Carrick Academy pupil, Jamie Miller, has won a place in the final of a young masterchef-style cook-off.

Jamie, and his classmate, Kelsie Shannon, were the top two pupils selected from their school to compete in the South Ayrshire heat of the Ayrshire cooking contest.

The teenagers were among six S3 home economics or hospitality students who cooked up a storm at the Cook School in Kilmarnock when they took part in the local heat of the competition.

The budding chefs had to create one main course, suitable for one or two people, on a limited budget of £5 using their own recipe, or a version of another recipe. 

The competition judges required students to give them a copy of the recipe, listing all ingredients, methods and costs. 

After a close fought cook-off, Jamie was among the three winning pupils in South Ayrshire, impressing judges with his pan fried seabass on a bed of ratatouille with oven baked shallots.

Along with Jennifer Veitch from Belmont Academy and Abbie McNee from Kyle Academy, he will go up against winners from the North and East Ayrshire heats to hopefully be crowned overall Ayrshire winner.

Jamie was delighted at his triumph and had high hopes for the final.

He said: “It was great to get a chance to cook at the Cook School and work in a professional kitchen and I’m really pleased to have made it to the final.

“I’m already thinking up possible new recipes to try out on the judges at the final and although it would be a dream to win, I just hope they enjoy my food again.�

Councillor Hywel Davies, Lifelong Learning Portfolio Holder, praised the young competitors for their exceptional talent in the kitchen.

He said: “The competition called for the students to use literacy and numeracy skills combined with their flair and talent for culinary creation.

“Cooking is a skill that will stay with these young people for life, whether they become professional caterers or enter another profession, the knowledge they have gained will be of great use to them.�

You can view Jamie’s delicious winning recipe below.

Good luck Jamie from all here at s1maybole!

 

Jamie Miller’s Pan fried seabass on a bed of ratatouille with oven baked shallots

 

Ingredients

2 seabass

1 green pepper

5 shallots

½ courgette

40ml double cream

50g cheese

25ml balsamic vinegar

1 glove garlic

1 tblsp tomato puree

Salt and pepper

 

Method

1. Wash hands, set oven 160oC / Gas 6
2. Prepare shallots – peel
3. Prepare seabass – trim ends
4. Dice shallots, pepper and courgette for ratatouille
5. Prepare broccoli – floret
6. Add broccoli to cold salted water – bring to boil
7. Fry diced shallots, pepper and courgette – add garlic and tomato – TASTE, season if required  - TURN OFF HEAT
8. Prepare cheese sauce
9. Season and flour seabass
10. Fry shallots – place in oven
11. Remove broccoli from pan – refresh
12. Pan fry seabass
13. Cook cheese sauce
14. Re heat ratatouille. Place serving plate in oven
15. Re heat broccoli
16. Assemble – serve