Thursday 8 May 2008

My veg box challenge


Have just picked up my veg box and this is what's in it:

1 medium-sized cauliflower
1 spring cabbage - hispi, I think
A bag of mixed salad leaves (enough for 2)
4 medium courgettes (435g)
4 leeks (450g)
4 medium carrots (445g)
and just over a kilo of potatoes

My first reaction is that even though this is organic produce it's quite expensive for £8.50 - probably about £1 more than I'd pay in a shop. I'd expect to pay that if they delivered it but we had to collect it.

The produce looks reasonably fresh except for the cauliflower which feels a bit limp.

There are no onions which is a bit of a pain as it means I'll have to substitute leeks (for which I can think of better uses) or go out and buy some. And the shops - apart from ever-open Tesco - are now shut

And cabbage is not exactly what I feel like eating in this weather. But it's hardly the fault of the growers that we've suddenly plunged into a heatwave.

The key to not wasting a veg box I've discovered from previous experience is to decide what needs to be used up first - in this case the salad leaves and the cauliflower. The courgettes and leeks should be used next then the cabbage and finally the carrots and potatoes which have a protective covering of earth.

Off to the kitchen . . .

2 comments:

Rhubarb Fool said...

"The key to not wasting a veg box I've discovered from previous experience is to decide what needs to be used up first."

I agree. Rule 1 is to eat the green leafy stuff first (unless it's a winter cabbage or kale which keeps), rule 2 is to turn the leftover root veg into soup at the end of the week. I stopped having a veg box when I went back to work because I didn't have time to do the regular soup session.

That cauliflower and anchovy salad looks delicious!

Fiona Beckett said...

Problem is I don't want root veg soup at this time of year! Am thinking carrot and potato salads (not in the same recipe, obviously) But what I really crave is asparagus. Roll on Wednesday's farmers' market . . .

UA-3466976-1