The UK leeks have run out, so we are switching to onions from the Netherlands until the new spring onions arrive later in the year.
Our box scheme has a UK-only buying policy, so we’re committed to trying to make use of what is seasonally available in this country. Depending on how scarce UK crops get, we do occasionally buy from the continent to supplement what we have, usually from the Netherlands. This year, our home grown organic alliums have run out very early. You may have gathered from the news that it’s been a tough winter for our growers, very wet and cold.
The long term challenge is that each year the weather is becoming more erratic and unpredictable. Our globalised food system usually buys from overseas to smooth out produce supplies when there are local harvest failures, but even this strategy is starting to run up against its limits. These globalised supply chains are brittle and easily disrupted and climate change impacts are increasing in every part of the world. We’ve seen it in orange harvests for example. The terrible floods around Valencia back in October impacted the Spanish orange harvest, then the Florida orange harvest was mostly washed away by Hurricane Milton, as drought and disease resulted in record low orange harvests in Brazil.
A key solution is to shift away as much as possible from a profit-driven agricultural system based on cheap prices, low agricultural wages and farms barely surviving on thin margins towards a system that prioritises resilient food production, decent wages for food workers, and nature-friendly farming methods.
Our next Vegbox event coming up is our “bring a dish” Spring Equinox Lunch. It’ll be 12pm-2pm on Sunday 23rd March at The Thanet, Herbert Street, NW5 4HD. dandelion.events/e/springequinox2025
If you’re going on holiday, let us know at least a week before.
Tom Steele
What’s in the bag this week?
Small bag:
Onions – Langridge Organics, Netherlands
Carrots – Newfields Organics, Yorkshire
Swede – Newfields Organics, Yorkshire
Savoy greens – Newfields Organics, Yorkshire
Standard bag:
Carolus potatoes – Newfields Organics, Yorkshire
Parsnips – Bagthorpe Farm, Norfolk
Celeriac – Langridge Organics, Lincolnshire
Crown Prince squash – Ripple Farm, Kent
Savoy greens – Newfields Organics, Yorkshire
Fruit supplement:
Blaze apples – Mole End Farm, Kent
Family bag:
Onions – Langridge Organics, Netherlands
Carrots – Newfields Organics, Yorkshire
Swede – Newfields Organics, Yorkshire
Savoy greens – Newfields Organics, Yorkshire
Kale – Ripple Farm, Kent
Winter salad bag – Langridge Organics, Devon
Mega bag:
Carolus potatoes – Newfields Organics, Yorkshire
Leeks – Sarah Green’s, Essex
Parsnips – Bagthorpe Farm, Norfolk
Queensland Blue squash – Sarah Green’s, Essex
Savoy greens – Newfields Organics, Yorkshire
Kale – Ripple Farm, Kent
Winter salad bag – Langridge Organics, Devon
Wash all veg and fruit before eating. Store carrots, leeks, kale, swede, celeriac, squash pieces, savoy greens, parsnips and salad leaves in the fridge. Protect potatoes from light to avoid sprouting.
Recipe: lentils, swede puree and pesto
1 leek, sliced 200g puy lentils
1 bay leaf 2 cloves
1 sprig thyme 400ml stock
1 garlic clove, peeled 15g pine nuts or similar
a handful of parsley, chopped olive oil
300g swede 1 point from a star anise, finely ground
1 tbsp crème fraiche 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Peel the swede, cut into chunks, and boil in salted water till soft.
- Drain and mash, or puree in a liquidiser till fine.
- Add the small amount of star anise powder and the crème fraiche and stir together.
- Meanwhile, gently fry the leek in oil for 15 minutes or so in a pan.
- Add the lentils, bay, cloves and thyme. Fry for a few minutes.
- Add the stock and gently simmer for 40 minutes or so, till the lentils are tender.
- Puree the garlic clove, pine nuts, parsley together in a blender with enough olive oil to make a smooth pesto.
- When the lentils are ready, remove the bay leaves, cloves and thyme sprig. Stir the vinegar into the lentils.
- To serve, put a dollop of swede puree on the plate, surround with lentils, then drizzle the pesto on the top.
Recipe: squash risotto
Serves 4.
olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
grated zest of 1 lemon 350g risotto rice such as Arborio
150ml dry white wine / dry Vermouth 1 litre stock
600g squash parsley and grated Parmesan (optional)
- Turn on the oven to 180°C / gas mark 4.
- Put the squash in a baking tray, drizzle with oil. Roast for about 30 minutes.
- Remove the squash from the oven, allow to cool, then remove skin and seeds and cut the flesh into bite sized chunks.
- Heat 5 tbsp oil in a large pan.
- Soften the onion for ten minutes, then add the garlic, thyme and lemon zest.
- Cook briefly, then add the rice, and stir to coat the grains in oil.
- Add the wine and bubble until almost evaporated.
- Add the stock, a bit at a time, stirring from time to time.
- Allow the stock to be absorbed before adding more.
- Keep adding stock until the rice is fully tender – about 25 to 30 minutes.
- While you are cooking the rice, sautee the squash pieces in oil or butter for 15 minutes in a separate frying pan with a little salt and lemon zest.
- Stir the squash into the risotto rice at the end.
- If using, stir in the parsley, and serve with grated Parmesan cheese.
