Swiss bliss

HOUSED in a Grade II-listed building dating back to 1540, Germain and Annie Schwab's Winteringham Fields was for many years Lincolnshire's best-kept secret. But a plethora of top-notch industry awards over the past 18 months, including a coveted second Michelin star, has spread the Humberside eaterie's renown far beyond county borders.

Swiss-born Germain's cooking is, of course, at the heart of Winteringham Fields' success, and 42 Caterer readers will be able to experience his cuisine next month when the Schwabs host the latest Chef Eats Out lunch, on Monday 20 November.

The lunch, held in association with Caterer & Hotelkeeper and British Meat, promises to be a memorable gastronomic event, with a tempting six-course menu devised by Germain specially for the occasion. The entire meal, including wine and coffee and petits fours, has been put together by the Schwabs for just £45. Centred on several of Germain's trademark dishes, it kicks off with a cannelloni of langoustine and corn-fed chicken served with a sweet corn sauce.

"The dish epitomises the marriage of opposites," explains Germain. "It is colourful, light and versatile and can be served hot or cold. It is the perfect starter." The creation's distinctive tricoloured pasta (see picture, page 66) is achieved by the addition of spinach purée, red pepper purée and squid ink to a basic pasta dough, while the cannelloni filling comprises chicken mousse topped with langoustine tails.

Next up is an oyster and spinach velouté with gougäre of spinach fritter, followed by a main course of fillet of Aberdeen Angus served with spiced root vegetables and a cäpe jus. These precede another Schwab classic, croñte aux fromages, made by sitting the cheese - "a mixture of Gruyäre, Emmenthal and Vacherin seasoned with white wine, nutmeg, a little bit of cream, egg for binding and a bit of kirsch" - on a bruschetta-style croñte.

Guests will be asked to arrive at noon for a Champagne reception, before sitting down to lunch at 1pm. Following the meal, Annie and Germain will give readers an insight into the demands of running and expanding an acclaimed fine-dining restaurant in a listed building (including the ups and downs of building a brand new £25,000 pastry kitchen) before conducting a tour of the kitchens.

"We feel pretty chuffed," comments Annie, speaking about the couple's achievements at Winteringham Fields during the past year-and-a-half. "We'd got quite used, in the North, to watching what's happening in London, so it's nice to be reversing the trend."

If you would like to reserve a place at the 20 November event, send a cheque, made payable to Winteringham Fields, for £45 per person, accompanied by a completed coupon (see left). n