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Archive for July 2011

Apple brioche

Credit to Nigel Slater, whose recipe this is; longsince a firm favourite when entertaining guests to dinner for speed, simplicity and downright tastiness. 

1 brioche

several apples (eaters, not cookers)

calvados

icing sugar

Core and slice the apple into pretty thin slices as if making tarte tatin. Put slices in mixing bowl, pour over sufficient calvados to marinade the apples without wasting too much in a pool at the bottom. Allow apples to stand for as long as you have - mixing occasionally to keep the calvados going in.

Heat grill. Cut brioche into slices and gently toast both sides. place gently toasted brioche on grill pan and layer apple slices one layer deep (as with tatin) on top covering as much as the brioche as possible (exposed brioche will burn). Now shake over icing sugar in a generous though not engulfing quantity. Place under grill until the sugar has started to caremelise or the brioche threatens to burn. Serve with vanilla ice cream. 

Palava Sauce

Raw MushroomsFresh Spinach Leaves

1 tbsp oil

1 onions, minced

2 tomatoes, finely chopped

1 red chilli, minced (optional)

10 mushrooms, cleaned and chopped

1 bunch fresh spinach, chopped

1 cup water

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, ground in a spice or coffee grinder 

1 tsp paprika

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

  

Fry the onions until golden. Add the tomatoes, mushrooms, chilli, and paprika (add frozen spinach at this stage, if you are using it). Cook for 20 minutes on low heat, with the lid on, stirring occasionally.

 

Add the spinach and pumpkin seeds. Check that there is enough liquid to stop it from sticking, if not, add some more water.  Cover and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, until spinach is cooked.  Season to taste.

 

Serve with rice and extra chilli sauce.

Organic Box 29th June

Fruit: bananas, oranges, nectarines, apricots, grapefruit

Vegetables: new potatoes, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, green onions, cucumber, salad, garlic, carrots, spinach

Everything pretty much enjoyed as it came this week, though not quite raw food; the new potatoes were just cooked and buttered, the salad dressed, and the cherry toms and cucumber chopped and mixed with some lemon, oil and salt an pepper.

The oranges, nectarines and apricots are polished off by the children. Grapefruits remain grown ups’ food.     

Organic Box 15th June

Fruit: grapefruit, peaches, plums, bananas, oranges

Vegetables: salad, mushrooms, broad beans, carrots, brocolli, courgettes, green onions, new potatoes

The Greek economy may be in crisis but not the cuisine. The arrival of broad beans alongside the new potatoes reminded me of this seasonal salad: Greek potato salad.