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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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  • At this time of year our farm is in full bloom, and the bees love it 🐝 These honeybees have a new home on our Devon farm, right next to our kitchen garden where we grow food for @riverfordfieldkitchen. The hives belong to and are looked after by Joe Harper, a hobby beekeeper whose interest began as a child, learning from his grandfather. For him it’s not about the honey, it’s about providing an example of beekeeping which is sustainable and as close to nature as possible. His method involves minimal intervention, using horizontal top bar hives which allow inspection without dismantling the frame, and allows bees to build their own comb. In addition to this, honey is only ever taken from the hive if the bees produce surplus to their needs. As an organic farm, it’s the ideal location for the bees with access to plants free from artificial pesticides, and in turn they benefit us via pollination. Here they are coming in and out of their hive. A credit to our fantastic photographer James for these beautiful shots 📷.
  • RECIPE - Asian Pancake with Sriracha & Sesame ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This vegetable-packed pancake takes its inspiration from Japanese Okonomiyaki, which is traditionally cooked with fish and meat. We’ve added ginger, sea salad and sesame seeds for an authentic Japanese flavour with a vegetarian twist. It’s drizzled with sriracha and served in the traditional way with a dollop of creamy mayonnaise. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You'll need (serves 2): 1 small piece ginger 1 carrot 1 pointed cabbage 125g bunched onions 6 eggs 100g plain flour 1 tbsp tamari 1 tbsp sesame seeds sriracha sea salad (dried sea salad - nori/sea lettuce) mayonnaise 50g mixed salad leaves ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ - Peel and finely grate, or chop, the ginger. Peel and coarsely grate the carrot. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ - Finely shred a good handful of cabbage. Trim and finely slice the onions, including some of the green top parts. - In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and flour - keep going, it will come together! Add 2-3 tbsp of water to achieve the consistency of double cream. — Add the ginger, carrot, cabbage, ½ the onions and the tamari to the batter, season (lightly with salt as the tamari is already salty) and stir to combine. -Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Heat a thin layer of oil in a large frying pan over a low-medium heat. Pour in the vegetable batter. Cook on a medium heat, covered with either a lid or a loose sheet of foil over the mixture, for approx, 6-8 mins, until the egg is almost cooked all the way through and the base is golden brown. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ - In a dry saucepan, gently toast the sesame seeds for 2-3 mins, then transfer to a plate. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Place the frying pan under the grill to finish cooking the egg through, approx. 2 mins, then remove the pan from the heat. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ - Serve, either in the pan at the table or cut into pieces, drizzled with the sriracha and sprinkled with remaining onions, the sea salad and sesame seeds. - Add a dollop of mayonnaise for dunking the pancake into as you eat, and the salad leaves alongside.
  • We've teamed up with @seasaltcornwall to giveaway a bumper organic prize 🎉 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Enter our competition to win a £100 Seasalt voucher and three months of organic veg boxes 🥕. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Fellow organic pioneers Seasalt were the first fashion brand to ever receive Soil Association certification for their organic cotton!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Three runners-up will a mini bundle too. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Enter via link in bio.
  • RECIPE - Charred Corn, Bean & Avocado Tacos⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You’ll need (serves 2): ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tin red kidney beans, drained & rinsed.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 refried bean spice mix (1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp bouillion powder, 1 tsp ground coriander)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ kernels from 1 peeled sweetcorn cob⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 4 tortillas⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 garlic clove, peeled & finely chopped⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 red onion, peeled & finely sliced⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 15g coriander, both stalks & leaves chopped⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 2 chillies, deseeded & finely chopped⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 200g sweet mixed peppers, quartered & deseeded⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted in a dry pan for 3-4 mins⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 corn taco spice mix (1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp paprika, 1 tsp herbs de Provence, ½ tsp mint)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 lime ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 avocado, diced⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 50g mixed salad leaves⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Preheat your oven to 200°C/Gas 6. In a medium pan, place beans, refried bean spice mix & water (enough to fill 2/3 of the empty kidney bean tin). Season. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Cook on a low boil, stirring often, for 10 mins - let it reduce, but not boil dry. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ After 10 mins, lightly mash the beans to a coarse, mash-like texture. Check the seasoning. If they look too sloppy, gently cook a little more, 1-2 mins. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Wrap tortillas in tin foil, then put in the oven to warm. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Heat 1 tbsp of oil in the frying pan & fry the corn until a little browned & charred, then transfer to a plate (take care, it may pop a little towards the end). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Add a splash more oil to the pan. Reduce the heat & fry the onion for 2 mins. Add the peppers & fry for 3 more mins. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Add the taco spice mix & garlic. Fry for 1 min. Add the chilli (to taste) & corn. Season & add lime to taste. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Fill the tortillas with beans, a few salad leaves, corn mix, avocado, coriander & pumpkin seeds. Serve with rest of salad leaves, wedges of lime & more chilli if you like.
  • In this week's newsletter, we hear from James Foskett, who grows organic sweetcorn & more for us: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This is about our 10th year of growing organic sweetcorn, & we’ve definitely learnt a few tips & tricks along the way. We cover the earlier stuff under fleece to give it the best start, & then you really do have to be pretty vigilant in terms of pests.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The other thing is weeds: sweetcorn doesn’t give you the groundcover that will prevent any more weeds coming through, so it can be difficult to control. On some crops, once we’ve prepared a seed bed, we wait for weeds to show & then burn them off with a flame weeder.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We’ve just started handpicking the first of this year’s corn crop & it’s looking good – I tried some last week & it was very sweet, it tastes delicious. Sweetcorn works quite well in our rotation, where effectively it’s our only cereal. We grow about 10 different crops organically, including sweetcorn, potatoes, onions, Tenderstem broccoli, cabbages, carrots, butternut squash, green beans, radish, peas, beetroot & quite a lot of parsley, which goes off to be dried.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ My father moved to this farm in 1955, so I’m second generation. We now have around 520 acres of organic land, with some fertility building going on within that – it’s not all vegetables! We’re in Suffolk, about 3 or 4 miles away from the sea, so tend not to get really bad frosts. In the summer this makes a big difference because our temperatures are lower than further inland so crops keep growing. We’re also classed as an ‘early’ part of the country in growing terms – we’re generally harvesting just after Cornwall.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We started growing organically around the time of the financial crash, & after some consideration decided to stick with it. It’s been a pretty hard road, but I’m surrounded by an excellent team. There is a huge amount of skill involved & if you’re not on the button, you get beaten by the bugs, beasties & weeds. Personally, I like the buzz of organic farming.
  • RECIPE – Sweetcorn Dhansak Curry⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You’ll need (serves 2): ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 100g red lentils⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 onion, peeled & finely diced ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 15g coriander, leaves removed & stalks chopped⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 150g black rice, rinsed in a sieve ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 2 garlic cloves, peeled & chopped ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 3 chillies, deseeded & finely chopped (or leave the seeds in for more heat) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 125g cherry tomatoes, quartered ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 dhansak spice mix (1 tbsp curry powder, 1 tsp garam masala) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tin coconut milk ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The kernels from 1 peeled sweetcorn cob⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 15g chervil, roughly chopped⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 175ml yogurt⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 60g mango chutney ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 150g baby spinach⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 lime ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Put the lentils in a heatproof bowl or saucepan. Cover with boiled water & set aside. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Transfer the black rice to a medium saucepan, cover with boiling water & add a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil then then simmer for approx. 25-30 mins until tender.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large saucepan. Gently fry the onion & coriander stalks for 10 mins, stirring occasionally. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Add the garlic, dhansak spice mix & some of the chilli (add to your taste) to the onion. Stir for 2 mins. Add coconut milk. Drain the lentils into a sieve, rinse then add them too. Bring to a low boil then let it simmer for 10 mins.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Stir the sweetcorn, tomatoes & chutney into the lentils. Simmer for 5-8 mins, until the lentils are soft. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In handfuls, stir the spinach into the lentils until wilted. Drain the rice. Stir ¾ of the coriander leaves into the curry. Season & add lime juice, to taste. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Mix the chervil & yogurt in a small bowl, adding a pinch of salt to taste. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Serve the curry with rice, yogurt, remaining coriander & some extra chilli if you like.
  • Ellis wonders whether the news about McDonald's new paper straws not being recyclable might be missing an obvious solution.... ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #WickedLeeksEllis
  • RECIPE – Sweet Potato Goulash⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The tahini sauce used to top this warming one-pot dish adds a little extra richness, in place of the traditional soured cream. We’re serving the goulash with nutty-tasting barley instead of rice. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You’ll need (serves 2):⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 125g pearl barley⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 Romano pepper, halved deseeded & thinly sliced⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 125g bunched onions, trimmed & thinly sliced⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 sweet potato, peeled & diced in 2cm chunks⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 goulash spice mix (1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tbsp paprika, 1 tsp oregano, ½ tsp caraway seeds)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tsp bouillon powder⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 200g passata⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ½ tin dark lentils, drained & rinsed⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 10g dill, chopped⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 2 tbsp tahini⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tsp dried mint⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 lemon⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 15g parsley, roughly chopped⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 150g spinach⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Put the barley in a medium saucepan, cover with plenty of boiled water & bring to the boil on the hob. Cook for 25 mins, until tender with a little bite. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large saucepan. Start frying the pepper & onions, stirring occasionally. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Stir in the sweet goulash spices, bouillon & passata. Refill the passata pot twice with water, adding it to the pan. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Season well, bring to a low boil, then add the lentils. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Cook for 15-20 mins until the sweet potato is just tender, stirring regularly. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Add the spinach a handful at a time, until wilted. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Whisk the tahini, ¾ of the dill, the dried mint & approx. 3-4 tbsp cold water to make a pourable dressing. Add a little squeeze of lemon juice (approx. 1 tsp) & a pinch of salt to taste, then all the parsley.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Drain the cooked barley. Serve with the sweet potato goulash, drizzled with the tahini sauce & sprinkled with remaining dill.
  • Sweetcorn season is here 🌽 - delivered in their leafy husks - natural packaging at its best.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Fresh from our French farm, a few weeks ahead of the UK season.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Invest just 5 minutes, a pan of boiling water and a generous smear of butter for one of the great finger-licking joys of the summer!

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