Woodfield Weekly

 

 

 

 

Spring is here and the boxes are getting greener. You will have noticed some purple sprouting broccoli last week, and with any luck (and pigeons permitting) there should be more during March. Spring greens, cabbage and spinach are also coming through now, so this weeks recipe sheet is a collection of green ideas for you.

 

 

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Chick Peas and Spinach

 

A tasty Spanish recipe for chick peas with spinach, flavoured with garlic, onion and paprika

 

 

Ingredients

•          400g tin of chickpeas

•          salt and fresh ground black pepper

•          1 tbsp Olive oil

•          2 garlic cloves, peeled

•          1 slice of day-old bread

•          375g fresh spinach, freshly rinsed

•          1 tsp sweet paprika

•          1 red pepper, chopped

•          1 tomato, chopped

•          1 onion, chopped

Method

1. Drain the soaked chick peas. Place in a large saucepan. Cover generously with water and bring to the boil. Boil uncovered until the chick peas are tender, around 1 and a half hours to 2 hours, topping up with additional hot water if necessary. Season with salt towards the end of the cooking period. Drain the chick peas and keep warm.

 

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan. Fry 1 garlic clove with the bread until the bread is golden. Transfer the fried garlic clove and bread to a pestle and mortar and pound to a paste.

 

3. Add the remaining oil to the frying pan and fry the remaining garlic, red pepper, tomato and onion for 1 minute. Mash the red pepper mixture into a paste. Add chickpeas. Cook for a further 5 minutes.

 

4. In the same frying pan cook the freshly rinsed spinach until wilted. Sprinkle over the paprika and mix in well.

 

5. Mix together the chick peas, spinach, and bread paste, coating the chick peas thoroughly. Serve.

 

 

 

 

 

Spring greens with garlic and soy sauce

 

Ingredients

2 small heads of spring greens

2-4 table spoons sunflower oil

2 cloves garlic

soy sauce

 

 

Chop two whole greens cross-ways into strips of 1cm or less. Chop almost down to the stump. The stems and leaf ribs are the sweetest bits. Heat the oil in a wok or heavy bottomed pan over a high heat. Peel and lightly crush the garlic with the back of a knife. Keeping the cloves whole will avoid burning. Cook in the oil for just about 20 seconds and add the greens before the garlic browns. Cook for about 2 minutes turning constantly in the oil. Add two or three shakes of soy sauce, cook for a further 15 seconds and serve.

 

 

Bubble and Squeak Rösti

From Delias Vegetarian Collection

 

“Bubble and squeak is a classic leftover recipe for greens, but making it rösti-style and adding some mature Cheddar adds a new dimension. These little individual rösti are brilliant served with sausages or leftover cold turkey and ham and a selection of pickles”.

 

Serves 4 (makes 8 rösti)

 

Ingredients

1 lb (450 g) Desirée or Romano potatoes (this should be 3 evenly sized potatoes weighing about 5 oz/150 g each)

3 oz (75 g) spring greens or green cabbage (trimmed weight)

2 oz (50 g) mature Cheddar, coarsely grated

1 level tablespoon plain flour

1 oz (25 g) butter

1 dessertspoon olive oil

salt and freshly milled black pepper

 

You will also need a baking tray measuring 10 x 14 inches (25.5 x 35 cm).

 

 

First scrub the potatoes, then place them in a medium saucepan with a little salt. Pour boiling water over to just cover them, then simmer gently with a lid on for 8 minutes. Drain the potatoes, then, while they are cooling, remove any stalks from the spring greens or cabbage and finely shred the leaves into ¼ inch (5 mm) slices. This is easy if you form them into a roll and then slice them. Drop the spring greens or cabbage into boiling water for 2 minutes only, then drain and dry well.

 

When the potatoes have cooled, peel them, then, using the coarse side of a grater, grate them into a bowl. Season with salt and freshly milled black pepper, then add the grated cheese and greens or cabbage and, using 2 forks, lightly toss together.

 

To assemble the rösti, shape the mixture into rounds 3 inches (7.5 cm) wide and ½ inch (1 cm) thick. Press them firmly together to form little cakes and dust lightly with the flour. If you want to make them ahead, place them on a plate and cover with clingfilm – they will happily sit in the fridge for up to 6 hours.To cook the rösti, pre-heat the oven to gas mark 7, 425°F (220°C), placing the baking tray on the top shelf of the oven. Melt the butter and add the oil, then brush the rösti on both sides with the mixture. When the oven is up to heat, place the rösti on the baking tray and return it to the top shelf of the oven for 15 minutes, then turn the rösti over and cook them for a further 10 minutes. Once cooked, it's all right to keep them warm for up to 30 minutes.