Freedom Food

Farm Animal Week, run by the RSPCA’s Freedom Food scheme, runs from October 19th – 25th.

There is a simple message for the week – do your bit towards improving farm animal welfare by making an extra effort to buy or ask for welfare-friendly products, such as those with the Freedom Food label.
Food provenance is really important to a lot of people. Increasingly they want to know where their food comes from, what is in it and how it was made. And when it comes to meat, poultry, fish and dairy products welfare is important too and more and more of us want to know about how animals are reared on our farms.
The campaign is supported by celebrity chefs such as Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Antony Worrall Thompson and Phil Vickery – to mention but a few. The aim of the scheme is to raise the standards of welfare for all the animals that we rear for food. All RSPCA Freedom Food approved farmers have to commit to adhere to a strict but achievable set of welfare standards when rearing their animals.
But it’s not just on the farm. The animals must be covered by the RSPCA welfare standards throughout their lives - whether at the hatchery, in the case of hens and chickens, in transport and at the abattoir. When all the standards are met the product - be it pork, lamb, beef, turkey, chicken, salmon, duck or eggs - can bear the distinctive blue and white Freedom Food label.
Unfortunately the picture isn’t quite so encouraging when it comes to eating out. A staggering 85% of all eggs used in pubs, restaurants, cafes, canteens etc still come from hens kept in cruel battery cages.
The campaign, supported by celebrity chefs, including Antony Worrall Thompson and Raymond Blanc, is aimed at pubs, restaurants, cafes – anywhere where people eat out. Readers can get involved by asking where the eggs they order come from.
So no matter where you are eating – at home or out – you can make a difference. We have some Freedom Food recipes here which you can try at home, donated by celebrity chefs. We hope you enjoy them!
www.freedomfood.co.uk/simplyask

Beef Fillet with Shalots and Guiness
by Mike Robinson

Served with creamy mashed potato, the tender meat and rich Guinness sauce, make this hearty dish ideal for a cold winter supper. This recipe is taken from Mike’s latest book ‘Wild Flavours.’

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
625g / 1lb 7oz Freedom Food labelled beef fillet
2 tbsp olive oil
12 shallots, peeled
2 red onions, sliced
1 tbsp tomato purée
3 garlic cloves, peeled
600ml / 1 pint Guinness
3 sprigs of thyme
salt, and freshly ground pepper
25g / 1oz butter
1 tbsp flour
2 tbsp chives, chopped, to garnish
mashed potato, to serve

Method
Heat a frying pan until hot. Add in half a tbsp of olive oil and heat through. Add the beef and sear on all sides, making sure the fillet is really well browned all over - you want almost to burn it. Heat the remaining olive oil in a casserole dish. Add in the shallots, red onion, tomato puree and garlic and fry, stirring often, until the onion are slightly softened and lightly browned. Add in the beef fillet, Guinness and thyme. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the beef fillet and set aside to rest, keeping warm. Bring the Guinness mixture to the boil. Meanwhile, rub the butter and flour together until well mixed. Add this mixture to the sauce a little at a time, stirring it in until absorbed to thicken the sauce. Serve the beef with mashed potato, garnished with chives, and spoon around the liquor.

Roast Leg of Lamb with Garlic and Rosemary
by Nick Nairn

Serves 6

Ingredients
1.8 kg/4.5lb Freedom Food leg of lamb
2-3 large branches of rosemary (or a couple of packets)
4 large garlic cloves
olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

For the ‘stew’
675g/1.5lbs baby plum tomatoes
4 tbsp olive oil
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
675g/1.5lbs broad beans in the pod to give about 350g/12oz beans or use frozen broad beans
a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme

Method
Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas Mark 7. Pull small sprigs off the rosemary. Cut the garlic into thick slivers or sticks. Score the meat deeply in a wide criss-cross pattern (about 2cm or 3/4 inch deep). Rub the whole leg with olive oil and set in a roasting tin. Tuck the rosemary and garlic into the cuts. Grind over plenty of black pepper. Roast for 15 minutes, then turn the heat down to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 and roast for a further hour, basting from time to time. Remove the meat from the oven, transfer to a warm carving dish, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest in a warm place for 15 minutes before carving. While the meat is resting, you can spoon the fat from the juices left in the pan, add a little white wine or water, boil up, scraping all the sticky bits up from the base of the tin. Taste and season for gravy.

For the ‘stew’
Take the beans out of their furry pods. Blanche in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and plunge into a bowl of cold water to cool them down quickly. Drain again and pop them out of their skins. (If using frozen beans, cook in boiling water for 2-3 minutes and do exactly the same as for the fresh ones). Scatter the tomatoes into a roasting tin and pour over the olive oil. Mix them around and season with salt and pepper. Tuck in the thyme and roast in the oven with the lamb for about 20 minutes or until slightly collapsed and the skins are beginning to brown. Mix in the beans and return to the oven to heat up the beans. Serve with the lamb.

Sticky Chocolate and Orange Cake
by Phil Vickery

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 - 40 minutes
Serve: 6-8

Ingredients
2 Freedom Food labelled eggs
175g/6oz unsalted butter
175g/6oz caster sugar
115g/4oz self raising flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
Zest of 1 orange, finely grated
Zest of 1 orange
3 tbsp icing sugar

Method
Cream 175g/6oz unsalted butter and 175g/6oz caster sugar together until pale, light and fluffy, then gradually beat in 2 eggs. Fold 115g/4oz self raising flour and 3 tbsp cocoa powder into the mixture, then stir in 4 tbsp water and the finely grated zest of 1 orange. Pour mixture into a lined 900g/2lb loaf tin and bake as above. Meanwhile, remove the zest of 1 orange using a zester and blanch in three changes of boiling water. Squeeze the juice of the orange into a pan, add 3 tbsp icing sugar and heat until the sugar has dissolved, then add the blanched orange zest and simmer for 3 minutes. Prick the surface of the cooked sponge, pour over the hot syrup and leave to cool.

Spaghetti Carbonara
by Nick Nairn

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
100g / 3.5 oz Freedom Food labelled bacon or pancetta chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
150ml / 5fl oz Freedom Food labelled double cream
50g / 1 3/4 oz parmesan, finely grated
2 Freedom Food labelled egg yolks
140g / 5oz dried spaghetti
chopped basil, to serve

Method
Heat the oil and add the pancetta (or bacon), cooking for 3 - 4 minutes until slightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes then take off the heat and set aside. Whisk the cream, parmesan and egg yolks together in a bowl until well combined but not too frothy. Tip the pancetta into the egg mixture and stir. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti, according to the packet instructions, and drain. Immediately tip the egg and pancetta/bacon mixture into the cooked spaghetti and stir thoroughly to combine. The heat from the pasta will cook the sauce. Serve immediately with fresh basil and more parmesan.

Article from issue 28 Oct/Nov 09. To order this issue go to the Northern Life online store.

Plot to Plate Recipes

Rich Tomato Soup

This is my husband’s recipe which up to now has been a closely guarded secret! Good things should be shared.

You will need:
• 3 to 3 and a half kilos of fresh tomatoes
• lump of butter
• one medium sized onion
• a clove of garlic
• 2 heaped teaspoons paprika
• salt and pepper
• half a cup of water
• sprinkle of brown sugar

Method
Chop the tomatoes into halves or quarters depending on size.
Chop the onion and garlic and fry in the butter until soft.
Add all the tomatoes and water to the pan, stir and simmer on a low heat, stirring occasionally, for about twenty minutes to half an hour or so until the tomatoes have turned to a nice liquid mush.
Transfer to a blender and blitz to a smooth liquid.
Pour into a large jug and gradually return the liquid to the pan, a bit at a time passing it through a kitchen sieve using a wooden spoon.
This will leave you with a small sloppy mixture of skin and seeds which you can chuck on the compost heap.
In the pan will be the pure, rich and smooth liquid from the tomatoes.
Continue to simmer on a low heat whilst you add salt, pepper, paprika and the brown sugar to suit your taste.
Optional additions I sometimes use are a dash of Worcester sauce and a vegetable stock cube.
Chopped basil is also a tasty addition to stir in just before serving or try a dollop of crème fresh and a stack of chives.
Eat with your favourite bread or freeze for another day.

Leeks tossed in butter with chestnuts, black pepper and streaky bacon

Serves 4
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 10 minutes
Cost £4.50 (for four)

Ingredients • 400g of leeks sliced • 50g unsalted butter • 100g smoked streaky bacon lardons • 200g chestnuts roughly chopped • Salt and cracked black pepper

Method
Heat a medium sized frying pan then add the butter and lardons. Cook until the lardons start to release some fat, turn up the heat and cook the lardons until they start to colour, about 5 minutes. Add the chestnuts and leeks. Cook for a further 5 minutes. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper and then serve

Article from issue 28 Oct/Nov 09. To order this issue go to the Northern Life online store.

Lancashire Tea Cakes

Recipe taken from Julia Duff Cakes
Regional and Traditional Grub
Priced at 15.99.

Lancashire Tea Cakes vary a great deal from the Yorkshire Tea Cakes, in that they do not contain yeast; they are raised with baking powder.

Traditionally made with lard, butter may be used if preferred.

Makes about 14

450 g/1 lb strong plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
175 g/6 oz lard (butter may be used if preferred)
175 g/6 oz soft brown sugar
75 g/3 oz currants
75 g/3 oz raisins
50 g/2 oz chopped mixed peel zest of one large lemon
2 eggs lightly beaten
Preheat the oven to 190 C/375 F/Gas Mark 5.

Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl, rub in the lard or butter and stir in the sugar, vine fruits and peel together with the lemon zest. Stir in the lightly beaten eggs to form a soft dough.

Knead gently until smooth and then shape into 14 balls and place onto two lightly greased and floured baking sheets, allowing space between the cakes for them to expand.

Bake in the oven for approximately 25 minutes, or until the cakes are well-risen and golden brown.

Transfer them to a wire rack to cool.

Best served slightly warm.

Keith Floyd

Northern Life’s Jean Pearson talks exclusively to celebrity chef Keith Floyd

“Rough, crude and politically incorrect”

It was a beautiful sunny morning in June when Alec and I arrived at Linthwaite House Hotel overlooking Lake Windermere. Sitting on the terrace, with coffee and cigarettes, was a lone figure gazing out at the spectacular view. With his craggy face and hair untidy in the breeze, he was instantly recognisable as Keith Floyd, one of the first of the celebrity T.V. chefs I remembered. He greeted us affably and said that he was thinking about what he would be cooking today. With a twinkle in his eye and a charming smile he warned that his talk would be “rough, crude and politically incorrect”.
Half an hour later we joined 25 other guests in the cookery theatre where Keith Floyd, in pink shirt and spotted purple bow tie, introduced himself and his assistant chef, Tyrone, who did all the chopping and preparation of the food, and the lifting of heavy pans. “I’m incredibly old,” said Floyd, “why should I lift up big pans?”
With his trade mark glass of red wine within easy reach he guided us all through the making of many dishes, of which we were served small tasters accompanied by a glass of wine (or water) throughout the day. He began with a Moroccan chicken tagine once he had worked out “how to get this bloody stove to work.”
“Cooking should not be a chore, prepare in advance, don’t be a slave to cook books, use good wine- if it’s not good enough to drink don’t cook with it- and buy local produce” he enthused, “today I am promoting Cumbria, Britain and me.”
Whilst the tagine cooked he got Tyrone to stuff whole boned chickens with a mixture of dried fruit, herbs, shallots, garlic, breadcrumbs, apple juice, eggs and butter before putting them in the oven. The ingredients are never measured but do “touch, taste and smell” throughout the process. “While he’s doing that I’ll go for a fag” muttered Floyd edging onto the terrace. Very un-p.c. but I had been warned.
Keith Floyd has mastered the art of keeping an audience involved in the process of cooking and, at the same time, telling stories of celebrities, friends, foes, successes, failures, and his opinions on just about everything.
His opinion of “the press” was rather scathing and he was reminded of an incident whilst he made us a fish soup. Tyrone retrieved several live langoustines which were trying to escape, chopped them in half and popped them into the large hot pan of soup. Keith Floyd grinned wickedly as they spluttered and splashed and told us “A group of press were too close once and got hot fish soup on them – but press are not proper human beings” then quickly added “apart from my friends from Northern Life of course” and flashed me the charming smile.
For lunch, we were invited into the garden for paella. Sipping wine in the sunshine we watched as our lunch was prepared and heard opinions on T.V. cookery programmes – “all crap, the chefs are told what to cook and what to do. Truly passionate chefs don’t get the chances.”
T.V. producers also annoyed him. When being filmed cooking biriani outside in India, at a crucial moment in the cooking, the director shouted “cut – fetch those elephants back into shot – can we do that again!”
Floyd looked bemused “Who gives a **** about elephants on a cooking programme?” He tells us about traditional dishes in France and Spain where he has homes, and shopping at the markets, “the colours of Van Gough, sunshine dishes, powerful extravagant cooking.”
Back in the cookery theatre a large sea bass was covered extravagantly in sea salt and baked in the oven. He then made a cold uncooked, Spanish soup – gaspacho – with Mediterranean vegetables, herbs and tomato juice all blended together “I have known some people, not necessarily me, wack in a big dollop of vodka” he mused.
Before everyone departed, Keith Floyd mingled amiably, signing books, chatting about cooking and joking with the staff. His laid-back, comfortable style and his obvious love of the good life was infectious – and philosophical. Smiling broadly he said, “I used to be very poor, then I was very rich, now I’m very poor again.”
He also told us how much he enjoys his visits to Linthwaite House hotel identifying as he does with hotel manager Mike Bevans’ core values of warm hospitality, concern for his staff and his support of local producers. Floyd will be back again to run four more Cookery Theatres in November. So if you want a genuine culinary treat, to be looked after in a superb hotel and to be enjoyably entertained by a master of his art then contact Linthwaite House Hotel for details.

Telephone: 015394 88600 or e-mail: stay@linthwaite.com

Interview from issue 16 Aug/Sept 07 To order this issue go to the Northern Life online store.

Satisfying Salads

Garlicky Steak and Roasted Mushroom Salad

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients

1 red onion, sliced
150g/ 5oz large open mushrooms, sliced
150g/ 5oz baby plum tomatoes
1 clove garlic, unpeeled
2 tsp olive oil plus a little for brushing
2 (120g) sirloin steaks, trimmed a little oil for brushing
225g/8oz baby new potatoes (optional)
1 (150g) bag salad leaves (we used Bistro mix)

For the dressing:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
½ tsp caster sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
Preheat the oven to 220C/Fan 200C/450F/Gas Mark 7. Place the onion, mushrooms and tomatoes in a roasting tin, add the garlic and olive oil and toss well. Roast for 20 mins or until tender and lightly charred. Remove from the oven.
Meanwhile, heat a griddle pan until really hot. Season the steaks on both sides and lightly brush with a little oil. Cook the steak on the griddle for 8-10 mins turning once until the steak is cooked to your liking. Transfer to a plate to rest for 3 mins, before slicing.
To make the dressing, slip the roasted garlic from the papery skin and crush to a paste with the edge of a knife. Place in a bowl, add the oil, vinegar and sugar and seasoning to taste. Whisk together until smooth. To serve, empty the salad leaves into a large bowl, add the roasted vegetables and dressing and toss together. Divide the vegetables between two plates and top with the sliced steak. Serve straight away.
Cooks tip: For those with a healthier appetite, this recipe works well with boiled new potatoes, which can be tossed whole into the mix.

SPICY CHORIZO SAUSAGE AND CHILLI SALAD

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients

1 (160g) bag Bistro salad leaves
450g/1lb baby new potatoes, halved
150g/5oz chorizo sausage, sliced
1 red onion, chopped
1 green chilli, deseeded and sliced
30ml/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
pinch of caster sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 10-15mins or until tender. Drain, rinse in cold water and leave to cool.
Heat a non-stick frying pan add the chorizo and sauté for 3mins or until the sausage is golden. Remove the pan from the heat, lift out the sausages with a slotted spoon.
Return the pan to the heat add the onion and chilli and sauté for 2 mins. Add the balsamic and sugar and sizzle for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and season to taste.
Empty the salad leaves in a large bowl, add the potatoes, chorizo, onion and chilli mix and toss well.
Serve with crusty bread.

HEARTY LETTUCE SOUP

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves: 1

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
2 spring onions, sliced
1 (50g) bag lambs lettuce
300ml/1/2pt chicken or vegetable stock
3 tbsp single cream
a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
squeeze of lemon juice

Method

Heat the oil in a medium pan, add the onions and lettuce saute for 1 min. Add the stock then bring to the boil and simmer for 5 mins.
Blend the mixture with a hand blender or in a food processor until smooth.
Return to the pan and stir in the cream, nutmeg and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve topped with a swirl of cream and sprig of lambs lettuce if liked.

PEAR AND BLUE CHEESE SALAD

Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: None Serves: 2

Ingredients

1 (200g) bag crispy salad leaves
2 ripe but firm pears, quartered, cored and sliced
75g/ 3oz Danish blue cheese, crumbled

For the dressing:

zest and juice of ½ lemon
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1 tbsp vegetable oil
pinch of caster sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Divide the leaves between two plates, top with the sliced pear. Scatter over the blue cheese.
Whisk all the dressing ingredients together then season to taste.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve.
Cooks tip: Serve with some crusty bread if you choose.

Mint and Lime Roast Lamb

Mint and Lime Roast Lamb

This boneless rolled shoulder of lamb is an impressive sight for the dinner table and easy to carve too!

Serves: 4-6

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time:
Medium: 25 minutes per 450g/1lb plus 25 minutes
Well done: 30minutes per 450g/1lb plus 30 minutes

Ingredients:
1kg/2.2lb lean boneless rolled lamb shoulder or mini shoulder joint
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
60ml/4tbsp mint jelly
Grated zest and juice of 1 lime
500ml/18floz light lamb stock (made with ½ stock cube)
15ml/1tbsp gravy granules
15ml/1tbsp freshly chopped mint

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to Gas mark 4-5, 180-190°C, 350-375°F.

2. Season the joint and open roast for the calculated cooking time.

3. 20 minutes before the end of the cooking time mix together the mint jelly and the lime zest and juice. Spoon or brush over the lamb.

4. When cooked transfer the lamb onto a dish, cover with foil and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, prepare the gravy; skim off any excess fat from the roasting tin and discard. Add the stock and stir well to remove any rich lamb juices and sediment from the bottom of the pan. Strain into a saucepan, bring to the boil and stir in the gravy granules. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until thickened and add the mint.

6. Serve with roast potatoes, purple sprouting broccoli and any remaining mint and lime jelly.