Kokova Magazine

Celebrity and Michelin-starred chef Mark Sargeant embraces The Groovy Food Company's Agave Nectar in his tantalizing sweet and savoury recipes.

Try his recipes for Agave Light and Mild Cake with Rhubarb Compote, Agave Dark and Rich Soy Glazed Sea Bass with Asian Greens, Blood Oranges with Pomegranate Seeds and Dark Agave and Venison Carpaccio with the Groovy Food Company Agave Light and Mild...

Agave Light and Mild Cake with Rhubarb Compote

Ingredients

For the cake

• 170g The Groovy Food Company Agave Light and Mild
• 140g salted butter
• 85g light muscovado sugar
• 2 free-range eggs, beaten
• 200g self raising flour, sieved
• Water

For the icing

• 55g/2oz icing sugar
• 1 tbsp the Groovy Food Company Agave Light and Mild
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Hot water

For the Rhubarb compote

• 1kg rhubarb, cut into 4-5cm lengths
• Juice of 1 large orange
• 125ml The Groovy Food Company Agave Light and Mild

Procedure

• Preheat oven to 180c and butter and line the bottom of a 7in/18cm cake tin.
• Measure the Groovy Food Company Agave Light and Mild, butter and sugar into a large pan.
• Add a tablespoon of water and heat gently until melted.
• Remove from the heat and mix in the eggs and flour.
• Spoon into the cake tin and bake for 40-45 minutes until the cake is springy to the touch and shrinking slightly from the sides of the tin.
• Cool slightly in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack.
• While the cake is still warm, make the icing by mixing the sugar and the Groovy Food Company Agave Light and Mild and lemon zest together with 2-3 teaspoons of hot water.
• Glaze the cake with the icing and allow to cool completely before serving.
• To make the compote, put the rhubarb, orange juice and the Groovy Food Company Agave Light and Mild in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.
• Cook for about 5 minutes, until the rhubarb breaks down into a purée.
• Stop cooking when some of the rhubarb is still just holding its shape, but make sure it's quite tender and not at all crunchy.
• Use a sieve to strain off a little of the syrupy juice, so you get a slightly denser rhubarb mixture and some good, tart rhubarb syrup.
• Serve warm or cold alongside the cake.

Agave Dark and Rich Soy Glazed Sea Bass with Asian Greens

Ingredients

For the glaze

• 6 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp Groovy Food Company Agave Rich and Dark
• 3 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 ½ tblp cold water
• 1 ½ tsp corn flour
• 4 x 135-150g sea bass fillets

For the Asian Greens

• Vegetable oil
• 2cm piece ginger, sliced
• 1 garlic clove, sliced
• 250g mixed greens: pak choi (bok choy), sprouting broccoli, kale (trimmed and halved if large)
• 2 tbsp stock (or water)
• Sesame oil
• Soy sauce

Procedure

• Mix soy sauce, the Groovy Food Company Agave Rich and Dark and rice vinegar in a small saucepan.
• Mix the water and corn flour in small bowl until smooth.
• Add to soy sauce mixture.
• Stir mixture over medium heat until glaze boils and thickens slightly, this should take about 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Cool glaze to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 220c.
• Arrange fish on a small non-stick baking sheet then brush with some of glaze.
• Bake until opaque in center for about 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven.
• Bring remaining glaze to boil and spoon glaze over fish.
• Heat a little oil in a wok or large frying pan and add the ginger, chilli and garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Throw in the thicker stemmed greens and cook for a minute, add the rest of the greens and the stock and put a lid on.
• Cook for 2 minutes or until tender then take off the lid and add a splash each of sesame oil and soy sauce.
• Taste and add more if you like then serve with the Groovy Food Company Agave Rich and Dark glazed sea bass.

Blood Oranges with Pomegranate Seeds and Dark Agave

Ingredients

• 8 large blood oranges, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
• 5 tbsp Groovy Food Company Agave Rich and Dark
• 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 8 large Medjool dates, pitted, chopped
• 15g Flaked Almonds
• Mint to garnish

Procedure

• Arrange orange slices, overlapping slightly, on a large serving plate.
• Whisk the Groovy Food Company Agave Rich and Dark, pomegranate seeds, ground cinnamon, and sea salt in small bowl to blend then drizzle evenly over oranges (if it’s too thick to drizzle then add a splash of warm water).
• Sprinkle oranges evenly with chopped dates and flaked toasted almonds and garnish with lots of fresh mint.
• Serve with chilled natural yoghurt.

Venison Carpaccio with the Groovy Food Company Agave Light and Mild

Ingredients

For the venison carpaccio:

• 1 tbsp The Groovy Food Company Omega High Five Oil
• 85g/3oz venison loin
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

For the dressing:

• 2 tbsp The Groovy Food Company Agave Light and Mild
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 1 tbsp English mustard
• 3 tbsp Omega cool oil

Procedure

• For the venison carpaccio: rub the oil into the meat, season well and sear in a very hot pan for about one minute, browning all over.
• Remove from the pan and leave to rest for 4-5 minutes, then slice very thinly with a sharp knife and arrange in a single layer on a serving plate.
• For the dressing: place all of the dressing ingredients together in a bowl and whisk well to combine.
• Drizzle the dressing over the venison carpaccio and season again with sea salt and pepper.
• Sprinkle the coriander over and serve.