Gloucestershire food with Rob Rees March 2009

Rob Rees, The Cotswold Chef, is a fresh face on the SoGlos.com team for spring, bringing the first in a series of monthly round-ups of seasonal Gloucestershire food to get your bellies growling. This March, devour the last of winter veg, hook a delicious fishy treat at a bargain price, and don’t forget Mum.

Gloucestershire comes alive in March with the arrival of spring – and it isn’t just the Cheltenham Festival to get excited about this month. Whether you are pulling on an apron and cooking up a storm in your own kitchen or heading out to one of Gloucestershire’s fantastic restaurants, keep your eyes peeled for a fresh helping of spectacular seasonal ingredients.

It’s your last chance to tuck into classic winter vegetables – purple sprouting broccoli packs a peppery punch when young and tender; savoy cabbage is delightful either sautéed with a touch of finely chopped ginger and red chilli or braised classically with some lentils and finely diced carrots, swedes and aromatic herbs like thyme and rosemary; and kale is still out in the field in abundance, perfect pan-fried with some crushed garlic, a sprinkling of soy and some lightly roasted flaked almonds.

It’s the end of the season for ‘forced’ rhubarb – which, unlike the outdoor version, has a more gentle texture and responds to a lighter cooking. It is perfect gently poached with soft brown sugar, lime zest and a grating of nutmeg.

Watch out for cauliflowers, leeks, beetroot, parsnips and spring greens too – not only will these veg provide a well-deserved dose of vitamins to give you a kick-start for spring, but a plentiful supply means they are all great value in March too.

For fish lovers, pollock, bass, sardines and cockles are also available at bargain prices during March. While game has to be guinea fowl from Great Farm in Whelford, near Fairford – where all of the tasty birds graze on grass and wildflower meadows, and are fed on home-grown cereals, perfect accompanied by pan-fried chestnuts and shimeji mushrooms.

Finally, this month whatever you do don’t forget Mother’s Day on Sunday 22 March 2009, which gives us all the perfect excuse for treating Mum to a lovely lunch at one of the county’s top restaurants. For a great value Sunday lunch, I will be heading to Lords of the Manor Restaurant – when mothers will thoughtfully also receive a box of chocolates.

The Conservatory Restaurant at Calcot Manor is also a destination I highly recommend seeking out this March – a restaurant I would describe as calm, spacious and chic, yet entirely relaxed and informal too. Executive chef director Michael Croft focuses on beautifully cooking the freshest local produce, while his wood-fired oven means that dishes are bursting with Mediterranean colour and flavour.

See you again next month for more culinary highlights from across Gloucestershire.

Rob Rees
4 March 2009