Live road show cooks budget meals
Cook a three course meal to feed four people for just £7.50.
Healthy food expert Wendi Jarrett cooked up a storm in Northampton yesterday when she impressed crowds in the Grosvenor Centre with her culinary skills.
Wendy, who runs Heart & Soul Enterprises, cooked a three course meal for four people for just 7.50 to show how easy it is to cook healthy food on a tight budget.
The meal was tasted by enthusiastic members of the public after they had seen it cooked live on two small gas hobs.
For starter Wendi cooked nettle soup served with a small swirl of creme fraiche. The nettles were picked for free the day before at South Court Environmental orchard in Abington.
Wendi made the soup with a dash of Jamaican hot pepper sauce, and people were queuing up to try it.
Samantha Squair a marketing student form the University of Northampton, who loves to cook from scratch, said: "The nettle soup tastes really green, it tastes really fresh and a little bit spicy. It is quite chewy. it is not quite like I expected but I like it."
Wendi explained that nettles were a great source of vitamin A, C and iron, and also contained a good amount of protein. It can be used as a substitute for spinach and put in risotto or cannelloni.
"You cut the nettles from the top as this is the new growth," explained Wendi.
"It is tender and less woody than the growth below. You cook the leaves and the stalks. Most people are scared of it but when they see people enjoying it they want to try," said Wendi.
Next up on the menu was steamed trout from Pitsford Reservoir bought from Smith Farm Shop in Chapel Brampton. This was served with a tangy coconut and ginger sauce and steamed purple sprouting broccoli, sweet potato and garlic tomatoes all sourced from Northamptonshire and bordering counties.
"The idea was to make it all local," said Wendi. "The trick is to look out for seasonal stuff. Trout is seasonal so it is a good buy. It is good for the heart and we think it is good for the brain. When you steam fish it will take on the flavours relatively subtley. You don't want it to be too overpowering. Trout doesn't have a strong flavour so if you put aromatics (like ginger, garlic chilli) with it, it really lifts it and shows it off at its best."
Finally for dessert a large pot of lemony rice pudding was served which went down a treat with everyone. Criminology student Mike Lavender wolfed down two large bowlfuls and declared it his favourite course of the whole meal.
"Rice pudding is an old favourite," said Wendi. "The rest of the meal is light but this will fill you up and is still healthy. The lemon rind adds a twist and it is so cheap to make. I made three litres of pudding and paid 1.20 for all the ingredients."
The event, organised by Radio Northampton, was a great success and converted many sceptics.
One passer by stayed to try all three courses and was bowled over by it.
She said: "It is absolutely gorgeous. I don't like fish and I don't like lemon, but I loved this. Wendi has done wonders."
Wendi concluded: "I wanted to show people that eating healthy is not all just about lettuce leaves, although I do make a mean salad."
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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