Happy New Year

Hello from lincoln's organic food source


It was a good decision to not do boxes last week. Even if we had got the stuff out of the ground we'd have struggled to deliver. Much better to sit in the warm watching the birds queueing at the feeders. We've had a fantastic collection of visitors including 4 violently pink bullfinches, skinny woodpeckers and huge fluffed up thrushes. A barn owl has taken up residence in one of our buildings so fingers crossed we might get a nest this year.

Talking of birds - we hope to have a new flock of chickens soon. We are looking for more traditional breeds and possibly some ex-battery birds. We also want to explore a less soya & grain based diet. Everybody likes our eggs because our hens live in small flocks & have a fairly natural diet - bugs, grass etc - supplemented by veg scraps alongside the grains. We want to go one step further this year. Eggs really are a fantastic food and we want to make them as good as possible. That's our new years resolution.


Blood oranges start this week. With Scilly sat on the warm side of the gulf stream the oranges should be extra sweet this year. If you're on a new year health kick try juicing a couple of blood oranges with 2 large carrots and 1/2 alemon. A fine start to a winter morn. Forced rhubarb coming soon!

Lots of squeaky fresh deep green winter goodies this week. Try shredded kale stir fried with lots of chilli, garlic,ginger & soya sauce. Perfect for warding off the winter colds. It also works well with purple broccoli.

Did you hear our bakers on the Radio 4 Food Programme? For those who missed them here's a link. bread skills food programme This week we've got the splendid Hearth loaf. A dark chewy treacle flavoured rye bread. Equally as nice with a bowl of soup or spread with honey.


Stay warm


Chris & Fen

Christmas

Lincoln Christmas Farmers Market

We've gone for a very simple easy to use veg box this week. So you can get some decent food whilst dashing between the nativity play, works do and Toys'r'us. So out goes the celeriac and chard, in comes mushrooms,beans and tomatoes.

Christmas

Veggie nut roast. A moist roast made with cashew nuts, mushrooms, red peppers, and carrots with Red Lincolnshire cheese (new from poacher and very nice) and sage, then topped with cheese and crumb for a crunchy finish.

Turkey. The best, tastiest, natural birds going. I can't wait

Sausage, ham, bacon, pork pies, haslet, cocktail sausage. The Redhill Farm list seems endless. Everythings delicious. We've added cooked hamto the list this year.

Cakes. Traditional Christmas cakes. Gluten free cakes. Chocolate tiffin, banana cake & fruit cake

Frozen Strawberries & Raspberries. Local fruit frozen in the summer by Goachers ideal for the christmas trifle or pavlova.

Ludcloud dairy cream is the perfect accompaniment to all your Christmas desserts. The Cheese Society Cafe buy increasing quantities for their discerning diners. It really is good -like clotted cream. We've got litre pots as well as the usual tubs.

Christmas chutney. Pears, apples, apricots, raisins, garlic, cumin and ginger. Perfect with cold meats and cheese. I've been making this for years and am rather proud of it. If you want a sample to try just ask. We can put a little pot on next weeks orders.

Cheese. Cote Hill blue & yellow in pieces or rounds.

Salad. Pink fir apple potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers. we've got lots.

And, I nearly forgot, the freshest best local veg going. The sprouts are coming on a treat and a little bit of frost will sweeten the parsnips.

I can't wait. I love Christmas food. We are often dismsssive of traditional British food but I can't think of a finer meal than Christmas tea.

Chris & Fen

P.S Please any boxes for collection this week. We need a stock for Christmas. Thanks.

This week at fenellas

From Fenellas Garden, lincoln farmers market at your door

hello A new addition to the list this week. Chinese leaves. Like lots of the oriental greens they grow very well in our climate. Mustard greens, pak choi & mizuna all thrive in an unheated tunnel and keep us in fresh greens for the winter. Try the Chinese leaves in a stir fry with purple broccoli, lots of garlic, ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil- delicious. We've done an information leaflet about squashes. We have included some lovely recipes devised by Amy, the Doddington garden cook. The squash, apple & cumin soup is very good and easy to make or try the minestrone with celeriac & kale. We hope to show you that other squashes are just as tasty as butternut squash. For salad lovers we've now got winter raddichio lettuces & rocket leaves. They are slower growing than summer salad and therefore have a much stronger taste. The vine tomatoes and cucmbers from Hull are still going strong. Local fennel is still in it's prime and combines well with the new season ruby grapefruits for a fresh salad. Cakes - try our sunken pear cake warm with some custard or thick Lubcloud cream for real winter treat. Packed with pears and cinnamon it's a real treat and delicious. The ever popular tiffin & banana cake are also available. Don't forget the birds. We've got a range of Lincolnshire grown wild bird food to keep our feathered friends going through the cold months. Regards Chris & Fen

Squash Honey Drizzle Cake

Squash Honey Drizzle Cake

this is a slightly adapted recipe from
http://traineedomesticgoddess.blogspot.com one of many excellent food blogs to be found on the web
Perfect for a Sunday treat after an autumn walk.

Ingredients: (makes a 2lb loaf) 180g self-raising flour 90g light soft brown sugar 90g golden caster sugar pinch of mixed spice pinch of grated nutmeg 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp baking powder zest and juice of 1 orange 180g butter, melted 2 eggs 300g squash, peeled, deseeded and grated/finely diced (you can use different squash if you've got it) 75g walnuts, chopped 50g sultanas 1 tbsp lemon juice 5 tbsp honey

Method 1) Preheat oven to 180oc. Mix together all dry ingredients and orange zest. Then beat in butter and eggs until you have a smooth batter. Gently fold in squash, walnuts and sultanas. Pour into a lined 2lb loaf tin and bake for 50-55 min until skewer comes out clean. 2) About 5 min before cake is ready in a small pan heat honey, lemon juice and orange juice, simmer until it has thickened. When cake is ready take it out of the oven, skewer a few holes in the top of the cake and pour drizzle mix over. Allow to cool in the tin (due to the moisture content of the cake it takes a great deal longer than you expect to cool).

easy squash soup

Another great recipie from lincoln's sustainable organic and freerange food delivery service

They don't get much simpler than this. Cooked and served in 15 mins, 20 tops Unsurprisingly it works just as well with courgettes.

Ingredients: 1 squash (I use a bright yellow custard squash) approx 450g 450ml vegetable stock 225g full fat cream cheese 1 tsp curry powder

Method In a medium pan boil the stock. Meanwhile wash and chop the squash. Add the squash to the pan and cook for 10 mins or until soft. Mix in the cream cheese and curry powder then whizz and serve immediately.

pesto spaghetti squash mozzarella

This makes a great lunch especially for people who have problems with wheat pastas. You can also serve with pasta or backed spuds.

Ingredients: 1 spaghetti squash, cooked 1 tablespoon olive oil a small jar pesto sauce 4 ounces smoked or plain mozzarella cheese, shredded 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat, add spaghetti squash. Using a couple of forks to lift, mix in pesto. Cook just long enough to heat through, mix in cheeses, heat until everything is well mixed and cheese is beginning to melt. Serve immediately.

Courgettes on toast with garlic and mint recipe

A Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall recipe that is particularly gorgeous and easy to make for a peaceful lunch for one.

Ingredients: Serves 1 Ingredients 2-3 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 4 baby courgettes (ideally a mixture of yellow and green), trimmed and sliced Salt and freshly ground black pepper Juice of 1/2 lemon 2 tbsp finely chopped mint 2 tbsp natural yoghurt * 1 slice of robust bread

Method 1. Heat about 1tbsp oil in a frying pan over a fairly low heat. Add the garlic and sweat gently for a minute or two. Add the courgettes, increase the heat a little, and fry until tender and lightly coloured. Season with salt and pepper. Add the juice of half a lemon (or to taste) and half the mint. 2. While the courgettes are cooking, toast the bread, and mix the remaining mint with the yoghurt and season well. 3. Trickle the toast generously with oil. Pile the hot courgettes on top and finish with a generous dollop of the minted yoghurt.