which would then dry on the flat roofs under the baking sun of the Indian desert. These would then be used to fuel the fires to cook the meals. Not sure who came up with that idea but they are never going to run out of the raw material and, as the cows wander where they like, there’s usually something left conveniently close to where you lived. So, lovely as it is for us to have amazing products and
ingredients from all over the world, we could really start thinking of and treasuring what’s on our doorsteps. In many of the countries we have visited it’s quite difficult to buy products that don’t grow there naturally and in season and that has always been part of their culture. Try finding fresh coriander or chillies in rural parts of Spain, France or Italy. You’ll be met with blank looks and people wondering why you wouldn’t want to eat what is readily and locally available. Here we do have access to everything almost all year
round and I’m not suggesting we should not have it. However, have a look at what’s going on locally at some of the various food projects and you might be surprised at what we’ve got - • Fish is easy to get locally from our fabulous local fish- mongers in Dartmouth and Brixham and you won’t get any better or fresher. We have an incredible selection too, most of which is exported. If we go shopping to see what is available and what’s in great condition, then you may well find something you haven’t tasted before and that will become a firm favourite. Now I would choose some- thing like hake over cod or haddock any day of the week; also brill instead of turbot, local crab instead of frozen prawns. In mackerel season, just head out with a line and a few hooks and you’ll come back with some of the best mackerel you’ll ever taste. They don’t last though so eat them straight away. • The South Hams is full of great meat producers. Our butcher in Dartmouth has a wide selection of top quality meat, is really knowledgeable to the extent of almost knowing each animal’s name and you can ask them lots of questions about what to do with bits you may be unfamiliar with. • Chillies are readily available but if you like a bit of heat with your cooking, do visit the South Devon Chilli Farm when they are harvesting later in the summer. A fabulous array of different colours, tastes and heat levels and if you buy a load you can freeze them and chop them up from frozen so you won’t waste any. • Grown in Totnes are working with lots of local farmers to grow oats, grains and pulses for humans; processing, packing them and selling them within 30 miles of Totnes. We’re using their oats, dried peas and flour and they are really good for all kinds of baking, stews, dips, salads and soups. We have many other great local producers you can find at markets like the Totnes Good Food Market on the 3rd Sunday of every month or at local farm shops, butchers, delis and markets. Definitely worth it for some great local food – good quality and sustainable.
Mackerel Tart
This delicious tart is inspired by one we had for lunch with some friends in Bath – it was so good we decided to recreate it at home. They used smoked salmon but we thought fresh mack- erel would work well so we tried them and they did! Red mullet fillets would also look gorgeous with their pinky orange skin on top of the tart.
● 1 piece readymade puff pastry 30x25cm/12x10”
● 2 large fresh mackerel, cleaned and filleted ● 100g jarred roast red peppers, drained (we get ours from Peppers World Food in the Butterwalk in Dartmouth)
● 6 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced ● 60g cream cheese ● 3tbsp olive oil ● ½ tsp dried oregano ● Salt and pepper
Set the oven to 210C/Gas 7.
3 4 5
6 7
1 2
Mix the onions with the oil and the oregano and put in large wide pan on the hob to cook very slowly until they
are soft. Cool, season well with salt and pepper and mix the onions with the cream cheese. This may sound like a lot of onions but they reduce right down in volume.
Put the pastry on a piece of baking parchment on a baking sheet and prick it all over with a fork.
Spread the onion mixture all over the pastry leaving a margin of about 2.5cm/1”.
Slice the peppers and arrange them in a line down the centre of the pastry.
Cut the mackerel fillets in half lengthways and then in half through the middle to get 4 pieces from each fillet.
Arrange the mackerel pieces on either side of the line of peppers.
Put the baking sheet into the oven and bake the tart for around 10-15 minutes until the mackerel pieces are
cooked through and the pastry is golden brown and nicely crisped. Turn the tart around in the oven from time to time so that it is evenly cooked.
Serve warm or at room temperature as lunch with salad and new potatoes or cut into small squares and use to feed a crowd at a party.
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