DIXIE Innes, who grew up in Monmouth, has made it to the final 12 of Channel 4's cookery competition, The Taste, in which contestants stand or fall on a single spoonful of food, judged by Nigella Lawson, Anthony Bourdain and Ludo Lefebvre
Now a professional chef, Dixie, 25 works at an East London bakery and cafe, declaring that she is not a 'cheffy' cook - "the food I like to cook is rustic, wholesome and good for the soul" - and will most oftne be found cooking Italian, Spanish, French, British, Middle Eastern, Moroccan or Indian food. "These are the styles I have most experience with and have the most confidence in cooking.
"I have several cooking influences, starting with my parents. When I was growing up we had a delicatessen and my mother would make different food to sell in the shop. My family has always been really into food, so I grew up thinking that loving food was completely normal." she even found the curried maggots her father was once given as a gift 'alright'.
Dixie, who is in Anthony's team on The Taste, recalls that when she first cooked, she wasn't even tall enough to reach the hob. "My earliest memories of cooking are of me standing on a chair making some sort of edible concoction," she says.
"I also used to make cakes with no recipes or make up my own recipes because I was too young to read my mum's recipe books."
The Taste is on Channel 4 on Tuesday evenings at 9pm.
Beetroot and Yogurt Purée
Beetroot and Yogurt Purée is a delicious pretty purpley pink sauce or dip. This recipe is quick, easy, looks impressive and can be served with a variety of fish and meats for example mackerel, salmon (fresh or smoked), chicken, lamb or duck. It is also delicious just as a dip to dunk your bread in, topped with some feta, toasted walnuts, pomegranate seeds and some dried chilli.
You will need….
3 -4 cooked beetroot
4-5 tbsp greek yoghurt
1 tbsp red wine or sherry vinegar
1/2 tsp of honey
small bunch of chopped dill
pinch of salt and pepper
extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tbsp pomegranate seeds
1 tsp chopped dill
Put all ingredients except for the olive oil into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Tip the mixture into a serving bowl. Finish the borani with sprinkle of crushed dried chillies, pomegranate seeds, a little dill and a glug of extra virgin olive oil.
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