Katherine's TV dinner (From Gazette & Herald)

Katherine's TV dinner

NORTH Yorkshire's own domestic goddess is cooking up a storm this spring.

Katherine Howarth, 47, of Husthwaite, near Easingwold, was picked out from 4,000 would-be cooking gurus to appear on the latest series of Masterchef.

The programme will find a winner with no professional training and will give them the chance to embark on a career as a chef.

Mrs Howarth was one of just under 100 wannabes to make it to the filming stages of the Masterchef Goes Large competition - which begins showing on BBC2 this Monday.

In the newly-revamped programme, she underwent a series of gruelling challenges before the watchful judges - restaurateur John Torode and produce expert Greg Wallace.

"I was absolutely petrified," said Mrs Howarth, who lives with her husband, Roger.

"My hand was shaking so much.

"For the second round we were given a pile of fresh produce - with lovely salad leaves and an avocado. I made a mushroom, goats cheese and watercress jalousie (a kind of pastry slice) with a tomato and avocado salsa."

Mrs Howarth can be seen showing off her talents on March 3.

Updated: 11:12 Monday, February 21, 2005