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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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  • RECIPE - Cumin Roast Cauliflower Tagine ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We have pomegranates for such a short season and they’re here right now, so we’re using their jewel-like seeds to garnish this calorie-light tagine. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You'll need (serves 2): ½ large or 1 small cauliflower 1 red onion 1 garlic clove 2 tomatoes 20g apricots 1 tbsp harissa 1 tagine spice mix (1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp turmeric) 100g passata 1 tin chickpeas 15g parsley 10g chervil 10g mint 100g couscous 1 tsp cumin seeds ½ pomegranate 1 lemon ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Heat your oven to 190˚C/Gas 5. Chop the cauli into bite-sized florets. Toss in a roasting tin with 1 tbsp of oil. Set aside. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Finely dice the onion, then gently fry it, while you continue. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Finely chop the garlic. Roughly dice the tomatoes. Roughly chop the apricots. Roast the cauliflower for 10 mins. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Meanwhile, stir the garlic, harissa and tagine spice mix into the onion for 1 min. Stir in the passata, apricots, tomatoes, chickpeas and the liquid in the chickpea tin. Bring it up to a low boil, then cook for 15 mins. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ While the tagine cooks, boil a kettle. Altogether, chop the parsley, chervil and mint leaves. Put the couscous in a heatproof bowl. Add a pinch of salt and cover by 1cm with boiled water. Cover and set aside. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ After 10 mins, remove the cauliflower from the oven and toss with the cumin seeds. Roast for a further 5-7 mins, until the cauliflower is tender and starting to colour. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Meanwhile, halve the pomegranate, crossways. Over a bowl, use a wooden spoon or rolling pin to bash the base of ½ the pomegranate, so the seeds fall out. Pick out any yellowy-white bits of membrane, if any fall out. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Remove the cooked cauliflower from the oven and finish with a squeeze of lemon. Season the tagine, add a squeeze of lemon, and stir in 3/4 of the herbs. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Fluff the couscous up with a fork. Serve with the tagine topped with the cauliflower, pomegranate and remaining herbs.
  • Guy's news: Asking the wrong questions⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This evening I spent 20 minutes gathering chestnuts. On the drive leaving the farm are fallen hazelnuts, crab apples, quinces & medlars, which join the already rotted damsons & plums. Is food so cheap & abundant that no one can be bothered to collect it? Or have we lost the knowledge & confidence to gather & prepare food without a sell-by date?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Cranfield University recently published a study suggesting that organic farming, despite reducing emissions per acre, would increase emissions globally, food yields would reduce, resulting in more land being cultivated elsewhere.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The logic is sound if you believe that our global food system is driven by nutritional need. But we live in a world where more people are obese than undernourished, where 1/3 of food is wasted: the study's logic is that of unquestioned dogma.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In the tropical low-wage economies where food security is an issue, organic farming can be much more productive & is more socially & environmentally sustainable. Food insecurity is almost always the result of income inequality, iniquitous land distribution, or war.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Globally we produce more food than we can eat - it’s just the wrong food, in the wrong mouths. We're asking over-simplified questions, because the important questions are too complex for our clumsy economics to cope with.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ To loosely quote Einstein: “We can’t solve problems using the same thinking we used when we created them.” For years I've heard arguments that we need GM crops & artificial pesticides to feed rising populations, that intensively-farmed livestock produces more food for less methane & CO2, that the answer is 'sustainable intensification' as advocated by the agrochemical industry.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Within a narrow frame, these statements can be accurate – but in a long-term, holistic view, they're invariably unquantified consequences. If there's no soil left, no pollinators & a decimated environment, we'll have paid a high price for the food that we waste.
  • RECIPE - Kefir Pancakes with Baked Plums ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The ultimate weekend breakfast? Based around a traditional Russian recipe called oladi, these kefir pancakes have a slight sour tang that works perfectly with sweet fruit. The baked plums are a brilliant partner in late autumn. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You'll need (makes 4-12 pancakes) 500ml kefir 1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk 40g caster sugar 300g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder Pinch of salt 6 ripe plums 1 cinnamon stick 1 star anise 1 nutmeg 3 tbsp honey Zest and juice of ½ an orange ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Preheat the oven to 180˚C/Gas 4. Halve the plums and place them in a snug-fitting roasting tin. Throw in the cinnamon stick, star anise and a cautious grating of nutmeg. Tip in the honey, orange juice and zest. Give everything a mix. Bake for 20 mins, or until the plums are soft and beginning to collapse. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ While the plums cook, whisk the kefir, eggs and sugar together in a mixing bowl. Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and then add a good pinch of salt. Mix together until smooth. Leave to rest for 10 mins or so. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ To cook the pancakes, heat a thin layer of oil in a non-stick frying pan and dollop generous spoonfuls of the mix into the pan. Cook over a medium heat, until golden brown on the bottom. Flip them over and cook the other side. You’ll probably have to cook these in two or three batches, so keep the first lot warm in a low oven. You should get at least 12 pancakes. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Serve the pancakes alongside the warm baked plums.
  • Don't fret, this won't be our last Christmas with Brussels. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Our Christmas shop is now open! Don't miss out - good food goes fast.
  • RECIPE - Maple Roast Carrots & Black Rice ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This vibrant dish is the perfect combination of sweetness, from our earthy Chantenay carrots and plump apricots, and savoury, from the miso, tamari and herbs. The roasted carrots are served over nutty black rice with baby spinach and a zesty dressing. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You'll need (serves 2): 150g black rice 500g Chantenay carrots 50g dried apricots 1 chilli - add to taste 25g ginger 2 tbsp brown rice miso 2 tbsp maple syrup 1 tbsp sesame seeds 2 tbsp tamari 15g chervil 10g mint 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil 2 tbsp tahini 1 lime 150g baby spinach ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Preheat your oven to 190˚C/Gas 5. Rinse the rice then boil and cook for 35-40 mins, until tender with a little bite. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Meanwhile, scrub the carrots well and halve (or quarter) any large ones, lengthways. Roughly chop the apricots. Finely slice the chilli. Peel and finely grate the ginger. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Tip the carrots and ginger into a large bowl. Add the miso, ½ the maple syrup (1 tbsp), the sesame seeds, ½ the tamari (1 tbsp) and 3 tbsp of oil. Toss until everything is well coated, then transfer to a roasting tin. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Roast the carrots for 15 mins, then toss in the apricots and chilli (to your own taste). Roast for a further 10 mins, until the carrots are golden and just tender with a little bite. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Meanwhile, roughly chop the chervil, stalks and all. Pick the leaves from the mint, then finely shred. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In a small bowl, mix the remaining tamari with the sesame oil, tahini and remaining maple syrup. Add lime juice, to taste, and loosen it with a little water if necessary. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ When cooked, drain the rice, then pop it back in the pan and cover with a lid or plate to and keep it warm. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Once the carrots are cooked, add the herbs and a couple of handfuls of spinach to the roasting tin. Gently toss together. Check the seasoning. Add a squeeze of lime juice if needed. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Serve the roast carrots over the rice, drizzled with the dressing.
  • A sign of Christmas on the farm? We couldn't resist sharing these beautiful images taken by our photographer James of a resident robin on our Devon farm. Our farms are thriving with wildlife, which is generally the case with organic farms - on average, plant, insect and bird life is 50% more abundant 🐛 This little robin may make you think that Christmas must be just around the corner, but in reality robins can be seen all year round and rarely move far from where they've hatched. There are various reasons why robins are associated with Christmas... One is due to their red breasts being a festive colour. Another is that the tradition of sending Christmas cards started in Victorian times, who nicknamed postmen 'robins' because they wore red waistcoats. Who knew!
  • RECIPE - Caramelised Onion & Ricotta Gnocchi ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Meltingly soft and sweet onions form the basis for this mellow, autumnal dish. The gnocchi is boiled, then cooled and fried to ensure crispness – the perfect foil to the silky onions and slightly bitter cime di rapa. Season with lemon juice and top with creamy ricotta. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You'll need (serves 2): 2 red onions, thinly sliced 2 tbsp thmye leaves 25g butter 200g cime di rapa (or spinach - use 100g), stalks & leaves chopped 10g parsley, chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 cauliflower (if large, use ½), cut into bite size pieces 1 pack gnocchi 1 tbsp capers 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tsp light brown sugar ¼ tsp chilli flakes - add to taste 1 lemon 120g ricotta ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Melt ½ the butter with 1 tbsp of oil in a large saucepan. Fry the onions with ½ the thyme on a low heat for 20 mins, stirring now and then. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Fill a medium saucepan with boiled water and add a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil. Add the gnocchi. As soon as they bob to the surface (approx. 2 mins), drain and transfer to a plate. Pour over 1 tbsp of oil and toss to coat. Set aside. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a frying pan, stir-fry the cauliflower on a med-high heat for 4-5 mins, to just colour the florets. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Once the onions are completely soft, add the cime di rapa stalks and cauliflower. Cover and cook for 3-4 mins. Add the garlic and capers and cook, stirring for 1 min. Increase the heat slightly. Stir in the vinegar, sugar and chilli flakes (to your taste). Cook, stirring regularly, for 2-3 mins, until golden. Add the cime di rapa leaves. Cook for 1-2 mins, until just wilted. Stir through the parsley. Season and add lemon juice to taste. Set aside. Heat the remaining butter in the frying pan until foaming. Fry the gnocchi for 2 mins on each side, until crisp and golden. Add the onion mix to the gnocchi pan and stir to combine. Serve, topped with crumbled ricotta, remaining thyme leaves and a grinding of pepper.
  • Guy's news: Retrieving our roots⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I still feel a childlike wonder at seeing root vegetables emerge from the ground. They pass over the harvester’s gently sifting web, & the soil falls away, revealing each precious nugget on its way to the trailer running alongside.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It certainly beats the back-breaking labour of 30 years ago, hand-picking into a sack dragged up the rows between your legs – but does need dry weather. With recent bouts of heavy rain adding to already sodden soil, we're grabbing any chance to harvest.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ There are still 35 acres of potatoes in the ground. Fortunately most are on relatively light & well-drained land, but it still takes a week of dry weather after heavy rain before the machinery can travel & separate soil from roots, then 3-4 days to complete the job. With every week of delay, the ground dries more slowly, weeds grow back making harvesting slower, &, as soil temperatures drop, there is an increased risk of bruising.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ After mild winters, we've harvested potatoes in the spring before, but losses are high & soil beaten down by winter rains is hard to sift. The stores will be ventilated with warm, dry air for a couple of weeks to help heal any skin damage from harvesting, then brought down to 3 degrees to put the tubers to sleep. Valor, the drowsiest variety, will happily slumber until May or even June without sprouting.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In the east of England, with lower rainfall & colder winters, carrots are normally lifted as needed. Once the crop is mature, the beds are covered with plastic & a deep layer of straw to protect them from light & frost. In the west, this strategy fails; long spells of wet weather make it impossible for machinery to travel, & warmer soil temperatures encourage carrot root fly.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Instead, our strategy is to harvest into one-tonne wooden bins, along with enough soil to maintain humidity. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ A healthy, mature crop, with the right amount of soil, will keep until May, leaving 4-6 weeks of imports before the new season crop is ready.
  • "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants" - Micheal Pollan. This #worldveganday, share the one plant-based food you couldn't live without. Comment below! 🌱

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