Runner Bean Puree Bruschetta

Just got back from a few days with my Dad on his small holding in Anglesey. We have been eating very well including a huge brunch before we set off home so really didn't feel like much this evening. While we were away I saw a recipe for runner bean puree in the Times. We had a bag of runner beans in the fridge from last week's veg bag but I couldn't remember the recipe and am too mean to pay to go on the Times on-line so we made it up.

We steamed the beans until tender and then whizzed to a puree with a blender. I think we would have added garlic at this stage but we didn't have any. We sliced some red onions and fried them until soft in some olive oil. The bruschetta was a thick slice of bread toasted on both sides and then brushed with oil from a jar of anchovies piled with the bean puree, onions, halved cherry tomatoes, a couple of anchovies and put back until the grill.

Yum - just want we needed after a few days of excess.

Borough Market Feast

We had a great day out yesterday at Borough Market and came back with lots of goodies. For our dinner last night we had fried slices of giant puff ball mushroom on toasted sour dough bread - both bought at the market. Followed by Ostrich steaks with local wild mushrooms including Cep (Porcini) which my brother-in-law Jon collected from a local wood. (Exact location is of course a closely guarded secret!)

To go with it we had crushed new potatoes, using the potatoes from the veg bag. Wash the potatoes and boil them for about 10 minutes or until almost cooked. Put them in a baking tray and crush them with a rolling pin. Don't be too heavy handed, the idea is to break them up not make mashed potato. Then sprinkle with olive oil and rosemary and cook in  a hot oven (220c) for about 30 minutes or until they are cooked and crispy.

We also had the chard from the veg bag and at Jon's suggestion left it raw. I'd never thought of eating chard raw before but it was very good. Fresh tasting with crunchy stalks.

Good to be home!

I had a great holiday in the South of France gorging on fresh apricots, peaches and nectarines. I gorged on other things too, cheese, sausisson, wine, tarts....so I walked to pick up my bag yesterday in an attempt to burn off a few of the excess calories. 

We may not have peaches growing on the side of the road but we still have some great produce in this country. I had two bags of cherry tomatoes - including some yellow ones, a lettuce, chard, spring onions, potatoes, runner beans, courgettes and a green pepper. Wow it's good to be home!

I made a couscous  - 300 ml dried couscous  in a measuring jug then topped up to 600ml with boiling water. Leave a lid on for 5 minutes then  tip into a bowl, fluff with a fork and leave to go cold. Add couple tablespoons olive oil, juice of one lemon, chopped tomatoes, spring onions and cucumber. Fresh parsley would be nice but didn't have any so added a teaspoon of Za'atar (a Palestinian herb mix). 

Those of you paying attention will have noticed there was no cucumber in my veg bag but the one I had was local. It came from Ashtrees Farm in South Oxfordshire, one of True Food's suppliers.