Porthleven Food Festival Part 1

I've never been good at the planning side of cooking. My icing's always lumpy because I can't be bothered to sieve it. My bread could be better if I spent five more minutes kneading it and my fudge is always on the soft side because I get bored beating. So I get a thrill when I have done something right and it pays off. Today I opened a jar of the plum sauce I made in the autumn. I'd forgotten about it to tell you the truth. But there it was hiding between the courgette chutney and the sweet chilli sauce...peering out, hoping to get a look in. I'll tell you what I did with it in a minute....

First I have to tell you about the Porthleven Food Festival. It was lovely to go to a festival and find some different stalls, new producers, new faces. Like this stall of foraged goodies....


I should have done my shopping early on. I was allowed into the tent before it opened and I wish I had because by the time I got my wallet out so had thousands of other people and I couldn't battle the crowds.

There were loads of amazing fish stalls. What I loved the most was there were so many stalls selling unusual hot dishes rather than just food to buy.

I was on stage with Mr Worrell Thompson who was lovely!

Roger from the Cornish Duck Company was there. His ducks are amazing. I read somewhere they are raised on a diet on Classic FM and TLC. I'll write more about them another day because he's invited me along to see the farm...

I love the name of the duck scratchings!

I came home feeling completely inspired. I bought some of Roger's smoked duck. Thin slices of soft, smokey deliciousness and I had to have some for my lunch....

Smoked Cornish Duck and Nduja Salad.........serves 1

6 slices smoked duck

80g nduja sausage I had to use a spicy chorizo but if you can find nduja do so because it's much better for this dish..and if you find somewhere in Cornwall that sells it let me know! I have to ship mine in from London.

A big handful of salad leaves

1 tbsp olive oil

1tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp homemade plum sauce

Break up the nduja. Pop it in a pan and fry it (trying not to let it break up). Put the salad in a bowl. In a small bowl whisk the oil, vinegar and the plum sauce. Pour over the salad and toss with your hands.

Add the smoked duck slices and the crispy sausage. Toss.

Serve with a glass of water (it's quite spicy!)