Woodfield Weekly
If we are lucky we will have a plenty of beans through this week. A combination of runner beans and flat beans. The important thing to remember with both of these is that there is no need to “pod” them, just top and tail them, chop them up as they are and cook them. On the fruit front, we are doing our best to get some variety in the boxes. This will be helped over the next few weeks as we expect to see the first of this years Suffolk Discovery apples from the UK, together with some local Bramleys and plums. The aubergines this week are the purple variety; which many people believe to be superior in flavour to the more common darker varieties.
Baked Beetroot
This recipe is best done with baby beetroots, whilst they're nearer the size of golf balls than tennis balls. They cook more quickly and taste sweeter.
Ingredients
8 small, fresh beetroot
tin foil
Chop the stalks off the beetroot, leaving an inch at the end.Scrub the beetroot gently to remove any mud, but taking care not to damage the skin. Wrap loosely in foil and bake at 180 degrees C for about an hour, until soft. Either serve as they are, or peel - use gloves!
Balsamic-Roasted Beetroot with Garlic and Thyme
1 lb raw beetroot
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 sprig thyme
Salt & pepper
3 tbsp water
Preheat oven to 220C/425F; trim and scrub the beetroot; cut into halves or quarters if large; place in roasting tin. 2. Mix oil, vinegar, lemon, garlic, salt and pepper; pour over the beetroot; mix well; tuck in sprigs of thyme. 3. Roast for 40 mins; remove from oven; mix well; sprinkle with water; return to oven until tender.
Traditional Runner Beans
This is a quick and simple way of cooking in-season runner beans.
Ingredients
About 100g fresh runner beans per person
Cut the ends off the runner beans
Slice the beans diagonally into slices about 1 cm wide and 5-6 cm thick. Boil a pan of water. Simmer the runner beans for 3-5 minutes, until tender. Serve as they are or with a knob of butter.
Bruschetta of summer vegetables with pounded almond paste
By Skye Gyngell
Pile the cooked, dressed vegetables on top of the grilled bread and spoon over the almond paste
The broad beans in the recipe could be replaced with flat beans or runner beans cooked using the previous recipe.
10 little carrots
1kg broad beans
1 bunch rainbow chard (you can use Swiss chard if it is easier to find)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
The juice and zest of one lemon
50g/2oz grated Parmesan (optional)
60ml/21/2fl oz extra-virgin olive oil
For the almond paste
1 dried red chilli
1 bunch of rosemary, leaves only
1 clove of garlic
2 anchovies (optional)
1 handful of blanched almonds
120ml/4fl oz extra-virgin olive oil
30ml/11/2fl oz red-wine vinegar
To serve
4 thick slices of chewy peasant-style bread
1 whole clove of garlic, peeled
First make the almond mixture: place the chilli, rosemary leaves, garlic and anchovies into a pestle and mortar and pound until you have a rough paste. Then add the almonds, three or four at a time, pounding to a paste as you go, and continue until all the almonds have been incorporated. Stir in the olive oil and the vinegar and set aside while you cook the vegetables and grill the bread.
Peel the carrots and chop into one-inch rounds. Place in a saucepan and cover with cold water; add a pinch of salt. Place over a medium heat and bring to a boil, cooking the carrots until tender (about 10 minutes). Remove from the heat and drain in a colander. Set aside while you cook the other vegetables.
Pod the broad beans. Boil a pot of well-salted water, add the beans and cook for three minutes. Drain and allow to cool. Now "double-pod" the beans, peeling off the tough pale skin to reveal the tender, brightly coloured bean beneath.
Rinse the chard well and boil a pot of well-salted water. Blanch the chard – this will take a couple of minutes – and drain.
Place all the cooked vegetables into a bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Squeeze over the lemon juice, add the Parmesan and lemon zest and the olive oil. Toss together thoroughly with your fingers. Taste, and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Grill the bread and, when it is golden-brown, rub each piece of toast with the garlic. Place one piece on a plate and pile on the cooked, dressed vegetables. Spoon over the almond paste and serve at once.