Anna Brown
Living: Mynyddygarreg
Occupation: Housewife
Anna attended a catering college before she got married and became a mother to four children, so she can turn anything that's in the cupboard or fridge into a meal.
She's comfortable cooking without a recipe book and likes to cook with the seasons especially Christmas and Easter
Favourite Recipe: Bouillabaisse and Pavlova
Three words to describe themselves: chatty, friendly and active
Programme 7
Bouillabaisse Challenge
To create a traditional Bouillabaisse for René without a recipe or notes to fall back on!!
For once Anna took 5 minutes to think before starting to cook.
"The recipe is very difficult, but without a recipe to follow it's even harder."
The mental preparation must have paid off. René was very happy with Anna's bouillabaisse and she was still in the final.
Final Challenge
A challenge to end all challenges! To prepare a 2 course meal, exactly as they would in a top restaurant, to 3 very important mystery guests.
Anna chose to prepare a starter of monkfish in the sun followed by lamb in a thyme crust and sauce.
Dudley decided to make life very difficult for the competitors. Putting them under the type of pressure they would face in a professional kitchen. Anna wasn't impressed!
“I never want to see a Chez Dudley apron ever again!”
The judges enjoyed Anna's starter but felt that the presentation had let it down. The lamb was cooked to perfection but the vegetables weren't cooked enough.
Poor Anna. she'd come so far but in the end she was piped at the post by Jan.
“I'm really disappointed, I came so close and I really wanted to win.”
But Anna can go home with her head held high.
Programme 6
Herb Pudding Challenge
To combine fruits with herbs and create a mouth watering pudding that would impress Jeff Berard and Bryn Williams.
Anna was paired with Jan.
They decided to bake figs with a strawberry and lavender coulis served with vanilla mascarpone in a filo pastry box!!
Too complicated, perhaps? But with Anna forgetting the pastry in the oven and Jan flirting with the judge, it's a wonder they managed to get anything on the plate.
Oh boy! it looked good. But it still wasn't good enough to beat Nesta and Aldwyn's pudding.
Omelette Challenge
Simply, to create an omelette!
Anna's omelette did indeed please the judges. It was light and fluffy and cooked to perfection.
She won the challenge and a place in the final.
Challenge from René's Book
Anna is 'safe' because of her success in the Omelette Challenge. She is through to the final!
Programme 5
The Tapenade & Aioli Challenge
Following a trip to the market to buy the ingredients, the challenge was to make ..not the tapenade ...but the aioli!
With only 15 minutes to make the aioli, even Anna didn't have time to talk!
It was good but not that good and Anna had only a few minutes to reflect before the next challenge.
"I've not had a break yet, I've done every long challenge. And I'm only here by the skin of my teeth!"
Unfortuately for Anna she'd be doing the next challenge too.
The Pairs Challenge
Following a visit to the vineyard, the challenge was to name the wine and pair it with the fruit; name the cheese and pair it to the animal; and to finish, pair the cheese and wine!! Anna was paired with Aldwyn.
Anna was quiet before this challenge, which worried her competitors. And quite rightly too, Anna knows her wine!
They won. And finally Anna got the break she'd been hoping for, when Jan and Nerys chose Aldwyn to join them in the next challenge instead of her.
The Food and Wine Challenge
Anna is 'safe' because the other team didn't choose her. She didn't have to compete in the Wine & Food Challenge.
Programme 4
Max's Challenge
To create a special meal for Max Calligari - a starter and pudding. Jan chose Anna to join herself and Nesta.
Anna was in charge of making the pastry for the starter. She was very happy with her team. "It's a good team, it's a good balance because I can be a bit wild in the kitchen sometimes" However, things didn't go quite to plan when there wasn't any ground almonds! Never mind, they still won by the skin of their teeth.
The Scorpion Fish Challenge
To create a traditional local recipe - stuffed scorpion fish. Anna had a real hard time gutting her fish - the fish was too small and her hands were too big!
"Two things, the fish was too small and the stuffing was slushy, but it came together in the end." The judges didn’t seem to mind and Anna gets to stays in Provence.
Programme 3
10 Tomato Challenge
To create a tomato salad with 10 different varieties of tomatoes - each one with their own unique taste. Anna was paired with Michael John. They tried to choose ingredients that had the strongest taste.
"We've learnt that the people of Provence like food that gives you a real kick in the head!"
The Mille Fuille Challenge
The task was to create a Mille Fuille with lemon curd and strawberry sauce. Anna felt that she had done her very best.
"I really hope I have done enough...I've done the best that I can and I can't do any more. If I am out then so be it."
Programme 2
The first thing that went through Anna's mind when she heard she was going to Provence was "How am I going to lose enough weight to fit into my summer clothes!" But on a serious side Anna was "chuffed to bits".
She is a housewife and a mother to four children and has not done much on her own for a long time, so going to Provence was a real confidence booster. "I'm very passionate about my cooking and I am determined to stay for the whole week."
Arriving in Provence was a magical experience for Anna "I have never arrived anywhere before that looks better than the brochure".
The experience that stays in the mind is the first day at the cooking school, "Collecting fresh peaches from the tree in the orchard and the warm welcome we received from René and his family, I would love to spend more time in Provence!"
The 5 ingredient challenge Baked the fish in paper with spring onions and lime juice and served it with a pepper stuffed with ratatouille.
How did they feel they did? "Nice to get it over with. It's so hot in there"
What did the judges think? Very good, but not enough salt. The fish was cooked to perfection.
Programme 1 - Round Two
Carmarthenshire chicken and a Chablis sauce.
Anna's Recipe
Serves 2Ingredients
1 whole chicken - cut the 2 breasts - keep the bones for the stock
4 slices of Carmarthen ham
6 asparagus (add a little extra to decorate the plate)
Stock:
2 pt of water
bay leaf
1 bouquet garni 2 small onions or shallots with the skin and cut in half
8 black peppercorns
Vegetables:
200g Maris Piper potatoes - boiled
4 Spring onions - finely chopped and fried in butter
1 Tbsp Double Cream
Carrots: 150g carrots - cut into strips
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp butter
Cabbage:
100g cabbage - steamed
1 tsp sesame seeds - lightly fried
1 tsp sunflower seeds - lightly fried
Method
Stock: Place the bones in a large saucepan, add the bay leaf, bouquet garni, shallots and boil for _ hour and allow to cool.
Flatten the chicken breasts lightly then place the meat, skin side down on a baking tray and place 2 slices of Carmarthen ham and 3 spears of asparagus on each breast. Roll the meat and secure with a string before wrapping each breast in foil and poach in boiling water for 10 minutes.
Remove the foil, seal and brown the meat in a little butter and olive oil then place in a roasting tin and cook in the oven for 10 minutes at 170°C/Gas 3.
Remove any excess fat from the stock, add the Chablis and allow to reduce by half.
Mix the flour and the butter together to create a paste and slowly add to the stock. Pour the stock over the chicken breasts.
In the meantime, prepare the vegetables.
Slice the meat into circles and place on the plate with the vegetables. Pour the sauce over the chicken breast and serve at once.
Programme 1 - Round One
Cockles and laver bread tart with quail egg and hollandaise sauce
Judges opinion
Taste: very nice taste, good combination of flavours - Dudley "yum yum I want more!!".
Presentation: simple, clean, and effective