Organic Meat with Seasonal Fruit and Vegetable

When I do the weekly shop I don’t normally buy all organic, it’s far too expensive, and I don't have it delivered. If I see something I particularly want at the supermarket, then yes I’ll make the exception.

However when Abel and Cole contacted us to ask if we’d review their organic food, we said yes. I was interested to see exactly what came in an organic box of groceries.

When I arrived home Wednesday lunchtime there were two boxes outside my door, one cardboard with the fruit and veg, the other, polystyrene which they’d packed a 1.0kg organic joint of beef in, neatly surrounded by ice packs (still frozen).

Inside the box was a good selection of seasonal organic fruit and veg.

Bananas (Fairtrade)
Pineapple
Apples
Spring onions
Cucumber
Lettuce
New potatoes
Cabbage
Carrots
Broad beans

As the beef was topside I had planned to make steak and onion pies, purely because it’s a tougher joint and needs long slow cooking. However, Baz had other ideas; he wanted it roasted, just to see if he could taste the difference in organic meat.

I was very hesitant about that, because everytime I’ve bought this cut of meat from the supermarket, (granted it wasn’t organic), it always turns out overdone. I have followed the cooking instructions on the packaging, I've used a meat thermometer
it’s always hit and miss affair, that's why it ends up in stews and pies.
This time there were no cooking instructions with the meat, which surprised me, but then on the other hand everyone’s cooker is different, and it’s actually better to use a meat thermometer.

We’d invited a couple of friends round for dinner, so I decided to let Baz cook the meat and I would look after the veg, (then if it went wrong, it’s not my fault right?).

He sealed the meat on a high heat, then loosely covered it in aluminium foil and stuck in the meat thermometer and roasted it in the oven Gas mark 5/180°C/350°F for just over an hour, then took it out and left it on the side for about 45 minutes. I didn’t even dare to look!
I needn’t have worried though.

The organic meat was just g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s! Beautiful flavour and really tender, so it does pay off buying organic, we did taste the difference. To be honest, I'd much rather eat meat from animals that graze freely.

It fed the four of us with enough left over for lunch the following day. Yes, it is a bit more expensive, but it is definitely worth every penny.
I served it with their cabbage, new potatoes and broad bean puree I’d made.

As I don’t usually buy broad beans because I find them flavourless, and a pain to cook as you’ve got to take off the inner husk once you’ve cooked them, but they’ve got so many healthy properties I wasn’t going to ignore them. Plus they had come as part of the delivery. So thank you Abel and Cole, I would probably never have made this.

They’ve got an extensive list of recipes on their site, and I’m going to send them my one for Broad bean puree.

I had Parmesan cheese and pancetta in the fridge, so this is what I was going to use with the broad beans.

Broad Bean and Pancetta Puree

Makes 4 Ramekins
Prep Time 10 mins
Cooking Time 20 mins
Ingredients

• 737g/26oz Organic Broad beans
• Large potato 387g/14oz approx
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Garlic clove, crushed
• 78g/2.75oz Chopped pancetta or organic bacon
• 70g/2.5oz Organic Parmesan cheese, grated

Method

• I cooked the beans and potatoes in the morning to save time later, if you’re ready to cook the puree don’t plunge into cold water
• Pod the broad beans and cook in boiling water for 5 minutes
• Drain and plunge into cold water to halt the cooking
• When cool enough to handle, use your nail to split the outer case and squeeze the bean, the dark green inner bean will pop out
• Put in a dish and leave to one side
• Peel the potato and cut into small chunks
• Cook in boiling water until al dente
• Drain and plunge into cold water
• Fry the pancetta in a non stick pan, until crispy, drain off any excess fat
• When you’re ready to cook, mash the beans and potato together
• Stir in the crushed garlic, olive oil, pancetta and most of the cheese, leave a little to sprinkle on top
• Divide the mixture between the ramekins
• Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top
• Bake in a hot oven Gas mark7/220°C/425°F for approx 20 minutes, until cheese is golden brown

Equipment

• Small saucepan
• Frying pan or wok
• 4 Ramekins

Shopping List

• 737g/26oz Organic Broad beans
• Large potato 387g/14oz approx
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Garlic clove
• 78g/2.75oz Chopped pancetta or bacon
• 70g/2.5oz Parmesan cheese

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