Not so smart

That last one was an attempt to post photos direct from my new smartphone. Needless to say the process is hopelessly complicated, took me several days to work out how to do it and then fails anyway. I will continue to try as I'm sure seamless posting direct from the pea patch is a prize worth pursuing.

Smarten up

Tuesday, 14 February 2012

Savoie Fare

For a state with a proud history, it is strange that Savoy's few vestiges in the English-speaking world are a place for high-falutin cream teas and a crinkly winter cabbage. I'm not sure if the cabbage is so named because of its popularity with the hotel guests or if it was prominent in Victor Emmanuel II's potager. In any case, it gives reliable January greenery in the alpine regions and beyond. As ever, these are somewhat smaller than your supermarket versions but I shall claim to be growing meal-sized specimens to avoid having cut cabbage getting browned off in the fridge.

A simple hearty and very satisfying winter supper repeated on a weekly cycle up here is a version of clapshot/ rumbledethumps/ colcannon. [I prefer the name clapshot but that seems to use neep rather true cabbage.] Ingredients are butter, leeks (or onions), diced waxy potatoes (pink fir apple, still abundant in the pantry though starting to sprout), cabbage and cheese (I recommend gruyere or perhaps a Tomme de Savoie from your cheese specialist). Saute the ingredients adding them in sequence to make sure everything is tender at the same time. You may want to par-boil the potatoes to speed it up. Finish under the grill with the cheese and serve with plenty of black pepper.

Wednesday, 1 February 2012

Do The Brussel

(R to L) Sprout to the Top

Last year was my first attempt at brussel sprouts. Although I've always been a fan, they only seem to go with roast turkey or when making up the numbers in meat and two veg - but I'm willing to try anything to keep me in good winter colour. Not following convention as ever, I went for a red variety (Red Rubine), because all the veg needs to look the part now there's a smart new house on the plot. The plants are a lovely reddy purple and the sprouts inside are a purple-veined pale green. Success horticulturally I have to admit has been modest, with the sprouts only slightly bigger than peas and never in sufficient number to overpower a dish. I think I need to sow and transplant earlier.  Still you get a second chance at this time of year when they start producing sprout-impersonating tops, which you can pretend are the well-sized real thing - a great boost for the nanogardener trying to prove his worth.

If you're struggling to think of things to cook this time of year, or indeed any time of year, a bag of pasta and a trip to the orto usually provides the inspiration. I'll call this pasta dell'orto stagionale (inverno).

Sprout to lunch

• leeks or microleeks*, no substitute.
• hardneck garlic**, softneck if you must
• chilli**
• sprouts, microsprouts and sprout tops*, must be purple veined or don't bother starting this dish. Cavolo nero* will do the job too.
• mushrooms***
• sundried tomatoes*** (the veggie's bacon substitute, adding a salty piquant flavour)
• seasonal herbs (e.g. parsley*, chervil*, thyme*, winter savory*)

Footnotes
* dall'orto stagionale
** dalla dispensa
*** l'anno prossimo, forse? D'occhio questo spazio.

I won't insult you by telling you how to cook it. Ok, throw it all in a pan with some butter till its done, stir it into some cooked pasta, top with a palmful of parmesan and pep it up with some ground pepper***.

Meraviglioso e semplice!