Baked stuffed marrow (from Kate Beckett)

1 Marrow about 2l/2-3Ib (1.125-1.4 kg) Butter or margarine 1 oz (25 g) Small onion finely chopped 1 Garlic clove crushed

100% whole meal flour 1 tbsp (15 ml) Firm ripe tomatoes finely chopped 12 oz (350 g)

Vegetable stock 2 fl oz (50 ml) Yeast extract 1 tsp (5 ml) .

Tomato puree 1 tbsp (15 ml) Raw brown sugar 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml)

Fresh mixed herbs chopped 1 tbsp (15 ml) or dried herbs l/2 tsp (2.5 ml) Salt & pepper to taste

Mushrooms wiped & chopped 4 oz (100 g) Red or green pepper deseeded & finely chopped

Brown rice cooked 6 oz (175 g) Cashew nuts toasted 1 oz (25 g)

Parsley to garnish

Topping

Grated cheese 3 oz (75 g) or 100%. whole meal breadcrumbs 2 oz (50 g) chopped mixed nuts toasted 1 oz (25 g) & butter or margarine l/2 oz (15 g)

Preparation time: 25-30 minutes Cooking time: 40-50 minutes

Cut the marrow in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds. (These may be used in a soup or casserole provided they are from young marrows). Place both halves into a large pan of boiling water. Bring back to the boil quickly. Then simmer for 1-2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop further cooking. Dry the marrow thoroughly with kitchen paper.

Melt the butter in a saucepan add the finely chopped onion and cook until transparent. Stir in the garlic and flour. Add the finely chopped tomatoes stock yeast extract tomato puree, sugar, herbs, salt and pepper. Cook gently, covered, for about 3 minutes. Then add the mushrooms and the pepper and simmer uncovered for a further 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the rice and the nuts and season to taste.

Spoon the rice mixture into the marrow shells and place them side by side in a baking dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese or with the mixed breadcrumbs chopped nuts and melted butter. Bake in the oven at 190°C (375°F/Mark 5) for about 30-40 minutes until the filling is heated through and the marrow is tender. Serve garnished with parsley.

Serves 4-6 From “Entertaining with Cranks”

Squish Squash (from Jane Williams)

1 medium squash

5 or 6 medium potatoes

½ dozen spring onions

Grated cheese

1. Oil & butter a baking sheet, sprinkle with a little sea salt & ground black pepper.  Cut squash in half & place, cut sides down, onto baking sheet.  Cook in oven until soft.  When cooked, scoop out the seeds & discard, & scoop the flesh out of the skin & set aside – it doesn’t matter if it’s a bit browned, it gives it a nice roasted flavour.   (This is the best way I have found to cook squash, which can be a bit dangerous to peel!)

2. Whilst the squash is cooking, peel & chop the potatoes & chop the spring onions.  Put potatoes & onions into lidded glass dish with 2 tablespoons of water & cook on full power in microwave until potatoes are soft.

3. Drain potatoes & squash & transfer to food processor along with generous knob of butter & oil from baking sheet.  Whizz until pureed.

4. Transfer puree into ovenproof dish, sprinkle with grated cheese & put into oven until fluffy & lightly browned.

Nice with sesame seeds sprinkled on top of the cheese & makes good topping for lentil cottage pie.

Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin diced

1 medium onion chopped

1 pint of vegetable stock more for a large pumpkin

1 teaspoon of dried herbs

Salt and pepper

Fry onion in butter or oil for 5 mins add pumpkin and toss through.

Add stock and herbs and simmer for ½ to 1 hour until pumpkin is soft. Liquidise and serve. Use a potato masher if you haven’t got a liquidiser.

Butternut Squash Soup with Lime and Ginger

Serves four:

2 tblsp sunflower oil, 1 onion chopped, 1 clove garlic, half ounce root ginger, 2lbs butternut squash – deseeded and chopped but not peeled, 1.5 pts vegetable stock, juice and zest of 1 lime, salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil and gently cook onion and garlic. Add ginger and squash and slowly cook in covered pan for 10 minutes. Add the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 40 minutes or until squash is really tender. Cool slightly, then liquidize until smooth. Add juice and zest of 1 lime. Season to taste. Re-heat before serving.

Great to be able to use butternut squash without peeling. Saves time and increases flavour of soup. Have tried using curry powder instead of lime and ginger and it still tastes great!

Pumpkin and Apple Soup (from Cathy Constable)

Pumpkin diced (this recipe should work for squashes too!)

1medium cooking apple, peeled cored and chopped

1 medium onion chopped

1 pint of vegetable stock more for a large pumpkin

1/2 teaspoon of dried herbs

Salt and pepper

Fry onions in butter or oil for 5 mins add pumpkin, apple, stock, herbs and season well. Simmer for ½ to 1 hour until pumpkin is soft. Liquidise, or use a potato masher if you haven’t got a liquidiser. Finish with a bit of grated cheese and this goes down a treat with all ages

French Turnip Soup (from Hilary Mayne)

In spite of what the others say about turnips there is a very good French turnip soup you can access from the internet.

· Fry an onion, add diced peeled turnips and stock and a large handful of Arborio rice and parsley. When cooked sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

It’s a bit like eating a savoury porridge but no less delicious!

Red Cabbage

2 oz/ 50 g butter cooking time 45 mins

1 medium onion peeled and sliced oven 180°c, 350°f, gas 4

1 clove of garlic crushed

1 lb red cabbage trimmed and shredded

1 cooking apple peeled, cored and sliced

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons water

1 oz/ 50g sugar

Salt and pepper

Heat butter in large saucepan and fry onion and garlic for a few minutes add cabbage and apples and cook for 5 mins stirring with a wooden spoon. Spoon into an ovenproof dish. Combine vinegar, water and sugar and pour over the cabbage. Season liberally cover and cook for 45 mins. Drain and serve with a slotted spoon. Good with pork, gammon and veal.

2 or 3 teaspoons of red current jelly added to the vinegar and water give it an extra sweetness.

Vegetable Crumble (from Philippa Gerry)

Make crumble topping as for a sweet, putting in nuts and seeds of choice instead of sugar. Parboil winter root vegetables of choice, several kinds or just a couple.

Cook as for ordinary crumble. Can include grated cheese either in, or on, the crumble top.

Braised Fennel

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes
Cooking Time: 30 Minutes

Use as a main course for a vegetarian meal or as a side dish to roast chicken or fish. Use 1 bulb per person as a main course, half as a side dish.

Ingredients: Serves 4
4 medium sized fennel bulbs
large knob of butter
250ml of vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions:

1. Trim the fennel and cut into quarters.

2. Heat the butter in a large heavy based pan, introduce the fennel quarters and and ensure they are all buttery.

3. Add the stock, bring to the boil, then lower to a simmer, add salt and pepper, cover for thirty minutes.

Winter Leaf And Salad Identification

SPINACH: This can be boiled, steamed or stir-fried. It tends to shrink during cooking.

SWISS CHARD / RHUBARB CHARD: Rhubarb Chard is a red version of Swiss Chard which looks vaguely similar to Spinach except that it is “chunkier”. Cooking is similar, but Chard stems are nice raw and should not be discarded.

BORECOLE (CURLY GREEN): This is basically culinary kale and consists of green curly leaves. It should be cooked in the same way as cabbage, but don’t overdo it or it will lose its “tangy” taste. Borecole does not shrink during cooking!

REDBOR: This is a red version of Borecole which it resembles except for the colour. It should be treated in the same way.

MIZUNA: This is also known as Japanese Mustard. It is a feather-leafed, endive-like plant, with long thin green leaves on white stalks. It has a mild flavour and can be used raw in a salad or stir-fried.

CHINESE MUSTARD: This plant has rough strap-like green leaves, somewhat “rounder” than those of the Mizuna. The flavour is considerably hotter and will add a kick to your salad! It can also be stir-fried.

CHINESE CABBAGE: Often known as Chinese Leaves, this vegetable is light green, conical shaped, and tightly packed like a cabbage. It can be cooked quickly, or simmered in a pan for a few minutes, but in my opinion it is best used raw as a substitute for lettuce.

PAK CHOI: The fleshy white stalks of Pak Choi are similar to those of the Chinese Cabbage, but the leaves are much darker and turn outwards, giving the whole plant an appearance similar to a green trumpet! Although it can be lightly braised or stir-fried, it is also delicious raw and the odd leaf tends to get eaten while harvesting!

ROCKET: This is a herb which is used raw to spice up a salad. When we include Rocket in the boxes we normally put one or two leaves in the bag with the lettuce to ensure that it is not lost!

Some of the winter leaf and salad items we grow are pictured above. Please note that we do not currently grow Red Amaranth, Bulls Blood, Mustard Giant Red or Golden Streaks.