Rosehips on the Kitchen Table

Shetland is not renowned for its foraging opportunities. There is plenty to be obtained from the sea, but there are no hedgerows, no apple trees, no wild garlic growing… er… where ever it is wild garlic grows, so I have to admit I was sceptical when I was presented with the opportunity to review a new cookery book for foragers and foodies. I admit, I had a plan B (which was to post the book to a friend in Wales to guest review!) but I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the front cover of the latest cookery book by World Food Cafe co-authors Carolyn and Chris Caldicott: Rosehips on a Kitchen Table – Seasonal Recipes for Foragers & Foodies (March 2014). In this book Carolyn combines her superb story telling and recipe writing skills with her husband’s evocative photographs of people, places and produce.

“Rosehips on a Kitchen Table explores fascinating ways to make the most of unusual yet traditional produce, gathering wild pickings, revelling in gluts or maybe even dabbling in the world of grow your own. You don’t need to be a great cook, a master gardener or an expert forager to use this book. All that’s needed is a love of good food.”

There are five chapters in this 128 page 7″ x 7.5″ hardback book published by Frances Lincoln (www.franceslincoln.com | @Frances_Lincoln)

1. Rich Pickings – some useful things to know when foraging
2. Gleaning – easy recipes for foraged foods including wild garlic (ah, it turns out wild garlic grows in moist, wooded areas!), nettles (these do grow in Shetland!), elderflowers and berries, blackberries, rosehips and sloes.
3. Grow Your Own – recipes for home-grown rhubarb (I grow rhubarb!), sorrel, rocket, chillies, Jerusalem artichokes and chard
4. Gluts – recipes for just after the harvest when there are plenty of broad beans, tomatoes, strawberries, runner beans, courgettes and root vegetables.
5. What on Earth do I do with This? – my favourite chapter and the one I think I will find most useful – recipes to use up the weird and wonderful things you might get delivered in your veg box including celeriac, gooseberries, beetroot, quince, Brussels sprouts and kale. All of this (except the quince) gets delivered in my veg box! Yay!

Coincidentally, I had 2.5 celeriacs sitting in my fridge left over from my own veg box deliveries. I have only recently begun to cook with them and I’m not sure what to do with them other than make soup! I made the celeriac champ recipe from Rosehips on a Kitchen Table and served it as part of a roast beef dinner, and oh my, it was lovely; nutty, buttery and creamy with a gorgeous spring onion kick. I have been given permission to reprint the recipe for you so you can try it out for yourself!

I’m looking forward to trying many of the other recipes once Spring begins, nettles begin to appear and my vegetable box arrives with more and more delicious seasonal produce. The broad bean and cumin purée with chicory recipe sounds appealing, as does the beetroot leaves with walnuts, raisins and orange recipe and the incredibly healthy sounding courgette and banana cake!

All in all this is a delightful little book with plenty of recipe inspiration accompanied by mouthwatering photographs.

To order Rosehips on a Kitchen Table at the discounted price of £7.99 including p&p* (RRP: £9.99), telephone 01903 828503 or email mailorders@lbsltd.co.uk and quote the offer code APG97

Alternatively, send a cheque made payable to:
LBS Mail Order Department, Littlehampton Book Services, PO Box 4264, Worthing, West Sussex, BN13 3RB.

Please quote the offer code APG97 and include your name and address details.

*UK ONLY – Please add £2.50 if ordering from overseas.

Book: Rosehips on a Kitchen Table
Author: Carolyn Caldicott
ISBN: 978-0-7112-3388-1
Publication Date: 6 March 2014
Cover: Hardback
RRP: £9-99

Celeriac Champ

by Carolyn Caldicott

Celeriac adds a nutty flavour to this St Patrick’s Day favourite, traditionally made from potato mashed with spring onion and topped with butter.

Ingredients

• 1 medium celeriac, peeled and cubed
• 3 medium mashing potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and quartered
• 110 ml / 1/2 cup whole milk
• a bunch of spring onions, thinly sliced
• a good knob of butter
• 1 heaped teaspoon grainy mustard
• 75 ml / 1/4 cup thick double cream or full-fat crème fraiche
• a large handful of finely chopped curly parsley
• salt and black pepper
• extra butter at room temperature, to serve

Instructions

1. Simmer the prepared celeriac, potato and garlic in boiling water until soft.

2. Drain the vegetables, return to the pan and steam dry over a low heat for a few minutes.

3. Heat the milk and sliced spring onions in a small pan until nearly boiling, reduce the heat and gently simmer for a further couple of minutes.

4. Add the milk mixture along with the butter and mustard to the drained celeriac and potato.

5. Mash everything until smooth.

6. Stir in the cream and chopped parsley and season to taste.

7. To serve in the traditional way, pile the champ into a bowl, make an indent in the top with the back of a serving spoon and fill with a large knob of butter room temperature. Serve immediately as the butter melts.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 30 mins Yield: Serves 4

Recipe taken from Rosehips on a Kitchen Table by Carolyn Caldicott, published by Frances Lincoln

Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary was sent a complimentary review copy of Rosehips on a Kitchen Table. All opinions expressed are my own. This is not a paid post.