As you will have gathered, I am a big fan of independent food shopping where possible. So I was delighted to see the @tweetcardiff campaign to #shopcardiff. It just so happened that just the week before I had ordered my first @welshbox veggie box and received my order of half a hogget from Square Farm in Mitchell Troy near Monmouth.
So I've spent the last couple of weeks cooking with some truly exceptional base ingredients. I've found that having the veg box is encouraging me to re-visit some more traditional Welsh recipes. Here are my top 5 from the last couple of weeks:
1. Cawl; deeply flavoursome hogget neck fillet with fabulous @welshbox carrots, potatoes, baby leeks, parsnips and a small handful of barley. The difference between the taste of this root veg and the stuff you get in supermarkets is incomparable. Even as you cut the parsnips and carrots you can really smell the flavours. After a long day at work, a bowl of this and a glass of red is just ideal- chop it all up, chuck in it a pot, cover with water/stock and simmer until tender. What could be easier?
2. Corned Beef Hash with Poached Hen's Eggs and Crispy Greens. This was surprisingly tasty, and very simple! First of all brown some leeks in a little butter, until they start to brown, then add cubes of corned beef coated in Welsh mustard to the frying pan and sauté with the leeks for a minute, before adding a good dollop of mash. Give the contents of the pan a stir, then leave it to catch- you actually want it a little bit burnt as that's where the crispy bits and caramelised flavour comes in. I poached my eggs in the potato water whilst the hash finished off. In order to make the crispy greens, simply finely slice and toss in a bowl with Welsh rape seed oil, salt and a little sugar- then lay out the shiny seaweed-looking greens onto a baking sheet and place in a hot oven for 5 mins, or until crispy. I love greens this way, they provide the ideal topping to the dish.
3. Hogget Chops with Fairy Potatoes. This could not be easier, simply place your chops on a baking tray, add cubed potatoes, whole cloves of garlic- sprinkle with a good grinding of salt, pepper and perhaps a pinch of dried thyme. Drizzle a little oil over the potatoes then roast in the oven until golden. The fat from the chops will render away and give the potatoes and garlic the most wonderful flavour. Why 'Fairy' potatoes? I'll be straight with you- I'm not really sure. Mr B's Nan used to make these little roast potatoes for tea from time to time, and this is what they were called! I like it, It makes me picture greedy little fairies eating the mini roasties.
4. Ok, so this might not be strictly a Welsh dish, but we do love a curry here in Wales- so I feel justified in including this! Madgetts Farm Chicken Wings in my special Tandoori seasoning with roast chunks of spring cabbage. Simply coast the chicken in your favourite spice mix or seasoning, cut a small cabbage in quarters (drizzle in oil and sprinkle with salt) then place in a medium oven to roast. The roast cabbage quarters was a great suggestion from the veg box, which comes with recipe ideas every week. I love wings, and these meaty organic Welsh ones are particularly delicious.
5. Ham and Pea Soup. This one is actually bubbling away as I write, I like to make a good hearty soup and freeze the portions to see us through the working week lunches. So what's in the pot? More of those intensely flavoursome carrots, baby leeks, a ham shank bone that I had frozen for this very purpose (left over from a meaty lunch), split peas, and a small handful of bacon bits from Thompson Family Butchers in Penarth. Whenever I see a big vacuum pack of miscellaneous bacon bits in a local butchers I snap them up- I tend to divide the 'bits' into handful portions and pop them in the freezer, ready for when the need for bacon is there (let's be honest, when is it not?).
So as you can see, when the quality of your ingredients is this good- all you need is to introduce them to each other in simple, but delightful combinations.
I've also eaten out locally, a fair bit in the last couple of weeks, and met some incredible foodie inspiration! I look forward to writing up some of these experiences shortly and sharing.
But for now, well done Wales! Land of Champions- for rugby and food.
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