Eleanor Baker
Living: Cardiff
Occupation: Education Administrator at Sain Ffagan
Eleanor has just left Cardiff University with a degree in French and Italian. She has spent a lot of her time abroad as a part of her course and she has learnt a lot about different styles of cooking.
"It's a delight to experiment with the things that I learnt abroad. I really feel at home in the kitchen".
Favourite Recipe: Torta alla Gianduia and Lasagne - anything Italian
Three words to describe themselves: confident, welsh learner and experimental!!
Programme 4
Max's Challenge
To create a special meal for Max Calligari - a starter and pudding. Eleanor was joined by Aldwyn and Nerys. Eleanor was in charge of the pudding, but was upset with her effort and the lack of support from Nerys.
"I needed help, but where was Nerys?" She felt that her lack of presentation skills had let her down. "But it's the taste that's important...so we'll have to wait and see" Unfortunately Eleanor's team didn't win.
The Scorpion Fish Challenge
To create a traditional local recipe - stuffed scorpion fish. Eleanor enjoyed the challenge. "If I go home I’ll be sad, but at least I can go home and say that I've learnt something new."
But Eleanor's fish was not up to scratch and it was her turn to pack her bags." I'd like Aldwyn to win. He's so kind and he's the most likely to go home and use his new found skills".
Programme 3
10 Tomato Challenge
To create a tomato salad with 10 different varieties of tomatoes - each one with their own unique taste. Eleanor was paired with Jan.
Eleanor was pleased to be working with Jan. "It's nice to have company and someone to talk to after slaving away on my own all day"
The Mille Fuille Challenge
The task was to create a Mille Fuille with lemon curd and strawberry sauce. Eleanor was very nervous about the pudding challenge, having not felt confident about her 5 ingredient challenge. "I feel so lucky to be here after yesterday, that I really don't want to go home".
But she soon changed her tune when René was impressed with her effort. "I feel so much better than yesterday... fingers crossed and we'll see!"
Programme 2
Eleanor's first reaction when she heard Dudley say that she was going to Provence was shock and disbelief. She felt so lucky that she was going to France with such talented people.
The experience that has stayed in Eleanor's mind was the first challenge in Provence...
"It was frightening! When I saw the fish I nearly cried. There was no other main ingredient there, so I had to show my fish cooking skills to the judges and I didn't have many skills in that department!"
One word to describe the experience - unforgettable!
The 5 ingredient challenge Eleanor pan fried fillets of the fish and served it on a bed of ratatouille.
How did they feel they did? "Awfull, I'm not happy at all. I'm not at all confident with fish and it was easier for me to use the fillets".
What did the judges think? Why did she take the skin off the fish? It would taste so much better with the skin on.
Programme 1 - Round Two
Chicken breast stuffed with mozzarella and pesto wrapped in Parma ham.
Eleanor's Recipe
Serves 2Ingredients
Pesto:
3 handful of basil - finely chopped
50g pine nuts
1 garlic clove
20g parmesan cheese
5 tbsp olive oil
Chicken:
2 chicken breast
150g mozzarella
6 slices of Parma ham
Ratatouille:
250g passatta
¼ litre of boiling water
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 red pepper
1 courgette
3 mushrooms
2 tsp herbs de Provence
Fondant Potatoes:
2 Maris Piper potatoes
1 litre chicken stock
3 cloves of garlic
handful of thyme
75g butter
Method
Heat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6
Pesto
Crush the garlic in a pestle and mortar and place in a bowl with the basil.
Place the pine nuts on a baking tray and lightly toast under a grill.
Add the pine nuts, parmesan cheese and the oil to the bowl, season to taste and mix well.
Ratatouille
Chop the onion, garlic, red pepper, courgette and mushrooms.
Fry the onion and garlic in the oil, until they are tender.
Add the courgette, red pepper and the mushrooms to the frying pan, pour the passatta sauce with a spoonful or two of hot water over the vegetables
Add the herbs de Provence, salt and pepper and allow to simmer until the vegetables start to soften.
Chicken
With a sharp knife make a pocket in the middle of the breast, place the mozzarella in the middle with the pesto. Wrap the chicken in Parma ham and place on a baking tray covered with foil and cook in the oven for 25 minutes.
Potatoes
Remove the skin and cut into thick slices and boil in chicken stock for 10 minutes.
Remove from stock and fry in the butter, thyme and garlic (with skin) until golden in colour.
In the meantime, remove the meat from the oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes.
Serve with vegetables and potatoes
Programme 1 - Round One
Chocolate and raspberry tart
Judges opinion
Taste: light and tasty.
Presentation: simple but effective.