Gold leaf sparkling jellies with iced frozen red grapes and creme Chantilly (ft. Sparkling Gold)

Makes 6
Prep time 20 minutes, plus 3 hours for setting (or overnight)

600ml Blue Nun Sparkling Gold
50 ml Elderflower cordial
1 tbsp sugar
6 sheets gelatine
200g green seedless grapes
200ml double cream
2 tsp icing sugar

Firstly take the grapes and cut into little branches with 3 grapes per set, then place on a tray and pop in the freezer.

Soak the gelatine sheets in a small bowl of cold water for about 5 minutes until softened. Meanwhile, put 100ml of the Blue Nun Sparkling Gold and the sugar into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Squeeze the gelatine sheets to remove any excess water and stir into the wine mixture until dissolved.

Then mix the heated wine mix in with the rest of the wine (500ml), pour into a large bowl and place into the fridge. Leave for at least an hour then check and stir. Basically you keep doing this until the mix has thickened enough for the gold flakes to not sink to the bottom.

When ready pour into four individual metal pudding moulds, about 200ml/7fl oz/generous 3⁄4 cup capacity, if you want to turn the panna cottas out onto dessert plates, or into four pretty serving bowls. Put in the fridge to set for at least 2 more hours, or overnight. Then pour the cream and icing sugar into a bowl and whip until soft peaks.

If the panna cottas are in metal moulds, pour boiling water into a bowl and quickly dip the moulds into the water before turning them upside down on to dessert plates. Then add a dollop of cream and some of the frozen grapes.

This brilliant prize includes return flights from London Stansted to Frankfurt Hahn & transfer to Traben-Trabach where you can join in a special weekend of German cultural celebrations at a wonderful wine festival in July.

This weekend break (6th-8th July) prize will include numerous culinary delights and local wine-tastings from the vineyards along the beautiful Mosel river.  Finishing off with an unforgettable classical music and spectacular firework display against the backdrop of this wonderful setting on the Saturday night.

Accomodation includes a double room for 2 nights at the Hotel Bellevue (pictured here) in the lovely town of Traben-Trarbach and includes breakfast and two 3 course gala dinners with delicious regional foods and Mosel wines.

For your chance to WIN, simply complete the form below.

Good Luck!

For terms and conditions, click here.

In the first of our recipes, follow Sophie’s simple steps to create this mouth-watering, barbecued sticky Kung pao chicken with cashew, carrot, radish, cucumber and spring onion salad (ft. Blue Nun Rivaner Riesling in the marinade).

Serves 4

Prep time 20 minutes, plus 1 hour marinating time
Cooking time 15 minutes

8 boneless/skinless chicken thighs, trimmed

Marinade:
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp of Sherry or for a lower sugar marinade use Blue Nun River Riesling
1 tsp honey
1 tsp chili flakes

Salad:
½ head of Chinese white cabbage
3 spring onions
½ cucumber
1 carrot
1 red chili (depending on level of heat required)
50g roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

Dressing:
4 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp Chinese rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil

Firstly mix all the marinade together in a deep tray or dish and then add the chicken turn cover to coat in the marinade and then leave, covered in the fridge for as long as possible (up to 24hrs) and for a minimum of an hour.

Then make the salad. Peel and cut the carrots into very thin strips, and add to a large mixing bowl. Then cut the spring onions thinly on a sharp diagonal and also add to the bowl. Cut the Chinese cabbage down the middle, de core, slice to add to the mix and finally de-seed the cucumber, slice thinly and add too. Mix well. For the dressing, simply mix all the ingredients together and set aside.

When you are ready to eat, heat up a grill to very hot (or if you are barbecuing make sure it is hot and ready). Take the chicken out of the marinade and then place on a grill tray and cook for 8 minutes each side until cooked throughout and caramelised. Then add the dressing to the salad, mix well and serve a big pile of salad with the chicken on top.

Serves 4
Prep time 15 minutes, plus up to 1 hour for marinating.
Cooking time 20 minutes

8 trimmed lamb chops or cutlets

Marinade:
1 tsp cumin seeds
2” piece of fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic
Juice and zest of ½ lemon
1 tbsp olive oil

Rice:
1 onion
50g butter
200g rice
400ml of vegetable stock
1 big pinch saffron
1 tbsp chopped coriander
1 tbsp of chopped pistachios

Mango “chutney”:
1 mango
1 red chili
1 shallot
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp Garam Masala
50ml vinegar
100ml water

Firstly make the marinade, finely grate the ginger and garlic into a deep dish or tray, then add the lemon juice, olive oil and cumin seeds. Then add the trimmed lamb chops and turn over so that the marinade covers all, leave covered for 1 hour.

Then, when 30 minutes has passed, you can cook the rice, start by heating up a medium saucepan. Then finely chop the onion and add to the saucepan with a teaspoon of olive oil. Fry for about 6 minutes until translucent and just starting to go golden. Then add the rice and stir well.

Add the stock and the saffron, stir again, cover with a fitted lid and simmer for 20 minutes or until all the stock has been evaporated and the rice is cooked. Leave covered for another 10 minutes.

For the mango chutney, finely chop the chili and the shallot, and then dice the mango into 1cm pieces. Add the chili, shallots, mango, sugar, vinegar and water to a saucepan along with the spices and bring to boil. Then turn down and simmer for 20 minutes or until the mango is turning translucent and the liquid has evaporated.

Then heat up a frying pan (or have your BBQ ready) and season and fry the lamb chops for about 8 minutes on each side (depending on thickness) You want it charred a little on the outside, with the fats getting crispy and pink in the middle.

Then stir the fresh coriander into the rice and pile on the plate, top with 2 lamb chops per person, a big spoonful of mango and a sprinkling of pistachios.

Blue Nun

The Funny Women Awards are both a recognized celebration of new female comedy talent and a showcase for women’s humorous take on life and Blue Nun is proud to be sponsoring the Funny Women Variety Award.

This is a brilliant category where a range of musical comedians, sketch groups, character acts and other unconventionally funny performances compete for the special Variety Award.

The Funny Women Awards are NOW OPEN to new female acts (up to five years performing) who can perform comedy in front of a live audience, so help spread the word if you know any funny ladies you think would like to get involved!

The Awards are looking for stand ups, impressionists, sketches, character and musical comics, ventriloquists, magicians, double acts and ensembles… anything, as long as it has a comic twist.

It’s a friendly and supportive talent competition and Blue Nun is looking forward to seeing entrants perform live and gain some stage time.   Check out the Funny Women website to find your nearest location to join the first round heats happening from April- June 2012.

More about the Awards
Funny Women we will be running heats throughout the UK, and for the first time in four years, Ireland. The 100 best acts, as voted on by our audience and judging panels, will be invited to perform at one of 10 spectacular Regional Finals around the country. The winner of each Regional Final, as voted on by the audience and an industry panel on the night, will go through to the final at Leicester Square Theatre on Monday 24th September 2012.  Two wild cards from any of the 10 shows will also be invited to perform at the final.

Main Award
The main Funny Women Award is for the best over-all performer or act that they see over the duration of the competition. They will win a cash prize, a series of tour dates with Funny Women, and a career starter pack. There are also two runners up to the main award.

The winner of the Blue Nun Variety Award, will get to have her very own showcase in the Lounge Studio at the Capital’s Leicester Square Theatre.  Also to perform at three exclusive Blue Nun events!

Blue Nun are really proud to supporting Funny Women promoting female talent and comedy, who over the past 10 years have been the first to see many wonderful female comedians who are now major names on the comedy circuit.

So if you know anyone with a flair for comedy, encourage them to get involved and take part!

For more information visit Funny Women online, follow them on Facebook or Twitter

And keep tuned as we’ll have some tickets to comedy shows to give away as well!

Blue Nun

* This offer is not guaranteed in all Tesco stores.

This fun cookery course will teach you a wealth of time-saving tips from professional chefs, organizational skills and fantastic recipes to help make this year’s family Christmas Dinner a magical festive feast – without the stress!

Plus you get to enjoy a fabulous Christmas meal and a glass of Blue Nun sparkling wine following the hands on cooking demonstrations, a cookery demonstration DVD and a fabulous goody bag to take home.

This competition has now closed.

Tune in to TCM this Saturday at 3pm to see ‘The Bridges of Madison County’, starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. Set in 1965, this film tells the story of Francesca (Meryl Streep), and what happens when a chance encounter with a perfect stranger turns into a bittersweet and all-too-brief romance.

Other Hollywood contemporary and cult classic films include: Cousins, Falling in Love, Forever Young, My Fair Lady, Blue Hawaii, Wizard of Oz, Pelican Brief, Boogie nights to name a few.

Don’t forget to tell us your favourite movies in our regular movie poll.

Blue Nun

We thought all of the acts were great, so much great female talent and comedy out there.  Big congratulations to all of the winners and to Suzy Bennett, the fabulously funny host for the night.

The prestigious judging panel included TV Presenter Kate Garraway, agent Lucy Ansbro of Phil McIntyre Entertainment, Jane Martinson Editor for the Women’s Page at The Guardian, BBC Arts Editor Will Gompertz, Cosmopolitan Editor Louise Court, Head of Sky Comedy Lucy Lumsden and TV psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos.

The Funny Women Awards 2011 winners are:

Overall winner: Lara A King
2nd Place – Katherine Bennett
3rd place -  Bekka Bowling

Well done also to Becky Steward who won the Race for Life Real Funny Woman Award for running dressed as a giant whoopee cushion costume, fundraising tirelessly since her mum was diagnosed with cancer.

Christine Robertson also won the Funny Women Comedy Writing Award. Ladies Live Longer won the Variety Award.

Blue Nun would like to say a very big WELL DONE to all these talented and funny women.

“A big improvement. The bouquet is lighter, crisper and fresher. It is definitely less sweet than the original and the crisp bouquet translates to an off-dry wine which is both flowery and fruity but in a lean, European way. It would go pleasantly with most food, especially creamy dishes or chicken. With less alcohol (ten per cent volume) than many wines, it has a leaner feel than, say, Chardonnay.”

Read the full Blue Nun taste test.

Photograph: Gary Stone