why, make coleslaw of course!
throw those in with a carrot, an onion and some dressing made up of mayo, mustard, apple cider vinegar and a pinch of sugar; add a roast chicken, a couple bottles of wine and some good friends and you have the makings of an excellent saturday night.
Tuesday 25 October 2011
Saturday 22 October 2011
recipe: week 3 - puy lentil and spinach soup
another one requiring veg that are not in our particular bag, but I am almost certain we will be getting spinach again sometime soon, so this one is standing by, as it sounds quite tasty.
puy lentil + spinach soup
2 tbsp olive oil
1 carrot, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped and diced
150g puy lentils, rinsed
salt and freshly ground pepper
150g spinach, chopped
1 onion, finely diced
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
3 tomatoes, cored, deseeded
1.3 litres stock
1 small bunch parsley
serve with 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and parmesan or hard goats cheese (or other well flavored hard cheese)
in a large saucepan, warm the oil over a medium-low heat. add the chopped onion, carrot and thyme and sauté gently for five minutes. add the garlic and tomatoes, and sauté for a minute more. tip in lentils, store, then add the stock and a little salt and pepper. bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes, or until lentils are tender. add the parsley and spinach, simmer for five minutes, season to taste and ladle into warmed bowls. trickle over a little oil and, if you like, shave over some cheese with a vegetable peeler.
puy lentil + spinach soup
2 tbsp olive oil
1 carrot, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped and diced
150g puy lentils, rinsed
salt and freshly ground pepper
150g spinach, chopped
1 onion, finely diced
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
3 tomatoes, cored, deseeded
1.3 litres stock
1 small bunch parsley
serve with 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and parmesan or hard goats cheese (or other well flavored hard cheese)
in a large saucepan, warm the oil over a medium-low heat. add the chopped onion, carrot and thyme and sauté gently for five minutes. add the garlic and tomatoes, and sauté for a minute more. tip in lentils, store, then add the stock and a little salt and pepper. bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes, or until lentils are tender. add the parsley and spinach, simmer for five minutes, season to taste and ladle into warmed bowls. trickle over a little oil and, if you like, shave over some cheese with a vegetable peeler.
fruit and veg: week 3
1 head of red cabbage
"2" carrots (see below)
1 bag of 8 medium tomatoes
2 large mushrooms
1 bag of salad leaves
3 onions
5 potatoes
4 pears
3 bananas
4 satsumas (of the standard orange variety this week)
6 apples
one of the carrots was....shall we say....interestingly shaped.
so, naturally, we made a whole vegetable man:
"2" carrots (see below)
1 bag of 8 medium tomatoes
2 large mushrooms
1 bag of salad leaves
3 onions
5 potatoes
4 pears
3 bananas
4 satsumas (of the standard orange variety this week)
6 apples
one of the carrots was....shall we say....interestingly shaped.
so, naturally, we made a whole vegetable man:
recipe: review - beetroot and potato burgers
in our continuing quest to find things to do with our beetroot. we gave stumbled upon this.
beetroot potato burgers.
we based them loosely on this recipe from the creative pot:
Beetroot Burgers
Adapted from Green Kitchen Stories
Makes 8 patties
Serve on a bun, layered with crispy, fresh lettuce, creamy mashed avocado and perhaps some crumbled feta. Pickles would also make a lovely addition, indeed anything that you would normally add to your burger.
1 cup water
1/2 cup buckwheat
pinch of salt
5 small beetroots, scrubbed clean
2 large carrots, scrubbed clean
1 onion
3 eggs
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp fennel seeds, ground
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
vegetable oil, for shallow frying
1. Bring water to a boil in a small pot, add buckwheat and a pinch of salt, then cook on low temperature for approximately 10 minutes or until soft. Rinse and drain.
2. Meanwhile, slice off tops and bottoms of beets and carrots, then grate them, together with the onion into a large mixing bowl.
3. Add buckwheat, eggs, garlic, flour, fennel, salt and pepper to the grated vegetables and mix thoroughly to combine.
4. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a large spoonful of the beetroot mixture to the pan, using a spoon to shape it into a patty. Repeat with the rest of the mixture or until your frying pan is full. Cook for a few minutes on each side, turning once. The beetroot patties should be crisp on the outside (but not burnt) and cooked on the inside. Remove with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on kitchen paper.
we baked them in stead of frying, didn't use fennel seeds, forgot about the garlic and topped them with rounds of goats cheese.
[totally forgot to take pictures]
rating: not bad, not bad at all
chance of being made again: wouldn't mind making these again, but think we might give other beetroot recipes a go before coming back to it.
beetroot potato burgers.
we based them loosely on this recipe from the creative pot:
Beetroot Burgers
Adapted from Green Kitchen Stories
Makes 8 patties
Serve on a bun, layered with crispy, fresh lettuce, creamy mashed avocado and perhaps some crumbled feta. Pickles would also make a lovely addition, indeed anything that you would normally add to your burger.
1 cup water
1/2 cup buckwheat
pinch of salt
5 small beetroots, scrubbed clean
2 large carrots, scrubbed clean
1 onion
3 eggs
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp fennel seeds, ground
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
vegetable oil, for shallow frying
1. Bring water to a boil in a small pot, add buckwheat and a pinch of salt, then cook on low temperature for approximately 10 minutes or until soft. Rinse and drain.
2. Meanwhile, slice off tops and bottoms of beets and carrots, then grate them, together with the onion into a large mixing bowl.
3. Add buckwheat, eggs, garlic, flour, fennel, salt and pepper to the grated vegetables and mix thoroughly to combine.
4. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a large spoonful of the beetroot mixture to the pan, using a spoon to shape it into a patty. Repeat with the rest of the mixture or until your frying pan is full. Cook for a few minutes on each side, turning once. The beetroot patties should be crisp on the outside (but not burnt) and cooked on the inside. Remove with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on kitchen paper.
we baked them in stead of frying, didn't use fennel seeds, forgot about the garlic and topped them with rounds of goats cheese.
[totally forgot to take pictures]
rating: not bad, not bad at all
chance of being made again: wouldn't mind making these again, but think we might give other beetroot recipes a go before coming back to it.
and now for dessert!
it's not a part of the fruit and veg scheme, but there were so freakin delicious we had to share.
pumpkin chocolate chip cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
that's right.
go thus and bake.
pumpkin chocolate chip cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
that's right.
go thus and bake.
recipe: review - beetroot risotto
had a lot of beetroots, and had to figure out something to do with them.
found something delicious.
[recipe off the growing communities website.]
rating: quite tasty
chance of being made again: pretty darn high
also, this is the reddest food I have ever eaten.
it's practically neon.
[pictures don't really show it cause it was dark, so you'll have to take my word for it]
Monday 17 October 2011
recipe: review - roast squash with lentils and goats cheese
tried out this recipe the other night.
rating: freakin delicious
chance of being made again: very high
rating: freakin delicious
chance of being made again: very high
(forgive the not so good pictures, the lighting was horrible and I was very very hungry...)
Thursday 13 October 2011
recipe: week 2 - beetroot seed cake
Nigel Slater's* beetroot seed cake
225g self-raising flour
1 scant teaspoon baking powder
180ml sun flour oil
3 eggs
juice of half a lemon
75g mixed seeds (sun flour, pumpkin, linseed)
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
225g light muscavado sugar
150g raw beetroot
75g sultanas or raisins
lemon juice
-for icing-
8 tablespoons icing sugar
poppy seeds
lemon juice
set the oven to 180c/350f/gas mark 4. butter a loaf tin (20cmx9cmx7cm deep, measured across the bottom) and line with baking parchment. soft together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and cinnamon. beat the oil and sugar until feel creamed then introduce the beaten egg yolks one by one, reserving the white for later. grate the beetroot and fold into the mixture, then add lemon juice, raisins and seeds. fold the flour and raising agents into the mixture while stirring slowly. beat the egg whites till light and almost stiff. fold gently into the mixture with a large metal spoon (a wooden one will knock the air out). pour the mixture into the cake tine and bake for 50-55 minutes, covering the top with a piece of foil after 30 minutes. test with a skewer to see if done. the cake should be moist inside but not sticky, leave the cake to settle for a good 20 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack. the sieve the icing sugar and stir in enough lemon juice to achieve a runny consistency. drizzle over the cake and scatter with poppy seeds. leave to set before eating.
*in the interest of full disclosure, I have no idea who the heck that is
225g self-raising flour
1 scant teaspoon baking powder
180ml sun flour oil
3 eggs
juice of half a lemon
75g mixed seeds (sun flour, pumpkin, linseed)
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
225g light muscavado sugar
150g raw beetroot
75g sultanas or raisins
lemon juice
-for icing-
8 tablespoons icing sugar
poppy seeds
lemon juice
set the oven to 180c/350f/gas mark 4. butter a loaf tin (20cmx9cmx7cm deep, measured across the bottom) and line with baking parchment. soft together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and cinnamon. beat the oil and sugar until feel creamed then introduce the beaten egg yolks one by one, reserving the white for later. grate the beetroot and fold into the mixture, then add lemon juice, raisins and seeds. fold the flour and raising agents into the mixture while stirring slowly. beat the egg whites till light and almost stiff. fold gently into the mixture with a large metal spoon (a wooden one will knock the air out). pour the mixture into the cake tine and bake for 50-55 minutes, covering the top with a piece of foil after 30 minutes. test with a skewer to see if done. the cake should be moist inside but not sticky, leave the cake to settle for a good 20 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack. the sieve the icing sugar and stir in enough lemon juice to achieve a runny consistency. drizzle over the cake and scatter with poppy seeds. leave to set before eating.
*in the interest of full disclosure, I have no idea who the heck that is
fruit + veg: week 2
1 head of cabbage
4 potatoes
1 bag of 9 medium tomatoes
3 small beetroots (!)
1 small squash (!!)
3 carrots
6 apples
4 pears
12 myagama satsumas (those are the green things. I know. I was surprised too)
not a bad bounty, eh?
4 potatoes
1 bag of 9 medium tomatoes
3 small beetroots (!)
1 small squash (!!)
3 carrots
6 apples
4 pears
12 myagama satsumas (those are the green things. I know. I was surprised too)
not a bad bounty, eh?
recipe: week 1 - roast squash with lentils and goats cheese
[a quick intro: every pick-up comes with a small newsletter giving community and organization news, where each item in your bags is from (which is wicked neat) and a recipe including one or more of the ingredients in that week's bag (which is freakin awesome). sometimes the recipe calls for a fruit or veg that is in the standard (bigger) bags, as was the case last week, but chances are sooner or later it will show up in the small bags (as is the case this week). totally using last week's recipe on this weeks squash.]
Roast squash with lentils and goats cheese
-2 medium red onions, peeled and halved
-salt and pepper
-extra virgin olive oil
-2 decent cloves of garlic, finely chopped
-250g puy lentils
-200g soft white goats cheese
-500g squash, deseeded
-2 sprigs rosemary
-1 stick of celery, finely chopped
-1 bay leaf
-1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
heat the oven to 180c/350f/gas mark 4. finely shop one of the onion halves and keep to one side. cut each of the remaining halves into four wedges. put in a roasting tin with the squash chunks, season well, then add rosemary leaves and splash with olive oil. put in the oven for 40-45 minutes, turning midway through, until the squash and onions are soft. meanwhile, heat a couple of tbsp of olive oil in a saucepan, then add the chopped onion half, the celery, garlic and bay leaf, plus the rest of the rosemary. cook over a gentle heat for about 5-10 minutes, until the vegetables have softened, then add the lentils and 1 litre of water. bring to a boil, them simmer for 30 minutes, until lentils are just soft. train off all but 4-5 tbsp of the liquid, then add 1/2 to 1 tsp salt, tasting as you go, and plenty of ground pepper. stir in the balsamic vinegar and 2 tbsp olive oil. divide the lentils between four bowls and scatter too with the onions, squash and any olive oil and herbs from the baking tray. dot with goats cheese, season again and splash more olive oil.
*every recipe can be found here on the growing communities webpage.
and they also do this really neat thing where they sort the recipes at the top of the page depending on what's in that weeks bags. it is every so helpful.
Roast squash with lentils and goats cheese
-2 medium red onions, peeled and halved
-salt and pepper
-extra virgin olive oil
-2 decent cloves of garlic, finely chopped
-250g puy lentils
-200g soft white goats cheese
-500g squash, deseeded
-2 sprigs rosemary
-1 stick of celery, finely chopped
-1 bay leaf
-1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
heat the oven to 180c/350f/gas mark 4. finely shop one of the onion halves and keep to one side. cut each of the remaining halves into four wedges. put in a roasting tin with the squash chunks, season well, then add rosemary leaves and splash with olive oil. put in the oven for 40-45 minutes, turning midway through, until the squash and onions are soft. meanwhile, heat a couple of tbsp of olive oil in a saucepan, then add the chopped onion half, the celery, garlic and bay leaf, plus the rest of the rosemary. cook over a gentle heat for about 5-10 minutes, until the vegetables have softened, then add the lentils and 1 litre of water. bring to a boil, them simmer for 30 minutes, until lentils are just soft. train off all but 4-5 tbsp of the liquid, then add 1/2 to 1 tsp salt, tasting as you go, and plenty of ground pepper. stir in the balsamic vinegar and 2 tbsp olive oil. divide the lentils between four bowls and scatter too with the onions, squash and any olive oil and herbs from the baking tray. dot with goats cheese, season again and splash more olive oil.
*every recipe can be found here on the growing communities webpage.
and they also do this really neat thing where they sort the recipes at the top of the page depending on what's in that weeks bags. it is every so helpful.
fruit + veg: week 1
here's what we got in our fruit and veg bags our first pick-up:
1 bag of spinach
1 bag of salad greens (grown right here in hackney, btw)
2 carrots
3 onions
4 potatoes
a bag of 17 cherry tomatoes
a bag of 4 chili peppers
2 bananas
4 pears
3 apples
1 bag of spinach
1 bag of salad greens (grown right here in hackney, btw)
2 carrots
3 onions
4 potatoes
a bag of 17 cherry tomatoes
a bag of 4 chili peppers
2 bananas
4 pears
3 apples
hello and welcome!
hi there!
good to see you.
pull up a chair and have an apple.
we have tons.
we recently just signed back on with our fruit and veg box scheme here in hackney.
growing communities.
it's all organic, local where at all possible (some stuff grown right here in london, a lot elsewhere in england, a few things brought in by boat from abroad, such as citrus from italy) and is all extremely fresh.
like still covered in dirt, it's entirely possible it was pulled out of the earth 4 hours ago type of fresh.
we had it for about 9 months the last time we were here and it was so awesome we didn't hesitate to sign up again, even though we're technically not living in the borough of hackney anymore and we have to travel a bit further to get the pick-ups.
doesn't matter.
it's totally worth it.
last time we had wanted to document all the wonderful things we got in our bags each week, but never got around to it.
so this time we're doing this right and starting a blog!
on here we'll list what we get in our bags each week (we are currently signed up for a small fruit bag and a small veg bag, and it's more then enough for the three of us), the recipe that comes with the weekly newsletter they put in our bags and any new and exciting things we try with any of our delicious stash.
we are running a bit behind, I just picked up our second week's bags this afternoon, but we're all pretty busy, so you'll take what you get.
and do check out growing communities webpage if you get a chance. it's pretty fabulous whether you are subscribed to the box scheme or not. they list tons of recipes, tips on food growing and if you do happen to live in the london area, schedules of all the neat events going on round town.
and now, on to the food!
bethany ben and zoe
good to see you.
pull up a chair and have an apple.
we have tons.
we recently just signed back on with our fruit and veg box scheme here in hackney.
growing communities.
it's all organic, local where at all possible (some stuff grown right here in london, a lot elsewhere in england, a few things brought in by boat from abroad, such as citrus from italy) and is all extremely fresh.
like still covered in dirt, it's entirely possible it was pulled out of the earth 4 hours ago type of fresh.
we had it for about 9 months the last time we were here and it was so awesome we didn't hesitate to sign up again, even though we're technically not living in the borough of hackney anymore and we have to travel a bit further to get the pick-ups.
doesn't matter.
it's totally worth it.
last time we had wanted to document all the wonderful things we got in our bags each week, but never got around to it.
so this time we're doing this right and starting a blog!
on here we'll list what we get in our bags each week (we are currently signed up for a small fruit bag and a small veg bag, and it's more then enough for the three of us), the recipe that comes with the weekly newsletter they put in our bags and any new and exciting things we try with any of our delicious stash.
we are running a bit behind, I just picked up our second week's bags this afternoon, but we're all pretty busy, so you'll take what you get.
and do check out growing communities webpage if you get a chance. it's pretty fabulous whether you are subscribed to the box scheme or not. they list tons of recipes, tips on food growing and if you do happen to live in the london area, schedules of all the neat events going on round town.
and now, on to the food!
bethany ben and zoe
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