Making the most of your veggies

With Will Steward, Living Larder

One of the best things about supporting your local organic veg box scheme are the bonus veggies that you will receive. In our veg boxes our customers will often get the greens such as beetroot and carrot tops, and fennel fronds, still attached. These are the first parts of a picked vegetable that will show signs of age, and supermarkets will almost always remove these rather than display a vegetable with wilting leaves. By supporting your local organic farm, you know that your vegetables will have been picked and delivered within hours. You will often find bonus greens still intact with no pesticide residue – delicious, nutritious and low waste.

No waste Pea Pod soup

Ingredients:

Olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Pea pods from 1kg fresh green peas, stems and strings removed, discard any old or brown pods as these will be tough.

2 sprigs of mint

1 litre chicken/vegetable stock

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Add a splash of olive oil to a heavy bottomed pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, stirring regularly.

Add the pea pods, season with salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes.

Add the mint sprigs and stock. Cover and bring to a simmer for 10-15 minutes – until the pods are soft.

Using a blender process the mixture in short pulses until well broken down.

Strain through a sieve – press down on the purée to extract as much juice as you can. Discard anything left in the sieve. Delicious served warm with sourdough or, if it’s a hot summer’s day, chill and enjoy cold in a dainty vintage tea cup.

Veggie Top Green Goddess Dressing

Ingredients:

Fennel fronds from 1 bulb of organic fennel or dill

Green Onion, aka Grelot tops, from 1 bunch of organic grelots or spring onion

Carrot tops from 1 bunch of organic carrots or parsley

1 tablespoon of chopped tarragon

2 tablespoons of mayonnaise

1 tablespoon of greek yogurt

2 anchovy fillets in olive oil drained (optional)

Half a lemon – juiced

Method

In a food processor whizz the greens and anchovy fillets until finely chopped; add the mayonnaise and Greek yogurt and process again. Taste, and add the lemon juice, taste again season well with salt and pepper.

Serve as a crudité platter using carrots, fennel, grelots, cucumber, pepper and my favourite – wedges of crunchy little gem lettuce.

Living Larder is a family-owned, Soil Association certified Organic farm. supplying local fruit and vegetable boxes. livinglarder.co.uk | Instagram: @livinglarder