Spring

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.
SpringCategories
All CategoriesMain IngredientBeefChicken and poultryGameLambMuttonPorkSausageSeafoodVegetableMealDinnerLunchSeasonAutumn  SpringSummerWinterSweetDessert
Nduja, Ricotta & Onion TartBy Ben WatsonA French onion tart, cooled but still warm out of the oven, is a truly wondrous thing. Hailing, originally, from Alsace, it’s one of the unsung heroes of French regional cooking, sadly forgotten over here until ‘modern British’ chefs, Simon Hopkinson and Rowley Leigh reintroduced us in all its glory. Somewhere between a Quiche Lorraine and Alsatian ‘flammkuchen’ pizza it’s one of those rare beasts that, despite holistic perfection in its original form, is no enemy of the home cook that just can’t leave good things alone. Bacon lardons and various cheeses (Comte, Gruyere, Beaufort etc in particular) are the standard variations and all bring something to the party but the sweetness of the onions also lends itself to all things smoked. The smoked haddock, chicken and bacon/ham theme has been well mined in the Ben’s Farm Shop kitchen, and elsewhere, but our version of Calabrian salami, nduja, is even better. Being made up, primarily, of pork fat, it melts into the onion mix giving an underlying but not overpowering heat without detracting from the sweetness of the onion. The ricotta is a slightly gratuitous, icing on the cake - adding to the onions sweetness and flashed under the grill, it gives an attractive ‘burnt peak’ appearance.As with all pies, you can get to eight out of ten but those last few points depend on the quality of the pastry and you’re only ever going to get those if you make your own. In the BFS kitchen we make tonnes of the stuff and for commercial pastry, it’s pretty good – but because we make it by the hundred weight, it’s always going to be overworked way past the ‘short’ stage. There are whole books out there on the subject so I’m not going to try to reinvent the wheel but whatever route you chose; you’re going to need about 500gms for a 2½cm deep, 28-30 cm tart case.
Marmalade MarzipanBy Ben WatsonWe only tend to use it at Christmas but marzipan is wonderful stuff and incredibly easy to make. Easter is on the horizon and if you’re Simnel cake inclined, homemade marzipan is so much better than shop bought. Well chilled, you can grate it into Hot X buns and tea cakes. It’s really not hard either and it doesn’t have to be ultra sweet. Many recipes call for orange zest but a few spoonful's of marmalade are so much easier. Most home made recipes call for egg as a binding tool but the marmalade does much the same thing.
Rowley Leigh’s CaponataBy Ben WatsonTraditionally a Sicilian dish, caponata can be found in numerous variations of chopped aubergines, celery, capers and with older versions that even include cocoa powder. Although, this could be a step too far. Last July, chef Rowley Leigh hosted a Summer Feast with us and he opened with his classic caponata recipe served alongside our charcuterie.
Rhubarb lemonadeBy Ben WatsonArguably the most versatile of of vegetables, I’m a big fan of all things rhubarb; from chutney to savoury compot to crumble to frangipane to bottling to my own rhubarb lemonade.
Chilli – miso smoked salmon with steamed asparagus and mustard leavesBy Ben WatsonIf we could pick a veg of the month for May, it would have to be asparagus.Although the season can start earlier, it's soil temperature dependent, so May is a much safer bet than earlier months. Once considered a luxury, it's now widely available and affordable. Well known for its pairing with Hollandaise, asparagus doesn't have to be at the centre of the plate. In fact, it makes a great side dish, especially served alongside salmon as it is here.
Tuscan Roast Duck for EasterBy Ben WatsonTake the plunge and look beyond leg of lamb this Easter. Instead, how about opting for roast duck? It's rich, tasty and simple - it's hard to go far wrong, even for the most reluctant of chefs. Our free range ducks naturally pair well with an orange/ cherry palette. But if you fancy veering away from that, this Tuscan style recipe is a surefire winner. Stuffed with a pork, fennel seed and garlic mixture and roasted over potato boulangère, it's a low input, impressive Easter lunch.Better still, the leftovers make for mouthwatering calzone or empanadas the next day.
Lamb braised in milk with garlic & fennelBy Ben WatsonThis recipe is rather rich and luxurious, hailing as it does from New York's Italian super chef, Mario Batali, and adjusted to use shoulder steaks. The Florentine fennel is a BFS addition. For some reason wild fennel seed and Florentine fennel bulbs are rarely used together but I can’t think why. It seemed to work.
Kimchi and prawn frittersBy Ben WatsonAs usual, I’m way behind the times but I’ve finally seen the light and kimchi has become part of my kitchen toolbox. I much prefer to cook with it than eat it raw - it brings a deliciously savoury, saline twang to everything it touches. Hopefully, we’ll soon have our own version from the deli counters but, in the meantime, here is an idea from Serious Eats. 
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.
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