January 10, 2014
“A recipe that is enough to convert even the most ardent sprouts-averse folk,” according to The Guardian. What a perfect use for the freshly-picked Brussels sprout stalk in Camel CSA’s vegetable boxes this week.
It’s from The Perfectly Tossed Salad by Mindy Fox. Italian Pecorino is a sharper alternative to Parmesan.
Serves 4-6
Preparation time: 10 minutes
No cooking!
Ingredients
450g brussels sprouts
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp salt
3½ tbsp fresh lemon juice
½-1 tsp whole black peppercorns, crushed
115g pecorino cheese, grated or shaved
Method
Rinse the sprouts, then pat dry with kitchen roll. Remove any discoloured outer leaves, then cut the sprouts in half, lengthways. Very thinly slice them the sprouts crossways, transferring to a large, shallow serving bowl as you go.
Drizzle the oil over the sprouts, sprinkle with salt and toss well. Add the lemon juice and pepper and toss again. Lay the cheese on the top of the salad and serve immediately.
January 9, 2014
A great selection of winter staples this week. Standard boxes have the added luxury of some winter salad leaves from our polytunnels. It’s hard to believe there’s been enough light to encourage them to grow.
All boxes have: –
* Red Russian kale (Camel CSA)
red cabbage (Restharrow Farm, Trebetherick)
leeks (Restharrow)
Brussels sprouts stalk (Restharrow)
* Jerusalem artichokes (Mark Norman, Bodmin)
* onions (Mark Norman)
potatoes ‘Wilja‘ (Restharrow)
Standard boxes also have:-
extra 500g potatoes
* mixed salad bag (Camel CSA) **
* cauliflower (Camel CSA)
beetroot (Restharrow)
* = grown to organic principles
** mibuna, mizuna, baby leaf beet, pak choi, lettuce, rocket, red mustard and golden mustard greens
January 4, 2014
If you’ve never tasted Brussels sprout tops, now’s the time to start. They’re quite a gourmet veg and there’s plenty more where Camel CSA’s come from!
TV chef Silvana Franco sautées them in this quick and easy frittata on The Good Food Channel. I cheated and used the last of the Christmas stilton in place of Italian gorgonzola.
Serves: 2
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 knob butter
1 red onion, finely sliced
1 head sprout tops, or spring greens, finely shredded
2-4 cloves garlic, chopped, to taste
6 eggs
1 thick slice rustic whitebread, crust removed
2 tbsp finely chopped sage
1 tbsp olive oil
150g gorgonzola cheese
Method
Heat the butter in a 23cm non-stick frying pan. Cook the onion, greens and garlic for 5 minutes until wilted and golden.
Meanwhile, beat the eggs. Tear small pieces of bread into the eggs. Add the sage and some salt and pepper and set aside for a few minutes. Stir the wilted green into the eggs and mix well.
Return the pan to the heat and add the oil. Pour in half of the egg mixture and crumble over the cheese. Pour in the rest of the egg mixture. Cook gently for 8 minutes until the frittata is almost set.
Carefully slip out onto a plate then invert back into the pan and cook for a couple of minutes more until cooked right through and golden on each side. Allow to stand for a minute then cut into wedges and serve.
January 3, 2014
Congratulations to Camel CSA’s pickers and packers who made sure the veg boxes were ready on time this morning despite the water-logged conditions on our site.
Many thanks to expert growers Bridget and Mark N and to the volunteer team – Anne, Charlotte, Janet, Mike, Penny, Robert, Simon, Toby and Trish.
January 2, 2014
UPDATE: The artichokes are completely waterlogged, so we have replaced them with turnip ‘Golden Ball’.
Our veg growing site is waterlogged and the seeding tunnel is flooded, but the show goes on…
All boxes have: –
* cauliflower (Camel CSA)
* leeks (Camel CSA)
* Jerusalem artichokes (Camel CSA)
* garlic (Camel CSA)
carrots (Restharrow Farm, Trebetherick)
Brussels sprouts stalk (Restharrow)
potatoes ‘Wilja‘ (Restharrow)
Standard boxes also have:-
extra 500g potatoes
* calabrese or purple sprouting broccoli (Camel CSA)
savoy cabbage (Restharrow)
swede (Restharrow)
* = grown to organic principles
December 20, 2013
This dead-simple combination of winter vegetables works well with turkey or ham. There’s time to cook it while the turkey rests. The recipe is part of the Season’s Eatings (groan!) mini-series from John Lewis.
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 mini squash
4 carrots
4 parsnips
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp honey
3cm ginger root, grated
large pinch of allspice
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Scrub the carrots and parsnips (don’t peel) and cut lengthways into evenly sized chunks. Peel the squash and cut into thick slices, removing the seeds. Place the vegetables in a roasting tray with the garlic cloves. Drizzle with the olive oil and stir well so the vegetables are coated. There should be enough space for them to sit in a single layer or they will steam instead of roasting.
Roast the vegetables in the oven for about 30 minutes until tender. Meanwhile combine the honey, ginger and allspice. Ten minutes before the end of cooking remove the veg from the oven and pour over the glaze. Return to the oven until sticky and caramelised.
December 19, 2013
Our bumper Xmas boxes contain a fabulous selection of seasonal vegetables to see us into the New Year.
There’s also a tasty jar of our homemade tomato and apple chutney in each double-size box + honey from Lewis Cox of St Mabyn and his grandson Chris Tamblyn in Helland. You can’t get more local than that!
A very merry Christmas and happy New Year to you all.
All boxes have: –
* tomato and apple chutney (Camel CSA)
* cavolo nero – Tuscan black kale (Camel CSA)
* squash – Crown Prince or Bon Bon
* small salad bag (Camel CSA) **
* parsley (Camel CSA)
* onions (Mark Norman, Bodmin)
Brussels sprouts stalk (Restharrow Farm, Trebetherick)
savoy cabbage (Restharrow)
carrots (Restharrow)
potatoes 1.5kg ‘Wilja‘ (Restharrow)
Cornish honey (Lewis Cox, St Mabyn / Chris Tamblyn, Helland)
Standard boxes also have:-
extra 500g potatoes
* beetroot (Camel CSA)
red cabbage (Restharrow)
leeks (Restharrow)
swede (Restharrow)
* = grown to organic principles
** mibuna, mizuna, baby leaf beet, pak choi, lettuce, rocket, red mustard and golden mustard greens
December 14, 2013
A quick and easy way to give kale a kick from ever-reliable BBC GoodFood. Use the kale in Camel CSA’s veg boxes this week along with our homegrown garlic and chilli.
Serves: 4
Preparation: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 8 minutes
Ingredients
200g curly kale
1tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 red chilli pepper, deseeded and sliced
Method
Heat the oil in a large wok or frying pan, then add the kale and a couple tbsp water. Season, then stir-fry for 5-8 mins, adding the garlic and chilli for the final 2 mins. When the kale is tender and a vibrant green, remove from the heat and serve.
December 13, 2013
We have a wide selection of Cornish-grown winter vegetables in our boxes this week: –
* curly kale (Camel CSA)
leeks (Restharrow Farm, Trebetherick)
cauliflower (Restharrow)
carrots (Restharrow)
swede (Restharrow)
potatoes ‘Wilja‘ (Restharrow)
* onions (Mark Norman, Bodmin)
Standard boxes also have: –
extra potatoes
* purple sprouting broccoli (Camel CSA)
* cabbage (Camel CSA)
Jerusalem artichokes (Restharrow)
* = grown to organic principles
December 9, 2013
“A rich winter warmer with a kick,” says the excellent West Country FoodLover magazine, which has this variation on a classic recipe. Use the Crown Prince or Uchiki Kuri squash in Camel CSA’s boxes.
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil or large knob of butter
1 onion, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5cm fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp honey (optional)
pinch of dried chilli flakes
1 small cinnamon stick
900g winter squash, like Crown Prince or Uchiki Kuri, peeled, deseeded and diced (keep peel and seeds)
900ml hot stock, with muslin bag of peel and seeds
Method
Heat the oil or butter in a large heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3–4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add the garlic, ginger, chilli flakes and cinnamon stick and cook for a few seconds before adding the squash. Add a little more oil/butter if needed. Add the honey (optional).
Put the seeds and peel in a thin muslin cloth and securely tie at the top. Pour in a little of the stock, increase the heat and scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the remaining stock, and the muslin bag, and boil for about a minute. Reduce the heat to a simmer; cover with the lid and cook for about 45 minutes until the squash is soft and the flavours have developed.
Remove the cinnamon stick, and whiz with a stick blender until smooth. Add hot water if the soup is too thick. Transfer to a clean pan to heat through, and season if required. Serve with wholemeal or rye bread.
