IN SEASON
Be a ‘Veg Nerd’
Not many people obsess about the green stuff , but the founder of
Riverford is on a mission to educate the country on his favourite subject: veg!
Founder of Riverford, Guy Watson, never saw himself front one of the biggest veg box schemes in the country, but with his farm growing from strength to strength it was the only option. “I never wanted to sell the stuff , I just couldn’t eat it all myself!” says Guys.
However, with home cooking habits having seen a shiſt in recent decades away from a reliance on locally-grown, seasonal vegetables, Guy was seeing many home cooks struggling with the prospect of putting vegetables centre-plate and cooking from scratch.
To deal with what he calls the ‘veg skills gap’, Guy Watson has launched intimate Master Veg cooking classes in village halls and local venues across the UK, to help people Live Life on the Veg with Riverford.
“Most of us learn best by doing – not by listening, reading or watching it on TV, and that really applies to cooking. It’s shocking that overall, cooking from scratch in the home has decreased by over 50% in the past 30 years. I put a lot of that down to a lack of confi dence and cookery skills, as they are just not being handed down from generation to generation, the way they used to be. T ese local veg cookery
DUTCH PANCAKE WITH RHUBARB & ORANGE CREAM
classes are my answer to that problem; they are a fantastic way to learn essential veg prep skills and see how to cook up beautiful seasonal veg dishes, in a really friendly, convivial atmosphere.”
T e fun, informative, social Master Veg classes are a great way to fi nd out about life with a seasonal veg box. Each event involves a 2-hour hands-on cooking class using the best of the seasonal organic produce grown on Riverford’s farm, followed by a meal where the group will enjoy the food they have cooked and a glass of something refreshing.
Riverford don’t believe in boring boiled veg and are famous for championing veg- centric dishes that really make vegetables the star of the show.
Simple pancake batter is transformed into a fancy-pants dessert here, with the tang of blushing rhubarb enhanced by a cloud of orange-scented cream. It’s lovely served family style – that is, carried ceremoniously to the table and served straight from the pan.
Serves 6
FOR THE RHUBARB 400g rhubarb, chopped into 5cm pieces (very thick pieces halved lengthways)
60g caster sugar 2 tbsp orange juice
FOR THE PANCAKE 1 tbsp vegetable oil 100g plain fl our 30g ground almonds 1 tbsp caster sugar Pinch of salt 3 eggs, lightly beaten 300ml whole milk 1 tsp almond extract 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
Currently In Season:
Riverford's favourite late-winter vegetables
❤ Beetroot - The humble beetroots current renaissance is well deserved as its deep earthy sweetness is full of culinary potential. Their colour brings vibrancy to a myriad of dishes. Try them whizzed into a winter borscht, in hearty salads, or blitzed into a simple dip with cumin, lemon and yogurt.
❤ Cabbage - Look past any memories of soggy, over-boiled cabbage and see its magnifi cent culinary potential. It lends itself to quick cooking, slow braising and being eaten raw in thinly sliced slaws; try mixing shredded cabbage with mixed seeds, and a yogurt, tahini and lemon juice dressing.
❤ Caulifl ower - Mass-grown caulifl ower is pushed on with nitrogen – giving rapid growth, but also mushy fl orets. Ours are diff erent, grown slowly on mineral-rich soil, producing smaller, fi rmer caulis with exceptional fl avour. Think caulifl ower cheese and curries – and remember to cook the leaves too.
1 Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6. Place all the ingredients for the rhubarb in a baking dish and toss to coat. Roast for 20 mins, or until the rhubarb is tender but still holds its shape. Set aside and increase the oven temperature to 220C/gas 7.
2 To make the pancake, pour the oil into a large non-stick ovenproof frying pan and place inside the oven to heat.
3 In a mixing bowl, whisk together the fl our, ground almonds, sugar and salt. In a jug, whisk together the eggs, milk, almond and vanilla extracts, and melted butter.
36 | THE WEST COUNTRY FOODLOVER
ALSO IN SEASON... Rhubarb
Master Veg Classes £25 per person
To see locations & book visit;
https://lp.riverford.co.uk/master-veg.
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