Another excellent recipe from the Riverford Organic Vegetables website.
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 55 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
500g Swiss chard
75g butter
2tbsp plain flour
100g cheddar cheese
750g potatoes
4 garlic cloves
600ml (1 pint) milk
salt and pepper
Method
1. Remove and roughly chop the green part of the chard leaves. Cut the stalks into 2cm lengths and steam for 10 mins. Stir in the green leaves and continue to cook for a few minutes.
2. Wash the potatoes and cut into 1cm slices. Boil for 5 mins until just tender. Drain.
3. Grease a shallow baking dish and layer with half the potatoes, the chard, then the remaining potatoes.
To make the sauce:
1. Melt the butter and fry the crushed garlic for 2 mins. Stir in the flour and continue stirring for 1 min.
2. Gradually add the milk, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens.
3. Add half the grated cheese and season with salt and pepper.
4. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and top with remaining cheese. Bake at 180° Mark 4 for 35 mins.
Do you have a recipe for Swiss chard that you would like to share with the rest of us? Just click on Comments at the top of this article and let us have it!
Click here to see all the recipes that Camel CSA members have recommended so far.
This spectacular but easy dish can be found on the Riverford Organic Vegetables website
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Per person:
1 sheet baking parchment
5 small new potatoes
5 cloves of garlic unpeeled – wet garlic can also be used
small branch rosemary or several branches of thyme
1 tbsp virgin olive oil
salt & black pepper
Method
The idea for this came from Alice Waters at Chez Panisse.
1. If the potatoes are large – cut in half, wash, but leaves skins on. Preheat oven to 200ºC (gas mark 6).
2. Fold the baking parchment in half to make a crease; open and lay potatoes on the lower half. Tuck in garlic and herbs. Pour olive oil over spuds and season with salt and pepper. Bring the rest of the paper down and roll lightly along the edges to form a pouch (a bit like pastry). Make sure that the package is sealed.
3. Bake for 30 minutes and serve immediately. The ‘pastry’ packages will “puff up”. The packages are best opened at the table.
Notes
I first tasted this delicious method of preparing the new potatoes in our veg boxes when visiting Riverford Organic Vegetables in Devon to tour the farm and to have lunch in its Field Kitchen. The resident chef, Jane Baxter, used to work at the River Cafe in London. It shows!
If you have a way of cooking new potatoes you’d like to share, please let us have it. Click on the comments link at the top of this post and get writing…
Click here to see all the recipes that Camel CSA members have recommended so far.
Camel Community Supported Agriculture’s second recipe is recommended by volunteer Penny Manders.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
2 large raw beetroot, grated
I large onion, chopped
110g (4 oz) sultanas
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
chopped basil
salt and freshly ground pepper
juice of 1 lemon
1 bunch spring onions, chopped
Method
Mix all the ingredients together in a salad bowl. Sprinkle the spring onions over the top and serve.
Notes
This recipe comes from Sarah Brown’s Vegetarian Kitchen. You can cook the beetroot first if you prefer. Try using some fresh raw beetroot with one of the newly-harvested onions from our vegetable box and garnishing the salad with parsley, again from the box, rather than spring onions. If you dislike the taste of strong raw onion you could use a red onion, which has a milder flavour, or some chives instead.
There are some interesting recipes for beetroot on the Riverford Organics website, including this one for Chocolate beetroot cake.
For tips on how to prepare, cook and store beetroot have a look at the useful eat the seasons website.
If you have any beetroot recipes you would like to share, please let us have them. Click on the comments link at the top of this post.
Click here to see all the recipes that Camel CSA members have recommended so far.
The first of Camel Community Agriculture’s weekly recipes celebrates our first-ever veg boxes.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
125 g (4 oz) chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
60 g (2 oz) butter
0.5 kg (1 lb) shelled broad beans
2-3 good quality bean pods
chopped fresh sage or parsley
salt, pepper, sugar
6 tablespoons double cream
lemon juice, chopped green onion stalk or chives
Method
Soften the onion and garlic in butter without letting them colour. Add the beans, a litre (1.75 pints) water, the pods and a few sprigs of the herb you choose. When the beans are cooked (approx 10 mins), sieve or blend the soup. Reheat, adding more liquid if necessary to dilute. Season to taste, with a pinch of sugar. Add a little more chopped herb, the cream, the onion stalks and a few drops of lemon juice to bring out the flavour.
Notes
This soup recipe taken from Jane Grigson’s Vegetable Book is simple, quick and good. Jane Baxter, the resident chef at Riverford Organic Vegetables’ Field Kitchen, has adapted it into Broad bean soup for children who hate broad beans! She discards the pods before blending the soup. I agree with her that it is essential not to skimp on the cream.
If you don’t like to use cream and butter for economic or health reasons, try this Vegetarian Society “cordon vert” recipe for Fresh broad bean and mint soup. There’s also a delicious-sounding recipe for Broad bean pate.
Danny, one of our core group members, recommends Chorizo and broad bean salad. Danny says:
“I tried this absolutely delicious broad bean salad. My kids loved it as well!!!
Simply fry an onion, add the sliced chorizo and put the podded broad beans in at the end. I topped it with fresh parsley and some parmesan. YUM!
I did it again with bacon instead of chorizo…..equally yummy!!”
For tips on how to cook, store and freeze broad beans have a look at the useful eat the seasons website.
Click here to see all the recipes that Camel CSA members have recommended so far.
