< Previous50 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYFOOD & DINING“The aim of Street Pastors is to takeGod’s love on the streets in a practicalway by being available to care, listen,support and help. We have teams that goout into Lincoln every Friday andSaturday night from 10.30pm untilapproximately 3.30am the next morning.“Sometimes girls come out ofnightclubs and are rather unsteady ontheir feet. What is the first thing they do?Take off their shoes and start walkingtowards the taxi rank on bare feet. Onthe streets are all sorts of things includingbroken glass. We carry flip-flops with usand offer them to shoeless women.“Sometimes people get separated fromtheir friends and are very vulnerable ontheir own so we escort them to the taxirank or wait with them until a friendcomes to collect them to go home. “It may be that someone has becomeill and needs medical assistance. We willcall an ambulance or administer basicfirst aid. “Very often, in order to get a ride in ataxi, you have to be able to walk unaidedto the cab. Some people are so drunkthey are not able to do that and aretherefore not able to get home. We oftengive them water to drink and walk themaround until they are able to get a taxi.“Christmas parties can sometimescatch people out as people startdrinking at lunch time and carry onthroughout the evening. We wouldencourage people to make sure they eatbefore going out, and to alternate non-alcoholic with alcoholic drinks, so thatthey are able to get themselves homesafely, without the services of a StreetPastor!”Have a safenight outWith so many nights out happeningacross Lincolnshire overChristmas, we turn our attention tosafety and speak to Joy Liddle fromLincoln Street Pastors.PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/MONKEY BUSINESS IMAGESChristmas Party NightsFestive Bar MealsChampagne Christmas Afternoon TeasChristmas Escape 2 Night & 3 Night PackagesChristmas Day LunchBoxing Day LunchNew Year’s Eve Dinner DanceNew Year’s Day BrunchNew Year’s Day Afternoon TeaThe Petwood Hotel, Stixwould Road, Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire LN10 6QG T: 01526 352411 F: 01526 353473 E: reception@petwood.co.uk www.petwood.co.uk Discover the magic of Petwood this Christmas NCosy up by the open fires and spend some quality timewith family and friends eating, drinking and being merry this festive season.N048-050_Layout 1 17/11/2014 09:24 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRETODAY51FOOD & DININGWe can’t think of a better setting for aChristmastime meal out than thisfantastic Lincolnshire venue - awelcoming bar, roaring log fire andfantastic food, what could be better? The Blacksmith’s Arms is becomingeven more known for its food and withgood reason, an incredible balance oftraditional and contemporary cuisine,served with style means you are spoilt forchoice when it comes to choosing fromtheir carefully-selected menu.As it’s Christmas, we let the team thereshowcase their wintery selections and weweren’t left wanting. A starter of smokedchicken served with sweet and zingy crabapple jelly and a mature cheddar cheeseboule was a perfect place to begin. Thechicken was smoked with intensity,meaning the combination with the sharpjelly made the two elements cometogether amazingly. Salmon is a traditional dish for many atthis time of year, but the way this wasprepared offered a new twist. The bakedfish was covered in honey and sprinkledwith toasted almonds, meaning a stickyand sweet coating gave way to thegenerous portion below. Orange rindincluded made the sweeter elementsseem all the more delicious and with awintry bed of kale, pomegranate andapple sauce, this feels like a light, butsomehow hearty dish at the same time.A festive filo pastry parcel was alsoserved, containing a medley ofingredients including chestnuts, hunks ofbrie, mushrooms, shallots, sprout leavesand poached pear which made for awarming and indulgent treat. Thesharpness of an apple and cinnamonsauce also gave a distinctly festive feel tothe dish, which was served with a freshand crunchy salad, just mouth-watering.Dessert was a trio of sweet delights.Dubbed Chocolate Assiette, a whitechocolate and raspberry mousse was adelicate way to start, with the heartychocolate brownie and the creamy andtempting Tia Maria parfait offering asmorgasbord of tastes. The main thing you will take awayfrom the Blacksmith’s this Christmas isnot that sickly feeling of overindulgence,rather a sense that your tastebuds havebeen taken on a culinary journey that’sundeniably festive without bowing to theusual Christmas clichés. Refreshing andintriguing, it comes with our seal ofapproval.The Blacksmith’s is also planning somegreat events over Christmas and NewYear. With a huge function roomavailable, able to cater for up to 250people standing, its own bar and anatmosphere to die for, it’s not too late tobook a party or function either.The Blacksmith’s Arms is onHillrise, Rothwell, near Caistor,LN7 6AZ. To find out more or tobook a table or function, call01472 371300 or visitwww.blacksmiths-rothwell.co.uk The Blacksmith’s Arms, RothwellChristmas is coming in Rothwell, so we head to the Blacksmith’s Arms to taste their festive menu.051_Layout 1 17/11/2014 09:40 Page 1Originally from Albania, Kleo is perhaps one of themost passionate chefs we’ve ever met at LincolnshireToday. Spilling forth with enthusiasm for his subject,he’s an affable chap who settled in Lincoln in 2010after having originally coming to the country to cookin Newcastle.After having been educated in Albania, Kleo decidedrather than enter his country’s expensive universitysystem, he would gain work experience by travelling andlearning as he worked. Stints in Florence and Turin in Italygave him a more than solid background in Italian food.When the chance came up and on the suggestion of afriend, he moved to Newcastle to cook in Adrianos, aMediterranean restaurant.“At first I didn’t like it, I couldn’t understand what thepeople of Newcastle were saying and the weather wasmiserable. I wanted to go back to Italy, but Adrianos wassuch a great place to be I stayed. While I was there I alsotook courses at Newcastle College, they had state of the artfacilities.”After moving to Lincoln, Kleo worked in a restaurant inNottingham for around eight months, before finding a jobcloser to home in the city’s Old Bakery restaurant beforemaking the move to the Old Palace in 2012.Kleo’s style is classic meets modern, which healso describes as seasonal andsustainable. Whereas most chefs claimto be seasonal, Kleo takes this to theFOOD & DININGA passionfor foodA passionfor foodThe Old Palace in the shadow of LincolnCathedral is becoming known for its cuisine aswell as its beautiful location. We meet headchef Kleo Tabaku to find out his approach togood food.The Old Palace is in Minster Yard, Lincoln, LN2 1PU. To book a table or to find out more, call 01522 580000 or visit www.theoldpalace.org 052-053_Layout 1 17/11/2014 09:38 Page 1next level, with much of his produce coming fromeither his garden at home or from The Old Palace’sgardens, in which he grows figs, apples, artichokesand herbs among a host of other greens!“I think this place has huge potential, we’re hopingto start growing within the vineyard we have here.It’s a beautiful place, when people find out about it,they love it.”His influences come from growing up with a keencook for a father and also one who hunted game forsport too. “I grew up with preparing animals for the pot, soI’m amazed these days when children don’t knowhow to cook,” he says, “I use everything on offer,nothing goes to waste. For the recipe I’ve preparedany local butcher will prepare the meat, but it’s also agreat skill to learn.”Kleo also encourages younger chefs, taking on anapprentice recently who is hoping to become apastry chef, “It’s great to see people learning skillsand developing, to see them coming up with theirown ideas is wonderful.”Kleo shows us how to prepare rabbit with Sicilianragout, prunes, Armagnac prunes and spinachsaddle, marinated rack, celeriac gratin and port jus.“This is a really good dish for winter, we have suchgreat local produce round here that there’s no excusenot to use it!”LINCOLNSHIRETODAY53INGREDIENTSOne whole rabbit (butchered) and divided into three cuts (saddle, rack and legs)SADDLE4 prunes 2-3 tbsp Armagnac 100g fresh spinachRACK2 cloves of garlic (crushed or thinly sliced)1 sprig of fresh thyme CELERIAC GRATIN1⁄2celeriac (thinly sliced)120ml milk120ml double cream100g Parmesan cheese (grated)SEASONAL VEGETABLES8 baby carrots8 leaves of rainbow chard2 leaves of cavolo nero1 parsnipRAGOUTPlain flour (for dusting)4 spring onions1 large potato (peeled and cut in to 1cm cubes)4 garlic cloves (leave whole)100g wild mushrooms (halved)2 tbsp tomato pureeA small glass red wine (175ml)1 tbsp capers (washed)2 bay leaves1 tbsp golden raisins 1 tsp caster sugar1 tsp red wine vinegar150ml passata150 ml good quality veal or chicken stock METHODPlace the prunes in a cup and pour over the Armagnac until just covered. Leave to soak at roomtemperature overnight.Pour 3 tbsp of olive oil into a bowl, add the garlic and thyme. Stir together and rub into the rabbitrack. Cover with clingfilm and leave in the fridge overnight.The ragout, gratin and jus can all be made the day before. The vegetables can also be made inadvance - just plunge them into iced water immediately after blanching, then drop them into boilingwater for 30 seconds to reheat.Preheat the oven to 140°C fan/gas mark 3. In a large pan heat 4 tbsp of oil on a medium-highheat. Dice the rabbit legs, roll in a plate of flour then tip into the hot pan. Fry until lightly golden.Remove from the pan and set aside. Now add the spring onions, potato, garlic and mushrooms tothe pan and toss together for a minute until the onions have started to soften. Add the tomato pureeand stir to coat all the ingredients. Pour in the wine and leave on the heat until it has reduced by aquarter. Add all the remaining ingredients (including the diced rabbit) and stir well. Transfer into anovenproof dish and place in the oven for 2 hours until the rabbit is tender.Layer the celeriac in an ovenproof dish or mould. Mix together the milk and cream and pour over.Sprinkle the parmesan on top. Bake for 11⁄2hours at 140°C fan/gas mark 3.Bring the port to a boil over a high heat, then reduce the temperature to simmer until it hasreduced by half. Add the stock and continue to simmer until reduced to a third.Blanch the spinach in a pan of salted boiling water for 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, lift outthe spinach and submerge into iced water. Set aside the pan of boiling water for later. On a largepiece of clingfilm, lay out the saddle (underside facing upwards). Season with salt and pepper. Takethe spinach out of the iced water and squeeze out the excess water by hand. Lay the spinach downthe centre of the saddle, then place the Armagnac-soaked prunes on top. Roll the sides of the saddleto encase the spinach and prune filling. Roll tightly in the clingfilm and twist the edges to seal. Setthe reserved pan of salted water onto a low heat so that it is hot but not boiling. Place the preparedsaddle into the pan for 7 minutes. Take out the saddle and leave to rest (still in the clingfilm) for 3-4minutes. Add 3 tbsp olive oil and a knob of butter to a frying pan and set on a low heat. Remove theclingfilm and brown each side of the rabbit. Remove from the pan and set aside to rest for 5 minutesbefore dividing into portions.Using the same pan, fry the marinated rack for two minutes. Take the rack out of the pan andleave to rest with the saddle before dividing into portions.Peel and clean the baby carrots. Peel and quarter the parsnip, removing the tough inner heart.Wash the chard and cavolo nero and roughly chop. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add thecarrots. After one minute add the parsnips. After a further two minutes add the chard and cavolonero and leave to cook for one minute. Drain off the water then toss them in melted butter andseason with salt and pepper.PORT JUS175ml port200ml good quality veal or chicken stockSEASONINGSExtra virgin olive oilButterSalt and pepper052-053_Layout 1 17/11/2014 09:38 Page 254 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYSOCIAL SCENEPHOTOS BY RICHARD PICKSLEYSeventy not out forWragby Young FarmersWragby Young Farmers Club celebrated its seventieth anniversary with a spectacular ball at theEPIC Centre.As well as a champagne reception, fantastic food and a chance to meet old friends, the guests,members of the Club past and present, were entertained by The Baltic Donkeys and The LogicDisco (Flash and Wilms), who came out of retirement especially for the occasion. The WragbyYFC also invited guests to bring vintage photos from their days in the Club.054_Layout 1 17/11/2014 09:07 Page 1Christmas GiveawayTheBIGPIC: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/REGISSERCOMYes it’s that time of year again, the Lincolnshire Today Big Giveaway! Everythingwithin our guide can be won in one way or another, but we also hope it gives yousome inspiration for some amazing pressies for the big day. If you want to be in with a chance of winning our big haul of toys, then see therules on page 62. For the rest of the guide, simply send a postcard with your topthree choices on. We will endeavour to get each person’s choices to them, but if not,a suitable prize from what is left will be substituted. We all know you wish there was,but there’s no cash equivalent!It’s one entry per household please and our closing date is Friday 12th December,so get scribbling to Lincolnshire Today Big Christmas Giveaway, Armstrong House,Armstrong Street, Grimsby, DN31 2QE or email competitions@lincs-today.co.ukGood luck!055-064_Layout 1 17/11/2014 11:22 Page 1CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAYTTTTTTGet into a good book thisChristmas!Everyone loves a good book don’t they? Well here’s someideas for what to curl up with by the fire over this festiveseason!1 – All Aboard for a great read! This interactive book (£9.99) responds to your child’s voice andcan be read again and again with new responses each time. www.hallmark.co.uk2 – This book will make you go cross-eyed! Mystical optical illusions, mind-bending images andclever tricks make Colour Illusions (£15.99) a real treat! www.dk.co.uk3 – Take the tests in Do You Know Who You Are? (£9.99) and be prepared to find out moreabout yourself than you first thought! www.dk.co.uk4 – If your kids are as obsessed with Frozen as we think they are, they’ll love Frozen: TheEssential Collection (£14.99), which gathers the Essential Guide with all the lyrics and a stickerbook with over 150 stickers. www.dk.co.uk5 – Great Maps (£20) is a fascinating history of ancient maps and how our understanding ofgeography and exploration have come to be. www.dk.co.uk6 – Lego Architecture: The Visual Guide (£25) is a look into the building range that Lego haveproduced and the inspiration from the real life architecture that the range recreates, presented ina hardback cover, it’s the ultimate coffee table book. www.dk.co.uk7 – Mary Berry Cooks the Perfect (£25) is the Great British Bake Off guru’s guide to producingsome of the quintessential items in the kitchen, perfect for those who love to get creative withfood. www.dk.co.uk 8 – This guide shows gardeners how to plan their year ahead, The Gardener’s Year (£20) usesamazing photography to also get the message across. www.dk.co.ukTTT12345055-064_Layout 1 17/11/2014 11:22 Page 2CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAYTTT9 – Detailed 3D diagrams made up from NASA and European SpaceAgency information mean that The Planets (£20) is a fantastic guide tospace that all star-gazers will love. www.dk.co.uk10 – The Really Cool Activity Book (£4.99) is a fun way to learn, withhours of fun contained within. All profits go to Great Ormond Street.www.dk.co.uk11 – Cleethorpes author Ian Burett has produced Santa and the DragonDeer (£7.99), a tale of a Christmas gone wrong that goes very right aftersome help from the amazing Dragon Deer! (Available in Cleethorpesand Grimsby libraries and local book shops, sales go to charity)12 – This set of three Natural History Museum books, the What OnEarth? Wallbook of Natural History (£6.99), The What On Earth?Stickerbook of Big History (£6.99) and the What On Earth? Wallbook ofScience & Engineering (£17.50) are packed with amazing illustrations,information to blow your mind and promise a whole world ofinformation. www.whatonearthbooks.com13 – Property Uncovered by Louisa Fletcher (£12.99) is a how to guidefor the property market, whether you’re a first-time buyer or looking tostart within the industry as a serious contender. www.louisafletcher.com 678910111213055-064_Layout 1 17/11/2014 11:22 Page 3CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAYFor the rest ofthe familyIt’s not just children who look forward to the big day, it’s bigkids too! Here’s some ideas for some gifts that will bring asmile to your loved ones’ faces.1 – Russian Standard Vodka is one of the most pure takes on the drink yet, and this RSgift tube (£22) is perfect for those who love a sophisticated tipple.www.sainsburys.co.uk2 – These Lantronix servers will interact with your iPhone (£60) or Android (£91)smartphones to enable printing, something which a lot of current wirelessprinters don’t currently allow. If you’re a keen instagram user or keen snapperwith your phone, this could be perfect! www.lantronix.com 3 – Award winning Ragdale Hall, located in Leicestershire has some amazingspa facilities. We have an experience day to give away, worth £90, availableMonday-Friday, it includes use of all of Ragdale’s facilities including theThermal Spa and also a light lunch in the Verandah Bar, gym, exercise classesand outdoor facilities. If you are not the lucky winner, then maybe a Ragdale Hallgift voucher would be the perfect present. To make a purchase or for furtherinformation contact Voucher Sales on 01664 433030 or visit www.ragdalehall.co.uk4 – What’s Christmas without port? This bottle of Graham’s Late Bottle Vintage 2009(£13.50) should go perfectly with post-Christmas dinner cheese and biscuits!www.tesco.com5 – This man-tastic gift set from Buebeard’s Revenge (£23.99) is a fantastic addition toany bloke’s bathroom booty. With shower gel and a fragrant Eau de Toilette included, itsmells fantastic too. www.bluebeards-revenge.co.uk6 – When it comes to gin, there’s none classier than Tanqueray (£26.60) and we have a 1lbottle for a reader to enjoy! www.waitrose.co.uk7 – This is the perfect gift for those who like to dilly dally in bed, this huge alarm clock(£12.99) makes more than enough noise to get anyone out of bed! www.boots.co.uk8 – Maui Jim make some of the coolestshades we’ve ever seen, these Breakers(£175) will take you to warmer climes, andthey come with a fantastic presentationcase too. www.mauijim.com18723546055-064_Layout 1 17/11/2014 11:22 Page 4CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAYTTTGame on!We’re sure the family will want to gather round thisYuletide to play games, so why not try something new?There’s no argument over who gets to be the top hat orwhether Grandma rolled a five or a six, just fun, fun, fun!1 – Marmite, as they say, is something you either covet or detest, which hasinspired the new game Love It or Hate It (£15), where players have to explore how much they reallyknow about each other. www.pantsonfiregames.co.uk2 – The Sims 4 (£44.99) is an enduring series of games that we’re massive fans of here at Lincolnshire Today. We have the PC version togive away, escape into the world of The Sims, you’ll never leave! www.game.co.uk3 – Got a family member who loves birds? Then why not introduce them to Wing It (£19.99)? It’s a race against other players to see therarest birds around the UK! www.pantsonfiregames.co.uk4 – Linkee (£16.99) is the inspiration for a new BBC quiz show called ‘The Link’, so why not find out what all the fuss is about? It’s perfect forfamilies who are getting bored by the usual dusty games coming out from under the stairs. www.toysrus.co.uk5 - This game is just bananas, or rather Bananagrams (£14.99), the fun game of anagrams. Can you put the jumbled up letters in order aswell as the rest of your family? Try this and find out. www.winningmoves.co.uk6 – What football fan wouldn’t want Fifa 15, part of a long-lasting legacy, we have the Xbox One version (£57.99) to giveaway! www.easports.com7 – Could you show Rory Bremner or Jon Culshaw a thing or two? Well, Accentuate could be the perfectgame for you. If your Scottish brogue is brilliant or your Jamaican patois is passable, why not tryAccentuate (£19.99) out this Christmas? www.firebox.comTTT1345762055-064_Layout 1 17/11/2014 11:22 Page 5Next >