Monthly Archives: July 2018

Barbequed Steaks with Sweet Potato Salad

July may be nearly over, but that doesn’t mean the end of BBQ season! We’ve teamed up with local butcher Bannerman Butcher to bring you the perfect recipe for hanger steaks with a sweet potato salad side, guaranteed to land you the title of King of the BBQ.

Whether enjoyed outdoors in the sunshine or inside on those Scottish summer days, this quick and easy dish is the perfect crowd pleaser. Just follow the simple steps below.

You will need

2 large hanger steaks from Bannerman Butcher (depending on how many people you are feeding)

For the sweet potato salad:

2kg sweet potatos, peeled and cut into large chunks

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, grated

140g feta cheese, roughly crumbled

50g toasted pine nuts

100g pomegranate seeds

Salt and pepper

1 tsp red chili flakes

For dressing:

4 spring onions, finely chopped

½ small bunch parsley, chopped

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp clear honey

5 tbsp white wine vinegar

 Begin by Making the Salad

As the steaks take only minutes to cook, start by preparing the sweet potato salad. This can be done in advance of your guests arriving, giving you plenty of time to play host.

  1. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
  2. Toss the sweet potato with the olive oil, garlic, chili flakes, salt and pepper until coated evenly, then spread across a baking tray topped with baking paper.
  3. Cook for 30-35 minutes until tender, then leave to cool to room temperature.
  4. Mix the dressing ingredients into a large bowl, seasoning to taste.
  5. Pile the potato onto a serving platter and generously drizzle over the dressing.
  6. Tear up the feta and scatter over with the toasted pine nuts and pomegranate, then gently toss with your hands, taking care not to break up the potato.

With your salad ready it’s time to move onto cooking the steaks. For this recipe, Bannerman Butcher suggests using hanger steaks as the heat of the BBQ really intensifies the flavour.

  1. Place your steaks onto a hot BBQ and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, depending on how you like yours cooked.
  2. Add a little salt and pepper, then rest the meat for 5 minutes before slicing and enjoying.

This recipe is the perfect dish for when you have lots of guests coming over and you don’t want spend hours over the stove. Quick, simple and delicious, enjoy recreating this tasty steak and sweep potato salad recipe for friends and family.

Disclaimer: Please note the recipe for the sweet potato salad was adapted from BBC Good Food’s recipe here.

How could Help to Buy help you

A handy guide to ‘Help to Buy’

This year, the Scottish Government announced a two year extension to its existing ‘Help to Buy’ scheme, helping first time buyers across Scotland take those all-important steps onto the property ladder.

The scheme, which has now been extended up to 2021, was set up to ease the pressure on buyers and has already helped thousands of households across Scotland purchase a new-build home.

But how does it work?

Launched in 2013, the ‘Help to Buy’ scheme allows first time buyers and aspiring home owners the chance to get on to, or move up the property ladder without having to source a sizable deposit for a mortgage.

Through the scheme, buyers can secure a mortgage for a new-build home at 5%, with an equity loan provided by the Scottish Government of up to 15%, leaving owners with a minimum of 85% to pay on their property.

The Government loan is interest-free for its term, meaning that the cost of the deposit and mortgage repayments are considerably lowered and as it’s not a shared ownership scheme, you own 100% of the property.

Since it started five years ago, the ‘Help to Buy’ scheme has helped more than 12,000 households secure their new home.

So what’s the catch?

While it may seem too good be true, there are just a few stipulations between you and your new home. Crucially, ‘Help to Buy’ is capped at properties costing £200,000 and it must be your sole place of residence. The loan cannot apply to part exchange or buy to let.

Help to Buy in Chapelton

At Chapelton some of our most sought after homes are now available through ‘Help to Buy’ which means that the property of your dreams may not be far out of reach.

In addition to two bedroom homes at £199,950, housebuilder ZeroC is offering its Keithlock apartment priced from £189,000. Boasting an en suite master bedroom, large second bedroom, plenty of storage and open kitchen, living and dining space, this apartment is ideal for those keen to make the most of Chapelton’s location, which is near the city but still enjoys a countryside setting.

Award-winning housebuilder Stephen’s Help to Buy properties have already proven extremely popular with first time buyers with just one two-bedroom cottages available to purchase using the scheme. Priced from £199,500 the Inchcape offers a large entrance hallway, two spacious bedrooms, bathroom and open plan kitchen and lounge area finished with French doors leading out onto a garden area.

With so many great local facilities and plenty to see and do, Chapelton is the perfect place to start your future.

Meet the Pets: Miniature Schnauzers Bertie and Ralphie

Bertie and Ralphie live in a ZeroC property in Chapelton. Here, they tell us why they’re proud to call the town ‘home’.

What are you favourite things about your home in Chapelton?

Bertie: We love our home in Chapelton. The spacious garden is great for roaming around in during the summer and on colder winter days we like to lie in front of the wood burning stove.

Ralphie: I like being able to lie in the sunlight in my owner’s office. It’s a lovely space for a mid-afternoon nap.

bertie-168x300 Meet the Pets: Miniature Schnauzers Bertie and Ralphie

Do you visit many areas nearby the town?

Ralphie: We’re always out and about. Our owners like taking us for walks in the woodland area close to our house but we also take trips to the beach in Newtonhill and Stonehaven. There are plenty of good sniffing spots there.

Have you met other doggy friends in Chapelton?

Bertie: Chapelton is full of lots of friendly dogs, and cats. We regularly bump into neighbours when out on walks but also all meet up once a week when our dog walker Jenna (Long Dog Walkies) takes us out to play.

ralph-168x300 Meet the Pets: Miniature Schnauzers Bertie and Ralphie

Where is your favourite spot in Chapelton?

Ralphie: Apart from all of the great places to go on walks and our own garden, we like to stop by The Lounge when on a stroll through the town. The very friendly staff always make sure to give us a biscuit and a pat.

Bertie: I love going to Newtonhill beach. We’re able to walk there from our house and the warmer days are great for playing on the beach with our friends.

If you would like to include your furry friend on the blog, send us a message on Facebook.

Chapelton 10k Run

The first ever Chapelton Fun Run was a great success. Hosted in the town on Sunday 15th July, people of all ages took part. A few childrens’ races in the park preceeded the main 10k road and trail race. All gather in Hume Square to enjoy a well-earned cold drink, a little music, plenty of sunshine and their bespoke Chapelton medal. All proceeds from the 250 entries are to be donated to local schools and charities and we would like to thank everyone for making the day a very fun one.

New Brio Retirement Living Showhomes Launch

Brio Retirement Living has launched its first Landale Court showhomes in Chapelton.

The one-bedroom Campbell cottage and two-bedroom Fraser cottage, named after local clans, provide prospective buyers with the opportunity to see what the new retirement area of the town and the properties have to offer.

Brio homes are now available to reserve off-plan and benefit from the village hub which contains a homeowner’s club lounge, a Slate & Grain Brasserie & Bar, fitness suite and 24 on-site staff presence. For more information on the showhomes or to arrange an appointment, visit www.brioretirement.co.uk/our-villages/chapelton/show-home/ or call the sales team on – 01224 676 952