FOOD lovers across Worcestershire are being given a sneak preview of the delicious treats in store at this year’s Droitwich Spa Food and Drink festival.

Celebrity chef Brian Turner will be in the spotlight giving cookery demonstrations together with several local chefs and will be officially opening the event on Saturday June 17 at the Lido Park with Mid Worcestershire MP Nigel Huddleston.

Other chefs sharing their tips and skills will be Lizzy Hughes, from Our Lizzy Vegetarian Cookery School, Malvern. She will be showing how to make vegetarian and vegan dishes exciting, tasty and nutritious.

Following Brian Turner, Stephen Hallam, from specialist Melton Mowbray pork pie makers Dickinson Morris, will be demonstrating how to make award-wining pork pies.

In the afternoon, Kidderminster-based Steve Lyons, from catering business All About Food, will demonstrate how he prepares dishes for private dinner parties and up to large corporate event.

The final course of the day comes from Carl Sampson, who operates a burger van on the A38 between Droitwich and Worcester. It was voted best burger van in the UK for 2015 and serves handmade burgers to order.

Festival organiser Patrick Davis said: “We are thrilled to have Brian Turner and our other local chefs to join us for the day on Saturday June 17. They will demonstrate a wide variety of skills to make it a must attend programme for all lovers of good food. All demonstrations are free to attend but make sure you get there early to get a seat.”

Brian Turner will prepare three dishes on the day – salmon and potato salad with asparagus and broad beans; roast neck of lamb with hazelnut and bacon topping; and spiced fillet of veal with Provencal vegetables and Madeira sauce.

Anyone who would like to make a head start can try Brian’s recipe for themselves as he has provided it to the festival organisers ahead of the event.

ROAST SPICED FILLET OF VEAL, PROVENCAL VEGETABLES, MADEIRA SAUCE

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 x 600gr centre cut veal fillet

2tbsp fennel seeds

1tbsp black peppercorns

1tbsp Droitwich spa salt

1tsp garlic powder

½ tsp ground cumin

1tsp smoked paprika

2tbsp rapeseed oil

2tbsp finely diced courgette

2tbsp finely diced carrot

2tbsp finely diced shallot

2tbsp finely diced red pepper

1tbsp chopped parsley

1tbsp finely chopped garlic

Salt & pepper

1 chopped shallot

4tbsp Madeira

1tbsp dry white wine

300ml chicken stock

100gr cold butter

METHOD

1. Heat the fennel seeds for 2 minutes and put into a mortar with the peppercorns, salt and with a pestle grind them quite fine

2. Add garlic powder, cumin and paprika and mix well

3. Meanwhile heat 1tbsp oil then colour and sear the outside of the veal

4. Allow to cool then sprinkle with the rub

5. Put in a roasting tray and roast 180 c until cooked pink, take out and rest

6. Meanwhile heat 1tbsp oil and gently cook the finely diced vegetables to keep colour and crispness, season and put to drain

7. Meanwhile heat 1oz butter and gently cook the chopped shallots

8. Add Madeira and reduce by half, then add the white wine

9. Add chicken stock and reduce

10. Beat in the cold butter and season

11. Cut a medallion of veal, spoon a little sauce around and a little vegetable over to serve