JANUARY:

The following recipes have been designed to be as true to the month of January as possible, using only British produce and sourced as locally as possible. The following protein sources are ideas in possible replacements for more conventional meats, fish and even soya, which are now found to be detrimental to the environment in the way they are farmed, caught, or even shipped from further afield.

GOATS MILK & ROSE HIP PORRIDGE

Full of vitamin C, rosehip, is easy to preserve as tea, jam, or even as a concentrated syrup. Coupled with an energy food like oats, which are good for lowering cholesterol and packed full of fibre, this porridge is a great start to the day, especially during the colder months. Like a lot of unprocessed grain, oats also contains phytochemicals, a chemical that lowers the chances of cancer. Compared to soya milk and cow’s milk, goat's milk is high in essential fats, amino acids and high in protein content. It’s rich and creamy flavour sometimes has a slightly salty undertone that works well in cooking, especially in porridge. Goats are easier and more economical to farm compared to cows. They eat scraps, take up less space, and unlike cows their milk doesn’t have to be homogenized.

Ingredients

1 Cup Scottish oats
2 Cups goat's milk
1 tbsp Rosehip tea, loose
Handful of Dried Rosehip
Honey to taste

Method

In a saucepan bring the goat's milk and loose rosehip tea, to a boil. Turn down and allow to simmer for a further minuet. Strain and return the infused milk to the saucepan. Gently heat, adding the oats and the dried rosehip, stirring continuously on a simmer for four to five minuets or until the milk thickens and the oats are cooked. Drizzle with honey, and serve piping hot.

CRISPY GNOCCHI WITH MUSHROOM GRAVY AND CHEDDAR

Gnocchi is a classic Italian staple made from potato. In England we are lucky to be abundant in many different varieties of spuds. Using standard British ingredients, this dish is a twist on an Italian favourite. Meatless, but still rich in protein and carbohydrates. This dish is filling and warming and is perfectly satisfactory for winter blues. Cold pressed rapeseed oil is used, as it’s more sustainable British oil. Subtler in taste then olive oil it also doesn’t overpower the palate. Perfect for when you want the ingredients to speak for themselves.

Ingredients

2 Large Nadines or Maris Pipers, skinned, and cut into large chunks
1 Cup plain flour
One large red onion
2 Cloves of garlic
Chestnut mushrooms, quartered
One large red onion, thinly sliced
½ pint of Vegetable stock
Cold pressed Rape Seed Oil
Salt & pepper to season


Method

Boil the skinned potatoes till fully cooked and ready to mash. Mash to a smooth consistency whilst still hot. Sieve in the flour and mix well. Turn out onto a wooden board, or surface and knead with hands until the gnocchi mixture is slightly glutinous. Divide the mixture into six, and roll each section into long cylinders then cut into walnut sized pieces. Put to one side and leave to dry out.

Bring enough water to boil for the gnocchi in a saucepan. In that time, heat up some rapeseed oil in a frying pan, and fry the thinly sliced onions and crushed garlic till tinged. Add the roughly chopped mushroom, giving them plenty of space to colour. Add the vegetable stock to the mushrooms and season well, then allow to reduce.

Whist the mushroom gravy reduces, add the gnocchi pieces to boiling water. Once they float to the surface, drain then fry in a hot frying pan of rapeseed oil. Stir regularly. Once the pieces turn crispy golden, remove from pan, and serve with the mushroom sauce and a liberal grating of cheddar cheese.

DUCK PROSCIUTTO

Preserving meat, and curing is a simple method that anyone could do at home. Cured meats keep for a while, and are good cures for protein cravings due to the concentrated meaty flavours. A simple thing to start with is duck prosciutto, as long as the distinctive taste for duck has been acquired, and there is the vision to experiment with a strong ducky flavour.

Curing at home means personal preferences of tastes can be worked into the meat. Here the duck is cured with bay leaves, pepper and marjoram. Really simple, but some strong flavours to counteract that of the duck.

Ingredients

1 Mallard Duck breast
9 Peppercorns
3 Bay leaves
Handful of dry marjoram

Enough gauze to wrap the duck breast
String

Method

Salt the duck breast over night. Rinse, and pat dry, then add herbs and spices. Wrapped in gauze and tied it up in string, as you would a roasting joint. Weigh, and label them with their weight. Hang them up in a dark dry area, away from anything that may want to have a nibble. The back of my shed is ideal, as is an empty dark fridge. It is essential there is good air circulation. Weigh them every other day until they go down in weight by 30%.

The duck can be sliced and served with a salad, in pasta, with bread, or simply enjoyed by itself.

CHESTNUT & LARDON SOUP

Chestnuts are full of protein and energy. Although they’re only available during the colder months, they are easy to preserve buy peeling, cooking, and storing in airtight bags. This soup also keeps in the fridge for a couple of days, and is a great snack if you’re feeling peckish. It’s filling and very hearty, and best of all, the vegetables in this recipe are easy to grow at home. Bacon lardons are equally cheap from the butchers, and are only an optional garnish.

Ingredients

Bacon lardons
5 Sticks of celery
1 Large white onion
1 Large leek
1 Medium sized carrot
Approximately 30 peeled and roasted chestnuts
Sprigs of Thyme
Rapeseed oil
Salt & pepper to season

Method

Chop up the vegetables into small chunks. Fry in a small amount of oil, on a high heat till the vegetables turn brown, but do not burn. This requires constant stirring. Add the chestnuts and the thyme leaves, and continue to stir for a further 5 minuets. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer on a low heat for 30 minuets. Leave to cool down, before blending.

In this time, get on frying the bacon lardons in a very hot pan. There is no need to add oil, as the fat on the lardons should be sufficient. Once crisped up, turn out onto some kitchen towels. Blend the soup in a blender. Return to the pan and heat up again. Serve with the lardons, and optional croutons or bread.

DAMSON BBQ EELS

Eels are fresh water fish, with a firm flesh, rich in flavour but not at all fishy. They’re rich in omega 3 and protein, more so then most conventional fish. Available nearly all year round, these 'beauties' are ignored as a delectable, mainly due to their snake like features. In fact, because of the slithery shape of the eel, with no fins and smaller more compact bones, there tends to be little waste. The rich, firm textural nature of the fish means it can handle a strong sauce. In this case, a BBQ sauce using only British ingredients. Preserved damson jam is sticky, sweet and sour. Smothered on the fish, this BBQ mixture creates a great sauce as it amalgamates with the fat of the fish. Served with a purple sprouting broccoli stir-fry or celeriac chips, this has potential to be either an oriental fusion or a new British classic.

Ingredients

1kg Eel, filleted
½ Cup Damson/Plum Jam
½ Cup Honey
¼ Cup Mushroom Ketchup
3 Cloves Crushed Garlic
Rape Seed Oil
Sesame seeds optional garnish

Method

Add the damson jam, honey, mushrooms and garlic to a saucepan and bring to a slow simmer. Allow the garlic to cook off.

Rub some oil on the skin of the eel, and place on a hot griddle. Once the skin begins to crisp up, add the sauce over the soft flesh. Place under the grill to finish off, basting the eels with the sauce from time to time. The eel will only need a few minuets under the grill depending on the thickness of the flesh. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds for added flavour and texture.

CRUNCHY CRICKET STIR FRY, WITH DEHYDRATED BEETS & LEEKS

Pearl barley is a great substitute for rice. Produced in the UK, it has less food miles then rice, and is healthier as it releases energy slowly. Beetroot and leek are both flavoursome and compliment each other well.

Dehydrating can be done at home with a conventional oven and concentrates the flavours, and also keeps for a few days in the fridge. In this case, dehydrating the leeks and beetroot makes the dish less stodgy and stops the beetroot turning the whole dish purple.

Insects are high in nutritional value and low in fat. 9kg of locust contains enough protein to keep a person sustained for just over a month.


Not only are they really very good for you, they are much more energy efficient and economical to farm. They need less feed, less space, and less maintenance. The breed quicker, produce larger numbers and have shorter life cycles, so there is a quicker turn over. Insects also have less chance of carrying a disease, as they are so different to humans and can be controlled, compared to pigs and cows.


Insects can be cultivated at home, and need not be killed before eating. Crickets take on the flavour of anything they’re feed, so it’s recommended to feed the crickets on fruit or herby leaves for a few days before cooking. A The day before cooking, place the crickets in the freezer, as this allows them to fall into a deep sleep, making the cooking process easier and preventing any guilty feelings.

Ingredients

2 Cups Pearl Barley
4 Cups Chicken stock
Fresh Grated Beetroot
Thinly sliced Leeks
Field Crickets
Rapeseed Oil
Salt & pepper to season

Method

Start by making the pearl barley. The process is time consuming, but made in large batches, can keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. Place the pearl in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Place over heat and bring to a boil. Drain, and rinse thoroughly under cold water. This washes of the starch and prevents the pearls from sticking to each other. Return the barley to the pan and cover with cold chicken stock. Bring up to the boil, then reduce and let simmer for an hour and a half, stirring occasionally.

To dehydrate, pre heat the oven on to 100 degrees Celcius. Cover two baking trays with greaseproof paper, and spread the beetroot on one, and the leeks on the other. Place on the bottom shelf in the oven, and leave the oven door ajar. After about an hour, the beetroot and leek should have turned crispy. For even dehydration, carefully move the small pieces around every so often.

To cook the crickets, heat up some oil in a frying pan. Once the oil starts to steam, place the crickets in and cook for about 2 minuets on each side, depending on the size. Place on tissue paper and allow to cool.

Heat up some oil in a wok and add the barley, beetroot, and leeks till heated up. Assemble plate, and sprinkle liberally with the crispy crickets. The legs are especially delicious, as are the heads.

RABBIT LIVER & FARM HOUSE CIDER PATE

Rabbits are available all year round, and are even considered to be pests to rural farmers. The heart, liver and kidneys of the rabbit are all edible, and very delicious. Rabbits are suitable to farm and rear in both rural and urban environments, and are reasonably simple to keep. If you can get beyond the idea of eating Thumper, then you will find the meat to be texturally very similar to chicken, but leaner and more flavoursome. Rabbit liver is especially tasty, and this recipe for rabbit liver pate, brings out the subtler flavours of the game.

Ingredients

2 Rabbit livers
1 White onion, diced finely
Handful of parsley stalks
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Good quality cider
50 grams salted butter
250 ml whisked double cream
Salt & pepper to season

Method

Fry the onion in some oil with the parsley stalks, until the stalks wilt and the onions start to turn brown. Add the livers to the pan and sear on either side, then add the cider to the pan and a pinch of nutmeg. After the sauce has reduced, and the livers are coloured, but not entirely cooked, drain and blend with the butter in a food processor. Once blended to a fine consistency, fold into the whisked cream. Once the mixture is evenly mixed, pour into ramekins, and leave to set in the fridge for 4 hours. Serve with crusty bread, or oat cakes.