Swiss Chard is grown in my Winter Vegetable garden, the leaves are vitamin and mineral rich with high levels of iron and magnesium. In folk medicine the the juice is used as a decongestant, the leaves are said to neutralize acid.  Chard has always been relatively trouble free in my garden and I adore its pick and pull quality in the garden as a really hard worker.

Swish Chard Beet Fritters

750g 11/2 ib Chard / Spinach (well washed)

Butter , 2 Large Eggs, 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan, 1 tablespoon of lemon peel. Olive Oil, pinch of nutmeg

Prepare the leaves by removing the midrib and chop roughly, cook in the water that clings to the leaves until wilted 2/3 Min’s, chop, return to the pan with the butter, until all the water has evaporated. Leave to cool for 5 Min’s, stir in the egg yolks, Parmesan and lemon peel. When almost cold, fold in the egg whites and season. Drop spoonfuls in hot fat, in a heavy frying pan, cook for a minute or two, turning halfway, drain well and serve hot.

This is my favourite time of year for the Orchard Fruit.  Plums are fabulous  they were naturalised in Greece and loved by Pliny, then brought to the UK by the Romans. This is one of my favourite recipes.

Double Victoria Sponge (serves to 6-8)

500g 1lb Victoria Plums

50g 2oz Honey

25g 1oz Flaked Almonds

For the Sponge

100g 4oz self raising flour

100g 4oz Vanilla flovoured caster sugar

100g 4oz softened butter

2 eggs, pinch salt

Wash, half and stone the plums, place in a buttered pudding dish and dribble the honey over them. Beat together the sponge ingredients in a mixer until creamy and light in colour. Dollop the sponge mixture over the fruit, smooth and garnish with almonds. Bake in a preheated oven at 190oc/ 3750f/ gas mark 5 for 35 mins or until golden brown and firm to the touch.

Enjoy with custard or cream

Radishes were cultivated by Egyptians in 2780BC as labourers working on the pyramids received ‘radishes, onions and garlic’ as their rations. So if we can build one of the seven wonders of the world on a radish, what else can we achieve?

Radishes have great medicinal properties and are eaten to relieve indigestion as well as being taken as a tonic herb and expectorant.

So on with our recipe

Radish and Scallop Soup or Radish and Spinach if VEG

Serves 4

2 bunches of radish (top and tailed), 10 Scallops, 2 Spring Onions (chopped) , 2 tablespoons of butter, 600ml of fish stock (or veg) an milk combined, 2 bay leaves, pinch of cayenne pepper, parsley, 4 tablespoons double cream.

Wash and cut Radishes in small dice, then cut scallops (spinach) and put to the side, In a soup pot cook the onions, butter until soft then add the scallops (spinach) cook for 30 seconds on each side and add the radishes. Pour over the stock and milk mixture, add bay leaves, cayenne, parsley and cook for 15 mins over a gentle heat, just simmering. Remove soup from heat, take scallops (veg spinach) from soup, and cup into slivers then retuen add the double cream , parsley and serve immediately.

One thing in the garden ready for eating is our wonderful Rhubarb, this recipe is from my old 1930’s make do and mend cookery book which has the best recipe’s in it.

We need sorry its in lbs and Oz’s

• 4oz Caster Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 6oz self raising flour
• 4oz butter
• 1lb Rhubarb (cut)
• 11/2 teaspoons of ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons golden syrup

Grease a 7 inch cake and line with greaseproof paper, Warm the syrup  an spread it on to the bottom of the papered tin. place Rhubard on top and springle over some more sugar.

Cream the butter and sugar with an (electric )whisk until light and fluffy, gradually add the eggs, slowly fold in the flour with the ginger.

Bake in the centre of the oven for 20mins, turn out and cool and serve with custard, cream or ice cream.

Serve Hot

Enjoy

Onion Pakora

Serves Four

You will need

• 1/4 lb or 120g Chickpea flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Chilli powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of Turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon groud coriander
• 1cm piece of fresh ginger
• Vegetable oil for frying
• 4 Large Onions cut into rings or finely sliced

Sieve the flour and salt in a bowl, beat in sufficient water (about 3/4 of a pint) to make a smooth batter. Mix in the chilli powder, turmeric, coriander and ginger and leave the batter to stand for a least 30 minutes. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan until hot, then coat each of the onion rings in the batter and add them a few at a time to the to the oil. Fry until golden brown and drain on a piece if kitchen roll, then set aside on a warm serving dish . If you are using finely sliced onions, place them on a spoon, mix them in with the batter and drop them in by spoonful into the hot oil. Repeat this until all the onions are cooked. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

This is one of my favourite soups in winter, to put a glow in your cheeks.

Preparation and cooking time: 1 hour ; Serves 6

60g Butter, 1 Medium Onion, 2 Large Leeks finely sliced, 2 Medium Potatoes peeled and roughly chopped, 110g  Green Split peas soaked overnight in water, 1.2 litres of Vegetable or Chicken Stock, Salt and Pepper.

Melt the Butter, cook the Onion and Leeks until soft in a covered saucepan,without colouring, stir in the Potatoes, Green Split peas and Stock, Cover, bring to the boil and simmer for about 40 mins until the Split Peas are tender. Cool a little, puree in a liquidiser. Taste for seasoning, reheat gently and serve.

Broad Beans in a Cream Sauce

This elegant dish can be made in advance, Reheated, and if needed thinned down with more stock or cream.

Serves 4 to 6

2oz Butter,    1/4 pint  or 125ml stock,   1  1/2 Lb  or   3/4 kg Broad Beans, Celery seeds, teaspoon Sugar, 1/4 pint or 125 ml  of double cream, Salt, Pepper

In a heavy, wide based pan, melt the butter with the stock, Add the Beans, sprinkle the celery seeds and sugar. Cover and cook lightly until the beans are soft. Drain off the bean liquor into a blender, add a quarter of beans and puree, gradually adding the cream to make a rich smooth sauce. Stir in the rest of the beans, Season to taste and serve hot.

Perfect

• Bowls of fragrant potpourri are easy to make, and they are a wonderful way of bringing the gardens perfume into the house all year round. Any scented flowers or leaves can be used to make potpourri, fragrant flowers include jasmine, lavender,violets,broom,pinks,jasmine,honeysuckle and wallflowers. Plants with aromatic foliage include lemon verbena,lemon balm,mint. For extra colour add marigolds, pot marigolds, love in a mist, cornflowers and sweet peas.
• Pick the flowers and leave early in the day when the weathers dry. Choose flowers that are nearly but not quite fully open.
• Spread the flowers on a wire tray to dry with the air circulating  or put them in a very low oven with the door open.
• When the material is dry and crisp to the touch add some chopped Orange peel to fix your fragrance.
• Store in a airtight container for a month, then put in jars around the house.
• Perfect as gifts for family, friends and loved ones, as they really can take a piece of your home with them! Enjoy!

Here at GroBox we are all trying to keep warm and dry and need a wonderful vitamin boost to see us through our long dark nights. One of our favourite recipes is our Roasted Vegetable Soup. All you need is Onions, Courgettes, Tomatoes, Peppers. Simply cut and place on a baking tray, drizzle with Olive Oil, Sea Salt and Black Pepper. Roast in an oven on 220c for 30 Min’s. Once roasted, remove from tray, place in saucepan add water and chives,basil and thyme bring to the boil. Once reduced, liquidise and serve in cups with warm fresh bread. It will warm you from your toes to your heart in a few short moments. Perfect.

Romans believed that cabbages arose from Jupiters sweat as he laboured to explain to contracting oracles.

Cabbage is said to reduce the risk of colonic cancer,stimulate the immune system and kill bacteria.

When planting Cabbages  they thrive in the company of dill,mint,rosemary and thyme,Cabbage is traditionally boiled for 5mins, however it is really tasty just fried with olive oil and sea salt.

One of my favourite reciepes is from when I lived in Ireland is  Colcannon. Probably the most famous Irish dish, Use 500g Potatoes,1 Leek cleaned and sliced and cooked in milk or cream,500g Cabbage sliced and cooked, 4 Tablespoons of butter,Salt and Pepper.

Mash the potatoes and season them before stirring in the slices of leek and juices in which they were cooked. Then add the cabbage and mix thoroughly over a low heat. Arrange on a warmed serving dish and make a hole in the centre. Keep warm, partly melt the butter,season and pour into the cavity. Serve immediately,piping hot.

Enjoy