Newsletter w/c 13th December 2010
Last wee, deliveries were disrupted for a second week in a row, although we did manage to get to most of the houses eventually. There were a handful who have not received a bag for three weeks, but I have to say, we did try our very best to get to you all. We’re due bad weather this week again. I’m hoping to have Jerusalem artichokes in standards and larges this week. They will be difficult to lift if the temperature drops too far so we may have to swap them. I’m digging the swedes out with a mattock. I’m not an expert with this implement, so it’s tended to be more like a weapon of swede destruction in some cases. There may be the odd chunk out of top or bottom of your neep due to my lack of accuracy. Delivery days, especially near the end of the week, may change to suit the weather. I’m already thinking that if it hasn’t snowed by Thursday, but is still forecast, I’ll deliver Fridays bags on Thursday too.
With Christmas falling on Saturday this year, delivery days will be unaffected, for the week leading up to Christmas with our last deliveries on Friday 24th. We will then take a week off between Christmas and New Year and start up again from w/c Jan 3rd 2011. Let us know if you need any extra veg , fruit, eggs, milk or cream to see you through the festive season.
We’ve done our best to protect the veg from the freezing temperatures, however, some damage may occur that is invisible to the eye at packing time. Please let us know if you have any damaged veg, potatoes are particularly susceptible to frost damage, and we’ll replace and compensate with your next delivery.
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.
Savoy Cabbage Brassica oleracea Capitata Group. (1 head).. Cut into quarters, remove the central husk and cook whole or shred. Serve up with a do of butter melting over the top. For a quick lunch or supper dish, try the following: Shred ½ the savoy head and boil for 2 minutes, drain, refresh in cold water and drain again. Heat a litle olive oil in a large frying pan and add 300g of chopped chorizo sausage and cook for 10 minutes until just starting to brown then remove from the pan and set aside. Add 2 crushed garlic cloves and a chopped onion to the chorizo fat in the pan and cook gently for 5 minutes. Add 500g of potatoes, cooked and diced and cook over a high heat for 5 minutes to give them some colour. Return the chorizo and the savoy to the pan and cook gently for 10 minutes. Season
Swede Brassica napa. (1head). Swedes are one of Scotlands Winter staple veggies. It is completely frost resistant so needs only to harvested as required rather than having to be stored. The only problem is lifting when the ground is frozen If you keep them cool, in a shed outside for example, you can keep it for Christmas. Cut off the top and bottom of the swede then peel thickly. Cut into cubes or big chunks and boil for 30-40 minutes or alternatively, parboil then set around a roast in the oven for the last 30 minutes of cooking time. Excellent boiled, then mashed with butter and cream.
Fennel (1 head) This stem base can be chopped raw into salads or simmered in a stock. Here’s a recipe for Buttered Fennel: Trim the root base and cut in half lengthways and rinse in cold water. Put the fennel in a pan with a minmal amount of boiling, lightly salted water and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes or until just tender. Overcooking reduces the sweet aniseed flavour. Drain thoroughly in a colander and keep warm on a serving dish. Now, melt the butter. Season the fennel with pepper, then pour the melted butter over the top and serve. Your cress would be a fine garnish for this dish. Goes particularly well with fish or chicken
Jerusalem Artichoke Helianthus tuberosus Source of Vitamin B1, B2, B3, calcium, potassium, iron and fibre. To cook scrub off the worst of any dirt on the root, then boil for a couple of minutes without cutting off the root or the top. This loosens the skin and allows you to rub it off quite easily. Then boil in slightly salted water for a further 15-20 minutes or until tender. Add lemon juice to the water before boiling to keep the roots white. Can also be roasted after parboiling, and makes very good soup. All you really need are the artichokes, some onion, simmered together until soft, add a stock, boil for 30 minutes maybe a little nutmeg. Puree it then reheat
With Christmas falling on Saturday this year, delivery days will be unaffected, for the week leading up to Christmas with our last deliveries on Friday 24th. We will then take a week off between Christmas and New Year and start up again from w/c Jan 3rd 2011. Let us know if you need any extra veg , fruit, eggs, milk or cream to see you through the festive season.
We’ve done our best to protect the veg from the freezing temperatures, however, some damage may occur that is invisible to the eye at packing time. Please let us know if you have any damaged veg, potatoes are particularly susceptible to frost damage, and we’ll replace and compensate with your next delivery.
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.
Savoy Cabbage Brassica oleracea Capitata Group. (1 head).. Cut into quarters, remove the central husk and cook whole or shred. Serve up with a do of butter melting over the top. For a quick lunch or supper dish, try the following: Shred ½ the savoy head and boil for 2 minutes, drain, refresh in cold water and drain again. Heat a litle olive oil in a large frying pan and add 300g of chopped chorizo sausage and cook for 10 minutes until just starting to brown then remove from the pan and set aside. Add 2 crushed garlic cloves and a chopped onion to the chorizo fat in the pan and cook gently for 5 minutes. Add 500g of potatoes, cooked and diced and cook over a high heat for 5 minutes to give them some colour. Return the chorizo and the savoy to the pan and cook gently for 10 minutes. Season
Swede Brassica napa. (1head). Swedes are one of Scotlands Winter staple veggies. It is completely frost resistant so needs only to harvested as required rather than having to be stored. The only problem is lifting when the ground is frozen If you keep them cool, in a shed outside for example, you can keep it for Christmas. Cut off the top and bottom of the swede then peel thickly. Cut into cubes or big chunks and boil for 30-40 minutes or alternatively, parboil then set around a roast in the oven for the last 30 minutes of cooking time. Excellent boiled, then mashed with butter and cream.
Fennel (1 head) This stem base can be chopped raw into salads or simmered in a stock. Here’s a recipe for Buttered Fennel: Trim the root base and cut in half lengthways and rinse in cold water. Put the fennel in a pan with a minmal amount of boiling, lightly salted water and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes or until just tender. Overcooking reduces the sweet aniseed flavour. Drain thoroughly in a colander and keep warm on a serving dish. Now, melt the butter. Season the fennel with pepper, then pour the melted butter over the top and serve. Your cress would be a fine garnish for this dish. Goes particularly well with fish or chicken
Jerusalem Artichoke Helianthus tuberosus Source of Vitamin B1, B2, B3, calcium, potassium, iron and fibre. To cook scrub off the worst of any dirt on the root, then boil for a couple of minutes without cutting off the root or the top. This loosens the skin and allows you to rub it off quite easily. Then boil in slightly salted water for a further 15-20 minutes or until tender. Add lemon juice to the water before boiling to keep the roots white. Can also be roasted after parboiling, and makes very good soup. All you really need are the artichokes, some onion, simmered together until soft, add a stock, boil for 30 minutes maybe a little nutmeg. Puree it then reheat
posted by thewholeshebag at 12:06 AM
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