Spring is just around the corner
March can be a bitterly cold month, and yet sometimes deceptively mild. It brings longer days and bright spells, bitter winds and driving rain, can remind us that winter hasn't yet given way to spring, even though warmer weather is just around the corner. It's still a time for hot food and hearty cooking.
Trees are now starting to show their buds, and the ground is beginning to dry out ready for spring planting. Spring cabbages are full of flavour during March – try shredding and gently steaming them. Served lightly buttered and topped with toasted cashew nuts, they make a delicious second vegetable.
Fruit stalls continue to provide a colourful display of citrus fruit, and fresh pineapples are good value this month - I make no apologies for including my Pineapple Meringue pudding recipe again, as I'm asked for this recipe time and time again by friends and readers.
Although we can safely say winter is past, with the days lengthening and the first daffodils coming into flower, it's still quiet on the culinary front, and for the cook determined to use only the freshest produce, March poses a bigger challenge than almost any other month of the year. But don't despair, there's excellent meat and good fish with the start of the salmon season and, as there is no British fruit around, you can make the most of the interesting imports without feeling guilty.
So this month's recipes reflect what is on offer in our shops and supermarkets, starting with a hot and hearty hotpot and, not forgetting Mothering Sunday which falls this month on the 15th March, we have a splendid Mother's Day Cake, using forced rhubarb which is still around, and can be served warm as a delicious pudding..
LAMB AND HARICOT HOTPOT
A great one pot meal that can be prepared ahead - just what you need on a cold night.
Serves 4.
Ingredients: 2 onions, chopped. 3 tbsp olive oil. 2 garlic cloves, chopped. 2 x 400g cans haricot beans, drained. 1 tsp dried oregano. 150ml/ pt vegetable stock. 200g can chopped tomatoes. 8 lamb chops or 4 lamb leg steaks.
Method: Preheat oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Fry onions in two tablespoons of the oil for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, beans and half the oregano and stir briefly. Add the stock, tomatoes and season with salt and pepper, then bring to the boil. Tip the bean mixture into an ovenproof dish that will accommodate the chops in a single layer. Lay the chops on top. Sprinkle the remaining oregano, drizzle with the remaining oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook in the oven for 30 minutes until the chops are tender and nicely browned.
PINEAPPLE MERINGUE
Serves 4.
This recipe makes a change from the more traditional lemon meringue pie, and it's very low in calories too!
Ingredients: 1 pineapple. 1 eating apple. 1 small tin grapefruit segments. Almond flakes. 2 egg whites. 4 tbsp caster sugar.
Method: Scoop out half the pineapple and mix with the other fruits. Whisk egg whites and fold in sugar. Fill the halved pineapple with fruit and pile the meringue on top. Sprinkle on the almond flakes and bake for 15 minutes at 180C, 350F, Gas Mark 3.
RHUBARB CAKE
Forced rhubarb is still around, and this easy to bake sweet tangy sponge cake has a crumbly almond and sugar topping. It keeps well in a tin for 3-4 days and is ideal for a Mother's Day Celebration Cake, or served warm as a delicious pudding with cream or a thick yoghurt.
Serves 6-8.
Ingredients: 560g (1 lb) rhubarb. 150g caster sugar. Pinch of salt. 200g plain flour. 75g cornflour. 200g butter. Few drops of vanilla essence. 2 medium eggs. 1 tsp baking powder. 75g ground almonds. Icing sugar for dusting.
Method: Preheat oven to 180C, 350F, Gas Mark 4. Cut rhubarb into 2.5cm (l inch) chunks. Cream 110g butter with two thirds of the sugar, vanilla essence and salt until fluffy. Gently stir in beaten eggs. Mix the flour with the baking powder and half the cornflour and fold into creamed mixture. Add half the ground almonds. Grease a 23cm (9 inch) spring form cake tin. Put cake mixture in tin, smooth over and arrange the rhubarb on top. Rub together remaining sugar, butter, almonds and cornflour. Spread crumble mixture over the rhubarb. Bake on the lowest shelf for about 75 minutes until firm and golden. Cool and dust with icing sugar before serving.
In season in March:
Cheaper cuts of meat, such as shin of beef, are good now, and the perfect companions to the last of the root veg in a slow cooked stew.
Although most flat fish are spawning and should be avoided, Brill is delicious in March, as is Halibut, while Mackerel is plump, oily and good to eat.
Vegetables: Last of the beetroot until June. Celeriac, okay this month, then not until October. Leeks: Fine until April. Purple sprouting broccoli: Short season until May.
Rocket: starting again now. Spring greens: From now until May. White cabbage: Fine until April.
Fruit: Cape gooseberries: Last of the season now. Fresh dates: Last chance for now. Ortaniques (cross between orange and tangerine): Still good. Pineapples: Quite lovely now, especially those imported from the Ivory Coast.
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Weather for Sudbury
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Light snow
Temperature: -3 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: -1 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 5 mph
Wind direction: North
