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Sep 032011
haie nf hedge
We seem to be spending a lot of time in the hedges at the moment, it’s that time of year…
Eventually we would like to do some hedge-laying, but we’ve got a bit of tidying up to do first. In the meantime we’re making the most of the wild produce which seems to be abundant this year.
On the menu:
Sloe Gin (My favourite!)
Damson Vodka
Sloe, Bullace and Crab Apple Jelly (lovely with cured meat)
Crab Apple and Mint jelly (for roast lamb)
Hawthorn Berry Ketchup
Bramble Jelly
It always amazes me how free (and lets face it, pretty inedible) hedgerow finds can be turned into such sublime treats.
May 302011
fève /f?v/ feminine noun
Bot, Culin broad bean;C (haricot) bean;
~s au lard baked beans;(figurine) lucky charm (hidden in Twelfth Night cake).
At last! After 3 seasons of failed attampts we’ve finally got a crop of broad beans.
The secret? Sowing them in Autumn, the variety Aquadulce Claudia.
These beauties went into a risotto with a good homemade chicken stock, large helpings of tarragon, mint and parsley, parmesan and a handful of just-picked juicy peas.
Delicious!
Aug 272010
It may look like just an ordinary tomato, but to us it’s an absolute triumph…
The first tomato to make it to edible ripeness (the first of many we hope!)
We think we did it justice by eating it with a little sea salt, home grown basil, pain de campagne and some delicious artisan goats cheese from La Ferme du Crest.
Jul 292010
It’s pickling time again….
I’m hedging my bets with the garlic we’ve harvested. We cured the lot in the garage for a couple of weeks but I’m not sure how well it will store.
The whole bulbs that weren’t too embarrasingly small were strung up.
The rest, including scapes, were put in pots and pickled.
I used a recipe from the excellent River Cottage preserves book.
According to this site the pickling process gets rid of the garlicky smell, while preserving the clever compounds that make garlic so good for you.
We’ll be eating the little pickled garlic cloves with pasta or salad in about 4 weeks time.
Jul 102010
I wanted to make a cake for someone who can’t eat butter, and found this recipe for an orange scented olive oil cake, a Tuscan speciality.
So I gave it a whirl
Absolutely delicious! And easy to make which is a bonus. In the picture it’s served with local Fromage Blanc with a little bit of vanilla, and alpine strawberries which I sowed last year (seeds from Sarah Raven), and have been harvesting daily for the last couple of weeks.
The recipe is from the excellent site http://www.nativefoodandwine.com/.
Their summary ”In the spring of 2009 we set out on a journey to learn about unique production methods, environmentally responsible solutions and the diverse ways food & wine are appreciated around the world”
I used a fairly standard extra virgin olive oil that I had in, but in the spirit of the website the recipe came from perhaps I should have a go making it with some local oil from the Huilerie at Blot l’Eglise. They specialize in rapeseed, walnut and hazelnut oils as these are all grown locally.
I’m going to pay them a visit soon so will keep you posted.
Jun 142010
The strawberries are tantatlizingly close to ripeness, we’ve had a couple each straight from the plants, but not enough for a dessert yet.
In the meantime I raided the store cupboard for something sweet and made this flapjack from a vintage Cranks recipe book. It’s made with treacle rather than syrup, it is super quick to make and absolutely delicious!
Cranks Flapjack
Butter 150g
Raw brown sugar 75g
Black treacle 75g
Porridge oats 225g
Pinch of salt
Melt the butter, sugar and treacle in a pan – do not let it boil. Mix in the oats and salt and stir thoroughly. Press into a 20cm square tin and smooth over the surface with a palette knife, . Bake in the oven at 190ºC for 25-30 minutes, until set and golden brown. Mark into portions while still warm, then leave to cool on a wire tray. Store in an airtight tin.
Jan 122010
http://www.francobelge.staub.fr/
Winter’s here and the snow is knee high outside but thanks to our old woodburning stove we’re nice and toasty inside.
