Food sessions update

THE PAST TWO YEARS: PUTTING MYATT’S ON THE MAP FOR GREAT, FRESH, LOCAL FOOD

We were awarded £55,280 by the Big Lottery Fund’s Local Food scheme and began our food project in April 2011. We knew that this area was rich in food culture, and that there were many talented local people who could pass on their knowledge of food from around the world. We wanted to give them the opportunity to cook with fresh vegetables and fruit grown in the greenhouse and to unite people in the simple act of eating together. Here’s what has happened since:

FOOD HEROES We have employed 50 Food Heroes who have taught 113 sessions over two years, including sharing knowledge about British, Jamaican, Eritrean, Ivory Coast, Nigerian, Mexican, north African, Russian, African, Indian, Aruban, Dutch, Polish, French, Italian, Brazilian, Mexican, Thai, Colombian and Japanese food as well as baking, pickling and preserving.

The sessions have included regular Saturday morning teaching sessions followed by a shared lunch, as well as cooking and giving away food at events and a greenhouse open day lunch on the first Sunday of every month. Local people say they have loved sitting around the table in our depot, sharing food and conversation and learning about each other’s food. Several of our Food Heroes volunteer at our retired people’s lunch and at other people’s food hero sessions, contributing their wisdom, competence and time for the benefit of other people and in support of the project.

YOUNG FOOD HEROES We have run 49 sessions of the young food heroes since autumn 2011. These have included regular sessions for children at Loughborough Primary School, who visited the park in groups of up to 7 children and picked vegetables or fruit and then cooked them with our food manager. We have also run an ice cream parlour, worked with young people from Charles Edward Brooke School and held pancake day celebrations and a barbeque for a football tournament.

RETIRED PEOPLE’S LUNCH AND FAMILY COOK AND EAT BREAKFASTS We have run 83 sessions of the retired people’s lunch and 76 sessions of the family cook and eat breakfast club. Both have been extremely successful, with increasing numbers so that we regularly have more than 20 people at the retired people’s lunch, and up to 30 at the parents’ breakfast club.

 

We aim to:

* continue the retired people’s lunch with the remaining funding from Local Food until end June, and have applied to Peter Minet Trust for funding to run this from July 2013 – June 2014.

* work with parent volunteers to continue running the parents’ breakfast club, and have two volunteers who are committed to this. If anyone is interested in volunteering, we would be very happy to hear from you. We will provide food safety training and will oversee health and safety for the sessions.

 

THE FUTURE

In June we will start a new World Food project. This will involve working with local cooks to map the history of Caribbean food. We want to trace the roots of this melting pot cuisine to Africa, Europe and the Americas, using local people’s knowledge, and then to create an interactive on-line map and resources that capture this knowledge. We also want to run workshops for children, teenagers and parents where local people pass on their knowledge and skills. We want to work with local cooks of all nationalities to develop a cuisine which is uniquely Myatt’s, teasing apart and building on the fusion that is Caribbean food. The whole project will be masterminded by a group of local people who can help design workshops, events and activities that will have maximum impact and reach the greatest number of people. Come to the consultation meeting in June.

Cook school: we will work over the next year to develop plans for a cook school at Myatt’s. This could include paid for lessons in a range of cooking skills (all based on using food freshly picked from the greenhouse), as well as some social activities. The cook school will provide accredited training for unemployed young people, who will work in the café and provide catering for events and activities in the park.

 

If you are interested in getting involved, you can:

* Help us map the history of Caribbean and its roots in Africa, Europe and the Americas

* Help us run the parents breakfast club

* Sign up as a Food Hero – we will be needing lots of people to teach other people to cook and to cook for events and activities. We will provide training and all needed support

The Little Cat Cafe update

This weekend the Little Cat Cafe will be open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10.30am-5pm.  Saturday and Sunday should be marvelous so come down to get some sun and fresh air. The Thai menu for this weekend will be:

stir-fry chicken with basil

vegetable green curry

steamed rice

Portions each serve two people and cost 5 for meat dish and 3.50 for vegetarian. With every order over 10 you will get a free pot of daffodils and this weekend we have two varieties!

This Saturday, 9am till 4pm we will be participating in Camberwell Food and Drink Festival. Our cafe manager, Monique, will demonstrate how to make patties at 10.30am.

We will also have a stall where Orn, our Food Hero and a guest chef at the Little Cat Cafe, will be selling Thai curry, patties and various cakes.  In addition to the regular cafe offer, we will also have lemonade, strawberry lemonade, tamarind drink  and beetroot and carrot juice. They will be sold cold (as Saturday will be a hot summer day;) from our ice-cream bicycle.

Come for a day of fun for the whole family which launches a week of activities under the umbrella of Camberwell Food and Drink Festival.  Saturday, 20th April, 9am-4pm, Camberwell Green, SE5

Swinda’s recipes – Food Heroes session, 6th April

Stir Fry Vegetable and Noodles with tasty meat free Chicken Style Pieces

Ingredients

Garlic

Carrots

Baby corn

Green pepper

French beans

Tender stem Broccoli

Dried Noodles

Ginger

Chilli pepper

Coriander

Spring onions

Light Soy Sauce

Olive oil

Chicken pieces

Method

1. In a pan, bring water to boil, add pinch of salt and 2tbsp olive oil, when it begins to boil, take off heat and add noodles and separate with a fork, strain under cold water and set aside.

2. Chop all the vegetables in bit size and set aside.

3. Chop ginger, garlic, chilli pepper, coriander and spring onions, set aside.

4. In a wok add a little oil and when it is hot add, ginger, garlic, chilli pepper and stir fry for about 1 minute, set aside.

5. In the same wok add a little oil and add chicken pieces, cook for 2minutes and set aside.

6. Add chopped vegetables and stir fry with a little oil for 2 minutes and begin to add all the other prepared ingredients, little by little, until it is all mixed together.

Add some chopped coriander spring onion and chilli on top when serving.

Apple Tarte Tatin

Ingredients

375g puff pastry

165g caster sugar

50g unsalted butter

8 Cox’s apples

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Method

 Preheat oven to 190C/170C fan/Gas5.

1. On a floured surface, roll puff pastry into a fairly thick, 25cm circle, then refrigerate until needed.

2. Heat the caster sugar, in an ovenproof frying pan or heavy cake tin. Keep the heat medium-low and don’t stir; let the sugar melt until it turns to liquid, swirling by tipping the pan. Bring to the boil and cook for a few minutes until its caramel in colour.

3. Remove from the heat and whisk in unsalted butter, cut into pieces, until well combined.

4. Arrange cox’s apples, peeled, cored and cut into quarters, in concentric circles until they filled the pan/tin, fitting snugly.

5. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon then top with the pastry and cut 3 slits in the centre.

6. Place the pan on a baking tray and bake for 40mins, then remove and rest for 5 mins.

7. To serve, place a large plate over the pan and quickly but carefully invert the tart to turn it out.

The Little Cat Cafe update

This weekend get a free pot of daffodils grown in our greenhouse from the Little Cat Cafe with any order over £10.00! Try our delicious Thai menu: lamb masaman curry, chicken masaman curry, vegetarian red curry, steamed fragrant rice. Friday to Sunday, 10.30am-5pm. Sunday will be a beautiful sunny day, come out to the park!

Frango Fricassé

This lunchtime our Food Hero, Cleber, brought us a vibrant example of the food fusions so common in many cultures around the world – the classic French dish of fricassée, but with a jazzy Brazilian twist.

When most people think of Brazilian cuisine, the thing that springs to mind, or my mind anyway, is meat. Lots of perfectly juicy and gigantic steaks. However, and obviously depending on which region you’re in or from, the cuisine is incredibly varied and there are clearly a variety of European influences. In this case, the classic French influence is obvious given the popularity of this very traditional dish, fricassée.

Fricassée, according to the bible of old school french cuisine, Larousse, is an old fashioned dish of stewed chicken, ‘a preparation of white meat or poultry, sautéed in butter without browning, cooked with a white creamy sauce’. For interest, Larousse also suggests that in Belgium, fricassée is a fried egg served with bacon and, in Louisiana, a roux-based sauce.

Interestingly, the Brazilian version, Ximxim de Galinha, is a typically Bahian meal and is also one of the national dishes to make up part of the Candomblé religion’s ritual food.

Frango Fricassé

 Ingredients

2 kg of chicken breast

1 tin of sweetcorn

200g of fresh tomatoes

1 onion

1 jar of red pesto

1 jar of green olives

30g of butter

1 cup of fresh cream

2 soup spoon of sauce flour

a bit or drizzle of oil for frying

1/2 jug of tomato juice or pure of tomato

Some fresh herbs

2 kg of Basmati Rice

2 or 3 pacts or bags of green salad

Method of preparation in 6 Steps

Step 1;  Boyle approximately 1 litre of tap water in the big pan with all the chicken breast a bit of salt, black pepper  and any herbs of your preference. (I suggest some bay leaves or parsley)

Step 2; Over low heat, pour a generous glug or two of oil into a frying pan and add the chopped onion and chopped tomatoes

Step 3 ; Rip the cooked chicken breast (when still warm ) and add into the pan with the fried onion, tomato & the olives followed by half of the fresh cream and a bit of the water from where the chicken was cooked.

Step 4 ;   Meanwhile, in other small pan fry the 2 spoon of butter with the 2 spoon of flour to create the Roux together with a bit of the water that you boiled the chicken breast and the other half of the fresh cream and a bit of salt & pepper

Step 5 :  Take an oven dish and put some of your roux sauce first followed by the chicken plus another (the rest) of your roux sauce drizzle some parmesen or grana padano cheese on the top and put in the oven for 20min approximately

Step 6 :     Take out the oven after 20min and cover it with some Brazilian/Portuguese potato crisp and serve it with plain rice and green salad. Bom Apetite!!!

Green pancakes?!

Imagine how surprised the children from Loughborough Primary School were when our food manager, Fiorella convinced them to make green pancakes. And they loved it! They were also very popular at Friday breakfast club for parents with children…so why not give them a go at home?

GREEN EGGS and Ham Pancakes Recipe:

Ingredients

75 grams pesto
1 medium egg
75 grams plain flour
150 ml semi skimmed milk
1 splash of oil for frying
Optional: 5 slices ham

Method

Blend or whisk together the pesto, egg, flour and milk to make a batter.
Oil a crepe pan or heavy-based frying pan, wiping away any excess oil
with some kitchen paper, and place over a medium heat.
Ladle in approximately 100ml of batter, swirling instantly to gain a
paper-thin crepe.
Once the top becomes dry and the edges lift away, flick it over with a
thin rubber or wooden spatula to cook the other side for about 30
seconds.
Layer the pancakes between pieces of baking parchment or greaseproof
paper as you go, and when you have finished making them, lay a slice
of ham on each one and roll up or fold into triangles – or however you
like!

This recipe came from Nigella Lawson’s website. Thanks, Nigella, we’re glad you’re there!
http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/green-eggs-and-ham-57

Last Saturday’s Food Heroes recipes

Anzela, a Food Heroes guardian angel, run her session last Saturday. She managed to feed about 25 people and the preparation didn’t take more than 2 hours.

We loved the way Anzela and Lahnah laid all ingredients on the table.

The kitchen was busy and steaming hot!

Some of us had to work in the dining room…

More and more people were joining throughout the day. The more the merrier!

Try some of the recipes at home:

RICE AND PEAS

150g dried kidney beans or you can use canned beans

1 coconut or 1 tin coconut milk

1.5 litre water – use to soak dried peas overnight

2 sprig thyme

1 slice scotch bonnet pepper (optional)

1 clove garlic – crush

2 stalk spring onions – bruised

Salt – to one’s taste

500g rice

METHOD

If dried beans are being used, clean the beans to remove any grits, wash well and cover with the water and leave overnight.

Boil in the same water in a pot until cooked. Add coconut milk along with thyme, spring onion, pepper, garlic and salt. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Wash the rice and add to the peas, bring to a rapid boil. Lower the heat, (very low) give a good stir, cover and leave to cook until all the water is absorbed about 15 to 20 minutes.

SPICY CABBAGE

1 large cabbage – shredded

2 Tomatoes

3 tsp Oil

1 tsp mustard

Garlic 5 or 6 cloves

¼ tsp turmeric

1 tsp Gara masala

1 Vegetable stock – crush

½ Green peas – frozen

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp Red chilli powder

1 tsp Coriander powder – optional

 METHOD

Heat the oil in a pan and add the onion and garlic to soften. Add all the other spices and cook together for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and stock cube mix and cover to cook for 5 minutes.

Add the cabbage then give a good mix and add salt.

Salt help to release moisture from the cabbage, cook in own juice until the cabbage is soft. Add frozen peas and cook for a few more minutes.

Brown Stew Chicken

1 Whole Chicken – cut into pieces

1 lemon

(A )Chicken seasoning

3 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar (optional)

½ tsp black pepper – ground

3 cloves garlic 2 stalk Scallion – spring onion

4 sprig thyme

4 tbsp oil – for frying chicken (add more if needed

(B)2 cups water or chicken stock – hot

1 tbsp pickapepper sauce

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

2 medium white potatoes- chopped, not too small

1 large carrot – chopped

1 chocho – christophene

1 large onion – chopped

½ Red & green bell pepper – chopped

2 tomatoes – chopped

Method

Prepare the chicken by cutting it into medium pieces, wash in water with the lemon juice. Drain and dry with kitchen towel to remove excess water.

Season chicken with all the seasoning in section A, leave the chicken to marinate overnight or for one hour.

Heat the oil and start browning the chicken (just brown not fried) remove from the pan, remove excess oil if you need to. Add the water or stock with the pepper sauce and tomatoes, chop vegetables add to the pot and allow to cook for a 2 minutes. Add the chicken, add more liquid if needed, cover the pot and cook for 15 – 20 minutes.

And for dessert…

SPICY PLUM CRUMBLE……..A James Martin recipe.

15 fresh plums – cut in half and stone remove

50g butter

1 vanilla pod – split

1 star anise

Grated nutmeg

2 cinnamon sticks

100m red wine

5 tbsp golden syrup

4 table spoons castor sugar

FOR CRUMBLE

100g butter – softened

100g Demerara

180 – 200g flour – plain

Pre-heat the oven to 200c 400f / gas mark 6

Sauté the plums with the butter in a hot frying pan for a few minutes. Add the split vanilla pod, star anise, nutmeg, cinnamon, red wine golden syrup and 50ml water, then bring to the boil and simmer gently for 6 to 8 minutes.

As the plums break down to a thick syrupy texture, place in an oven proof dish.

To make the crumble, mix the butter and flour together until the mixture resemble bread crumbs, then mix in the sugar, sprinkle the crumble over the plums and bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving with ice – cream or double cream.

Enjoy it!