Chefs game for a shot at showing off their skills

Here three of the star chefs give us a sneak preview of what’s in store.

North Yorkshire moor pigeon mi-cuit, various beets, prune puree, toasted walnuts.

Dan Birk, at The Box Tree, Ilkley

2 pigeon breasts, selection of baby beets, 200g pitted prunes, bunch green beans, 1 red beetroot, 1 golden beetroot, 300ml white wine vinegar, 200g sugar, 50g walnuts, 400ml water, sprig thyme,olive oil, Maldon sea salt, blackberry and elderflower fruit tea bag

Prepare pigeon by removing the skin and all sinew from underside of the breast.Place in vac pac bag with a splash olive oil and sprig of thyme.Cook in water bath at 62C for 12 mins, leave to rest. If vac pac and water bath not available pan sear for approx. One minute either side. Prep baby beets, peel and cut into quaters.Bring vinegar, sugar and 100ml water to the boil add baby beets and leave to cool down. Warm 300ml water with the fruit tea bag, add pitted prunes and simmer until prunes are very soft.

Peel beetroots, slice half into matchsticks and slice other half into very thin slices

Dress the julienne beetroots in a little olive oil and pinch of salt and place thin sliced beetroots in the pickling liquor with the baby beets

Blanch green beans in salty boiling water for three mins, cool down in cold water then split the green bean in half. Lightly toast walnuts and break up into small pieces. Blitz prunes until smooth in food processor then sieve. Slice pigeon thinly horizontally and season with a little salt. Place pigeon on serving plate, and pull two lines of puree down either side. Remove beets from liquor and drain off on a cloth then place then on top of pigeon in symmetrical order, so use different colours next to each other. Then lay the thin slices and julienne on top. Finish off broken walnuts and split green beans on top off the beetroots.

Roast Fillet of Venison with Sweet Potato Dauphinoise, Smoked Beetroot, Spring Cabbage and Pancetta, Beetroot Crisps and Lentil Jus

Matthew Lockwood, Lockwoods, Ripon

Serves 2

2 fillets of venison (Approx 200g), 1 onion diced, a few sprigs of thyme, 5 dried juniper berries,3 Maris Piper potatoes, 1 sweet potato, 300ml of double cream, 4-5 cloves of garlic, crushed, 4 raw beetroot, half a head of spring cabbage shredded, 100g diced pancetta lardons, 100g puy lentils, 100ml Demi Glace

Marinade venison the day before. Crush the juniper berries, mix with thyme leaves and olive oil, rub on the fillet and leave overnight.Peel potatoes, slice into 2-3mm thick slices. Heat the cream with a couple of crushed garlic cloves and thyme leaves and leave to infuse. When cool mix the cream with the potato slices and season with salt and pepper. Layer the potato mix into a buttered bread tin, pressing down as you go. Cover with foil and bake for approximately 45 mins at 180c. Put a weight on top and leave to cool.

Place the unpeeled beetroot in foil, toss with olive oil, and some sprigs of thyme. Wrap up tightly and put on a baking tray. Bake with the dauphinoise potatoes,for approx 45 mins to an hour. Cool slightly then peel. Using a cutter cut one inch barrels through the centre of the beetroot. Line an old wok with foil and add oak smoking chips some juniper berries and thyme leaves. Cover with another layer of foil and put beetroot on top. Cover the top of the wok with more foil until air tight then put the wok on the heat until the chips heat up and begin to smoke. Remove from the heat and leave for 20 mins. Peel and thinly slice your last raw beet. Heat oil in a pan to 180c. Add the beet slices to the hot oil for a couple of minutes until crisp. Remove and drain on kitchen roll. Sprinkle with a little sea salt. Slowly saute the diced onion, garlic and thyme leaves, when soft add puy lentils then cover with vegetable stock. Simmer for 15 mins.Take a 2ins slice of the sweet potato dauphinoise and warm back through in the oven along with your smoked beetroot pieces. Add olive oil and clarified butter to a frying pan on a medium heat. Season the venison fillet well and fry until well coloured on all sides. Put in the oven for five mins then remove and rest in a warm place. While the venison is resting, add more clarified butter to a frying pan and sauté off your pancetta lardons. When they have crisped up throw in your shredded cabbage and fry for a couple of minutes until soft.

Warm the demi glace in a pan with a spoonful of the lentils. Place dauphinoise on a large plate with a spoonful of the spring cabbage, place the smoked beetroot around the plate. Carve the venison fillet which should still be lovely and pink. Drape this over the cabbage then drizzle the lentil jus around the plate. Pile a few beetroot crisps on top of the venison fillet.

Taylors of Harrogate Tea Smoked Pigeon Breast with a Pontefract Cake Jus

Josh Angell

Serves 2

2 Breasts of wood pigeon, 10 Taylors of Harrogate tea bags, 10 Pontefract Cakes,500ml Good Beef/Veal Stock,3 Sprigs of rosemary,2 Sprigs of thyme 4 garlic cloves,2 cinnamon sticks, salt and pepper

Place the herbs, garlic, cinnamon in a large heavy based pan, then split all of the tea bags and empty into the pan. Place the breasts into a colander and then rest the colander on the large pan. Place the pan on a low heat, until the herbs and tea start to smoke cover the colander with the pan lid and leave to gently smoke for around 15 minutes.

Place the beef or veal stock in a pan and place on a high heat in order to reduce it. Dice the Pontefract cakes and melt gently in a pan, then add to the reduced stock.

After 15 minutes the breast should be cooked (pink), remove and allow to rest slightly. Serve with the Pontefract cake jus and accompanying vegetables of your choice.

The Great Yorkshire Show runs from July 12-14 at the showground in Harrogate. For more information and ticket details, visit www.greatyorkshireshow.co.uk