Ottery chef is 'blood brothers' with Jamie and Jimmy

Robin Rea of Ottery St Mary's 'Rusty Pig' joined Jamie Oliver and Jimmy Doherty in Southend to help raise awareness of the benefits of using blood as an ingredient in cooking.

Jamie and Jimmy are currently filming a new series of their popular show, Friday Night Feast, and invited Robin to cook a dish using his renowned black pudding to help them raise awareness of how blood should be viewed as more than just a waste product.

Robin said: “Blood is a by-product of farming livestock and it is such a shame that all too often it goes to waste. It has actually been described by some as a superfood, high in iron and protein, and low in carbohydrates but high in protein.

“I have been using fresh blood in my cooking for years, not just for black pudding but many other dishes, including meringues.”

Robin, together with fellow blood-users Laverstoke Organics from Hampshire, The Fruit Pig Company based in East Anglia, and another South West charcuterie specialist, Dorset Charcuterie, had great fun cooking on Southend beach using wood and charcoal using camp stoves and barbeques.

They were joined by Daniel Doherty from the Duck & Waffle in London - a keen user of fresh blood in his kitchens - and a number of food bloggers who came along to try out the food and highlight the campaign on social media.

Robin’s resulting one pot dish included Crown Prince pumpkin, burnt sage, garlic, four varieties of chilli and Rusty Pig black pudding which, he says, turned out ‘tasty’.

“It was a real inspiration to meet others who see blood as a proper ingredient rather than a quirk,” Robin added. He got on so well with the team from Dorset Charcuterie that he has invited them to visit the Rusty Pig later in the year as guest chefs.

Rusty Pig is one of just 10 food businesses in the country that use fresh blood – with others who do use blood resorting to dried granules. Robin and his fellow blood lovers can be seen on Channel 4 early next year.