25/01/2012 by D.

fruit: pomegranite, bananas, oranges, avocado, Gala apples, lemon
veg: Romano potatoes, onions, Crown Prince squash, mixed kale bag, leeks, carrots, parsnips, red cabbage, garlic

The last post in January already, and Burns night to boot.  The haggis awaits its fate..

I’m very pleased to get a pomegranite this week and am already planning to make pomegranite, rocket and feta salad, which is fabulous with baked potatoes or stuffed into toasted pitta pockets.  The squash will be used in a Jungle stew, which is lovely and fragrant as well as stodgy enough to be comfort food, as well as a good way to use star anise.  Bonus.

I like the Kale stir fry idea in this week’s leaflet, so will give that a go as well.

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23/01/2012 by D.

This is great for little ones as leek is quite mild and the overall pasta bake is whitish…

2 leeks
1 tsp butter
1/2 pint milk
1 tbs butter
1 tbs flour
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1 cup grated cheese
1/2 cup ham cubes or broken pieces of sliced ham (optional - you could use tomato or sundried tomatoes)
500g pasta

Heat the oven to 180c.  Clean and chop the leeks.  Sweat them in the teaspoon of butter in a saucepan with the lid on and don’t allow them to brown. 

Add milk, tablespoon butter, flour, nutmeg and mustard to another saucepan and heat gently, whisking occasionally.  As it begins to heat up, concentrate on the whisking and don’t allow it to catch on the bottom.  Once bubbling gently remove from the heat and stir in half the cheese.  Season to taste.  It should have a thick texture.

Break up the leeks with a spoon -they should now be softish.  Add to the cheese sauce.  Mix in the ham.

Bring a large pan of salted water to boil and cook the pasta according to instructions on the packet.  Drain it before it becomes too soft as it will be cooked further in the oven.  Mix the sauce with the pasta, pour into an oven proof dish and sprinkle over the remaining cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes until piping hot with a brown cheesy top.

This is great for putting in mini ramikins and freezing for quick suppers (don’t do the last step of putting it in the oven as that will happen when you reheat).

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19/01/2012 by D.

fruit: bananas, Gala apples, lemon, blood oranges, clemantines, Conference pears
veg: Savoy cabbage, beetroot, swede, aubergine, bulb of garlic, onions, Ambo potatoes, carrots, mushrooms

Good timing to get a swede this week, as we’ll be having a Haggis next wednesday for Burns’ night and use it to make our neeps and tatties.  I’ve been craving bubble and squeak with poached eggs, so some of the cabbage will be going that way, and the rest will make a lovely winter coleslaw.

I’m trialling focaccia and apple pizza this week so if they work out, I’ll let you have the recipes.  On tonight’s menu is the much beloved mushroom barley bake, which is a fantastic January dish; cheap, healthy, comforting and filling.  Do try it if you haven’t already; it’s a bit like a risotto, but with a slightly chewy texture and a lovely creamy and cheesey topping.

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12/01/2012 by D.

1 large or two medium potatoes
1 cup frozen peas
2 oz cubed cheddar
6 eggs
tbsp butter
pinch salt

Peel the potato and cut into 1cm cubes.  Boil in salted water until tender (different varieties take longer or shorter, so test after about 5 mins).  When nearly done, tip in the frozen peas for a minute, then drain the lot.

Break the eggs into a bowl and whisk in the salt.  Cube the cheddar.

When you are ready to cook, melt the butter in a frying pan then add the potatoes and peas.  Sprinkle over the cheese, then pour on the egg mix and tip to ensure good distribution.

Cook on a medium heat until you can see a thick layer of egg is cooked, (but you can smell no burning!).  Heat the grill, then put the frying pan under the grill for around 5 minutes until the omelette is golden on top.  Use a knife to ensure the centre has no runny egg - if so, place back under the grill for a minute or two (turn it down a bit to make sure it doesn’t burn), then recheck.

Serve with a leafy green or cucumber salad and a nice mustardy dressing.

Posted in Cheese, Supper, Pea, Eggs, Vegetarian, Recipe, Potato, Organic Box | Print | No Comments »