British Herb Trade Association has joined forces with top chef John Torode to launch a search for the nations Herb Hero, which will begin in January 2011.  Here’s what they had to say about the competition

While much of the food industry has been feeling the pinch during the recession, there is one category which has flourished.  Fresh herbs saw a rise in sales as consumers went ‘back to basics’ and to cooking meals from scratch. However, while one third of us use fresh herbs, that still leaves many who do not.  The British Herb Trade Association has joined forces with top chef John Torode, to launch a nationwide cookery competition in a bid to help change this.

For thousands of years, herbs have been used to add flavour and aroma to a wide range of dishes and have long been known for their health properties.  They can transform the most ordinary meals into something extraordinary.  And now The British Herb Trade Association is launching a search for ‘the nation’s Herb Heroes;’ looking for incredible food from real people, who are transforming everyday meals with fresh herbs. So if you love food, love cooking and want to share your innovative herb recipes with the nation, or simply relish the idea of showing off your culinary expertise, this is your chance to shine.

Leon Mundey of the British Herb Trade Association says: “We’re always on the lookout for new and exciting fresh herb recipes.  Perhaps you have a great family recipe which has been handed down through the generations or just love to come up with new ideas. We believe that when it comes to cooking, Britain really has got talent. So whether you love cooking, love fresh herbs, or think you can give Jamie Oliver or Nigella Lawson a run for their money, we’d love you to enter the competition.  If you don’t like being the star of the show, then we urge you to log on to fresh-herbs.co.uk and simply vote for your favourites.”

John Torode, chef and restaurateur says: “This is a great competition for people who love cooking and who understand the importance of using fresh herbs to transform ordinary meals into something really special.  The best chefs know that fresh is best and herbs are no exception. Fresh herbs can elevate recipes to something really extraordinary.  The balance of herbs in a recipe can make or break a dish with the correct combination exuding taste, freshness, flavour and aroma.”

To enter, simply create a home-video of yourself cooking up your creation.  You can record your demonstration on a mobile phone, camera or camcorder. Then go to www.fresh-herbs.co.uk/competition to follow instructions to upload it from January 2011.  Videos should be no longer than 4 minutes and all entrants must be UK residents. Entrants will be judged by both the public and the competition organisers, according to their cooking skills, recipe, competence in the kitchen, but also their star quality as a presenter.  Most importantly we want to see enthusiasm for food and great use of fresh herbs.

If you don’t have access to the internet, simply send your herb recipe and a picture of the finished dish, along with your contact details to HERB HEROES, Mustard Communications, 5th Floor, Regal House, 70 London Road, Twickenham, TW1 3QS.

The top three entrants will be invited to the cook off in London as well as being treated to a 2 night stay in London for themselves and a guest, with the overall winner picking up the top prize of £2,500.

There is also a junior category for budding chefs aged 7-16 years.

So if you think you can make a meal of herbs, turn up the heat and get cooking!  The competition opens in January 2011 and all entries must be uploaded by Friday 6^th May 2011, with the cook off taking place on Tuesday 24^th May 2011 in London.

This year’s theme is ‘Cooking for Victory’ in response to WRAPS “household Food and Drink Waste in the UK” report. The report shows we throw away 8.3 million tonnes of food and drink every year. Most of this is avoidable and could have been eaten if we had planned, stored and managed it better. This amount of food waste costs the average family in Britain £50 per month. And in these economic times, that’s £50 per month few of us can spare. What could you do with that £600 you’d save in a year? And if that’s only the average, then some of us are wasting a whole lot more than that…

We have made our own pledge, to publish this “handy guide to eating left-overs”, which we really hope you’ll:

1) find useful,

and, more importantly,

2) add your own ideas to, using the Comments field down there.

Alternatively, rather than adding your ideas here, why not add them to Mrs G’s website and put yourself in the running to win one of the two great prizes that she has up for grabs: a £50 LUSH voucher and £50 Natural Collection voucher!

Click through for the “Handy Guide to Eating Left-overs“

winner: sebastien durieu!

Thanks to all the wonderful folks that submitted their recipes for the “Grown in Britain” Prize Draw.

The recipe lucky enough to be pulled from the bag was submitted by Sebastien Durieu from Glasgow. Thanks so much, Sebastien – we really hope you enjoy the book!

If you weren’t lucky this time round, don’t despair, you can still buy a discounted (20% off) copy of this book at www.dk.com. Simply enter the code VIPbonus at the checkout to receive your 20% discount. Offer ends 31st December 2009, while stocks last.

Click through for the recipe for Sebastien Durieu’s Courgette Cake, and for a chocolate variation too!

you could nab a free copy!

Courgettes are in their main season in the UK in June, July, August and September, and we’re celebrating their arrival on the Summer scene with:

• a “Spotlight” article,
• some brand new recipes and serving suggestions courtesy of the gorgeous seasonal cookbook “Grown in Britain”, and
• a “Grown in Britain” book prize draw, in partnership with the publisher, Dorling Kindersley.

Find out more over on our sister site, www.ooffoo.com.

Stay tuned for the next Fruit Feature … Raspberries!

what's your favourite?

I have no idea whether there really is a collective noun for sandwiches, but in my case, I think it would be a “snarf” (thanks to PVH for introducing me to this word!).

As in, if I see a plate full of sandwiches, I usually end up “snarfing” most of them myself.

May 10th-16th will be British Sandwich Week. In honour and in preparation, we’re using our sister-site, ooffoo.com, to host an “ooffoo round of sandwiches“.

We’ve contributed three seasonally scrumptious sandwich recipes to the round-up, and are inviting everyone we know to submit their own favourites to the list. Really special recipes will be added to the VegBox Recipes database, with your names on them of course, and also to the ooffoo recipes listings.

So read on to check out our sarnie recipes and to share yours : )

To make up for it, we thought we’d have a St. George’s Day recipe challenge, in preparation for April 23rd.

Fancy having your name in lights not only here on the blog, but also on the VegBox Recipes main site AND over on our sister site, ooffoo?

Then all you need to do is submit a recipe for something scrumptiously traditional that uses seasonal ingredients … And we’ll announce the winner at the beginning of April.

Now then … cabbage, spinach, spring onions, watercress … which ingredients will they choose to use?

what did st george eat (other than dragon, that is) ?

earth day

“Rising concern about the environmental crisis is sweeping the nation’s campuses with an intensity that may be on its way to eclipsing student discontent over the war in Vietnam…a national day of observance of environmental problems…is being planned for next spring…”

That national day of observance has now become an international and annual event called Earth Day. And it takes place on April 22nd.

Which gives us just over a month to plan something :O

Now, given the VBR passion for seasonal eating and for growing our own food, it seems sensible to play to our strengths. And I personally have been promising myself that one day I will organise something designed to help create a more friendly community in the street where I live. So I guess this is my chance.

But I can’t decide exactly what to do. And that’s why I need you, dear reader!

1. Please vote in the poll to help me choose between three ideas:

2. And then please use the comments box down there to share ideas on how you plan to use Earth Day to promote seasonal / local / organic eating or “victory gardening”.

We’ll pick all the events we really like, publicise them for you here, and even see if we can get a bit of radio or print publicity for you when we issue our own press releases announcing whichever event gets the most votes.

Can’t wait to hear from you!

The VegBox Team

sprouts away!

We just had to do it.

Like the roots we’re also saying goodbye to in March, it’s their last month with us before they pack their cases (like the picture?!) and migrate to cooler climes, not to return until December. And a little like this month’s other Veggie-in-the-Spotlight, they’re still misunderstood and they still haven’t made it to the sunglasses-sporting veggie A-list.

So, here’s some stuff that you may not have known about Brussels Sprouts:
1. They were cultivated in Belgium from cabbages. Hence the name.
2. They’re an excellent source of Vitamin C, with just 6 lightly cooked sprouts containing an adult’s recommended daily allowance. They’re also packed with Vitamin D and folic acid, which are both common deficiencies in our modern diet.
3. If cooked right, they should have a pleasant, nutty flavour.
4. Like cauliflower, it’s the sulphur released during cooking that gives Brussels Sprouts their infamous smell. So the less time you cook them for, the less they’ll stink!
5. They’re migratory*.

*OK, no they’re not. But it’s a funny thought.

How To Choose

• If you have the option, get your sprouts still on the stalk, because they’ll keep for longer.
• If you’ve got them already off the stalk, choose sprouts that still feel firm, with as little yellowing of the outer leaves as possible.

How To Store

• They keep for longer if still on the stalk – up to 10 days in the fridge.
• If already detached from the stalk, they’ll keep for about 5 days in the salad drawer of your fridge

Our Favourite Brussels Recipes

Remember the annual “sprout peddling” competition?

Here are the winning recipes, past and present:

three sprouty winners

Sauteed Brussels and Apple – still our favourite, thanks to Nadja.

Garlic & Almond Sprouts - a creamy dish that has converted several friends…

Brussels Sprout & Pine Nut Salad – no chance of stink with this one, and the balsamic works perfectly!

So be honest, folks – will you be giving Brussels a sumptuous send off? Or are you determined to hand them their hats?

the competition

And the winner of this year’s “Sprout Peddling Contest” is…

One Ms Nadja Sumichrast from Brixton!

Nadja actually truly did it. She submitted a recipe, right before the metaphorical whistle blew, and when I tasted it my very first thought was “oh botheration, I wish I’d made more!”

That does not happen to me when it comes to Brussels!

Thanks to everyone who submitted recipes, with a special thank you to Elizabeth Smith’s dog Millie! (Dog owners, we strongly recommend you read Millie’s suggestions.)

Here is the winning recipe, which earns Nadja a copy of the very beautiful “Grow Organic” courtesy of Natural Collection.

Ingredients:
(Serves 4 as part of a Christmas lunch)

I really did make it!

24 Brussels Sprouts
1 Apple
50g butter
3 tbsps olive oil

Method:

1. Whilst gently heating the butter and olive oil together in a heavy bottomed saucepan, prepare the sprouts and chop them into quarters
2. Add to the heated oil and butter and cook for 5 minutes, tossing gently in the pan now and then, until they just start to brown
3. Grate in the apple (skin too, if the apple is organic) and stir through the Brussels, cooking for another couple of minutes
4. Serve and devour!

So, will you be trying out Nadja’s recipe this week? If not, how will you be serving up your Brussels?

The VegBox Team

PS don’t forget, you can access hundreds more seasonal recipes on the main site.

get voting!

Hot off the press! Voting is now open for the 2008 UK Veg Box Awards, this year being affectionately dubbed the “Golden Gourds”!

If you get a veg box, read more about the awards and get voting now on the VegBox-Recipes.co.uk homepage.

You can rate your veg box provider on quality of produce, locality of produce and value for money, as well as telling us what they’re doing well and what they could do to improve.

And if you run a veg box scheme, read more about the awards here, and don’t forget to let all your customers know where to vote.  After all, you’ve got to be in it to win it!

Look out for the results in February’s newsletter*

The VegBox Team

*not signed up for the newsletter? Easily fixed! Just click here.