Dinner party cooked in the Cotswold Water Park near Cirencester

As you pass through the gates of the Lower Mill Estate you leave the world behind. Part nature reserve part relaxation zone for families on holiday it's so peaceful and laid back and when you see the houses set against the lakes you wonder whether you really are in the Cotswolds at all or Scandinavia or New England. Water is everywhere - all the houses are set against lakes and some have streams/ rivers running around them too - it all adds to the zen.

This meal was for a 70th birthday at Velvet Lodge.Trio of fish starters - Crab salad with pink grapefruit, salmon ballottine wrapped in smoked trout and grilled tiger prawns with fennel and apple salad

"....this just tastes so fresh - you know how at some restaurants the food can taste....." Well it was fresh - they had watched as I diced, sliced and mix in the few minutes before serving. It makes a difference. I first made this on Christmas eve last year for a group in Kidderminster and liked it so much I thought I would offer to everyone.

Prawns are skewered on lemongrass.

Pork tenderloin wrapped in parma ham with spinach salad, garlic parmentier potatoes and warm orange vinaigrette.

The pork tenderloin wrapped in parma ham is back by popular demand. This is a much lighter summery version. I liked the spinach salad I had served at the barbecue the night before so much I recreated the same for this dish. A little on the plate and a salad bowl as well - you can't get enough of it. Simple things - spinach, the best baby tomatoes you can find, black olives and shallot. As I had some peppers I added those too.


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Pork tenderloin in parma ham - how it's made
Trio of Donnington trout