best in season
march
in this issue
seasonal
produce
mussels
lettuce
oranges
delicious recipes
f o r y o u t o t r y at
home
dates for your diary
March Seasonal Booklet.indd 1
23/02/2016 15:04
All about Mussels
Most of the mussels we eat these days
are cultivated on ropes suspended from
floating rafts in clean waters. They plump
up naturally on plankton, converting
it into nutritious meaty flesh. Farmed
mussels are environmentally benign, and
some research suggests their cultivation
may have an overall beneficial effect
on the marine ecosystem. On the plate,
mussels are super-satisfying, and can
always be relied on to bring full-bodied
flavour to the table.
Why are mussels good for me?
Mussels have the most impressive
nutritional profile of all shellfish.
They contain high levels of highly
desirable long chain fatty acids EPA
(eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA
(docosahexaenoic acid). These fats
have many beneficial effects, including
improving brain function and reducing
inflammatory conditions, such as
March Seasonal Booklet.indd 2
arthritis. Mussels are also a brilliant
source of vitamins. Plus they give you a
shot of important minerals, such as zinc,
which helps build immunity. Mussels
even contain levels of iron and folic acid
to rival red meats.
Selection and Prep Tips
Choose tightly closed, undamaged,
farm-raised mussels for best results and
to minimize “grittiness.” Farm-raised are
farmed on ropes that are raised above
the ocean floor. Clean your mussels
thoroughly prior to cooking. We would
recommend soaking them in fresh water
for 20 minutes to filter water and expel
sand. After soaking, use a firm brush to
brush off any additional sand or other
debris. Rinse again under cool tap water
and dry with a towel prior to cooking.
For cooking, you can flavor mussels with
many ingredients but try starting with
shallots and garlic. Add other herbs and
spices, lime juice or white wine.
23/02/2016 15:04
RECIPE CARD
Mussel
Mouclade Pasta
(serves 2)
Ingredients
140g spaghetti or bucatini
1 tbsp butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tsp mild curry powder
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
500g fresh mussels, cleaned and checked
100ml dry white wine mixed with 50ml/2fl
oz water
4 tbsp double cream
A handful coriander (or parsley), chopped
Method
1. Boil the pasta in salted water, following
pack instructions. Meanwhile, heat a
large, wide, lidded pan. Melt the butter
and add the onion. Cover and cook on a
medium heat for about 7 mins until soft
and turning golden here and there. Add
the curry power and garlic, and cook for
1 min more.
2. Turn up the heat and add the mussels
to the pan. Pour in the wine (it should
steam dramatically), then cover with a
tight-fitting lid. Cook over high heat for
5 mins, shaking the pan every now and
again, untll the mussels are wide open.
Discard any that remain closed, then lift
the mussels from the pan with a slotted
spoon and set aside. Drain the pasta
when it’s ready.
3. Stir the cream into the mussel cooking
liquor, then boil hard for 30 secs or so
until the sauce is the consistency of
single cream. If it gets too thick, add
a splash of water. Taste and check the
seasoning; I like this with lots of black
pepper, which gives heat, instead of
using chilli. Return the mussels to the
pan, add the coriander and the pasta,
and toss well. Serve in large shallow
bowls, with a bowl for discarded shells.
March Seasonal Booklet.indd 3
23/02/2016 15:04
All about Lettuce
One of the oldest known vegetables,
lettuce is a member of the daisy and
thistle family and became known as a
water plant for its refreshing properties.
The name Lettuce comes from the Latin
word Lactuca sativa; lactuca means
milk (milky, white sap), sativa menas
cultivated.
There is a wide range of leafy crops that
can be grown to be eaten in salads. With
so many types to choose from there is
one for every season. Even in the winter
months, hardy leaves such as rocket,
mizuna, red mustard, spinach, sorrel and
land cress can be grown and harvested.
They are short-lived, annual plants, which
will set seed (bolt) within one year
Lettuces are grouped into different types
including: butterhead, cabbage, cos,
crisphead and loose leaf.
March Seasonal Booklet.indd 4
A good way to grow salad is to choose
a cut-and-come-again salad mix. These
leaves can be cut when young, and will
re-grow, providing two or three harvests
before going to seed.
Salad crops are mainly used fresh. They
are grown throughout the world and a
particularly important crop in Europe and
North America.
Salad leaves are not suitable for freezing
owing to their high water content (they
just disintegrate into a mush when
defrosted). Ninety-five percent of a
lettuce is water.
Whilst salad leaves are usually eaten raw,
they can also be lightly cooked and added
to dishes. There are 8 calories in 1 cup
of shredded or chopped Iceberg Lettuce
(Includes Crisphead Types).
23/02/2016 15:05
RECIPE CARD
Lettuce Risotto
(serves 5-6)
Ingredients
2-4 mixed lettuces, depending on size
1L/1¾pt vegetable or chicken stock
350g/12oz arborio rice
30-45ml/2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 onion or 2-3 shallots, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
100g/3oz fresh garden peas, shelled
12 spring onions, cut into 1cm/½in pieces
To finish
knob of butter and a piece of fresh parmesan
Method
1. Wash and roughly shred the lettuces.
2. Bring the stock to the boil then turn the
heat down to simmering point.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based
pan and add the onion or shallots. When
it has started to soften, add the garlic and
cook for 1-2 minutes (do not allow the
onion or garlic to brown).
4. Add the arborio rice to the pan and stir
well until each grain of rice is coated with
oil. Pour in the first ladleful of hot stock.
Stir the risotto until the stock has been
absorbed, then continue to add the stock
at intervals in this way.
5. About 15 minutes into cooking, when the
rice is almost done, but still just a little bit
chalky in the middle, add the shredded
lettuce, peas and sliced spring onions. Stir
gently to mix the vegetables through the
rice. At first it will seem like you have added
far too much lettuce, but it will soon wilt
and give up its juices to the rice.
6. The risotto is ready when all the liquid has
been absorbed, the peas are just tender
and the rice is cooked (ideally about 3
minutes after you ve added the lettuce). It
should be creamy, not dry. Stir in the knob
of butter and serve immediately offering
parmesan and a grater to your guests at
the table.
March Seasonal Booklet.indd 5
23/02/2016 15:06
All about Oranges
All about spin ach
It’s perhaps somewhat surprising that this
sunniest of fruits is at its best during the
bleakest of months - during the winter,
oranges supplied to the UK from southern
Europe (particularly Spain) are high in
quality and low in price.
Apart from forming an integral
component in an unlimited number of
delicious juices, oranges can be utilised in
sauces for savoury dishes and in fabulous
desserts where they form a heavenly
match with chocolate.
History
Oranges are thought to have their origin
in a sour fruit growing wild in the region
of South West China and North East India
as early as 2,500 BC. For thousands of
years these bitter oranges were used
mainly for their scent, rather than their
eating qualities.
The Romans brought the fruit to Europe
and later oranges were spread to Spain by
March Seasonal Booklet.indd 6
the Moorish conquests in the eight and ninth
centuries. The sweet orange familiar to us
today probably developed somewhat later.
The fruit arrived in Central America with
Columbus in 1493 and soon afterwards
the Portuguese introduced them to Brazil.
Sweet oranges imported from Portugal
were enjoyed by wealthy Britons in the late
sixteenth century.
Oranges are now an important crop in warm
climates around the world, most notably
Brazil, USA, Spain, North and South Africa,
Israel and Australia.
DID YOU KNOW?
The colour orange was named after the
fruit, not vice-versa. The word orange
comes from the Sanskrit naranga meaning
fragrant.
23/02/2016 15:06
RECIPE CARD
Orange
Marmalade
(serves 6, 330ml jars)
Ingredients
1kg oranges, preferably Seville
2 litres water
2kg golden granulated sugar
150ml lemon juice, plus more if needed
Method
1.
2.
3.
4.
March Seasonal Booklet.indd 7
Sterilise the jars and set them aside until
you are ready to pot the marmalade. Wash
the fruit thoroughly. Put a plate in the
freezer.
Put the whole oranges in your largest pan
with 2 litres of water. Bring to the boil
very gently, partially cover, then cook for 2
hours, until completely soft when pierced
with a knife. Allow to cool. You should have
about 1 litre of liquid left.
Cut the oranges in half, scoop out the flesh
and push through a sieve. Add the flesh
to the poaching liquid. Set over a medium
heat, add the sugar and lemon juice,
then heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Meanwhile, finely slice the orange peel and
add it to the saucepan.
Increase the heat to 104.5C/220.1F. Stir
once or twice, but not too much, as stirring
cools the pot. Spoon a bit on to the chilled
plate and see if it wrinkles when you push
a finger through. If not, return to the
heat with 50ml more lemon juice for 10
minutes. Repeat until you have the correct
set. Cool for 10 minutes to allow the peel
to distribute, then pot into hot jars using a
jug or funnel. Seal, label and eat within 18
months.
23/02/2016 15:06
DIARY DATES
St Davids Day
1st March
St David is the patron saint of Wales.
March 1 is a day of celebration of both
St David’s life and of the Welsh culture
in Wales. People attend special church
services, parades, choral recitals or
Welsh literature readings. Schools plan
celebrations, often involving choirs, on the
day.
The Welsh flag, a red dragon on a white
and green background, is displayed
prominently. Children, particularly girls,
and some adults wear traditional costume.
St Patricks Day
17th March
The day honors Saint Patrick in Ireland. It
also celebrates the culture and heritage
of the Irish population. People wear green
attire and attend parades and festivals.
Church services are attended. Restrictions
on drinking alcohol and eating are lifted
on this day. Irish food and parties are
celebrated in pubs. Water was even
dyed green in the Chicago River in 2005.
Symbols include the shamrock, anything
green, Irish beer, and the leprechaun.
March Seasonal Booklet.indd 8
Mothering Sunday
6th March
Mothering Sunday - or Mother’s Day
- is a celebration of mothers and the
maternal bond, and traditionally children
give flowers, presents and cards to their
mothers, and other maternal figures
such as grandmothers, stepmothers and
mothers-in-law.
Mothering Sunday is held on the fourth
Sunday of Lent. It is exactly three weeks
before Easter Sunday and usually falls in
the second half of March or early April.
Sport Relief
18th - 20th March
Sport Relief is a biennial charity event from
Comic Relief, in association with BBC Sport,
which brings together the worlds of sport
and entertainment to raise money. At the
heart of the campaign is the “Sport Relief
Mile”, which involves members of the
public doing their bit for charity.
Comic Relief teamed up with the newly
established Sport Relief initiative in 2002
and alternates with Sport Relief, airing
every second year in March.
23/02/2016 15:06