Asparagus Comes Early!

The asparagus has come early this year for Church Farm in Newark, and no one quite knows why! Usually ready around May the pointy veg has made a sudden appearance surprising everyone.

If you're a fan of asparagus then The Church Farm Shop will be holding an Asparagus Open Day on 16th April to celebrate the delicious spring time delicacy, so pop along to stock up on the locally produced crop.

For an appetising and seasonal meal including asparagus try this recipe from Rachel Green, perfect for an Easter dinner!

Roast loin of Lincolnshire Lamb with Asparagus, Goat’s Cheese and Lavender Leaves
Serves 4

4 x 110g Lincolnshire lamb loins
2 tsp grain mustard
2 sprigs lavender leaves, roughly chopped
1 tbsp chives, roughly chopped
2 x soft goat’s cheeses (approximately 100g)
1 tbsp double cream
1 tsp black pepper corns, cracked
Rapeseed oil for frying
20g rocket leaves
1 tbsp oregano leaves
1 tbsp flat leaf parsley
12 medium asparagus spears trimmed and blanched

For the garlic croutons:
2 slices wholemeal bread, 1cm thick
1 butter, softened
½ clove garlic, crushed

For the vinaigrette:
45ml grainy mustard
45ml rapeseed oil
45ml cider vinegar
Squeeze of lemon
1 tsp runny honey

Trim the lamb loins, then roll in the grain mustard and then the chopped lavender leaves and chives. Wrap tightly in Clingfilm and chill until ready to cook. For the garlic croutons, preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5. Remove the crusts from the bread and cut into 1cm cubes. Melt the butter in a small pan with the garlic. Then add the bread cubes and stir until thoroughly coated with butter. Place them on a small baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes.

For the vinaigrette simply whisk all of the ingredients together Cream the goat’s cheese, if necessary add a touch of cream to slacken- the mixture should stand in peaks. Season with cracked black pepper corns and chives. Unwrap the lamb, heat a little oil in a frying pan and fry the meat for 2-3 minutes on each side, until an even crust forms. Lift out of the pan and leave to rest. Place 3 spoonfuls of goat’s cheese at triangular points on each plate. Arrange the rocket, oregano, parsley and croutons in the centre of the plate and 1 asparagus spear or bean between each pyramid. Cut each lamb loin into 5 slices and arrange on top of the salad. Drizzle some vinaigrette around the plate and over the lamb and serve immediately.

Lincolnshire named the UK's face of British Food Fortnight

Sally Jackson, owner of the award winning Pink Pig Farm in North Lincolnshire has won the coveted title Face of British Food Fortnight 2011 – a national campaign that celebrates the best of Britain’s food (17th September to 2nd October).

Hundreds of farmers around the country entered the 2011 competition, but Sally, from the Pink Pig Farm in Holme North Lincolnshire was announced the winner today by Farmers Weekly Magazine.

“British Food Fortnight flies the flag for British Farmers - and we’ve put Lincolnshire on the map as top notch farming county by winning,” said Sally Jackson owner of the Pink Pig Farm.

“I’m thrilled we’ve won. The competition had farmers from Bedfordshire, Sussex and Wiltshire all in the running. The judges were looking for someone that embodies the UK’s wonderful countryside and has qualities that are wholesomeness, trustworthy, traditional with integrity. My family has been farming in Lincolnshire for over 100 years and we shared all these values; not only with the farming community but also our visitors, suppliers and customers at our farm shop”.

“We are exceptionally proud of what we’ve achieved at the Pink Pig Farm - we’ve opened our farm shop which sells free range pork and home grown treats, launched the hugely popular Farm Trail to visitors from all over the county, and organise a two-day North Lincolnshire Food Festival, one day of which is specifically aimed at kids.

“I can’t wait to work with the team behind British Food Fortnight and Farmers Weekly to show everyone through the campaign what a great farming community Lincolnshire has.”

Sally was chosen by a panel of judges and will launch the national campaign in September throughout the UK. Sally and her farm in Lincolnshire will feature, online and in the campaign’s promotion material.

The judging panel included members of Farmers Weekly Magazine, organisers of British Food Fortnight and author / friend-of-the-countryside Jilly Cooper.

According to British Food Fortnight organiser Alexia Robinson, Sally is the "perfect face" to front British Food Fortnight.

"In Sally, we have found someone who epitomises everything that British Food Fortnight is about. She produces the most fabulous quality distinctive food that reflects the beautiful part of the country it comes from. The work she does with children also makes her a great ambassador for our school programme."

Celebrity judge, Jilly Cooper continued to say, “I fell in love with Sally Jackson – she has such a lovely warm face and I was so impressed by her Pink Pig farm. It is fantastically important that she invites 1,500 school children to her farm because it is so important for them to realise the wonders and importance of the countryside and farming.

“Also it is wonderful that she helps 30 local producers and has won all these awards. So, after a lot of heart-searching, worry and fretting (I would like to give first prize to all of them), I decided to give it to Sally Jackson. I do wish her the best of luck."

Local Food Award

REDHILL FARM FREE RANGE PORK

DECLARED REGIONAL CHAMPION OF THE BRITISH COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE AWARDS

Tastes of Lincolnshire member, Redhill Farm Free Range Pork based near Gainsborough in Lincolnshire, has won the East of England regional Local Food Award in the annual Countryside Alliance Awards.

Redhill Farm will now compete with 11 other regional champions from England, Scotland and Wales for the UK Countryside Alliance Local Food Award and will attend a prestigious ceremony at the House of Lords on 30th March where the national winners will be announced.

The Countryside Alliance awards celebrate rural life, business, heritage and produce. Entrants are first nominated by members of the public and then judged on their answers to in-depth questions about their business’ role in their community. Community values and commitment to product or skill are the foundations of what the judges are looking for. Britain is split into 12 geographical regions for the purposes of this competition.

“The East of England region covers Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Essex, and Hertfordshire so we are absolutely amazed and thrilled to have been selected as the winner of the Local Food Award out of all the other entrants throughout such a vast region,” comments Redhill Farm Managing Director, Jane Tomlinson.

The Countryside Alliance East of England Regional Director, Sarah Taylor, visited Redhill Farm as part of the judging process and comments, "Jane & Terry Tomlinson at Redhill Farm are incredibly passionate about their business and true ambassadors for local produce. The knowledge that Jane and Terry have is exceptional and this is evident by the amount of people who queue for their produce at Farmer's Markets. There is also a farm shop at Redhill Farm which is very popular with the local restaurant trade, yet all business has come to Jane and Terry through word of mouth.

Overall, Redhill Farm is a pioneer in the local food industry, their products are second to none and their dedication and determination to help people buy and enjoy local food really does come across - an outstanding business which richly deserves this award.”

First conceived of in 2005, the awards were borne of a need to support and promote rural communities. The Countryside Alliance had long felt the "doom and gloom" tales of rural decline, while true to an extent, did not accurately reflect the spirit of rural people and the efforts of thousands to keep their communities alive.

The national winners will be chosen by a panel which is chaired by the Countryside Alliance Chief Executive and which also includes TV cook Clarissa Dickson Wright, the Daily Telegraph commentator Philip Johnston, Farmers Guardian Editor Emma Penny and Chris Dewbury of Rural Hero supporters, Hunter Boot.

For further information on Redhill Farm Free Range Pork Ltd please visit http://www.redhillfarm.com/ t. 01427 628270