STUFFED FENNEL Serves 6
Take advantage of the last of the fennel crop with this simple and beautiful dish.
Richard Kelsey HALLWOOD FARM SHOP
Any form of farming commands a great deal of respect for the land that we farm and this season it is even more important as soil conditions have been far from ideal. It got me thinking about soil management, an ancient skill. When carrying off crop in the wet years we always try to drive around the edges of the fields, called headlands, as well as trying to minimise cultivations if soils are wet. With this in mind one of our three year grass/clover leys is being rotated back to vegetables in 2013 and I am looking forward to working with a well-structured and fertile soil like a child looks to its birthday. I am also looking forward to seeding our next block of vegetable land with the same mix, with the grass destined to be grazed by our Polled Dorset Sheep & Ruby cattle whilst also being cut for haylage. Moving from ancient skills to 2012, my phone has been notifying me of potato blight forecasts coming in thick and fast. This postcode based system that has been invaluable in such a tricky year. Another piece of technology worth its weight in gold is the weather prediction app ‘Weatherpro’, which provides me with a very accurate ten day prediction. It also gives a four hour rainfall radar, meaning I can see the showers coming across Cornwall and work out if I can snatch a quick drilling or apply fertiliser that needs to be washed in. They say that the art of good growing is timing, and never before in my 30 years of farming have I had to snatch at such small weather windows! As we enter the autumn our customers are switching over to New Season parsnips and leeks, while there is also a quiet revolution going on with our delicious Kohl Rabi and purple topped turnips, all delicious for roasts and stews. Personally I could do with a bit of an Indian summer to let the late crops catch up with a bit of the missed summer sunshine. Visit
www.hallwoodfreshveg.co.uk or call 01837 811762 for more information.
For the fennel: 3 large fennel bulbs 60ml olive oil 1 onion, diced 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 250g lean minced (ground) pork 1
/4 tsp fennel seeds
45g fresh white breadcrumbs 2 tbsps finely chopped parsley 50g finely grated parmesan cheese
For the tomato sauce: 60ml olive oil 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 Remove the outer leaves of the fennel, trim both ends and cut in half, reserving the green fronds.
2 Blanch the fennel in a saucepan of salted boiling water for ten to fifteen minutes, or until they can be skewered easily – be careful not to overcook.
3 Drain well and when cool enough to handle, use a sharp knife to in the centre of each for the filling. Reserve the flesh and chop it very finely.
4 To make the filling, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for two to three minutes, then add the garlic and pork; season with
salt, pepper and fennel seeds. Cook for ten to fifteen minutes, or until the meat is brown, breaking up any large lumps with a fork.
5 Remove to a large bowl and allow to cool for about thirty minutes, then add the breadcrumbs, parsley, parmesan, the reserved chopped fennel and the fennel fronds. Mix well and adjust the seasoning as needed. Divide the filling mixture evenly between each fennel, pressing firmly to fill each hollow.
6 Preheat the oven to 180o (350o
C
F/Gas 4). To make the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about thirty seconds, then add the tomatoes and 250ml water. Season with salt and pepper and cook for a further fifteen minutes.
7 Pour the tomato sauce evenly into a baking tray and place the fennel on top. Cover with a layer of foil and bake in the oven for one hour, or until soft.
8 Serve immediately, ideally with a green salad.
T
two or three extra fennel instead for a vegetarian option. You will need to finely dice the flesh and cook in place of the pork.
op Tip:
Rosa’s Farm , Rosa Mitchell Published by Murdoch Books
Omit the pork and use
Produce to utilise this October
Leafy Greens: Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Swiss Chard
Roots: Beetroot, Carrot, Kohlrabi, Parsnip, Maincrop potatoes, Swede, Turnip
Alliums: Garlic, Leek, Onion (white, brown and red), Spring Onions
Pods & Seeds: French Beans, Peas, Runner Beans
Cucurbits: Courgette, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Squash
Salads: Lettuce (main, Lamb’s & Miner’s), Radish, Rocket
Shoots: Artichoke, Celery, Fennel
Fruits: Apples, Cherries, Plums, Pears, Quinces, Tomatoes
TAKEN FROM MICHAEL LITTLEWOOD’S SEASONAL ,AVAILABILITY CALENDAR
34 | THE WESTCOUNTRY FOODLOVER
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