Serving a mouth-watering selection of baked goodies, salads, pizzas, sandwiches and delicious deli items at their delis across The Suffolk Coast, Black Dog Deli's Head Chef Felicity Putman shares her cooking inspiration and favourite summer recipe...
Based at Black Dog Deli's pizza outlet, The Lord Nelson in Southwold, Felicity Putman (Flick) has been in the industry for a number of years, serving up her delicious pizzas across the world - most notably a year long stint in New Zealand just before the pandemic.
What local produce do you love working with?
I am fortunate to have an abundance of fresh and local ingredients on my door step. The Waveney Mushroom company supply us via Wangford Farm Shop with their Mushroom Flats which are a staple on our best selling pizza 'The Black Dog' which consists of our signature tomato base, smoked Pancetta, Mascarpone, and the Waveney Mushrooms roasted off with plenty of garlic. Using fresh, local produce perfectly compliments our sourdough pizza bases developed by our talented bakers in Halesworth who also supply all of the other Black Dog businesses as well as many other local businesses throughout Norfolk and Suffolk.
Where do you get your inspiration?
I think with a dish as iconic as pizza, it is important to not reinvent the wheel but experimenting with different ideas is key in developing the menu. I gain inspiration via a variety of sources such as social media, local restaurants and most importantly - travelling around to expand the pallet and try new flavour combinations.
What cooking techniques bring out the best in seasonal ingredients?
When cooking with seasonal ingredients, the key is to keep it simple and allow the seasonal item in question to be the star of the show whilst adding complimentary seasonings to elevate the depth of flavour.
What tips do you have for home chefs?
Don't be afraid to experiment! Try new flavours and cuisines that you may not have considered before. Simple recipes can be so versatile when you elevate it from the traditional dish. A simple dough recipe can be a great base not just for pizza but for open sandwiches, dough sticks as well as croutons to add texture to your favourite salads.
Panzanella Salad Recipe
A great recipe to try at home that is always a crowd pleaser is a traditional Panzanella salad. This dish screams summer and is the perfect thing to take with you to a BBQ or dinner party with family or friends. The recipe below serves between 4 and 6 people.
Ingredients:
- 1kg ripe tomatoes, halved or quartered depending on size - top tip, use heritage tomatoes if you can find some good quality ones locally to really add some colour to the salad
- 300g day-old/past it's best sourdough or ciabatta, torn/cut into large chunks
- 100ml extra virgin olive oil (using a good quality olive oil here really makes the difference)
- 50ml red wine vinegar
- 2 finely sliced red onions
- 100g of pitted olives, roughly chopped
- 2 handfuls of capers
- 1 cucumber, deseeded and cut diagonally into chunks
- 1 finely diced shallot
- Salt and Pepper for seasoning
Method:
1. Combine your tomatoes, sliced red onions, olives, capers and cucumbers in a bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together your red wine vinegar and olive oil with a good pinch of salt and pepper and diced shallot.
3. Pour your dressing over your ingredients and stir through until all of the ingredients are nicely coated
4. Stir through your chunks of bread and serve - you can add some fresh parsley to garnish if you like and have some available
5. The panzanella is enjoyed best when it has been made the day before serving - this allows the bread to soften slightly and soak up all of the delicious juices.
Find your nearest Black Dog Deli at https://theblackdogdelis.co.uk/