Nesta Treharne
Living: Pontarddulais
Occupation: Housewife
Nesta has a long list of favourite things that she loves doing with her time. Top of her list was cooking of course, then gardening, collecting old things, listening to music and doing the Sudoku in the Times every day!
Favourite Recipe: Pork tenderloin with apricot stuffing and cider sauce.
Three words to describe themselves: lives life to the full.
Programme 7
Bouillabaisse Challenge
To create a traditional Bouillabaisse for René without a recipe or notes to fall back on!!
Nesta was quietly confident facing this challenge - she a fan of cooking fish.
"I'm going to enjoy this and not worry"
But things changed when Dudley took the notes away.
René thought that Nesta's bouillabaisse didn't have enough liquid in it and that the fish hadn't been prepared as well as it could have been.
Poor Nesta lost the challenge and was out of the final. But had she enjoyed herself?
"It's been a pleasure, a dream a privilege and I've been lucky enough to win 4 challenges - I've really enjoyed myself."
Final Challenge
Nesta had lost the Bouillabaisse Challenge and was on her way home to Wales.
Programme 6
Herb Pudding Challenge
To combine fruits with herbs and create a mouth watering pudding that would impress Jeff Berard and Bryn Williams.
Aldwyn chose Nesta to be in his team.
They decided to bake peaches in honey, orange juice and basil. But the peaches from Rene's orchard were so soft that they had to substitute them with apricots.
Did it work? Yes it did, they won!
And luckily for Nesta, the girls chose Aldwyn to compete in the next challenge. This meant that Nesta was through to the final!
Omelette Challenge
Nesta is 'safe' because the other team didn't choose her. She is through to the final!
Challenge from René's Book
Nesta is 'safe' because the other team didn't choose her. 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!
Nesta certainly got her exercise today.
"It looks so easy when René made it but when you have to do it yourself, it is not so easy!"
But René was pleased, she won and Nesta was saved from the next challenge.
The Pairs Challenge
Nesta is 'safe' because of her success in the Tapenade & Aioli Challenge. She didn't have to compete in the Pairs Challenge
The Food and Wine Challenge
Nesta is 'safe' because of her success in the Tapenade & Aioli Challenge. 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 Nesta to join herself and Anna. Nesta was in charge of the starter. She felt that they worked well as a team with everyone knowing what they had to do. "The girls say 'you never panic' but inside I think that I do." No need to panic Nesta - you won!
The Scorpion Fish Challenge
Nesta is 'safe' because the other team didn't choose her. She didn't have to compete in the Scorpion Fish Challenge.
Programme 3
10 Tomato Challenge
To create a tomato salad with 10 different varieties of tomatoes - each one with their own unique taste. Nesta was paired with Nerys.
Nesta was thrilled to have won the challenge. "It was great. Nerys and I are two champs!"
The Mille Fuille Challenge
Nesta is 'safe' because of her success in the 10 Tomato Challenge. She didn't have to compete in the Mille Fuille Challenge.
Programme 2
Nesta took it all in her stride when she heard she was going to Provence and was looking forward to a new experience in her life.
Provence was "like another world in the sun, a different way of living and cooking. The location was clean and fresh with no rain!"
The 5 ingredient challenge Nesta served fillets of fish on a tour of rissoto with ratatouille
How did they feel they did? "I can't believe that they don't like vegetables al dente in this heat".
What did the judges think? The fish would look better with the skin facing upwards. Vegetables were not cooked enough.
Programme 1 - Round Two
Poussin with a garlic and black bean sauce.
Nesta's Recipe
Serves 2Ingredients
2 poussin
2 tbsp black olive tapenade
1 lemon - juice only
4 tbsp olive oil
10 cloves of garlic - peeled
250ml dry vermouth
4 bay leaves
pinch of salt and pepper
tin or jar of black bean sauce
75g long grain and wild rice - boiled or steamed
2 pak choi - chopped and fried or boiled
Tapenade:
20 black olives
1 tbsp capers
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 sun dried tomato
1 clove of garlic
1 tbsp cognac
Method
Place the ingredients of the tapenade in a food processor and mix well to create a paste.
For each bird, place one tablespoon of the tapenade and a good squeeze of lemon juice to line the hole in the middle.
Heat the oil in a casserole dish and brown the birds, turning occasionally.
Add the peeled garlic and cook gently for 2 minutes.
Pour the Vermouth into the casserole dish, add salt and pepper to the meat and place the bay leaves under their wings.
Pour the black bean sauce over the birds, cover with a lid and place in a preheated oven at 190°C/Gas 5 for 45 minutes, basting every 15 minutes until the birds are tender.
Serve the poussins with the garlic and black bean sauce together with the rice and pak choi.
Programme 1 - Round One
Smoked Trout
Judges opinion
Taste: light, combination of flavours worked well, trout cooked perfectly
Presentation: fresh delightful