Wild Garlic, Gooseberries and Me: A chef’s stories and recipes from the land

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Denis Cotter. Wild Garlic, Gooseberries and Me: A chef’s stories and recipes from the land

Wild Garlic, Gooseberries…and Me. Denis Cotter

Table of Contents

Introduction

It’s a green thing

The essential greens are those on your doorstep

The iconoclastic lover of heartless cabbage

Flowering brassica – the true cabbage royalty

The timely revival of lowly kale

Asparagus, perennial king of a gardening renaissance

Seakale, a prince from the shoreline

Watering the cats and putting manners on the plants: the rainbow chard diaries

Popeye’s fighting fuel – spinach or whiskey?

Taking to the watercress: the holy herb

The future might be greener than you think

Sprouting Broccoli and Oyster Mushrooms in Ginger Broth with Pumpkin and Macadamia Dumplings

Spring Cabbage Dolma of Pumpkin and Chickpeas with Sesame Yoghurt Sauce

Fresh Pasta with Abyssinian Cabbage, Dried Tomato, Chilli, Pine Nuts and Sheep’s Cheese

Fresh Tagliolini with Shredded Brussels Sprouts, Sage and Pine Nuts

Brussels Sprouts with Roast Shallots and Spiced Potato Gnocchi in a Blue Cheese Cream

Braised Savoy Cabbage with Apricots, Pecans and Caraway

Watercress Hummus

Chinese Broccoli with Cashews and Fresh Chillies

Roasted Asparagus with Blood Orange Aïoli

Sprouting Broccoli with Leek and Shallot Farrotto

Sesame and Ginger Chinese Broccoli on an Oyster Mushroom Omelette

Black Kale with Sweet Peppers, Olives and Smoked Cheese Polenta

Cime di Rapa with Sweet Pepper and Fried Hazelnut Gougères

Red Russian Kale with Orange and Nutmeg

Asparagus with Pine Nuts, Red Onion and Capers

Warm Couscous Salad with Watercress, Avocado and Citrus-marinated Feta

Black Kale and Aubergine Spring Rolls with Ginger and Tamarind Dipping Sauce

Asparagus, Spinach and Durrus Cheese Egg Rolls with Balsamic Beetroot Sauce

New Zealand Spinach, Puy Lentils, Fennel and Sheep’s Cheese on Tomato Crostini

Artichoke, Asparagus and Quail Egg Salad with Citrus Dressing

Spinach, Aubergine and Chickpea Curry

Green Seakale with Orange, Tomato and Fresh Sheep’s Cheese

Chard with Couscous, Raisins, Pine Nuts and Lemon Oil

Chard, New Potato and Chickpea Soup with Lemon and Roast Garlic

Chard, Lentil and Roast Plum Tomato Gratin

Watercress Soup with Walnut and Sweet Pepper Salsa

Wild pickings

Wild treasures of the hungry gap

Sorrel

Dandelions

Nettles

Wild garlic

Elderflowers

A stroll along the shore (with an eye on the waves…)

Carrageen

Sea spinach

Samphire

Dipping a toe into the underworld of fungi

Amethyst deceivers

Ceps (porcini)

Chanterelles

Puffballs

Cauliflower fungus

Hedgehogs and shaggy parasols

Field mushrooms

Some unfinished business with ceps

Sweet and sour harvest of the hedgerows

Sloes and crab apples

Damsons

The elusive berries

Blackberries

The bitter berries: rowan and elder

Rosehips

Rummaging in the past to enrich the future

Nettle and Potato Gnocchi with Sage, Walnuts and Cratloe Hills Sheep’s Cheese

Dandelion Salad with Quail Eggs, Almonds, Blood Orange and Sherry-orange Dressing

Wilted Dandelion with Ginger and Sweet Pepper

Potato, Wild Garlic, Feta and Pine Nut Tart

Wild Garlic and Walnut Pesto

Samphire, Pear and Hazelnut Salad with Rosehip Dressing

Nettle Risotto

Sea Spinach with Oyster Mushrooms and Soba Noodles in Miso Dressing

Samphire Tempura with Coriander Yoghurt

Samphire, Red Onion and Potato Frittata

Chanterelles in Shallot and Brandy Cream

Roast Ceps with Shallot, Pine Nuts, Lemon and Thyme

Sorrel and Leek Fritters

Pan-Roasted Puffball with Plum Tomato and Fennel Salsa

Puffball, Aubergine and Leek Casserole

Chanterelle and Sea Spinach Tarts in Hazelnut Pastry

Raw Cep Salad with Lemon, Chives and Pecorino

Wild Mushroom, Barley and Celeriac Soup

Cauliflower Fungus Tempura with Paprika and Caper Aïoli

Cauliflower Fungus Fritters with Mustard and Chive Yoghurt

Amethyst Deceivers with Scrambled Eggs

Warm Salad of Hedgehog Mushrooms, Leeks and Roast Beetroot with Hazelnut Dressing

Field Mushroom and Potato Gratin

Rosehip Syrup

Minted Crab Apple and Sloe Jelly

Rosehip, Almond and Orange Breadcrumb Cake with Cinnamon Yoghurt

Elderflower Fritters

Carrageen, Honey and Sheep’s Milk Yoghurt Pannacotta with Blackberries

Damson Membrillo

Damson Fool

Sloe Gin

…and a Damn Fine Martini

A passionate pursuit

The living traditions of an evolving food culture

My current passions

Mr Pak Choi and his sidekick Tofu cross the cultural borders

Of obsession, curiosity and the mythical artichoke farm

Renewing the ancient cult of broad beans, a communion of souls

Borlotti, mottled beauties of the bean world

Three winter squashes: a treasure trove of stored sweetness

The rampant biology of summer squashes

The globally conquering tomato moves indoors

Introducing the tomatillo, sour cousin of the global ruler

Sweet peppers pushing out the boundaries of possibility

Playing with fire in a cool climate

The aubergine – a mysterious Eastern nightshade transplanted to West Cork

Nurturing unlikely fruit

The tree of hope and dreams…and the occasional peach

Conjuring up Greek idylls with homegrown figs and a vivid imagination

The stoic bearded gooseberry

One year’s experiments, next year’s crops – growing a cycle

Pak Choi and Rice Vermicelli Salad with Egg, Apple and a Peanut Dressing

Li’s Pak Choi with Ginger, Chillies, Fennel and Sesame

Broad Bean and Purple Potato Salad with Knockalara Cheese

Broad Beans with Paprika, Mint and Yoghurt

Baked Artichokes with Olive Stuffing and Tomato-caper Salsa

Pan-fried Artichokes with Lemon Cream and Baked Semolina Gnocchi

Fresh Borlotti Beans with Lemon and Marjoram

Borlotti Bean Mole with Roast Winter Squash and Black Kale

Zhoug

Scallopini Squash with Garlic, Basil, Pine Nuts and Cherry Tomatoes

Grilled Courgette and Fennel Salad with Apricots, Almonds and Feta

Courgette, Pea and Chive Risotto with Courgette Flower Fritters and Tomato-basil Broth

Raw Muscade de Provence Pumpkin Salad with Baby Spinach and Avocado

Pumpkin, Pistachio and Sage Ravioli with a Saffron Cheese Sauce

Roast Sweet Dumpling Squash with Lemon, Sage and Cannellini Beans

Roast Sweet Dumpling Squash with Mushroom and Kale Stuffing (and Gravy)

Gazpacho of Tomatillo and Cucumber with Avocado and Almonds

Tomatillo Salsa

Gingered Pumpkin Chutney

Gingered Gooseberry Chutney

Aubergine and Cime di Rapa with Chillies, Feta, and a Citrus and Pomegranate Dressing

Sweet and Hot Pepper Stew with Squash, Aubergine, Tomatoes and Borlotti Beans

Roasted Baby Aubergine with Lemon Basil, Chilli, Caperberries and Sheep’s Cheese

Aubergine Parcels of Haloumi and Rocket with Roast Garlic and Shallot Raita

Sundried tomato pesto

Rosa Bianca Aubergine with Chard and Pine Nut Filling and Roasted Pepper Sauce

Gooseberry Fool with Elderflower Syrup

Gooseberry and Elderflower Rippled Parfait

Spice-marinated Figs with Honey, Thyme and Yoghurt Ice Cream and Sesame Brittle

Growing in the dark

The holy trinity of roots: carrots, parsnips and turnips

Beet, the pickled root

The intriguing divergence of celeriac and its cousin celery

Sunchoke, Jerusalem artichoke, topinambour…what’s in a name?

One man’s yam is another man’s oca

Do growers dream of coconut-flavoured roots?

The lazy acre of spuds and other bad press for a miracle food

Purple potatoes, ancient but newly exotic

Hidden plants bring sweet rewards

Under a bucket, a sheltered delicate jewel – seakale

Unlocking the powerful mystery of mushrooms

The imperfect harmony of cooks and growers

Celeriac Fritters with Caper and Rosemary Aïoli

Cabbage Timbale of Celeriac and Chestnuts with Porcini and Oyster Mushroom Sauce

Beetroot and Pomegranate Tabbouleh with Orange-marinated Feta

Braised Carrots with Spices and Cider

Braised Scorzonera with Star Anise

Sunchoke Cream Soup with Sheep’s Cheese Risotto Balls and Truffle Oil

Warm Salad of Roasted Oca and Pak Choi with Peanut, Lime and Coriander Dressing

New Potato and Summer Vegetable Soup with Salsa Verde and Mascarpone

Seakale with Lemon Thyme Butter and Pine Nuts

Salsify, Carrot and Mushroom Stew with Cider-tarragon Cream and Smoked Cheese Polenta

Oca with Spinach, Coconut and Cashews

Swede Turnip and Leek Curry

Shiitake Mushrooms with Aubergine, Mustard Leaves, Coconut and Rice Noodles

Thyme and Wild Garlic Mash with Sprouting Broccoli, Sweet and Hot Peppers and Puy Lentils

Gratin of Crushed Potato, Spinach, Spiced Aubergine and Fresh Goat’s Cheese with Thyme and Caper Cream

Parsnip, Fennel and Quinoa Pilaf with Pickled Lemon, Mint and Coriander, and a Harissa-yoghurt Sauce

Caramelised Beetroot with Caraway and Walnuts

Galette of Braised Turnip, Portobello Mushroom and Pecans with a Red Wine Sauce

Turnip and Gabriel Cheese Mezzaluna with Sage Butter, Pecans and Shallots

Grilled Portobello Mushrooms with Potato Pancakes and Tarragon Cream

Root Vegetable Crisps

Parsnip Chips

Roast Parsnip Mash

Roast Sunchoke Risotto with Lemon-thyme Oil

Oyster Mushrooms in Sherry Vinegar on a Leek and Sheep’s Cheese Frittata

Index

Acknowledgements

About the author

Copyright

About the Publisher

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To the memory of my father, Michael Cotter, a frequent and often unexpected guiding presence during the writing of this book.

THOMAS JEFFERSON

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Most watercress is now commercially grown in carefully controlled flowing water beds, an industry that already goes back over two hundred years. The watercress we use in Paradiso comes from a source that is somewhere between the wild and controlled. It is grown in a deep pond in the bend of a stream on a small vegetable farm in West Cork. The pond was created in the late 1970s by a number of very enlightened blow-ins who began their lives here as self-sufficiency advocates, moved on to trading and bartering amongst themselves, and eventually took the bold step of selling excess produce to the public. Fatefully, they formed a co-op. From there it was the usual slide towards outbreaks of feuding, accusations of capitalism, fascism and plain old fraud. The good ones are still round and about, still growing and sometimes selling great food. Luckily the stream and the cress survived not only the fall-out, but numerous changes of ownership of the property that the stream flows through. Each time the farm changes hands, I fear for the future of our watercress supply.

Somehow it’s not surprising that research is well advanced on the attributes of watercress that are believed to be cancer inhibitors. This is a very modern take on a plant that has been seen as a miracle for as long as humans have been eating it. Way back as far as Greek and Roman times, and continuously through the centuries since, watercress has been revered for qualities beyond its simple nutritional content. At various times it has been credited with the powers of everything from curing freckles and hangovers to reversing baldness and restoring lost beauty; and it has been extolled as, among many other things, an aphrodisiac and an intellectual stimulant.

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