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Wales recipes

Warm Welsh Baby Leeks with Summer Vegetable and Herb Vinaigrette

Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • ½ stick celery, finely diced
  • 1 x shallot, finely diced
  • ¼ of a small fennel, finely diced
  • ½ red pepper, finely diced
  • 1 knob of butter
  • 12 x Baby Leeks

For the dressing

  • 150ml Olive Oil
  • 1 ½ tbsp white wine
  • 1 ½ tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 ½ tsp caster sugar
  • 1 x Bay leaf
  • ½ Sprig of Rosemary
  • ½ Sprig of Thyme
  • 1 x clove garlic

Method

  1. Place all the ingredients for the dressing in a saucepan. Gently heat for 5 to 6 minutes.
  2. Remove from heat and allow to infuse for at least one hour.
  3. Heat the butter in a frying pan add the vegetable and sauté on a low heat till softened – do not allow to brown.
  4. Clean the leeks of any dirt and cook in salted boiling water for 6 to 7 minutes or until tender. Drain and pat dry.
  5. Remove the herbs and garlic from the dressing and add the vegetables.
  6. Place the leek on a serving platter and drizzle over the dressing and serve with crusty bread.

Welsh Lamb Steaks with Fresh Pesto Crust And Crushed New Potatoes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 4 x Welsh Lamb Rump Steaks
  • Seasoning
  • 16 x New baby potatoes
  • 5 tbsp of stale breadcrumbs
  • 1 x onion, finely sliced
  • 1 clove garlic

For the Pesto

  • 75g Pine nuts
  • 50g Fresh Basil
  • 2 knobs of butter
  • 1 x garlic clove crushed
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 75ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 3 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
  • Seasoning

Method

  1. Place the potatoes and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or till cook – drain and set aside.
  2. To make the pesto – Lightly toast the pine nuts in a frying pan set aside and allow to cool.
  3. Place all the ingredients for the pesto in a food processor season and whiz till you have a paste.
  4. Lightly fry the onions and garlic in the olive oil and butter till soft do not allow to colour. When soft add the potatoes and lightly crush using a potato masher.
  5. Season the lamb steaks and cook for 4 minutes each side till medium cooked. Place a few spoonfuls of the fresh pesto on top of each of the lamb steaks, lightly cover the pesto with breadcrumbs.
  6. Place under a hot grill and cook till golden brown.

Serve with the crushed potatoes and fresh green salad

Fresh Summer Fruit Meringues

Ingredients

For the Meringue

  • 3 x Large Egg Whites
  • Pinch of salt
  • 175g Caster Sugar
  • 1 level teaspoon corn flour

For the Filling

  • 280ml Double cream
  • 150g Strawberries, hulled and sliced – save four for decoration
  • 100g Blueberries, washed

Method

  1. Pre heat oven to 150°c / 300°f/ Gas 2
  2. Place egg whites and a pinch of salt in a clean bowl. Using an electric whisk whisk the whites until they hold a soft peak.
  3. Add the caster sugar a tablespoon at a time whisking really well at all times.
  4. After all the sugar has been incorporated add the corn flour and whisk until the mixture is really thick and glossy.
  5. Line a baking tray with baking paper and spoon the mixture onto the paper in four even portions. Flatten slightly to make nests and make a small hollow in the centre.
  6. Bake on the middle shelf of an oven for 35 minutes then turn off the oven and allow the oven to cool before removing the meringues.
  7. To make the filling whisk up the cream then add the strawberries and blueberries and then divide between the meringues. Decorate with a fresh strawberry and a few blueberries.

Welsh Goats Cheese and Leek Filo Parcels

Serves: 6

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 100g Welsh leeks
  • 2 tbsp fresh chopped thyme
  • black pepper to taste
  • 125g Tesco Welsh Goats Cheese, roughly crumbled
  • 6 sheets fresh filo pastry
  • Melted butter for brushing

Method

  1. Heat oil in a pan and add the onions and leeks, cook until both have softened and all the moisture has evaporated.
  2. Add the thyme and black pepper.
  3. Remove from heat, place into a bowl and cool.
  4. When the mixture is cool add the crumbed goats cheese and mix.
  5. Remove filo pastry from the packaging and cut each sheet into 4 squares.
  6. Layer each square at right angles on top of each other, brushing with melted butter as you go. Each parcel is made from 4 layers of filo pastry using the 4 squares.
  7. Spoon the goats cheese and leek mixture onto each layered filo pastry square.
  8. Gather up the ends of the pastry around the mixture to form a parcel shape.
  9. Brush each parcel with melted butter.
  10. Place the parcels onto a greased / oiled baking sheet and place into a pre- heated oven 190C for 12 – 15 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.

Serve with a fresh mixed salad.

Welsh Black Beef Fillet with Wild Mushroom Sauce

Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 15g dried Porcini Mushrooms
  • 75ml boiling water
  • 75g Welsh Butter
  • 4 x Welsh Beef Fillets ( about 6 – 8 oz each )
  • 250g mixed fresh wild mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 clove garlic , crushed
  • 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, one for sauce and one for garnish
  • 75ml red wine
  • 75ml beef stock
  • salt and pepper

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 160C / 325F / Gas 3.
  2. Cover the dried mushrooms with the water and soak for 15 minutes until softened.
  3. Strain the mushrooms and chop them.Reserve the liquid.
  4. Melt 25g of the butter in a frying pan and fry the beef fillet steaks for 2 – 3 minutes each side, until browned. Remove from pan, wrap in foil and keep warm in the oven.
  5. Add 25g butter to the pan and fry the fresh wild mushrooms, garlic, thyme and dried mushrooms for 4 minutes or until the fresh mushrooms have softened.
  6. Add the wine, increase the heat and boil for 2 minutes, until the sauce has reduced by half.
  7. Mix the dried mushroom liquid qith the beef stock, then add to the pan and simmer for 3 minutes.
  8. Stir in the remaining butter and season.
  9. Garnish with the fresh thyme sprig.

Serve with mashed potato with a large tablespoon of Tesco Finest Horseradish cream mixed throughout.

Welsh Cakes with Penderyn Whisky Ice Cream

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the Welsh Cakes:

  • 225g self – raising flour
  • ½ tsp mixed spice
  • 85g caster sugar
  • 115g Welsh Butter
  • 85g sultanas
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • milk to soften the mixture if it is needed
  • lard for cooking the Welsh Cakes

For the Ice Cream:

  • 300ml Double Cream
  • 6 tbsp Welsh Whisky, Penderyn Whisky
  • 4 tbsp runny honey
  • 4 egg yolks

Method

To make the Welsh Cakes:

  1. Sieve the flour and spice into a bowl and stir in the sugar.
  2. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
  3. Add the sultanas and mix together.
  4. Add the beaten egg and mix until the mixture becomes a dough. You may have to add some milk if the mixture appears to dry.
  5. Put the dough onto a floured surface and roll until the dough is about 5mm thick.
  6. Cut out 8 rounds with a medium sized cutter.
  7. Grease a griddle or frying pan with the lard, then on a low heat begin to cook the cakes for 30 - 40 seconds each side, then leave to cool.

For the Whisky Ice Cream:

  1. Lightly whip the cream, then add the whisky gradually.
  2. Heat the honey in a small pan.
  3. Whisk the egg yolks until pale and fluffy.
  4. Slowly pour the heated honey over the egg yolks. This will cook the egg yolks.
  5. Whisk the honey and egg mixture until thick and mousse – like.
  6. Fold in the whisked cream and pour into a shallow freezer - proof container , cover and freeze for several hours until firm.

Place 2 Welsh Cakes onto a plate and add a large scoop of the whisky ice cream.

Food for thought
Food for thought
What's in season?
Cheese