Fresh artichokes

Artichokes are so easy to grow - these were grown from seed, and if you do that they will flower in the second year. They need a sheltered but sunny spot and not too much attention apart from weeding/mulching. As they are perennial they will come back year after year with little or no maintenance - the perfect vegetable.
To cook, just boil for 20 minutes, then pour vinaigrette over them. Pull off the outer leaves and bite off the fleshy bit with your teeth. When you get down to the middle discard the "choke" (the hairy bit) as this will do you no good, and then eat the heart dipped in vinaigrette.

Morrocan vol au vent

Thank you to Katherine for this lovely recipe.  I am very tempted to try it was a dip or a pitta filling as suggested, as I love aubergines.  Sadly this year they haven't grown at all in my greenhouse due to the bad weather - I wonder if there will be any local aubergines at all?

Roast a whole aubergine, in hot oven for about 30 mins to an hour – has to be really soft inside when done.  skin it and mix up the pulp with splash of lemon, crushed garlic clove, level teaspoon of cumin, about 100g of bulghar wheat (put in

container pour on boiling water seal and leave for 15 mins) check it’s cooked, add some chopped chilli (to taste) pepper, chopped coriander and mint, could add chopped sultanas / apricots.   Fill some puff pastry vol au vents (roll puff pastry cut out circles and then mark a smaller circle a bit so when they puff up you can remove the centre circle.  Put the circles on a oiled baking sheet at high temp about 220C for about 15 mins

variations could use couscous, or brown rice to add to aubergine mixture. Could be just a dip or in pitta with salad.

Stilton and pear puffs

Thank you to Katherine for this lovely recipe.  Stilton is of course a local cheese - eg Long Clawson stilton - from Rutland.

Roll out some puff pastry and cut out circles in buttered/ oiled bun tray. Mix up chopped pear and chopped stilton and a chopped tomato. Put teaspoon in each and then mix one egg with a splash of milk, add a little of this mixture in each one, they will be like puffy mini quiche tartlets.  Bake in 220F oven for about 15 to 20 mins. They really puff up.

Beetroot and apple feta parcels

Katherine made these for the summer fruit evening, as nibbles, but they would be equally good as a starter in their own right with salad.  Sorry forgot to photograph.

Beetroot and apple feta parcels

Mix 1 grated raw beetroot and 1 grated apple with some feta chopped into small cubes add a handful of walnuts chopped up a bit.  Add a dash of lemon juice, olive oil, maybe a bit of balsamic.  Get some filo and wrap up little spoonfuls in the filo, could be spring roll style or samosa shapes – bake at about 180C for 20 mins on a oiled baking sheet. Oil the tops of them a bit before they go in the oven to make them a bit crunchy.

Could try lots of variations on this theme, parsnip, red cabbage, pears, celery. Or forget the filo and baking and just have as a salad/ or in pitta bread.

Almost local deli platter

From Derbyshire Food Festival. (spot the mouse)
OK so the olives weren't local, but one day we'll be able to grow olives here - I love them!