Sandra’s scrumptious 65th birthday spread
- By Sonya Meagor
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- 07 Feb, 2016
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Eco Cuisine were happy to cook again for Tony and Sandra Boother from Grange Park.
However, this was an extra special occasion for Sandra, who was celebrating her milestone 65th birthday. Happy Birthday Sandra!
We had soooo much fun in the kitchen yesterday cooking for the party and the food is proof of that. We’ll let the pictures do the talking, enjoy!…
Here’s Sonya proudly showing off the star of the show in our fish kettle ready for poaching – a lovely big wild salmon caught from the Irish sea and purchased from local Green Lanes fisheries…
No party is complete without delicious meat platters and they don’t get more delicious than this! UK produced roast beef and roast chicken slices from our lovely local butcher, Peatley’s in Grange Park and smoked and cured meats from our lovely local Italian Delicatessen, Roberto & Marino in Winchmore Hill.
We certainly did not forget about any vegetarians at the party. They were spoilt for choice from a vegetable tart or vegetable quiche and a big selection of delicious salads, such as roasted vegetables with giant couscous, our special Eco-Slaw, made with white and red cabbage, carrot and celeriac, yummy Greek salad and mixed green leaves.
Here’s the base of our vegetable tart and topped with goat’s cheese, spinach and tomato
The Millfield theatre is home to eco cuisine and the events have been held here too for that reason.
OLIO (the food app) and NLWA (North London Waste Authority) CROPDROP (local Haringey boxed fruit/vegetable scheme) plus our very own Sonya Meagor (eco cuisine) are confirmed as our first speakers and we're For each event, we support a North London based charity related to the event theme - for this event we're delighted to collaborate with The Felix Project .
TICKETS
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sustainable-food-packaging-tickets-61490383392?aff=website
With less than two weeks until Christmas and the holidays nearly upon us, the shops are stocked with delicious festive treats and people are already stocking up on Christmas food fit for a feast or two.
But, just because it is Christmas doesn’t mean we should not consider what is in season and keeping sustainability at the forefront of our minds.
So, what is in season over December and the winter seasons in Britain? Well, thankfully many of the Christmas time favourites are favourites for a reason – they’re traditionally easily grown and sourced in the U.K. over winter. Cabbage, sprouts, potatoes and onions, celeriac, celery and carrots as well as parsnip and swede are all in season this time of year. Not forgetting chestnuts, beef and venison and even guinea fowl too.
So roast dinners with all the trimmings can be environmentally friendly! Of course clementines, pomegranates and dates are seasonal favourites too and these are obviously not sourced locally.
Whatever you buy and eat over the festive season, remember to consciously consume – making informed and conscious decisions about what you buy and eat.
In the lead-up to the Christmas break we enjoy hearty, warming foods, keeping us warm in the cold weather and suitably fuelled over this busy season.
We enjoy Rumbledethumps – for those who haven’t heard of it, it is the Scottish equivalent of bubble and squeak as it is often made with leftovers, though it isn’t usually fried. It is a lovely filling dish served as a side or when served with a nice piece of fish or chicken breast can even be a substantial main meal.
Rumbledethumps
550g large potatoes,
350g swede
60g unsalted butter
250g kale, finely sliced
1 small onion diced
Sprigs of thyme
25g cheddar cheese, grated
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Peel and chop the potatoes and the swede and chop into large chunks. Next, boil in a saucepan tender. Drain and return to the pan.
Heat three quarters of the butter in a pan on medium low heat and cook the kale and the onions for a few minutes, until the kale is tender and onions lightly browned.
Add the kale and onions to the pan with the potatoes and swede then add the remaining butter and mash together. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Place the mashed medley into an ovenproof dish and top with the cheese. Cover with a lid and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, then remove the lid and continue to cook for a further 15 minutes, or until piping hot and golden-brown on top. Serve with fresh thyme.
What winter dishes keep you going in the lead-up to the Christmas break? Let us know in the comments.
