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Daren Bale in action at the Elms. Picture by Jon Fuller-Rowell. 10327401

Ingredients

Serves four

2 chopped shallots

1 crushed clove of garlic

340g assorted and cleaned mushrooms sliced

2tsp whole grain mustard

100g Lightwood Chaser cheese

110g blanched spinach (optional)

Vegetarian: a mushroom crumble.

340g creamed potato

80g chopped tarragon and parsley

220g fresh breadcrumbs

55g Parmesan cheese

Salt

Cracked black pepper

140ml red wine

140ml of cream

Method

Sweat shallots and garlic for three minutes without colour, and season lightly.

Then add sliced mushrooms and fry for a further three to five minutes Add the red wine and reduce by a half. Then add the cream, the whole grain mustard and reduce so that the mixture is quite thick and creamy. Season to taste and keep to one side.

For the crumble topping:

Put the breadcrumbs, parsley, tarragon, Parmesan and seasoning in a blender and pulse blend until the ingredients resemble a crumble topping.

Assembling:

Either use individual greased stainless steel rings or using an ovenware dish. Put an even layer of the creamed potato in the bottom of each ring or dish. Next, evenly spread the optional spinach on top of the creamed potato. Follow with a little of the mushroom mixture, then a little cheese and then more mushrooms, keeping a little of the creamy sauce to help decorate, when plating.

Sprinkle the crumble mix evenly over the mushrooms and don't be afraid to press down slightly to form a secure layer.

Bake in a moderate oven to brown the topping and to ensure that your creation heats through.

Present on a plate, use the reserved sauce and serve with fresh seasonal vegetables.

Bale said: "The cheese I have used in this recipe is made in Worcestershire, by Lightwood at Lower Broadheath."

Daren Bale, head chef at the Elms, Abberley, is not always where you would expect him to be. These days he's just as likely to be be found directing the very busy traffic in the hub of his empire as sharing trade secrets with punters in a makeshift kitchen in one of the function rooms of the Queen Anne building.

Since he arrived, four-and-a-half years ago, at the Teme Valley's plushest place to stay, Bale has set himself the task of demonstrating his culinary skills to food junkies brought up on a TV diet of Rick and Jamie and Nigella and the Blessed Delia.

He said: "I started doing a couple of cooking with chef demonstrations a year. Now I'm doing at least that many a month."

For £30 a head people get a two-hour demonstration on a number of subjects - main course master classes, no fuss three-course meals, show-off puddings...

"What do they get out of it? They are shown easy ways of doing a dinner party," added Bale. "They get to understand what is involved and I sometimes get them to take on some of the work.

"I try to take away some of what may seem frightening aspects of cooking and they also get the extra value of a meal at the end of the two-hour demonstration.

His latest appearance was in front of an audience of Relish - members of the fabulous food club' organised by Heart of England Fine Foods (HEFF) which represents local producers in the West Midlands. Relish gives foodies the opportunity to find out information about food and drink in the region.

At the Elms, Bale showed them how not to cut off their fingers when chopping an onion, cooked tartlets with a rustic relish, made a watercress and cashew nut pesto, produced a good-looking and fabulous tasting main course from a secondary cut of beef and enthused about local ingredients - about which he is passionate.

He said: "I use as many local suppliers as I can.The problem is the demand for supplies from the hotel's kitchen. I tend to tap into little areas. We use Goodman's asparagus from just down the road, local eggs, cheese that's made near Worcester, apple juice and meat."

Soon he will be using produce from even nearer to home - the Elms' own kitchen garden, which is being re-landscaped.

"There will be 20 raised beds of herbs, fruit and vegetables all grown for their prettiness and usefulness. We will be able to pick what we want on a daily basis and it's also part of a touch-feely thing of scent and smell to get children interested in food. They can go up there and pick and eat what they want."

For details of the Cooking With Chef events at the Elms telephone 01299 896666.

For information about HEFF and membership of Relish visit www.heff.co.uk/relish or telephone 01746 785185.

Lightwood cheeses are entirely handmade and unpasteurised. For details telephone 01905 333 468 or e-mail info@lightwoodcheese.co.uk

10:26am Friday 7th March 2008

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