Ingredients
320-350g parsnips
2 eggs
125 ml sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing
250 g caster sugar
finely grated zest of 1 large lemons
1 tsp vanilla extract
375 g self-raising flour
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
60 g walnut pieces, chopped
icing sugar, for dusting

1. Grease a square cake tin by brushing it lightly with neutrally-flavoured oil. Line it with baking parchment, then oil lightly again. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4.

2. Peel and trim the parsnips, then coarsely grate enough to give 250g of grated vegetable. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs together, then add the oil, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla extract and grated parsnips. Stir to combine and set aside.

4. Sift the self-raising flour, cinnamon and salt into a second large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre, then pour in the parsnip mixture. Add the chopped walnut pieces and stir just enough to combine the ingredients and make a stiff batter.

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin, spreading it out fairly evenly into the corners. Bake for 1 hour – 1 hour 20 minutes or until the cake is well risen, the top is firm and brown, and a metal skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.

6. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes in the tin before lifting it out to a wire rack to cool completely. Dredge with icing sugar before serving.

Serves 4
Ingredients
2 small or 1 large courgettes, grated
half a cauliflower - finely chopped
6 medium eggs
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
50-100g cheddar cheese, grated (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Beat the eggs in a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the garlic and fry over low heat for 1 minute, then add the courgettes and cauliflower and turn in the oil a couple of minutes.
3. Pour the eggs into the pan and stir briefly, then cook over the medium heat until set underneath and around the edges.
4. Scatter over the grated cheese and continue to cook over a very low heat until the egg is set and only slightly runny in the middle.
5. Finished off under the grill.
6. Serve warm or cold

Ingredients:
500g damsons
500g plums
100g golden caster sugar

for the Cobbler:
80g butter/marg , chilled and cut into cubes
200g self-raising flour
100g golden caster sugar
150ml buttermilk or milk or dairy-free alternative
a handful hazelnuts or cobnuts , roughly chopped

1. Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Tip the damsons and plums into a 1-litre baking dish and sprinkle over the sugar. Put the dish in the oven while you make the cobbler.
2. To make the cobbler, whizz the butter, flour and sugar and a pinch of salt to fine breadcrumbs in a food processor. Mix in the buttermilk to make very soft, spoonable dough.
3. Take the baking dish out of the oven and spoon blobs of dough over the damsons, sprinkle the cobbler with nuts and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the damson mixture is bubbling and the cobbler is cooked through – test it with a skewer as you would a cake.
4. Serve with crème fraîche or custard.

1 kilo of Broad beans
olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp cider vinegar
salt and pepper and other herbs if you want – I used coriander seeds

1. Shell the broad beans and then boil them until soft
2. If you don’t like the skins (I don’t like them too much) shell the beans and put them in a blender
3. Crush the garlic in a pestle and mortar – or put all the rest of the ingredients in a blender together with the beans
4. Either blend all the ingredients or mash all the ingredients in the mortar until a paste. I adjust olive oil and vinegar – tasting every so often until it’s to my liking.

Hope you enjoy!

Makes 8 – 10 side portions or 3-4 portions as a main

200g Basmati rice
650g water
10ml sesame oil
Salt and Pepper
100g mushrooms
40g spring onions
100g broad beans
100g celery
Sutton Community farm lettuce
1tbs sunflower seeds
Olive oil

Heat a large saucepan with the sesame oil over moderate heat, not too hot, as the sesame oil will burn easily.

Add half of the dry basmati rice and seasoning to the sesame oil and toast the rice until golden brown and toasted, stir continuously as the rice will catch and burn easily.

Once the rice is toasted golden brown add the rest of the rice and the water. Bring the rice to the boil, once its boiling, boil for five minutes and then place the lid to cover and turn the heat off. Let the rice rest in the saucepan for 20 minutes to absorb the water.

Hold onto the lid and give the saucepan a good shake to fluff the rice.

While the rice is resting, slice the mushrooms, spring onions and dice the celery.

Heat a non-stick frying pan and sauté the mushrooms and celery in a tablespoon of olive oil until the mushrooms are golden.

Season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Blanch the broad beans and pop them out of their light green jackets.

If you are serving the dish warm add the sautéed mushrooms mixture, sliced spring onions and blanched broad beans to the warm fluffy toasted rice, adjust the seasoning and sprinkle the sunflower seeds over the salad and serve. Don’t forget to add the lovely Sutton farm lettuce on the side at the last minute so it stays crisp!

Alternatively if you wish to serve the dish cold let the rice cool completely before you add the rest of the ingredients.Enjoy!

1 head broccoli, broken into florets
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1/4 tub of herb cream cheese
4 tablespoons milk
some fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
350 g fresh pasta (or the dried variety!)

1. Bring the water to the boil for the pasta. It should be ready for you to add the pasta whilst you are preparing the sauce.
2. Cook the broccoli in salty water for 3 minutes and then drain.
3. Lightly fry the chopped garlic in oil and then put the soft cheese into the saucepan and heat gently, stirring until melted.
4. Add the milk and stir well until combined.
5. Add the broccoli and stir to coat evenly.
6. Once the pasta is ready, divide it amongst the plate and spoon the sauce over the top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

• 6 medium plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise (or any other tomato type. I like cherry)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for brushing
• 7 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 12 1/2-inch-thick slices baguette or Italian bread (about 2 1/2 inches wide)
• 4 Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and chopped

Preheat oven to 150°C.

1. Arrange tomatoes, cut sides up, in a shallow baking dish just large enough to hold them in 1 layer. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Scatter garlic around tomatoes, then roast in middle of oven until tomatoes are tender and skins are wrinkled, about 1 hour. Cool, then transfer tomatoes to a plate, reserving garlic and oil in baking dish.
2. While tomatoes are cooling, put bread slices on a baking sheet and brush lightly on both sides with additional oil. Bake in middle of oven until golden, 15 to 18 minutes.
3. Peel roasted garlic cloves and mash to a paste with oil and juices from baking dish. Spread paste on toasts, then top each toast with a tomato half, cut side up.
4. Serve crostini topped with olives.
5. Notes: Tomatoes and garlic paste can be prepared 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.  Toasts can be baked 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature. Heat assembled crostini in a 150°C oven before serving if components are made ahead.

Serves 4 to 6 (as a side dish)

• 450g couscous
• 150g broad beans, shelled
• 125g fresh peas
• 2 small courgettes or one large, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• a handful of fresh mint, chopped (optional)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• the juice and zest of 2 lemons

1. In a large bowl, cover the couscous with boiling water. Leave for 10 minutes, then fluff up the grains with a fork. Allow to cool.
2. Blanch the beans, peas and courgettes in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain, and add the vegetables to the couscous.
3. Stir in the garlic, onions, (mint), olive oil, and the lemon juice and zest, and season.
4. Spoon into a serving bowl and chill. Serve and enjoy!

We seem to have over-ordered on lemons this week! Not sure how …. but I thought it might be nice to praise the humble lemon with a lovely savoury recipe. Enjoy!

Pasta with Lemon cream sauce and Asparagus

250 g uncooked long fusilli - or other pasta
1 bunch Asparagus cut into pieces
1 Tbsp butter or marg
1 garlic clove, minced
200 ml vegetable stock
1 tsp corn flour
80 ml double cream
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
pinch cayenne pepper

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Add asparagus during last minute of cooking time
3. Melt butter or marg in a frying pan over medium-high heat
4. Add garlic to the pan; saute for 1 minute
5. Combine stock and corn flour in a small bowl; stir until well blended.
6. Add stock to pan; bring to a boil
7. Cook 1 minute or until thickened, stirring constantly
8. Remove from heat
9. Stir in cream, lemon juice, salt , the black pepper and the cayenne
10. Add pasta mixture to stock mixture; toss gently to coat
11. Garnish with coarsely ground black pepper and lemon slices if desired

A Mexican recipe I hope you will enjoy (Serves  6)

Ingredients :
2 kg fresh Broad beans in the pod, shelled
40 ml olive oil
2 onions, coarsely chopped into into ¼” chunks
6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 chili (optional), coarsely chopped
½ tspn ground cumin
1 kg tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
½ tspn salt
250 ml water
chopped mint leaves
crumbled feta cheese or similar

Method:
Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Drop the beans into the water and bring back to the boil. Cook for 3 minutes. Drain and let cool. If the beans are large and the outer skins tough, peel them with your fingers. If the beans are small and tender, use them as is.
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot. Add the onion, garlic, chili and cumin and sauté until the onion wilts, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, salt, water, and ¼ cup of the mint. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the tomatoes soften, about 5 minutes. Add the fava beans and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the beans are very tender.
Ladle the stew into individual bowls. Sprinkle the cheese and remaining mint over the top and serve immediately.