour cream to make an amazing finger licking sharing dish for all the family. This recipe comes to you from our head chef at the Athenaeum Bar & Kitchen David Pringle.

CHIILI RECIPE     feeds approx 6 people

500g good quality steak mince                   1 large onion finely diced

3 chopped garlic cloves                                  25g smoked paprika

25g chilli powder                                              25g ground coriander

25g cumin powder                                           2 tins chopped tomatoes

2 pints beef stock                                            I raw grated beetroot

Fresh oregano/basil                                        Salt & pepper

I tin kidney beans (optional)                       1 fresh chilli

Fry the chopped onion and fresh chilli (seeds on for super spiciness) in a pan with a little oil until soft. Add the mince and cook until the mince is well browned. Add the chopped garlic, smoked paprika, chilli powder, coriander and cumin. Cook slowly on a low heat for 10-15 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and beef stock and cook further still on a low heat for 2-3 hours stirring occasionally until the sauce has reduced to a suitable consistency. After this time add the kidney beans, grated beetroot and fresh oregano/basil and cook for a further 10 minutes. Season to taste and serve.  

I have been very lucky this past week in that I have dined out at The Athenaeum Bar & Kitchen twice. Both times, may I add, with younger diners in tow age range from 2 to teen. The youngsters were very well accommodated for and half portions of any dish on the menu were available with a choice of board games and foosball table to keep them amused. This was great news for my friend who’s 2 year old wanted to be like the grown up’s and eat and drink everything we had including coffee! The staff very happily obliged putting warm milk into an espresso cup and voila one happy child! So child friendly is definitely a way to describe The Athenaeum. On my second visit was for the launch of the new carvery Sunday Roast available every Sunday 12-9pm serving delicious chicken, lamb or beef with all the usual trimmings! Just divine!! And perfect for those who can’t be bothered with the hassle of cooking and washing dishes on the day of the week meant for rest. Get down to the Athenaeum this Sunday with the Sunday papers, I highly recommend it!

Following up from the last blog where we were off to cook in a lady’s home (Glenda) I am very happy to update what a huge success the whole evening was! We cooked for 12 lovely ladies which turned out to be their works night out. They even had a buff waiter serving drinks for an hour before dinner! Cheeky!! A great evening was had by all and this is Glenda’s lovely email to us after the event.

Hi Chris

Been meaning to email you to thank you for an absolutely fantastic evening!
Everyone loved it, and they all said it was the best food they had ever
tasted!!! I guess that was obvious based on the very clean plates after
every course!

It was a fantastic evening, the food was amazing, the presentation was
brilliant, and my kitchen has never been cleaner!!!

The girls said it was the best Xmas party they had ever been to, and it was
all down to you all, so thanks again. It was quite something to manage to
please every single guest, and to have every one of them singing your praises (and they still are!!) so thanks again, and we have all been recommending you to friends and members!

 

We are currently in the process of packaging up a similar deal available to purchase, so you too can experience Beetroot at home. This will involve Chris and his chefs coming to cook for you and your guests in the comfort of your own home to produce the ultimate dining experience! I will keep you all posted when this will be available.

Other exciting news this week is that one of our young chefs Gregg Williamson, Chef-De-Partie from The Courtyard is off to work staiges at Tom Kitchin Restaurant, 21212 Restaurant and Martin Wishart Honours Brasserie. Gregg is off to work a week in each Edinburgh kitchen to gain valuable knowledge, skills and understanding of the workings and magic that happens in Michelin starred restaurants. We are all very proud of him, Chris especially, and wish him all the very best. This will hopefully lead on to further employment for the talented young chef in the busy kitchens of some of the world’s top chefs when he leaves the company later this year.

Don’t forget everyone there is still plenty time to book tables for this week at either venue! Please call in advance to avoid disappointment. Why not get on down to The Athenaeum tonight for Jerk Tuesday!! available this evening (and every Tuesday) from7pm. Serving up a variety of soul food including cajun chicken wings, jambalaya, cornbread and ribs to name a few dishes. All with the soothing beats of reggae and dub music playing in the background to transport you out of Aberdeen just for one night!!

Call to book a table at

The Courtyard                   01224 589109

La Stella                               01224 211414

The Athenaeum               01224 595585

Remember you can always contact me via email with any queries or ideas for this blog mrsbeetroot@hotmail.co.uk

Speak soon!

Lynsey

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