Cook BookEach week, we pop a seasonal recipe into our fruit and veg boxes because occasionally, we all need inspiration. These recipes will be available online in our new Cook Book. Like our vegetables, our archive of fab organic food ideas will grow with the seasons. So keep checking in. If you have a favourite recipe, please This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and we'll be delighted to share it with our customers.
Crispy Courgette Chips200-250g courgettes;1 ½ tbsp plain flour;vegetable oil, for deep frying;2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese. Slice the courgettes into 3mmx7cm chips. Put the flour in the bowl and beat in 50ml water to make a smooth, thick batter. Half-fill a deep sauce pan with oil. Place over a high heat until it is approx 180oC(or until a cube of bread turns brown in 1 minute). Drop half the courgette chips into the batter and turn to coat.Using a fish slice, lift the courgette chips out of the batter and allow the excess to drip off. Carefully drop the courgette pieces into the hot oil and cook for 1-2 minutes, until golden.Remove from the hot oil with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.Toss with the cheese while still hot and add a good grinding of black pepper.Repeat with the remaining courgettes and serve immediately.
MarchCaramelised Onion with Goats Cheese 250g onions; 3 tblsp olive oil; 25g butter; 2 tblsp balsamic vinegar; 2 tsp sugar; 200g goats cheese; 4 slices of toast Peel the onions and chop them in half. Slice very finely. Heat the oil and the butter in a large frying pan and add the onions. Stir well and cover. Cook on a low heat for 30 minutes, stirring regularly to make sure they don't burn. Mix the sugar with the vinegar and add to the pan. Stir well. Cover and sauté for a further 15 minutes, until the onions are golden brown, very soft and beginning to caramelise. Cut the cheese into 4 slices. Pre-heat the grill to a medium temperature. Put ½ of the onion mixture on each slice of toast and spread out to cover evenly. Top with a slice of goats cheese and grill for 5 minutes, until the top of the cheese is just starting to brown. Season with fresh black pepper and serve immediately.
Leek and Brie tart 250g shortcrust pastry; 300g leeks; 200g Brie or similar cheese; 1 tsp mild mustard, such as Dijon; 1oz butter; 1 tsp olive oil; ½ tsp nutmeg; 2 eggs; 100ml double cream; ½ teaspoon ground salt Pre-heat the oven to 180 C. Trim the tops and roots off the leeks. Cut them in half lengthways and wash under running water, fanning open the layers. It's essential to remove all grit and mud! Slice the leeks into 1 cm slices and dry well. Heat the butter and oil in a pan and saute the leeks gently for 10 minutes, until soft. Mix together the nutmeg, cream, eggs and salt and beat well. Trim the rind off the Brie and slice it thinly. Roll out the pastry to line a 7inch flan dish and trim the edges so they are slightly higher than the edges of the dish (the pastry shrinks slightly on cooking). Arrange a layer of Brie on the bottom of the pastry. Top with half of the leeks then pour in half of the egg mixture. Mix gently. Top with the rest of the Brie. Then add the rest of the leeks and egg mixture. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the tart has "set", i.e. the egg mixture is cooked. Serve warm with cranberry sauce and steamed veggies.
FebruaryCheese and Tomato Pizza 1 tortilla bread; 2 tblsp tinned tomaties (drained and chopped) or 4-5 tomatoes, squashed; 25g Cheddar cheese (grated); herbs such as basil or thyme; a splash of olive oil; handful fresh spinach leaves or finely shredded kale Preheat the grill while you're preparing the tomatoes. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and then add the tortilla. Cook for 1-2 minutes, to crisp the base. Put the tortilla on the grill pan, top with the tomatoes and the cheese. Add the herbs and the spinach or kale. Grill for 2-3 minutes - watch the tortilla doesn't burn.
Spicy Cabbage Soup 1 medium onion; ½ cabbage; 1 large or 2 medium potatoes; ½ tsp chilli powder; ½ tsp ground coriander; ½ tsp ground cumin; 1 litre vegetable stock; 200g cooked butter beans, 2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil Peel the onion and chop finely. Peel the potatoes (optional) and dice into small cubes. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onion and potatoes. Add the chilli, coriander and cumin. Sauté gently for 10 minutes. Wash the cabbage and shred it finely. Chop across the shreds, so they're not too long. Add the cabbage and the vegetable stock and simmer gently for 15 minutes, until the potato chunks are soft. For a less chunky soup, you can liquidise it at this stage. Add the butter beans and heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Vegetable Pancakes Filling : 1 medium onion, peeled & chopped finely; 2 cloves garlic, peeled & crushed; 1/2 green or white cabbage, shredded; 2 carrots, washed & grated; 150g root vegetables or other winter veggies, peeled & grated; 150g cooked kidney beans; 2 tblsp olive oil, 1 tblsp cornflour, 1pint milk, 150g mature Cheddar, grated; salt and pepper to taste Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Heat the olive oil in a pan, and add the onions, garlic, carrots and root vegetables. Saute for 10 minutes, until softened. Add the finely shredded cabbage and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the cornflour and stir well, to coat all the vegetables. Add 1/2 the milk, stirring well to thicken to a sauce. Keep going until all the milk has been used. Add 2/3 of the cheese and stir to melt. Season with salt and pepper. Pancakes : 110g/4oz plain flour, sifted; pinch of salt, 2 eggs, 200ml/7fl oz milk, mixed with 75ml/3fl oz water; 50g/2oz butter Beat all the ingredients until the batter is smooth. Heat the oil in a frying pan and then add 3 tablespoons of batter. Tilt the pan to allow the batter to cover the base. Cook for about 1 minute each side. Put on a plate to keep warm. Final dish: Put a pancake on a plate, spooning 2 tablespoons of filling along the middle of the pancake, then roll it up into a tube. Put in an ovenproof dish. Repeat until all the pancakes have been used. Parsnip Hash Browns 450g potatoes, 350g parsnips or other root veg, 1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced, 1 garlic clove, finely chopped, 1 egg, beaten, 4-5tbsp sunflower oil Peel and coarsely grate the potatoes and parsnips - if you're using a food processor, attach the medium grater. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible with your hands and put them in a bowl. Stir in the onion, garlic, egg and season if you like. Divide the mixture into six and roughly shape into flat cakes. Heat 2tbsp of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry three of the cakes on a low heat for 4-5 mins on each side until golden and tender. Transfer to kitchen paper with a slotted spoon and leave to cool while frying the remainder, adding remaining oil as necessary.
January
Mini Carrot Cakes 200g soft brown sugar or caster sugar, 200g plain flour, 3 medium eggs, 3 medium carrots, 1 cup raisins or sultanas, 4 tblsp sunflower oil, 2 level tsp baking powder Preheat the oven to 220 C (Gas Mark 7). Put the sugar, eggs and oil in a large bowl and beat or whisk for 3 minutes, until the mixture has lightened in colour and is bubbly. Sieve the flour and baking powder into the bowl and fold in gently with a wooden spoon. Mix in the grated carrots and sultanas. It will look like a lot of carrots, but that's ok. Mix well. Put a large dollop of mixture into each fairy cake case. This is easiest if you rest the cases in a bun tin - though not essential. Bake for about 15 minutes until firm to the touch and golden.
Kale Pesto Pasta (for 4 people) 100g kale, 2 cloves garlic peeled and crushed, handful of pine nuts, 3 tbsp double cream, 50g parmesan grated, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, 1/2 tsp grated nutmet (optional), pinch of salt Heat the oil in a pan, and gently saute the garlic for 2 mintues. Wash the kale well and chop roughly. Add to the garlic pan. Cover and cook for 2 minutes, until the kale starts to wilt. Put the pine nuts in a food processor/blender and blitz until smooth. Add the double cream and nutmeg, if using. Blitz again. Add the kale and garlic. Process until smooth. Season with the salt and grated parmesan (if using). Mix well. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Drain well. Add the kale pesto to the pasta in the pan and mix well. Serve warm.
December
Maple Glazed Carrots Pre-heat the oven to 200 C. Put your potato roasting tin in the oven to pre-heat. Scrub the carrots. There's no need to peel them. Chop to the size you want to roast. Put the orange juice and maple syrup in a bowl and mix well. Add the carrots and mix well, ensuring all carrots are coated with the glaze. When the oven is hot, put the carrots in the roasting tin, with any spare juices from the bowl. Spread into an even layer. Roast for 20 minutes, then take the tray out of the oven (to keep the oven hot) and turn all the carrots, to allow all surfaces to get crispy.Cook for another 10 minutes.
Stir Fried Brussels Sprouts Up to 400g Brussels sprouts, 1 tblsp sesame oil (or vegetable oil), 1 tblspn soy sauce or tamari, 1 tblsp sesame seeds If the sprouts are still on their stem, gently snap them off. Wash the sprouts and remove any yellowing leaves.Rinse well before cooking. Slice the sprouts in half and dry them thoroughly. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan, until hot. Add the sprouts and cover. Cook, turning occasionally, for up to 3-5 minutes. (Test them after 3 minutes or so). Add the soy sauce and sesame seeds. Serve immediately
Root Vegetable Crumble with Cheesy Topping 300g carrots (chopped into chunks), 500g peeled and cubed mixed root vegetables (eg. parsnips, sweet potato, Heat the oven to 180DegC/350DegF/Gas Mark 4-5. Heat a frying pan, add the olive oil and sauté the carrots and the mixed root vegetables and onion for 4-5 minutes, until softening. Season with sea salt, black pepper and some grated nutmeg. Place in an oven proof dish. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and mix together and cook the mixture for 1minute. Do not brown. Remove from the heat, pour in the milk and whisk the mixture until smooth. Place back on the heat and slowly bring to the boil, whisking constantly until just boiling. Simmer for 1 minute, remove from the heat. Add the horseradish, crème fraiche, season well, pour over the vegetable mixtures. Mix together the cheese and breadcrumbs and sprinkle over the vegetables. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes so the vegetables are cooked and the topping is golden brown.
Vegetable Pasta (for 4 people) 500g vegetables, selected from the following: carrots, courgettes, French beans (green beans), peppers, 100g Kidney beans (already cooked), 150ml double cream, 100g Blue cheese (optional), salt & pepper to taste Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add the pasta. After a couple of minutes, add the carrots, if using. Add the French beans, peppers and courgettes 4 minutes before the end. Add kidney beans 2 minutes before the end of the pasta cooking time. Drain the pasta and veggies in a colander. Meanwhile, use the hot pan to warm through the cream and melt the cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix the pasta with the sauce and serve immediately. Delicious!
November
Winter Vegetable Soup
Peel the onion and chop it finely. Peel and crush the garlic. Heat the oil in a large soup pan and gently sauté the onion and garlic (covered) for 5 minutes. Chop the potatoes and add to the pan. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Wash the cabbage and chop it. Add it to the pan and stir well. Add extra water if the mixture has got too dry. Cover and simmer gently for about 5 minutes, until the cabbage is soft. Remove from the heat and add the herbs. Liquidise
Leek and Fennel Mashed Potatoes
Peel and quarter potatoes, then cover with salted cold water by 1 inch in a saucepan and simmer until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. While potatoes are simmering, cook fennel with remaining 1/4 tsp salt in remaining tsp butter in skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add broth and simmer, covered, until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain potatoes nd mash them in saucepan. Stir in milk, leeks, fennel, and pepper.
Root Veg and Bean Stew 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped, 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed, 200g leeks, 2 medium carrots, 1 parsnip, 1 potato, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tin chopped tomatoes, 500ml vegetable stock, 200g butter beans, cooked, 1tbsp fresh thyme leaves, 1 tsp yeast extract, salt and pepper to taste Pre-heat the oven to 160C. Heat the oil in a large pan (ideally one you can put straight in the oven). Gently saute the onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Wash the leeks thoroughly to remove any grit and slice into 1cm rings. Scrub the carrots and slice into 1/2cm chunks. Peel the parsnip and potato andchop into 1cm cubes. Add the carrots, parsnip and leeks to the pan. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, stock cube, yeast extract and thyme leaves. Mix well. Add the beans and stir. Pour into an oven-proof casserole dish. Cover and bake for 45 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft and the sauces has thickened.
Baked Swede with Cheese 2tbsp sifted plain flour, 1tsp each of salt, ground white pepper & ground coriander seeds, 16oz swede, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced, 1/2oz butter or margarine, 1 large juicy clove of garlic, crushed, 3oz Gloucester cheese, finely crumbled, 1pt single cream Preheat the oven to medium. Mix the flour, salt, pepper and coriander seeds in a plastic carrier bag. Add the swede slices and shake well to coat the slices in flour. Grease an ovenrproof dish with butter or margarine and rub the crushed garlic over the inside of the dish. Layer the flour-coated swede slices in the dish with the crumbled cheese, ending with a layer of cheese. Dot the butter over the surface of the swede and pour over the cream. Bake in the oven for about 90 minutes until golden brown and the swede is tender. Cover with foil during the cooking if it's over-browning. Serve straight to the table.
October : SoupsLeek Potato and Celeriac Soup 1 knob butter, 400g leeks, 3 potatoes peeled and sliced, 1 celeriac peeled and cut into 1" chunks, 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock, fresh thyme or basil (to taste) Melt butter in the pan. Slice leeks into 1/4 inch slices and add to the melted butter. Sauté for 5 mins until golden. Add potatoes and celeriac and sauté for another 5 minutes. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of stock, cover and continue to cook until potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat. Pour vegetables and stock into a food processor or blender and puree. Return puree to pan and add remaining stock and herbs. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot.
Winter Vegetable Minestrone Soup 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 cloves garlic, 1 small onion, 2 small carrots, 1 small leek, 1 parsnip or ¼ swede, ½ cabbage, 1 tin tomatoes, 1 tbsp tomato puree, 1 litre of vegetable stock, 2 handfuls of pasta Peel and crush the garlic. Wash the carrots and chop finely. Add both to the pan and continue to sauté. Trim the top and roots off the leek. Cut in half lengthways and wash under running water, fanning the layers, to remove all mud and grit. Chop the leek into 1cm slices. Add to the pan. Peel the turnip / parsnip / swede and chop into small dice. Add to the pan with the vegetable stock. Simmer gently for 20 minutes, until the root veggies are fairly soft. Shred the cabbage finely and add to the pan. Add the pasta and tomato puree and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. If your tomatoes are already roughly chopped, add the whole tin to the pan. If they are whole, add the juice to the pan. Roughly chop the tomatoes and stir into the soup. Continue to simmer until the pasta is cooked. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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