Cheesy Broccoli & Potato Gratin

by Liz Child

A recipe for a rainy day. We complain about the rain, but really we are so lucky to get lots of rainy days to water our crops. Our brilliant broccoli is really thriving in this perfect mix of heat and rain, why not add some extras to your order for the freezer? This is a great meal in its own right, but is also a satisfying side to a Sunday roast. What would you pair it with?

Liz x

Ingredients

  • potatoes – approx 10
  • milk (any milk you like works, I use oat) – approx 500ml
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 heads of broccoli
  • 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • grated cheese – approx 3 handfuls

Method

  1. Turn your oven to 200C and find a large, oven and hob safe pot with a lid.
  2. Thinly slice the potatoes using a mandolin, machine or very sharp knife. Add them to the pot and pour in the milk. You want to add just enough so that you can see the milk, but don’t cover the potatoes or you will end up with a sloppy gratin.
  3. Stir in the mustard and nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper. Simmer the potatoes with the seasoned milk until they are just soft. Put the lid on the pan but stir often to ensure the potatoes are not sticking to the bottom of the pan. The potatoes will release starch into the milk and thicken it in a sort of béchamel.
  4. Meanwhile separate the stalk from the broccoli and trim as little as possible off the root end. Thinly slice the broccoli stalk and put to one side, then cut the tops into florets.
  5. When the potatoes are cooked, stir through the broccoli stalk slices and taste the sauce for seasoning. Adjust as needed with more salt or pepper.
  6. Top the gratin with the florets, drizzle with oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, put the lid on and place the pot in the oven to bake for 20 minutes or so.
  7. When the broccoli is tender, remove the lid, sprinkle with cheese and pop the pot back in the oven again to melt the cheese and brown the top. Serve in big scoops and enjoy!

Courgette Involtini

by Liz Child

One of our favourite summer dishes, we love this with pasta or bread and a big bowl of salad. For the filling, use any soft cheese you prefer, mixed with fresh herbs or a big scoop of pesto. We usually use our homemade tofu ricotta (here’s the recipe) but a mix of cream cheese and feta is delicious too. Make your own tomato sauce or use a jar of ready made.

Liz x

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

  • 1 courgette
  • 1 batch of tomato sauce (from a jar or sauté a diced onion and 4 crushed garlic cloves in 3 tbsp olive oil until soft, add a tin of chopped tomatoes and half a tin of water, season with salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes)
  • 400g soft cheese (use any you prefer, a mix of feta and cream cheese or vegan versions, we like to use our homemade garlic and herb ricotta)
  • a large handful of chopped herbs or a couple of tbsp of pesto
  • olive oil, salt & pepper to taste

Method

  1. Make the tomato sauce and pour it into an oven proof dish. Pre-heat the oven to 180C.
  2. Make a batch of garlic and herb tofu ricotta or mix any soft cheese you prefer with chopped herbs or pesto.
  3. Use a potato peeler or a cheese slicer to cut the courgette into long, thin strips.
  4. Place a heaped tsp of the herby cheese mixture on the end of a courgette slice. Then roll it up and place it, seam down, into the tomato sauce. Repeat until you have filled the dish or used up all the courgette slices.
  5. Drizzle the rolls with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven until bubbling and golden – around 15 to 20 minutes.
  6. Enjoy with bread or pasta and salads.

Rainbow Chard Parcels

by Liz Child

The stunning rainbow chard coming out of the farm at the moment is absolutely fantastic! It’s one of our favourite crops, so vibrant and so tasty. Here’s a recipe to make the most out of its beauty. Don’t forget to browse our farm products and add them to your next order, we’d hate for you to miss out on the seasonal harvest.

Liz x

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 1 bag of rainbow chard (250g)
  • 4 tbsp olive oil (1 for sautéing, 2 for the mash, 1 for drizzling)
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, sliced
  • 2 tins of chopped tomatoes
  • a handful of torn basil leaves
  • 3 large potatoes
  • 1 tin of lentils, drained
  • 2 scallions, sliced
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
  • optional cheese to taste – I like to use my tofeta
  • salt and pepper to taste

Method

  1. Scrub the potatoes, chop into bites and get them on to boil.
  2. Pre-heat the oven to 200C and find an oven and hob safe pan with a lid.
  3. Sauté the onion and garlic in 1 tbsp of olive oil for about 10 minutes or until soft and starting to caramelise.
  4. Add the tins of tomatoes and the torn basil leaves. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Half fill the tins with water and swirl the tomatoey juices out of the tins, into the pan. Then bring the sauce up to simmer and bubble away while you make the chard parcels.
  6. Remove the long chard stems, slice them into bites and add them to the tomato sauce.
  7. Mash the potatoes with 2 tbsp of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Then stir in the drained lentils, sliced scallions, chilli flakes and optional cheese.
  8. Lay the chard leaves out, upside down on a chopping board with the top of the leaf closest to you and the colourful stalks pointing away from you.
  9. Add a spoon of the mashed potato and lentil filling to a leaf near the top closest to you, roll the leaf over the filling away from you, then fold over the sides and keep rolling until you make a neat parcel.
  10. Take the sauce off the heat and pour it into medium baking dish, then tuck the chard parcel, seam side down, into the sauce. Repeat until you have used up all the chard leaves or filling. Then drizzle the last tbsp of olive oil over the parcels.
  11. Then put a lid or sheet of foil or parchment on the dish and pop it in the oven to steam/roast for just 10 minutes or so. The sauce should be bubbling hot and the leaves should be tender.
  12. Serve in bowls with bread and salads.

FAST FAKEAWAYS – Pizza Night

by Liz Child

A couple of minutes to put together and just 10-15 minutes to bake. Way faster than a takeaway pizza, cheaper, and dare I say it, more delicious? Tailor your pizza exactly to your taste with our easy pizza bases (we sell gluten free ones too), sauces, olives, pesto, vegetables and selection of cheeses (including vegan cheeses). This is also the perfect fun meal to make with kids.

Add the ingredients to your next organic fruit and veg order from us and give yourself a night off. We deliver to every address in Ireland. Liz x

Ingredients

Watch the easy method here or read on below.

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C fan. Get a couple of baking sheets ready and line with baking paper for ease.

Open the pizza bases and place them on the baking sheets.

Spread with three heaped tbsp of tomato sauce on each pizza base. Add some dollops of pesto for little herby flavour bombs.

Scatter over your favourite pizza toppings – olives, roasted vegetables, cheese – then pop the pizzas in the oven until hot and bubbling and just starting to take on some colour. Around 10-15 minutes.

Serve slices with torn fresh basil leaves, a fresh salad and glass of organic wine for the perfect Friday night fakeaway!