Hi all

The weather is staying with us thank god. The recipes this week are getting spicy thanks to Aimis glorious hot chillies. So they will warm us up with the cooler shorter evenings we are getting now. Get the water on the table and get ready for the spice.

Here’s a little tip, many years ago some lovely African people I used to know handed me a banana skin to help combat my burning hot lips as they were feeding me very spicy food cooked with okra which is way hotter than Aimis chillies.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kinsale-Green-Growers/133253503387246

Until next week enjoy your recipes

Jeannie

Gujarrati Carrot Salad

• Aimis Carrots/ 4 grated

• Black mustard seeds/ 1 level dessertspoon

• Limes juice of 2

• Mint leaves/ a handful

• Salt/ 1 teasp

Put mustard seeds in a pan and dry roast them covered until they pop. Then combine them with the rest of the ingredients. Simple and tasty !!

Potatoe Cakes with Cucmber Relish

• Aimis carrots 2 finely chopped

• Aimis red chillis 1 finely chopped

• Aimis shallots about 4 finely chopped

• Potatoes 1 kg peeled and cubed

• Milk 3 tbsp

• Butter 45g

• Garlic 4 cloves crushed

• Coriander a handful

• Red peppers 2 finely diced

• Oil a glug to fry in

• Salt and pepper

• Cucmber Relish

• Aimis Cucmber 1 large one grated

• Aimis Chilli 1 finely chopped

• Coriander leaves a handful finely chopped

• Lemon juice of 1

• Honey 2 tsp

• salt

Potatoe Cakes: Boil the spuds until soft. Drain and mash with a little of the milk an half the butter until smooth. Season to taste.

Gently melt the remaining butter or in a pan, add the onions, red chillies and garlic, fry until soft. Add coriander, carrots and red pepper also fry until soft.

To make the potatoe cakes: take a handful of the mashed spud, press an indentation into the centre and fill with carrot and pepper mixture. Work the spud mash around to seal the stuffing and for a cake . Do this with all the spud mash until the filling is used up. Fry until golden brown and crispy both sides.

Cucumber Relish:Make the cucumber relish by combining all the ingredients with salt to taste. Any of the remaining pepper and carrot mixture can be mixed with a green salad and served with the relish and potatoe cakes.

Beetroot and Brinjal Black Curry

• Aimis beetroot 450g/1lb raw beetroot trimmed and cubed

• Aimis shallots 2 or 3

• Aimis chillies 1

• Aubergine 5 baby ones if you can get them or 2 regular cut small chunks

• Garlic cloves 2-3

• Lemon grass stalk 1

• Stock 200ml / 7fl oz

• Coconut milk 300ml / ½ pint

• Cashew nuts 125g/ 4oz

• Cumin seeds 1 dessertsp

• Coriander seeds 1 dessertsp

• Fennel seeds 1 teasp

• Oil glug of

Blend shallots, garlic, chillies and lemon grass to a pulp. Dry roast cumin,coriander and fennel seeds in a pan until they are dark brown not burnt or they’ll taste bitter. Grind to a powder using pestle and mortar.

Healt oil in a pan add shallot paste and cook quickly and throw in ground spices stirring all the time. When the spices are combined with the onion paste, add the beetroot and aubergine. Fry for another minute or 2 on high heat, stirring all the time.

Pour in stock, bring to boil, reduce heat,cover and simmer until veg are soft. Add coconut milk, cook for a further 5 minutes. Dry roast the cashew nuts until golden. Garnish the curry with toasted cashew nuts and serve rice. Coconut rice is nice.

It was lovely to meet some of you at the open day I was surprised to see how many showed up. (I almost didn’t go as I was tired from a ridiculously late night the night before)  but now I’m very happy I went along. What a lovely evening it turned out to be. Sweetcorn and other goodies roasting on the BBQ, a very sociable and tasty potluck feast, a lovely sunset and a guided tour of Aimis busy farm where she displayed just how hard she works to grow our veg.

I love Aimis sweetcorn straight from the pan without even butter on it, it’s so lush and sweet. But if you would like to do other things with the sweetcorn to preserve the flavour and goodness from Aimis’ harvest included is a master pickle recipe

I have photos from the open day if anyone would prefer I not post out pictures of them or their children please let me know.

Until next week enjoy your recipes and the lovely gentle weather we are lucky to be having !!

Jeannie

Pickle Master

This handy pickle master recipe is for any combination of Aimis veg you would like to preserve from harvest, bringing the taste of summer right into the winter months.By adding a variety of herbs and spices to the vegetables, you can create the pickles of your dreams.

•  5 cup(s) white distilled or cider vinegar (5% acidity)

•  1 cup(s) sugar

• 1/4 cup(s) salt

Combine all ingredients plus 2 cups water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and the mixture just begins to boil. Pour hot liquid over the desired combination of vegetables, herbs, and spices, let cool, cover, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 weeks before opening. Once opened, pickles will keep refrigerated for up to 2 months.

Sweet-Corn Relish

• Aimis’ sweet corn 2 / 3

• Aimis’ Shallots 1 1/2 cups finely chopped

• 3 cups distilled white vinegar

• 3/4 cup water

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 1/2 tablespoons yellow mustard seed

• 1 scant tablespoon celery seed

• 3/4 teaspoon turmeric

• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

• bay leaves 5

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

•  yellow bell peppers, finely diced 2

• `1 cup finely chopped celery

Use Kilner Jars for this recipe if you can get them. Bring vinegar, water, sugar, spices, and salt to a boil in a large heavy pot. Add corn, peppers, onion, and celery to brine mixture and simmer, uncovered until vegetables are crisp tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Spoon relish and brine into jars and cool, uncovered in the refrigerator, about 1 hour. Cover with lids and chill at least 2 days for flavors to develop.

Greeen Veg Mallung

• Aimis shallots/ 3

• Aimis’ broccoli florets / 12 0z

• Aimis’/ courgettes 12oz

• Sunflower oil

• Green chillis to taste

• Curry leaves 12

• Black mustard seeds 1 tbsp

• Desiccated coconut 2oz

• Spinach 6oz shredded

• Coconut milk 14fl oz / 1 ½ cups

• Worsetershire sauce 1 tbsp / alternatively a good glug of fish sauce

• Saffron a couple of threads

• Salt / pinch of Lime 1

• Coriander leaves for garnish

Delicious Delicious YUM.. need I say more !! Heat some oil sauté shallots, toss in chopped chilies, curry leaves and mustard seeds.

Add the broccoli, chopped courgette, and desiccated coconut, stir until veg are coated in spices and coconut is toasted. Pour water enough to partially cover veg and simmer til they start to soften.

Stir in spinach, coconut milk, Worcestershire sauce and saffron. Simmer til all veg are soft. Add salt and lime juice and garnish.

Broccoli Mushroom Frittatas

• Aimis’ broccoli stems 1/2 cup(s) diced, tough outer skin peeled off

• Aimis’  shallot, 1 chopped

• Mushrooms of choice 2 cup(s) sliced

• Garlic, minced 2 clove(s)

• Whole eggs 4 large

• Egg whites 3 

• Gruyère grated 1 cup(s),

• Lemon juice of 1/2

• Thyme 1 tablespoon

• Dijon mustard 2 teaspoon(s) grainy or

• Red chili pepper flakes 1/4 teaspoon(s)

•  salt a pinch

• black pepper 1/4 teaspoon(s)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add broccoli florets, broccoli stems, mushrooms, shallot, and garlic; cook 5 minutes. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, egg whites, cheese, lemon juice, thyme, mustard, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir in broccoli mixture. Divide mixture among 10 medium-sized greased or paper lined muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes, or until eggs have set. Let cool several minutes before unmolding.

Hi Everyone

Yaay sunshine at last, Aimi is getting brown and the veggies are blooming at the farm.

The Harvest party is approaching and we have fingers crossed for a lovely evening. It will be starting off at the farm at 5pm on the 15th September, for those who would like to continue to party we can take it to the dock pub afterwards. Please bring along a dish to share and an instrument to play.

I’m counting my blessings for the abundance of lovely veg from Aimi each week and it really inspires me to experiment  with lovely recipes. If you are sending feedback please title them Kinsale Green Growers as we get a lot of spam !!

http://www.kinsalegreengrowers.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kinsale-Green-Growers/133253503387246

 Until next week, enjoy the sunshine and the lovely veggies, remember to put the date for the Harvest Party in your diary !!

Jeannie

Jeanies Beetroot and Apple Salad

Beetroot is so versatile and good for you

• Aimis’ beetroot

• Apples (I use local apples)

• Orange or Lime zest of

• Rice wine vinegar

• Sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds

A luscious and colourful salad that I enjoy on these lovely summer days. Grate the beetroot and the apple and combine with the zest and add a tiny amount of rice vinegar/optional, I find it fresh. Add seeds.

Shredded Beetroot

• Aimis’ beetroot 2 or 3 of them

• Garlic clove

• Butter 2 tsp

• Water ¼ cup

• Orange or lemon zest

• Pepper salt and sugar

• Fresh herbs / optional (I like thyme or mint and chives from the garden

Another declicous and easy to make beetroot dish. Shred the beetroot. Cook the garlic in the butter without browning. Add the beetroot, water and juice, cover and cook over medium heat for 5-10 min. Try to have all liquid evaporated by the time the beetroot is tender.Season with salt, pepper and fresh herbs.

Ruby Root Lucious Juice

• Aimis’ Beetroot as many as you like

• Ginger fresh 1cm/ ½ inch peeled

• Orange 1 large

• Ice cubes

Beetroot makes a brightly coloured, delicious sweet juice. It makes a great cleanser and a refreshing drink, packed full of minerals and vitamins, an excellent way to start the day.

Trim the beetroot and cut into quarters. Push half through a juicer, followed by the ginger and remaining beetroot. Squeese the juice form the orange and mix with the beetroot. Pour over ice ahhhh !!!

Jeannies Risotto Jammed Packed with Aimis’ Goodies

• Aimis’ courgettes

• Aimis’ shallots 2 or 3 depending on size

• Aimis’ curly kale a few leaves

• Aimis’ tomatoes

• Arboro risotto rice (a bit more pricey but soooo worth it yum)

• Coconut milk

• Stock cube (I prefer organic low salt variety)

• Mustard seeds, black onion seeds, some curry leaves/ a liberal sprinkling.

This is one of my favourite dishes I love making it and it is soo creamy and declicous, I love to experiment with different variations of risotto. Aimi had some and she thought she had died and gone to heaven YUM !!

Chop up and sweat the shallots, black onion seeds, curry leaves and mustard seeds for lots of flavour. Throw in about a mug full of Risotto rice for ever person, or more if they like big portions, leave them in for about 5 min medium heat. Then add stock to help the rice swell and add even more flavour and very gradually a little at a time until after quite a bit of checking and stirring the rice has swelled in size.

 Then add courgettes grated, stripped and shredded into curly kale, not too much as you don’t want it too green. Stir it and check moisture level and maybe add more stock. Then when it is all cooked add about 2 tablespoons of coconut milk for further added creaminess and taste and a few of Aimis lovely baby tomatoes and squash them into the risotto.

Courgettes with Herbs and Cream

• Aimis Courgettes as many as you like

•  Water start with 1/2 cup and add more

•  Butter 1 Tbsp

•  Cream 1/4 cup more if needed

•  Rosemary,thyme, sage or marjoram (abundant in my garden)

This is such a quick and simple tasty dish. Slice courgettes and cook the in a pan covered over high heat, with water and butter. When the liquid has evaporated, add the cream and herbs and cook uncovered over high heat until the cream thickens and coats the courgettes.

This week I am delighted with my Romanesque such an inspiring vegetable I think you will agree.This week I’ve included a few ways of cooking with Romanesque Cauliflower and also with Kale.

Did you know that Romanesque is one of natures wonders it is so beautiful to look at it, you just might not want to eat it haha !!

The number of spirals on the head of Romanesco broccoli is a Fibonacci number. It is used by mathematicians to illustrate logarithmic spirals and fractals. Also called sacred geometry. Sacred geometry can be found in a sea shell, a human ear or a Romanesque cauliflower. For some images in sacred geometry look here, fascinating and beautiful at the same time.

Links

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kinsale-Green-Growers/133253503387246?ref=hl

http://pinterest.com/charmicheale/sacred-geometry/

Enjoy your recipes til next week

Jeannie

Tips on how to eat Romanesque

• It can be prepared like cauliflower or broccoli.

• Pasta Separate florets and blanche briefly, then toss with hot pasta and cheese.

• Boil romanesco florets until tender, then puree with garlic, cream and parmesan.

• With Miso Saute florets in a hot pan, the stir in a mixture of miso, red pepper, anchovy, almonds and water.

• Cannelloni Blanch romanesco cauliflower florets, then combine with grated cheese and béchamel, stuff filling in cannelloni shells, top with tomato sauce and bake.

• Steamed and Simple !! Lightly steamed and served with salt and a bit of butter

• Or..Use the marinara sauce below and add a glug of red wine vinegar and anchovies to add oomph !!

Baked Romanesque Cauliflower

• Aimis’ Romanesque Cauliflower

• Aimis Basil

• Aimis Parsely

• 1 lemon

• Salt, pepper

Simple and yummy. Here’s a recipe that is so easy to prep.Get a baking tin for the oven, Cut cauliflower into large flowerets, Toss flowerets in oil, salt and pepper. Bake until they look ready and toss in fresh parsley and basil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to finish.

Braised Romanesco Broccoli with Onions and Olives

A simple but wow recipe

• Aimis’ Romanesco broccoli / 1 large head, about 1 1/2 pounds

• 2 Tbsp. oil

• 3 cups sliced yellow onions

• Salt / not much the olives are quite salty

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, quartered

• 1 cup water

Shed the leaves, cut stem even into the bottom. Turn broccoli upside down and, cut an “X” deep into the stem.

Sauté onions in oil, with lots of black pepper and light seasoning of salt until onions soften and start to turn golden. Stir in olives, and water. Set broccoli on top of onion mixture. Bring liquid to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until broccoli is tender.

When broccoli is done, carefully remove it from pan, careful you want to keep it whole.If sauce is too thin, turn the heat up, bring it to a boil, and cook, stirring regularly to make sure onions don’t burn, until it’s no longer watery.

Spread onion-olive mixture on serving plate, top with broccoli, and serve with a ta daaaaaaa as it will look beautiful.

Marinara Sauce Recipe

• Aimis’ tomatoes / Overripe If you’ve any slightly older ones left

• 1 can of tomato paste

• 1 cup of olive oil

• 4 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon of salt

• 4 tablespoons of sugar

• 3 tablespoons dried oregano, I have this growing in my garden

• 3 tablespoons dried basil

• Salt and pepper to taste

Overripe tomatoes (you’ll need at least six; supplement with canned tomato puree if necessary). Start by removing the skin from your tomatoes – which is actually a lot easier than you think. Dip each tomato into a pot of boiling water for 30 seconds or until skin begins to peel off. Let the tomatoes sit in an ice bath for at least 5 minutes, and simply remove the skin by hand.

Crush the tomatoes into a mixing bowl with your hands, and puree them in a food processor. Strain if desired, reserving puree and setting seeds aside to be composted. Meanwhile, heat the oil in the bottom of a large pot and add the garlic. Cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes or until garlic is browned.

Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and herbs and stir to combine. Simmer over low heat for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add to cooked pasta, lasagna or the Italian classic of your choice.

Tips on eating Kale

• Replacement for salt and vinegar crisps! Just mix with malt vinegar and sea salt and bake on Greaseproof paper for about 10 mins until crispy!! 

• Cook kale like cabbage. Wash it well. Trim the tough stalks off. Slice up the leaves. Boil or steam until tender – about 5 minutes. Really tasty. But serve immediately as it tastes grim cold.

• Stir fry trim the stalks and slice the leaves into strips. Stir fry in sesame oil in a wok for 5 minutes. Throw in a handful of sesame seeds and a little soy sauce or tamari.

• Hot! Hot! Hot! Trim stalks. Slice leaves. Steam or stir fry until tender. Mix with a tablespoon of sweet chilli sauce.

• Saute Trim stalks. Slice leaves. Saute with lid on,in a large pan in a little melted butter for up to 5 minutes. Stir often to prevent burning. Serve with some freshly grated nutmeg.

• Creamy Trim stalks. Slice leaves. Peel & crush 2 cloves of garlic. Cook gently in a little oil with the kale for about 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in 2 tablespoons half fat creme fraiche. Season to taste.

• Shiitake mushrooms !! red onions and garlic – full of goodness – in a Marigold bouillon broth and a splash of shoyu sauce.

Sauteed Curly Kale with Parmesan and Garlic

• Aimis’ curly kale/ about 250g washed and chopped

• 1 large clove of garlc, crushed

• 2 Tbsp oil

• salt and pepper

• 1/2 a cup of finely grated Parmesan

In your fryng pan or wok, heat about oil. Add the garlic and sautee until it starts to sizzle.

Add the chopped kale.Over medium heat, sautee the kale until it has softened but retains some crunch and its brillliant green colour.

Add salt and pepper to taste and stir in about half the Parmesan. Serve with the remaining Parmesan sprinkled on top. Alternatively add whole grain mustard after cooking.

I hope you are all enjoying this lovely spell of weather we’re having at last !! I know of one certain lovely farmer who is getting a nice paddy tan growing our vegetables

Did you know that Parsley is a diuretic and a cleanser which contains vitamin c and iron, Basil is said to be a natural tonic to calm the nervous system. It also acts as a great aid to digestion. Below is a recipe for Basil Oil a great way of storing and capturing the unique flavour of Basil which is lovely drizzled over bread or as a dressing for steam green beans. Let me know if any of you come up with any other nice ways of using it YUM !

Enjoy the recipes and the lovely weather til next week

Jeannie

Basil oil / for a gift or maybe not if you can’t resist it !!!

• Aimis Basil leaves / keep 2 to put in the oil after

• 1 cup of oil

• A sterilized jar and lid

Okay this is so tasty that I had to make a 2nd batch one for me and one as a gift, I’ve got the perfect bottle for it too . The batch I’ve made is made warm by the sun on the window sill and so tasty.

Crush the basil leaves with a mortar and pestle . Pound them slightly add a little oil and pound gently again. I used about 10 of Aimis Basil leaves altogether. This will bruise the leaves releasing their own oil into the oil. Mix the leaves with the rest of the oil. Leave it in a sunny window sill and shake it every other day for about 2 weeks, if you can stop yourself from resisting it. After about 2 weeks strain off the basil into a decorative bottle and add fresh leaves to help identify the type of basil used and also looks decorative.

More ideas for using Aimis Basil

• Tasty torn over salad leaves or compliments tomatoes on their own

• Basil is gorgeous with garlic put both in a French dressing

• When cooking pasta or rice, heat some oil in a pan, remove from heat, add some torn basil, toss the pasta or rice in the basil and oil and serve.

• Sprinkle on fried or grilled tomatoes while they are still hot as a delicious garnish.

• Sprinkle on top of pizza

• A stuffing for chicken combined with bread crumbs, crushed garlic, lemon peel, a beaten egg and chopped nuts.

Swiss Chard and Potatoe Curry

• Aimis’ swiss chard lightly steamed 10 ozs/ 300g

• Aimis potatoes a good handful

• Glug of oil

Spices

• 1/4 tsp of onion seeds

• 1/4  tsp of mustard seeds

• 1 tsp diced crushed ginger root

• 1/2  tsp of each of these coriander, cumin, chilli powder, turmeric,

• 1 garlic clove crushed

• 2 medium onions, peeled, chopped

• 1 tbsp tomatoe puree

• 1 tsp salt

• A good squeeze of lemon juice

• 1/4  pint of water

Chop the chard leaving out stems and chop finely it takes longer than spinach to cook but tastes similar.Drain well and set aside. Peel the potatoe roughly and set aside in a bowl of water to prevent it discolouring. Heat the oil throw in the mustard and onion seeds and fry until darker, then add onion cook til golden.

Place tomatoe puree in a bowl and add all the remaining ingredients but not the water, garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, chilli , turmeric, salt and lemon juice. Mix together. Pour this mix over the onions and stir fry for about 1- 2 minutes, make sure to stir. Add the chard and continue to stir fry then add the potatoe and lower the heat and add the water. Cover and simmer until the potatoes are cooked and the water has evaporated. Good with rice !!

Tomatoe and Basil Sauce with Pasta

• Aimis’ tomatoes a good handful

• Aimis’ Basil another good handful minus stalks

• Aimis Broad beans / if you’ve any left, podded and steamed / boiled

• 1 onion

• 1 clove of garlic

• 1 tin of tomatoes

• Sea salt and black pepper ground

• A glug of oil

Heat up the oil and add the onion and garlic and sauté for a while. Add Aimis’ tomatoes and the canned tomatoe to bulk it up, (optional) and the basil. Aimis look a much brighter colour in comparison with the tinned variety. Add the steamed/boiled broad beans. Give this a further few minutes for the flavours to blend. If you put your pasta on before cooking the sauce it should be ready about the same time.

We’d been having lovely warm weather which has been helping Aimi grow her veg, but now we’ve been having a couple of gusty days, which turns my mind to healthy, warming, comfort food for these blustery days indoors. 

Aimi has a glut of courgettes that are free to members if they would like extra for pickles and chutneys which are a lovely taste of summer to have later on when the harvest is done. They can be collected from the farm but please phone Aimi first. Her number is 0858300074.

Last but not least thanks to many of  KGG’s members for their feedback which is always appreciated and to Anne Wedell Seerup for the lovely variation on the courgette muffin recipe. Anne I’ll be using this recipe with much less sugar.. yummy.

Check out Kinsale Green Growers also on facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kinsale-Green-Growers/133253503387246?ref=ts

Until next week enjoy your recipes

Jeannie

Aubergine Dip

Great for a sandwich filling or dip

• Aimis aubergine 1 small

• Garlic 1 large clove chopped

• Parsley ¼ cup chopped

• Lemon juice 2 tbsp

• Tahini 2 tbsp

• salt and pepper

Roast the aubergine in oven at 180 c for 45-60 minutes, or turn on a bbq until soft. Peel or cut off skin and mash or puree the flesh with the remaining ingredients until well blended but still a bit lumpy. Let it stand for an hour to blend the flavours.

Savoury Courgette Pie

• Aimis courgettes 3 cups grated

• Aimis tomatoes optional

• 1 onion grated

• 4 eggs (I use my CSA eggs for this)

• Grated cheese 1 ½ cups

• Self Raising flour (I use whole meal spelt flour and it works well)

• Salt ½ tsp

• 1 pepper

• herbs of your choice

Grate the courgette and onion and add eggs, cheese and salt. Mix well with a fork.

Add the flour and as much pepper and fresh herbs as you like. Pop the lot into a well oiled pan, making sure not to fill above 2/3rds as it will rise. Put your sliced tomatoes and more grated cheese on top.

Bake at 200 c for 25  to 40 min until the centre feels firm and top is browned.

Broad Bean and Creamy Yoghurt Soup

A quick and easy, delicious, delicate, creamy soup.. yum !

• Aimis Broad Beans 3 cups depodded

• 1 tbsp oil

• 1 onion peeled and chopped

• 2 cloves garlic peeled and crushed

• 5 cups / 1.25 litres veg stock

• salt and pepper

• 1 tbsp parsley

• 1 tbsp bio live natural yoghurt

Saute the onion and garlic in the oil until soft. Add the beans and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the stock to the onion, garlic, and beans. When cooked blend in blender until smooth. Put saucepan back on the heat and cook for another 5 minutes to reduce the stock. Serve with a dollop of yoghurt in each bowl.

Zingy Tomatoe Salsa

Yummy used as a sauce, topping, dip or in a sandwich.

• Aimis Scallions 3 chopped

• Aimis tomatoes 7 medium sized or more chopped

• 1 tbsp of oil

• 1 tsp each ground cumin chilli and coriander

• 1 red pepper roasted skinned and chopped

• 1 tsp each of parsley, salt and ground black pepper

Blend all the ingredients together and season generously. If you need to store it for a couple of days cover it with a layer of oil.

Courgette muffins

I baked some courgette muffins yesterday from a recipe and it turned out quite nice:

• 3 eggs

• 250 grams of sugar

• 2 1/2 centiliter (8 ounces) of vegetable oil. I thought it was lot added a little less and it worked fine

• 4-500 grams grated courgettes (approx. 3). Recipe says to grate them coarsely, but I think finely would work better if you have people around, who are fussy about having visible pieces of veg in their cakes.

• 350 grams of flour

• 1/4 tsp baking powder

• 2 tsp baking soda (I didn’t have this so just used 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder instead, which was sufficient)

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 2 tsp vanilla sugar (I just added seeds from a vanilla pod)

• 3 tsp of Cinnamon

• Handful of chopped nuts – I used walnuts.

 Beat eggs and sugar. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix. Bake as cake or muffins at 180C (20 mins for muffins, 40 mins for cake).

 I also added some lemon icing to some of them which was quite nice. Mix icing sugar with lemon juice and a drop of water – not too much as it should be quite thick.

^{Aimis courgettes 3 cups grated}

^{Aimis tomatoes optional}

^{1 onion grated}

^{4 eggs (I use my CSA eggs for this)}

^{Grated cheese 1 ½ cups}

^{Self Raising flour (I use whole meal spelt flour and it works well)}

^{Salt ½ tsp}

^{1 pepper}

^{herbs of your choice}

^{Grate the courgette and onion and add eggs, cheese and salt. Mix well with a fork.}

Here are some more lovely and lush recipes for you to use with the seasonal veg that Aimi grows for us. The curry is so easy and I use the same spices with many other veg and lemon rice, I’ve given you that recipe another time. Its delicious. Watch out for Kinsale Green Growers on facebook  too https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kinsale-Green-Growers/133253503387246?ref=ts

Until next week enjoy your recipes

Jeannie

Aubergine Courgette and Onion Curry

This recipe is so easy peasy to make and is lovely with a simple dahl dish.

• Aimis’ Aubergines 8oz/ 225g aubergine finely chopped

• Aimis’ Courgettes 2 diced up small

• Aimis’ scallions 1 cup

• Onions 2 onions

• Coriander 4 tblsp fresh

• A good glug of oil

• Curry leaves 3

• Onion / mustard/ fenugreek seeds ½ teaspoon each

• Sprinkle of salt

• 1 Lemon use the juice from it.

Heat the oil with the curry leaves and the whole spices. Then add the onions and fry till soft and golden, then add the coriander, salt and the aubergines and courgettes. Lower the heat and fry gently for about 15 min until aubergines are tender. Sprinkle in the lemon juice and lower the heat for a further few minutes

Simple Dahl Dish

This goes very nicely with the Onion aubergine and courgette curry

Place all of these ingredients below in a pot together for about 15 min until 1 and 1/2 pints water has evaporated

• 40z/120g  of red dahl

• 40z/120g split peas

• Ginger root 1 tsp

• Garlic crushed 1tsp

• Turmeric ½ tsp

• Coriader optional

When that is done a little oil and butter together with 1 medium onion, ½ tbsp mixed mustart and onion seeds 3 curry leaves and pour over lentil mix.

Broad Bean, Mint & Basil Puree

Goes nice with fish and new potatoes

• Aimis broad beans, shelled 1 cup

• Aimis’ basil leaves 2 Tablespoons

• Aimis’ scallions, sliced as many as you like

• Peas a cup full

• 2 Tablespoons mint leaves

• 1 garlic clove

• 1 lemon, cut in half

Cook beans in salted water until soft.  Drain.  Remove skin from bean and set beans aside.  Cook peas in salted water until soft (approximately 10 minutes) and drain. Combine peas, broad beans, and garlic in a food processor and pulse until you have a coarse mixture. Add basil and mint leaves, the juice of half a lemon anda glug of oil, and pulse a few more times until mixture comes together.  Season with sea salt and black pepper and add more olive oil if desired.  

Vegan Courgette Cake

• Aimis Courgettes 3 medium

• 2 ripe bananas

• 1 cup oil

• 3 cups flour

• 2 cups sugar

• 1 tsp. salt

• 1 tsp. baking soda

• 1 tsp. vanilla

• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 9-inch cake pans. Peel the courgettes and chop it into chunks. grate them and measure out 2 1/2 cups.

Peel and puree bananas in the food processor. Mix pureed courgettes, bananas, vanilla, and oil. Whisk well.

In a separate bowl, mix together the rest of the ingredients salt baking soda flour and sugar but I would use less sugar as the bananas add sweetness. Slowly whisk dry ingredients into wet. Fold in the walnuts or pecans.

Put the entire mix in a pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Summer Potato Salad with Courgette Ribbons and Pesto

pesto

• Aimis fresh basil 3 cups

• 2 small chunks of parmesan

• 1/2 garlic clove, minced

• pinch of salt

• 2 T pine nuts or sunflower seeds

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more to taste

salad

• Aimis Courgette 2 medium size

• Aimis fresh basil leaves, to garnish

• Aimis salad 500 gr baby new potatoes

• 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 cup shaved parmesan

To make pesto, place all the ingredients except for the oil in a blender or with pestle and mortar.Blend a couple of times, then add the oil slowly and keep blending a few more times until you obtain a coarse cream. Add more oil for a smoother pesto.Set aside.

In the meantime, wash potatoes cook them until just tender and let them cool.

Cut courgette in two halves lengthwise. Using a potato peeler, shave courgette to create some long, thin stripes. Place potatoes and zucchini ribbons in a bed of  Aimis salad dish and season with oil and salt.Add some of the pesto and stir .Top with shaved parmesan and the fresh basil leaves.

So August is approaching fast, and Transition Town Kinsales’  (TTK) Autumn food fest will be happening in the autumn it’s a couple of months away yet, but I’ve included some chutney recipes which I have used successfully in the past, for you to try out.

TTK usually have a trade and barter stall for trading locally grown herbs, jams, pickles and chutneys at the food fest and I hope so much that you might bring some along. Remember chutney matures beautifully with age and the best storage time is two months after making to develop a lovely flavour.

Enjoy the veggies and the recipes

Jeannie

Tomatoe Chutney

• Aimis’ Red Tomatoes 500g / 1lb
• Local apples 125g / 4oz
• 250g / 8oz onions
• 500g / `lb raisans
• 125g/ 4oz brown sugar
• 300 ml / ½ pint of vinegar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tsp ground ginger / I like the real stuff better
• A pinch of cayenne pepper

Chop the tomatoes, peel core and chop the apples, and chop the onions. Put all the ingredients into a pan. Stir well and simmer for 1hr until thick and golden brown. Put into hot sterilized jars cover and seal. Store in a cool dark place so as not to discolour. Keep airtight and make sure you sterilize or it might go mouldy.

And another.. Tomtoe and Courgette chutney

• Aimis’ tomatoes 500g, chopped
• Aimis’ courgettes 500g , diced
• 2 onions , chopped
• 300ml white wine vinegar
• 2 Granny Smith apples , peeled and diced
• 250g brown sugar
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tbsp mustard seeds
• thumb-sized piece root ginger , grated
• 4 garlic clove , crushed

Put all the ingredients in a large pan. Bring slowly to a simmer, stirring to stop the mixture sticking.

Simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours until dark, thick and chutney-like. Pour into sterilised jars and leave for 2-3 weeks before eating.

Courgette pickle

• Aimis’ Courgettes 1 kg
• 2 medium onions
• ¼ cup of salt
• 2 ½ cups of white vinegar
• 1 cup of sugar
• 2 teaspoons of mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• ½ tsp dry mustard

Wash courgette, trim the ends and slice very thinly. Quarter the onions and separate. Combine courgette,onions and salt with enough water to cover in a large bowl. Stir well let it stand for an hour then drain as they will have seeped out a lot of water.

Combine remaining ingredients in large saucepan or boiler. Bring to the boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pour hot vinegar mixture over the courgette mixture and stand for 1 hour.

Transfer courgette and vinegar mixture to the large saucepan, Bring to the boil ad simmer for a few minutes. Spoon into hot sterilized jars ensuring courgette is covered with cooking liquid. Seal and put the date on it.

Spicy Tomatoe Soup

• Aimis’ tomatoes : A dozen or so tomatoes
• One large onion
• A glug of oil
• A chilli
• Salt and black pepper

Dice your onion and heat it in your pan with the olive oil.

When it has started to go translucent, tip in your tomatoes and the chilli. Like the onion, these should all have been diced so that they cook properly.

Add salt and pepper to taste (salt brings out the flavour of tomatoes) and then stir it while the tomatoes cook and disintegrate. You shouldn’t need any water or stock as the tomatoes will liquify in the heat.

Green Bean and Potatoe Salad

There’s an absence of vinegar in this salad the combination of oil and lemon juice brings out the sweetness in Aimis fine beans.

• Aimis’ French beans with the ends taken off / ½ lb
• Aimis’ 2 medium spuds boiled with skins on and cooled if you have any left
• 1 small onion thinly sliced
• A glug of oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespooons of roughly chopped mint

Cook the beans in boiling water, until crisp or tender, drain and rinse in cold water. Peel and cut the potatoes into ¼ inch thick slices. Gently toss all the ingredients together. Goes great with tuna Yum

Courgette Moussaka

• Aimis’ courgettes, 2 sliced
• Aimis 300g new potatoes, scrubbed and sliced if you’ve any left
• Aimis tomatoes 4 ripe ones, about 450g in total, chopped
• Aimis’ basil 3 tbsp chopped fresh
• ’aubergine, 1 sliced
• 2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into thick strips
• 400g can of white or mixed beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 150g plain low-fat natural yoghurt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 30g Parmesan or Italian-style hard cheese, freshly grated

Preheat the oven to 180°C/ gas 4. Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the courgettes and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the water with a draining spoon and drain well. Add the aubergine slices to the water and cook for 2 minutes, then remove and drain. Add the potato slices to the water and cook for about 8 minutes until just tender. Drain and set aside with the other blanched vegetables.

Cook the pepper slices for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until slightly charred all over and starting to soften. Remove from the pan and roughly chop.

Combine all the vegetables with the beans, chopped tomatoes and basil in a large baking dish. Drizzle over the olive oil, season to taste and stir well.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the yoghurt, egg and Parmesan cheese until blended. Spread this mixture over the top of the vegetables in an even layer.

Bake for 40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the topping is golden brown.

I’m really enjoying Aims’ lovely veg bags with all the lovely goodies we are getting each week, and what about those sweet baby tomatoes…the taste of them wow, they just don’t come an sweeter  !!! Sometimes I don’t wait to cook them or do anything with them I just eat them straight from the bag, or perhaps in some Parsley and tomatoe salad, check out that recipe below.

The courgettes are so versatile you can cook them savoury or sweet, their flavor is so subtle that it simply lends moistness to the bread or cake recipe. Included below is an easy to make courgette and chocolate cake, you simply put together wet ingredients then put together dry ingredients then combine, similar to muffins.

The lovely Parsley Pesto recipe is tasty and good to eat with salmon or pasta linguini.

Until next week

Jeannie and Aimi

Parlesy and Tomatoe Salad

• • Aimis’ fresh flat leafed parsley 1 cup packed
• Aimis’ lush sweet tomatoes as many as you want YUM
• • 1/4 cup snipped fresh chives
• • 1 garlic clove
• • 1/4 teaspoon salt
• • Dash pepper
• • 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

In a blender combine and finely chop parsley, chives, garlic, salt and pepper.. Add oil and vinegar; mix well. Transfer to a bowl; cover and refrigerate. When you’re ready to eat, add tomatoes and gently toss to coat.

Parsley Pesto

• Aimis’ flat-leaf parsley leaves 2 cups tight-packed
• 3/4 cup toasted chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 large cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest

Place parsley, walnuts, cheese, garlic, and salt together in a blender and combine well. Put oil, lemon juice, and zest in a small bowl. Add the oil mixture to parsley mixture in a slow stream,in the blender to combine.

Courgette & Cheddar Muffins Recipe

• • Aimis’ courgettes grated 100g
• • 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper
• • 100g mature Cheddar cheese
• • 175ml Semi-Skimmed Milk
• • 1 Egg
• • 225 g self raising flour
• • 55ml Olive oil

Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6.

Combine the flour, grated courgette, seasoning and Cheddar cheese. Whisk together the milk, egg and oil, gradually pour the mixture into the dry ingredients. Grease 12 muffin moulds and half-fill each one with the batter mixture.Bake for about 20 minutes, until just firm to the touch.

Courgette Cake with Chocolate Chips

• • 3 eggs
• • 250ml vegetable oil
• • 200g caster sugar
• • 225g grated courgette
• • 375g plain flour
• • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• • 1 tablespoon bicarbonate of soda
• • 1 teaspoon salt
• • 50g desiccated coconut
• • 85g plain chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 180 C / Gas 4. Grease a 23x13cm loaf tin.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl until frothy. Stir the vegetable oil, sugar and courgette into the eggs. Set aside.

Sieve the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt together in a separate bowl; stir into the courgette mixture until combined. Fold the coconut and chocolate chips into the batter and pour into prepared tin.

Bake in the preheated oven until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Please forgive my lateness this week, I’ve not been well the last couple of days hence the delay in getting this to your inbox, the blog and facebook.

We’re getting lovely abundant veg bags these days I hope you are enjoying them as much as I am. Aimi is delighted that it is warming up and we are getting some good summer weather which is really helping bring the farm vegetables on.

Some of you may not be familiar with the beautiful vegetable that is rainbow chard so I am putting 2 recipes for that veg in this week. Did you know that Broccoli boosts the immune system, lowers the incidence of cataracts, supports cardiovascular health, builds bones, and fights birth defects. Broccoli is one of the most nutrient-dense foods known; it offers an incredibly high level of nutrition. Rainbow chard is packed full of immunity boosting nutrients, antioxidants, vitamin c and iron.

So until next week I hope you enjoy your bags and I will leave you with some chard tips

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kinsale-Green-Growers/133253503387246?ref=ts

Jeannie Timony

• Rainbow chard has a leaf like spinach.
• The stalk can be cooked also
• For a simple side vegetable, leaves of medium size can be quickly sautéed—the stalks can be prepared this way, too.
• For salads and sandwiches, it’s best to use young, tender leaves.
• Older leaves and stalks are best steamed, boiled, or added to soups, as the stems require a longer cooking time to become tender than the leaves do.
• To cut, stack the washed leaves and roll them into a long scroll before slicing them.

A simple way to cook with Ruby Chard

• Aimis’ rainbow chard / a good big bunch of them
• 1 clove Garlic
• 1 Red onion
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• A glug of oil for the pan
• Salt and pepper to season

Heat a skillet, wok or frying pan, over medium-high heat, add the oil and chopped stems, onions and garlic, sauté for five minutes. Set aside in a dish, add the balsamic vinegar to the pan and open the window, let it reduce then pour it over the stems, garlic and onions.

Do not clean the pan, add oil, add the wet chard, immediately cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, bring to boil, and then turn it down low for 10 minutes.

You can cook it fast on high heat, when leaves are done, add stem, onion, garlic mix briefly to quickly reheat .Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve liquid to pour on top. Add pine nuts or sunflower nuts sprinkled on top.

 Brocolli and Bacon Salad

• Aimis’ broccoli, 1 bunch tops only
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery or lovage if you have it in the garden, chopped
• 1 medium red onion, diced fine
• 3 eggs, hard-boiled
• 6 slices bacon, crisp & crumbled

Mix together dressing ingredients & mix well. Pour over everything but walnuts. Add walnuts just before serving.

Chocolate courgette muffins

I made these last year and they were scrumptious

• Aimis’ courgettes 225 gram finely grated
• 170 gram good dark chocolate, about 70% cocoa solids
• 200 gram plain white flour / I use spelt
• 5 mls baking powder
• 110 gram(s) caster sugar/ I use some stevia
• finely grated zest of 1 orange
• 2 medium eggs
• 175 ml mild olive oil or sunflower oil

Makes 12 muffins

Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan oven) gas mark 4 and line the cups of a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases or oil the muffin tray

Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of hot water, stirring until smooth with a spatula that can later be used to scrape every last drop of chocolate into the muffin mixture. Keep warm.

Sift the flour, baking powder into a large bowl. Mix in the caster sugar, orange zest, followed by grated courgettes.

In a bowl or blender, whisk together the eggs and oil. Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients, followed by the warm, melted chocolate.

Divide the mixture between the prepared muffin cases and bake for about 35 minutes or until they are well risen and a knife inserted gently into the centre of a muffin comes out clean.Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Easy Peasy Cheesy Courgette Bake

• Aimis’ courgettes 2, cut in slices or half-moon slices
• Aimis’ thinly sliced scallions x 2
• Aimis’ basil chopped finely chopped, to suit your own taste
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 3/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 cup white cheese
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Wash the courgette and cut in half-moon slices. Chop basil thinly. Slice scallions.

Combine the sliced courgette, chopped basil, sliced scallions, dried thyme, garlic powder, and cheese and stir together well. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Put the mixture in the baking dish and bake uncovered for about 25-30 minutes.

When the courgette is nearly cooked through, take the casserole dish out of the oven and sprinkle over the remaining 1/2 cup of grated cheese. Put the dish back in the oven and bake 10-15 minutes longer, or until the cheese is melted and nicely browned and courgette is fully cooked. Serve hot.