Food News, with Pauline Hawkins

OSTRICH is becoming increasingly popular as a beef substitute as shoppers shun mainstream meats because of the foot and mouth crisis.

Various cuts of meat are available, including best fillet and steak, and customers can also buy sausages, burgers and mince at the cheaper end of the scale.

Kerry McNickle has an ostrich farm near Preston, and had hoped to attend the Accrington Food Festival earlier this month to show her wares. But the foot and mouth epidemic caused her to cancel, fearing that she might come into contact with the disease in Hyndburn and carry it back to her home in Weeton, where she keeps a few sheep.

So what does ostrich taste like? Kerry compares it to beef in looks and taste, because it is a red meat full of iron and protein.

But as it is poultry it contains virtually no fat and is therefore a better food source for people who have heart problems and high levels of cholesterol.

The birds are allowed to roam free on the farm, where they graze and are fed alfalfa in pellet form to make sure they are healthy and absorb the right vitamins.

Best fillet of ostrich costs £19 per kilo or £8.64 per lb, but steak is cheaper and sausages and mince are even more economical. Kerry operates a mail order system and can deliver. Anyone who would like more details about ostrich meat can contact her at Weatheroak Ostrich Farm, Back Lane, Weeton, Preston PR4 3HS or telephone her on 01253 836386 or 07966 187399.

OSTRICH STROGANOFF

Cook: hob

Serves four

Ingredients: One ostrich steak, cut into thin strips; Salt and pepper;

Half a cup of white wine; One to one-and-a-half tbsp butter; One onion, finely chopped; Half a pound of mushrooms, sliced; 1tbsp tomato paste; 4tsp sour cream; 2tsp Dijon mustard; Flour

Marinade the meat for one to one-and-half hours in the wine, stirring occasionally. Saute the onion and mushrooms in the butter. Dip the meat into the flour, season with salt and pepper and saute in a skillet for five minutes.

Add the tomato paste, wine, mustard and sour cream to the meat. Cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not allow to boil.

Serve over buttered noodles. TERIYAKI STEAK

Ingredients:Two ostrich fillets. Marinade: One clove garlic, crushed; 1tbsp soy sauce; 1tbsp sherry; 1tsp Worcester sauce; 1tsp sugar

Mix ingredients for the marinade, add the steaks and stand for 25 minutes or longer. Heat the grill to high and place steaks in the rack, baste with some of the marinade. Grill on high for two minutes, baste again, grill a further minute and baste. Turn the steaks and repeat. Allow steaks to rest for one minute.

Serve with hot egg noodles, stir fried beansprouts, water chestnuts, sliced peppers and green beans.