Quinoa with Winter Vegetables

Ingredients

• 200g quinoa
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 3 carrots, cut into thin sticks
• 300g leek, sliced
• 300g broccoli, cut into small florets
• 100g sundried tomato, drained and chopped
• 200ml vegetable stock
• 2 tsp tomato purée
• juice 1 lemon

Method

1. Cook the quinoa according to pack instructions. Meanwhile, heat 3 tbsp of the oil in a wok or large pan, then add the garlic and quickly fry for 1 min. Throw in the carrots, leeks and broccoli, then stir-fry for 2 mins until everything is glistening.
2. Add the sundried tomatoes, mix together the stock and tomato purée, then add to the pan. Cover, then cook for 3 mins. Drain the quinoa, then toss in the remaining oil and the lemon juice. Divide between warm plates and spoon the vegetables on top

Mustard Chicken with Winter Vegetables

Ingredients

• 1 chicken, about 1.8kg/4lb in weight
• 2 onion
• 6 celery sticks
• 6 carrot
• 2 bay leaf
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1 tsp black peppercorn
• 50g butter
• 100g smoked bacon lardons
• 3 small turnip, peeled and cut into wedges
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• 3 rounded tbsp crème fraîche
• good handful parsley, chopped

Method

1. Put the chicken in a large pot. Halve 1 onion, 1 celery stick and 1 carrot. Add to the pot with the herbs, peppercorns and a sprinkling of salt. Add water to come halfway up the chicken, bring to the boil, then cover tightly and simmer for 1½ hrs. Cool slightly, remove the chicken to a dish, then strain the stock into a bowl.
2. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, strip the meat from the bones and tear into pieces with your hands.
3. Chop the remaining onion, and cut the celery and carrots into thick slices. Heat the butter in the same pot, add the onion and lardons, then gently fry for 5 mins until just starting to brown. Add the remaining veg, then fry for 2 mins. Stir in the flour, then cook for 1 min. Measure 900ml stock (if you don’t have enough, make it up with water), then gradually add to the pan, stirring. Cover, then simmer for 20-25 mins until vegetables are tender.
4. Return the chicken to the pan with the mustard and crème fraîche, then return to a simmer, stirring gently. Season and sprinkle with parsley.

Again work continued on Plot 54 despite the torrential rain.  More barbed wire was removed meaning that the plot can now be accessed from all sides.  The shed totally disappeared and metal was removed to the main gate for collection.

General litter picking created two bags of rubbish, mainly bits of paper, old plant pots etc that had been sent flying by the wind.  However,  someone had left  a black bag full of household rubbish in the spent hops bin!  Please try to take your rubbish home as we have no way of removing it other than someone taking it home and putting it in their own bin or visiting the tip.

The next workday is 12 April and work will continue on plot 54.  We will also be cutting back the privet hedge at the Princess Road end of the site as this is now very high and shades the plots nearby.

Work on Plot 54 went well on the February work day with a number of people volunteering to help out.  The shed was emptied of a myriad of items, brambles cut and barbed wire fencing removed from the road side.  In the afternoon the wooden greenhouses were attacked and one dismantled.  Work on this plot will continue throughout the year as there is a lot to do.

If you are not able to attend the workday, the jobs we will be concentrating on will be posted on the notice board by the tea shop and also on the plot fence next to the apiary.  Please feel free to carry on with any jobs posted up there.

Our next work day is scheduled for 8 March (the 2nd Sunday of each month).