Our boxes and recipes this week - 8th July 2013

The intoxicating smell of green and purple basil is a real evocation of the Summer with our plants growing healthily amongst our cherry tomato plants. Soft leafed herbs such as basil, parsley and coriander are a real treat of the season and a great seller for the farm to the wholesale market where chefs use plentiful amounts of herbs to elevate their dishes from the good to the great. Herbs add different dimensions to savoury and sweet dishes and there really is no comparison to their dried counterparts. Used at the end of dishes to add fresh notes of flavour compared to their earthy winter cousins like sage and rosemary we really should use them more. To sample the best of the seasons herbs from the farm you can buy a Gourmet Bag from the farm for £4.30. We have included some recipes overleaf to inspire you.

The beautiful new potatoes in the boxes this week are called Trixey and are the first of the field crop to be lifted. They are wonderful salad potato akin to Charlotte and we are rightly rather chuffed with how they have turned out. A good potato harvest is really important for the farm with the failure of our main crop last year lying at the heart of a disastrous year. Touching wood everything is looking good so far.

The fresh fennel with fronds from the farm this week is a great example of a field to fork item that you won’t find in many places. Use the fronds when young and delicate to create marinades or stuff into fish to infuse with a gentle aniseed flavour. PS. Please remember to wash all produce well before use.

Laurence Guy – Box Scheme Manager

Recipes:
Herbs
Herbs not only add unique flavours to your dishes but are often loaded with vitamins and essential minerals needed to protect your immune system and promote health.

Classic Pesto

In Italy a pesto was a clever way of using the end of a crop of basil, coriander or parsley before or just after it had bolted. Simple to achieve when made fresh it has a far cleaner and more vibrant flavour than the shop bought varieties. Using a food processor add one generous bunch of basil, a tablespoon of pine or cashew nuts, the juice of half a lemon, a clove of garlic, three tablespoons of olive oil and 30 to 50g of grated hard cheese like parmesan. Pulse until a smooth consistency is achieved. Best used straight away it can stay in the fridge for an extra day if needed but may dull in vibrancy of appearance.

Classic Citrus Gremolata
This gremolata, which is a kind of coarse pesto, really brightens up all manner of dishes. Try adding to new potatoes, grilled oily fish, as a counter point to a rich tomato based stew or simply as a dressing for some selected steamed veg. In a bowl add one minced clove of garlic, one teaspoon of finely grated lemon and one teaspoon of finely grated orange along with two tablespoons of finely chopped parsley and a tablespoon of olive oil. Mix well and use. The gremolata is meant as a counter point rather than as a seasoning so remember to season your dish to taste before adding the gremolata.

Parsley Oil
Parsley oil is a great way of adding a bright green chlorophyll filled streak of green to a dish like risotto, minestrone or tomato soup amongst others. Simple bring a pan of water to boil and add a bunch of parsley leaves to the water for fifteen seconds before removing and plunging into a bowl of ice cold water. Drain the parsley and squeeze out any excess moisture before adding to a food processor. Blend the parsley in the processor adding a little olive oil at a time until the desired consistency is achieved.