• Chocolate Truffle torte served with orange cream sauce and a cascade of summer fruits
• Gooseberry and Elderflower Fool
• Nettle and potato soup with chorizo oil, crème fraiche and chives
• Nettle ravioli filled with ricotta cheese, wild garlic and toasted pine kernels
• Rose petal pannacota with wild raspberries and candied flower petals
• Hot-house Smoked Salmon with New Potatoes & Asparagus - Dijon Vinaigrette
• Pheasant and Apricot Terrine
• Pork with Black Pudding
• Tomato Tart with Goats Cheese
• Northumberland Cheese and Spinach Souffle
• Chef Biographies

Chocolate Truffle torte served with orange cream sauce and a cascade of summer fruits

Bitter chocolate truffle
250g good quality plain chocolate
125ml whipping cream
250ml semi whipped cream

Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place into a plastic bowl boil the 125ml whipping cream when boiling remove from the heat and pour directly over the chocolate allow this to stand for about a minute, then using a hand whisk mix the cream and chocolate until smooth set aside , if the mix begins to set you can warm it gently over as pan of water.
whisk the 250ml of cream to a soft peak stage carefully mix together the chocolate and whipped cream, making sure that all the cream is incorporated pour or pipe the mixture into your moulds and place in the fridge to set

Orange cream sauce
125ml whipping cream
125ml orange juice
3 egg yolks
50g sugar

Place the orange juice and cream into a pan and bring to the boil whilst waiting mix together the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl when the cream and orange juice boils remove from the heat add a little of the hot liquid to the egg yolks mixing continuously return the remainder to the liquid to the stove and re-boil slowly pour the egg mixture into the boiling liquid, stir all the time using a spatula when the sauce coats the back of the spatula remove from the heat and pass it through a fine sieve into a clean bowl set aside to cool

Sugar Collar
150g sugar
40ml water

Mix the sugar and water together in a pan and cook to 156 degrees Celsius
when the sugar is ready pour on to a piece of baking parchment
allow to cool slightly before cutting to the desired shape

Garnish
orange sauce
mixed red berries
mint
sugar collar

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GOOSEBERRY AND ELDERFLOWER FOOL

INGREDIENTS

450 g ( 1lb) wild gooseberries
250 g (10 oz) caster sugar
600 ml (1 pint) double cream
Dash of Elderflower Cordial
50 g (2 oz) butter

METHOD

Top and tail gooseberries. Whip cream with half the sugar and stir in elderflower cordial. Stew gooseberries in butter and remaining sugar. When cold, layer in a glass and garnish.

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MARTIN CHARLTON: Nettle and potato soup with chorizo oil, crème fraiche and chives

500g of peeled and diced potatoes
2 onions finely diced
1ltr of chicken stock or vegetable stock
250ml of crème fraiche
4-5 handfuls of washed nettles tops
Some chopped chives
50g of butter
Salt, pepper
2 small chorizo; finely diced and roasted to extract the oil (optional)

• Gently cook the onions in the butter, add the potatoes and cook for a few minutes more.
• Add the chicken or vegetable stock, bring to the boil and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Add the nettles and simmer for a few minutes more.
• Liquidise the soup and place in a clean pan. Add the crème fraiche and check the seasoning and consistency.
• Ladle into warm bowls and spoon a little chorizo oil over the top and finish with a sprinkle of chopped chives.
• Serve.

Salad of dandelion leaves and pancetta with baby dock and rats tail with a roasted garlic and grain mustard dressing. Served with shavings of Northumbrian goats cheese and toasted flutes.

For the dressing

• Grind the garlic with a pestle and mortar and slowly add the oil and grain mustard.
• Then add the vinegar and season with salt and pepper.

Next, take a selection of edible leaves such as:
Baby dock leaves
Wild garlic
Rats tail
Dandelion

• Carefully wash and dry the leaves (a salad spinner is good for this).
• Toss the leaves with the dressing, pancetta lardons and croutons.
• Season if necessary, then shave the goat's cheese with a potato peeler onto the salad.

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Nettle ravioli filled with ricotta cheese, wild garlic and toasted pine kernels

For the pasta

9 egg yolks
160g of strong flour
300g of semolina flour
200g of nettle tops (or as many as you can get, top it up with spinach if you like)

• Blanch the nettle quickly in boiling water and refresh in cold water immediately.
• Squeeze out the excess water in a tea towel to make as dry as possible.
• Place the nettles and the egg yolks in a liquidiser and puree until the mixture is green and smooth.
• Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and process until the mixture develops into a breadcrumb like texture, (you may need to adjust the flour to achieve a smooth texture).
• Remove from the processor and kneed by hand for a couple of minutes until smooth.
• Wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge for about half an hour.

For the filling

1 handful of wild garlic
1 handful of young dock leaves
1 small handful of toasted pine kernels - roughly chopped
1 knob of butter
350g of ricotta
Freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper

• Roughly chop the leaves and cook gently in the melted butter.
• Cool and mix with the ricotta.
• Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.
• Finally, add the pine kernels.

To make the ravioli

• Using a pasta machine roll out some thin pasta sheets.
• Cover the sheets with a damp cloth until you are ready to use them.
• Dust your work surface with semolina, lay out a sheet of pasta and place a teaspoon full of the filling at 5cm intervals.
• Brush the pasta lightly with water and lay another sheet over the first.
• Gently pat down the top sheet around the filling excluding the air as you go.
• Trim the ravioli into about 7cm squares.
• Either store your ravioli on a tray well dusted with semolina or cook straight away for 3-4 minutes in salted boiling water

For the Sauce

200g of wild mushrooms cleaned and torn or cut into strips
A handful of wild garlic leaves torn into strips
A knob of butter
2 shallots-finely diced
1 clove of garlic-finely diced
100ml of white wine
200ml of crème fraiche

• Gently cook the shallots and garlic in the butter.
• Add the wild mushrooms and cook for a few minutes more.
• Add the white wine and reduce by half.
• Add the crème fraiche seasoning and wild garlic.
• Toss the ravioli in the sauce and serve with shavings of Parmesan cheese.

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Rose petal pannacota with wild raspberries and candied flower petals

For the pannacota

750ml of double cream
250ml of milk
1 handful of rose petals
50g Sugar
4 leaves of gelatine (softened in cold water)

• Bring the milk and cream to the boil.
• Add the sugar, washed and dried rose petals and softened gelatine and allow to infuse.
• When the mixture has cooled and become fragrant pour into moulds and allow to set in the fridge.

For the raspberry sauce

300g of raspberries
25g of icing sugar
1 table spoon of lemon juice
(You will also need 200g of raspberries for garnishing your dessert)

• Puree all of the ingredients in a food processor and pass through a fine sieve or a muslin cloth.

Candied flower petals

300ml of water
300g of sugar
1 handful of rose petals

• Make light sugar syrup with the water and 100g of the sugar.
• One by one dip the rose petals in the syrup and then into the caster sugar.
• Place on a tray and allow them to dry and become crisp in a warm dry place.
• To serve: place a panacotta onto a plate with some of the raspberries, spoon a little of the raspberry sauce around and over the raspberries.
• Decorate with the crystallised petals
  

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PAUL AMER: Hot-house Smoked Salmon with New Potatoes & Asparagus - Dijon Vinaigrette

100g Hot-house smoked salmon
2 New potatoes
3 Asparagus tips
Handful of mixed salad leaves (frisée, endive, oak leaf, red chard)
Chervil

Method;
Lightly flake salmon
Cook potatoes in salted, boiling water.
Blanch asparagus in salted, boiling water for 1 ½ - 2 Minutes until "al dente", then refresh in iced water.
Lightly coat salad leaves with vinaigrette & season
Slice potatoes
Cut asparagus into 2" pieces & season

Assemble ingredients in a round mould, alternating layers of each prepared ingredient.
Garnish with chervil & a drizzle of vinaigrette.

Dijon Vinaigrette

1tsp Dijon mustard
200ml Extra virgin olive oil
2tsp White wine vinegar
Salt & pepper
Chopped Chives

Method;
Combine all ingredients in a bowl & whisk together

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RICHARD SIM & DOREEN FORSYTH: PHEASANT AND APRICOT TERRINE

Ingredients

450 g (1lb) pork mince
450 g ( 1 lb) back bacon
2 whole pheasants
100 gm (4 oz) of apricots
75 g (3 oz) raisins
75 g (3 oz) pistachio nuts
120 ml (3 fl oz) Green Ginger wine
Salt
Ground pepper
Butter

Method

Preheat the oven to 180c/350F/ Gas mark 4

Line terrine mould with butter and back bacon. Remove the pheasant breasts. Bone out legs and mince leg meat. Soak raisins, apricot and pistachio nuts in the Green Ginger wine. Combine pork mince, pheasant mince and green ginger mix.

Press half the mince into the terrine. Layer in pheasant breasts and cover with the rest of the mix. Fold over bacon, and cook in water bath for approx 2 hours.

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RICHARD SIM & DOREEN FORSYTH: PORK WITH BLACK PUDDING

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

900 g (2 lb) loin of pork
450 g (1 lb) black pudding
Double cream
Whole grain mustard
Veal jus (optional)
White wine
Whole grain mustard
Chives
Shallots

METHOD

Trim and slice pork. Slice black pudding
Pan fry pork fillets and black pudding
Add shallots, de-glaze with white wine
Add mustard, double cream and veal jus.
Deep fry chives, garnish and serve.

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TOMATO TART WITH GOATS CHEESE

Pastry
450g Puff pastry

• Pin out pastry on a floured board to a thickness of 3/16"
  
• Cut with a 4" cutter into 8 discs
• Rest in the refrigerator
• Egg wash, dock with a fork & bake until golden 10-12 mi

Tomatoes
20 large Plum tomatoes (ripe)
Malden sea salt & black pepper
1 head Garlic
1 bunch Thyme
2tbls Extra virgin olive oil

• Blanch & refresh tomatoes. Remove skins
• Cut in half & gently squeeze out seeds
• Arrange, cut side down on a baking sheet, sprinkle very lightly with coarse sea salt
• Scatter thyme sprigs & whole, unpeeled garlic cloves
• Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil & bake @ 80°C until semi-dri

Caramelised onions
2tbls Unsalted butter
400g Sliced onions
4 Thyme sprigs (leaves only)
Malden sea salt & black pepper

• Sweat onions & thyme in butter, season & cook until lightly caramelised
• Set asi

Herbed goats cheese
115g Soft goats cheese (capri lodge)
2tsp Mascarpone
2tsp Double cream
2tbls Pesto
2tbls Finely chopped, rinsed shallots
2tbls Finely chopped chives
1tsp Pureed garlic
Salt & milled black pepper

• Mix goats cheese, mascarpone, cream, pesto, shallots, chives & garlic
• Season to taste with salt & pepp

Frizzy salad
1 small head Frizzy
8 small Button mushrooms (firm & white)
16 Black olives (halved)
16 Cherry tomatoes (halved)
2 tbls Chervil leaves
8 Chives (in ½" sticks)
110ml Extra virgin olive oil
1 tbls Lemon juice
Malden sea salt & milled black pepper

• Toss everything together in a small bowl

ASSEMBLY

• Brush 8 x 4" non-stick tart tins with olive oil
• Arrange tomatoes so that both the base & sides are completely covered
• Warm through in a medium oven
• Warm the caramelised onions
• Place a scoop of goats cheese into each mould
• Divide the warm onions evenly between the moulds
• Place a puff pastry disc on top
• Invert each tart onto the centre of salad plate
• Remove the moulds & place a small bouquet of salad on top
• Drizzle thinned pesto around
  

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NORTHUMBERLAND CHEESE & SPINACH SOUFFLE (makes 18 souffles)

100g Soft butter
100g Dried Breadcrumbs

Double butter 18 soufflé moulds (3" ramekins) & dust out with breadcrumbs. Chill

900ml Full fat milk
½ Onion
1 Bay leaf
1 Clove

Heat milk with onion clouté
Cover with a lid & allow to infuse

150g Butter
150g Flour
½tsp English mustard powder

Make a white roux with butter & flour
Allow to cook over a gentle heat for 15mins
Sir in English mustard powder
Strain & reheat the milk, add to the roux, one ladle at a time
Allow to almost boil between each addition
When all of the milk is incorporated, move to the side of the stove & allow to cook out gently for 15-20mins (stirring regularly)

300g Spinach (picked, washed & dried)
50g Butter

Sauté spinach very briefly in the butter until wilted
Season with salt & pepper
Drain in a colander & chop coarsely
Stir into the béchamel

500g Grated, Northumberland cheese
12 (240g) Egg yolks

Remove béchamel from the heat & stir in cheese & yolks
Cover with cling film to keep warm

12 (360g) Egg whites
1 tiny pinch Salt

Whisk whites until they begin to thicken, add salt & continue whisking until quite firm (beware of graining & drying out)
Beat in 1/3 of whites with a wire whisk. Fold in remainder carefully
Divide between soufflé moulds & bake au bain marie @ 135ºc (vent open) for 25mins
Remove from oven & bain marie & allow to cool for 5-6 mins before turning out & wrapping loosely in cling film
Chill until needed. Allow to return to room temp before reheating
Reheat by placing each soufflé in a small ovenproof dish & pouring 200ml double cream over each
Sprinkle with a pinch of grated cheese and transfer to a 200ºc oven for 12mins

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BIOGRAPHIES

John Connel

34 year old John has been living and working in the Northeast for the past six years. A native of New Zealand, he moved to Melbourne, Australia, where he worked at Tables, one of the city's award-winning restaurants. He subsequently moved to England to expand his knowledge of European cuisine, initially at the Savoy Hotel in London under Anton Edleman. Since then, John has worked at Restaurant St. Quentin in London and was instrumental in the opening of Bruno Loubet's L'Odeon and Sir Terence Conran's famous restaurant Quaglinos.

After moving to Newcastle with his wife, Alison (a Northeasterner), John has been employed at some of the finest establishments in the region namely 21 Queen Street, Seaham Hall and latterly as head chef at Newcastle's Vermont Hotel.

John is keen to try things that are new and innovative. He has a good understanding of Asian ingredients and matching them with local meat and fish.

Richard Sim

Richard was born in Alnwick and trained as a chef at Ashington Technical College, where he received "The Young Chef of the Year" Award. He served his apprenticeship in the Berkeley Hotel, and Le Meridian Piccadilly in London. Returned home to work in several restaurants and hotels in Newcastle before opening his own restaurant in Alnwick. After 6 years, and with a young family to consider he decided to return to working for someone else. Started work for STR Enterprises, and after two years moved as Executive Chef at "Tiger Tiger" in Newcastle. Recently was delighted to receive "Chef of the Year" Award in the Newcastle and Gateshead Buzz Awards.

Doreen Forsyth

Doreen was also born in Alnwick, and has been married to farmer Peter Forsyth for 37 years, living at New Barns Farm, in Warkworth. They have two sons, James and Peter who are both working at the Festival today. Has always been interested in cooking, and was "Cook of the North" in a competition run by the Newcastle Journal and Evening Chronicle in 1987. Opened New Barns Farm Shop, with restaurant and butchers two years ago, just after Foot and Mouth. All meat sold and prepared in the restaurant is produced from their own beef cattle and rare breed pigs. Everything sold in the shop (apart from a selection of 37 cheeses) is homemade on the premises. She was awarded " Farming Woman of the Year" in 2002, and attended the "Woman of the Year" luncheon at the Savoy.

Alistair Walklett

Alistair has been in the hospitality industry for 28 years, 26 of those years spent in the kitchen's pastry section. His first appointment as "chef patissiér" came in 1989 at the Savoy Grill in London.

His career started as an apprentice chef with Trust House Forte working at the Excelsior Hotel Heathrow. It was at this point that he started to learn patisserie. Alistair moved to London's Inn On The Park at Hyde Park Corner in 1978 where he spent the next 2 years really developing his patisserie skills. He then moved to Claridges Hotel as "chef de partie". After this, the opportunity arose for him to work in the Channel Islands where he spent the next 6 years. During this time he won numerous gold medals at Jersey's "salon culinaires".

On his return to England he worked at the Savoy Hotel. In 1991 he had the opportunity to teach at the Cordon Bleu Schools in London and Paris. In 1992 he packed his bags and took on his biggest challenge to date, working in Cyprus at the largest and newest hotel on the island. On his return to this country, in 1995, he worked at Tylney Hall country house hotel in Hampshire.

In 1998 Alistair came to the North east and for the last 4 years has been employed as patisserie manager for a small, family run, business in Blaydon producing and developing desserts for the industry and retail market.

Paul Amer

Paul is currently the Head Chef at The Fisherman's Lodge restaurant in Jesmond Dene.

His learnt his craft under the tuition of Geoff Bland at the Gosforth Park Hotel. In 1987 Chef Bland left the hotel to take up the position of Head Chef at Edinburgh's famous Caledonian Hotel, Paul joined him as "chef de partie" where he covered every aspect of the busy kitchens.

In 1989 Paul returned to his native Northeast and took up the position of senior "sous chef" at the Fisherman's Lodge. For a brief period, he worked alongside Terry Laybourne at 21 Queen Street to increase his range of culinary skills before returning to the Lodge as Head Chef.

Paul has certainly made his mark locally within the hospitality industry and his thirst for knowledge is such that he has been fortunate enough to work alongside such great chefs as Raymond Blanc & Gordon Ramsey on various occasions.

Martin Charlton

Born in Southampton in the 1960s, Martin started cooking at his Aunt's hotel in Stokesly, North Yorkshire in the early 80's.

He has been cooking in various restaurants throughout Europe and the UK for the best part of 21 years. Martin is the father of two young children, and since their arrival, has tried to balance his family life with the catering trade. With this in mind, he decided to go to night school and has gained a Certificate in Education, which enabled him to become a lecturer at North Tyneside College last year.

Martin has a long-standing interest in wild fungi, and has been a steady supply for handpicked wild mushrooms for the various restaurants that he has been working for. Latterly his interest has broadened to include local plants, fruit, seaweed and shellfish.

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