Another great event, despite the English weather… Sunday afternoon we could even say we were in April with heavy rain in the morning and then bright sunshine in the afternoon!
Being very British we stuck it out and our Alive with Flavour ‘Hands On Food’ activities were as popular as always. We had chocolate pizza making with Temper Temper, (Southborough) woodland sugar paste craft followed by lots of fun with fruit and veggies. The smoothie bike was a huge hit again and I love watching children cut up their fruit and then peddle away for their healthy fresh fruit drink.
I was on and off stage with Matthew from Kent Fine Foods, a frustrated Blue Peter presenter as you all know!
Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves, crushed 3 tbsp olive oil 300g baby plum tomatoes, halved 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 700g (20-24) large cup mushrooms 150g feta cheese, roughly crumbled 100g green or black olives, stoned and roughly chopped 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves, plus extra small leaves to serve
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 160˚C, gas mark 3. Line 2 large roasting tins with baking parchment. Combine the garlic with the oil and season. Toss ½ the garlic oil with the baby plum tomatoes and spread them out in one of the tins, cut-sides up. Roast for 1 hour, then sprinkle with the balsamic vinegar and set aside to cool. (This can be done up to 3 days ahead; chill until needed.)
2. Remove the stalks from the mushrooms (keep to use in another recipe such as pasta or risotto), trying to keep each cup intact. Spread the mushrooms out in the second roasting tin and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully drain the liquid (save it to use in stock). Brush the mushrooms with the remaining garlic oil and arrange gill-sides up. Return to the oven for a further 20 minutes.
3. Combine the tomatoes with the feta, olives, pine nuts and chopped basil. Fold together gently and spoon into the mushroom cups, piling the filling up and serving with the extra basil leaves.
This recipe was found in Waitrose Food, September 2018 issue.