A CRISIS cookbook has been created by chefs in Cumbria and further afield to help people in the kitchen.

The initial concept came from Ben Glover, the general manager for Holker Hall Courtyard at the popular tourist attraction, near Grange Over Sands in the south of the county.

The courtyard consists of a restaurant, café and shop.

Other chefs quickly became interested in the initiative and asked to join in.

The result is a 22-page book – called Crisis Cookbook - with recipes from restaurants in Cumbria and beyond, that the public can access through Facebook or email Ben for a link to download a copy.

It has been such a success already, that a second edition is now being worked on.

And while there is no charge for the book, Ben is asking anyone who makes use of it to make a donation to the NHS.

“It was down to the coronavirus,” said Ben. “We had just been shut down, and I came up with the idea.

“We have nothing else we can do, so we put it together – myself and my chef, Rory Naylon. Originally it was going to be just a cookbook from our kitchen, but I was chatting to one or two of my contacts and they were keen to contribute.”

Ben ended-up with a 22-page book featuring recipes from Holker, and also from Scott Buckley, the Head Chef at Wightchef on the Isle of Wight; Martina Saiu, head chef from the Engine Inn, Cark in Cartmel; Paul Rowley, chef and proprietor for Campbell & Rowley Catering and Events; Garey Simpkin, chef/proprietor of the Rose & Crown, Cark in Cartmel; Antonio Vavoso, chef/proprietor of Spago Restaurant at Lytham St Annes; Jon Metcalf, head chef of The Butchers Arms, Crosby Ravensworth; and Graham Floyd, head chef at Twelve Restaurant and Lounge Bar in Thornton Cleveleys.

Recipes include Vegetarian Dal Makhani, Beef and Pork Meatballs, Poor Man’s Pasta, and the Ultimate Fish Pie.

“There are restaurants out there who are doing deliveries. The season hadn’t really started at Holker so we didn’t have a great deal of stock in to enable us to do that, so this is our way to help people,” said Ben.

“The whole concept is trying to stop people from panic buying, by showing what we can cook and freeze. People are stock piling and then having to throw food away.

“And people are going to the shop, which is putting them at risk, so the less they have to do that the better.”

In his introduction to the book, Ben writes: “In times of national emergency and unrest it is in everybody’s natural instinct to raid the shelves, stock up on everything even non essentials leaving life very difficult for those who did not get there in time.

“The current Corona Virus has sent people into a whirlwind of panic buying and a lot of food is going to be wasted when this is all over. The motto here is ‘shop smart not shop stupid’.

“You do not need to mass buy and clear out supermarkets. Scaling up recipes is easy, and this recipe book is here to show you how.”

The book is getting shares and likes – a number of people are posting pictures on the Facebook page of the recipes they have made – so a second one is in the pipeline.

“We have got a version two, we are working on that now. It is also keeping us busy!”

The book also includes allergen details.

Ben is originally from Lytham St Annes, and has been working in catering for 22 years, becoming the Holker Hall Courtyard general manager three-and-a-half years ago.

To get a copy of Crisis Cookbook, go to its Facebook page at @crisiscookbook or if you don’t have access to Facebook, email Ben for a link to the PDF version at ben@holker.co.uk

One of the recipes ¬– Ben’s Wild Garlic and Cheese Scones with Creamy Mushrooms and Bacon, is printed below.

He writes: “We are renowned for our Scones at Holker. Wild Garlic is currently in season, you can forage this in most woodland areas. To prepare you need to wash then chop up your Wild Garlic ready to put in a food processor. It is a stringy leaf so chopping is important or it will clog your food processor.

Blitz in a food processor until it is a pulp. You will need a fair amount if you forage it so take a carrier bag with you, we recommend this as part of you daily outdoor exercise. This is a warm and creamy comfort dish and really easy to do.

Ingredients

For the Scones - will make you 15 scones depending on your cutter

1350g of Self Raising Flour

375g of Margarine

375g of Strong Cheddar Cheese

130g of Wild Garlic pulp. (If you cannot find Wild Garlic then peel and crush 6 Garlic cloves)

2 Teaspoons of Salt

2 Teaspoons Black Pepper

3 Eggs

Approx 200ml Milk

For The Mushroom Mix - For 15 Portions

5 large punnets of brown Mushrooms washed and cut in half or quarters if very big

10 slices of smoked or dry cured back Bacon sliced up

2 white Onions peeled and chopped

130g of Wild Garlic pulp or 6 Cloves of Crushed Garlic

Half of the Béchamel mix in the start of guide

150g Salted butter

200g of Sweetcorn

200g of Frozen Peas

4 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Hand full of Parsley if you cannot get Wild Garlic

200g Grated Cheddar

To Make the Scones

1) In a mixing bowl, sift the flour and seasoning and rub through the Margarine until ingredients are mixed in and they look like sand. Add the Cheese and Wild Garlic (or normal Garlic) then crack in 3 Eggs. The Wild Garlic pulp will release juices so this will start to bind the mix. Once this is all fully mixed together and starting to bind, add the Milk a tablespoon at a time for the extra liquid needed to bring it all together. The Wild Garlic will release its oils when you are rubbing it in. It will start to turn your mix green.

2) Roll out your mixture to 1.5 inch thickness, use a fairly large Scone cutter, you want these big. Cut and turn upside down on a greaseproof lined baking tray. Turning upside down will help them rise. Brush the tops with milk (don't be shy).

3) Bake on 140c for 25 minutes. Low and slow is key, you will get a much better scone. Don’t follow the recipes that say high temperatures, these are big scones.

4) You can cook all your scones and freeze them or freeze the raw mix and cook from frozen. When cooking from frozen add an extra 5 minutes to the cooking time.

To make the Mushroom mix

1) In a frying pan cook off your Bacon with a little oil and let the fat render down (Crisp Up) then add some butter and start to sweat off your Onions and Mushrooms. Once all sweated down and cooked add your white sauce mix till you get a thick mix. Add the wild garlic or crushed Garlic, Peas and Sweetcorn and let it all cook together on a low simmer. Season to taste.

2) To finish the dish. Cut your Savoury Scone in half and Butter both sides. Place in an oven proof bowl or dish. Pour your Mushroom mix over the Scone, sprinkle over grated Cheese and bake in oven for 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese has melted and is bubbling.

3) You can also freeze down the Mushroom mix into plastic microwavable containers.

Allergens

Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, Onion