We Grow Our OwnWhat we grow, what we cook, what we eat …

Thank you for all of your entries for this month’s competition, and now it is time to reveal the prizes and the finalists for this month.

The winner of this month’s competition will be the lucky recipient of a 20cm Chef’s Knife, which has been donated by Franco of Chroma Knives and Sausagemaking.org.

It truly is a thing of beauty, and is designed by F.A. Porsche. It will have to be prised from my fingers to post onto the lucky winner!

The winner will also receive a copy of ‘The Garden to Kitchen Expert’ by Judith Wills & Dr D G Hessayon. I’ll be reviewing this later in the week.

Remember that you choose the winner of this month’s competition, so once you have chosen your favourite, continue down to the bottom of the blog, and complete the form to register your vote. You might want to cook some of these recipes too to help you decide which one is your favourite.

The vote closes at 12 noon on 26th April, so get voting!

Here are this month’s finalists …

Choclette’s Rhubarb & Ginger Fool

Chop 5 sticks of rhubarb into 1 inch pieces. Simmer in a pan with the juice of 1 orange, 2 tbsp sugar and 1oz chopped crystallised ginger for about 5 minutes until the rhubarb is soft.

Puree the rhubarb with a stick blender and left to cool. Remove some of the juice then fold in 3 tbsp Greek yogurt. Decorate with some chopped crystallised ginger.

Choclette has a fantastic chocolate related blog which “explores the joys of cooking healthy and delicious chocolate recipes using good quality ingredients – preferably local and organic.”

Monica’s Spiced White Beans and Swiss Chard with Tomatoes

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
3 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp hing / asafoetida
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1.5 cups of cannellini beans, chickpeas or other bean
1 large bunch of swiss chard. roughly chopped
1 large tomato, diced into large chunks

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pan (or pot) on medium heat. Add the cumin and fennel seeds and let them sizzle a bit. When they start to turn a few shades darker, add the tomato puree and enough water to create a thick gravy.

2. Add the hing, oregano, basil, beans and a pinch of salt and bring to a simmer.

3. Add the swiss chard and tomato and cover the pot with the lid.

4. After a few minutes, check the pot. The swiss chard should be wilted, but not overdone (cooking too long can turn the swiss chard brown and ugly). And there should be enough sauce to nicely coat everything. Add water if needed. Check the seasoning. Then serve while the chard is still green and lively.

Serve it with crusty bread or basmati rice for a complete meal.

Monica is, in her own words, “a freelance writer, entrepreneur, and aspiring chef.” She also has her own blog.

Sheila’s Lemon and Rhubarb Cake with Rhubarb Compote

4oz Self Raising Flour
4oz Caster Sugar
Juice of Half a Lemon
4oz Sunflower Margarine
2 Eggs
1 Tspn Baking Powder
rhubarb Compote
6 Sticks of Rhubarb, washed and cut into bite sized pieces, little
water and sugar to sweeten and cooked in microwave till tender.

Whisk all the ingredients (except rhubarb) with an electric whisk.

Put into a greased cake tin, layering with half of the rhubarb pieces until you finish with a layer of the cake mixture.

Bake Gas 3 for around 40-50 minutes.

Serve warm with a side of Rhubarb Compote and if liked, a dollop of either cream or yoghurt.

Lynn’s Rhubarb & White Chocolate Muffins

1c butter
1/2c sugar
2c self-raising flour
1c natural yogurt
2 1/2c rhubarb, chopped into small peices
1/2c white chocolate, finely chopped
1 egg

Cream together the butter and sugar.
Beat in the egg.
Mix in the flour and yogurt, don’t over beat, mixture should still be
a bit lumpy.
Gently stir in the rhubarb and chocolate.
Fill muffin tins (or paper cases) 3/4 full.
Bake for 25 mins at 350F.
Makes about 15 muffins.

Kathryn’s Lovely Simple Broccoli Omelette

2 Eggs
A sprig of purple sprouting broccoli
A sprig of thyme
2 spring onions
3 mushrooms
Hard goats cheese or manchego
Salt & Pepper
Unsalted butter

Melt a little butter in a pan and add chopped broccoli including stalks
and leaves. Fry for a few minutes and add mushrooms. Cook for 5
minutes and set aside.
Whisk eggs & add salt & pepper to taste.
Melt butter in frying pan.
Add eggs and mix lightly to cook slightly.
Pour on veg and grate on some cheese.
Fold over in half and cook for a 2-3 minutes, flip over, cook for a
few more until no more egg flow out.
Plate up with a seasonal dressed salad, cup of tea and toast

Darren’s sumac roasted Ashbourne pork fillet, 48hr belly pork, broccoli puree, dried black pudding, cider and spring onions

Sous vide belly pork 48 hrs, Sous vide fillet 55C 30 mins dusted in sumac.

Pan fry finish the fillet, dehydrate black pudding and Thermomix it. Make a cider jus, broccoli puree also thermomix and blanch the spring onions.

Serve as shown in the photo.

Darren is a chef at Losehill House Hotel in the Peak District.