Riverford recipes January - February
1. swede 2. carrots 3. beetroot 4. parsnips 5. jerusalem artichokes 6. celeriac 7. potatoes
carrot hummus made by Kirsty at the farm
back to your roots
Find comfort in your vegbox! It has all you need for warming soups, stews and hearty casseroles to fend off the chill. Throw in grains like pearl barley and spelt for substance, or try some of the great value cuts of organic meat from our butchery. For potfuls of flavour, it’s easy to make your own veg stock from odds and ends in your box (leeks, carrots and onions work well), with a bouquet garni of thyme, bay and parsley and a few black peppercorns for added punch. Make batches and freeze in tubs or freezer bags. If you’re short on time, our ready-made chicken stock will speed things up nicely. Get ready for good, wholesome comfort food.
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root veg & rosemary ragu serves 8, prep 10 mins, cook 1½ hours
oil for frying 2 large onions, finely diced 2 sticks celery, finely diced 2 carrots, finely diced 4 rashers streaky bacon, chopped into small pieces 400g beef mince 400g pork mince 3 tbsp tomato purée 2 large sprigs rosemary, leaves very finely chopped 2 good glasses of red wine 1 pack Riverford chicken stock (500ml) 800g root veg (eg. 1 parsnip, ½ medium swede, ½ celeriac), diced to 1-2cm
Heat 3 tbsp oil in a large pan. Add the onion, celery and carrot. Fry very gently for 12-15 mins, stirring now and then, until softened. Turn up the heat a little, add the bacon and fry for 3-4 mins. Add the beef and pork and fry to brown. Add the tomato purée and stir for 1 min. Add the rosemary, wine, stock and veg. Season and simmer very gently for 1½ hours, giving the odd stir now and then to stop it catching on the bottom. Toss with pasta, use as a lasagne filling or serve on creamy mash.
this makes a good batch, so you can freeze some
rooty coconut dal with sticky rice serves 2, prep 10 mins, cook 30 mins
Healthy, colourful and the turmeric and ginger are good for digestion. Organic coconut oil is available to order alongside your vegbox. It’s good in stir fries and curries, or for roasting veg for a slightly different flavour. 300g mixed root veg (peeled & diced weight) coconut oil for frying 100g jasmine rice 1 onion, finely sliced 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 4cm fresh ginger, peeled & grated ¼ tsp turmeric 1 crumbled dried chilli, or a good pinch or two of chilli flakes 1 tsp black mustard seeds 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted & ground 1 tsp coriander seeds, toasted & ground 100g yellow mung dal lentils or red lentils, rinsed 1x 400ml tin coconut milk handful coriander leaves (optional) 1 lime or lemon toasted coconut chips or dessicated coconut to garnish Preheat your oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/ gas 5. Put the veg in a baking dish with 1 tbsp coconut oil. Pop in the oven for 5 mins, then remove and toss the veg in the melted oil. Roast for approx 20-25 mins, until tender and starting to colour. Meanwhile, put the rice in a pan with 500ml water and a good pinch of salt.
Cover and boil for 10 mins, then turn off the heat and leave it covered to steam. Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in a pan. Add the onion and fry on a low heat for 10 mins, stirring now and then. Turn up the heat slightly and add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, chilli and mustard seeds. Stir for approx 1 min, until the mustard seeds start to pop. Add the cumin, coriander, lentils and coconut milk (stir the tin first). Refill half the tin with water and add that too. Bring up to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 mins or so, until the lentils are soft. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the fresh coriander if using and add a squeeze of lime or lemon juice to taste. Fluff up the rice with a fork; all the liquid should be absorbed and the rice sticky. Serve the dal on the rice, with the roasted roots, sprinkled with toasted coconut.
great for using up odds & ends of root veg
swede
It’s time to rediscover swede - a very versatile veg. Its sweet, earthy flavour suits comforting winter dishes like soups, stews and mash.
store
In a cool veg rack or the bottom of your fridge. It keeps for a good while.
prep
Use a large, sharp knife to chop off the skin, then dice or slice as you need.
cook simply
mashed swede & carrots A classic combination. Boil cubes of peeled swede and carrots until tender, then mix with butter, a little milk or cream if you have some and plenty of salt and pepper.
swede chips Peel and cut into thick sticks, then toss in enough oil and melted butter to coat. Sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper and roast at 200°C for 40-45 mins, until cooked through and golden. Spice them up if you like, with cayenne, paprika, chilli powder, garam masala or medium curry powder. roasted with maple syrup Peel and cut a swede into chunks and toss with 2 tbsp oil, 3 tbsp maple syrup and a grind of salt and pepper. Roast at 200°C for 40-45 mins until tender and caramelising. Serve alongside a roast, or with thick cut bacon, gammon or ham hock (our ready-to-eat ham hock packs make things easy).
swede, leek & apple bake serves 4, prep 10 mins, cook 75 mins
25g butter, plus extra for greasing 2 leeks, finely shredded 4 large (or more smaller) sage leaves 75ml white wine or apple juice 1 swede (800g-1kg unpeeled weight), peeled, cut in half lengthways, then very finely sliced 2 apples, cored, halved & thinly sliced 50g cheddar, grated
Preheat your oven to 180ËšC. Melt the butter in a large frying pan and fry the leeks on a very low heat for 12 mins, stirring now and then. Add the sage and wine or juice. Cook for 2 mins. Season with salt and pepper. Layer the swede, apple and leeks in a baking dish, finishing with swede. Cover with foil and bake for 45 mins. Remove the foil, sprinkle with cheese and bake for 15 mins until golden.
carrots store
In a cool veg rack or the bottom of your fridge.
prep
Scrub and peel. Grate, dice or cut into batons for your recipe. You can use peelings for stock.
cook simply
There’s often a lonely carrot left in the bottom of the fridge or veg rack. Don’t leave it to languish - try these simple ideas to use it up. 1. Grate or finely chop and add to spaghetti bolognese, cottage or shepherd’s pie or a bean stew. 2. A granary roll, slick of mayo, shredded carrot, a good slice of cheddar and a few watercress leaves make a pretty good lunch.
3. Pop in a mixed vegetable soup. 4. Make a mirepoix, as it’s known in France, or soffrito in Italy. Many slowcooked dishes start with a finely diced carrot, onion and celery stick or two. Gently fried in a little oil or butter, without colouring, it makes a good flavour base for soups and stews.
carrot & coriander soup serves 4, prep 10 mins, cook 30 mins
Classic, healthy and great for using up all those winter carrots. Serve with toasted sourdough or ciabatta, or chunky pieces of warm bread. oil for frying 1 large onion, diced 2 sticks celery, chopped into small pieces 800g carrots (unpeeled weight), peeled & cut into chunks 1 medium potato, peeled & diced 1 litre good veg stock 30g coriander (a large bunch) Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large, heavy-based pan. Add the onion and celery. Fry for 10 mins, stirring now and then to stop it catching. If it does start to catch, add a splash of water. Meanwhile, roughly chop the coriander stalks off the leaves.
Chop the stalks into small pieces and add to the onion and celery as soon as they’re ready. After 10 mins, add the carrots, potato and stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring up to a low boil, then simmer until the veg is tender, approx 20 mins. Add the coriander leaves. Blitz in a processor or blender (in batches if needs be) until smooth. Reheat gently and check the seasoning to serve.
carrot hummus
serves 4, prep 20 mins, cook 20 mins 1 tin chickpeas, drained & rinsed 700g carrots, peeled & diced 6 tbsp light tahini (sesame paste) 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped juice of 1-2 lemons, to taste 1 tsp ground cumin Âź tsp paprika, plus extra for garnish good olive oil small handful toasted pine nuts or pumpkin seeds Boil the carrots in salted water until tender (approx 10 mins, depending on size). Drain and cool. Place in a food processor and add the tahini, chickpeas, garlic, juice from 1 lemon, cumin and
paprika. With the processor running, gradually trickle in enough olive oil to make a thick dipping consistency, to your liking. Add salt and more lemon juice to taste. Serve sprinkled with toasted pine nuts or pumpkin seeds, a little paprika and drizzle over a little good olive oil.
rve front cover recipe - se with celery sticks & other crudites
beetroot
Winter beetroot comes into its own in hearty soups or gratins; try adapting the parsnip and beer mustard gratin recipe using very thinly sliced peeled beetroot, leaving out the mustard.
store
In the fridge or a cool, dark place.
prep
Winter beets won’t come with leaves, like summer bunched beets do. Give them a little trim if needed, but don’t chop the top or root completely off, as the colour (and flavour) will leach when they cook.
cook simply
1. Peel and shred or grate raw into coleslaws or salads. Add at the last minute or your salad will quickly turn pink from the juices. 2. Boil whole unpeeled beets in their skins until tender. Small one will take about 40-45 mins, enormous ones can take 1½ hours or so. 3. Roast. Either wrap each unpeeled beetroot in foil, place in a baking dish and roast at 190˚C for anything from 4045 mins for small beets, or up to 2 hours
for large ones (test with a knife). Or place unpeeled beets in a baking dish, add a thin layer of water, cover tightly with foil and roast until tender. This will intensify the flavour for use in purées, soups and salads. 4. You can also roast beetroot to eat straight away on its own or with other roasted veg: peel, dice or chop into wedges, toss in olive oil, season, add a splash of balsamic vinegar and roast until tender, approx 45 mins-1 hour. Toss a couple of times during cooking.
top tip
Wear rubber gloves when you’re prepping beetroot to stop your hands turning pink.
beetroot, carrot & alfalfa salad
serves 2, prep 15 mins, cook 0 mins for the dressing: 1 tsp honey 1 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice 1 tsp finely grated ginger 4 tbsp good olive oil 2 large beetroot, peeled 2 large carrots, peeled handful alfalfa sprouts, washed 4 tbsp mixed toasted seeds 1 pack wootton white cheese or feta Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together and seasoning with salt and pepper. Very thinly slice the beetroot and carrot, then cut into matchsticks. Arrange on a serving plate. Sprinkle over the alfalfa and toasted seeds. Drizzle over the dressing and crumble over a little of the cheese. Drizzle over a little extra olive oil to serve.
s, find the alfalfa sprout on dolce olive oil & woot white on our website
beef, beetroot & red wine casserole serves 4, prep 10 mins, cook 2 hours 45 mins oil for frying 800g stewing beef pieces 4 rashers rindless smoked bacon, chopped into small pieces 2 tsp plain flour 4 medium-large beetroot, peeled & cut into wedges 4 red onions, peeled & cut into wedges with the root intact ½ bottle good red wine 1 pack Riverford chicken stock 2 bay leaves small handful of thyme sprigs
Preheat your oven to 160˚C/140˚C fan/ gas 3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a flameproof casserole, then fry the beef on both sides to brown. Remove to a plate. Fry the bacon until lightly browned, adding a splash more oil if needed. Stir in the flour. Put the beef back in the pan, with the beetroot, onions, wine, stock, bay leaves and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a low boil, cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 2½ hours.
parsnips
A winter favourite. They taste even better after the first frost, as the cold weather causes some of the starch to convert to sugar, increasing the sweetness. Roast, mash or add to soups and stews.
store
In a cool veg rack or bottom of the fridge.
prep
Wash, peel, trim the top and bottom, then chop into batons or dice, avoiding any woody core, particularly in larger ones, late in the season.
cook simply roasted parsnips with honey & mustard serves 4 1kg parsnips, peeled & cut into batons 2 tbsp oil for roasting 3 tbsp clear honey 3 tbsp wholegrain mustard Heat the oil in a roasting tray in the oven, heated to 200ËšC. In a pan of boiling water, cook the parsnips for 4 mins and then drain. Toss in the hot oil to coat. Season. Roast for 30-40 mins, or until just tender. Mix the honey and mustard together in a bowl. Mix with the roasted parsnips. Return to the oven for 10 mins. Â
parsnip & beer mustard gratin serves 4, prep 10 mins, cook 1 hour 15 mins
Good on its own, or serve with greens and crusty bread for a vegetarian supper. It works well as a side for pork too. butter for greasing 300ml milk 250ml cream 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves 800g parsnips, peeled & sliced into thin rounds 2 tbsp Riverford beer mustard a little freshly grated nutmeg small handful dried breadcrumbs small handful freshly grated parmesan (or cheddar if vegetarian)
Preheat your oven to 180ËšC/160ËšC fan/ gas 4. Lightly grease a medium sized gratin/baking dish with a little butter. Put the milk, cream, garlic and thyme leaves in a pan. Grate in a little fresh nutmeg, then warm gently. Layer the parsnips in the baking dish. Stir the mustard into the warm milk mixture. Season with salt and pepper, then pour over the parsnips. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour. Uncover, sprinkle over the cheese and breadcrumbs, then bake for approx 15 mins until golden.
parsnip & leek korma serves 2, prep 10 mins, cook 25 mins oil for frying 1 leek, finely shredded 1 very large parsnip or more smaller (approx 300g), cut into batons 1 tbsp mild curry powder ½ tsp ground cumin ½ tsp ground coriander 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 5cm fresh ginger, peeled & grated 50g ground almonds 1 pot Riverford yogurt 1 tin chickpeas, rinsed & drained 1 lime, juice to taste handful fresh coriander leaves handful toasted flaked almonds Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the leek and fry on a low heat for 5 mins, stirring now and then to stop it catching. Add the parsnip and cook for a further 5 mins. Add the curry powder, cumin, coriander, garlic and ginger. Stir for 1 min. With the heat right down, add the almonds and half the pot of yogurt. Stir, then add 150ml water and half the chickpeas (save
the rest for other meals or lunchbox salads). Season with a little salt. Bring gently up to a low boil, not much more than a simmer. Cook for approx 10-12 mins, until the parsnips are just tender. Keep an eye on the liquid – you don’t want the sauce too runny, but add a splash more water if it looks like it’s getting too thick and gloopy. Taste for salt, add a good squeeze of lime juice and stir in the fresh coriander leaves to serve. Sprinkle over some toasted flaked almonds to serve.
serve with warm naan bread, indian pickles & rt an extra dollop of yogu
jerusalem artichokes These knobbly little roots are full of earthy flavour and character.
prep
Keep in the fridge or in a cool damp place. You don’t have to peel them; you can just scrub them well with a veg brush. They discolour quickly, so put cut or peeled artichokes in a bowl of water with a good squeeze of lemon juice to stop this happening.
cook simply
To roast, cut them into wedges or large chunks. Toss in just enough
olive oil to coat and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30-40 mins at 200°C. Add a little chopped garlic and rosemary too. Try them roasted in salads with pears, blue cheese, walnuts and winter salad leaves. Or you can eat them raw: slice them thinly into salads or with dips. They make a great soup too.
good with
Goat’s cheese, walnuts, mushrooms, thyme, sage, bacon, roast meat, scallops, prawns, pears, blue cheese.
roasted jerusalem artichokes with romesco sauce serves 4-6, prep 15 mins, cook 90 mins
75g blanched almonds, toasted until golden 25g whole hazelnuts, roasted & skinned ½ head of roasted garlic 2 red peppers, roasted & skinned ¼ tsp smoked paprika ½ tsp paprika 1 dried chilli, crumbled ½ tsp dried mint 1 tsp red wine vinegar, plus a little more to taste good olive oil 600g jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed clean, skins left on Preheat your oven to 200˚C. Slice the top off a garlic bulb to reveal the tips of the cloves. Drizzle with a little oil and wrap in foil. Put the peppers in a baking dish. Put both in the oven and roast for 45 mins, turning the peppers once during cooking, until the pepper skins are blackened and the garlic soft. Put the peppers in a plastic bag and leave for a few mins, until cool enough to handle, then peel off the skins and discard the seeds. Put the almonds, hazelnuts, peppers, both paprikas, dried chilli, mint and vinegar in a food processor with a good pinch of salt. Squeeze in about half the head of roasted garlic. Blitz, adding enough
olive oil to make a thick sauce. Taste and add more vinegar, seasoning or oil. Transfer to a bowl. Cut the artichokes in half lengthways and toss in a baking dish, in just enough oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender and golden, 30-40 mins. Serve with the romesco dipping sauce.
romesco sauce is good to spice up all sorts of veg - try other roots, leeks & greens
celeriac
Another knobbly root, celeriac is a versatile winter staple, with a fantastic delicate flavour.
store
In a cool veg rack or the bottom of the fridge.
prep
Scrub well to remove any mud and grit. Then use a sharp knife to chop off all the brown knobbly bits (don’t bother with a veg peeler - the skin is too tough). It discolours quickly once the flesh is exposed to the air, so drop chopped pieces into a bowl of cold water with a good squeeze of lemon juice.
cook
1. Roast chunks. Toss peeled chunks in a little oil and season. Try sprinkling over a little smoked sweet paprika, chilli or herbs, eg. thyme or rosemary. Roast in the oven at 180˚C until tender, approx 40-45 mins, depending on the size of your chunks. 2. Make your normal potato mash, substituting a third or half the potato with celeriac.
3. Try boiling in milk with garlic, then drain and purée with a little of the cooking milk. Good with scallops and fried bacon pieces, or with game or beef. Or add some stock and make into soup. 4. Boil with potato and apple, then add a little cream and seasoning, and mash. 5. Cut into thin matchsticks. Great in stir fries or coleslaw-style salads. 6. Slice thinly and use in gratins. Substitute half the celeriac for potato in your favourite creamy gratin/ dauphinoise recipe (try the recipes in our cook book and on the website).
celeriac, apple & spelt with blue cheese & toasted hazelnuts serves 2, prep 10 mins, cook 30 mins 1 small celeriac, cut into 2cm dice 1 onion, finely diced 1 rosemary sprig, leaves very finely chopped oil for roasting 1 apple, peeled, cored & cut into small dice 150g pearled spelt 1 pack Riverford chicken stock or 500ml good veg stock handful chopped parsley ½ pack perl las blue cheese handful of toasted hazelnuts
Toss the celeriac, onion and rosemary on a baking tray in just enough oil to coat. Season and roast at 200ËšC for 2530 mins, until tender and just starting to brown. Toss in the apple halfway through. Meanwhile, boil the spelt in the stock until tender but still with some bite, approx 25 mins. Drain or quickly boil off any excess stock. Add the roasted veg and parsley to the spelt. Crumble in some blue cheese and gently toss together. Season to taste. Serve crumbled with a little more cheese and the toasted hazelnuts.
potatoes
A staple of many of our vegboxes, but if you go for our ‘less roots’ range, you can avoid them – good for a swap now and then if you get overloaded.
store
In the brown paper bag they arrive in, in a cool, ideally dark place. best roast potatoes Ideally use floury potatoes, although any potato will roast. Use approx 200g per person. Peel and chop into 3 or 4 pieces and boil in salted water for approx 8 mins until just tender. Put a layer of oil in a roasting tin (use goose or duck fat if you prefer but sunflower oil works just as well). Pop in the oven at 200˚C. Drain the potatoes, leave in the colander for 2 mins to drain, then toss to fluff them up. Add the potatoes to the roasting tin. Sprinkle with sea salt to crisp them up. Roast for approx 45 mins or so, until golden and crispy. good things to add to roast potatoes Rosemary, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, sesame seeds, parmesan, saffron (steep a pinch in 1 tbsp boiling water, then add the liquid to the roasting tin with the potatoes). A sprinkling of polenta on
roast potatoes before they go in the oven will help give them a crispy coating. best mash The best advice is to buy a potato ricer, for a smoother result. You can pick one up for about a tenner. Sometimes trying to mash potato with a badly shaped masher results in potato being over-worked and gloopy. Season your mash well and don’t be afraid of the good stuff - butter, milk and cream. Add some greens. For kids (big or small), try mashing some cooked broccoli and grated cheddar into mashed potato. For grown up tastebuds, try horseradish, wholegrain mustard or blue cheese.
potato & roasted garlic soup serves 4, prep 10 mins, cook 45 mins 1 large head of garlic oil for roasting & frying 1 large onion, diced 2 packs Riverford chicken stock or 1 litre good veg stock 600g potatoes, peeled & diced Cut a slice off the top of the garlic to reveal the tops of the cloves. Place on a small sheet of foil and drizzle with a little oil. Bake at 200ËšC for 45 mins. Remove from the oven and leave to cool
slightly. Gently fry the onion in 2 tbsp oil for 10 mins, stirring now and then to stop it catching. Add the potatoes, stock and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 20 mins. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the soup. Blitz in a processor or blender until smooth. Check for seasoning.
a simple soup to cure all ills
singing in the rain
want more recipes?
visit www.riverford.co.uk download our Riverford Veg Recipes iPhone app ask your vegman for help
Recipes by Kirsty Hale, Riverford Cook