There was a time when my taste in food was to say the least, on the conservative side, but then came college, the big wide world and exposure to the joys of good food through the farmers markets.
It would also be true to say that my natural environment was never the kitchen, unless I was eating or at a party, until recently that is. I am far from a cordon bleu chef, but I have picked up a few tips from the restaurants that we work with and especially from my good friend Lesley Waters. There are three key lessons that I have learned and they are very simple.
We are very lucky to live in these times as far as travel goes, as it is no longer unusual for any of us to travel to lands near and far where we happily try new flavours and foods. Some of us might even track down exotic ingredients when we get home, and that’s great, but maybe it’s all too easy to forget the amazing range of home grown ingredients that we can enjoy and experiment with.
Secondly, with a bit of ingenuity, it’s amazing what you can create, especially if you let your food brain wonder ‘off piste’. Thirdly, creating fantastic food need not be difficult or time consuming, which is just as well given my culinary skillset.
Fine words I hear you say, so where is the delivery Andy! Well here it comes with my take on a fine British Pesto. All you need is some hard cheddar, parsley and any other herb that takes your fancy, British hazelnuts or walnuts , a generous splosh of Fussels Rapeseed Oil, seasoning and a food processor, although a pestle and mortar will also do the trick. Simples!
If you need the detail, just check out the Fussels website recipe page.