Food News, with Amanda Killelea

BUTCHER Mike Tighe shared his old fashioned Lancashire Hotpot recipe with readers in Food News two weeks ago.

And he had such a fantastic response from his customers and readers of this column that we have decided to join forces to give all you amateur chefs out there the chance to share your very own recipes with thousands of other people.

Our Menu Master Mike is looking for recipes from the folk of East Lancashire - whether they are old favourites that have been passed down through the generations, or new creations cobbled together in your own kitchen which have now become firm fixtures for family feasts.

Mike said: "I want as many people as possible to send in their favourite recipes or bring them to my stall on Blackburn Market.

"Once a month I will pick my favourite to appear on the Food News page in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph."

So, get cooking and pass on all your culinary secrets to thousands of other Evening Telegraph readers.

We also want to hear the stories behind your recipes - whether it is a delicacy dreamed up by your great granny, or a cheap and cheerful family meal that the children always want second helpings of.

Send your recipes to Menu Master Mike, Food News, Editorial, Lancashire Evening Telegraph, High Street, Blackburn, BB1 1HT. Or take them to Mike himself at his stall, Whittaker's Butchers on Blackburn's Three-Day Market.

Cheese champs harvest top spot

COUNTRY Harvest, the emporium of British food created by two Lancashire farming families, has won one of the UK's top food awards.

Renowned for its vast selection of predominantly British cheeses, Country Harvest has been named as Cheese Retailer of the Year.

The title acknowledges not only the huge variety available from Country Harvest - more than 130 cheeses - but also the high standard of presentation and the quality of service and advice offered to customers.

Richard Halhead, a partner in Country Harvest, said: "Cheese has become a voyage of discovery for many people. No other British food is produced in such a cornucopia of tastes and textures.

"We set out to create a celebration of British cheeses to encourage our customers to explore and enjoy this unique sector of the British food industry."

Country Harvest , based near Ingleton in North Yorkshire, is run by two Lancashire farming families, the Halheads from Cockerham and the Barkers from Carnforth, who set out to create a shop offering an extensive range of speciality British foods. The cheese counter offers one of the UK's largest ranges of British cheeses and has been supportive of many small farmhouse cheesemakers.

Popular cheeses include Judy Bell's Shepherd's Purse dairy, which includes both cows' and ewes' milk cheeses, and Lancashire cheeses made by the Sandham family at Preston.

Charity chocolate chomp

MARIE Curie Cancer Care has planned an event to tempt chocaholics from far and wide.

The charity is holding a chocolate demonstration for the millennium on Thursday October 7 at The Chocolate House in Blackburn.

Tickets are priced just £5 and numbers are limited. Every £7.50 raised at the event will provide one hour of nursing care from one of the dedicated Marie Curie nurses.

For tickets call Sam or Ruth on 01257 450555.

This week's recipe: Sausage and Plum Stir Fry

(Serves two)

Ingredients

225g pork sausages

75g egg noodles 5 spring onions, cut into thin strips

1 courgette, cut into thin strips

1 yellow pepper, de-seeded and cut into thin strips

2 tbsp plum sauce

2 tsp sherry

2 tsp light soy sauce

Method

Cook the noodles according to the pack instructions and drain.

Place the sausages under a preheated grill for 10-12 minutes, turning occasionally. Cut into three.

In a large wok or frying pan dry fry the sausages and vegetables for 1-2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for a further minute.

Serve immediately with noodles and additional stir-fried vegetables.

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