One of my favourite pastimes is to get out and about with my camera at food markets and halls. This is one of the veg stalls at Borough Market in the heart of London. From this image you would think that everything is in season, sadly that’s not the case. I took this shot in December and the only in season produce I could find was carrots, cauliflower, cabbage and celeriac. I asked the stall holder where all the other fruit and veg came from and he said, lemons from Sicily. Green beans from Kenya. Asparagus from Peru and various tomatoes from Spain. I couldn’t help thinking “oh my god” all those food miles. Being in the heart of London as well the price of all this produce was extortionatly high. I know the stall holder has to make a living and I know a veg stall in London’s Borough Market is probably not cheap but it did make me think that I am blessed to live by the beach in Selsey on the south coast of England with fields all around me growing everything from potatoes to lettuce and there is a farm shop less than a mile away from me.
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Roasted Butternut & Carrot Salad with Baby Leaves
This to me is pure heaven on a plate. Roasted butternut squash, carrot, with baby leaf salad and sous sous. This has become a go to meal for me these days. Butternut squashes are very in season now as are carrots. Very simple to make. Just cut up the butternut squash into bite sized pieces and along withe the carrots, drizzle olive oil over them and sprinkle sea salt over them and roast in a hot oven until you see the tips of the veggies begin to char. Couscous is even easier to make. One cup of couscous in a bowl and add one cup of boiling water and leave to stand for around five minutes. Then fluff with a fork. iv’e added cherry tomatoes, red onion and baby leaf salad to complete this recipe. Quite often I also drizzle some French dressing over the salad for even more of a flavour hit but it’s delicious on it’s own.
FORAGED
So it’s that season again..time to collect natures harvest and forage for everything from sloes to damsons to apple and blackberries of course. I do so love this time of year, it’s a chance to replenish my larder with jams, chutneys, preserves and of course start this years alcohol off. My favourite being sloe gin which when made now is perfect for giving out as Christmas presents and enjoying as a tipple for myself.
Crab apples make a wonderful apple chutney as well as a great cider both of which I will blog about when I make them over the coming weeks. Blackberries which grow in abundance around here make everything from jams to wine and again I will blog about them when I make my wine. You will be surprised at the intense flavour they impart and it’s well worth the wait of a year or so for the wine to mature.