A Local Luxury

With summer on the horizon, it’s time to arouse those foodie thoughts and prepare our kitchens for some of Britain’s most quintessential produce returning to bloom – starting with delicious asparagus.

As a culinary crusader, I like many of you relish the taste of British produce, taking pleasure and pride indulging in something produced on our own turf. 

In recent years, there has been a vast increase in cheap imports, having a dramatic effect on farmers and growers all over the UK. 

When I’m cooking, I try to use only seasonal ingredients – if I can’t get it from my local greengrocer or butcher, I try to avoid using it in my recipes. 

With the acclaimed Evesham Vale asparagus grown on the Cotswold border, it would be a crime not to buy this prestigious ingredient locally. 

For the six weeks that asparagus makes a joyful appearance, there’s a wide variety of dishes that emphasize its flavour. 

Steamed or grilled with butter and parmesan; accompanied with Spring greens in a seasonal risotto; or (one of my quirky favourites as a lover of boiled egg and soldiers) wrapped with pancetta and dunked in a runny, silky duck egg - there are many ways of enjoying its fragrant flavour!

To celebrate its return, I have chosen one of my favourite asparagus recipes. Indulging and delicious, it makes a scrumptious lunchtime luxury, simple supper, or half the quantities per person and serve as a dinner-party starter. But overall, it is a celebratory dish of seasonal produce.

Did you know that asparagus is highly nutritious and cleanses the liver? 

Making it a worthy friend to all Pimms-loving readers.

Asparagus with Poached Duck Eggs,

Crispy Pancetta and Hollandaise Sauce.

Serves 2

Ingredients

16 asparagus stalks, washed

4 duck eggs

12 rashers of pancetta or good quality streaky bacon

White wine vinegar

Cotswold Gold Extra Virgin Rapeseed Oil

(Cook’s recommendation ~ Cotswold Gold also produces oils infused with truffle, garlic or lemon, which work brilliantly with this dish and add extra vibrancy to the favours .)

For the hollandaise:

4 large free range egg yolks

250g unsalted butter, diced

1tbsp white wine vinegar

Juice of half a lemon

Salt and Pepper

Method

v  Preheat the oven to 180’C.

v  Chop an inch off the end of each asparagus stalk and place them onto a greased baking tray.

v  Drizzle with the oil and season with salt and pepper.

v  Lay the pancetta alongside the asparagus and put the tray into the oven, baking for 8 minutes until the pancetta is crisp and the asparagus is tender.

v  Meanwhile, to make the hollandaise sauce, put the egg yolks, vinegar and butter into a saucepan with two tablespoons of water. Gently heat, whisking continuously as the temperature rises.

v  Keep to a low heat until all the butter has melted, by which point turn the heat up to medium and carry on whisking vigorously as the sauce begins to thicken.

v  Remove from the heat and keep whisking until the sauce has thickened to a custard-like consistency. Stir in the lemon juice and season to taste.

v  For the poached eggs, bring a saucepan of water to the boil and add the vinegar. When it’s begins to boil, give it an energetic stir to create a whirlpool. Crack each egg into a jug one at a time, and carefully slip it into the centre of the saucepan. Quickly repeat the process with the other three eggs. Lower the heat and cook for 3 minutes before removing each egg from the water, with care not to pierce the yolk, and place on a piece of kitchen paper to drain off any excess water.

v  To assemble the dish, scatter the asparagus stalks onto each plate, add the pancetta and position the poached eggs on top. Drizzle generously with the hollandaise sauce and serve immediately.

Writer's note: Image 1 sourced from The Telegraph

Simnel Cake

Easter weekend when it comes to food, is all about indulgence, whereby you can’t beat a freshly baked cake to mark the occasion. 

Simnel cake has been traditionally made and eaten around Easter since the medieval times. This deliciously moist fruit cake is simple to make, as most of the work is done in the oven and can be made the day before so you can enjoy the indulgence on Easter hassle-free. 

It’s rich and packed full of flavour, with a layer of marzipan running through the middle, which is a symbolic ritual dating back to its medieval era. 

A Simnel cake is traditionally decorated with a layer of marzipan and topped with eleven marzipan balls, representing the eleven apostles of Christ minus the villainous Judas. 

However, because it’s Easter and the 21st century where many of us are fans of the ‘mini egg’, these little gems can make a scrumptious alternative in decoration.

Serves 10-12

Ingredients

175g butter, softened at room temperature (plus extra for greasing)

175g light brown sugar (Muscovado)

175g self-raising flour

175g sultanas

100g currants

100g glacé cherries, chopped into quarters

30g candied peel

3 eggs

1tsp mixed spice

1tsp almond essence (optional)

Zest of 1 lemon

For the filling and decoration

1kg marzipan

2tbsp apricot jam

1 egg white

*1 x deep 8 inch round loose-bottomed cake tin

Method

v  Preheat the oven to 150’C.

v  Grease the cake tin with a little butter and line with greaseproof paper.

v  Roll out a third of the marzipan using the base of the cake tin as a cutter. Using a knife, cut around the tin to finish off with a piece of marzipan to fit the cake.

v  Combine all the cake ingredients in a large bowl and mix until they have all combined together.

v  Spoon half of the mixture into the cake tin and smooth the surface using the back of a spoon.

v  Cover the smooth surface with the cut out piece of marzipan.

v  Spoon the remaining mixture on top and once again, smooth over the surface.

v  Place the cake tin on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 2¼ hours, at which point the cake will golden brown and firm to the touch.

Cook’s note ~ cover the cake with a layer of greaseproof paper to stop it from browning over too quickly.

v  Set to one side to cool for 20 minutes before removing from the tin and placing onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

v  Once cooled, warm the jam and brush over the top of the cake.

v  Roll out another third of the marzipan, cake –tin size and place it over the cake and crimple the edges.

v  Roll the remaining marzipan into 11 balls and place around the edge of the cake using the egg white to attach them. Brush the entire marzipan topping with the remainder of the egg white.

v  Place under the grill for a few minutes until golden.

Easter Nests

Makes 24

Easter was an exciting occasion throughout our childhood and I’m not just referring to the annual family (dogs included) Easter egg hunt. 
On Good Friday, our mother would willingly encourage my sisters and me into her kitchen to bake special Easter nests. 
This is where some of my fondest memories of cooking began and where I first learnt the vital art of following a recipe - before then, I had infancy on my side, whereby my age allowed me to be only capable of stirring and licking a bowl! 
Although from my mother’s point of view, I’m not quite sure what she was thinking allowing four boisterous daughters, notorious for their knack to cause disruption wherever they went, into her sanctuary, let alone her pantry! 
For us, it was a chance to demonstrate our new found skill of cooking, which brought out the competitive streak in all of us. 
But most important of all, it was an opportunity to bond with our mother over a recipe she once made with her's.

This is the perfect recipe to keep the children entertained for an afternoon and encourage them into baking – providing they don’t eat all the mixture beforehand, something we were all guilty of once-upon-a-time. These lovely little themed cakes make for a delicious treat after a boisterous Easter egg hunt.

Ingredients

150g cornflakes

150g shredded wheat

200g milk chocolate (Cook’s choice: Galaxy or Dairy Milk)

100g Green and Black’s 70% dark chocolate

100g unsalted butter

5tbsp golden syrup

To decorate

200g mini eggs

24 paper cupcake cases

Method

v  Put the cornflakes and shredded wheat into a bowl and crush using a rolling-pin.

v  Break both chocolates up into a glass bowl and add the butter.

v  With adult supervision,  melt over a saucepan of simmering water (Cook’s note ~ Don’t let the water touch the bottom of the bowl or the chocolate will curdle)

v  Once all the ingredients have melted, mix the golden syrup.

v  Pour the mixture over the cornflakes and shredded wheat and mix it all together until the chocolate has coated the dry ingredients in the bowl, minus the children.

v  Lay the cake cases out on a tray and spoon the mixture into each one (ideally ¾tbsp per case)

v  Use your thumb to make a little dip in each ‘nest’ and fill with three mini eggs.

Easter

Easter is one of my favourite occasions in the year – winter is over and Spring is back on the scene with more bloom and colour than ever before, bringing with it a real feeling of excitement. 

A burst of brightness stands before us as we take in the lighter nights that landscape the evening sky and smell the sweet scent of the blossoming daffodils that carpet the ground before us. 

As we pack away the thermals for another year and come out of hibernation, new life is also born in the many fields surrounding us as lambs hop, skip, and snuggle up to their mothers’ for warmth.

Easter for me marks another very special occasion – the end of the Lent. 

Forty gruelling days, and forty even more gruelling nights of avoiding all the things I love most in the world – cheese, chocolate, gin, mashed potato drizzled with Cotswold Gold Truffle Oil, cake; the list could easily go on a lot longer, although the accomplishments are unfortunately a little shorter. 

For those who have mastered the much sought-after skill of resistance, give yourselves a big pat on the back and a few kilos of your ‘forbidden love’. 

And for those of you (and I stand with you when I say this) who’ve unfortunately stumbled onto the path of temptation, remember - the art of confession is discretion!

So whether you’re gloating following a triumphant Lent or playing the discretion card and turning your attentions to celebrating Easter, here is my menu of hassle-free recipes to make your Easter weekend the perfect occasion.

To nibble...

Quails eggs with celery salt

 Serves 6

The perfect canape for Easter

Ingredients

24 quails’ eggs

Celery salt

Method

v  Boil the eggs for 4 minutes before rinsing under cold water – set aside to cool.

v  Remove half of the shell and sprinkle with celery salt.

v  If you can, serve in a nest or bed of hay to give it the ‘Easter look’.

For mains...

Stuffed Leg of Lamb

 Serves 6

Ingredients

1.5kg leg of lamb, deboned

1 bulb of garlic

1 large onion, peeled and chopped into quarters

Olive oil

3 bay leaves

5 sprigs of rosemary

Cook’s Note ~ ask your butcher for a piece of string for tying and to demonstrate how to tie the meat up once it’s been stuffed

For the stuffing (makes enough for additional stuffing balls)

150g dried apricots, finely chopped

150g dried prunes, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

Bunch of fresh parsley, roughly chopped

200g breadcrumbs

2 oranges, zest and juice

1tbsp olive oil

1 egg, beaten

Salt & pepper

200g pork sausage meat (to make extra stuffing balls)

For delicious gravy:

1tbsp plain flour

1pint lamb stock

200ml red wine

2tbsp redcurrant jelly

Salt & Pepper

Method

v  Preheat the oven to 200’C

v  To make the stuffing, mix together the apricots, prunes, garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs, olive oil and the orange juice and zest in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add the beaten egg and combine all the ingredients together.

v  Lay the lamb out onto a board, skin side facing down. Rub the meat with olive oil and season.

v  Place half of the stuffing in the middle of the lamb, and then roll it up and tie using the string the butcher provided.

v  To prepare the lamb for roasting, rub the meat with olive oil. Slice 2 garlic cloves lengthways and chop 2 sprigs of rosemary into inch-sized pieces. Using a sharp knife, carefully make several incisions in the skin of the meat. Insert either a piece of garlic or rosemary into each incision. Season with salt and pepper.

v  Place the remaining garlic and rosemary into a roasting tin with the bay leaves and onion and position the lamb on top. 

v  Roast in the oven an 1½ hour for medium; slightly less if you prefer your lamb pink. Rest the meat for 10 minutes before carving. 

v  Add the sausage meat to the remainder of the stuffing and roll into small balls. Bake on a greased baking tray for 30 minutes until crisp and golden.

v  To make the gravy, add the flour to the roasting tray, stirring to let it absorb all the juices to form a paste. Turn the heat up to medium and gradually add the stock and wine, making sure you whisk constantly – you don’t want to serve your mother lumpy gravy!

v  Bring to the boil and then reduce to a medium heat, simmering for 10 minutes until it thickens.

v  Add the redcurrant jelly and season to taste.

v  Strain through a sieve and drizzle over the lamb. 

On the side

Dauphinoise Potatoes

Serves 6

Ingredients

500g Maris Piper potatoes, peeled

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

300ml double cream

100ml milk

50g gruyere, grated

A knob of butter

1tsp ground nutmeg

Salt & pepper

Method

v  Preheat the oven to 180’C

v  Grease an ovenproof dish with butter

v  Melt the butter in a pan and add the garlic and onions, cooking for 10 minutes until they soften. Season with salt and pepper.

v  Finely slice the potatoes (use a mandoline if you have one). Layer the potato in the ovenproof dish, allowing each one to overlap a little. Sprinkle some of the garlic and onion mixture between each layer and season. Repeat this method until you have used up all the potato slices.

v  In a small saucepan, heat the cream, milk and the ground nutmeg on a low heat – allow to simmer without boiling.

v  Pour the cream mixture over the potatoes until it reaches the top layer of the potato.

v  Sprinkle with grated gruyere and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for an hour until the potato is cooked through and the cheese is golden on top. 

Finish with a showstopper...

Easter Trifle

Serves 6

A British classic with a few seasonal twists.

And if you can manage to keep any mini eggs aside (or my advice would be to buy quadruple the amount) no Easter Sunday can go amiss without a traditional Easter egg hunt (no matter how old you are!)

Ingredients

4 hot-crossed buns, sliced into halves

100ml dry sherry

500g rhubarb, ends trimmed

2 x 298g tin of mandarin segments, drained

1 x 135g pack of strawberry jelly

1 x 135g pack of orange jelly

1 orange, juice only

50g caster sugar

500ml good-quality, thick vanilla custard

500ml double cream

50g icing sugar

To decorate

2 bags of mini eggs

Chocolate flakes

Method

v  Preheat the oven to 180’C.

v  Chop the rhubarb into 3cm pieces and place them in an ovenproof dish with the juice from the orange and sprinkle with the sugar.

v  Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until the rhubarb has softened but still holds its shape.

v  Make up the jelly according to the packet instructions. Put the orange segments in with the orange jelly, and the rhubarb in with the strawberry jelly and place in the fridge to set.

v  Toast the hot-crossed buns and cut them into bite-sized pieces and arrange them in the base of a large trifle dish. Drizzle with sherry, ensuring each piece gets a coating.

v  Slice the rhubarb jelly into cubes and assemble on top of the hot-crossed buns and then repeat the method with the orange jelly and position over the rhubarb custard.

v  Pour the custard over the jelly and then place in the fridge for an hour to set.

v  Using an electric whisk, whip the cream, icing sugar and the other half of the sherry (to taste) until the mixtures thickens, peaks and holds its shape.

v  Spoon the cream onto the custard making sure you cover the trifle all over.

v  Finish by crumbling the chocolate flake over the trifle and sprinkle with the mini eggs.