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Riverford Organic Farmers

Wicked Leeks is an online magazine powered by Riverford Organic Farmers.
Riverford grows and sells organic food through its award-winning veg boxes, alongside campaigning for its core values of sustainable food and ethical business.

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  • The irony of a vegan Easter...⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Arlo is covering #WickedLeeksEllis this week.
  • RECIPE - Teriyaki Cauli & Leek Rice Bowl⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ A simple and tasty rice bowl with pickled ginger and sea salad. Omit the eggs for a vegan version. Tag us if you give it a go. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You'll need (serves 2): ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 150g brown basmati rice⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 2 eggs⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 leek, trimmed & sliced into 1cm rounds⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 small or ½ large cauliflower, chopped into florets (half them if large)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 2 garlic cloves, peeled & thinly sliced⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped - add to taste⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 10g mint, shredded ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 50ml teriyaki sauce⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tbsp dried coriander leaves⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tbsp tamari⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 lime⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 10g pickled ginger⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Sprinkling of seaweed⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Boil the rice for 20-25 mins, until tender with a little bite. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Put the eggs in a saucepan with cold water. Bring to the boil. Once boiling, time them for 7 mins, then drain and run under cold water to cool them. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Stir-fry the leek and cauliflower on a medium heat for 5-7 mins. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Stir in the garlic and chilli for 30 secs. Stir in the teriyaki sauce, dried coriander leaves and tamari. Cook for 1-2 mins. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Season, and add a squeeze of lime juice. Remove from the heat. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Carefully peel and halve the eggs. Drain the cooked rice. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Serve the rice, drizzled with sesame oil, topped with the leek and cauliflower mixture, eggs, mint, pickled ginger (roughly chopped if you like) and seaweed.
  • A European tree frog's 1,600km journey! We had quite the surprise last week when a well-disguised frog leaped out of a pallet full of swiss chard from our French farm. We decided that although our Devon farm is a haven for wildlife, it would be happiest back where it came from, so boxed it up (with lots of foliage and water) and sent it back in the lorry on the next trip to France, where it was released back on to the farm. Looking at the weather ahead this weekend (it's due to reach 25C), some of us wish we'd hitched a lift too!
  • RECIPE - Wild Garlic Potato Cakes & Carrot Chutney ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Don’t be alarmed, this isn’t a 3-hour chutney making event! This is a quick version, where some texture to the carrot makes a nice contrast to the potato cakes. The perfect recipe to make the most of the short wild garlic season, and for a #MeatFreeMonday dinner. 🌿 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You'll need (serves 2): 500g potatoes, peeled & diced 1 onion, peeled & finely diced 2 large carrots, peeled & diced 1 apple, peeled & diced 20g raisins 1 carrot chutney spice mix (mustard seeds, ½ tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp paprika) 1 tbsp cider vinegar 100ml cider 1 tbsp honey ¼ tsp chilli flakes - add to taste 100g wild garlic 2 egg yolks 20g plain flour 25g butter 50g watercress ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Bring the potatoes to the boil, then cook until soft to a knife tip; 10-12 mins. Drain. Leave for 2 mins, then mash and place in the fridge to cool. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In a small pan, stir the carrot, apple, ½ the onion, the raisins, chutney spice pot, vinegar, cider, honey, 300ml of water and a pinch of chilli flakes (to your taste). Season. Bring to a boil. Cook for 30 mins or so, stirring often, until the carrot is just tender. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Meanwhile, fry the remaining ½ onion on a low heat for 8 mins. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Put the wild garlic in a saucepan. Cover with boiled water, leave for 30 secs, then drain and refresh under cold water. Drain, squeeze out excess liquid, then chop it up. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Separate the egg yolks and whites. In a bowl, mix the potato, fried onion, ⅔ of the flour, and the wild garlic. Season. Gently stir in the egg yolks. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Put the remaining flour in a shallow dish. Shape the potato mix into 4 balls. Flatten them slightly into burger shapes. Turn them in the remaining flour to lightly dust them. Place on a tray and chill them in the freezer for 10 mins (this makes them easier to fry). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Heat the butter and 2 tbsp of oil in a frying pan on a medium heat. Fry the potato cakes for approx. 4 mins on each side, until golden. Serve with the carrot chutney and watercress.
  • Guy's news: The least hungry gap ever⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We're enjoying a near perfect spring. Predominantly easterly winds have brought plenty of bright, dry weather, creating excellent planting conditions. High light levels & warmer-than-expected temperatures mean some crops are 3 weeks ahead of schedule.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It's such a welcome contrast to last year’s miserable March & April, the aftermath of which dogged us all summer; crops that had been planted into cold, wet seedbeds never developed the roots they needed & struggled to recover when it suddenly went hot & dry.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The last of the cauliflowers, purple sprouting broccoli (PSB), leeks, hungry gap kale & greens, all sown almost a year ago, will finish this month with bumper yields & good quality. After struggling for years to keep pigeons off the greens, we've invested in light nets & covered them all to good effect; the bonus is warmer soil, more microbial action making more nitrogen available, & a boost to yield & quality.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I can’t remember anyone ever complaining about too much PSB, but some of you might be glad to see the back of leeks, cauliflower & kale. Rest assured, after May they’ll stay out of your boxes until autumn. Until then, we’re using all we can; it'd break my heart to let good crops go to waste in the field, especially at this time of year (the ‘hungry gap’) when we're usually so short of veg. We just hope we aren’t pushing our luck with your appetites too much.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ At our farm in the French Vendée, we're also off to a fantastic start. Good planting conditions have helped us make the most of the sunshine. Normally we expect to harvest 6 or 7 prime quality lettuces for each 10 we plant; this year we're cutting a satisfying 8 or 9.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Swiss chard is also in full swing, with summer greens, turnips, kohl rabi & broad beans not far behind. The autumn-sown broad beans are in full flower,⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We're struggling to find a home for everything; a first for April/May in 30 years. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Guy Singh-Watson
  • RECIPE - PSB & Jasmine Fried Rice⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ A speedy jasmine rice stir-fry with one of our favourite seasonal veg, purple sprouting broccoli, and finished with crunchy cashew nuts.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You'll need (serves 2): ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Ingredients⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 150g jasmine rice⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 red pepper, halve, deseeded, & finely sliced ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 150g purple sprouting broccoli, larger stalks halved lengthways⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 red onion, peeled & finely sliced⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 2 garlic cloves, peeled & finely grated⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 large piece ginger, peeled & finely grated⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 15g coriander, chopped⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 25g cashew nuts, roughly chopped⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes - add to taste⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 200g spinach⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tbsp mirin⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 2 tbsp tamari - add to taste⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Boil the rice with a pinch of salt for 10-11 mins.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Drain the cooked rice into a sieve. Run it under cold water until cool, then leave it to drain.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Heat 3 tbsp of water in a wok or large frying pan. Stir-fry the onion, pepper, broccoli and chilli flakes (add all or ½, to your taste for heat) for 4 mins. Add a splash more water if needed to help the broccoli soften (you want a little bite to it) and prevent everything from sticking. Transfer to a plate. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Add 1 tbsp of frying oil (not the sesame oil), the garlic and ginger to the same pan. Stir for 30 secs on a medium heat, taking care not to burn the garlic.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Add the rice, spinach, toasted sesame oil, mirin and just ½ the tamari to start with. Stir for approx. 2 mins to wilt the spinach and heat the rice through (take care it doesn’t catch - add a splash of water if it looks like it might). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Stir in the veg and ½ the cashews and coriander. Add more tamari and season, all to taste (the tamari is quite salty). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Divide between serving bowls and sprinkle over the remaining cashews and coriander to serve.
  • There's net place like home... ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ News that migratory sand martins were blocked from accessing their nests by netting has caused outrage this week, and raised the issue of human interference in bird habitats. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Ellis is on holiday this week, so Arlo is covering. Lucky we have such a talented, creative bunch here on the farm. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #WickedLeeksEllis
  • RECIPE - Cherry Tomato Orzo & Grilled Mozzarella ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Sweet tomatoes, salty olives, creamy mozzarella and crunchy pine nuts are mixed with orzo in this grilled veggie pasta dish. We've added a little wine, pesto and herbs to bring it to life. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We use @laverstoke Park's famous buffalo mozzarella, made from their grass-fed buffalo herd in Hampshire; it's the best we've tasted! Feel free to use any mozzarella though. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You'll need (serves 2): ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 onion, peeled, halved & finely diced ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 garlic clove, peeled & finely chopped⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ tbsp fresh thyme leaves⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 250g cherry tomatoes, halved⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 30g black olives, sliced⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tbsp red pesto⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 175g orzo⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 100ml white wine⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tsp bouillon powder⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 mozzarella ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 50g watercress⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 40g Italian style hard cheese⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 20g pine nuts⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Gently fry the onion for 8 mins. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Stir the garlic and thyme into the onion for 1 min. Then stir in the tomatoes, olives, pesto, orzo and wine. Let the wine bubble away until it’s absorbed. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Add the bouillon and 450ml of boiled water. Season. Cook on a low boil for 10 mins, until the orzo is just tender. Add a splash more water as it cooks, if needed, and stir regularly, particularly towards the end, to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. By the end, it should have a risotto-like consistency. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Preheat your grill to a medium-high heat. Drain and thickly slice the mozzarella into 4 pieces. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ When the orzo is just tender, stir in a handful of the watercress until starting to wilt. Stir in ½ the Italian cheese and check the seasoning. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Lay the mozzarella on top of the orzo. Grill until it starts to melt, bubble and colour a little (3-4 mins), while you gently toast the pine nuts in a small dry saucepan for approx. 3 mins, until golden. Transfer them to a plate when done as they catch and burn quickly. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Serve the orzo, sprinkled with remaining Italian cheese and the pine nuts, with the remaining watercress on the side.
  • It's clear everyone is loving our wild garlic! We're loving seeing all of your recipe creations. We forage it from the woods around our Devon farm. The leaves really are one of the joys of spring! It'll only be around for a couple more weeks, so enjoy it while you can. To enjoy it year round, try making a pesto and freezing it in an ice cube tray, so you can pop out and use a cube or two when you fancy 🍃

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