SUPERMARKETS are bracing themselves for the final rush as budding cordon bleus pull out the stops to join a certain short-tempered celebrity chef in a "cook-along" that's captured the imagination of the nation.
Hand-caught scallops, sirloin steaks and dark chocolate have been flying off the shelves – all thanks to Michelin-starred master chef Gordon Ramsay.
Fridges and freezers across Britain are stocked up so their owners can cook along with Ramsay t
onight as he prepares a three-course meal live on television.
The meal for four kicks off with a starter of pan-roasted scallops with a tomato and herb salsa.
The main course is to be steak and chips with a rocket and parmesan salad, and the indulgent dessert will be chocolate mousse.
Dieters should probably turn off at this point – among the ingredients are dark chocolate, double cream, icing sugar, coffee liqueur and two chocolate-covered honeycombs.
The mass social experiment reflects the messiah-like status celebrity chefs have gained, with thousands gearing up to imitate Ramsay's every action.
The chef – who has already recommended viewers get some help in the kitchen to allow them to watch and cook – last night welcomed the interest in food his programme had sparked.
Morrisons said its customers were targeting fresh ingredients and the store expected sales to further increase today, in the hours before Gordon Ramsay: Cook Along Live is screened on Channel 4.
A spokeswoman said: "We have seen an increase in sales of Scottish sirloin steak and expect this to increase further as this is the main ingredient used on his first programme.
"It is expected that sales of fresh scallops, all sustainably sourced, will rise to five times the normal amount, so we have ordered in extra stock for our fresh-fish counters.
"We have bought in additional stocks of Desiree potatoes, which are grown in Norfolk, to cope with anticipated demand for this vegetable. These are a favourite for this time of year as they are great when used in winter-warming meals."
Asda said it was on track to sell record amounts of king scallops, groundnut oil and honeycomb chocolate – and thanked Ramsay for the surge in profits.
Spokesman Ed Watson said average sales were likely to increase by 200 per cent by the time the programme went out at 9pm tonight.
And he claimed shoppers could pick up all the ingredients for the meal for £30.22.
Meanwhile, Waitrose was also feeling the "Ramsay effect", with its frozen scallop sales soaring by 600 per cent in a fortnight.
Waitrose's frozen-food buyer, Sally Brooks, said: "With the programme's producers encouraging customers to cook along from home, it certainly appears that people aren't taking any chances and are ensuring that their fridges and freezers are stocked up."
Ramsay said the rise in the popularity of the scallop was "great news".
"A lot of people are somewhat intimated by them," he said. "But they're very good for you."
Ramsay will be accompanied in his ambitious culinary endeavour by Radio One DJ Chris Moyles.
The Breakfast Show presenter – famed for his girth – has already been filmed cooking with the Scots chef. On that occasion, however, he managed to set the kitchen on fire.
A programme insider said: "Judging from the number of hits the website has had – maybe half a million since the start of the month – we are anticipating a healthy response and I think people are very engaged with the novelty of the fact it's live and they'll be able to do it in real time along with him." The insider added: "It's Gordon. It's not going to be a leisurely amble though, so be ready to go at 9pm."
WHAT YOU NEED TO BUY
PAN-ROASTED SCALLOPS WITH TOMATO AND HERB SALSA
INGREDIENTS4 tbsp olive oil; 200g cherry tomatoes; 80g pitted, drained black olives; salt and freshly ground black pepper; bunch coriander, leaves only; bunch basil leaves; 1 lemon, juiced; 12 scallops (hand-dived preferably) coral removed.
STEAK AND CHIPS WITH A ROCKET AND PARMESAN SALAD
INGREDIENTSFOR THE CHIPS: 4 large Desiree potatoes; 2 tbsp groundnut oil; salt and freshly ground black pepper; a generous pinch chilli flakes.
FOR THE STEAK: 4 sirloin steaks (approx 200g-250g each); salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2 tbsp groundnut oil; 25g butter.
FOR THE SALAD: 1 tbsp white wine vinegar; 3 tbsp olive oil; salt and freshly ground black pepper; 120g rocket; 50g parmesan, shaved.
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE150g dark chocolate; 250ml crème fraîche; 284ml double cream; 25g icing sugar, sifted; 1-2 tbsp coffee liqueur (this is optional); 2 chocolate covered honeycombs (frozen for ten minutes).
The full article contains 785 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
