Entries in Veg (6)
Asparagus
Springfields
Manorbier Asparagus - Merllys Maenorbŷr
OPEN DAY
Guided Walk - Cook & Taste
Sunday April 29th 5.30pm
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in Veg, Wales, markets, greenbean, springfields
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free.. free.. friarielli!!!
Bursting with green goodness, the big juicy leaves and succulent stems all cook together to a delicious vegetable.. never before seen in the United Kingdom. They're peppery and rich with a bitterish tang. The name comes from an old word for "frying" and typically in Naples they'll be sweated down in a pan with some sausages; they comliment a strong meaty taste fantastically well. In fact, one of Naples favourite pizza toppings is sausage and friarielli! That comes from the top, as they invented the pizza!
We've been eating them at home for weeks now. Dad chucked the seed in when he reseeded the bulb ground, as an experiment really. In just a few weeks they were up and thriving in the Pembrokeshire milds.
Mum says they've got a real "crave-factor", one of those things thats giving you just what you need as the winter draws in. Yummy in packets of pasta.. like ravioli, with a strongish cheese. It would be nice in a lasagne and would be wonderful in risotto.. but just as good on its own, boiled or steamed..
The first crop is still going, but will end in a week or so. If the rain dies a bit some more will be sown for an early spring harvest.
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I thought the crop would be well finished by now, but its still coming. There's a new spurt of growth and quite a few of the heads picked have now got side shoots too.
I only had time to pick half the field on saturday but got more than a hundred bundles and took them to the riverside market in Cardiff for my second week there. It's getting around and as well as returning customers, others are coming saying a freind has recomended it. Great! Paddy's mum (remember the gutted trout over on greenbean radio) was herself a bit upset I didnt have any at Haverfordwest last week. They've been enjoying the spicy leaves in their sandwiches all winter now. One lady was delighted to find something to substitute the mustard greens she's missed since her neighbour's tunnel cover blew off and was incredibled to hear this is grown outside. As was the hallowed Marche chef Franco Tarruschio who did a jig for joy and bought me out (last 3 bunches) ... onlookers came by after saying "do you know who that was?". He buys the similar cime di rapa, flown in from Puglia because you just can't find it in the UK. He's promised to buy everything i can get to Abergavenny. If only Stokes were still buying from us, it would be feasible.. but it's such a long way. Anyway, food for thought.
The market in Cardiff is a joy. It's great to sell to customers of a younger generation, who despite it being a fantastic market are few and far between in Haverfordwest. Also it's not stricly a farmer's market, the emphasis being on good food, with lots of stalls doing veggie burgers (with an egg on top!), samosas, all sorts; the somali community have a presence.. must try some of their food next week. It's run by and frequented by a cosmopolitan crowd, plenty of theatre types, even a clown!
Perhaps most amazing wasa visit from Elin Morris, someone i knew.. indeed one of the first people i can remember. A few years older than me, living on the farm up the road when we lived in Llandeiniol, we used to play. She and her brother taught me my first swear words! "oh dammo!"
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Well, the friarielli crop has finally come to the end. All thats left now is flowering heads and enough gleanings for a couple of meals here at springfields a week. The sheep have started lambing this week and soon they will be turned out into the friarielli field to enjoy the pasture to graze the grass that hasnt been disturbed since august last year.
Meanwhile there are signs that the new sowing is begining to germinate, if it continues to be mild then we can expect a short crop in april or may: wahey!!
It's been a real hit at the market, here's a recipe that Anne Taruschio sent me after she and her husband carried away bundles.
Orecciette or Spaghetti with Friarielli and Chickpeas.
1lb Friarielli, trimmed of any hard stalks and roughly chopped
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 Cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 Teaspoon red chilli flakes
1 x 15 oz can of Chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Freshly ground Black Pepper
12 oz Spaghetti
Parmesan
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Boil the trimmed friarielli for a few minutes, drain well and reserve. Cook the spaghetti in the same water until al dente.
In a large non-stick frying pan, heat the oil over a gentle heat. Add the garlic and chilli and cook stirring for a minute or two. Add the friarielli and chickpeas, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes until the mixture is warmed through. Add the drained spaghetti to the friarielli and mix in thoroughly.
Serve with a drizzle of the finest extra virgin oil and shavings of parmesan.
At the last minute, a little tomato concasse can be added to the dish just before serving.
(dear readers: what in food heaven is tomato concasse?)
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in Veg, Wales, Slow Food, restaurants, italy, radio, markets, greenbean, springfields
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Peas in our Thyme
Graffiti captured on the steps of "All-Souls church, Regent Street January 3rd 2007. Author Unknown.
Minutes later GreenBean was in the Radio 4 studios at Broadcasting House, sitting in on the studio recording of The Food Program.
Guests Anna Del Conte and Colin Tudge discussed the Fat-Ox festival in Carru, Piedmont with presenter Simon Parkes.
You can listen again here
GreenBean joined Simon the week before Christmas as he gave a course on radio journalism to the 3rd Year UNISG students at Pollenzo.
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in Veg, radio, greenbean
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To Market to market... Che, due marroni?
I couldn't imagine what I'd find at the market to represent the season. 2 1/2 months is a long time for crops to come and go at the end of summer. When I left in July, A dozen types of peaches had taken the place of strawberries that had replaced cherries. Watermelons the size of planets, cheaper than bottled water and dripping ripe tomatoes filled the market.
But at Italy's markets there's always something new.
(Photo by Lensenvy)
Stepping now into the twice a week Colorno market, held in the Piazza in front of the Reggia, I am met by the smell of mushrooms... somewhere... i never do find them. The colours are different, green, yellow and orange pumkins adorn displays of serious autumn vegetables; cauliflowers, cabbage and metre high bitter chicory greens. Golden Delicious from the Alpine valleys, patently sunblushed but sweet and fresh sit alongside a basket of gnarly kanker-split irregulars and a dozen varieties of pear.. so distinct and stylish they assume another name.
And out front, in rustic baskets, are chestnuts.
Wonderful, rich definitive colour... the solid deep hue of a season sinking into winter. I thought chestnuts were chestnuts. The ladies of Colonata, many moons ago, harvesting chestnuts showed me that only some of the trees give the right type of chestnuts for making flour. Now i'm scratching my head, because the two baskets, with almost identical nuts have two different prices; 2.50 a kilo for the "castagne".. and 4.50 for the "marroni". I puzzle too long, and the stall holder comes forward... "no,no,no.. very very different!". The marroni don't have a skin that sticks to the soft yellow flesh inside. mmm, I ponder too long... "I'm looking for someone to make me this cake" she thrusts a kids comic page with a recipe for "Ciambella di Castagne" into my hands.. followed by a sack of rattle-clacking chestnuts. "you can have the chestnuts.. I just don't have time to bake, you see". The crowd is giggling... I'm being duped! "Come back on Friday, we'll be waiting to taste the Torta!"
Welcome home to Italy... something I wasn't sure I'd feel last week.
On past the autumn fruit; piles of muscat grapes, crates of cotton-downy quinces and trays of translucent persimmons. And... oh! this stall has an exclusive! Citrus! the first of the year, a mixed bin of clementines and mandarins. Again I'm puzzled and stare at the lime-green fruit, leaves as fresh as lettuce. The frantic bustle of the market leaves me behind... "but are they ripe?" The young woman behind the stall stretches back to take a cut fruit from a colleague.. "yes, yes.. they're rose inside... look", and I'm stunned as she says "It's their quality".
For the first time in a year I'm not wearied by the Q word.
She's saying that these early varieties are ok to eat green... they're ripe inside.. it's their particular characteristic to be green. I'm refreshed by the completely direct and clear way that she uses the word quality. It's a word overused, abused and made meaningless as the giants of the food world take their stances in the war over what is good food. Exercised as a type of propaganda; high quality, quality control, quality control... da da da none of it means a great deal without the specifics... and then we can make our own minds up.
I buy a kilo and relish the first spray of citric oil to spray out as i peel back the paper-thin skin. They are just sweet, crisp and juicy, the segments snapping apart. Wonderful!
Asparagus Tips
This should be in the Western Telegraph on the 24th of May..
"Springfields farm in Manorbier hosted more than twenty Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire locals last week during a field-to-table asparagus tour and tasting organised by Slow Food.
Food enthusiasts, a handful of youngsters, Farmer’s Market producers, and shopkeepers converged on Nick and Pat Bean’s asparagus beds for a guided tour and fact-packed presentation. As the evening sun faded, the party shared fresh asparagus, various regional treats, and a drink over friendly chat and discussion.
The children’s reaction was impressive. Mari, 7, was fascinated by Pat Bean’s careful harvesting and bundling demonstration of the delicate vegetable. Tom, 12, pensively tucking into his plate of steamed, buttered tips, revealed to his mum his plans to dig up the lawn and plant his own asparagus bed, and a cherry orchard too.
Later, the Beans explained their pleasure in meeting consumers so interested in food production. “People who value local food are vital to small businesses”, said Nick Bean. “Faced with competition from asparagus flown in from around the globe, it is especially important for us to build strong relationships with local customers.” As Vicky Stewart-Liberty, manager at Narberth’s Ultracomida delicatessen got into her car clutching asparagus bundles, destined for tommorow’s menu, that relationship was evident.
The Springfield’s asparagus visit was planned by Slow Food, an international movement whose aim is to protect the pleasures of the table from the homogenisation of modern food. Local groups organise numerous initiatives throughout the year to promote food enjoyment and education, as well as to preserve traditional products and agricultural diversity. To find out more about Slow Food, contact Lynne Crompton in Narberth. (01834 8869454)"
Thanks to David for the pictures!
