Last updated at 20:14, Thursday, 02 August 2012

Next month’s Taste Cumbria food festival in Cockermouth aims to tickle the taste buds with demonstrations from some of the country’s finest chefs.

AWARD-WINNING CHEF: Simon Rimmer will cook a selection of dishes from the North West at the Taste Cumbria food festival in Cockermouth, in September

Simon Rimmer, presenter of Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch, is one of the big names signed up for the two-day event on September 29 and 30.

He will demonstrate the best of cuisine from the North West by showing audiences how to cook delicacies including Morecambe Bay shrimp trifle, Cumbrian salt marsh lamb loin with feta parcel, duck sandwich with Cumbrian ewe’s milk cheese and Lyth Valley damson and pear tarte tatin.

Simon, who is chef patron of two award-winning restaurants, Greens and Earle, in Manchester, says: “I hope to attract a big crowd at my demonstrations to raise awareness of local Cumbrian foods and help local producers and suppliers sell lots of their products.

“I became a chef when I bought my first restaurant Greens in 1990.

“I had originally planned to work front of house, but once we’d paid our bills I realised we couldn’t afford to pay for a chef and so I had to do the cooking myself.

“I would describe my style as easy, laid-back cooking – respecting ingredients and removing unnecessary flowery tweaks.

“Influenced by Californian and Pacific Rim styles initially, now I’m a lover of great British food.”

Simon, who lives in Manchester and has also appeared on BBC2’s Something for the Weekend, added: “I don’t have one signature dish – it changes all the time – but my constants are sea bass, Thai flavours, seasonal ingredients and a love of north west cheeses.

“Thailand has had the biggest influence on my cooking. My best mate lives in Bangkok and I cooked with his housekeeper.”

Simon will join celebrity chefs James Martin and Simon Rogan and more than 100 regional producers at the third annual Taste Cumbria festival.

Taste Cumbria is supported by Defra and will see Cockermouth’s shops, restaurants, hotels and pubs join forces in the weekend-long celebrations.

Mary Houston, food tourism co-ordinator for Taste Cumbria, said: “It is a great recognition for Cumbria’s producers and growers that such renowned chefs are coming to our county to showcase and celebrate our fantastic food and drink offering.

“Tickets for the cookery demonstrations are selling like hot cakes, with festival goers equally excited to see what our celebrity chefs will do.”

Tickets are available from the Taste Cumbria website at www.taste cumbria.com

Here are some of the recipes that Simon will demonstrate at the festival.

750g Morecambe Bay shrimps

50g butter

Juice of 1 lemon

For the tomato sauce

1 finely chopped shallot

450g skinned tomatoes

1 sliced garlic clove

Handful of basil

50ml olive oil

For the avocado custard

200g mayonnaise

100g yoghurt

1 avocado

Juice of 1 lime

4 salted anchovies

Method

For the tomato sauce, gently fry the shallot and garlic for three to four minutes, chop and add the tomatoes, add salt and cook for 15 minutes to break down the tomatoes. Add the basil and cool completely.

For the avocado custard, blend everything together.

Fry the shrimps in butter, drain and toss in the lemon juice.

Assemble in glasses by layering up the shrimps, custard and tomato sauce, finishing with a layer of shrimps. Serve cold.

Serves four

2 x 225g Cumbrian salt-marsh lamb loin cannons

4 sheets filo pastry

150g melted butter

1 caramelised onion

200g crumbled Greek feta

100g lightly crushed pistachios

100g finely shredded spinach

1 tbs shredded mint

Oil and butter to fry

Cinnamon and tomato sauce to serve

Method

Rub oil on the loin, season well and fry for about six to eight minutes on all sides, baste with butter and rest for five minutes.

Combine the feta, onion, pistachios and spinach and mix well.

Cut the filo into pieces about six inches by four inches, lay some mix in the middle, brush with butter, roll up, butter and bake at 200c for 20 minutes.

Serve with watercress, sauce and slices of lamb.

Serves six

1 red onion – sliced

3 Cumbrian duck breasts

175g ewe’s milk cheese – thinly sliced

2 tbsp chilli sauce

Salad

½ red cabbage, sliced

1 red onion, sliced

100g toasted peanuts

½ head celeriac, grated

125g mayonnaise

1 tbsp curry paste, let down with hot water

Method

Criss cross the duck skin, then cut each breast in half across the middle. Lay three pieces skin side down on a board.

Lay onion, cheese and chilli sauce on top. Cover with the other pieces, skin side up. Tie with soaked cooking twine, then griddle (or barbecue) over medium heat for six to eight minutes, turning every now and again.

For the salad, beat the mayo and curry together, mix with everything else.

Serve with crusty French bread.

First published at 19:21, Thursday, 02 August 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk