This month we eagerly await the first signs of spring, and an end to the chilly weather, however the nip in the air certainly lends itself to eating seasonal soups and hearty meals. Luckily there should be plenty of seasonal offerings to satisfy these needs!
© NTPL / Paul Harris / David Levenson
About carrots
Carrots have long been a British favourite - adding a splash of vibrant orange to the dinner plate. Did you know that they were originally purple, but changed to orange in the 16th century by the Dutch. There are tons of fascinating carrot facts, but here are just a handful:
- The longest carrot ever recorded was 5.14 metres long. That's pretty big!
- Carrots are acually more nutritious cooked than raw.
- They were the first type of vegetable to be canned.
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Recipes
Derbyshire Carrot Soup
You would be forgiven for thinking that this is a regional recipe, but the name actually comes from the carrots grown in the area.
Ingredients:
- 25g butter
- 450g grated carrots
- 1 chopped onion
- 1 chopped stick of celery
- 750ml vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons double cream
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Method:
- Melt butter in large pan, add onion, carrots and celery and cook over a low heat for 15 minutes.
- Pour in vegetable stock.
- Bring to boil, cover the pan and simmer for further 15 minutes.
- Add cream, sugar and seasoning.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
From 'Complete Traditional Recipe Book' by Sarah Edington
Carrot cake with lime topping
A delicate and indulgent cake that turns the humble veg into a really sweet treat!
Ingredients:
For the cake:
- 2 eggs
- 100g light soft brown sugar
- 75ml vegetable oil
- 100g self raising flour, sifted
- 175g grated carrot
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 50g shredded coconut
For the topping:
- 75g cream cheese
- 75g butter
- 50g icing sugar
- Grated rind of 1 lime
- Toasted coconut & grated lime to decorate
Method:
- Preheat oven to 190oc (gas mark 5), and grease and line a 900g loaf tin or 17.5 round tin.
- Beat together the eggs and sugar until creamy. Then add oil and beat hard.
- Fold in remaining ingredients and pour into tin.
- Smooth out top, and then slightly hollow out the middle.
- Back for 35-40 minutes until golden and well risen. Then place on rack to cool.
- Beat the topping ingredients together until light and creamy, spread on cooled cake and enjoy!
From 'Traditional Teatime Recipes' by Jane Pettigrew
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Also in season
Just because it's winter, doesn't mean that we need to resort to imported out of season grub. You should be able to get your mitts on the following goodies from your garden or local green grocer with no trouble at all.
Vegetables: Beetroot, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celeriac, chard, chicory, jerusalem artichokes, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, onions, parsnips, potatoes, shallots, spring greens, swede.
Fruit: forced rhubarb, pears.
In the garden
If you've got any parsnips, swedes or leeks left, these can be harvested. You may also have some purple sprouting broccoli and other cabbages to collect. The cold, damp weather makes it an unsuitable month for sowing, as the seeds will almost certainly rot away. You can prepare your potato beds with some manure or compost, and if you've got a greenhouse, you can start to sow your lettuce, rocket and onions from seed.
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