Meet one of Tewkesbury’s very own Celebrity Chefs who will be cooking at this year’s Food Festival.

As you are no doubt aware, May Day Weekend sees the 6th Tewkesbury Food Festival being held at The Vineyards.

As well as the fantastic array of activities, displays and stalls, we will be treated to famous chef, James Martin on the Sunday afternoon. This however is not the main highlight as far as Tewkesbury locals are concerned.

This year Tewkesbury will be showcasing two of its very own Celebrity Chefs, both of whom are represented within two great local businesses which are also promoted on thebestof Tewkesbury.

Head Chef at The Tewkesbury Park Hotel is James Wronski.

James has had a career in catering since 1997 having worked at a number of high end venues including, The Cheltenham Park Hotel and The Devere Hotel in Swindon. James really learned his craft at The Selsdon Park Hotel in Surrey, where he fulfilled the roles of Chef de Partie, Junior Sous Chef, Premier Sous Chef, finally being appointed Head Chef (4*Deluxe) after a mere 5 years!

He has been Head Chef (4* Deluxe) at The Tewkesbury Park Hotel since 2007, overseeing The Garden Restaurant, Fine Dining at it’s best, and Greens Brasserie.

As well as cooking his dish live on stage for you in the Cookery Theatre, James will be on hand all weekend at Tewkesbury Park Hotel, ensuring that you are able to enjoy his culinary delights before or after you experience all that the Food Festival has to offer!

James’ Recipe

Saddle of Lamb with a farce of wild mushrooms,
Served with a sauce of thyme and garlic, dauphinose potato
And buttered local asparagus

Preparation time
1 hour

Stock
Allow 3 hours for homemade stock

Lamb cooking time
Allow 1hr 30 minutes

Serves 8

Ingredients:

Lamb

• 1 Saddle of Lamb about 2kg (4lbs), boned out (ask your local butcher to do this for you)
• Salt and pepper
• 3 sprig of thyme
• String to tie

Stuffing

• Garlic 2 cloves
• 3 sprigs of thyme 
• Mixed mushrooms (oyster, brown cap, shitake) washed
• Gloucester sausage meat (about 500g),or one packet of sausages. If not Gloucester sausages use a good quality sausage.
• Baby spinach leaves ( 1 packet )
• 1 medium onion 

 Lamb Sauce

• Bones from lamb
• 1 large glass of Red wine (set aside)
• 2 medium Carrots
• 1 medium onion
• 2 sticks of celery
• 1 tin chopped tomato
• 2 springs of thyme
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Trimmings from lamb
  (Or use a bought sauce if preferred)

Dauphinose potatoes

• 1-1.5kg of Maris Piper potatoes
• 2x cloves garlic
• Salt and pepper
• Double cream

Asparagus

Allow 5 pieces per person

Method:

1. Remove the eye fillets and trim up the saddle and set aside

2. For the stuffing remove sausage meat from skins if using packet sausages and place in a bowl. Chop one onion and sweat down in a frying pan with garlic add sliced mushrooms, thyme, salt and pepper once cooked set aside to cool and combined with spinach and sausage meat.

3. For the stock for the lamb sauce, roast lamb bones in oven at about 180 degrees C for 30 minutes or until brown. Place in a large saucepan with roughly chopped carrot, onion, celery, garlic, thyme lamb trimmings and tin of chopped tomatoes cover with water and simmer for 3 hours skimming occasionally (to remove surface fat) as required top up with water if needed to keep bones covered. Pass the lamb stock through a sieve. In a separate pan add the red wine and reduce by half, then add the lamb stock and again reduce by half season to taste.  This can be done day before and heated back up when serving (don’t forget to add the lamb juices from cooking the saddle)

4. Place the stuffing into the centre of the saddle and place eye fillets on top, fold one flap of the saddle over, then the other, wrapping firmly to make a neat roll.
Tie with string at intervals. This is best done the day before and left to firm up in the fridge.

5. To cook the lamb heat a roasting pan add a splash of oil season lamb and seal in pan until golden all over place in oven at 200 degrees C for about 45 mins –1 hour. Once out of oven rest for 10 minutes before carving.

6.  For dauphinose potatoes peel and slice thinly on mandolin, finely chop garlic, add to cream and heat slowly. Layer sliced potatoes into oven proof dish with the cream, salt and pepper between each layer. Bake in oven @180oc for 1 and ½ hours or until potatoes are tender.

7.  Peel and trim  asparagus and cook in salted water until tender

To serve

• Carve lamb one thick slice per person
• Dauphinose potatoes
• Asparagus
• Serve lamb jus separately

Enjoy!

This looks to be a truly amazing dish that James has brought together for everyone to enjoy.

Please come and find us Saturday in the Cookery Theatre.  

For more information on The Tewkesbury Park Hotel, please click here

To download the Tewkesbury Food Festival Flyer, please click here

To visit the Tewkesbury Food Festival Website, please click here