We’ve passed over the spring equinox, the days are officially longer than the nights, and surely spring is here at last… more or less! The blackthorn trees are covered in frothy white flowers, the hawthorn hedge has put forth its buds, and wild garlic is everywhere in the woods.
We have wild garlic from Ripple Farm in the bags this week and next week. Martin at Ripple Farm has an arrangement with Hilary from Burscombe Cliff farm next door. She is an organic mixed livestock farmer and has wild garlic growing in her woods. Ripple Farm supplies her animals with some of their waste vegetables (mainly potatoes) and in return she lets him harvest her wild garlic. It’s a wonderful short-lived spring treat. Use it quickly as it wilts fast.
The veg bags are getting lighter now: carrots are the only winter roots still left. It’s mostly light green leaves for a couple of months now. Enjoy the light spring produce. It’s a lovely shift in produce that suits the character of the season.
Don’t forget to return your re-usable Vegbox bags and packaging.
When you want to take a holiday from Vegbox, please let us know a week in advance.
Tom Steele
What’s in the bag this week?
Small bag:
Leeks – Ripple Farm, Kent
Carrots – RB Organic, Norfolk
Cauliflower – Nash Nursery, Kent
Kale – Ripple Farm, Kent
Standard bag:
Baking potatoes – Newfields Organics, Yorkshire
Tundra cabbage – Nash Nursery, Kent
Parsley – Wild Country Organics, Cambridgeshire
Wild garlic – Ripple Farm, Kent
Purple sprouting broccoli – Langridge Organics, Devon
Fruit supplement:
Crimson Crisp apples – Langridge Organics, Kent
Family bag:
Leeks – Ripple Farm, Kent
Carrots – RB Organic, Norfolk
Portobello mushrooms – Capel Mushrooms, Suffolk
Kale – Ripple Farm, Kent
Crown Prince squash – Ripple Farm, Kent
Radish – Nash Nursery, Kent
Mega bag:
Baking potatoes – Newfields Organics, Yorkshire
Tundra cabbage – Nash Nursery, Kent
Wild garlic – Ripple Farm, Kent
Parsley – Wild Country Organics, Cambridgeshire
Crown Prince squash – Ripple Farm, Kent
Endive – Nash Nursery, Kent
Purple sprouting broccoli – Langridge Organics, Devon
Wash all veg and fruit before eating. Store carrots, leeks, cut squash, salad leaves, cauliflower, kale, wild garlic, broccoli, parsley, endive and mushrooms in the fridge. Protect potatoes from light to avoid sprouting.
Recipe: wild garlic pesto
40g wild garlic, chopped 10g parsley, chopped
25g pine nuts, lightly toasted 20g parmesan, finely grated
3-4 tbsp olive oil lemon juice (optional)
- You can do this in a mortar with a pestle or a small food processor.
- Whizz or pound the wild garlic, parsley, pine nuts, parmesan and olive oil.
- Add a good pinch of salt and some pepper, taste and adjust any seasonings to taste.
- Try a squeeze of lemon juice just before serving.
Recipe: greens soup with garlic caraway breadcrumbs
This is a great recipe for using up bags of random old greens! They can build up at this time of year. Adapted from a recipe on Kale & Caramel. Serves 2.
1 bunch of greens (spinach, lettuce, etc.) 1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tsp fresh dill leaves 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp coconut oil 1 tsp fruit vinegar, or similar
pinch of chilli powder 250ml stock
garlic caraway breadcrumbs:
35g breadcrumbs 1 tbsp olive oil
½ clove garlic, sliced ¼ tsp caraway seeds
2 pinches salt dollop cream or crème fraiche
- Heat the coconut oil in a pan over a medium heat.
- Separate the leaves from the stems of the greens.
- Chop the stems and add them to the pan. Cook with the lid on for five minutes.
- Add the leaves from the greens and the garlic, and cook with the lid on for five minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let the pan cool a little.
- Place the cooked greens in a blender with the stock.
- Add the dill leaves, nutritional yeast, vinegar and chilli powder.
- Blend until completely smooth. Return to pan to keep warm.
- Preheat oven to 180ºC.
- In a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs, olive oil, a couple pinches salt, chopped garlic, and caraway seeds. Toss to thoroughly incorporate all ingredients.
- Spread on a small baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes, until just golden brown and fragrant.
- Remove from oven and set aside.
- Serve the soup topped with dollops of cream or creme fraiche and sprinkles of garlic caraway breadcrumbs.
Recipe: parsley potatoes
900g potatoes, cut into bite sized chunks 1 bay leaf
80g butter, melted 1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped
- Cover the chopped potatoes with warm water. Add 1 tsp salt and the bay leaf.
- Bring potatoes to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes until tender.
- Drain the potatoes, then toss with the melted butter and chopped parsley.
- Serve warm.
