Stray Foodie recipes: A very tasty weed recipe!

Stray Foodie Lockdown Recipes are written by Michelin-starred chef, Frances Atkins. In 1997, Frances opened the Yorke Arms near Pateley Bridge, where she was the owner for 20 years. During her ownership, she held her Michelin-star status for 16 of those years.

“I’ll be bringing you some of my favourite recipes each week. I’d love to see how you make the recipes your own – let me know by using #StrayFoodie or tagging @thestrayferret in your social media posts.”

 

Alexander is a weed with a terrific flavour but beware, when foraging for it, not to mix it up with similar weeds. You find it growing from February to June and the young stems have a unique flavour experience. In the Spring they are the biggest and boldest plants in the hedgerow.They are a type of ancient cultivated food that the Romans brought to Britain, hence it is known as a Mediterranean plant. It appears in hedgerows, woodlands and along road sides and the stems are similar to celery and has yellow or green bell flowers. Every part is edible including the stems and leaves.

Having said that, in these times if you don’t have the access to look for this lovely weed the taste is similar to celery leaf which I often use with the zest of a lemon. We love the flavour of spelt cooked without seasoning and chopped Alexander put through it. This marriage produces a very spring like flavour. Roasting cabbage in a herb pesto or making a stuffing to include spelt and alexander, again is something different.

Alexander, cabbage, spelt and pesto

While some of us have more time on our hands at the moment, experiments in the kitchen for a special dinner can be creatively satisfying and good fun. In my photograph this week you will see my dish of Green Pasta, Stuffed Cabbage, Wild Mushrooms & Crusted Brill. This dish I have chosen to demonstrate what you can do with Alexander or another herb that you might be particularly fond of.

To start with:

Green Pesto: Put your herbs and leaf into your blender and choose a good olive oil blending approx. the same quantity of oil to herb. You can then season taste popping in a little cider vinegar to produce acidity. Correct the seasoning.

The Green Pasta: The green pasta can be made adding the green oil from the pesto to replace the oil in your favourite recipe.

Frances’s Alexander and Green Pasta

The Stuffed Cabbage: Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage, trim the core, plunge into salted water and cook for a couple of minutes until the leaf is soft, not overcooked. Dry on a paper towel. Chop a shallot, mushroom, cooked spelt and a handful of chopped alexander. Cook in a little olive oil. Mix together and place on the cabbage leaf. Roll together and tie with some string making a parcel. Roast in the oven with a little olive oil. Or quarter your cabbage, spread over with alexander pesto and roast both versions in the oven for 8 – 10 minutes until soft but still has a crunch at 180c – 200c.

Wild Mushrooms:Not always readily available. If this is the case Shitake Mushrooms sliced and sauteed off add a great flavour dimension.

Crusted Brill: For the crust, fry a handful of breadcrumbs in a knob of butter or oil with grated lemon zest until crispy. Add a teaspoon of chopped alexander through it. Place on top of your cooked, seasoned fish.

As in my picture, this can all be brought together with a fine, plain tomato sauce.

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Stray Foodie: Sugar and spice and all things nice

Stray Foodie Lockdown Recipes are written by Michelin-starred chef, Frances Atkins. In 1997, Frances opened the Yorke Arms near Pateley Bridge, where she was the owner for 20 years. During her ownership, she held her Michelin-star status for 16 of those years.

Throughout lockdown, I’ll be bringing you some of my favourite seasonal recipes each week. I’d love to see how you make the recipes your own – let me know by using #StrayFoodie or tagging @thestrayferret in your social media posts.

 

Sugared Almonds, Crystalised Fruits, Dates, Figs and Spices are the delicious foods that we associate with the end of year culinary preparations for our respected festivities.

Historically these ingredients were considered treats as they weren’t so readily available as they are today. Aroma is the powerful sense that stimulates the memory in our brain instantly bringing back recollections that in most cases are good at creating the desire for certain foods! The smell of sugar and spice is very evocative and is one such example.

This week’s recipe is a gluten free almond cake.

The recipe I have this week is one I promised a reader; Paradise’s very versatile recipe for Almond Cake. At Paradise we love versatility with food because we are on a constant voyage of discovery so far as flavours are concerned. This recipe has a large proportion of sugar in it and gluten free flour making it a good cake for keeping and for anyone eating a Gluten Free diet.

Frances’ gluten free almond cake

It is delicious served with crystalised fruits, sugared almonds, dates and figs and spices of your choice. I prefer a little grated nutmeg, complimenting the fruits. A glass of Harrogate Tipple Christmas Gin with a little tonic is a good accompaniment!

For the recipe you need:

The almond cake ingredients

Method:

Line a loose bottomed cake tin with silicone paper.

Pre heat the oven to 180c or Gas 4.

Put all the ingredients together in to a food processor and give a good whizz round and pour it into the cake tin.

Place in the centre of the oven for 40 minutes until it is firm.

Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

When cooled remove from the cake tin and cover with a flavoured frosting of your choice, sugared almonds and crystalised fruits.

Frosting Recipe:

This is a great alternative celebration cake which is light and easy.

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Stray Foodie: Lockdown recipes to cheer us up

Stray Foodie is a monthly food review written by Michelin-starred chef, Frances Atkins. In 1997, Frances opened the Yorke Arms near Pateley Bridge, where she was the owner for 20 years. During her ownership, she held her Michelin-star status for 16 of those years.

Usually my role at the Stray Ferret is to bring you a monthly review of a local restaurant or café. With the news that restaurants have once again been forced to close, these usual monthly reviews have been put on the back burner.

That doesn’t mean we can’t still support local restaurants. Like so many others in the area, my own business, Paradise Foods, is continuing to provide takeaway food – just come along, see what you would like to eat, and take home that special dish. We also have bespoke hampers for your dinner parties at home.

Hampers by Paradise Foods

Whilst we are all spending more time at home, I will be bringing you a new feel-good recipe each week to hopefully inspire you to try something new.

All of the recipes will be versatile for you to tailor it to your own personal taste. I’d love to see how you make the recipes your own – let me know by using #StrayFoodie or tagging @thestrayferret in your social media posts.

This week’s recipe is Broccoli, Cashew, Parsnip, Maple, Mixed Kales and Crouton.

This dish works well on its own or as a great accompaniment to smoked haddock in a pesto cream, hot smoked salmon or parma ham – or even a lime-based cocktail!

For 1 generous portion you will need:

I also used the last of the season’s Nasturtium seeds, flowers and leaf. These can be substituted with coriander, basil or mint flowers for flavour.

Method:

Place the olive oil in a pan with the parsnips and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the Cashews for 1 ½ minutes.

Add the Broccoli and Kale, Herb Pesto and stir well.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the Maple Syrup.

Garnish with the Mixed Herbs, Spring Onion and Croutons.

If you would like to be a little adventurous with the croutons, you can always add Marmite, cream cheese and a squeeze of Lime for that umami taste!

Paradise Foods is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am until 2pm, at Daleside Nurseries, Killinghall HG3 2AY. 

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