Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival 2010

Last week I got a call wether I was available to give some cooking demo's at the Aldeburgh Food Festival, promoting the County Council's "Love Food, Hate Waste" campaign. So, after a week of hectic preparation the festival arrived. Me- and my mum- got to the festival early on saturday to find out that I would be cooking along side Paul Freeman- head chef of the Queens Head at Blyford- a great man and chef. We cooked on the small stage on Saturday, which was a nice warm-up for the main stage on Sunday. The demo's went well and we got quite big crowds on both days- although it helped it was raining so people came and watched for shelter!

Me doing my thing!

Anyway, heres what I cooked. I made Sausages with an Onion Gravy and Root Vegetable Mash. All my ingredients were sourced localy- especially the sausages which were from Pauls farm were he rears rare black-saddle pigs which make fantastic sausages and bacon. The root vgatable mash can be made with whatever you've got lying around- hence the "Love Food, Hate Waste" idea.

Ingredients-
8 Pork Sausages
2 Onions, thinly sliced
1tbsp Flour
2tsp English Mustard
2tsp Worcester Sauce
Sprig of Fresh Thyme
600ml Vegetable Stock
Salt and Pepper
2tbsp Vegetable Oil- low fat if preffered
Mashed Root Vegetables like carrots, swede, potatoes, parsnips etc
1tbsp Chopped Parsley
1tsp Grated Nutmeg

Start by heating the oil in a deep bottomed frying pan and brown the sausages until golden brown. When browned, remove from the pan and roast in an oven at about 180'c/ gas mark 4. In the oil from the sausages, caremalise the onions until soft. Now add the frlour and coat the onions evenly. Add the mustard, worcester sauce and thyme. Stir for 1minute so it doesnt burn. Now add the stock and simmer for about 15-20 minutes until thick. To make the mash, mix the mashed veg with the parsley and nutmeg.

Serve by dolloping a big splodge of mash on a plate, followed by the sausages on top and pour over th gravy. Enjoy.


I've got to go to scouts now so ill put the second dish I cooked up soon- Apple, Blackberry and Elderberry Crumble with Homemade Custard.
Peace out.
Sam.