Roast banana, bacon, maple syrup & sweet corn fritters

Published on October 26, 2012 | Posted by Clare Garcia

Posted in: S, WF

Not exactly a recipe, more of a sharing of love, and another way to use my September sweet corn fritter recipe. Sunday brunch comfort, borderline excess, and food Jenga. I’m relying on you having a modicum of kitchen nouse, it really is very easy.

Set bacon to grill – you can also omit the meat, there’s plenty going on without it. Meanwhile roast bananas as per the instructions in the Recipes page and set aside in warm oven. While the fritters are frying, mix creme fraiche or yoghurt with a drop of vanilla extract and maybe some maple syrup, depending on the sweetness of your tooth.

Then layer: fritter, bacon, maple syrup, creme fraiche, banana. I used 3 fritters. Because I’m a glutton. And it looked impressive. 2 is plenty.

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Bramble Bircher

Published on October 18, 2012 | Posted by Clare Garcia

Posted in: S, SF, V, WF

Make the most of the last of our brambles and Scottish raspberries before we hit the winter months of nothing but apples and pears.

We’re particularly attached to the contrast of flavours and textures in this dish: tart berry and grated apple against crunchy seeds and creamy yoghurt.

The slow release energy helps us feel fuller for longer and the fact it’s made almost entirely from Superfoods, keeps us coming back for more.

Ingredients

2 apples, grated
8 tbsp oats
5 tbsp natural bio yoghurt
1/2 dsp agave or 1 of honey, or to taste
4 tbsp apple juice
2 tbsp toasted seeds from The Larder
5 tbsp brambles / blackberries (or frozen raspberries)

Method

In a bowl, mix all ingredients in the order listed above. You may want to up the honey or agave, we can tend to under sugar.
Gently fold through the brambles, taking care not to mash – we’re aiming for raspberry ripple as opposed to lilac blamange.
Transfer to a serving dish or individual bowls and enjoy.
Best eaten within a couple of days.

If making in advance, frozen berries are almost better than fresh as they hold their shape when added and melt into the mix by the time you scoop it out in the morning.

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Seasonal Seducer of the month: Blackberries / Brambles

Published on October 18, 2012 | Posted by Nadine Sharkey

Posted in: Uncategorized

MOST ATTRACTIVE FEATURES

Vitamin C, vitamin K, phytoestrogens, allagic acid, fibre, magnesium… A blackberry (or bramble in Scotland) ticks all the boxes, it would seem.

WHY WE FELL IN LOVE

Don’t let those prickles put you off. We just had to get to know this berry a bit better and every inch of us was won over. Our skin loves the ultraviolet protection provided by its ellagic acid. Our immune systems love the vitamin C (one cup is 50% of our daily recommendation). And our stomachs love the anti-inflammatory qualities.

Then there are phytoestrogens to help reduce food cravings and vitamin K to to aid calcium absorption and keep our blood clotting properly. But it doesn’t end there. Even the leaves are good: make them into tea and they’re said to reduce inflation in our mouths and throats.

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Foraging for Scottish brambles and other things

Published on October 12, 2012 | Posted by Clare Garcia

Posted in: Uncategorized

What did our grandmothers do before UK supermarkets became an abundance of year round global crops? And what does seasonal really mean when we can freeze food? OK a summer fruit salad is probably best avoided in December, but frozen berries and purees mixed in recipes are surely just as good? In fact, compared with tasteless bananas picked while green for import, the freezer wins every time, in nutrients too.

Although our Netherton Farm bramble hunt proved disappointing, Mother Nature turned up other surprises that our grannies, and a 1929 MAFF guide, would never have allowed go to waste.

The Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries & Food, HMSO Bulletin 21: Home Preservation of Fruit & Vegetables.

Mother Garcia’s cherished (and sous chef crayoned) 1970’s copy talked her through jamming, canning and bottling in preparation for the winter months; and a Wholesome Seduction child is born.

Netherton Farm Foraging Finds:

Elderberries, lots of.

The post elderflower berry is a nutritional powerhouse. Note: they’re poisonous unless cooked. They won’t kill you, but chances are you’ll vomit them back up before any of their goodness has been absorbed.

Good for: A syrup for coughs or on ice cream; in smoothies, juices or Elderberry & Apple Jelly (jam), or just on top of yoghurt.

Too late for elderflowers, the homemade champagne will sadly have to wait till next year.

Sloes & Rosehips

Good for: Hogmanay Sloe Gin. And Rose-hip syrup – the UK’s pre Ribena answer to Vitamin C.

Brambles & Acorns

Good for: Bramble bircher. And feeding pigs. Look no further than Spain’s famous Pata Negra Jamón.

A (rarely seen) Fairy Ring

Good for: Fairies. They live inside the mushroom circles.

Wild Boar cross Tamworth piglets

Not entirely wild but in fact, largely dependent on Mum Garcia for food, and affection it would seem. Surprisingly needy mammals, pigs.

Good for: Pork belly, smoked bacon, sausages, Pork Pies, Pigs Cheeks with Apple & Cider… It really is my favourite meat.

3 weeks old

For the love of God! Do I really love pork belly that much? Yep, afraid so.

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