At Davidstow we are very proud to work with Cornish based two-starred Michelin chef Nathan Outlaw.  So last week we were excited to host a competition for winners to spend the day on an exclusive Davidstow cookery masterclass with Nathan in London.

On Monday, eight lucky winners and their friends arrived at the L’atelier des Chef cookery school in central London to learn two recipes using Cornish Classic and Crackler Cheddar.

The day started with an introduction from Nathan on the recipes he has created with Davidstow and how the cheese adds an abundance of flavour to dishes.

With all the guests donned with aprons, and eagerly waiting at their cooking station, Nathan first demonstrated how to create Cornish Crackler & Chive Mayonnaise by hand. Whisks at the ready, everyone began carefully beating the eggs and oil – Nathan was impressed to see that nobody’s mayonnaise split.

The first course was complete, vegetable crudités and hand-made mayonnaise.  Delicious!

The next part of the masterclass was a real treat with Nathan sharing his tips on how to pick crab meat from a freshly cooked whole crab. It was really interesting to see how much of the crab he could use, including the shell for making stock.

This led the group on nicely to the main course, which was a Crab, Classic Cheddar & Chive Spanish Omelette. This was a simple but very tasty recipe, which needed slowly cooking to produce a rounded omelette cooked throughout without turning it over.

Once the cooking had finished, the group enjoyed lunch with Nathan, and picked his brains on all things cooking, before leaving with a goodie bag of Davidstow cheese and lots of inspiration and recipes!

Look out for similar competitions throughout the year if you fancy trying your hand cooking with a Michelin starred chef …

Nathan Outlaw by David Griffen

The view from the restaurants has been changing too and the fields opposite are now lush green as the spring grass appears.  It’s already been balmy enough on some days for guests to sit out on the terrace and enjoy immersing themselves in the view whilst enjoying a leisurely lunch or cream tea; a wonderful way to de-stress for an hour or two.  Of course, this superb pasture is of vital importance to Cornwall’s cows, as it enables them to produce the rich, creamy milk that is the central to our famous clotted cream and wonderful cheese such as Davidstow.

I look forward to spring in the kitchen because it brings the first wave of good quality crabs.  We are very lucky in Rock because we have Callum just down the road in Port Isaac, he the only crab and lobster fisherman in the UK who is a member of the Responsible Fishing Scheme.  Crabmeat is underused in Britain and that is a great shame because it is so flavoursome and nutritious.  At present we are serving a dish in Restaurant Nathan Outlaw which combines the flavours of brown crab, roasted and pickled fennel and apple.  The crab is very simply cooked in order to balance the complexity of the flavours and it has taken us four years to perfect the sauce which is made using velvet crab.

Other produce coming into season includes Cornish new potatoes which need to be served with nothing but a generous lacing of Cornish butter!  And soon we will have the first Cornish asparagus which I like to serve with a rich, silky cheese sauce, given an extra depth of flavour by using Davidstow’s Mature Crackler.  It makes me hungry just writing about it!

Another thing that I am looking forward to this spring is the publication of my first book, ‘Nathan Outlaw’s British Seafood’.  I spent most of last summer writing it and without the support of my family, staff and the publisher I doubt it would be finished yet!  I hope that people enjoy the recipes and snippets of information I’ve included as I’ve tried to do something for everyone.  It’s been very exciting seeing it go from rough scribbled notes to the final, beautifully produced book and those who have seen it so far seem suitably impressed, or at least I think so!   Look out for the recipes that mention Davidstow!

Now it’s back to the kitchen to work on some new recipes in readiness for the summer menu…and maybe the next book!

This Sunday (18^th March) Mum’s across the nation will be entitled to a well deserved day of well-earned R&R. This is a great day to treat your mum and say thank you and there is no better way to show her that you care than by creating a really special dish for her to enjoy.

To give you inspiration in the kitchen, we have included a dish that you can create for your mum and serve for lunch or dinner. This simple, yet stylish recipe has been created by two-starred Michelin chef Nathan Outlaw, adding an extra special touch to this Leek, Smoked Salmon and Cheddar Sauce.

Leek, Smoked Salmon and Cheddar Sauce

Ingredients:

8 large leeks, cleaned and cut into 8cm pieces.

300g sliced smoked salmon

50g butter, plus extra for greasing

50g plain flour

450ml milk

2 free-range egg yolks

1 tsp English mustard

2tsp chopped Dill

salt and black pepper

175g Davidstow Classic Cheddar, grated

Method:

Preheat oven to 200 °C (400 °F, Gas 6).

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, then add the leeks and cook for 5 minutes. When the leeks are cooked drain and place into a buttered oven proof dish. Pile the salmon over the leeks.

Melt the butter in a small pan and add the flour. Cook, stirring for one to two minutes until lightly golden.

Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the milk to form a smooth sauce. Return to the heat, stir and simmer for two to three minutes.

Remove from the heat and beat in the egg yolks, mustard and season with salt and pepper. Pour over the Leeks and salmon. Top with the grated cheese. Place in the oven and cook for 10 minutes, until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Cornwall’s national day, St Piran’s Day is just around the corner on March 5^th.

Cornwall is proud of many things, especially it’s food and on the day when the county will be celebrating its Patron Saint there’s no better excuse for everyone to relive Cornish holiday memories and cook up a ‘Kernow’ feast.

It goes without saying that one essential ingredient for all St Piran’s shopping lists is our award-winning Cornish cheddar. We’ve teamed up with North Cornwall based two star Michelin chef, Nathan Outlaw, to put a twist on the uniquely Cornish Stargazy Pie with Davidstow Crackler cheese, and traditional Crackler Cheese and Saffron Rolls.

Stargazy Pie originates from the Cornish fishing village of Mousehole, and traditionally sees the heads and tails of fish poke through the piecrust as though ‘star-gazing’.  Meanwhile Saffron Rolls have been traditionally baked in Cornwall on special occasions, such as anniversary feasts, and are as bright in colour  – from the addition of saffron strands – as the Cornish sun.

St Piran’s day is named after the patron saint of Cornwall, and was originally celebrated by the county’s tin miners. To this day, the Cornish community enjoy it by attending social events and parades, and Cornish feasts!

So have a go and we’d love to hear how you get on. You could even twitpic us your photo on Twitter @DavidstowCheese

Individual Stargazy Pies – serves 4

Ingredients:

Sauce

250ml Fish stock

125g Double cream

50g English mustard

Pie

100g Smoked streaky bacon, thinly sliced

1 White onion, finely chopped

250g Shortcrust pastry

8 Sardines, butterflied with the tail left on

1 Egg for egg wash

8 Quail eggs, boiled for two minutes and peeled

2tsp Dill, chopped

2tsp Parsley, chopped

4 tbsp Grated Davidstow Crackler Cheddar

Method:

• Heat a frying pan on a medium heat and add a drizzle of oil.  Sweat the onion and bacon in a pan and cook for four minutes. Add the fish stock and simmer for fiveminutes. Add the cream and mustard and simmer for three minutes. Remove from the heat and add the herbs, then cool the mixture.
• When the mixture is cooled divide it between four pie dishes and place two quail eggs in each dish. Season the sardines with salt and pepper and lay two of them in each dish with the tails sticking out.
• Roll the pastry and cut into shapes that will cover the edge of the dish. Egg wash the pastry and the edges of the pie dish. Cut two holes in each pastry shape and lay them on the pie dish, pulling through the sardine tail so that it pokes out.
• Heat the oven to 200c and then sprinkle the cheese onto the pastry tops. Place the pies in the oven and cook for 15 minutes until the pastry is golden.
• Serve immediately with a pint of beer and some crusty bread.

Davidstow Crackler and Saffron Rolls

Ingredients:

300g White bread flour

170ml Water

15g Fresh yeast

10g Salt

15g Unsalted butter

Pinch of saffron strands

50g Grated Davidstow Crackler Cheddar

Method:

• Place all the ingredients except the salt and cheese into a mixing bowl. Place the bowl onto a mixer and mix until a dough forms, then time it for six minutes on a high speed. After six minutes, add the salt and mix for two more minutes.

• Take the dough and transfer it to a floured bowl. Cover the dough with a damp/wet cloth and leave in a warm place to prove for 30 minutes.

• When the dough has proved knock it back carefully then cut and shape into 10 equal pieces of dough and shape into rolls. Heat the oven to 220c. Cover once again with the wet cloth and when they have doubled in size they will be ready to cook.

• Sprinkle the cheese equally on each roll. Place in to the oven and cook for 15 minutes until golden brown. To test the bread lift up the bread and tap the underside, if it sounds hollow then it is ready. Cool the bread on a cooling rack and serve.

Well done, we look forward to seeing you at the Nathan Outlaw Masterclass.

We are offering one lucky winner and a guest the chance to attend an exclusive cookery masterclass hosted by two-starred Michelin chef Nathan Outlaw. Here at Davidstow, we are extremely proud to be developing recipes with local chef Nathan Outlaw, especially as our Cornish cheddar is served on the cheeseboard at his restaurant in Rock, North Cornwall.

The masterclass will take place on 26th March at L’atelier des Chefs cookery school in central London. In this hands-on cookery masterclass Nathan will teach you to create simple, delicious dishes using our award winning cheese as an ingredient.

Nathan will be on hand to guide you through each of the recipes and offer his top tips. After a morning in the kitchen, you will be able to sit down for a well-deserved lunch with Nathan and enjoy the food you have created.

To be in with a chance of winning, please tell us what your signature dish would be if you were a Michelin chef and why?

Ts&Cs

The competition deadline is midnight on 29^th Feb, the winner will be announced Thursday March 1^st.

The winner will be chosen at random

The winner must be available on Monday 26^th 2012 from 10am – 2pm

Travel is not included, the address is L’atelier des Chefs, 19 Wigmore Street London, W1U 1PH

The Camel Trail, Wadebridge walk to Padstow

To join the trail, park in Wadebridge, North Cornwall. If you turn left at the mini roundabout from the car park, the start of the route is easily visible.

It offers an easy, relaxed walk across flat ground, with wide vistas of the surrounding countryside as it follows the Camel Estuary to Padstow.

For the first two miles the Camel Estuary is fairly narrow with mud flats, so it is an ideal place to look out for estuary birds such as cormorants, herons and terns. There is also a hide, where you can watch natural wildlife without disturbing them. After a while the Estuary widens out and it becomes less tidal, you will then be able to see boating activity on the water.
Follow the trail for the duration taking in the beautiful views along the way and you will arrive in Padstow, where there are plenty of places to stop for a drink and bite to eat. You can also enjoy the many craft shops and galleries.

A lovely place to stop and enjoy locally sourced food and a good ale is the Old Custom House, South Quay, Padstow, Cornwall. PL28 8BL

Tel: 01841 532359

We would love to hear if you have any top tips for other Cornish walking routes?

Like most of the UK, Cornwall is enjoying a mild winter.  But in Cornwall true signs of spring start appearing earlier than other parts of the country due to our proximity to the gulf stream.  Whilst Cornish Daffodils and pink Camellias are budding into flower around the county, our Cornish cows are also starting to enjoy the lush, new spring grass. It’s a perfect time to enjoy a break to Cornwall and appreciate the start of spring before your neighbours do!

But whether you’re planning a visit to the county or you are a seasoned local, a walk in the Cornish sea air will ‘sharpen the saw’ and blow away any new year’s cobwebs. And for those who might need a little incentive, we can  recommend a pint of ale to finish off a good day’s walk …

Here’s our first walk suggestion on the south coast, next week we’ll be visiting the rugged north coast.  For further inspiration visit www.southwestcoastpath.com and www.walkitcornwall.co.uk.

The Saints Way, Luxulyan – Fowey

For a breathtaking scenic walk, try taking this route starting in Luxulyan. Pass beyond the village of Luxulyan through ancient woodland on trails passing the impressive Treffry Viaduct, before rising to Prideaux and an Iron Age hill fort. Finally the sea is in sight and you drop down to the marshes of Par.

You pass through the beautiful and unspoilt village of Tywardreath with St Andrews Church former site of the Benedictine Monastery, before final sections of coastal pasture bring you down to the golden tracks of Par Sands and the sea.

The Saints Way route now heads inland crossing the old carriage drive of Menabilly House, with easy rural walking across the peninsular to Fowey. You can opt to finish at Par by leaving the Saints Way here or continue to Fowey. Passing through Polkerris with its perfect golden horseshoe beach, before you climb the cliff tops to round dramatic Gribbin Head, with its huge red and white Daymark Tower.

Beyond this as you head towards Fowey you will pass Pridmouth Bay and one of Cornwall’s finest hidden beaches – for literature lovers this beach, situated next to a beautiful lake, is the setting for Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca. The boat house is right beside the path, which climbs and falls along former smuggling coves on its last mile into Fowey.

The Rashleigh Inn, Polkerris

A nice place to stop for a pint of ale is The Rashleigh Inn, which sits between the seaside village of Par and the historic town of Fowey, only 3 miles from Luxulyan valley. The pub sits on the beach at Polkerris enjoying fantastic views of the sea.

Polkerris, Cornwall, PL24 2NL

Telephone: 01726 813991

I had a really good time this Christmas, as I hope you did too.  I know I ate and drank far too much and, as always, my New Year’s resolution is to eat more healthily and do more exercise – all the usual things that most of the population have also promised themselves too!

It’s often thought that eating healthily means living on a lettuce leaf and a glass of carrot juice but, of course, that isn’t the case.  In fact, two of my favourite foods, fish and cheese, are the ideal healthy ingredients; it’s just a matter of using them wisely.  For example, fish simply grilled or baked rather than covered in a heavy batter.  For my part, I’ve always been wary of foods that pronounce themselves as a ‘healthy option’ as in the past I’ve found them to be bland and tasteless.  I’d much rather a smaller portion of something really tasty, such as one of Davidstow’s range of cheddars, than a huge portion of something that has no taste or substance.  However, Davidstow Lighter mature cheese seems to have broken the mold and offers the best of both worlds – yummy!

We close the restaurants in January each year but that doesn’t mean nothing happens!  In fact, this is the time of year that lots of research and experimentation goes on in order to bring new and exciting dishes to our customers at a later date.  My sommelier, Damon and his wife Stephi, who also happens to be the restaurant manager of Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, are spending January in Australia seeking out new wines which may be used to compliment dishes on our menus at a later date.  Along with my other members of staff, I will be eating at different restaurants throughout the country bringing back ideas to exchange and develop.   This is all essential to keeping the dishes on our menus exciting for us to create and to enhance the experience enjoyed by our customers.

It’s true to say that the general public is now much more discerning than they once were and have more knowledge of, and interest in, food and drink than ever before, so are even more keen experiment with new flavours and be more adventurous.  This can only be good for everyone in the food industry as consumers demand more variety and better quality produce.

I think that 2012 will see people being more confident in sampling new foods and cooking things at home that they wouldn’t have once tried.  And I know Davidstow will have lots of inspiring recipe suggestions for you throughout the year! I also hope that lesser known varieties of fish, which can be relatively inexpensive, will become more popular too as people gain the confidence to use them, and realise that fish, whilst being nutritious and delicious, is also a ‘fast food’.

Finally, as I sit warm and snug looking out of the window at the storm blowing up the estuary, my thoughts go out to the fishermen, farmers and producers who will be out braving all weathers through the winter in order for us to have fantastic ingredients to use when cooking.  Including those Cornish dairy farmers!   Without their dedication and hard work, where would we be?

We thought we’d round off the year by offering some drink and cheese matching tips to make your 2011 Christmas cheeseboard one to remember … cooks planning the perfect festive lunch should never forget the cheese course!

Before you even eat it… Make sure you take the cheese out of the fridge three hours before serving. This will allow it to come up to room temperature and the flavours to develop.

Say cheese…

To ensure that you get the most out of every mouthful we have consulted wine expert, Fiona Beckett, for the ideal pairings to match with our Davidstow Cheddars:

Cornish Classic – cider, Cornish apple juices, pale ales and IPAs, oak-aged Chardonnay, Viognier, fruity medium bodied reds such as Cote du Rhone, Grenache and Syrah and fruity young Ruby Ports

Cornish Crackler – strong ales, stouts and porters, fruity New World reds including Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, Australian Shiraz, powerful reds such as Chateauneuf du Pape, Amarone and Zinfandel, elderberry wine, damson and sole gin, Tawny port, apple-flavoured digestifs, sweet sherry and Maderia.

So eat, drink and be merry this Christmas with Davidstow Cheddar!

Thank you for following us this year and Best Wishes for 2012!

http://www.nathan-outlaw.com/2011/12/1914/

At the latest event, Davidstow featured on the 6-course menu and we thought we’d share the delicious serving suggestions with you…

- Smoked fishcakes were served with Chive and Davidstow Crackler Mayonnaise

- A Davidstow Crackler focaccia
- And for the final cheese course … limited edition ’5 year old’ Davidstow Crackler,  served with Cornish rarebit, Pear and cider chutney

…Delicious!

Prior to the evening, we asked you to let us know what you would cook for Nathan Outlaw to tickle his taste buds for the chance to win a place at the masterclass.  We were so impressed with the entries, that we asked Nathan to pick two additional runner’s up

Drum roll … we’re delighted to say that Fionagh Harding and Jill Farrimond will win a tasty Davidstow Cheese hamper. Each prize includes Davidstow Classic Cheddar, Davidstow Crackler Cheddar and the limited edition 5 year old Davidstow Crackler as well as Cornish chutney, biscuits for cheese and a Nathan Outlaw Davidstow recipe booklet.

Fionagh suggested…

Starter: Parsnip & Davidstow Cheddar Souffle
Main Course: Pan seared Cornish Mackarel wih Beetroot & Turnip Hash
Pudding: Lemon tart with Cornish Clotted Cream

Jill’s menu suggestion was…

Starter: Curried Scallops with Cauliflower and Coconut soup
Main course: Fillet of venison with a wild mushroom, cream and cognac sauce with puree of butternut squash and watercress garnish.
Dessert: Gingerbread souffle

Thanks again to everyone for entering.