Isle of Wight Foodie Wins Rapeseed Oil Cookery Challenge

Friday 16 April 2010

A passionate foodie from the Isle of Wight has triumphed over fellow food enthusiasts across the country to win HGCA's Rapeseed Oil Cookery Challenge. Cecelia Allen's oriental-style Salad Dressing really impressed judges, including Delia Online's Editor Jo Hill, with its simplicity and versatility.

Jo Hill said: "Cecelia's recipe is so quick and easy to make and is a great way to use rapeseed oil. What I like about the dressing is that it works not only with salad but also drizzled over chicken or fish." 

Visitors to Delia Online were challenged to submit their favourite original rapeseed oil recipe. Rapeseed oil is high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats like omega 3 and 6 that can help to lower cholesterol, and contains a low level of saturated fatty acids.  It is often simply labelled as 'vegetable oil', so do check out the labels.

Judge, Donna Neary from HGCA, said: "Rapeseed oil is an ideal culinary oil and is one of the healthiest oils you can buy.  Its deliciously light flavour means it can be used in so many ways, including as a marinade, in a salad dressing or for roasting, frying or baking."

Cecelia's recipe will now be used in HGCA's Rapeseed Oil campaign. The runners up in the competition, who along with the overall winner, each received a prize of £125 of cookware, were:

• Rhianne O'Rourke from Worcestershire, who entered her flavoursome Rack of Lamb, Sweet Potato Chips and Garlic Aioli
• Sheree Lester from Essex, who submitted her simple yet delicious dish Chilli Garlic Prawns in Pitta Bread
• Sara Zatouroff from Hertfordshire, who impressed with her recipe for incredibly moreish Banana and Chocolate Chip Muffins.

Entrants to the competition were asked to submit recipes that were original and mouth-watering and containing relatively few ingredients.  Criteria also stated that the recipe should cost less than £3 per person and must feed four people.  Each category (Roast / Salad / Baking / Stir Fry) was also set a specific cooking and preparation time to ensure that the winning recipes were as quick and simple to make as possible. 

Ends

For further information on rapeseed oil and for a range of mouth-watering rapeseed oil recipes and images please visit www.hgca.com/nutrition 

Or contact:

Cat Cambridge                                             Donna Neary
Ceres                                                             HGCA
Tel: 0118 947 5956                                      Tel: 024 7647 8734  
E : cat.cambridge@ceres-pr.co.uk           E : donna.neary@hgca.com

Editor's Notes:  

• HGCA (formerly Home Grown Cereals Authority) is the UK-wide cereals and oilseeds division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB); a non-departmental public body.  HGCA is committed to improving the production and marketing of cereals and oilseeds, providing cost effective, quality services that take account of both consumer and environmental requirements.  Amongst other things, it provides market information to UK cereal farmers and producers, assists cereal product development, promotes exports, funds research and development, and executes consumer marketing campaigns. www.hgca.com
• Rapeseed oil is produced from the oilseed rape plant and comes from the same Brassica family as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower.  
• Rapeseed, along with linseed, are the only oils grown and bottled in the UK so naturally appeal to consumers looking for foods with provenance.
• A prize of £125 worth of Le Creuset cooking equipment was awarded to the winner of each category.  The prize awarded to the Roasting category winner was a Le Creuset 3-Ply Stainless Steel Roaster; the Baking category winner received the Le Creuset Patisserie Range in Volcanic Orange; the Stir Fry category winner received the Le Creuset Toughened Non-Stick Stir Fry Pan and Lid; and the Salad category winner received a Le Creuset Cookery Set including Apron, Pestle and Mortar, Grillit, Jug and Serving Dish.
• Visit www.deliaonline.com for the official site of Britain's best-loved cookery writer, Delia Smith.

Winning Recipe 

Oriental Salad Dressing (As created by Cecelia Allen)

Prep time: 5 minutes
Makes: approx. 400ml 
200ml rapeseed oil
80ml balsamic vinegar
½ tsp ground ginger
100ml dark soy sauce
1 tbsp honey 
Place all dressing ingredients in a sealable jar or bottle and shake well to mix.  Store in the fridge until required.

Suggested salad for serving:
2 large carrots, grated
300g pack beansprouts
2 pak choi, shredded

Mix all ingredients in a large serving bowl, drizzle over some Oriental Salad Dressing to taste and serve.