Produce Information and Recipes
Below is listed all the produce we grow over the course of a year and tips on how to prepare the veg, when they are available, and any particular nutritional information (highlighted in pink).
Read last year's box note on edible wild plants around the Forres area.
This part of the website is updated regularly with images, information and recipes as the seasons change. If you have a recipe, photo or suggestion for this section, please get in touch: EarthShare.
*** To access recipes click on the photo of the veg or
the veg name. ***
Beetroot is harvested from September until March or April. The beetroot leaves are very nutritious (a good source of vitamins A and C and iron) and can be used in salads or cooked like spinach (just remove the central stalk if it is very tough). The root can be eaten raw (grated in salads) or cooked.
One of the easiest ways to prepare beetroot is just to rinse (don't peel or cut off the roots or the stalk because the vivid red juice will leach out) then boil in plenty of water. The time needed depends on the size – anything from 20–60 minutes. Once they are cooked, allow to cool a little then top, tail and peel. Alternatively, they can be covered and baked whole in the oven, although this takes longer. They can also be eaten raw, grated in salads. (Baking them whole in the oven intensifies their lovely sweet earthy flavour!)
These wonderful beans, harvested over the summer, are highly nutritious: full of phosphorous, vitamin A and C, and rich in protein. Once removed from their pods, the beans can be cooked whole, boiled for no more than 5 minutes. Larger beans can develop quite a tough outer skin. I don't mind this, but many cookery books suggest removing the skin – the easiest way to do this is to boil the beans lightly, then remove the skin when cool.
Not to be confused with calabrese (see below). Purple sprouting broccoli is smaller with dark purple flowers and long leafy stems, and is sometimes known as 'poor man's asparagus'. Don't remove the leaves – they are wonderfully tasty and can be cooked along with the broccoli. Purple sprouting broccoli is an excellent source of vitamin C and also iron, calcium and vitamin A. It has a delicious delicate flavour and can be eaten raw or lightly steamed or stir-fried. It's lovely plain, or you can add some olive oil, butter, lemon juice, seasonings.
Harvested December - February. Sprouts are probably the only vegetable that doesn't do too well at EarthShare; they are always lovely and tasty, but the crop is never as bountiful as we hope it will be.
We mostly supply sprouts 'on the stalk' - the sprouts keep better this way, plus you get 2 veg in 1! The leaves can be cooked separately like cabbage, or they can be added to the sprouts for the last few minutes' cooking. Sprouts can be boiled (briefly), steamed, or shredded and stir-fried. They are a good source of vitamin A, C, iron and potassium.
Left: Larger; right: January kingPictured left is the Larger variety that we grow for its keeping qualities. Cabbage can be eaten raw, finely shredded in coleslaws or cooked (stir-fried, steamed, baked) but DON'T overcook! Chef, Geoffrey Smeddle in the Sunday Herald, offers some excellent advice for cooking cabbage (red and green): "When it comes to cooking any cabbage, the golden rule is: short and sharp or slow and easy. In other words, boil it up quickly or braise gently. Anything in between and you get old school cabbage."
It is lovely shredded then braised with cider and juniper berries, or sauteed in butter with caraway seeds and a dash of double cream added. Or shredded, then cooked gently in olive with garlic (and possibly a dash of white wine or water added to stop it sticking). Green cabbage is available from November until early April.
Traditionally red cabbage is cooked with strong flavourings - slowly braised with vinegar, spices, sugar - but it can also be eaten raw. Leftover cooked red cabbage makes a colourful bubble and squeak.
Not to be confused with purple sprouting broccoli, which is harvested February - May. Calabrese is harvested late summer and into the autumn. Wash in cold water. It is an exceptionally nutritious veg – it’s abundant in sulphur, iron, chlorophyll; rich in vitamin A, B-complex, and especially vitamin C (it contains more than oranges!).
This is a lovely versatile veg that can be lightly steamed, stir-fried, used in soups or eaten raw. Don’t waste anything – use the leaves, stalks, and florets (thicker stalks will need chopping and longer cooking than leaves/florets). For a very simple, delicious soup just wash and roughly chop your calabrese, boil in 500ml water with 2 tsp bouillon/stock powder until tender; blend briefly then return to the pan; add some milk, cream or soya milk to get the desired consistency, season well, then reheat very gently.Calabrese is lovely steamed, stir fried or used in soups.
EarthShare is renowned for its lovely tasty carrots! Each spring we enjoy some early carrots grown in the polytunnels at Cullerne, but the main crop starts late summer and sees us through until March or April. Carrot fly can sometimes be a problem; if you find any signs of carrot fly, just cut out the affected part and enjoy the rest. EarthShare carrots just need a gentle scrub then they are ready for grating or cooking, unlike non-organic carrots which even the government advises people to peel to remove the toxic residues!
Carrots have been described as 'nutritional heroes', containing more carotene (which the body converts to vitamin A) than any other vegetable; it also contains vitamins B, C and potassium.
Cauliflower can be prepared in many ways: it can be steamed, sautéd, used in soufflés, gratins or soup, or it can be eaten raw or blanched in salads; it is lovely in a selection of crudités with dips. As everyone knows, it goes very well with cheese sauce, but have you tried it with a lovely rich Hollandaise sauce? In Provence it is often broken into florets, then sautéed gently in olive oil with a little garlic.
Cauliflower is rich is vitamins A, C and K, phosphorus, iron and potassium.
Romanesco is a beautiful variety of cauliflower - pale green and conical-shaped.
Celeriac is not the prettiest of EarthShare veg, but it is very tasty! It is a round and nobbly with lots of roots like tentacles; the stalks and leaves look like celery, and it tastes like celery. It is a good source of vitamin C and potassium.
To prepare celeriac, scrub it well, then peel. If you're not going to use it straight away you need to put it in acidulated water to prevent it discolouring. It can be boiled and mashed (delicious when boiled and mashed along with potatoes), roasted, steamed or made into soup. You can also grate it, blanch in boiling water for a minute or so, drain well, then dress with a vinaigrette dressing.
The celery from Cullerne has been a lovely surprise this summer. This crisp and crunchy veg is lovely raw with dips or sliced in salads. The leaves can also be used in salads or added to hot dishes at the end of cooking, like herbs. The stalks can be braised or added to casseroles.
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Swiss Chard |
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Chard comes in various colours – Swiss chard with dark green leaves and white ribs; ruby chard with bright red ribs; and also pink and yellow varieties. It is a good source of potassium, calcium and iron. Store in a cool, dark place.
Chard is similar to spinach, but it does need longer cooking and it can take more robust flavours than spinach. The ribs need longer cooking than the leaves, so remove the stalks and ribs, chop them, then steam, boil, braise, sauté, adding the shredded leaves for the last few minutes cooking.
L: the end result; R: chicory being harvested at CullerneChicory (also known as endive or witloof) is a relative of the dandelion and has crunchy, slightly bitter leaves; they can be chopped and added to salads or braised. Chicory is high in fiber, iron and potassium. The leaves should have yellow tips; those with green tips are more bitter. Chicory is best stored in the fridge; if it's exposed to light it can become bitter.
It is a complex crop to grow: it is sown in May then dug up towards the end of October; the leaves are cut off just above the crown then the whole plant is replanted at least 8" deep in sandy soil. The plant is then left to develop in the darkness and forms blanched 'chicons' as they are called – that is what appears in your box.
Chicory marries well with orange and mustard. Nick recommends chopping some chicory, adding orange segments and dressing with yoghurt and mustard. The chicory leaves are an ideal shape for dips - they are excellent for scooping things up!
Courgettes have a delicate flavour that can be spiced up with garlic, thyme or rosemary; they go particularly well with tomato. They are rich in carotene, potassium, pectin, Vitamins A and B. Can be kept for 4 to 5 days in the fridge. Courgettes can be steamed or sauteed in a little oil or butter. I wouldn't recommend boiling them as they lose their delicate flavour. They can also be eaten raw, either grated or chopped in salads, or cut into batons and served with dips.
Cucumber keeps well in the fridge for up to a week. This refreshing veg is best eaten raw. It is well-known for its cooling properties – cucumber raita goes well with spicy dishes. For a basic raita, grate the cucumber, mix with yoghurt, add some salt and toasted mustard seeds.
Fennel is a rare treat in EarthShare - we certainly don't grow it every year. It has a very distinctive aniseed flavour and is commonly used in Italian cookery. It's very versatile: it can be sauteed, braised, or eaten raw as a crudite.
The health properties of garlic are well-known: it stimulates the immune system, helps lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure. It can be used raw, either finely chopped or crushed, or it can be sliced and cooked (if frying, be careful not to burn it or it will become bitter). Whole bulbs of garlic can be covered then roast in the oven until they are soft – the garlic flesh can then be squeezed out of the cloves and the resulting puree (which is relatively mild) can be used in dressings, sauces, or spread on bread... delicious!
These appear in our boxes during the winter months, November - February. The knobbly tubers look like a cross between potato and root ginger. This lovely delicately flavoured vegetable is neither from Jerusalem nor related to artichokes! It is a native of North America and is a member of the sunflower family; it's also known as 'sunchoke'. When they were first encountered by French explorers in Massachusetts in 1605, they found the taste to be similar to globe artichokes, thus the name was carried back to France. The term 'Jerusalem' is thought to have come about when they were introduced to Italy, where 'girasole' means sunflower; it then became corrupted to 'Jerusalem'.
Jerusalem artichokes are a good source of iron and also contain vitamin C and potassium. They should be stored in the fridge; the knobbly tubers need to be scrubbed well; they can then be roast whole, or sliced then baked, or boiled and mashed, like potatoes. (They are delicious boiled and mashed with potatoes – their delicate flavour is not lost.) If you cut them, immerse them in water and lemon juice or vinegar straight away to stop discolouration. If roasting or slicing, I don't peel them, but if they are to be mashed or used in a soup, I do.
One of the easiest and tastiest ways to cook Jerusalem artichokes is to make a very basic soup: make some stock with boiling water and bouillon; scrub, roughly peel and chop some artichokes, add to the boiling stock (the stock should just cover the artichokes). Cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the artichokes are very tender. Remove from the heat, allowo to cool a little then blend until very smooth and velvety. Adjust the consistency by adding water, stock, milk or soya milk; season to taste; gently reheat then serve. Enjoy the lovely delicate flavour of the Jerusalem artichokes.
Kale:
Curly kale (left) and black tuscany (right): delicious, nutritious and easy to cook!
A new variety this year... Russian Red
Colourful kale plants in the EarthShare field are a sight to behold - deep purple colours, various shades of green, and a variety of shapes and textures... wonderful! It is an exceptionally nutritious plant, containing vitamins A, C, E, iron, calcium and potassium.
Kale is harvested from November until about April. Preparation of all types of kale is the same. It does need to be cooked; wash and shred it, remove any very tough stalks, then it can be cooked like cabbage. It can also be treated like spinach, but will require a longer cooking time and can take more robust flavourings than spinach. Cooked kale can be used instead of cabbage in Bubble and Squeak (a lovely winter comfort food!).
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| Superschmelz, winter variety | Smaller summer variety |
The winter variety we grow is ‘superschmelz’ - don't mistake it for an over-grown summer variety! Kohlrabi is actually a member of the cabbage family; its taste is a cross between radish and turnip. You need to peel it well to remove the fibrous outer skin, then it can be: • cut into chunks and eaten raw with a dip; • grated raw then dressed in a mustardy dressing; • cubed, steamed, then butter and herbs added; • very thinly sliced, layered with onion and garlic, some milk or cream added, then baked in a low oven until tender. • It can also be boiled then mashed with butter and milk, like potato.
Our leeks are harvested from October until March. A good source of vitamin C and iron. They can be roast, grilled, sauteed, or used in soups. To prepare leeks, slit them down the centre so that the grit can removed from between the layers; it’s best to do this with running cold water. They should be used as soon as possible – they don’t keep particularly well, even in the fridge.
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Mustard leaf |
Miners lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata) is a lovely spring salad crop with slender stems and delicate white flowers. Apparently it is named after the California gold rush miners who ate it to get their vitamin C to fight scurvy!
LETTUCES are best stored in a polythene bag at the bottom of the fridge. Don't wash the lettuce until you need it and make sure it is well drained or shaken to remove excess water. Leaves should be torn with your hands rather than cut with a knife - cutting tends to brown the edges of the leaves.
Endive is a member of the lettuce family and has curly green leaves, sometimes with a hint of red. It is quite similar in flavour to chicory in that it has a slight bitterness. It goes very well in salads with a selection of other leaves. If you find it slightly too bitter, you may like to serve it with a honey and mustard salad dressing.
Neeps: see swede
We have a wonderful crop of onions this year, both in terms of quantity and quality. In her Vegetable Book, Annie Bell gives a few tips for cooking them: • to stop onions colouring, cook them with a little salt; • to caramelise onions, cook them very slowly otherwise they will be bitter; • to tone down raw onion used in salads, blanch in boiling water before use.
Oriental greens can be eaten raw, steamed or stir fried.
If eaten raw they can take quite a 'robust' salad dressing, such as: grate some fresh ginger, blend well with 1/2 tsp miso, 2 tbsp soya milk (or milk), crushed garlic (optional), and some tamari or soya sauce.
Chinese cabbageChinese cabbage is a common ingredient in Asian stir-fries. The leaves are pale green with frilly edges and it has a distinct white mid rib; supplied whole. It can be used as an alternative to pak choi or green cabbage in coleslaws and other recipes.
Tat Soi (or Rosette Pak Choi)Tat Soi is sown in polytunnels in autumn and is ready for harvesting from March onwards. It has very thick, lustrous dark green leaves in rosette shapes. It can be used raw in salads or stir-fried with some soya sauce and nutmeg added.
The dark green leaves are high in beta carotene and Vitamins A, C, and K; they also have good amounts of calcium, potassium, phosphorous and iron.
Pak ChoiPak Choi: an open Chinese cabbage with dark green leaves and thick white mid ribs; supplied whole; can be eaten raw in salads, steamed or stir fried (the ribs need longer cooking than the leaves).
MizunaMizuna has a delicate mustardy flavour; can be eaten raw or used in stir fries. A good source of vitamin A, folic acid and vitamin C.
Mustard leavesMustard leaves: large thin green or red leaves with a hot flavour. Eat raw chopped up in milder salad or cook as spinach.
Italian flat-leaf parsleyThis is a personal favourite - it beats curly parsley hands-down for flavour!
Parsnips have a distinctive sweet flavour; they can be roast, pureed, or made into soup. They are delicious roast in honey or maple syrup with some lime juice and zest added at the end to balance the sweetness. They are good source of vitamin C, folate and potassium.
EarthShare doesn't supply peppers every year; they require a lot of warmth and sunshine so can be tricky to grow in this area! They can be eaten raw or roasted or grilled. To skin peppers, cut in half then place skin-side up under a hot grill; leave until well-browned then place in a bowl and cover with cling-film; when cool, the charred skin will remove easily.
RemarkaWhere would we be without our humble tattie?! Winters wouldn't be the same without this versatile comfort food; they can be baked, roast, boiled, fried. A good source of vitamin C, folate and complex carbohydrates.
We currently grow 3 varieties: Cosmo, which makes its appearance in February, Remarka, and our new potato is Estima.
The flesh of vegetable spaghetti squash really is like spaghetti when cooked! Pierce the skin with a knife a few times then either boil or bake in the oven. A 1kg squash should be boiled for approx 25 mins or baked for approx 45 mins. Leave to cool then cut open and remove the seeds and spongy fibres. Run a fork along the remaining flesh and it will come away in strands – just like spaghetti.
Before using your squash check it is ripe – it should sound hollow when gently tapped. If it's not properly ripe the 'spaghetti effect' is not so marked – leave on a sunny windowcill for a few days to ripen.
To prepare pumpkins, halve the pumpkin and scrape out the seeds and loose fibres. The seeds can be dried and the kernels eaten, but it is very fiddly… spread the seeds on a baking sheet, sprinkle with a little salt then bake for 20 minutes at 190C. To eat, remove the outer husk then eat the kernal (that's the fiddly bit!).
Slice the pumpkin or cut into chunks (some books recommend removing the skin, but I leave it on), drizzle over some oil and seasoning then bake until tender. Once tender it can either be mashed, eaten as it is, or blended in a soup.
Raddiccio
This member of the chicory family has distinctive pink-red leaves with white veins and a bitter peppery taste. Mixed in with other leaves, chicory or grated carrot, it makes a lovely salad. It goes very well with an orange, mustard and honey dressing, or some sweet balsamic vinegar. Annie Bell, in her Vegetable Book, suggests braising radicchio or using it in a risotto of you don't like the bitterness.
Mooli radish (or daikon) is a long white Japanese vegetable. It's highly nutritious, containing vitamin C, potassium and calcium. It is crisp with a mild peppery flavour. It can be eaten raw or cooked (stir-fried or lightly steamed).
Icicle radish has lovely crisp flesh. It should be eaten raw, grated, sliced or cut into batons.
Red cabbage: see cabbage, red
A delicious peppery salad leaf. Can be used as an alternative to basil in pesto.
Rhubarb, although eaten as a fruit, is actually a vegetable in the buckwheat family. The stalks are high in potassium and vitamin C (but the leaves are toxic). Rhubarb is delicious flavoured with ginger and made into pies, crumbles and fools. Another popular combination is rhubarb and strawberries, or rhubarb and orange.
This is a beautiful veg – both to eat and look at! It has tightly packed, pale green florets, forming a conical shape, and in terms of flavour, it's a cross between broccoli and cauliflower. It is rich in anti-oxidants and vitamin C.
Small heads can be cooked whole, larger ones can be cut into florets. Steam or boil.
Nikki Duffy in the Guardian (10/9/05) writes of Romanesco: "In the kitchen, it's a joy. You can often buy small heads of romanesco which are ideal for serving whole. Alternatively, cut into chunky florets (to preserve that marvellous pattern), blanch, then dunk immediately in icy water to fix the divine colour and serve cold in a salad – it's good with shreds of raw red onion (soaked in salty water to soften their pungency), olives and capers and a dressing of peppery olive oil and lemon.
Romanesco is also a wonderful partner to pasta. Being more tender than standard cauliflower, it easily cooks down with stock or tomatoes to a crushable softness. Mingled with garlic and lots of chilli, and tossed into orecchiette or conchiglie with olive oil and Parmesan, it's one of my all-time favourite quick suppers.
Try it also in a gratin – an updated cauliflower cheese, if you like - dotting the blanched florets with crème fraîche mixed with Parmesan, then sprinkling more Parmesan and some breadcrumbs on top and baking till golden. Irresistible."
Spinach is packed with nutrients (rich in folic acid, vitamin A, potassium and magnesium), and it's quite versatile. It can be tossed raw into salads, or cooked briefly. It shrinks beyond belief when cooked... so make sure you prepare plenty of it!
To cook, wash the spinach and place in a saucepan over a low heat with just the water that clings to the leaves; cover and steam for a few minutes, until wilted, stirring half-way through. Drain well to remove any excess water. Then serve with a knob of butter and seasoning, or a dash of cream.
It can also be cooked slowly in butter or olive oil, turning constantly until wilted.
Spring onions
Swedes (neeps) are available from November until March. Don't just limit their use to soup - they can be used for purees, gratins, roasts.
To prepare swede, top and tail, then peel; if it is large you may need to take off quite a thick layer to remove the woody skin. Then slice or dice and either boil until tender or blanch then roast in a hot oven (toss in oil then roast at the top of the oven for 40 minutes, turning occasionally. If you are mashing them, add plenty of black pepper and some butter; you can aso try adding a little nutmeg or cinnamon for an unusual flavour.
Sweetcorn
2005 is the first year we have grown sweetcorn. We planted a small trial crop and it was fairly successful – we hope to grow it again…
