newsletter w/c 11/10/10
We’re trying to make the most of this great spell of October weather, to get as much veg harvested as possible. Potatoes are obviously the priority as they can be affected by frosts, but we’re also clearing carrots and onions as well. I had hoped to get ahead of myself last Wednesday by getting up really early to do the deliveries so that I could get back to dig potatoes in the afternoon. Of course, it rained all day and we got none done. I hope the early delivery didn’t adversely affect any of you.
Our double market presence went smoothly on Saturday. I manned our stall at Balerno as usual while Robbie and his girlfriend Sara looked after the stall at the Apple day Market in Kirknewton Primary School for the overlap time. I have to say a big thank you to both of them, but especially to Sara who was just off the plane up from Heathrow.
Here’s a list of what’s in the standard bag this week. As usual, substitutions may occur.
Potato Solanum tuberosum. Tatties this week are either Robinta (red skins) or Valor (large, white skins), both are good general purpose potatoes. It’s so good to have our own tatties again. We’re bagging them straight from the field at the moment so the sizes will vary. They are very easy to prepare when they’re as fresh as this and really only need a wash and a scrub. Potatoes are the only commonly available source of B3 and Iodine. Excellent source of Vitamin C and also Vitamin B6, Potassium and fibre.
Onion Allium cepa. You may receive some of our own onions this week. They are the best onions I’ve ever grown. I have red and white varieites so could be either or a mixture. They haven’t been dried yet so they’re full of flavour. Used in stews, pasta dishes, soups. Source of Vitamins A and C, Iron, Calcium and Potassium .
Carrot Daucus carota Carrots are eaten fresh in salads or cooked in just about any way you like..They are an excellent source of Vitamin A and also contain significant amounts of Vitamins B, C, D, E and K. and Potassium.
Mixed Salad various. The salads are growing well this year. There’s a mixture of lettuce, endive, eraclea and herbs. When you receive your bag, rinse the salad leaves thoroughly to remove any traces of soil that may have attached, then drain in a salad spinner or colandar. Pop back into a sealed bag or box and store in the fridge until ready for use. Will keep for over a week easily.
Kale Brassica oleracea Acephala Group.. Kale is an excellent source of Vitamins A and C and also a source of potassium, copper, calcium, fibre and phytochemicals. To cook, strip the leaves off of the tough midrib, then shred and wash in cold, running water. Then steam for 10 minutes and serve with melted butter and season with pepper or ground cloves. You can make Colcannon by draining the kale after boiling then setting it aside. Take a finely chopped onion and put it in a pan with 150ml of milk. Bring it to the boil then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. Blend about 375g of mashed potatoes with the finely chopped kale, then heat through gently, adding as much of the milk and onion mixture as it will absorb to give the consistency of creamed potatoes. Put in a serving dish, make a depression in the centre and pour in some melted butter.
Romanesco Brassica oleracea Italica Group (1 head). This alien looking vegetable is a member of the brassica family and sits somewhere between broccoli and cauliflower. Treat as cauli to cook, probably tastes more towards the broccoli. Excellent source of Vitamin C and phytochemicals and also contains Vitamins A, B2 and B6, Phosphorus, fibre Iron and calcium. Here’s a recipe for Roast Romanesco with Chilli and Soy that I was recently given:
Toss 350g of Romanesco, broken into florets, in a tablespoon of olive oil. Cut the stalks into thick batons. Spread them all out on a baking tray and roast in a preheated oven for 10 mins at 200oC/Gas Mark 6 for 10 mins.Add 2 thinly sliced cloves of the garlic, ½ a red chilli, finely chopped and ½ a tablespoon of sesame seeds and mix through. Return to the oven for 5 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven, sprinkle with soy sauce and serve. I haven’t tried this one yet but I hope to this week.
Tomato Lycopersicon esculentum Source of Vitamins A and C, potassium and iron. The tomato is eaten fresh in salads or used for sauces, Britain’s favourite soup or casseroles. Here’s a recipe for Tomato and Tarragon Soup, it’s been a favourite with our family for years. Melt a tablespoon of olive oil and 40g (1 ½ oz) of butter together in a big pan and cook a finely chopped onion, a sliced stick of celery, 2 sliced carrots and a chopped clove of garlic for 2 minutes. Add either 675g (1 ½ lbs) of chopped ripe tomatoes or 2x400g tins of chopped tomatoes. Also add a bay leaf, 2 tblespns of tomato puree a tablespoon of dried or fresh tarragon, 1 litre (1 ¾ pints) of chicken or vegetable stock, a small strip of lemon rind and 1 teaspoon of sugar to taste. Simmer gently, uncovered for 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and the lemon rind, then puree in a liquidiser. Taste for seasoning and reheat. Serve with a twist of pepper over each bowl.
Our double market presence went smoothly on Saturday. I manned our stall at Balerno as usual while Robbie and his girlfriend Sara looked after the stall at the Apple day Market in Kirknewton Primary School for the overlap time. I have to say a big thank you to both of them, but especially to Sara who was just off the plane up from Heathrow.
Here’s a list of what’s in the standard bag this week. As usual, substitutions may occur.
Potato Solanum tuberosum. Tatties this week are either Robinta (red skins) or Valor (large, white skins), both are good general purpose potatoes. It’s so good to have our own tatties again. We’re bagging them straight from the field at the moment so the sizes will vary. They are very easy to prepare when they’re as fresh as this and really only need a wash and a scrub. Potatoes are the only commonly available source of B3 and Iodine. Excellent source of Vitamin C and also Vitamin B6, Potassium and fibre.
Onion Allium cepa. You may receive some of our own onions this week. They are the best onions I’ve ever grown. I have red and white varieites so could be either or a mixture. They haven’t been dried yet so they’re full of flavour. Used in stews, pasta dishes, soups. Source of Vitamins A and C, Iron, Calcium and Potassium .
Carrot Daucus carota Carrots are eaten fresh in salads or cooked in just about any way you like..They are an excellent source of Vitamin A and also contain significant amounts of Vitamins B, C, D, E and K. and Potassium.
Mixed Salad various. The salads are growing well this year. There’s a mixture of lettuce, endive, eraclea and herbs. When you receive your bag, rinse the salad leaves thoroughly to remove any traces of soil that may have attached, then drain in a salad spinner or colandar. Pop back into a sealed bag or box and store in the fridge until ready for use. Will keep for over a week easily.
Kale Brassica oleracea Acephala Group.. Kale is an excellent source of Vitamins A and C and also a source of potassium, copper, calcium, fibre and phytochemicals. To cook, strip the leaves off of the tough midrib, then shred and wash in cold, running water. Then steam for 10 minutes and serve with melted butter and season with pepper or ground cloves. You can make Colcannon by draining the kale after boiling then setting it aside. Take a finely chopped onion and put it in a pan with 150ml of milk. Bring it to the boil then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. Blend about 375g of mashed potatoes with the finely chopped kale, then heat through gently, adding as much of the milk and onion mixture as it will absorb to give the consistency of creamed potatoes. Put in a serving dish, make a depression in the centre and pour in some melted butter.
Romanesco Brassica oleracea Italica Group (1 head). This alien looking vegetable is a member of the brassica family and sits somewhere between broccoli and cauliflower. Treat as cauli to cook, probably tastes more towards the broccoli. Excellent source of Vitamin C and phytochemicals and also contains Vitamins A, B2 and B6, Phosphorus, fibre Iron and calcium. Here’s a recipe for Roast Romanesco with Chilli and Soy that I was recently given:
Toss 350g of Romanesco, broken into florets, in a tablespoon of olive oil. Cut the stalks into thick batons. Spread them all out on a baking tray and roast in a preheated oven for 10 mins at 200oC/Gas Mark 6 for 10 mins.Add 2 thinly sliced cloves of the garlic, ½ a red chilli, finely chopped and ½ a tablespoon of sesame seeds and mix through. Return to the oven for 5 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven, sprinkle with soy sauce and serve. I haven’t tried this one yet but I hope to this week.
Tomato Lycopersicon esculentum Source of Vitamins A and C, potassium and iron. The tomato is eaten fresh in salads or used for sauces, Britain’s favourite soup or casseroles. Here’s a recipe for Tomato and Tarragon Soup, it’s been a favourite with our family for years. Melt a tablespoon of olive oil and 40g (1 ½ oz) of butter together in a big pan and cook a finely chopped onion, a sliced stick of celery, 2 sliced carrots and a chopped clove of garlic for 2 minutes. Add either 675g (1 ½ lbs) of chopped ripe tomatoes or 2x400g tins of chopped tomatoes. Also add a bay leaf, 2 tblespns of tomato puree a tablespoon of dried or fresh tarragon, 1 litre (1 ¾ pints) of chicken or vegetable stock, a small strip of lemon rind and 1 teaspoon of sugar to taste. Simmer gently, uncovered for 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and the lemon rind, then puree in a liquidiser. Taste for seasoning and reheat. Serve with a twist of pepper over each bowl.
posted by thewholeshebag at 12:46 PM
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