Radishes

White   Radish

Photo © Puntarelle & Co

Radishes

A member of the mustard family, Raphanus sativus, the Radish is native to Western Asia.  Cultivated for thousands of years they had reached the Mediterranean by the time of the ancient Egyptians and Greeks. In Egypt, labourers working on the pyramids were given rations of garlic and radishes.  The Greeks even made votive offerings to Apollo in the form of models of radishes in gold – turnips merited the use of lead, and beetroots were rendered in silver.  The Romans were early appreciators of the radish too.   

Shaped by human selection, the Radish now comes in many forms and colours, from pure white throughout; black with white flesh; a form that is green outside and red within; a variety called Blue Moon which is pale purple of skin and has striated purple and white flesh; and others that have deep-red skins at the top, fading to white at the base, or are completely round and red-skinned.  They also come in a huge variety of sizes from the small, elongated Breakfast Radish to large varieties of Daikon, or Mouli, which can grow to more than 30cm long and weigh as much as 3kg.  All share a crisp texture and varying degrees of pepperiness.  If left in the warmth too long, radishes will soften.   Place them in a bowl of iced water for an hour or so and they will regain much of their crispness.  

In early Spring, it’s the small red, or red and white, Radish that catches the eye.  They take only 3-4  weeks to grow and are best grown early as summer’s heat can turn them harsh and woody unless watered assiduously.  They are best simply washed and eaten raw with salt, bread and butter.  Larger varieties can grow through the summer until harvested in the autumn.  Firm and drier, these later varieties can be roasted or braised.  The long, white Asian Daikon/Mouli is relatively mild and can be used raw or cooked.  Most of the heat in radishes lies in the skin, so peeling moderates the heat.  Cooking them deactivates the peppery enzyme and brings out their sweetness.  

Serve small, spring radishes with a bowl of salt; with carrots, young peas or mangetouts and dip them into a bowl of mayonnaise or a garlicky aioli; dip radishes into a bagna cauda sauce (melt anchovies into olive oil and garlic before whisking in butter).  Make a radish sandwich – butter brown bread, add a layer of radish leaves and top with sliced radishes and season with salt.  The leaves of radish add a light pepperiness to a bowl of salad leaves too.  Larger types, like Daikon/Mouli, can be sliced, mixed with chicory leaves and finely sliced fennel, or paired with anchovy.  Both ways are good with a citrus and olive oil dressing.  Radishes pickle well too.  Personally, we wouldn’t cook radish.  It’s the peppery crunch that makes them so appealing, so, if you want a mild pepperiness, maybe you should reach for a turnip instead.  

Black radish 

Photo © Puntarelle & Co

Blue Meat Radish  &  Green Radish   

Photo © Puntarelle & Co

Seasonal Produce News-March 2018

Sicilian Tarocco Fire Oranges

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

MARCH

Through February, British-grown hardy brassicas and winter stores of root crops have been essentials in our kitchens.  The pink and red stems of Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb, vibrant Radicchio leaves and fragrant Sicilian Citrus brought colour to our lives in what has turned out to be a truly wintery scene.  As I write, heavy snow is falling.  Here in London, sturdy boots and warm scarves and hats are essential.  Even southern Europe hasn’t been spared this winter. 

In March, to add to our greens and roots, we are at our most reliant on southern Europe whose milder temperatures give their farmers a head-start over our own growers.  We turn to South Africa and South America for a few items.  This month we would normally expect the first of our supplies of deliciously sweet peas, tender broad beans, pungent wild garlic leaves and juicy wet garlic to propel us into spring.  The latest blast of cold, when even Rome has been blanketed in snow, comes just as they are raising early spring crops in southern Europe.  Spare a thought for growers here in Britain and throughout the rest of Europe right now.

Sardinian Spiky Artichokes

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

We are very proud of our Citrus, much of it untreated and directly sourced from Sicily.  Crates of Leafy Lemons, juicy Navel Oranges, Tarocco Oranges, Pink Grapefruits and highly-perfumed Mandarins have been delivered in increasing variety since late December.  Last week Kumquats arrived and we hope for more red-fleshed Moro Oranges.  

At the beginning of March here at Puntarelle & Co we have:

British Brassicas including Savoy Cabbage, green and purple hued January King, blistered-leaved Black Cabbage/Cavolo Nero, Kale, Brussels Sprouts and Brussels Tops, and Purple Sprouting Broccoli.  We have Kohlrabi too.

For Roots, which store well, there are Jerusalem Artichokes, Beetroot, Turnips, Swede, Celeriac, Potatoes and Carrots.  Leeks, which are happy in cold ground, are still coming in from the fields. 

Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb is reaching its peak.  Its stalks are a little thicker and more deeply coloured now, and are tasting at their best.

Untreated Sicilian Citrus in the form of Leafy Lemons, juicy Tarocco Oranges, Pink Grapefruits, sweet Mandarins Nova and common Mandarins.  We have a small number of highly-coloured Tarocco Fire Oranges  this week.  And, via the Milan market, we have Bergamots and Cedro.

There may be snow on the ground but this week sees the first Broad Beans, Fresh Peas, Wild Asparagus, cultivated Purple Asparagus from warmer climes.  We have Minestra Cabbage and Broccolo di Bassano from Italy.

There is vitamin and mineral packed Italian Spinach and Chard and colourful bitter-leaved heads of Radicchio.  There’s Puntarelle Chicory and Cime di Rapa too.

Crunchy, juicy Agretti/Monk’s Beard continues, an excellent accompaniment to fish or simply blanched and tossed in anchovy butter.

Spiky Sardinian Artichokes and globes of Romaneschi Artichokes are still with us and, this week, we have the medium-sized Tema Artichokes and the small purple Petit Violet Artichokes too.  

There are Pale green Italian Courgettes, crisp Radish, and crunchy red Tropea Onions.

Providing tasty Tomatoes through winter is a challenge but the green seasonal Marinda and salty, crunchy Camone are welcome, and they are at their best now. 

A small amount of Wild Garlic Leaves, as these have been affected by the weather.

We also have some wonderfully fleshy, semi-dried Black Olives from Italy this week.

Pink Radicchio – La Rosa del Veneto

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

So, what can we look forward to in the month of March (weather permitting)?

The first Wet Garlic from France and Italy.

English and French Wild Garlic leaves – sparse until it recovers from this cold spell.  

Early Broad Beans, Fresh Peas, Wild Asparagus, cultivated Purple Asparagus, Minestra Cabbage and Broccolo di Bassano from Italy.  Fragrant Candonga Strawberries from Italy and Gariguette Strawberries from France .  

The last of the Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb, its stalks thicker and more deeply coloured but tasting at its best.

Pale green Italian Courgettes and deep red, crunchy Tropea Onions.

Untreated Sicilian and other Italian Citrus.  Expect Lemons, oranges, Bergamots and Cedro.  

British Brassicas including Savoy Cabbage, green and purple hued January King, blistered-leaved Black Cabbage/Cavolo Nero, Kale, Brussels Sprouts and Brussels Tops, and Purple Sprouting Broccoli should be with us throughout.

English-grown Jerusalem Artichokes.  They store well and so continue to be available, as do Beetroot, Turnips, Swede, Celeriac, Potatoes and Carrots.  English Leeks too.

Italian Spinach, Chard, Cime di Rapa and members of the Chicory family, along with colourful bitter-leaved Radicchio.

Crunchy, juicy Agretti/Monk’s Beard will be around all through the month, excellent with fish or simply blanched and tossed in anchovy butter.

Expect to see Spiky Sardinian Artichokes, globes of Romaneschi Artichokes, medium-sized Tema Artichokes, the small purple Petit Violet Artichokes and Piccolo Artichokes too.  

Providing tasty Tomatoes at this time of year is a challenge but the winter Marinda and salty, crunchy Camone continue and are at their best now.  By the end of the month we hope to have some tasty new season hot-house varieties arriving.

Stimulating, iron-rich spring Nettles should be arriving from France soon, possibly before the end of the month. 

Expect early Jersey Royal Potatoes and the French Ile de Ré and Noirmoutier Potatoes.  All coastal-grown roots that bring a welcome rush of earthy salinity at this time of year.

Spring onions should start to arrive this month and, there could be home-grown Radishes.

We may see the first Morel Mushrooms - usually the first come from Canada, followed by Turkish ones.

London Fermentary Water Kefirs

Photo ©Puntarelle&Co

NEW on our shelves:    

Right now our seasonal Water Kefirs take advantage of the fantastic winter fruits that are coming through our doors.  These include Yorkshire Rhubarb, Sicilian Blood Orange and Sicilian Wonder Mandarin.  As those of you who are familiar with our Water Kefirs know, there is much more to them than their beautiful jewel-like colours.  Apart from being delicious, these unpasteurised fermented drinks bring beneficial micro-organisms, B vitamins, minerals and enzymes in a slightly sour, zingy, low-sugar form.  More about our range of Fermented products at: www.londonfermentary.com

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

If you need a little inspiration for what to cook in March, here’s a suggestion:

Greens, bacon, cream & mustard

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

500g of greens - broccoli, kale, kalettes, sprout tops or cabbage, washed and cut into manageable pieces

200g bacon (smoked or unsmoked), cut into small pieces

100ml single or double cream

2 tablespoons of grain mustard

Salt and pepper to season

Method:

Bring a pan of water to the boil and add salt.  Add the greens and cook until just tender.  Drain and plunge into iced water then drain.  Put aside.

Fry the bacon pieces until crisp.  Add the cooked greens, tossing them in the bacon fat until nicely coated.  

On a low heat, add the cream and the mustard, and season with salt and pepper, mixing everything well.  

Serve with bread for mopping up the juices.

Seasonal Produce News-February 2018

January King Cabbages

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

FEBRUARY

January was a month when no two days seemed alike with oddly fluctuating temperatures but British-grown Brassicas and roots seemed to cope well.  In our January Report, we promised you Sicilian Citrus and it was worth waiting for.  Tarocco blood oranges, Nova Mandarins and Pink Grapefruits came on our direct-sourced pallets, and there is more citrus to look forward to this month.  Vibrant pink spears of Forced Yorkshire Rhubarb brought more colour and acidity to our shelves and the first fronds of crunchy, salty Agretti arrived too.

Cauliflower

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

As we enter the last full month of winter, British-grown Brassicas and Root Vegetables are our seasonal staples and we look to southern Europe for more tender crops.  Far from just a variation on green and brown, February’s colour palette is a vibrant one in the Puntarelle arch.  Right now we have:

Vibrant pink-stemmed Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb. 

Probably the last of the Seville Oranges for making bitter marmalade and buttery curd but there will be common Mandarins that work well too.

Un-treated, un-waxed Tarocco Blood Oranges, Nova Mandarins and Pink Grapefruits.

Deep red, sweet-sharp, Pomegranates.

English Purple Sprouting Broccoli, which is particularly good right now, and, creamy Cauliflowers. 

From Portugal, we have Hispi Cabbage.

Crunchy, salty Italian Camone and Marinda Winter Tomatoes.

From Italy too, bunches of the Mediterranean succulent Barba di Frate/Agretti/Monk’s Beard, Purple Cauliflowers, Rainbow Chard, Bulb Fennel, Roman Artichokes and spikey Sardinian Artichokes.

Bitter-sweet Italian Greens this week are Puntarelle and Cime di Rapa and we have the first of the new season Courgettes.

Several varieties of colourful bitter-sweet pink and red Radicchio and milder-leaved yellow/green Endive.

Vitamin and mineral-rich British Brassicas including Savoy Cabbage, green and purple hued January King, blistered-leaved Black Cabbage/Cavolo Nero, Kale, Brussels Sprouts and Brussels Tops. 

Orange-skinned Onion Squash.

Root vegetables including Celeriac, Jerusalem Artichokes, Swede, Beetroot and organic Heritage Carrots are all British grown this week, as are the Leeks.

Potato varieties this week are Cyprus and Desiree, Maris Piper, and waxy-fleshed La Ratte.

Fresh organic Ginger Root and Turmeric Root.

A freshly-stocked  londonfermentary.com fridge.

Our Ferments    

 Photo ©Puntarelle&Co

Spikey Sardinian Artichokes

Photo ©Puntarelle&Co

Writing in the first few days of February, here is the produce we expect to have for you before this last full month of winter comes to a close:  

Vibrant pink-stemmed Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb will continue throughout the month. 

Un-treated, un-waxed Tarocco Blood Oranges, Nova Mandarins, common Mandarins and Pink Grapefruits will be joined by Lemons, Cedro and Kumquats.

Deep red sweet-sharp Pomegranates.

English Purple Sprouting Broccoli, which is particularly good in February, and creamy Cauliflowers. Hispi Cabbage from southern Europe.

Crunchy, salty Italian Camone and Marinda Winter Tomatoes.

From Italy too, bunches of the Mediterranean succulent Barba di Frate/Agretti/Monk’s Beard, Purple Cauliflowers, Rainbow Chard, Bulb Fennel, Roman Artichokes and spikey Sardinian Artichokes.

Bitter-sweet Italian Greens like Puntarelle and Cime di Rapa and new season Courgettes.

A variety of colourful, bitter-sweet pink and red Radicchio and milder-leaved yellow/green Endive.

Vitamin and mineral-rich British Brassicas including Savoy Cabbage, green and purple hued January King, blistered-leaved Black Cabbage/Cavolo Nero, Kale, Brussels Sprouts and Brussels Tops.

Orange-skinned Onion Squash.

Root vegetables including Celeriac, Jerusalem Artichokes, Swede, Beetroot and organic Heritage Carrots are all British grown this week.

English Leeks and Spanish Calçot onions.

Potato varieties this week are Cyprus and Desiree, Maris Piper, and waxy-fleshed La Ratte.

Fresh organic Ginger Root and Turmeric Root.

A freshly-stocked londonfermentary.com fridge.

Tarocco Orange

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

NEWS: 

Have you tried our Pink Rhubarb Water Kefir?  Also this week we have Orange Water Kefir made from some of our Sicilian Tarocco oranges.

Forced Yorkshire Rhubarb & Tarocco Blood Orange about to go in the oven

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

Here is a recipe using fruits that are at their best right now – that beautiful pink forced Yorkshire Rhubarb and Sicilian Blood Oranges.  It’s adapted from Nigel Slater’s recipe in Tender Volume II and I can think of no simpler way to celebrate these two wonderful ingredients together.  

Rhubarb with Blood Orange

(serves 4-6)

750g Rhubarb

4 Blood Oranges

Caster Sugar

1 vanilla pod

Heat the oven to 200C (180C Fan).

Rinse the rhubarb, cut off and discard the leaves.  Chop the stems into short lengths and place in an oven-proof dish.

Remove the peel from two of the oranges, cutting away any white pith, then slice the fruit thickly and add it to the rhubarb.

Squeeze the juice from the remaining two oranges, and pour over the rhubarb.

Add a good tablespoon of sugar and the vanilla pod.

Cover the dish with foil and cook in the oven until the rhubarb yields to the pressure of a fork.

Check and adjust the sweetness to your taste.

Allow to cool then spoon into serving glasses, cover with clingfilm, and chill in the fridge for at least an hour but will keep for 2-3 days.

SEASONAL PRODUCE NEWS - JANUARY 2018

Marinda Winter Tomatoes

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

JANUARY

An early nip of frost in December brought a tasty mix of English brassicas to our shelves.  Cabbages, Kales, Brussels Sprouts and Tops all benefited from the cold snap.  Italian bitter greens, Radicchio and Endives came to the fore.  Our mourning for the sweet tomatoes of summer was eased by the arrival of crunchy, salty Marinda and Camone winter varieties.   Weather conditions delayed our longed for Sicilian Tarocco Oranges, though we did have some Moro blood oranges for our customers to take home for Christmas.

Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

As we enter what is normally the coldest month of the year, there is a surprising amount to look forward to in the fruit and vegetable world to cut through the cold and grey.  Vibrant pink Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb, new season citrus; bitter-sweet yellow/green, pink and red Chicories; and the greens and purples of the brassicas are just the start.  As I write we have:

Tender pink stems of Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb. 

Seville Oranges for making bitter marmalade and buttery curd.

Blood Oranges for juicing or salads.

Deep red sweet-sharp Pomegranates.

Crunchy, salty Camone and Marinda Winter Tomatoes.

Bunches of the Mediterranean succulent Barba di Frate/Agretti/Monk’s Beard.

Bitter-sweet Italian Chicoria including Puntarelle (Catalogna) and Cime di Rapa.

Several varieties of colourful bitter-sweet Radicchio and, milder, Endive.

British Brassicas including Savoy Cabbage, spectacular green and purple hued January King, blistered Black Cabbage (Cavolo Nero), green and purple vitamin and mineral rich Kale, Brussels Sprouts and Brussels Tops which have benefited from a kiss of frost.

Beautiful English Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Cauliflower and swirling lime-green Romanesco, with the creaminess of cauliflower and the taste of broccoli.  

Root vegetables including Celeriac, Jerusalem Artichokes, Swede, Beetroot and organic Heritage Carrots are all British grown this week, as are the Leeks.

A variety of Winter Squash and Pumpkins.

Potato varieties this week are Cyprus and Desiree, Maris Piper, and waxy-fleshed Pink Fir Apple and La Ratte.

Fresh organic Ginger Root and Turmeric Root.

A freshly-stocked londonfermentary.com fridge.

Radicchio Treviso

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

Writing from the viewpoint of the first week of January, here is the produce we expect to have for you in the first month of the New Year:  

Tender pink stems of Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb, Blood Oranges for juicing and Seville Oranges for making bitter marmalade and buttery curd and deep-red Pomegranates will all be here throughout the month. 

You can expect to see crunchy, salty Camone and Marinda Winter Tomatoes too.

The Citrus will get ever-more interesting as the month progresses with our longed-for Sicilian fruits, including Tarocco Oranges, arriving at last.

The season for the Mediterranean succulent Barba di Frate/Agretti/Monk’s Beard, which pairs so well with fish, has just started so you will find this on our shelves.

Varieties of bitter-leaved Italian Chicória including Puntarelle (Catalogna) and Cime di Rapa along with colourful bitter-sweet Radicchio and, milder, Endive will continue to arrive.

British Brassicas including Savoy Cabbage, spectacular green and purple hued January King, several varieties of Kale, including blistered-leaved Black Cabbage (Cavolo Nero), Brussels Sprouts and Brussels Tops will be happy in our cold winter.

English Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Cauliflower and swirling lime-green Romanesco with the creaminess of cauliflower and taste of mild broccoli will be in too.  

British Root vegetables, of course, including Celeriac, Jerusalem Artichokes, Swede, Beetroot and organic Heritage Carrots.

There should be English Leeks too.

Potato varieties will include Cyprus and Desiree, Maris Piper, and waxy-fleshed Pink Fir Apple and La Ratte.

Those stalwarts of the cold months Winter Squash and Pumpkins will be available throughout the month.

Dessert Apple and Cooking Apple varieties will be in from our Kent farmer, though pears will be coming from farther afield now.  

As usual we will have fresh organic Ginger Root and Turmeric Root which we also use at  londonfermentary.com  

Cavolo Nero/Black Cabbage

Photo ©Puntarelle&Co Ltd

GOOD TO KNOW: 

*** Puntarelle & Co will be back from holidays and trading normally from 12/13 January 2018 ***

Agretti/ Barba di frate /Monk’s Beard

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

The Mediterranean vegetable Agretti, also known as Barba di frate or Monk’s Beard has the mineral sharpness of spinach with an added grassy succulence that compares with English Samphire.  Boiled briefly in salted water, it makes a fantastic accompaniment to fish and is excellent added to a fish broth.  If you want to make this vegetable the main event, rather than an addition, here’s a simple idea that can be used in two different ways:

Agretti with Anchovy Butter

(Serves 2)

1 Bunch of Agretti

60g (2 oz) unsalted butter

1 small tin (around 50g) anchovies

Pepper

Wash the Agretti well, trim off any tough roots before adding to boiling salted water.  Cook for 1-2 minutes, drain and refresh in a bowl of cold water.

Melt the butter gently, drain the anchovies of their oil and add the fish to the butter.  Cook, stirring, just until the anchovies break down to form a butter sauce.  

Drain the Agretti and add it to the sauce with a grinding of pepper.  Heat through gently.

To serve:     Pile onto two slices of toasted bread 

OR

Add cooked spaghetti, linguine or other ribbon pasta and toss through the sauce to coat the pasta, adding a spoonful or two of pasta water to loosen the mix.  Top with fried breadcrumbs.

CELERIAC

Celeriac Root

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

Celeriac

Beige, warty-skinned, a beard of tangled roots, Celeriac is a vegetable with a serious image problem.  It’s a member of the Celery family but couldn’t look more different.  If you’ve eaten Celeriac before, then you know how delicious this root can be.  If you haven’t encountered it, or have felt it best to look away, let us convince you of its merits.

Along with a mild celery flavour, Celeriac has the earthiness you’d expect from a root vegetable but also a minerality and a slightly sweet nuttiness.   It can be boiled, mashed, roasted, made into a soup or eaten raw, making it far more versatile than its strongly-flavoured cousin.  The exposed flesh oxidises quickly, so, unless you are going to use it straight away, you need to drop prepared celeriac into acidulated water to prevent discolouration.  

Celeriac makes a great mash, particularly when combined with an equal amount of potato.  Enriched with butter and seasoned, it pairs well with beef and game dishes.  Sliced and layered with an equal quantity of potatoes, a sliced fried onion and a sprig of thyme it works well as a gratin too.  After layering, fill the dish half way up with vegetable or chicken stock, season, top with a little butter and bake in a medium oven, covered for 30 mins, then uncovered for a further 30 mins. It makes a very good soup married with potatoes, onion, garlic, chilli and stock then whizzed to a puree – a little cream and a topping of toasted hazelnuts or fried bacon is a good idea.  If you’re feeling adventurous, you can bake a celeriac whole in a salt crust– maybe one best left to the chefs.

We really enjoy Celeriac in its raw state and it’s hard to beat the French classic Celeriac Remoulade – Mix the juice of 1 lemon, salt, pepper, 2-3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 125ml mayonnaise, and 2 tablespoons of cream in a large bowl.  Slice a medium sized celeriac into juilienne strips and add them immediately to the dressing.  Serve alongside sliced cooked ham or top with sliced raw chestnuts mushrooms and roasted hazelnuts.  

But here is our favourite raw salad:  Mix a vinaigrette dressing using good olive oil and a fruity vinegar (quantities 3:1) to an emulsion.  Add salt and pepper and some favourite chopped herbs.  Grate roughly equal amounts of Celeriac, Apple and colourful Heritage Carrots into the dressing.  Add chopped nuts and mix well.

Celeriac roots can stay in the ground right through winter if protected from prolonged frosts.  They also sit happily in the fridge so are a great vegetable to keep in.  At this time of year root vegetables come into their own, so next time you’re shopping with us you might want to take a fresh look at that beige, warty-skinned globe.

RADICCHIO

Castelfranco Radicchio

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

Radicchio

There are two main varieties of cultivated chicory – the Endives which come in curly and broad-leaved varieties (which we will cover in a future bulletin) and the Radicchio which is the most colourful member of the chicory family and the one we focus on here.

Radicchi is an Italian word for weeds that grow wild in the Mediterranean region.  The Radicchio, and other members of the chicory family (Cichorium) that come through our doors are cultivated varieties of these.  The farming world has worked for thousands of years to reduce bitterness in crops including lettuce, cabbage, cucumbers and aubergines.  But some crops are still prized for this quality and Radicchio is one.  Many cultures take bitterness as a signal of medicinal value.

Each variety of Radicchio is named for one of the towns in the Italian Veneto where the crop has PGI (Protected geographical indication) status: Chioggia, round and white-ribbed like a small red cabbage; Treviso, the ‘Prococe’ type having wide burgundy leaves forming a loose head and the later ‘Tardivo’ type that has more tightly packed leaves that curl into a twist at the top; Verona, smaller with deep red leaves and a loose oval shape; and Castelfranco, its creamy yellow rose-like leaves splashed with wine-red being perhaps the most eye-catching.  In Radicchio, the extent of bitter compounds varies with Treviso containing most and Chioggia and Castelfranco the least.  The technique of blanching, growing in cold and dark conditions, (imbianchimento in Italian) brings out the red hues in what would otherwise be a largely green-leaved crop.  

Treviso Photo © Puntarelle & Co Ltd

Served as a salad leaf, Radicchio pairs beautifully with orange.  The chef Florence Knight has a recipe in her book ‘One’ for mildly astringent Castelfranco mixed with prosciutto and toasted hazelnuts and dressed with an orange vinaigrette.  Cooking Radicchio intensifies its bitter qualities and adds a delicious counterpoint to rich, fatty foods – just think of a bacon and dandelion salad.  Subjected to a little charring on a grill, a more bitter Radicchio like Treviso pairs wonderfully well with a soft, creamy cheese like ricotta, goat’s curd or a blue cheese, maybe Gorgonzola, Stilton or Stichelton.  Simply chop the radicchio into quarters, coat lightly in olive oil, season and grill until lightly browned and softened then serve scattered with pieces of the cheese and a vinaigrette dressing.  A few toasted and salted walnuts wouldn’t go amiss.  

Round Radicchio Photo © Puntarelle & Co Ltd

DECEMBER 2017

Seasonal Produce News - December 2017

January King Cabbages

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

DECEMBER

November went out with a cold snap.  Good for the British Brassicas and Root vegetables which will only get tastier for a blast of frost, but continuing cold will be bad news for more tender leaf crops like Chard.  English Apples and Pears were to the fore in November and the variety of new season citrus began to increase.  Another highlight was the arrival of short season Fenland Celery and bitter leaves from Italy in the form of Chicoria and Radicchio.    

Castelfranco Radicchio

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

Writing on the first day of December, colours and textures catching my eye are smooth and deep-cleft Pumpkins in greens, flame-reds and burnished browns; crinkly-leaved emerald, black/green and purple hued Brassicas; yellow and pale green and orange Citrus, including the first Tarocco oranges; deep red Pomegranates; and frills of Radicchio in yellows, pinks and burgundies.  And then there is our London Fermentary fridge, filled with jars and bottles of vibrant Fermented vegetables, sauces and Water Kefirs.  Scent comes from the boxes of Quince to my left.  Right now we have:  

British Brassicas including Savoy Cabbage, spectacular green and purple hued January King, deeply crinkled Black Cabbage (Cavolo Nero), green and purple Kale, Brussels Sprouts and Brussels Tops which have benefited from a kiss of frost.

Beautiful English Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Cauliflower and swirling lime-green Romanesco, with the creaminess of cauliflower and the taste of broccoli.  

Root vegetables including Celeriac, Jerusalem Artichoke, Swede, and Beetroot are all British grown this week, as are the Leeks and Fenland Celery.  There is French Scorzonera and also organic Heritage Carrots.

English Chard growth is slowing so leaves are also coming in from kinder European climes as temperatures fall here.  There is Watercress still from our Sussex Farmer, Kingfisher.

Pale green Kohlrabi is here from Italy.

Roscoff Onions from France and large, sweet White Onions from Italy.

The cold-weather bitter greens from Italy include Puntarelle (Catalogna) and Cime di Rapa.  

Bitter leaves in the form of Radicchio Treviso (Prococe and Tardivo types now), yellow, red-flecked Castelfranco, round Chioggia, rose-like Pink Radicchio, and large-leaved green Escarole.  Joining the party this week is the beautiful frilly white/yellow Riccetta.  The mild inner leaves of both Escarole and Riccetta are fantastic in salads while the coarser outer leaves can be cooked.

Winter Squash and Pumpkins - Red Kuri (Onion Squash), French Spaghetti Squash and burnished Musquee de Provence Pumpkins and Delica Pumpkins from Italy. 

Potato varieties this week are Cyprus and Desiree and both of our waxy-fleshed favourites: English Pink Fir Apple and La Ratte from France.  

Dessert Apple varieties from our Kent farmer this week are Cox, Crown Gold, Kent, and Russet.  We have Bramley cooking apples from them too.  The Pears have been particularly good this year and the farm has supplied us with Comice and Conference. 

Pomegranates this week are from Spain.  We also have ripe Cachi/Persimmons from Italy.

The first Tarocco Oranges from Sicily.  Being early season, they lack blush to the skin and may not yet have developed much colour to the flesh but we welcome their arrival.  There are Italian Navelina, Clementines and Leafy Lemons, and Bergamots too.  We also have good quality Spanish Clementines.  

Crunchy, salty winter Camone and Marinda Tomatoes.

Fresh organic Ginger Root and Turmeric Root.

Romanesco

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

So, in the final month of the year, what produce can we expect to see during the rest of December?  

British Brassicas including Savoy Cabbage, spectacular green and purple hued January King, deeply crinkled Black Cabbage (Cavolo Nero), green and purple Kale, Brussels Sprouts and Brussels Tops which get better after a little frost.

We expect to have English Purple Sprouting Broccoli through the month.  Cauliflower and Romanesco, with its always-astonishing natural lime-green colour – the creaminess of cauliflower with the taste of broccoli.  

British-grown Root vegetables including Celeriac, Jerusalem Artichoke, Swede, and Beetroot, Leeks and Fenland Celery.  There will be Salsify or Scorzonera and also organic Heritage Carrots.

English Chard growth is slowing so we can expect leaves to come in from kinder European climes as temperatures fall here.  We expect the Watercress from our Sussex Farmer, Kingfisher, to continue.

Roscoff Onions from France.

The cold-weather bitter greens from Italy including Puntarelle (Catalogna) and Cime di Rapa should continue.  

We should have bitter leaves throughout the month.  Expect to see heads of Radicchio Treviso (Prococe and Tardivo types), yellow, red-flecked Castelfranco, round red/white Chioggia, rose-like Pink Radicchio, large-leaved green/white Escarole and frilly white/yellow Riccetta.  The mild inner leaves of both Escarole and Riccetta are fantastic in salads while the coarser outer leaves can be cooked.

Winter Squash and Pumpkins - Red Kuri (Onion Squash), burnished Musquee de Provence Pumpkins and Delica Pumpkins. 

Potato varieties are likely to be Cyprus, Desiree and both of our waxy-fleshed favourites: English Pink Fir Apple and La Ratte from France.  

Dessert Apple varieties and Bramley cookers from our Kent farmer will continue to arrive.  We should also have Pears which are likely to be Comice and Conference. 

Pomegranates throughout the month.

Supplies of Tarocco Oranges, and Citrus in general, will increase as the month progresses.  

Crunchy, salty winter Camone and Marinda Tomatoes throughout December.

Don’t forget our fresh organic Ginger Root and Turmeric Root.

On the run-up to Christmas we will have plenty of stocks of Nuts in their shells, Dried Fruits, fresh Cranberries and vacuum-packed Chestnuts.  

We will also have more of those juicy Bottle-Nosed Pineapples.

Sicilian Early Season Tarocco Oranges

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

GOOD TO KNOW: 

As we race towards Christmas, a word about opening hours.  Our Arch at Spa Terminus will be open: 21, 22 and 23 December 08.00-at least 13.00

Please get in touch if you would like to pre-order for collection on any of these days.  We can be contacted by email on: hello@puntarelle.co.uk

Throughout December we will be selling our seasonal Water Kefirs as usual.  Going into winter, you can expect flavours that match this festive time with spices, citrus and dried fruit notes to the fore.  Examples are:

Pumpkin & Orange Spice Water Kefir

With notes of orange, and gingerbread, we think this seasonal Kefir catches the mood of the time of year perfectly.  

Beetroot & Ginger Water Kefir

We had the idea to harness the natural sugars, earthy flavours and dramatic pigment in beetroot for this spicy Kefir and the results, we think, are very pleasing.

Like all our Water Kefirs, these unpasteurised fermented drinks bring beneficial micro-organisms, B vitamins, minerals and enzymes in a slightly sour, zingy, low sugar form.  More about our range of Fermented products at: www.londonfermentary.com

White Bean and Escarole Soup

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

Escarole is one of the sturdier bitter leaves of the Radicchio family and it’s at its best at this time of year.  It works well in hot dishes, particularly soups and if there was ever a time for hot soups, it’s now.  Any white bean will do for this dish and you can use tinned beans if you prefer.  You could replace Escarole with something like Cime di Rapa if you blanch the greens first. 

Cannellini bean and escarole soup

250g dried cannellini beans (500g cooked)
1 whole carrot
1 whole stick of celery
Half a white onion
2 plump garlic cloves, sliced
1-2 small dried chillies, deseeded and crumbled
A handful of basil leaves, torn (or a little basil pesto)
a handful of parsley, roughly chopped
At least 6 roughly torn escarole leaves
50g parmesan, plus more to serve
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper

Soak the beans overnight in plenty of cold water.  Drain and bring to the boil in a large pan of fresh water with the whole carrot, celery stick and half onion.  Reduce to a simmer for an hour or more (depending on freshness of the beans).  When the beans are soft, discard the vegetables.  Remove a quarter of the beans, puree and then return them to the pan to thicken the soup.

Gently fry the garlic and chilli in olive oil without browning.  Add the parsley, the fresh basil (if using) and escarole and cook for 1 minute to wilt.  Add this to the pot of beans.  Add grated Parmesan and salt and pepper and the basil pesto (if using).  Serve with a swirl of good olive oil and extra Parmesan. 

SALSIFY

Scorzonera

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

Salsify & Scorzonera

Salsify and Scorzonera are similar in taste even though they are not varieties of the same plant.  Botanically distinct, Salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius) is identifiable by its pale creamy-brown skin and slightly tapered shape, somewhere between a long thin parsnip and a carrot.  It’s often referred to as ‘White Salsify’.  The darker brown/black root, which hardly tapers at all but looks more like a cigar, is Scorzonera hispanica, commonly called Scorzonera or, confusingly, ‘Black Salsify’.  Further confusion comes from Salsify sometimes being called the “oyster plant” for some past perceived flavour resemblance to the bivalve.  This quality is not generally detectable in modern-day plants, which is probably for the best.  

Scorzonera is more common than Salsify and easier to work with.  Being similar in flavour they are interchangeable in recipes.  You are unlikely to be offered Burdock root (Arctium lappa) in the UK but it has a similar appearance and is valued in Japan where it is known as Gobo.  All three are members of the Lettuce family and their leaves are perfectly edible when young.  Salsify and Scorzonera are welcome additions to the root vegetable line-up we rely on so much through the winter months.  Both are high in essential vitamins and minerals and the roots are much appreciated by ingredient-led chefs for their texture and flavour.

The texture of Salsify and Scorzonera is crisp and waxy in a similar way to Jerusalem Artichoke but some think their flavour is closer to that of the Globe Artichoke.  Their earthy appearance may not be appealing at first sight but they are easy to prepare and to cook.  After scrubbing them clean, top and tail and cut them into manageable lengths.  Peel them and, as they oxidise quickly, drop the prepared pieces into a bowl of acidulated water to prevent discolouration.  They can then be dried, tossed in oil, sprinkled with thyme, salt and pepper and roasted in a hot oven for around 30 minutes.  But there are other ways to use these roots.  Boil in salted water, or steam, until just tender (not mushy) – thin ones can take around 10 minutes but thicker ones will need around 25 minutes.  The simplest way to serve them is to drain, toss in vinaigrette dressing while still warm and serve at room temperature.  Alternatively, drain, plunge the boiled roots into cold water then dry them on kitchen paper.  Their crisp, waxy texture makes for a wonderful fritter - dip in a light batter and fry in oil. Alternatively, treat them like asparagus and simply cover them with Hollandaise sauce.  You could finish them in butter on a medium heat until they turn golden-brown, adding chopped herbs before serving - particularly good with roasted or casseroled beef or roast chicken - add a splash of cream at the end if you want something richer.

Salsify and Scorzonera are in season from October to February so we should have one or the other right through winter.

Puntarelle

Puntarelle

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

Puntarelle

Puntarelle, our namesake, is a member of the chicory family (Cichorium).  This Cichorium Catalogna is also sometimes referred to as Asparagus Chicory.  It’s a cold weather crop, usually at its best between November and February and, as it is coming into its prime season, it’s a good time to focus on it.  

Grown in Italy, it’s a crop particularly valued by Romans who have a taste for the bitterness of all Cicorie.   

Pick up a Puntarelle and you’ll be surprised by its weightiness. The long, jagged, dandelion-like leaves embrace a heart of hollow, pale green, knobbly shoots looking a little like short, fat, pale asparagus spears.  The vibrant outer overlapping leaves are sweet with a welcome touch of bitterness that comes through particularly when the leaves are cooked.  They deliver a welcome astringent punch in the depths of winter to add variety to our diet of home grown greens.

Salads of bitter greens are often dressed with something salty as salt not only balances the bitterness but actually suppresses our perception of bitterness.  The knobbly, juicy heart and the inner leaves make a delicious salad.  The classic Italian way is to toss the raw thinly sliced shoots in an anchovy vinaigrette.  The tougher outer leaves can be braised in a pan with a splash of water, a pinch of salt and a knob of butter until just wilted.  Delicious mixed with some fried bacon or pancetta and piled on toasted bread.