What’s in your Veggie Box (Week 21A)

It’s still mid-May, but the cool weather is well and truly here. The tomatoes, eggplant and zucchini are all finished. Capsicum, chilli and corn are on their way out. We’ve been busy planting garlic and broad beans, and are starting to welcome back the brassicas: brocolli, cauliflowers, cabbages and kale. Mushrooms are in full swing, with the rain falling, and the last of the warmth lingering. And stored pumpkins and potatoes make beautiful warming soups!

In the small and regular boxes:

Garlic – There is no meal that a few cloves of garlic won’t improve, and one of my favourite ways to cook with it is to either roast the cloves whole in the oven until they become soft and sweet, or to fry up sliced garlic with butter and sage until it becomes crunchy and aromatic. From here you can cook up a mix of mushrooms and combine with the garlic and pasta, topped with parmesan, any stale leftover breadcrumbs for some extra crunch if you have them and a side of salad mix!

Green Cabbage – I unashamedly always recommend Sabrina Ghayour’s cabbage, pecorino, lemon and black pepper risotto as it’s one of my all time favourite comfort foods, super adaptable and undoubtedly the best thing that has ever happened to the humble cabbage. She uses basmati rice, but naturally you could also subsitute arborio rice as well. Additionally, I use chopped preserved lemon through it as well for extra lemony flavour and also a good pour of white wine. From this week’s box you could definitely add corn and zucchini for a nice balance of flavours.

Broccoli – Traybakes are a simple, hearty meal, and you can substitute lots of different veg and flavours into it depending on what’s in season and what you have at home! In Jamie Oliver’s recipe, you can use broccoli, capsicum, salad mix (instead of lamb’s lettuce), apple and pumpkin, as well as some mixed mushrooms for extra flavour.

Mushrooms – These gourmet mushrooms are so tasty and versatile and would be ideal in anything from a mushroom risotto to a mouthwatering mushroom galette. However, simply frying them up with thyme, sage, and butter and serving on top of sourdough toast is all you need for a heavenly breakfast. If you want a gloriously embellished version for dinner look no further than Ottolenghi’s mushroom ragout with a poached duck egg.

Corn – Recreate your own top notch brunch at home and make these cheesy corn and zucchini fritters. Don’t forget to serve them with a poached duck or chook egg, and a side of salad mix!

Capsicum – Whip up a divine pesto with roasted capsicums, plenty of garlic, olive oil, parmesan, dry pan-roasted pine nuts, paprika and basil and blend in a food processor (or with a stick blender), adding more olive oil if you need a lighter consistency. Use the pesto in bruschetta, or add to pasta and mix through chargrilled pumpkin, caramelised onion, broccoli, and somed grilled haloumi.

In the large boxes:

Salad Mix – To make a simple salad to serve with dinner, chargrill corn and capsicum, roast pumpkin, let them cool, add some salad mix and toss it together with a yoghurt, olive oil, lemon and garlic dressing! Add some and finely sliced onions (soaked briefly in ice water to reduce the strength), if you want a little extra punch.

Pumpkin – A delicious mixed vegetable tart would be perfect for this week’s fusion of vegetables. Roast chunks of pumpkin, zucchini, capsicum, mushroom and garlic, layer them into a puff pastry base, and pour over whisked eggs, a dash of cream and some grated cheddar or crumbled feta and thyme springs. Roast in the oven until set! For a different variation (and if you’re getting a fruit box) you can cook up a roasted pumpkin and fig tart with soft goats cheese and thyme.

Pickling onion– small size brown onions perfect for crunchy and pungent pickled onions, or use fresh as you would any onion!

In the fruit boxes:

Figs – Either slice them up raw or grill them with honey and cinnamon and serve on sourdough toast with your favourite cheese (mascarpone, gorgonzola, grilled haloumi, quark or soft goats cheese are highly recommended). Delicious!

Pears – Similarly to the figs, pears, honey, cinnamon and cheese are a dreamy combination on toast, but you can also slice them up with figs and toss them through a leafy salad mix with gorgonzola, walnuts and a lemon, olive oil, honey and dijon mustard dressing.

Apples – We should be getting some tasy pink lady apples this week, great for apple and cinnamon muffins or apple crumble! Alternatively you can also use them to make a warming and flavoursome braised cabbage, which you can make a few days ahead.

If you’re picking up your veggie box our farm gate is located at 1494 Stumpy Gully Road, Moorooduc and is open on Friday afternoons between 3-5pm and Saturday mornings 9am-12pm.

Or we deliver to your door on Tuesday afternoons (Mornington and Mt Martha), and Friday afternoons (Mt Eliza and Frankston), as well as our additional pick up points in Dromana and Red Hill.

Our locally sourced, organic vegetables are harvested as fresh as possible and are still subject to change depending on what’s available to our growers.