anarchist organic

Inspired by the Foodmaiden I've started fetching a $10 vegie box from the food co-op at Jura Anarchist Bookshop. So close to home, and marks a big shift in my cooking habits - needing to use what's there rather than trooping out to buy what i feel like. This first box smelt sweet as the springshine...

two salads

It felt like a spring kind of thing to do - the combination of broad-beans, almonds and preserved red peppers.



about 2 x cups fresh broad beans
2 x cloves of garlic
olive oil
salt & pepper
a handful of blanched almonds, split in half
white wine
2 x tabs mint, finely chopped
a handful of parsley leaves
1 x red capsicum, roasted & cut into thin strips
salad
cider vinegar

pod your broad beans & set aside. Finely chop the garlic and cook gently in olive oil with the almonds until both are lightly browned. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add broad beans, stir to coat with oil, add a glass of white wine & cover. Steam broad beans until cooked to desired consistency. Stir through mint and parsley. Dress salad leaves with cider vinegar and salt and stir through broad bean mixture and capsicum.

I served this with pumpkin and onion roasted with sumac and thyme; and brown rice mixed with fried shallots.

This is a winter salad I have been meaning to post.

WINTER SALAD
1 large carrot
sesame or vegetable oil (for baking)
salt
1teas. fennel seeds
1teas coriander seeds
½ teas. cummin
½ bulb fennel, cut into 1cm cubes
½ green chili, finely chopped
1 cup cooked chickpeas
cider vinegar
cos lettuce
olive oil

Roast your large carrot: parboil in salted water, cut lengthways in 2, then into manageable pieces, place in a baking dish and toss in oil, place in a hot oven.

Roast spices in a dry pan, grind into a fine powder.

Combine fennel, chickpeas, chilli, salt and spices in a large bowl with cider vinegar and set aside.

When carrot is well roasted, cut into 1cm pieces. Mix with chickpeas and fennel. Leave the whole lot aside for the flavours to develop.

When ready to serve, toss through a few cos lettuce leaves, sliced into ribbons or torn into pieces; dress with olive oil.