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Stuffed Coutgette Flowers

Saturday, January 1, 2005 at 09:20PM
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Ingredients

150ml balsamic vinegar
12 courgette flowers, attached to courgettes
groundnut oil, for deep frying

For the stuffing:
250g ricotta cheese
2 basil leaves, shredded
squeeze of lemon juice
50g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and fresh ground black pepper

For the batter:
100g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
120ml fizzy mineral water

Cooking Instructions

Pour the balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan and boil for a few minutes until reduced to a syrupy consistency. Set aside.

Mix together the ricotta, shredded basil leaves, lemon juice and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.

Trim the courgette flowers from the courgettes and shake free of any insects. Slice the courgettes in half lengthways and set aside. Carefully open the flowers and filll them with the ricotta mix. Be gentle as they are very delicate. I ended up using my fingers as even the smalles spoon i had - a tiny coffee spoon from home, proved not to be the best tool.Perhaps experience makes it better. Twist the end of the flower to keep the stuffing in place. To make the batter pour the water into a shallow dish and gradually whisk the flour through a sieve, making sure there are no lumps. The batter should have the consistency of thick pouring cream.

Pour enough oil into a high-sided frying pan to come to a level of about 3cm. Heat until very hot but not smoking. Roll the stuffed flowers and courgette halves in flour. Working in small batches, quickly dip them in the batter, swirling to coat, and then into the pan. Deep-fry for 1-2 minutes until the batter is crisp and golden. Put them on a dish lined with kitchen towel to drain the excess fat - if any. Place in a warm serving dish, sprinkle with grated Parmesan and drizzle with the balsamic vinegar.

Heat the oven - 200oC. Line a baking dish with greaseproof paper and set aside.

Cut the fish in small pieces, put salt and pepper, and roll each one of them with strips of courgette flowers. You might need to use a tooth pick to keep the strips well attached to the fish. Put the pieces on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for aproximately 5 minutes. Let them reset for a couple of minutes before serving. 

Courgettes - Tip

Saturday, January 1, 2005 at 09:20PM
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Ingredients

Garlic
Red Chilli
Courgettes
Lemon Zest and Juice
Olive Oil

Method

  1. Sautee some garlic and red chilli in olive oil
  2. Add sliced courgettes and stir for a minute
  3. Add a tbsp of water, then cover for a couple of minutes

Stir in some lemon juice and zest a minute before removing from the heat (optional)

Seasonal Roasted Organic Vegetables

Saturday, January 1, 2005 at 09:20PM
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Ingredients

Use Available Organic Seasonal Vegetables, typically:
ROASTED BEETROOT IS A MUST - IT IS DELICIOUS !

Beetroot
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Purple Sprouting
Parsnips
Squashes
Jerusalem Artichokes
Celeriac
Swedes Potatoes
Carrots
Onions
Garlic
Courgettes
Aubergine
Peppers
Leeks
Turnips
Olive Oil
Salt (for reducing moisture in Courgettes and Aubergine)

Cooking Instructions

Peel or wash a selection of seasonal organic vegetables and prepare as follows:

  1. Cut vegetables into large chunks (see Tip)
  2. Add several whole cloves of Garlic to the vegetables and place in a large mixing bowl.
  3. Lightly sprinkle with olive oil and mix together (using your nice clean hands) to ensure all the vegetables are coated.
  4. Place vegetables in a roasting dish and cook in the oven on a medium heat until golden.
  5. To avoid overcooking add Courgettes and Aubergine half way through cooking.

(Tip: Courgettes and Aubergine can be sprinkled with salt, placed in a colander and left to drain in the sink for approximately 30 minutes. This will help to remove excess moisture, wash off salt and pat dry) 

Ratatouille

Saturday, January 1, 2005 at 09:20PM
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Ingredients

2 large aubergines
3 medium courgettes
2 medium onions
2 red or green peppers
4 large tomatoes, or 1 x 14 oz (400 g) tin Italian tomatoes, well drained
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 level tablespoon roughly torn fresh basil
salt and freshly milled black pepper

Cooking Instructions

Begin by wiping the aubergines and cutting them into 1 inch (2.5 cm) slices, then cut each slice in half; the courgettes should be wiped as well and cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) slices. Now put the whole lot into a colander, sprinkle generously with salt, press them down with a suitably sized plate and put weights (or other heavy objects) on top of the plate. Let them stand for about 1 hour ? the salt will draw out any bitterness along with excess moisture.

Meanwhile chop up the onion roughly, deseed and core the peppers and chop these up too. Skin the tomatoes (plunging them into boiling water for a couple of minutes is the best way to loosen the skins), then quarter them, take out the seeds and roughly chop the flesh.

To cook the ratatouille, gently fry the onions and garlic in the oil in a large saucepan for a good 10 minutes, then add the peppers. Dry the pieces of courgette and aubergine in kitchen paper, then add them to the saucepan. Next add the basil and seasoning of salt and pepper, stir once really well, then simmer very gently, covered, for 30 minutes. After that time add the tomato flesh, taste to check the seasoning and cook for a further 15 minutes with the lid off. 

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

Herbs - Tips

Saturday, January 1, 2005 at 09:20PM
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Basil

Stir into chopped fresh tomatoes with a dash of olive oil for a delicious bruschetta topping.
Sprinkle over pizzas, roasted vegetables or tomato soup.
Add to tomato sauces for pasta.
Mix with olive oil, tomato purée and garlic to make a salad dressing.
Bake whole baby courgettes in olive oil, chopped tomato and Basil.

Chives

Add Chives to cooked dishes at the last minute to preserve their delicate flavour.
Stir into mashed potato with a little butter and grated cheese.
Stir into cheese sauce at the end of cooking for a delicate flavour.
Sprinkle onto scrambled eggs, omelettes, quiches and potato salad.
Sprinkle over salads and soups as a great garnish.
Stir into soured cream for a tasy dip.

Coriander

Stir into chopped tomatoes with a little lemon juice and garlic for a refreshing salsa.
Great in Mexican dishes such as chilli con carne.
For an Indian raita, stir chopped or grated cucumber, Coriander Leaf, salt and pepper into natural yoghurt.
For a Thai style dressing mix warm creamed coconut with lemon juice and stir in Coriander Leaf, Crushed Chillies and chopped spring onions.
Stir Coriander Leaf, Parsley, fresh green chillies, Garlic and onion into cooked rice to make Mexican arroz verde.
Add Coriander Leaf to breads, stuffings and sauces and sprinkle over spicy or creamy dishes at the end of cooking.

Dill

Stir into a white sauce before serving.
Sprinkle over fish with some lemon juice before grilling.
Stir through cooked new potatoes or carrots with a knob of butter.
Mix with olive oil, vinegar, mustard and honey as a dressing for salmon.
Use Dill as a refreshing alternative to parsley in omelettes, quiches and salads.

Marjoram & Oregano

Add to cream, white wine, stock and chopped onion for a creamy herb sauce for chicken or pork.
Sprinkle olive oil, lemon juice, salt and Marjoram over chicken or lamb before roasting or grilling.
Sprinkle onto roasted vegetables.

Mint

Mix with vinegar and a little sugar to make mint sauce for roast lamb.
Sprinkle onto peas and new potatoes, together with a knob of butter.
Stir into cooked couscous with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Sprinkle Mint onto green salads.
Add to yoghurt with diced cucumber for a refreshing raita dip.

Parsley

Combine with breadcrumbs, grated cheese and garlic, then spoon into flat mushrooms, drizzle with olive oil and bake until golden.
Mix with butter and lemon juice, then stir into cooked vegetables and new potatoes.
Stir into white sauce just before serving.
Stir fry carrots in a little butter and add garlic and Parsley.
Delicious with fish.
Sauté mushrooms in butter, garlic and a good tablespoon of Parsley.

Rosemary

Sprinkle onto lamb or pork before roasting.
Sprinkle onto potatoes and parsnips before roasting.
Make a rich red wine, orange and Rosemary gravy for lamb or duck.
Sprinkle Rosemary over barbecue coals for an aromatic smoky flavour.
Rosemary makes a fresh and flavoursome marinade for meats and oily fish together with olive oil, Garlic and lemon juice.

Sage

Add to finely diced apple and minced pork for tasty meatballs.
Add to apple sauce for more flavour.
Mix with breadcrumbs, chopped onion and butter for a really tasty stuffing.
Sprinkle over pork or chicken before roasting.
Combine with grated cheese and breadcrumbs as a topping for grilled fish.
Add to sausage and leek casserole for extra flavour

Tarragon

Make quick sauces for chicken, fish or pasta by stirring into cream and white wine or into savoury white sauce.
Stir into creamy chicken or turkey soup.
Sprinkle over glazed carrots for a distinctive flavour.
Sprinkle into omelettes or salads.

Thyme

Combine with grated lemon zest, crushed garlic and butter, then spread over chicken breasts and wrap in Parma ham before cooking.
Add to casseroles and stews, such as Irish stew or Lancashire hotpot, for a warm, aromatic flavour.
Sprinkle over roasted vegetables or potatoes.
Marinate chicken or fish in olive oil, lemon juice and Thyme before grilling.

Vegetable Souffle

Saturday, January 1, 2005 at 09:20PM
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Ingredients

Suitable for vegetarians
fresh breadcrumbs
grated Parmesan
450g chosen vegetable, (eg spinach, mushrooms, parsnips, courgettes or tomatoes) cooked, drained and cooking liquid reserved.
5 tablespoons of White Sauce (Bechamel) made with milk and vegetable water.
4 egg yolks
salt and freshly ground black pepper
fresh herbs
5 egg whites, very stiffly beaten
To convert grams to ounces multiply the grams by 0.03527
To convert ml to fluid ounces multiply the ml by 0.0338

Cooking Instructions

Grease 1.5 litre souffle dish, then spinkle the inside liberally with breadcrumbs and Parmesan.
Chop or puree the vegetables. Stir in the sauce and mix well, beat in the egg yolks, season and add herbs.
Lightly fold in egg whites and pour into the souffle dish.
Bake at 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6 for 25 - 30 minutes until well risen but slightly runny in the centre.
Make sure everyone is around the table before you serve. Eat immediately before it sinks.
Tip: adding chopped garlic mushrooms or walnuts after you puree the vegetables will add variety and texture