DEMMING AT WORCESTER FEAST - Friday 4 September 2009

Heart of England Fine Foods invited me to dem at the first ever Worcester Food and Drink Festival aptly named Worcester Feast which took place around the Cathedral Close and within the walled gardens of The Commandery just down the road.  I had the lunchtime slot on Friday 5 September and was asked to present "Worcestershire on a Plate"............ and took care to choose ingredients available from various stall-holders at the show. I enjoyed catching-up with David McCaw from The Fold Bransford & on conferring all our chosen recipes were similar, seasonal & made from local produce.  Which was more than I can say for the other demmers on the day: not sure what prawns, pineapples, corned beef and tinned milk/cream have to do with the food of Worcestershire!

BAKED AUBERGINES with FRESH WALNUTS & LITTLE URN CHEESE - very appropriate because this cheese is made just outside of Worcester and was named to commemorate England winning the Ashes in 2005 and of course this has just recently happened again!

2 Aubergines from Evesham

rape seed oil - I used some of Just Oils from Staffordshire, who were at the show kindly gave me some to use.  Love their smoked and flavoured varieties (I couldn't find a rape seed oil producer which comes from Worcestershire)

1 Garlic clove, crushed

1 tbs chopped onion

2 Drews' tomatoes, diced

1 rape seed oil

S&P

25 g/1 oz walnuts, chopped

15g/1 oz breadcrumbs

50g/2oz little Urn Lightwood, Lower Broadheath, 2005 Ashes

(pomegranite dressing: pom syrup, plain yog, lemon juice, mint, garlic, oil)

Preheat the oven to 200C/440F/Gas 6

Slice the aubergines lengthways

Smear a baking tray with a little oil and lay aubs on it then drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake for about 10 minutes until soft

While cooking, sauté the onions and garlic in oil and add the tomatoes and herbs and cook to soften add the chopped walnuts to the tomato mixture and season well.

Remove aubs from oven spread the mixture onto the slices and layer up to reform the shaped aubs.  Remove carefully to a baking dish with high sides which will just hold the two aubergines. 

Top with the cheese and breadcrumbs mix, drizzle over some more oil and bake in the oven to brown

Serve with fruity dressing on a crisp green salad - I have some pomegranite syrup brought back from holiday by a friend which is an ideal partnership with aubergines, but at the food festival I saw various piquant, fruit sauces for sale.  Experiment by whisking a fruit syrup, lemon juice, oil and plenty of chopped mint ............

MUDDY BOOTS FOODS special burgers with green been & mint salad with crème fraiche & chilli jam sauce

Once again I'm indebted to the lovely Muddy Boots peeps for their generous contribution of some of their delicious Aberdeen Angus beef burgers which sell themselves really and require absolutely no "messing about".  Just fry or griddle to rare/medium as you like them - please do not even dream of over-cooking to Hell and back!  Then serve them with some salads such as this GREEN BEAN, HERB & MINT ensemble.......

Lightly steam some French beans (leaving them whole).  While they're steaming, add to some oil: a clove of garlic crushed with salt, black pepper and a handful of finely chopped green herbs. I used coriander, rocket & lovage, all picked from or garden that morning then finely chop half a handful of fresh mint and add to the rest - aaaaah, that smell! Remove the beans from steamer whilst they'll still "snap" when bent in half (or thirds).  Whatever their size, cut/snap them into inch long pieces.  Whilst warm, throw them into a bowl and scrape in the oil/herb mixture - toss together and serve with the burgers........

COURGETTE & GINGER HONEYBUNS with CURD CHEESE/HONEY/HAZLENUT topping

these ingredients make 24 buns

250 g trimmed courgettes

1 tbs of grated fresh ginger

2 large eggs

125 mls rape seed oil

100g silver spoon granulated sugar

50g runny honey

225g s/r flour plus1 tsp baking powder

cup cake or muffin tins

topping

200 g cream/curd cheese

50 g honey

a little, freshly grated ginger & crushed hazlenuts

Coarsely grate the courgettes with mandolin or in food processor and squeeze out the excess moisture in a clean tea towel

Cream together the oil, eggs & sugar in a bowl and mix in the grated ginger.

Sieve in the flour, bp & whisk until mixed then fold in the grated courgettes

Spoon into muffin/cupcake tins and bake until firm to the touch and light brown. 190c/375f/g5 10 – 12 mins

Leave to cool a little before turning out and cover with the cream-cheese topping when cold & sprinkle with chopped hazlenuts

For the topping         Beat 200 g cream cheese with the grated ginger 

Worcestershire Pear Snow - Pears!  The emblem of Worcestershire!

Peel and core chosen amount pears.

Cube and place in saucepan with vanilla pod/s & 1 tbs of honey per pear and cover with perry.  Cook until soft and then puree.  Then leave to cool completely

Whip one egg white per pear then fold the pear puree into the egg white.

Spoon into decorative, stemmed glasses and stud with fresh blackberries