Food & Drink

Nettle rarebit

by Mrs Simkins

Many of us have a clump or two of nettles in our garden, whether intentionally or not. Although invasive if left unchecked – and with a nasty sting, obviously – it’s worth keeping a few to eat during the spring and for the benefit of wildlife. They are also great for the compost heap.

Once cooked, young tops are an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, iron and numerous trace elements plus a range of vitamins and taste like spinach. Country people have always gathered them from early spring – they were regarded as a tonic to ‘purify the blood’.

Wear rubber gloves to pick and handle fresh nettles. The tiny stinging hairs that make nettles so agonising to touch become inactive once heated, crushed or chopped. Pick only the tender young tops. You can start harvesting as early as late February, but they are at the peak of perfection from late March through to early May. By the end of May they run up to seed and are best left to the birds (they are a valuable food source for seed-eaters).

Utterly delicious, this is perfect for breakfast, lunch or supper. Once nettles are no longer available, you can use spinach instead.

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(Serves 1-2 )

50g mature Cheddar cheese, grated 2 tbsp milk 1 medium egg yolk Pinch of dry mustard Plus: Freshly ground black, white and cayenne pepper to taste Shake of Worcestershire sauce A handful of nettles, finely chopped 2 slices of bread Butter for spreading

• Combine all the first list of ingredients in a smallish pan. Cook on a medium heat, stirring constantly until bubbling gently. • Once smooth, stir in the nettles. Remove from the heat to cool and thicken. Toast the bread on both sides, cool slightly to allow the steam to escape and butter. • Spread the cheese mixture onto the toast and grill until bubbling and golden. www.MrsSimkins.co.uk twitter.com/MrsSimkinsCooks info@MrsSimkins.co.uk

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New potato and radish salad

by Rebecca Vincent

New potato season is finally upon us and this recipe showcases them in my favourite form – a potato salad – alongside radishes for a little peppery punch. I have to admit I never used to be a fan of radishes but I love them in this light and fresh take on a classic.

New potatoes are a good source of vitamins C, B1, B5, and B6, folate, copper and potassium. You can minimise the loss of nutrients through cooking by leaving their skins on. When you cook then cool potatoes you decrease their glycaemic response by increasing their resistant starch content. Resistant starch acts as a prebiotic and feeds beneficial bacteria in our guts, so this salad boasts multiple benefits.

Radishes are a member of the brassica family. They are good sources of vitamin C and contain small amounts of many other nutrients including a selection of B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, calcium, manganese, potassium, sodium, copper and phosphorous.

(Serves 4)

400g new potatoes 200g radishes 2 tbsp plain live yoghurt 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Zest ½ lemon Handful fresh dill (finely sliced) Handful fresh chives (finely sliced) Pinch of black pepper Optional extras: a little mustard, lemon juice, chilli any other herbs you like

• Wash the potatoes and cut into similarly sized chunks – leaving the skins on. Gently boil until tender, drain and set aside until cool. • Rinse the radishes, top and tail. Then cut any large ones in half lengthways and into half rounds, and the rest just into even thickness rounds. • Mix the yoghurt, extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest (and juice if you are using – the herbs, pepper and any additional extras that take your fancy. • When cooled, put the potatoes in a big bowl with the radishes and coat in the yoghurt dressing. You can add extra dressing if you prefer more; personally I like it lightly coated.

Rebecca Vincent BSc (Hons) is a BANT registered nutritionist working in Wincanto (07515 019430; www.rebeccavincentnutrition.co.uk).

Celebration cocktail!

Need a little entertaining inspiration? The month of May is both lemonade and gin day, so what better than the ultimate gin-based lemonade cocktail?

Simple and fresh, combining one part gin with two parts traditional lemonade, this summer fresh cocktail is a party pleaser. Perfect for a May Day barbecue with friends and family, serve it long or short, and make it chic using vintage glasses with a wheel of sliced lemon, a sprig of fresh rosemary and a crush of ice around the rim of the glass.

Inspired by the exotic flavour of Dorset-based Shroton Fair Gin, winner of two of the most prestigious awards – The Taste of the West and London Spirits Competition – founder Wilfrid Shon, has spoken to the New BMV of his delight in the win.

“The judges for both competitions possess some of the most refined palates in the world and I was delighted to win Gold and Bronze respectively. No mean feat for a recipe concocted in a rural Dorset kitchen!”

Finding the perfect formula was a lengthy but satisfying process for Wilfrid. “Having taught myself how to distil, family and friends were ‘forced’ to try gin with ingredients focusing on botanicals such as elderflower, lemongrass and pear. However, I found many botanicals were good in theory but not in practice.”

Inspired by herbs and spices traditionally found in Indian cuisine, such as cumin, ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom, six months

later, and a little more tasting, Zummit Dry was born. Photo by Zoran Borojevic on Unsplash

At the London Spirits Awards, the gin is described as having ‘a grassy nose with notes of coriander and spices, a delicious palate with notes of African pepper and herbs’.

“Much like the Royal Bengal Tiger brought to Shroton Fair back in 1767, the eastern spices used in every bottle of the - now award-winning – Shroton Fair Gin once again brings an oriental style back to the Blackmore Vale.” Shroton Fair Gin Zummit Dry, £34.95 for 70cl.