American chef, Bea Vo, shares her guide to pairing U.S. dishes with classic Gordon’s & Baileys cocktails for a royally good time. We’re getting ready to celebrate a certain special occasion on 19th May, when we have a great excuse to take to the streets for a weekend of festivities. How better to mark the big day than with a transatlantic twist – a very British street party meets an all-American ‘block party’, where American food and Gordon’s London Dry Gin , Gordon’s Premium Pink Distilled Gin & Baileys Irish Cream cocktails come together in perfect harmony.
To help us get into the spirit, American restaurant queen Bea Vo, founder of FeedYour Soul; Boondocks , Stax & Butterscotch , is here with the ultimate recipe guide, marrying together an all American ‘potluck’ style menu with easy and delicious drinks, as well as sharing her top tips on throwing the ultimate U.S. x U.K. celebration at home.
These recipes are perfect for feasting on over a weekend of celebration and all throughout spring. Check them out below and shop online to throw your very own U.S. x U.K. party! What’s more, Bea will be serving the Baileys Iced Coffee and Monkey Bread for a limited time on the specials menu at Butterscotch from the 14th until the 21st May.
1. To start, try a heirloom tomato and charred corn salad that pairs perfectly with a berry Gordon’s Pink Spritz Get in the party spirit with a Gordon’s Pink Spritz, made with Gordon’s Premium Pink Distilled Gin , lemonade, Prosecco and sumptuous strawberries. For the dish, your guests will love the classic American flavours of heirloom tomato and charred corn salad with Grated Cheddar, Dill, and Gordon’s Premium Pink Distilled Gin vinaigrette. This dish is simple and easy to make but looks impressive.
2. Follow with Viet-Cajun BBQ Heads on/off Grilled Shrimp with a Classic Gordon’s London Dry gin & tonic premix. The classic gin and tonic, with its 250 year British heritage, is fitting for a very British celebration, and the tin means it’s perfectly mixed and street-party ready. Pair the crisp taste of Gordon’s gin and tonic with a dish that’s all-American, like Viet-Cajun BBQ Heads on/off Grilled Shrimp. With lip-smacking Cajun seasoning and garlic, mopped up with a good crusty baguette, it’s a holy matrimony of flavour.
3. And finally, for a deliciously indulgent dessert try Baileys Irish Cream Mocha Monkey Bread with sumptuously rich Baileys Iced Coffee. Baileys is the ultimate indulgent treat and perfect to enjoy after a meal. Double the indulgence by pairing cool and creamy Baileys Iced Coffee with Baileys Mocha Monkey Bread – chocolate soft cinnamon bun bundt cake flavoured with a Baileys Mocha Icing, for a touch of luxury.
Check out Bea’s Recipes for the perfect Royal Wedding Street Party
Gordon’s Pink Spritz x Corn & Tomato Salad.
Bea Vo says, “Charred corn and tomato salad with Gordon’s Premium Pink Distilled Gin vinaigrette is super easy to make ahead of time as well as with a perfectly refreshing taste. With American sweet corn, tomatoes and British Cheddar and Gordon’s Premium Pink Distilled Gin, it’s the perfect U.S & U.K fusion dish. The Gordon’s Pink Spritz has this lovely fruity fizz that works perfectly with the salad’s acidity.”
Gordon’s Pink Spritz – (Serves 1, 2.2 units of alcohol per serve)
Ingredients:
● 50ml Gordon’s Premium Pink Distilled Gin (1.8 units)
● 50ml lemonade
● 25ml Prosecco
● Fresh strawberries
● Ice
Method: Fill a large wine glass with ice, mix in the Gordon’s Premium Pink Distilled Gin with lemonade and Prosecco, and garnish with wedges of fresh strawberries. Corn and Tomato Salad Serves: 4-6 Time: 10 minutes. Ingredients:
Gin Vinaigrette (0.5 units of alcohol)
● 2 tsp dijon mustard
● juice of one lime
● 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
● 15 ml Gordon’s Premium Pink Distilled Gin (0.5 units of alcohol)
● 2 tbsp. rapeseed oil
● 1 tsp chopped dill
● small handful of basil leaves
● black pepper and salt to taste
● 4 ears of corn
● 100 g cherry tomato
● 1 ripe heirloom tomato, chopped
● 1 tsp chopped chives
● 80g mild or mature cheddar
● juice of 1/2 lime
● salt and pepper to taste
Method: 1) Heat grill or griddle pan to high heat. Brush corn with oil, and lay on the grill, allow the corn to turn a little black before rotating. Let cool. 2) Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. Chop dill, and whisk all of the vinaigrette ingredients together. Add black pepper and salt to taste. Set aside. 3) Slice cherry tomato and chop tomato coarsely. 4) Put all corn, tomato, cheddar and vinaigrette in a bowl. Tear the basil and add, add chopped chives. Taste and add extra lime juice, salt and pepper as needed. Serve at Room temperature.
Gordon’s Gin & Tonic x Viet Cajun Prawns
“This is the type of dish you can only eat surrounded by the friends and family who don’t mind you seeing you get a little messy. This is lip-smacking, finger-licking savageness with sauce so good, people will not judge you for licking the plate clean. The dish really plays to the melting pot of America with inspiration from the Vietnamese community in Louisiana, along with rounding it out with British Worcestershire sauce and butter to give that extra punch of richness and depth.” Classic Gordon’s Gin & Tonic – (Serves 1, 1.9 units per serve)
Ingredients:
● 50ml Gordon’s London Dry Gin (1.9 units of alcohol)
● Fresh bottled tonic
● Cubed ice
● Wedge of lime to garnish
Method: Fill a chilled highball glass with fresh ice cubes. Pour 50 ml of Gordon’s London Dry Gin over the ice and top up with chilled tonic. Gently squeeze a wedge of lime into the glass before dropping it in, then give it all a final stir. The definitive Gin & Tonic, and a great way to begin any occasion.
Viet Cajun Prawns
Serves: 4-6
Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
● 800 g of prawns with head and shell on
● 4 shallots, sliced
● 8 cloves of garlic, chopped
● 125 g of butter
● 220 g of caster sugar
● 1.5 tbsp fish sauce
● 1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
● 1 tbsp soy sauce
● 175 ml of water
● 2 tsp cajun seasoning
● 1/2 tsp black pepper
● 100 g spring onion / salad onions
● 100 g of fresh chopped coriander
Method: 1) Over medium high heat, saute butter and shallots for 4 minutes until softened and brown. 2) Add chopped garlic and saute for 2 minutes. 3) Add Caster Sugar and turn to high heat—stir and it will make a caramel. When it bubbles and thickens and is a nice dark colour about 3 minutes. 4) Deglaze and add cajun seasoning, fish sauce, soy sauce, black pepper. 5) When that is incorporated, add prawns and spring onions, and saute for 4 minutes until prawns are pink. 6) Add water to thin the sauce, stir and then put into serving bowl. 7) Top with Fresh Coriander.
Baileys Iced Coffee x Baileys Mocha Monkey Bread
“Americans love eating with their hands and this monkey bread is the perfect dessert for people to pull apart and savour. The Baileys Mocha Icing just gilds the buttery soft dough, and this will definitely be talked out for months to come. This dessert represents the best of American and British desserts, moreish, tender, reminiscent of your mum’s home baking and thoroughly satisfying.”
Baileys Iced Coffee – (Serves 1, 0.9 units per serve)
Ingredients:
● 50ml Baileys Original Irish Cream (0.9 units per serve)
● Brewed coffee
● Three large ice cubes
Method: Brew coffee and allow it to cool Pour Baileys and coffee into a tall, ice-filled glass Monkey Bread – (0.3 units per full monkey bread) Serves: 8-10 people Time: 4 hours
Ingredients:
● 2 packages of active dry yeast
● 75 ml of milk lukewarm
● 2 egg yolks
● 150 g of butter, softened at room temperature
● 1/2 tsp vanilla
● 60 g of caster sugar
● 1 tsp white wine or cider vinegar
● 85 g of greek yoghurt
● 425 g of plain flour
● 1 ts. salt
Filling:
● 200 g dark brown sugar
● 250 g melted butter
● 2 tsp instant coffee
● 2 tsp cocoa powder
● 1 tsp cinnamon
Icing:
● 100 g icing sugar
● 25 ml milk
● 1 tsp instant coffee
● 1/2 tsp cocoa powder
● 15 ml Baileys (0.3 units of alcohol)
● Dark Chocolate, melted
Method: 1) Add Yeast to warm milk (make sure the milk is warm to the touch, but not hot so you don’t kill the yeast. Stir and wait for bubbles to come.
2) Meanwhile, beat butter and caster sugar in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks and whip until combined. Slowly add vanilla and vinegar. Add Yeast/milk mixture and slowly combine. 3) Stir Flour and salt. Incorporate and mix for about 2 minutes. 4) Put the dough onto a floured surface, knead it until it’s a nice, soft ball. It will feel softer than a normal dough, but that is normal. 5) Put inside a buttered bowl, wrap with cling film, and set aside in a warm place until the ball has doubled, about an hour.
6) Punch down the dough. Make the filling: 7) Melt the butter. Brush melted butter onto the 10 inch bundt pan, or a grease proofed cake tin/two loaf tins if you do not have a bundt pan. With the remaining butter, add instant coffee and mix until combined. 8) In a separate bowl, add cocoa powder, cinnamon and brown sugar. 9) divide the dough and roll into 25g balls. Dip in melted butter, and then dip in sugar. Place around the bundt pan. Add remaining sugar mix to the top. Cover in cling film and let rise until it’s doubled, about one hour. 30 mins in, preheat oven to 175 ‘C. 10) Bake for 30 minutes. 11) Remove from oven. Let cool for 10 minutes and take a butter knife to loosen the bread around the edges. Invert onto a plate. 12) Make the Baileys Mocha Icing – sift icing sugar and cocoa powder together. 13) Warm milk to warm, and add instant coffee. 14) Add milk and baileys to icing sugar, and stir until it’s a thick, golden syrup/molasses like consistency. You might need to add more milk to thin. 15) Pour over the bread. Drizzle melted chocolate (optional)
