There are a limited number of places on our Champagne & Cupcakes evening taking place on Wednesday 8th February.

Enjoy a chilled glass of champagne, whilst learning how to decorate the perfect cupcake, get expert decoration tips from your tutor, Layla Wright of Beaumont Cakes, and take home your fabulous cupcake creations.

Ideal gift for your Valentine – book your place

Come along and join our game course taking place this Saturday 15th October, where your tutor will take you through a practical and educational day.

Game falls into two categories. The first is feathered game or game birds, including grouse, pheasant, partridge, quail, snipe, wild duck, woodcock and wood pigeon. The second is furred game, including hare, rabbit, venison and ‘wild’ boar.

To expand your knowledge join us for the day and learn what to look for when buying game, cooking it and get the best from its rich flavours.

Your menu for the day

Game pie with buttered celeriac and game gravy
Grilled Northamptonshire Wood Pigeon
Shires Pheasant pate

Cost is £125 per person this includes your ingredients and lunch. The day will commence at 9.30am through to 3.30 and promises to be an informative and interactive experience.

Book your place or call (01604) 621640

We are delighted to welcome Hao Dang  from Dangs Vietnamese restaurant to Shires.

Awarding winning Hao will be bringing her 25 years experience of cooking Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese cuisine to the school with a series of hands on day classes, commencing Sunday 9 October.

One of the handful of Northamptonshire restaurants recommended in the Michelin Guide for the last three years, Dangs is Northampton’s only Vietnamese restaurant. Opened in 2007 it already has a great reputation for fresh and tasty cuisine and friendly atmosphere. What’s more Hao Dang has just won ‘Best Curry Chef’ of the year 2010/2011 at the Northamptonshire Food awards in recognition of her fine skills and was runner up in the ‘Booker Chef of the Year’ 2011/12 in the Northamptonshire food and drink awards.

There are a limited number of places on the course, click through to find out more and reserve your place

Join our three hour pasta course taking place this Wednesday evening 14th Sept.

Your tutor will take you teach you how to make pasta and create a couple of delicious Italian sauces.
The course commences at 6pm through to 9pm, cost is £35 per person, this includes your ingredients.

Come straight from work, improve your culinary skills and cook yourself a delicious dinner.

After much anticipation and a great deal of excitement, the winners of the ten categories in the Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2011/12 are finally celebrating being named the best of the county’s best!

The competition, devised by Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership (NEP), is now in its third year and is again aimed at celebrating all that is great about local produce and drink, recognising excellence within the county’s dining venues and rewarding those who work so hard within the culinary sector.

The results were announced at a glittering Awards Dinner (Thurs 1^st Sept) staged in the magnificent setting of Holdenby House.

The winners and runners-up are:
Young Chef of the Year:
Winner: Leighanne Harrison
Runner-up: Paige Sanderson

Local Food Hero:
Winner: Collyweston Community Shop
Runner-up: Nick Riseley of Creamers Coffee House, Raunds

Community Pub of the Year – Town:
Winner (only): The Malt Shovel Tavern, Northampton
Community Pub of the Year – Rural:
Winner (only): The Sun Inn, Hardingstone

Curry Chef of the Year:
Winner: Durga Sapkota of Mem-Saab Ltd, Northampton
Runner-up: Bodrul Islam of Saffron, Northampton

Pub or Bar Restaurant of the Year:
Winner: Rose & Crown, Yardley Hastings
Runner-up: The Saracen’s Head, Little Brington

Restaurant of the Year:
Winner: Beckworth Emporium, Mears Ashby
Runner-up: The Seafood Café, Northampton 

Best Local Product:
Winner: Farrington’s Balsamic Dressing, Farrington Oils Ltd
Runner up: Diamond Pork Pie, Sauls of Spratton Ltd       

Best Local Drink:
Winner : Fleur Fields Rosé, Fleur Fields Ltd
Runner up: Medium Apple Juice, The Village Orchard

Booker Chef of the Year:
Winner: Lee Gaskins of The Terrace Restaurant at Highgate House, Creaton
Runner-up: Hao Dang of Dang’s Vietnamese Restaurant, Northampton

‘Young Chef of the Year’, Leighanne Harrison, a former Northampton College student who is now working at The Seafood Café in Northampton, was stunned by the announcement of her victory, “I couldn’t believe it when my name was announced and my legs turned to jelly when I got up to collect my trophy! I’ve won two bronze medals and a silver in the UK World Skills competition for my silver service but this is my first award for my cooking – and it’s amazing!”

Meanwhile for Andrew Pye of The Sun Inn, Hardingstone, winning the title of ‘Community Pub of the Year – Rural’ also came as a wonderful surprise, “I’m absolutely delighted! I’ve got twenty five young people in my team and this is fantastic recognition for them and their efforts in supporting the community. This really is the greatest accolade and we certainly intend to have a big party to celebrate!”

And for Duncan Farrington of Farrington Oils in Hargrave whose Balsamic Dressing won the ‘Best Local Product ’ title, the award clearly meant everything, ”This is the third year we’ve entered and so to take the title at last is wonderful, especially with a product which we only launched earlier this summer.  Although we sell nationally and internationally, our greatest following is here in Northamptonshire and so to receive this local award from those wonderful supporters is great and we’d like to say thank you to them!”  

The trophies – a beautifully handcrafted plaque created by Northampton ceramicist Nita Nathwani – were presented by a selection of this year’s Award judges, including Holdenby House owner James Lowther, award-winning broadcaster, editor and food writer William Sitwell and Northampton-born Tom Whitaker, who was runner-up in this year’s BBC Masterchef. Tom said he was very pleased to be playing his part in supporting his county of birth, “It’s been great to come back home and to be involved in what is such a fantastic competition. I’m a real supporter of buying British and indeed local produce and it’s clear Northamptonshire‘s great venues and chefs share my thinking. The county should feel very proud!” 

Guests were welcomed to the event by the competition’s co-ordinator, Rachel Mallows of The Mallows Company and NEP’s Chief Executive, Rob Purdie. Rob spoke afterwards of his delight that the competition is making such an impact, “As the organization behind these awards it was very exciting to see the responses of the winners and runners-up and what success in this competition so clearly means to them. The awards are about encouraging all those in the sector, from grass roots level upwards, to be as good as they can be and across all categories we’re already seeing the difference that is making. We’re delighted that our efforts are reaping such rewards for so many.”

Former Northampton College student and Executive Chef at Gary Rhodes’ Michelin-starred restaurant Rhodes Twenty Four, Adam Gray, prepared a mouth-watering Northamptonshire menu for the 250 entrants, judges, sponsors, media partners and supporters who attended, including the creator of Ready Steady Cook and a Fellow of the Master Chefs of Great Britain, Steven Saunders.  Guests were treated to a starter of cured salmon served with a Northamptonshire honey-pickled cucumber salad, followed by a trio of Northamptonshire lamb and a pudding of iced lemon chiboust served with Northamptonshire blackberries.

Pan fried
Grey Mullet with a saffron broth

Ingredients

1 x 140-170g Grey Mullet Fillet
1 Baking Potato
1 Shallot
Olive Oil
3 Tiger Prawns
1 Garlic Clove
150ml Dry White Wine
300ml of Chicken or Vegetable Stock
Pinch of Saffron
150g Baby Spinach
2 Scallops
30g Butter
Chervil

Method

1.Peel a baking potato, cut into a small dice, cook
in boiling salted water until tender, drain and set to one side.

2. To make the broth, sauté a finely diced shallot in
a drizzle of oil for 1-2 minutes, add a pinch of crushed garlic and season. Add
150ml of dry white wine and reduce by half, add 300ml of

3. Add the chicken or fish stock and reduce by half
again. Remove from the heat, add a pinch of saffron and check seasoning.

4. Cut the Mullet Fillet into two pieces, cut two or
three slashes into the skin, drizzle with oil and season well. Place the pieces
in a hot pan skin side down for 2-3 minutes to crisp and colour; transfer the
pan to a hot oven for a further 3 minutes to finish cooking.

5.Wilt 150g of baby spinach leaves in a pan with a
knob of butter, season to taste.
6. Over a gentle heat, slowly swirl 30g of diced
butter into the broth to thicken slightly and give a glossy sheen, finish with
chopped chervil.

7. To serve, arrange the diced potato and wilted
spinach towards the centre of a clean pasta bowl. Spoon over the broth, sit the
pieces of Grey Mullet on top of the spinach and finish with more finely chopped
chervil. To further enhance the broth, add 3-4 pan fried Tiger Prawns.

Baked Gurnard on a bed of roasted vegetables

Gurnard is a white firm bodied fish that can take strong
flavours

Ingredients

1 x 500g   Gurnard filleted and boned
Smoked paprika
2  Tomatoes skinned diced
1   Shallot
1   Small Courgette
1   Clove garlic
1   Small aubergine
1   Red pepper diced
3   Baby new potatoes blanched
Fresh thyme parsley
Farington balsamic dressing

1. Check the Gurnard fillets for bones
2. Season with salt and paprika, roll the fillets
   in a little of the Farington Balsamic dressing and seal quickly in a little
   oil, remove the fish from the pan and leave to one side
3. In the same pan sauté the shallots, add the
   courgettes and aubergine.
4. Put all the other ingredients in the pan season,
   place the gurnard on top and finish in the oven at 180c and cook ten minutes.
5. Place the vegetables on the bottom of the plate,
   arrange the fillets of gurnard on top and garnish by drizzling some of the
   Farrington Balsamic Dressing.

Queen of puddings

For the pudding
• 225ml/8fl oz milk
• 225ml/8fl oz double cream
• 1 vanilla pod, split
• 100g/3½oz caster sugar
• 5 free-range egg yolks
• 140g/5oz fresh breadcrumbs
• 2 lemons, zest only
• 200g/7oz raspberry jam

For the meringue topping

• 4 free-range egg whites
• 110g/4oz caster sugar
• 1 tbsp icing sugar, for dusting

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 160C/310F/Gas 2.
2. For the pudding, pour the milk and cream into a pan and add the split vanilla pod. Bring slowly to the boil over a medium heat.
3. Place the sugar into a large bowl with the egg yolks and whisk until the mixture is light and creamy.
4. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the hot milk and cream, whisking all the time, then add the breadcrumbs and lemon zest.
5. Half-fill a roasting tin with boiling water to make a bain-marie. Pour the pudding mixture into individual ramekins and place them into the bain-marie.
6. Place the bain-marie in the centre of the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the puddings are almost set but still slightly wobbly in the centre.
7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
8. Increase the oven temperature to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
9. For the meringue topping, place the egg whites into a large clean bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed. Gradually whisk in the caster sugar, a tablespoonful at a time.
10. Place the jam into a small pan over a low heat and gently melt. Spread the jam over the top of the puddings, then cover the puddings completely with the meringue mixture.
11. Sprinkle with the icing sugar and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the top is crisp and lightly browned.
12. To serve, remove from the oven and serve immediately

Grilled Northamptonshire Wood Pigeon and Kohlrabi Salad

Ingredients (serves 4)

4 Wood pigeon
3 Medium kohlrabi
1 Teaspoon English mustard
6 Tablespoons of Farrington’s mayonnaise
Ground white pepper

Selection of mixed salad leaves (rocket, curly endive, and baby red chard)

4 sprigs of fresh thyme
200ml Mellow Yellow rapeseed oil
200ml Veal or brown chicken stock
¼ Chives (finely cut)

To Grill the Wood Pigeon:
• Preheat the oven to 180°C and place a tray in oven to preheat
• Remove the breasts from the wood pigeon, leaving the skin on.
• Chop the excess carcase bones from the wood pigeon and place the bones on a tray and place in a pre heated oven.
• Roast the bones until golden brown and then place the bones into a colander to remove any excess fat/oil.
• Place the drained wood pigeon bones and fresh thyme into a saucepan and cover with the chicken or veal stock. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
• Season the wood pigeon breasts with salt and pepper and place them skin side down on to a pre-heated griddle pan.
• Grill for 4 – 5minutes on each side, and then remove from griddle pan to rest for 3-4 minutes on a tray with kitchen paper.

To Make the Kohlrabi Salad:
• Peel the kohlrabi and then slice finely on a sharp mandolin.
• Cut the sliced kohlrabi into thin strips.
• Mix the mustard and the Farrington’s mayonnaise together.
• Add the mayonnaise and mustard mixture gradually to the shredded kohlrabi, ensuring that final mix is not too wet.
• Add the chopped chives to the mixture.
• DO NOT season the kohlrabi mix until immediately before serving as it will break down and become too mushy.

To Make the Wood Pigeon Dressing
• Drain the wood pigeon stock through a fine sieve and keep warm.
• Place the wood pigeon stock into a suitable container and then gradually incorporate the remaining Mellow Yellow rapeseed oil into the stock either by using a whisk or an electric hand blender.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Thanks to everyone who attend our demos at the Holdenby Foodshow over the weekend. Many of you requested copies of the recipes demonstrated – so here are the first batch.

Poached Organic Salmon with Minted English Peas and Girolle Mushrooms

Serves Four

4 x 150g Organic Salmon Fillets (skin on)
1 Packet of Pea Shoots (picked and washed)
200g Girolle mushrooms (stalks scraped, washed and drained)
400g Fresh English Peas (podded)
150g Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
4 Leaves of fresh mint
2g Curly parsley (finely chopped)
Salt
Ground White Pepper
100ml Mellow Yellow Rapeseed Oil

Method:
1.Vac-pac the salmon fillets with a little Mellow Yellow rapeseed oil and a piece of zest of lemon. Or alternatively if the salmon is being pan fried place the salmon fillet into seasoned flour skin side down and shake off any excess flour. Take half of the butter and with a pastry brush, brush a thin layer on the floured skin side. Put aside in a thick bottomed sauce pan add 500ml of water and 100g of butter, bring to the boil.

2.Half fill a medium sized saucepan with water and heat to 65c. Keep on a low heat to maintain a constant temperature, checking with a thermometer.
3. Place the vac-pac salmon pieces into the 65c water and cook for 10 minutes with a timer. If pan frying the salmon, heat a non-stick frying pan to a medium heat and add the rapeseed oil.
4.Season the salmon fillets on the flesh side with the salt and ground white pepper.
5.Place the salmon fillets skin side down into the pan and press gently with a fish spatula or the back of your hand to keep the salmon flat.
6. While the salmon is cooking, add the peas to the water and butter mix and simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until the peas are tender.
7.If pan frying the salmon, cook it on the skin side for approx 5 minutes and then turn it over onto the flesh side and continue cooking for a further 4-5 minutes on a medium to low heat.
8. Drain the peas from the water and butter mix, but keep the cooking liquor. Place the hot peas into a food processor.
9. Roughly chop the fresh mint leaves and add them to the hot peas.
10. Pulse the food processor until the peas are crushed and add a little of the drained cooking liquor to keep the crushed peas moist. Remove the crushed peas from the food processor and put aside and keep warm.
11.Heat a non-stick frying pan to a high heat and add a little Mellow Yellow rapeseed oil, then add the girolle mushrooms and pan fry for 2-3 minutes.
12. As the mushrooms are just finishing cooking add the finely chopped curly parsley and mix thoroughly. Remove the mushrooms from the frying pan and drain on to some kitchen paper.
13. As the pan fried salmon is finishing cooking add the remaining butter and turn the heat up slightly so the butter stars to foam and spoon this over the salmon. Remove the salmon from the pan and place on some kitchen paper to remove any excess oil.
14.Remove the vac-pac salmon from the water and cut open the bags. Remove the cooked salmon and place on some kitchen paper to also remove any excess juices.

To Serve:
Place a spoon of the crushed peas and mint in the middle of the serving bowl and place the organic salmon fillet (poached or pan fried) on top. Spoon the pan fried girolle mushrooms around the salmon, garnish with the pea shoots. Then drizzle a little of the remaining Mellow Yellow rapeseed oil over the salmon and mushrooms.

Scotch Eggs

Ingredients

• 4 large free-range eggs
• 275g Cumberland sausage meat
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 125g/4oz plain flour, seasoned with salt
• 1 free-range egg, beaten
• 125g panko breadcrumbs
• vegetable oil, for deep frying

Preparation method
1. Place the eggs, in to boiling water for exactly 6 minutes.
2. Remove the eggs and place into iced water immediately.
3. Drain the cooled eggs after about 5 minutes.
4. Then carefully peel the eggs.
5. Divide the sausage meat mixture into four and flatten each out on the palm of your hand.
6. Place the egg into the centre of the flattened sausage meat and carefully wrap the meat around the egg. Ensuring it covers all the egg and is well sealed.
7. Dip each sausage meat-coated egg in the seasoned flour, rolling to coat completely, then dip and roll into the beaten egg and then into the breadcrumbs do this twice so that you get a nice coating on the egg.
8. Heat the deep fat fryer to 170c.
9. Carefully place each scotch egg into the hot oil and deep-fry for 6-8 minutes, until golden and crisp and the sausage meat is completely cooked.
10. Carefully remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain onto a cloth.

Farrington’s Parsley and Caper Mayonnaise
Ingredients
• Farrington Garlic mayonnaise
• Lilliput capers
• 4 medium banana shallots
• 1 bunch fresh parsley

Preparation Method
1. Finely dice the banana shallots & run under cold water for a few minutes to remove any harshness in taste.
2. Chop the bunch of parsley finely.
3. Roughly chop the capers.
4. Add all the ingredients into the garlic mayonnaise mix and season.

First day at the Northamptonshire Foodshow today – thanks to everyone who visited and watched the great demos by Adam Gray, Richard Curtis, Stephen Bulmer and Sophie Grigson in the Shires marquee. More pics and all the recipes will be posted on site the site on Tuesday this week.

If you are coming to the show tomorrow we have another great line up of demos starting at 11.30am and hopefully the weather will be kind.

On Saturday a group of sutdents joined Wendi Jarrett to recreate some of the delicious flavours from the Caribbean. The students prepared Jerked pork from the Portland on the east coast of Jamaica, Eschoveich Fish – seasoned cooked fish with a spicy vinegar marinade, aubergine rundown a tasty dish with spiced tomato and coconut sauce, all topped off with traditional Jamaican fried dumplings. After enjoying a fantastic lunch the sutdents then went on to create their own salsa dishes. Thanks to Wendi for a fabulous day.

The next Caribbean course will run on Saturday 3 September – book your place