Salmon Chowder

Monday, January 25, 2010 at 10:04AM
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Ingredients

Salmon (alternativley a small tin red salmon, drained and flaked)
750 ml fish stock (stock left over from poaching salmon if using fresh, made up to 750ml with a little milk)
2 leeks, chopped, rinsed and drained
Groundnut or sunflower oil
1 Little Gem squash + 1 Delicata squash, halved..., deseeded, peeled and cubed
1 large floury-variety potato, cubed but not peeled
1 bay leaf
Sprinkling of dried tarragon

Handful sprouted seeds
Paprika to taste

Method

Fry the leeks in oil until soft
Add the cubed squashes and potato, stir until well combined, then add the stock and herbs
Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes, adding the salmon half-way through
Let it cool slightly, then blend
Return to the pan, stir in the sprouted seeds and reheat
Season with paprika
(serves 2-3)

Little Gem Cooking Tips

Wednesday, December 30, 2009 at 02:04PM
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Baking Gem Squash

Baking gem squash is one of the simplest ways of serving them. Being small, gem squash work particularly well and they bake evenly. 

Ingredients

Serves 4 as a side dish - ½ squash each

• 2 medium to large gem squash
• Some aluminium foil

Method

1. Chop the gem squash in half.  You'll need to use a sharp, heavy knife. Sometimes the skins are quite tough, so it is essential to be careful.
2. Remove the stalk and use a dessert spoon to scoop out all the seeds. If you leave them in, the squash can taste bitter.
3. Put the two halves of the squash back together and wrap loosely in foil. Make sure you are allowing any steam to escape, but not letting the juices leak.
4. Bake at 180 degrees C for about 1/2 hour, or until the orange squash flesh is soft.

For a spicier version, you could drizzle with chilli oil before baking. (Not got any gem squash? This recipe also works well with butternut squash)

You could stuff with garlic mushrooms, part way through cooking. Or you could serve stuffed with a salsa of fresh tomato, olive oil and basil, which you could spoon in at the end of cooking.

Little Gem boiled in Water

Prick the skin in a few places and simmer in water for 20 minutes. Cut it in half and serve with butter and ground black pepper.

National Geographic BEST pictures for the year

Monday, December 14, 2009 at 02:56PM
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National Geographic BEST pictures of the year

 

 

 

Aubergine & Spinach Vegan Curry

Monday, November 9, 2009 at 03:42PM
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Ingredients

For the curry

• 4 large aubergines
• 1 large onion
• 1 large bag of spinach
• 3 tins of chopped plum tomatoes
• 1 bunch of coriander
• vegetable oil
• 4 cloves of garlic

For the spices

• 2 tsp of ginger powder
• 2 tsp of cumin powder
• 2 tsp of garam masala powder
• 1 tsp of tumeric powder
• 1 tsp of chilli power
• 1 tsp of mustard seeds

For the quinoa

• 1 pack of quinoa (a handful of quinoa per person plus one for good luck!)
• 1 fresh lemon

Method: How to make mashed aubergine and spinach curry with quinoa and chapatti bread

For the curry

1. Preheat oven to 200°c

2. Gently fry the chopped onions in four tablespoons of oil, add the spices and stir well. Once the onions have softened, set the pan to one side.

3. Put some oil on a piece of kitchen paper and rub the aubergines all over, then prick them about three times with a fork, place on a baking tray and put in the oven on a high heat for about 30 mins. Check them after about 10 mins and turn them over until they're slightly charred on the outside.

4. Take the aubergines from the oven and cut them down one side and take the tops off. Open them up and carefully scoop the flesh out and place in a bowl. Mash the flesh with a fork.

5. Now put the spice and onion mixture back on the hob and heat gently, add the mashed aubergine and stir well.

6. Wash the spinach, break it up into small pieces and add to the pan. Stir well then add your chopped tomatoes.

7. Leave for about 10 mins on a low heat then add your crushed garlic and coriander, stir well and gently heat for another 15 mins.

8. If possible leave the curry for a couple of hours to stand and reheat just before serving.

For the quinoa

1. Put the quinoa in a pan and add just enough boiling water to cover the grains.

2. Boil until translucent and simmer gently with the pan covered for about 5 mins.

3. Remove from the heat and leave the pan covered.

4. Add the juice of a freshly squeezed lemon and keep covered until serving time.

5. Once ready to serve scoop out with a drainer spoon to remove any excess water and serve immediately.

For the Chapattis

Remove chapati's from the packet and gently heat each side over a gas flame. Keep turning them over until they slightly bubble, serve immediately.

Caramelised Carrot Chutney

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 11:17AM
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Ingredients

1  tbsp olive oil
1  lb grated carrots
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup vinegar
6  oz dried fruit (chopped if necessary)
1  cooking apple, peeled, cored and grated
¼ tsp sea salt
½ tsp caraway seed
¼ tsp pepper

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the carrots to the pan. Cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until well browned and much reduced.(this may take over an hour)
2. Remove carrots from pan and put to one side on a paper towel to remove any excess oil.
3. Add ¼ cup of the sugar to the pan and heat until caramelised. Immediately turn down the heat to a minimum, then add the carrots and stir in.
4. Next pour in the vinegar and the remaining ½ cup of sugar, bring the pan gently to the boil stirring to dissolve sugar.
5. Add the remaining ingredients, replace lid and simmer for 5-10 minutes let everything cook through.
6. Remove the lid and gently boil uncovered until the chutney has thickened.
7. Ladle hot into clean jars and seal.

Leave for a month for flavours to mingle before opening. Makes 3 small jars

Leeks & Parppardelle Pasta

Monday, October 19, 2009 at 07:35AM
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Ingredients

• 5 big leeks, outer leaves trimmed back, washed
• Olive oil
• 3 good knobs butter, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced
• A few sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
• A small wineglass white wine
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pint good-quality vegetable or chicken stock
• 12 slices ham, preferably Parma
• 2 (8-ounce) packages fresh lasagne sheets
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 2 handfuls freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving

For the Pangrattato:

• 1 small handful dried porcini mushrooms
• 1/2 ciabatta bread, preferably stale, cut into chunks
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary

Method

Halve the leeks lengthways and cut at an angle into 1/2-inch slices. Heat a wide saucepan, add a splash of oil and a knob of butter, and when you hear a gentle sizzling add the sliced garlic, thyme leaves and leeks. Move the leeks around so every piece gets coated. Pour in the wine, season with pepper and stir in the stock. Cover the leeks with the slices of Parma ham, place a lid on the pan and cook gently for 25 to 30 minutes. Once the leeks are tender, take the pan off the heat.

To make the pangrattato:

Whiz the mushrooms and bread with a pinch of salt and pepper in a food processor until the mixture looks like bread crumbs. Heat a generous glug of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the garlic cloves and the rosemary and cook for a minute, then fry the bread crumbs in the oil until golden and crisp. Keep shaking the pan - don't let the bread crumbs catch on the bottom. Drain on paper towels, discard the rosemary and garlic and allow the bread crumbs to cool.

Bring a big pan of salted water to the boil. Lay the lasagne sheets on a clean working surface and sprinkle with a little flour. Place the sheets on top of each other and slice into 1/2-inch strips. Toss through your fingers to shake out the pappardelle, then cook in the boiling water 2 minutes or until al dente.

Remove the Parma ham from the saucepan, slice up and stir back into the leeks. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir in the Parmesan and the rest of the butter. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water, and add the pasta to the leeks. Add a little of the cooking water if need be, to give you a silky, smooth sauce. Serve quickly, sprinkled with some pangrattato, extra Parmesan and any leftover thyme tips. Serve the rest of the pangrattato in a bowl on the side.

Red Cabbage & Apple

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 10:07AM
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Ingredients

• 1 medium red cabbage (or ½ large one)
• 1 large apple (peeled, if you prefer)
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• ½ mug water
• 1 dessertspoon vegetable oil

Method

1. Slice the cabbage finely. Cut the apple into quarters, remove the core and slice finely or grate.
2. Heat the oil and add the cabbage. Stir and saut� for 5 minutes.
3. Add the cinnamon, sugar, apple and the water. Stir regularly as you simmer it for 5 minutes, until most of the water has evaporated.

Experiment with spices. Nutmeg also works well.

If you want to avoid sugar, add a large handful of raisins or sultanas after frying the cabbage.

Organic Vegetables v Tesco Price Comparison

Tuesday, September 8, 2009 at 02:44PM
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Transition Exeter
A Low Carbon City

Price Comparison : 05 September 2009
Local Organic Vegetables & Tesco

Shillingford Organics Large Veg Box	Weight/ Count	Tesco Metro Central Exeter	Price (Weight Equiv.)
Vegetable		Vegetable
Potatoes Onions Carrots Beetroot Courgettes Hispi Cabbage Mini-Cucumbers Little Peppers Cherry Tomatoes (with fresh basil) Runner Beans Parsley Lettuce (Lollo Verde)	1.75kg 0.60kg 0.70kg 0.85kg 0.55kg one two two 0.425kg   0.45kg 0.245kg one	Potatoes* Onions Carrots Beetroot * Courgettes * n/o Cabbage n/o Whole cue'* Single pepper * Cherry Tomatoes Runners * n/o Parsley * n/o Lettuce (Romaine) *	£1.46 £0.75 £1.11 £3.40 £1.00 £0.78 £1.00 £0.79 £1.81 £2.00 £4.77 £1.28
TOTAL	£13.00	TOTAL	£20.15

All vegetables grown in the UK

n/o = non organic (organic unavailable)

* = pre-packed

How to Dry Herbs

Thursday, August 20, 2009 at 10:51AM
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Whether you grow your own herbs, or bought more from the market than you can use at one time,
drying herbs can be an easy and practical way to store them for later use.  

Below is a list of many common herbs that can be air dried using the following simple instructions.

Harvesting
There are a wide variety of herbs that can be dried, and of course they all have different recommended stages at which they should be harvested. To make it easy for you, a chart that shows this information is available by clicking on How to Harvest Herbs

Using a very sharp knife or garden scissors cut your stems.  Do not pick them as it will cause bruising on the stem and a place for decomposition to start.  Leave an extra inch or two at the bottom of your herbs for bundling. Harvest your herbs in the late morning when all the dew has had a chance to dry. This helps to prevent mildew. Visually inspect the herbs.  Remove any bugs or damaged leaves or flowers with your sharp knife before drying.

Bundling

Open Method
Using a rubber band near the cut end of the herbs, gather 5 to 7 stalks together and attach together. You want your bundled end to be very secure as stalks shrink during the drying process. Yet you want the other end loose enough to ensure air flow through out the bundle.
*Note:  Green Onions and Garlic are hung by the tops with the bulbs hanging down.  The tops can be braided together for hanging.

Anise
Basil
Bay Leaves
Celery Leaves
Chervil
Chili Peppers
Chives
Cumin
Dill
Fennel
File Powder (Sassafras)
Garlic
Green Onions
Marjoram
Mint
Oregano
Parsley
Rosemary
Sage
Savory
Tarragon
Thyme

Drying
Hang your herbs by the rubber band or string onto your drying rack. Drying times vary from a few days to a couple weeks.  You will know your herbs are dry when they crumble easily.

Locate your drying rack in a dark warm room, garage or walk in closet.  Or you may place your herbs in a covered porch or patio if herbs are bundled in paper bags even out side under a shade tree will work if you are willing to bring them inside every evening.  Your goal is to keep herbs out of direct sunlight yet in a place with good air circulation.

Your herbs are dry when the leave easily crumble.  

Seeds will be released during the drying process place newspaper under your drying rack to keep seeds off the floor and to make gathering easier for next years garden.  

If you dried your herbs by the bag method your seeds should be already collected for you in the bottom of the bag. Simply cut the sides off your bag where the wholes begin. Fold the bottom of your bag together.  Tape your bag closed and label your bag for easy storage and planting next spring.

Storing
Store your herbs in small glass jars with tight fitting lids.  Keep the jars out of the light, away from heat and out of your refrigerator.

Important: Easter Box Deliveries

Monday, April 6, 2009 at 06:49AM
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Easter Box Deliveries

Please remember that your boxes will be delivered one day earlier this week because of the Easter weekend.

Thursday Boxes will be delivered on Wednesday, 31st March 2010
Friday Boxes will be delivered on Thursday, 01st April 2010

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Recent Articles

• Salmon Chowder
• Little Gem Cooking Tips
• National Geographic BEST pictures for the year
• Aubergine & Spinach Vegan Curry
• Caramelised Carrot Chutney
• Leeks & Parppardelle Pasta
• Red Cabbage & Apple
• Organic Vegetables v Tesco Price Comparison