As part of Scottish Food & Drink fortnight our Development Chef John tells us what is is like to work at Castle MacLellan and unveils the secret to making the perfect pâté.
How would you sum up what you do at Castle MacLellan?
At Castle MacLellan, we make award-winning, high-quality pâté that generate profits for good causes. In my role as Development Chef, I work closely with local suppliers, retailers and food service companies to put our pâtés on the map. It’s a really varied role that includes research trips, recipe development and my absolute favourite – a lot of eating. It’s great that I can call this work!
You work with lots of other local suppliers. Why is this important to you and can you give us some examples?
As a larger business in a rural community, it is important to support local businesses and try to champion as many ingredients from the great Scottish larder as possible. We work closely with a local chutney and preserve business where we use its award-winning products in some of our terrines, and we use honey from the local area in our Chicken Liver Pâté.
What’s the secret to making perfect pate?
The perfect pâté must have good-quality ingredients and a great balance of flavours. Add a tasty tipple to the recipe and you’re on to a winner. When it comes to textures, our pâtés range from silky smooth parfaits or slightly coarser pressed terrines – there’s something to suit all tastes.
How do you come up with ideas for new products/innovations?
To ensure we’re constantly evolving and developing products that consumers will love, it’s important to pay attention to trends and demand. From there it’s a lot of trial and error with regards to recipe development. It’s really important for us to get it just right – no matter how long it takes.
How will Castle MacLellan be celebrating Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight?
To celebrate Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight, Castle MacLellan has launched a brand-new range of Light pâtés. Available in three delicious flavours – Salmon with Red Pepper, Tuna and Chicken Liver – each one is less than 170 calories per 100g pot, a source of protein and less than 30% than our standard range.
With more and more people watching what they eat, we wanted to make sure they were able to eat a healthy, balanced diet but still indulge in luxurious pâté. Our new range are perfect for a guilt-free snack, a low-fat but tasty addition to a meal or a light showstopper when entertaining guests.