Gr-eatings

mixed fresh berries closeup, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry

As the wettest summer in living memory drizzles its way into autumn under a dark cloud of rising inflation, plummeting house prices, imminent recession and the distant rumble of gunfire from across the Caucuses, there are probably more important things to be writing about just now than food.‘Balanced diet’But it’s at times like these when we have to look on the bright side of life and take heart in the little things that make life worth living. And, apart from gambling, The Simpsons and female beach volleyball Olympians this blogger’s otherwise miserable existence is enhanced by food. And as Fran Liebowitz once said, “food is an important part of a balanced diet.”EurofruttaThis being the case, Danny from Eurofrutta has asked me to write a food blog for his website. Eurofrutta, which delivers fruit and vegetable to eateries, schools, offices and golf clubs all over London and the Home Counties, has launched a brand new website to keep its customers up to date with all the latest food news, information on which fruit and vegetables are in season and an easy way to place orders online.Community spiritThe aim of my blog is to help build up a community of like-minded people, whether they are chefs and caterers, restaurateurs or just foodies who simply want to share their views on everything from their favourite caffe to the price of pasta.Martyr to the causeAnd in the name of investigative journalism I have even selflessly turned vegetarian so that I can keep you updated on whether or not the world of fruit and veg can possibly compensate for the lack of flesh in my diet. But don’t worry, I won’t just be talking fruit and nuts or use this column to vent my spleen about giving peas a chance.Chinese sauceOver the next few weeks I will be offering a continuous stream of ignorance about all things food-related, including the odd recipe, restaurant review, wine tip and thought-provoking intellectual debates such as, Is it just me or is BBC TV Chinese Food Made Easy presenter Ching-He Huang the sauciest Asian dish since drunken chicken? So watch this space.

Spinach and Ricotta Lasagne

Spinach and Ricotta Lasagne

Ingredients:

  • ½ bunch silverbeet or 1 bunch English spinach
  • 500g ricotta cheese
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs
  • 1½ tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 packets instant lasagne sheets
  • mozzarella and parmesan cheese

White Sauce:

  • 80g butter
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 600mL milk
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

  • Pre-heat the oven to 200°C (390°F) and line a large baking dish with baking paper.
  • Blanch the spinach for 30 seconds, then drain and squeeze to remove excess liquid. Chop finely.
  • Place spinach in a bowl with ricotta, breadcrumbs and parsley and mix to combine. Set aside.
  • In a medium saucepan, place the butter. When it is fully melted, stir in the flour, and when combined, add the milk. Whisk until it is smooth and starts to thicken, then reduce heat. Add salt and pepper. Do not let the sauce become too thick.
  • I like to pre-cook my lasagne sheets, even though the packets say it is not necessary. I use a large saucepan with salted, boiling water, cooking 2-3 lasagne sheets at a time for about 5 minutes.
  • Assemble the lasagne, with the lasagne sheets, a thin layer of the spinach and ricotta mixture, some of the white sauce and cheese. Continue this order, and finish with a decent amount of white sauce and cheese on top, with some cracked black pepper.
  • Bake for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of your lasagne dish. Serve with salad.

many thanks to Lisa from Spicy Icecream

What’s in season-April

The stored British crops start finishing in the middle of the month, but the new crops are not in full flow. Between mid-April and mid-June is the leanest time. But new season’s lettuce and watercress come in, along with some overwintered spinach, radishes and purple sprouting broccoli. Rhubarb is in too. Carrots and potatoes are still available from store but apples and pears are finishing.

Sources: The Soil Association, The Guardian, John Davenport, Bob Kennard, Farm, and the National Farmers’ Union.