Recipes

At the Farm Shop we don’t treat cooking as a precise science, nor are we trying to give a comprehensive list of recipes. These are some of our favourite dishes and we hope you’ll give some of them a try. They’ve worked for us on countless occasions but that doesn’t mean, with a bit of imagination and a few tweaks, they can’t be improved. Good luck.
Recipes by Ben Watson
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Lebanese Pita PizzaBy Ben WatsonThere is such a thing as a Lebanese pizza, known as manoush, and loosely speaking this just about falls within the parameters. The pita bread is a cheat – but it works and it makes good Christmas finger food. This can be cooked straight from the freezer and the whole fried, spiced lamb with hummus thing really works.
Winter Veg Casserole with Merguez MeatballsBy Ben WatsonThis recipe is a winter vegetable casserole using merguez meatballs and our own labneh. Many will recognise this as originating from one of Nigella’s feasts but we have to start somewhere. I’ve adapted it to use both our Captain’s Curry Paste and Herby Harissa (as well as the Labneh) and, a few years ago, it provided the starting point for our ‘SA Food Awards best in show’ Vegetable Hariri soup. I just added various grains and pulses and a lot more liquid. The suggested casserole quantities make enough for a large gathering but it’s even better reheated and, as mentioned, makes a delicious soup with more stock and some rice, lentils and chickpeas.
Cucumber PickleBy Ben WatsonThis pickle adds a welcome tang to cold meats or burgers, and is a great way to make your cucumbers last into winter! You'll need to do the prep 24 hours before the cooking.
Green Tomato ChutneyBy Ben WatsonAlways a winner if your greenhouse is full of green tomatoes after a miserable summer.
Pear & Ginger ChutneyBy Ben WatsonThe combination of ginger and pears gives this chutney a real kick. A great way to use up a glut of pears.
Warm lentil and sausage saladBy Ben WatsonSausages and lentils are a great combination - pair them in a salad or a casserole depending on the time of year.
Panzanella – Tuscan bread and tomato saladBy Ben WatsonAs my sister said to me - 'who would have thought bread and tomatoes could be so delicious'.? Actually, it wasn’t a surprise to me because so many things start with a holy trinity of good bread, tomatoes and punchy olive oil. The secret is in the bread rather than the toms. The wrong bread and it will degenerate into pap. Tasty pap but pap nonetheless. Almond Thief sourdough works, as does Baker Toms ciabatta or focaccia. Remove any tough crust and tear into pieces. Leave somewhere warm to dry out overnight. + If, when you've finished, the salad seems a bit dry, don't despair - juts add a little more passata, oil and vinegar..
CassouletBy Ben Watson

In the past I’ve been a little snooty about the duck confit and opted for a bit of mutton or lamb but I have to admit that I've changed my mind. It does bring a certain unctuosity to the party so it’s quack quack all round. Ham hock isn’t traditional either but as the excellent Felicity Cloake pointed out in The Guardian, it replaces both the cured meat and pigs skin so it’s oink oink there too.

The number of times you break the crust and stir in the bread crumbs is also the subject of some debate. A slightly wet, rather than claggy, cassoulet is much easier, and more enjoyable, to eat so stirring once, followed by a light sprinkling of crumbs before the final  bake is perfect.

Its not exactly traditional because it brings a bit of smokiness into the mix but our Montbeliard sausage would also a good addition.

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