A Seasonal Cookbook

8/7/2019 A Seasonal Cookbook

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£5



CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION

2. SPRING

3. SUMMER

4. AUTUMN

5. WINTER

6. STOCKISTS

INTRODUCTION In this book you’ll find mouth wateringrecipes using East Anglia’s finest foods, and fi nd out how to support l ocal produce and farmingin your community. The book is divided into the

four seasons, so you can find out which foods are in season when, where to source theingredients and most importantly, what to do

with them. In this day and age, buying British produce is very important. Buying local ly relieves pressureon the environment, because in most cases, you

cut down on food transportation, and therefore,reduce carbon emissions.

Farmers benefit too - buying locally boosts your local economy. Your food will also taste better,

because it’s fresher, and eating with seasons means you can cook with more variety, and eat

food when it’s at its best.

In the year 2000, the Government launched the Assured Food Standard (Red Tractor

scheme). The Red Tractor logo can now be spotted on thousands of products such as beef,lamb, pork, chicken, turkey, milk, cheese, cream,

cereals, vegetables, sugar, flour, fruit and salads,

in shops and supermarkets everywhere. Whenyou see the red tractor logo, you can be surethat the product is 100% British and that the product meets high, quality assured food

standards. This means that the product i s fully traceable back to the farm and that it is independently inspected at every stage of

production.

Over 78,000 farmers and growers have now joined the scheme, all committed tomaintaining high standards of food safety and hygiene, animal welfare and environmental

protection.

Be careful, packaging on products can bemisleading. Some food producers may try and disguise their products as being British, whenin fact the product may contain meat from theEU and outside. They use phrases to help

seduce the patriotic consumer, such as:“traditional”, “country of origin UK”, “a British

classic”, “produced in the UK”. The red tractor is a guarantee that the product is British and produced in the UK - so look out for it.

I became an ITV Fixer so that I could help people to support their local economy, eat more seasonally, and reduce their carbon footprint. I’mreally passionate about supporting local farmers,

and I hope this book will help you in sourcing and cooking creatively with great-tasting, fresh produce.

Love, Emily.

MB



Spring brings with it the promise o a new start – tulips and dafodils bloom, the weather begins to thaw,

and once again, we’re optimistic about the promise o a ‘barbeque’ summer.

On the arm, however, it’s all go. Spring is a busy time or sheep and cattle armers. It’s the lambing

season, with most lambing happening rom February through to April. British lamb enters the

supermarkets around Easter, perectly timed or Easter Sunday lunch. Cattle armers will also be calving

down – although some cattle armers will calve down their stock all year, most bee cattle will be calving

during this period, while dairy cattle tend to vary a little more.

All cattle armers will be cutting their hay and silage or the year, as cattle eed, during April. Weather

permitting, cattle will be turned out to grass and you will be able to see them out in the elds grazing.

Arable armers will be busy drilling peas and watching their crops grow and develop, as well as spraying

their crops in order to k eep weeds and disease at bay. April and May are key months in the crop

calendar as this is when the crops are growing vigorously. Rape seed will ower in a prominent yellow

colour, brightening up the countryside. Potatoes, asparagus, radish and leeks are being harvested and

are ready to buy in the shops. But don’t miss the boat – delicious British asparagus is only available oraround six weeks, rom late April until about mid June.

You will also notice the trees changing, with apple and cherries in ull blossom.

ALSO IN SEASON

Vegetables

Brussels Sprouts. Beetroot. Broccoli. Carrots. Cabbage. Celeriac. Celery. Chicory. Caulifower. Cress.

Endives. Garlic. Jerusalem Artichokes. Kale. Lambs Lettuce. Leeks. Parsnips.Purple Sprouting Broccoli.

Red Chicory and Radicchio.Spinach. Swede. Salad Onions. Rhubarb. Turnips. Cucumber.Cabbages.

Jersey Royal New Potatoes. Lettuce. New Potatoes. Rocket. Rosemary.Spring Greens. Salsiy.

Spring Onions. British Asparagus. Broad Beans. Fennel. Radishes.Rocket. Shallots.Watercress.

Fruit

Apples.Pears. Strawberries.Woods Strawberries



Asparagus

2 bundles green or white asparagus, trim med

1 leek, washed and trimmed

½ stick/50g butter

1 pint/400ml chicken stock

1 tbsp heavy cream

1 tbsp olive oil

4 medium eggs, poached

Serves 4

Cut the asparagus into strips, reserve the tips

and set aside. Chop the leek .

Melt the butter in a large saucepan then add

the leek and asparagus. Sauté or three minutes,

until the vegetables soten. Then, add the stock

and bring to the boil. Simmer or 10 minutes,

ingredients

Starter

method

until the asparagus is sot and cooked

through. Blend the soup until it is smooth.

Season to taste with sea salt and black

pepper and return to the pan. Add the

double cream and warm through.

Meanwhile, toss the asparagus tips in the

olive oil, and heat a ridged griddle pan.

Griddle the asparagus or two minutes.

Serve the soup in warmed soup bowls i

eating warm, or leave to cool i wanting

to serve cold. Top each bowl with a lightly

poached egg and some asparagus tips.

Creamy Asparagus Soup

Asparagus is cut by hand during the months o April through to June and is only in season

or a short time so it is essential to make the most o it while you can.

It can sur vive extremes o temperature to produce tender shoots each spring. Asparagus

is a rich source o olic acid, pro-vitamin A, vitamin C and iron. Asparagus is best enjoyed

reshly cut, beore its natural sugars turn to starch. Freshness can be preserved by

wrapping bunches in a clean wet cloth and keeping in a ridge.

Asparagus can be enjoyed cooked in many diferent ways, such as serving resh, raw

asparagus dipped in hollandaise sauce.

You will nd resh British asparagus in arm shops and supermarkets rom the month o

April through to June.

to serve

by Emily Rout

DID YOU KNOW?

Unlike most foods that taste

great, asparagus is virtually fat

free, containing less than four

calories per average spear



Gressingham duck is renowned or its high quantity o succulent and avoursome breast

meat, low percentage o at and rich gamey avour.

Gressingham Foods is a amily business that cares about always delivering excellent qual-

ity produce and in looking ater its ducks. Gressingham Foods takes its environmental

responsibilities extremely seriously as it believes that a healthy, sustainable, rural

landscape is vital to the wellbeing o its business. It is committed to maintaining the

highest standards – whether it’s in the welare arming system or in the nished product.

Delicious duck comes rom responsible arming and that’s why Gressingham works

tirelessly to ensure the welare o the poultry. The majority o Gressingham Ducks are

reared using the Freedom Food system and every stage o the production rom breeding

through to hatching is controlled, working with local armers in the heart o East Anglia toproduce its duck to the highest quality standards.

Gressingham Foods also played a pivotal role in the Duck Assurance Scheme (DAS) –

developed by the British Poultry Council (BPC) to empower producers to show their

products’ provenance and high standards to consumers. DAS guarantees high standards

o ood saety, animal welare and environmental protection in all areas o duck

production, rom breeding and rearing to slaughter and table eggs.

For more inormation about Gressingham Foods, please visit

www.gressinghamoods.co.uk

Gressingham Duck

Bake the pottaoes, then take the esh out and

push through a sieve, add a knob o butter and

some milk, and season

Finely slice, blanche and then drain the sprouts

and place into a pan with butter and gently

reheat

Peel and halve the shallots and placed in tinoil.

Then roast in a moderate oven with a little olive

oil until sot.

Main

Breasts rom 2 Gressingham ducks

2 blood oranges zested and then segmented,

keeping any juice

100ml chicken stock

A good pinch o ground cinnamon

2 star anise pods

2 tbsp runny honey

75ml soy sauce

Garlic oil

75g (3oz) butter

Salt and pepper

Serves 4

ingredients

This needs to be started a day in advance.

Using a sharp knie slash the skin o the duck

breasts in a criss-cross ashion trying not to

pierce too much into the esh. Place the

breasts into a large bowl.

Set the orange segments aside and then in a

bowl mix any orange juice with t he zest,

together with the ground cinnamon, honey and

soy sauce.

Pour this marinade over the duck breasts,

cover with cling lm and place in the ridge

overnight. Heat a non stick rying pan over a

medium heat; add a splash o garlic oil.

Place the duck breasts into the pan skin side

down and ry gently or about 10 minutes,

seasoning well as you do so.

Turn the breasts over and ry or a urther

couple o minutes. Remove the duck breasts

rom the pan, wipe out any atty juices and

return the breasts to the pan.

Add hal the marinade, turn the heat up a little

and simmer to reduce the marinade or aboutve minutes.

Remove the duck breasts and place on a

serving plate. Whisk the butter into the sauce,

add the orange segments, adjust the season-

ing and spoon over the duck.

to serveWilted spinach and a lovely buttery mashed

potato would be excellent with this dish.

Roast Duck Breast with Blood Orangesby Galton Blackiston

method



Clarke’s Ice Cream Dessert

4 ree range eggs, separated (reserve yolks or

lling)

225g (8 oz) caster sugar

2 tbsp instant cofee powder

300 ml (1/2 pt) water

225g (8 oz) granulated sugar

125g (1/2 lb) unsalted butter (not margarine)

4 egg yolks

1 tbsp cofee (made rom 1 tsp instant cofee

mixed with a little hot water)

100g (4 oz) plain cooking chocolate, melted

Serves 4

meringue ingredients

method

Preheat the oven to around 200˚F, 100˚C, gas mark

½. To make meringue, whisk the egg whites until

stif and standing up in points. Whisk in the sugar

and cofee powder until glossy.

Make three circles o baking parchment by

drawing around a dinner place and cutting the

circles out. Then spread the meringue mixture

evenly over the three circles o parchment.

lling ingredients

to serve

Clarke’s ice cream is made at Manor Farm, Wattleeld near Wymondham in Norolk,

using milk rom their own cows, double cream to make it luxuriously creamy and adding

top quality ingredients.

The ice cream is made by mother and daughter team Judy and Caroline Clarke, using

the traditional method o pasteurising and ageing. It is then made in small batches and

hand-potted into the tubs.

They have lots o delicious avours to tempt. Their 'Original' dairy ice cream will comple-

ment every dessert or is simply perect on it's own, and they also have

Strawberry, Chocolate, Honeycombe, Raspberry, Mint Choc Chip, Tofee, Cherries and

Cream, Coconut, Stem Ginger and many many more...

Great care is taken to ensure you will enjoy the ice cream at it's best.

Clarke’s ice ceam is available to buy at Wymondham Farmers’ Market every third

Saturday o the month where you will get to meet Judy and Caroline. Other stockists

are: Besthorpe Farm Shop, Besthorpe, Attleborough and Aldis & Sons Farm Shop.

For more inormation about Clarke’s Ice Cream, visit www.clarkesicecream.co.uk

Serve with locally produced ice cream, lie

Clarke’s (eatured opposite)

Gateau Dianeby Liz Whitaker

Place in the oven or at least ve hours until

cooked. (you can make the meringue a couple

o weeks in advance). Remove the parchment

and store in an airtight container or sealed

plastic bag.

To make the lling, boil the water and sugar

together until when you dip in a wooden spoon

and lit it out, the syrup orms a thread instead

o just dripping.

In two separate bowls, beat the egg yolks until

thick and pale, then beat the butter until light

and creamy.

Add the water and sugar mixture to the egg

yolks, beating all the time until thick and

creamy, then add the butter, beating again,

until thick. Mix in the chocolate and cofee mix-

ture. Allow the lling to cool a little then spread

between the meringue layers, making a three-

tiered cake.



While British summer is not always predictable, when the sun’s out it can be truly glorious, especially near

the coast or in the countryside. Long, light evenings can be spent outdoors and the smell o

barbeque smoke lls the air. On the arm, you’ll see sheep and cows out to grass, enjoying the sunshine

Muck heaps that have accumulated over the winter are now being spread back onto the elds as

ertilizer, and it’s lamb shearing season, so woolly sheep lose their warm coats.

The rst cut o hay is cut in June, and winter barley will be in ull ear and ripening ready to cut. Grains,

once ground, provide us with our or bread and biscuits.

The pods o oil seed rape are now ready or harvest. Oil seed rape provides us with vegetable oil and is

widely used in processed oods.

Ater winter barley, winter oats are the next cereal to be cut.

Straw is an important by-product o the arable arms o eastern areas and much is transported westwards

each year to livestock producing regions

Sweet corn, onions and black cher ries are now ready, as well as British strawberries. Make sure you

‘pick your own’ at local arms - it’s a great way to see how ruit is grown, and somehow it makes the ruit

taste that much better.

ALSO IN SEASON

Vegetables

Asparagus. Aubergines.Beans. Beetroot. Broccoli. Cabbage. Carrots. Caulifower.Celeirac. Chard.

Courgettes.Cress. Cucumber. Fennel.Garlic. Globe Artichoke. Kohl Rabi. Lettuce. Marrow. Mushrooms.

New Potatoes. Onions. Peas. Potatoes.Radishes.Peppers. Red Cabbage. Rhubarb. Rocket Lettuce.

Runner Beans. Spinach. Squash. Spring Onions. Sweetcorn.Tomatoes. Turnips.

Fruit

Blackberries.Blackcurrants. Blueberries. Cherries. Figs. Gooseberries. Grapes. Loganberry.Medlar. Melon.

Peaches. Plums. Raspberries.Redcurrants.Strawberries.Whitecurrant.Woods Strawberries.



Nestled in the heart o rural Norolk – between Thetord and Norwich – is where you’ll nd Lyng Farm,

home to three breeds o ree range laying hens.

Lyng arm started with 16,000 hens six years ago and have now grown the business to 80,000 hens. They

produce and supply ree range eggs to local customers throughout East Anglia

ensuring reshness. The main bulk o their eggs go to a local packing centre in Attleborough, Anglian

Free Range Eggs Ltd, who supply local East Anglian retailers reducing ood miles considerably. All eed is

sourced rom a local mill only eight miles rom the arm, ensuring their carbon ootprint is kept as low as

possible.

Dudley’s Free Range Eggs Starter

4 hard-boiled, ree-range eggs

2 avocados

1 punnet o olives

Mixed leaves

Cherry tomatoes

1 tin o tuna

Serves 4

salad ingredients

Slice the eggs and avocado

Combine with all other ingredients into a bowl,

without chopping

In a jar or bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice,mustard, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper. Store,

covered, in the rerigerator.

to servePut a bowl on the table so everyone can help

themselves, with the dressing to one side.

This can also be served as a side, or or a healthy

lunchtime snack

salad method

They make sure their hens are as happy as they can be and believe that happy hens produce tastier

eggs. Hens are ree to roam in 80 acres o pasture, planted with some 8,000 native deciduous trees.

Additional cover is provided or the hens by man-made shelters dotted across the range as well as

perches, swings and sandpits to keep the hens occupied. Inside the hen houses, the birds have

continual access to eed and water and areas to dust bathe and perching where they can rest. The hen

houses have pop holes which allow entr y to elds in which to range by day. These pop holes close at

night to protect birds rom predators.

Local ree range ood makes sense to the Lyng Farm. It is a lovely sight to see the birds out and ranging

well. Birds are actively encouraged to range and express their natural behaviour. They love exploring the

range scratching about or worms and insects.

All hens are kept under the R SPCA Freedom Foods and BEIC Lion Quality arm assurance and ood

labelling schemes. This ensures that not only are their eggs produced to the very highest standards but

also the welare conditions o the birds are ar higher than is required by law. They are ed on a cereal

based diet ree rom articial yolk colorants.

Chris & Tarryn’s Egg Salad

dressing ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (c an use hazelnut or

walnut oil)

2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard

3/4 teaspoon resh thyme leaves, chopped (opi-

tonal)

1 clove garlic, minced

3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Pinch coarsely-ground black pepper

dressing method

DID YOU KNOW?

Egg yolks are one

of the few foods that

naturally contain

Vitamin D.

Dudley with his happy hens

by Christian Aldridge & Tarryn Paul



Tilapia Main

2 llets o cod - approx 370g

2 llets o boneless tilapia- approx 260g

Mixed mussels, king prawns and squid - approx

235g combined

Peeled baby prawns 280g

3 hard boiled eggs

Salt

Pepper

Sprinkle o cheese

Plain our

Margarine

Milk – 1 PintCornour - 1 teaspoon

Pepper

5 mashing potatoes

Serves 5

Peel the potatoes and put them on to boil.

Chop the cod and tilapia into edible c hunks, mix

all o the sh together into a saucepan and slow

cook in vegetable oil.

ingredients

method

In 1995 it was reported by the Food & Agriculture Organisation o the United Nations (FAO) that by the

beginning o the 90’s, 69% o the world’s conventional sh species were ully exploited, overexploited,

depleted, or rebuilding rom a depleted state. It was concluded that the operation o the world’s sheries,

as they existed, could not be s ustained and that signicant ecological and economic damage had already

occurred.

The solution to diminishing wild sh populations globally has been the growth and development o

aquaculture.

Farming Tilapia sh, a warm water sh normally ound in Asia and the Caribbean, can be completely sus-

tainable as they are kept in recirculation units and now bred and reared here in the UK.

East Anglian Tilapia Ltd in partnership with A B Fish Ltd, breeds and rears Red Nile Tilapia in East Anglia

to supply all end wet sh markets, rom local shops, and markets to National Supermarket chains and

private restaurants.

Tilapia are now bred, hatched, grown and sold all rom one site based at Ely in Cambridgeshire. This

reduces the carbon oot print and dramatically lowers ood miles. All o the sh are given plenty o space

and are grown in large highly oxygenated raceways to maximize growth and wellbeing.

Their Tilapia are naturally bred without the use o horm ones and the sh are ed a completely vegetarian

diet based on soya, wheat and oilseed rape oil. This reduces the pressure on the oceans urther by not

using shmeal in the diet.

Their heating is currently being changed rom oil to geothermal heating systems in the orm o ground

and air source heating.

East Anglian Tilapia and A B Fish are producing a high quality sustainable UK whitesh, bred and reared

in the eastern counties, naturally heated and ed on a vegetarian diet.

to serve

Serve generous helpings, with slices o lemon and

a side o peas.

Fisherman’s Pieby Emily Rout

Whilst the sh is cooking prepare the white sauce.

Mix together the marg, plain our, milk and

cornour, whisk together until there are no lumps.

Once the mixture is runny, add some ground

pepper and stir, then put on the heat, s tirring

all the while until the sauce is hot all o the way

through.

Boil the three hard boiled eggs then peel of the

shell, and chop into chunks.

Put the sh into the bottom o your dish, then mix

in the egg.

Pour the white sauce on top o the sh, mixing itin. Mash the potatoes, using a little bit o milk and

margarine and layer on top.

Finally sprinkle some grated cheese on top and

cook at 180˚C or 25-30mins until the top is

browned.



Strawberries are arguably Britain’s avourite summer ruit.

Usually ready to start being picked in June, they will keep growing right the way through

the summer months until October. The red, sweet, juicy berries are ull o Vitamin C,

manganese and dietary bre and they also have a high rate o antioxidant power.

They are perect to compliment any summer desert or drink, rom Pavlova to Pimms.

During the summer months there will be PYO (Pick your Own) strawberry arms all over

the UK. Try to nd one near you and reduce your ood miles.

Failing that, British strawberries will be ound in local arm shops, and any g ood

supermarket.

Scrumptious Strawberries Dessert

6oz caster sugar

3 large organic Norolk egg whites

10 oz o resh Norolk double creamFresh Norolk blueberries and strawberries

Serves 4

ingredients

Place the egg whites in a large clean bowl.

Now whisk the egg whites until they ormsot peaks and you can turn the bowl up-

side down without them sliding out.

Whisk in the sugar, approximately 1 oz

(25g) at a time, whisking ater each

addition until all the sugar is in.

Now take a metal tablespoon and spoon

the meringue mixture on to a prepared

baking sheet, orming a circle about eight

inches (20cm) in diameter.

method

DID YOU KNOW?

Strawberries are ull

o a special substance

called ellagic acid

which can help fght

cancers.

Spoon round blobs next to each other so that they

join up to orm a circle all around the edge. Now

place the baking sheet in the oven, and

immediately turn down the heat to gas mark 1,

275°F (140°C) and leave it to cook or one hour.

Turn the heat right of but leave the Pavlova inside

the oven until it’s completely cold.

To serve the Pavlova, place it on a serving dish

and then just beore serving, spread the whipped

cream on top, arrange the ruit on top o the cream

and dust with a little sited icing sugar.

to serve

Uncle Dick’s Pavlova Richard Grant



The trees seem determined to go out wit h a bang as the days get cooler, the evenings become shorter,

and we put the clocks back. Leaves change rom green to vibrant orange, yellow or red, brightening up

the countryside, beore they nally give up the ghost, leaving the trees bare.

On the arm, both the quality and growth rate o orage declines. Farmers oten choose to provide their

livestock with supplementary eeds such as grass and maize silage and supplementary minerals to help

maintain growth rates or milk production.

Late autumn tends to be the quietest time or arable armers, as by this time all the drilling o next year’s

winter crops will have been done. But there is always something to be done on the arm. Cattle, pig and

sheep armers will still have all o their stock to eed, muck out and keep healthy.

It is critical to get oilseed rape of to a good start. Avoiding pest problems during the winter months is

essential - particularly damaging are wood pigeons which can decimate a weak crop. Pigeons will ock

in their thousands to eed on a crop o oilseed rape during the winter months; however they do not like

mature crops that have large leaves and a well developed canopy.

Winter wheat will be receiving a herbicide to control broadleaved and other grass weeds. Well

established crops naturally compete with weeds so armers and agronomists can reduce the rate o ap-

plied herbicide signicantly so that nancial savings can be made.

Sugar beet is an impor tant crop in the East Anglia region. The crop provides around 50% o the UK’s

sugar needs, you will see sugar beet harvesters working in the elds around this time liting the beet and

taking them to one o the our sugar beet actories in the UK, ready to be made into sugar and sold in the

supermarkets. Beans are resh in season along with many other vegetables and lots o ruit. Fresh

seasonal produce always tastes great and i you have bought it rom a local producer you will have theadded satisaction o knowing that the “ood miles” will be low.

Pears are in season but as Oc tober draws to a close ruit is either windblown or damaged by rost. Fresh

UK ruit will soon only be available rom store.

ALSO IN SEASON

Vegetables

Aubergine. Beans. Beetroot. Broccoli. Brussels Sprouts. Cabbage. Carrots. Caulifower. Celeriac. Celery.

Chard. Chicory. Cress. Cucumber. Endive. Fennel. Garlic. Jerusalem Artichoke. Lambs Lettuce. Leeks.Lettuce. Marrows. Mushrooms. Onions. Parsnip. Peas. Peppers. Potatoes.Pumpkin. Red Cabbage.

Radishes.Rocket. Runner Beans. Squash. Swede. Sweetcorn. Tomatoes. Turnips. White Winter Radishes.

Fruit

Apples. Blackberries.Blueberries. Crab Apple. Cranberries. Figs. Grapes. Loganberry.Medlar. Melon. Pears.

Plums. Raspberries.Quince. Woods Strawberries. Rosehips.



Starter

PHOTO???

INGREDIETNTS

Fielding Cottage Goat’s Cheese

250g local goat’s cheese4 rashers o smoked streaky bacon grilled until

crisp

175g assorted wild mushrooms roughly

chopped

2 medium sized beetroot, peeled, chopped andcooked until sot in orange juice, then puréed in

a liquidiser.

175g baby spinach

100g Jerusalem artichokes, peeled, chopped,

cooked and then pureed with a little cream &

butter

Warm Salad of Goat’sCheese, Beetroot & Wild Mushrooms

Serves 4

Cut the rind of the goat’s cheese and place ona baking tray with a little rapeseed oil. Heat the

grill. Now in a large rying pan ry the

mushrooms, again in the rapeseed oil, seasoning

as you go or a minute. Then in another pan with

a little butter cook the spinach until sot.

To put the dish together, place the goat’s cheese

under the grill. Whilst under the grill, spoon some

mushrooms onto each plate, and then remove the

cheese rom under the grill, put on the plate and

neatly place a little beetroot purée on top,

ollowed by the artichoke purée and nally a

rasher o bacon.

ingredients method

DID YOU KNOW?

Goats were the frst

animals to be used

or milk by Galton Blackiston

Fielding Cottage is an award winning small business producing goats’ cheese and milk

rom a small arm in the Breckland Valley. Fielding Cottage strive to supply independent

armers’ markets, arm shops and delicatessens across East Anglia with tasty and healthy

homegrown products rom their own herd o goats. They believe in ood metres, not

miles; their milk travels less than twenty metres rom the milking parlour beore it is made

into cheese!

Fielding Cottage was started by brothers Sam and Bertie Steggles in October 2009 with

the purchase o 10 goats. Ten months later, their rst cheese “Ellingham” went on sale at

Diss Farmers’ Market. They now sell at armers’ markets across Norolk and have a number

o distributors who take their cheese to shops and restaurants across Norolk and Sufolk.

Following a successul kidding season in May 2010, and a ew new additions rom theCotswolds, the herd has grown to 25 goats in milk and nine young stock.

Milking goats are not very keen on getting their eet wet so at Fielding Cottage they are

kept in a warm, dry, straw lled barn and ed on a special ration which is made by

nutritionists. They milk them twice a day, at 5am and then again at 5pm, and it is then

only a matter o hours beore the milk is turned into cheese!

Their cheese is a light, crumbly goat’s cheese with a mild avour which is enjoyed by

goat’s cheese ans as well as those who are not keen on the ‘goatiness’ o stronger cheeses.

For more inormation about Fielding Cottage Cheese, visit www.eldingcottage.co.uk

Bertie & Sam with the goats

MB

MB



Swannington Farm

4 x 175g llet o bee

1 quantity o bee gravy

450g Maris Piper potatoes

450g sprouts, 450g shallots

Serves 4

Bake the pottaoes, then take the esh out and

push through a sieve, add a knob o butter and

some milk, and season.

Finely slice, blanche and then drain the sprouts

and place into a pan with butter and

gently reheat.

Peel and halve the shallots and placed in tinoil. Then roast in a moderate oven with a li ttle olive

oil until sot.

ingredients

Main

Fillet of Local Beef with Shallots, Buttery Mash,

Étuvée Brussel Sproutsand Beef Jus

method

In a rying pan ry the steaks in olive oil

until coloured on all sides, season and then

place in the oven at 200˚C or no longer

than ve minutes. Warm the jus.

to servePlace the steak on the plate with all the

vegetables neatly either around or to the

side. Spoon over the jus and serve.

The Mutimer amily have been growing pigs outside on the light sandy land at

Swannington since 1973. The animals are reared to the highest welare standards and the

arm is covered by the RSPCA’s Freedom Food Scheme. The pigs enjoy the grass sward and

the outdoor lie. They are ed a cereal based diet designed to maximise growth and

avour. Great care is taken to keep the pigs healthy and the pork they sell has total

traceability.

Their meat has an exceptionally low “carbon ootprint”. Sheep and bee cattle graze the

beautiul environmentally sensitive meadows or three miles bordering Swannington

Beck, the cleanest tributary o the River Wensum.

The animals are then killed at the local abattoir just three miles away and the carcasses

returned to mature to ull avour beore butchering to requirement.

The Multimers have 600 outdoor Landrace cross Duroc sows. The sows live in arks on grass

covered light land. Piglets are grown on in outdoor, straw based kennels with ample ood,

water and plenty o resh air. They are ed on a cereal based diet with no growth

promoters or antibiotics.

They have 400 sheep which are Mule sheep crossed with Texel and Charolais rams.

Their bee cattle come rom the Child amily at Hevingham. Their suckler herd spends the

summer grazing in marshes around the Norolk Broads, mostly at South Walsham.

They are over wintered in large straw barns where they are ed on stock eed vegetables

and cereals. Ater slaughter the carcasses are then hung or 21-28 days to maximise the

natural tenderness and avour.

And their ree range chickens come rom Jason Peart at H indolveston where the chickens

roam around the armyard - truly traditional poultry ed on wheat grown and milled on

the arm.

You will nd their products in their arm shop, or in local restaurants such as BawburghKings Head, Eaton Red Lion, or Black Boys Hotel, Aylsham.

For more inormation about Swannington Farm, please visit

www.swanningtonarmtoork.co.uk

by Galton Blackiston

MB



Plump Pears Dessert

DID YOU KNOW?

There are more

than 5,000 varieties

o pears

225g plain or wholewheat our

75g butter (room temperature)

75g - 110g sot brown sugar (to taste)

crumble lling ingredients900g ripe pears (Comice)

25g sot brown sugar

Serves 4

crumble toppingingredients

method

Pear Crumble

Pre-heat the oven to gas 4 or 180˚C.

Peel and quarter the pears. Remove the core

and pips and place them into a casserole dish

(1.75 litre) and spinkl e over the sugar. Then

prepare the crumble topping.

to serveServe with double cream or custard

Put the our into a large mixing bowl and add

the butter. Rub the our and butter together

until it looks crumbly and the butter has been

evenly dispersed through the our. Add the

sugar and mix together to ensure thateverything is combined.

Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the

top o the pears using a ork to even out thedistribution, but don’t press it down.

Cook in the oven or 30 - 40 minutes until lightly

golden brown.

Pears are an autumnal ruit that are usually ready to be picked and eaten in October.

Their texture ranges rom very sot, creamy, and juicy to rm and crisp. Pears can be

consumed resh, canned, as juice, or dried. Their juice can also be used in jellies and jams,

usually in combination with other ruits or berries. Pears are an excellent source o dietary

bre and Vitamin C.

Compared to some ruits, pears are quite allergenic, meaning they are good or young

children as a starter ruit. Look out or British pears to start appearing in your local arm

shops and supermarkets and treat yoursel to a tasty, warming pear crumble.

by Tarryn Paul



Long nights, short days, rost, snow – winter’s not or everyone. But on bright, cold

days, a walk in the countryside ollowed by a roast dinner does wonders to cheer up

the soul in the colder months.

During winter most cows will be housed to avoid the cold weather and damaging the

wet sodden elds. Bee cows will be ed hay as a bulk eed so that they mature slowly

producing a very tender meat cut.

Sheep armers will be entering their busy period. Some ocks will be starting their

lambing season in January and February. The purpose o early lambing is to supply

resh lamb to the Easter market.

Winter crops or the next harvest will have been drilled in the autumn. Some armers

will be applying several doses o ertilizer to help them grow. Arable armers will alsobe ploughing the ground or spring cereal crops; this normally takes place in quiet

spells over the winter months. Ground that is ploughed early, or example in Decem-

ber, has a longer period to overwinter with rosts breaking down soil clods and reduc-

ing the need or urther mechanical cultivation.

Once conditions are dry enough, spring barley, beans, oil seed rape drilling will com-

mence. Spring sown crops are prone to summer drought and so the key to a good

yield is to ensure successul establishment as early as possible in the year. Mid to late

February is generally regarded as the optimum time or the drilling o spring cereals.

Also in Season

Vegetables

Beetroot. Broccoli. Brussel Sprouts. Cabbage. Carrot. Caulifower. Celeriac. Celery. Chicory.Cress.

Endives. Garlic. Jerusalem Artichoke. Lambs Lettuce. Kale. Leeks. Lettuce. Mushrooms. Onions.

Parsnips.Potatoes. Pumpkin. Red Cabbage. Rocket. Shallots.Spinach. Squash. Swede. Turnips.White Winter Radishes.

Fruit

Apples. Pears.



Starter

PHOTO???

INGREDIETNTS

Binham Blue is made by hand rom the milk o the Chalkarm Herd o Holstein

Fresians and the Copys Green Herd o Swiss Brown cows. The curds have an

open texture, allowing the growth o penicillium roqforteii which gives the blue

veining and sotens the curd to yield a buttery texture.

To enjoy your cheese at its best, store between 1˚C and 4˚C, and bring up to

room temperature or serving

Allow the cheese to breathe in the rerigerator yet try to prevent it rom drying

out. A new clay plantpot is useul. Bake the plantpot in the oven or an hourat 150˚C or above to sterilise it. When it has cooled soak in boiled water. Then

use to cover your cheese. The gentle humidity will protect it rom drying.

Binham Blue Cheese

Warm Salad of Goat’sCheese, Beetroot & Wild Mushrooms

Serves 4

ingredients

method

Mushrooms stuffed with Binham BlueCheese (served with roasted parsnip and

red onion)

DID YOU KNOW?

A dairy cow will

produce about

20,000 glasses o

milk in her lietime

Mrs Temple with Binham Blue and the lovely cows who produce it

4 large at mushrooms100g o Binham Blue Cheese

2 parsnips

1 red onion

Slice the parsnips

Peel, then slice a red onion into rings.

Place the vegetables on a baking tray, drizzle

over a little oil, shake to mix and then roast at

about 180˚C or about 20-25 minutes, until the

vegetables are cooked through and tender.

to serve

While your vegetables are cooking peel themushrooms and place them on a baking tray

Slice the cheese into our chunks and place on

top o each o the mushrooms

Place in a hot oven or 5 minutes, until the

cheese is melted over the mushrooms

Serve with the roasted vegetables and enjoy

by Catherine Temple

MB





Chocolate

350g o dark chocolate

8 slices o thick cut bread

3 oz o butter

450ml o whipping cream

4 tbsp o rum

4 oz o caster sugar

3 eggs

Firstly cut your bread slices into triangles, takingthe crusts of i you preer.

Place the chocolate, whipping cream, rum,

sugar, and butter in a bowl set over a

saucepan o simmering water.

Serves 4ingredients

Dessert

method

Cocoa, the ‘magic’ ingredient o chocolate, is not grown in the UK, so buying local is not an

option! However, there is a lot you can do to ensure that the chocolate you buy has been

ethically sourced.

Cocoa is grown principally in West Arica, Central and South America and Asia. The eight

largest cocoa-producing countries at present are Ivory Coast, Ghana, Indonesia, Nigeria,

Cameroon, Brazil, Ecuador and Malaysia. These countries represent 90% o world

production.

Sadly, in some cases, the people harvesting the cocoa bean in these countries are

exploited, and paid very little, making supporting themselves and their amilies almost

impossible.

The Fairtrade system means armers get a premium or their cocoa, and the price they

are paid never alls below a living wage. More and more companies are supporting the

Fairtrade system, so Fairtrade chocolate is relatively easy to nd. Next time you need your

chocolate x, look or the Fairtrade Label, and you can enjoy your chocolate with a clear

conscience.

Once all the sugar has dissolved and the

chocolate and butter have melted, take of the

heat and mix together until the mixture is all

chocolate brown.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and then add

to the chocolate mixture, whisk thoroughly to

combine them together.

Ater that pour a layer o chocolate into the

bottom o your shallow dish, then put a layer o bread on top, add another layer o chocolate and

bread, nally pour the remainder o your choco-

late mixture on top, making sure you cover all o

the bread.

Leave to stand or one hour beore cooking.

Cook or 30mins at 180˚C and serve with

whipped cream.

Chocolate Bread & Butter Pudding

by Emily Rout



STOCKISTS Gressingham Foods

www.gressinghamoods.co.uk

Mrs Temples’ Binham Blue Cheese

Copys Green Farm

Wighton

Wells-next-the-seaNorolk

NR23 1NY

Tel: 01328 820224

[email protected]

East Anglian Tilapia

James Stretton

07824 511444

Clarke’s Ice Cream

www.clarkesicecream.co.uk

P. J. Southgate Ltd

Lyng Farm,

Long Street,

Attleborough,

Norolk,

NR17 1AW

Swannington Farm

www.swanningtonarmtoork.co.uk

Fielding Cottage Goat’s Cheese

www.eldingcottage.co.uk



ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ILLUSTRATIONS & LAYOUT TEMPLATE

TATIANA WOOLRYCH

PHOTOGRAPHY

MATT BRASNETT (where credited as MB)

GRESSINGHAM FOODS STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY

CLARKE’S ICE CREAM

WWW.SXC.HU

LAYOUT ARTIST/EDITOR

TARRYN PAUL

PROJECT COORDINATOR

ELLIE KEMP

PROOFREADERS

ALISON POPE

SARAH WILLIAMS

THANKS TO

GALTON BLACKISTON

SAM & BERTIE STEGGLES

LIZ KAY

SARAH KEOGH

CATHERINE TEMPLE

GRESSINGHAM FOODS

SWANNINGTON FARM

JUDY & CAROLINE CLARKE

ROBERT COPELAND

FARMER’S MARKETS NEAR YOU...

Norwich Farmers’Market

Norfolk Showground, second Saturday of the month, 9am - 1pmThe Forum, City Centre, rst and third Sunday 10am – 3pm

01953 681715, www.norwicharmersmarket.co.uk

Aylsham Farmers’Market

9am - 1pm, rst Saturday of the monthMarket Place, Aylsham

Diss Farmers’Market

9am -1pm, second Saturday of the month. Winter trading peaksat 11am.

Mere’s Mouth, Diss

Fakenham Farmers’Market

8.30am - 12 noon, f ourth Saturday of the month.Market Square, Fakenham

01328 862702

Stalham Farmers’Market

9am -12 noon, second & fourth Saturday of the month

Town Hall, Stalham

Wymondham Farmers’Market

9am - 1pm, third Saturday of the monthMarket Cross, Wymondham

Harleston Farmers’Market

9am – 1pm, third Saturday of the monthThe Swan Hotel, Harleston, IP22 1RG

Lopham Farmers’Market

9am - 12.30pm, fourth Saturday of the monthVillage Hall, North Lopham, IP22 2ND

Rickinghall Farmers’Market

9am - 12.30pm, second Saturday of the month,

Village Hall, Rickinghall, IP22 1LP

Stradbroke Farmers’Market

9am-1pm , rst Saturday of the monthBusiness & Enterprise Centre, Wilby Road, Stradbroke

IP21 5JN

Easton Farmers’Market

Fourth Saturday of the monthEaston Farm Park, Woodbridge, Suolk

IP13 0EQ

Dereham Farmers’Market

8am – 1pm, second Saturday of the monthDereham High Street

Wayland Farmers’Market

8.30am -12.30pm , rst Saturday of the monthWatton High Street

Burnham Farmers’Market

9am - 12pm, rst Saturday of the monthand third Friday of the month

Burnham Market, Norfolk G61 4BE

Tel: 01953 681715

and nally... I hope you have found this recipe book useful, and that it has shown you that eatinglocally, and seasonally is not an impossible task. While not always possible, you can definitely pick up seasonal ingredients from your local farmers market, and look out for the red tractor sign to make sure you’re buying British.

When you can’t buy British, make sure what you do buy is Fairtrade, as it helps create a fairer economy for all. And remember to be creative - the recipes in this book are just avery small selection of what you can do by eating locally and seasonally.

I’ve really enjoyed the process of making this book, and would like to say a big thankyou to everybody who contributed by giving us recipes, ideas and advice.

Love, Emily

MATT BRASNETT



AN ITV FIXERS PROJECT

BY EMILY ROUT

A guide to help you cook with local and seasonal produce

Documents

A Seasonal Cookbook