Killing two birds with one stone

Bred, reared and fed on the same principle as Kelly's market leading bronze turkey, the black and white feature chicken is from Mastergris in France and is a slow grower for fuller development of flavour characteristics says Paul.

The birds are kept free range and fed a low density, wheat-based diet to keep weight gain in parallel to maturity. They are reared for 13 to 16 weeks of age. Hung for seven to 14 days to complete taste and texture improvement the birds are marketed 2 to 2.5 kg in a muslin sock with distinctive black and gold swing tag. Promotional leaflets are available for retailers and cooking instructions are on the label.

The chicken has been test marketed with retailers and very well received, says Paul but all the year round production has proved difficult to distribution constraints.

"Easter is one time when orders can be 30 to 40 in a week compared with three to four," says Paul. "This makes distribution a viable proposition."

His flock of 800 will be dry plucked and dry processed to optimise appearance and freshness of the finished birds which can make between £16-£17 each at Easter.

"Our grandparents and great grandparents had free range chickens which roamed the stockyards and stubbles. We decided it was time to return to those heady days and produce a chicken of today that tastes like the chicken of yesteryear."

Paul is having a second Easter Fest at the farm on Good Friday-- a day of family activities and the opportunity to sample and buy the new chicken.

RECIPES

Wild mushrooms and garlic rib eye beef. You will need; Rib eye beef, chanterelle mushrooms, garlic, Gewurzmuller marinade

Stuff beef with chopped chanterelle and freshly crushed garlic. Brush the outside of beef with Al Funghi marinade from Gewurzmuller. Finally garnish with wild mushrooms to give it visual appeal.

By Joe Collier of Eastwoods in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire.

Spicy Stuffed Pork Loin. You will need for Stuffing; 2.5 kg sage & onion stuffing mix 12 mixed sweet peppers 3 kg pork sausage meat 0.5 cup Verstagen Argentina Fire 0.5 cup water

Chop the peppers and add to the stuffing mix, water and Argentina fire. Mix well. Place in mixer with sausage meat, mix well and mince once. Fill into sausage meat sleeves and temper. Cut a tunnel through the eye muscle of a rindless pork loin and insert the stuffing. Brush the outside with Argentina Fire and sprinkle with Verstagen Kaapse Kruide. String and sell as either joints or slices.

By Harry Coates of H Coates & Son, Durham

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