Gloucestershire food with Rob Rees April 2011

Lamb, micro salad leaves, and Easter eggs – not forgetting what to serve at a royal wedding street party - all from The Cotswold Chef, Rob Rees, this April.

April has brought with it some warmer weather, not to mention the spring flowers, greener grass and some of the early season produce. It is the first time many of the county’s cattle have ventured outside, and, of course, the fields are also starting to fill with those lovely (and eventually very tasty) spring lamb.

In some parts of Gloucestershire the rape is already starting to flower, providing us with fields of gold. For many years it was used solely in animal feed, but now nutritious, tasty and gorgeously colourful rape seed oil is on the consumer market. Perfect for blending with olive, nut or avocado oil, there are a number of Gloucestershire varieties in the shops, so check the label and keep it as local as possible.

The first of this year’s radishes should be popping out of your allotments and gardens, as well as hitting the market shelves. Pulled, washed and munched, the subtle hints of spice and pepper sparkle on your tongue, and they are also delicious finely shredded and mixed with mayonnaise, chopped coriander and served as a nest for grilled rump steak or a lightly-spiced roast chicken salad.

A very trendy ingredient nowadays, wild garlic also starts to bloom in April. Shred the leaves very thinly and pop into rich creamy soups or risottos right at the very end to give a dash of perfume and a vibrant colour to your dish.

Whilst on the subject of leaves, early salads can be picked now. As chefs we will often pay over the odds for what are described as micro salad leaves. Grown on a cotton bed and picked whilst very tiny, you can do this yourself with outdoor sown leaves for a small percentage of the price. Early rocket and land cress are perfect for picking in April – both can be served with some simple grilled local trout and a dressing of olive oil, chopped garlic, lemon zest and a teaspoon of grain mustard.

When buying lamb from markets, farm shops and brilliant independent butchers, you need to look for meat that has fat of a good creamy colour, but not too much of it. The flesh of the meat (unlike beef) shouldn’t be too dark, just a pale pink colour – although local rare breed lamb such as Cotswold will be slightly darker. During April Lamb can be at a premium, so consider using cheaper cuts such as breast of lamb, which is perfect stuffed, rolled and grilled on outdoor camp fires and barbecues.

Easter, of course, is with us at the end of the month and it’s time for chocolate heaven. My family enjoy a classic egg hunt around the garden, and we shall be unwinding the wool and laying it out as a pathway hunt for painted eggs – with a big chocolate treat at the end.

And who can forget there’s a royal wedding on the horizon! Street party food should be kept simple, fresh and exciting – with a little bit of everything on the table. Simple green salads, homemade foccacia bread, lovely cold roasted hams and a Gloucestershire cheese board ripe with varieties a prince and princess would be proud of. For pudding get yourself to one of the brilliant cupcake makers in the county or give baking a few a go yourself.

April is a crazy month of celebration and seasonal change, and nowhere will do it as good as Gloucestershire.

See you again in April for Easter, Royal Weddings, Mothering Sunday and a Gloucestershire larder that truly springs into life.

Rob Rees
11 April 2011