Specialty Vegetable preparation and cooking techniques

Specialty Vegetable preparation and cooking techniques

Galangal is related to ginger and has a similar flavour profile but is much stronger. It is a central part of many Southeast Asian cuisines and is an essential ingredient in Thai curry pastes. The fresh root is very hard and resembles a cross between ginger root and Jerusalem artichoke.

A truly rare addition to our 'exotic and unusual vegetable family', capucine tubers originated in Peru, and were an established crop as early as 5,500 BC - that's pre-Inca to us! They can be treated as you would a potato, and are very versatile, but be aware that they contain mustard oils and so have a naturally peppery flavour. If you prefer less zing, simply boil them thoroughly or freeze before cooking.

These little lovelies are no strangers to French cuisine, although rare in British kitchens - we're more familiar with the leaves. Now it's time they were recognised for their full potential. The flavour is pure and sweet with a floury edge; wonderful blanched and tossed in butter!

Crosnes were imported to France from China, and are also known as Chinese Artichokes. They are rarely peeled as it is very time consuming. Crosnes have a nutty, artichoke flavour and come from the mint family. They can be eaten raw in salads but are delicious cooked. Try blanching in salty water then roasting in a hot oven with olive oil, finish in a hot pan with parsley then serve with a darne of halibut or turbot and finish with a squeeze of lemon.

Squash are a real delight of autumn and this box is offers a bounty of colours and shapes. Ornamental to look at and great to eat in hearty autumnal stews, this mix offers a great opportunity to sample several different varieties of squash.

Sweet and nutty in flavour, the yellow bean is crisp yet creamy and makes the perfect base to summer salads when simply blanched and tossed in a little butter or vinaigrette. Excellent pepped up with herbs, they also pair really well with fish or complement the richness of pork belly.

Wild garlic grows from late February to the end of May and its appearance is a sign of spring's arrival. It is found growing in moist, semi shaded woodland and smells strongly of garlic. Its flavour is much milder than regular garlic and comes from its leaves rather than its bulbs. Celebrate the start of spring with a wild garlic soup or toss the leaves in a salad. Lightly toss in some foaming butter as well.

Purple asparagus is a hybrid of green asparagus that are thought to have originated in New Zealand. It is now grown in the U.K. by a couple of small producers. The spears are fatter and more tender than green Asparagus and are much sweeter too. The purple tips make a great garnish and work well in salads too.

Fiddleheads are the sign of the start of Spring. Imported from California, we can only get hold of them for a few weeks of the year - between April and May. They look simply stunning and have a nutty, earthy taste which some say is a mix between asparagus and artichokes. They are known for their amazing texture which is a delicate crisp/crunchy sensation and they should be eaten as soon as you get them. Sauté them in butter or steam them for best results and they can be served with fish, meat, pasta or even in a vegetable salad. They are the perfect garnish. I like to serve them mixed in a salad mixed with edemame beans, feta, lemon zest and truffle oil - Simply stunning for a Spring lunch!

They are excellent in soups and casseroles but need longer cooking than you might expect for a fresh bean, about 25-40 minutes. They ripen at a similar time to courgettes so pair perfectly for a delicious dip. Combine cooked borlotti beans, lightly fried courgette, garlic, sesame paste and lemon juice. Blitz in a food processor, season to taste and serve drenched in olive oil.

See Candy beets

Oca Tubers are native to the Andes, and are cultivated extensively in Bolivia and Peru. They are delicious boiled, fried, steamed or grilled, but unlike potatoes you can also eat them raw. Oca have a sweet, tangy flavour and belong to the wood sorrel family; their unique colour and intricate shape will cause a stir at any dinner table.

The best way to describe this fascinating and pretty vegetable in chef terms is as a cross between broccoli and cauliflower.The texture is more tender than most greens, and it has been spared the bitter edge which so often puts people off cauliflower, cabbage and spinach, making it an excellent choice for younger children.

Sea aster

Sea Aster is a foraged sea vegetable that is native to Britain. Best served with fish, it has a delicate flavour and is best steamed or sauteed and tossed in butter. Sea aster is becoming more and more popular with the chefs as the demand for foraged herbs and vegetables increases.

Kohlrabi

. The fibrous green exterior can be peeled away to reveal a crisp, creamy white flesh which is similar in flavour to broccoli stem with a mild, mustardy sweetness. Used lots in Indian cooking, the root pairs well with spices but is delicious enough to take centre stage. Eat raw in a slaw or cook in soups, steam or roast with other vegetables or turn into kohlrabi fritters for a tasty dish children will enjoy helping to make. The leaves can be wilted and eaten as an alternative to kale or mustard greens.

Available from October to March, Jerusalem Artichokes have a very distinctive flavour. Native to North America, they arrived in Europe in 1605. I love making a rich creamy soup with 'Jerry Artichokes' garnished with Morels - Sublime for lunch on a crisp Spring day. Remember to put them in water with lemon juice in it as soon as you have peeled them otherwise they will loose their colour and go brown...

Salsify, Needs to be peeled like most root vegetables, many cooking methods can be applied for this vegetable.

Fresh courgette flowers are a real summer treat. The frilly petals are delicious stuffed and gently fried. Try filling with a mix of ricotta, lemon zest and chilli flakes or pipe a smooth scallop mousse into the 'fiori' and serve with a salmon fillet and citrus vinaigrette. Serve as a starter or antipasti for the perfect summer dish.

Banana leaf ,Can be used as a cooking method, and serving method.

Lotus Root (Renkon in Japanese) is actually the rhizome of the lotus plant. Its a popular vegetable throughout southern and eastern Asia, but its still not that well known in the west. Peeled, thinly sliced and boiled for just two minutes is great in a salad, has a bit of a crunch. Fantastic fried in small batches and added to stir fries, or just add it to soups and stews where it will become starchy and sticky.

Peel the leaves and cut the end of leaving most of the stalk. Boil, steam, grill and sautee

perfect for boiling, chips and salads.

Wild Garlic Their flavour is somewhere in between garlic and onion, although much milder. They are commonly used in salads and to make wild leek soup.

Candy beets

Like normal beets, putting them in the water bath helps retain the colour and patterns, same can be said for the baby beets and golden beets. Can be boiled, roasted and sauteed.

Rainbow chard

Not only does it look amazing, its taste is sweeter and stronger that regular white and red chard. Its is best prepared like spinach and cooked in the same way but for a little longer as its leaves are more robust. Wonderful cooked in butter, white wine and plenty of seasoning, it is very versatile and works well with poultry, meat and fish.

Monks beard

Its texture is succulent and moist and its flavour is similar to chard with a slightly bitter aftertaste. It needs to be blanched or steamed and is often served as a side dish steamed and tossed in olive oil and lemon juice. Also great in potato salad, or served with spring lamb

Globe artichokes

Globe artichokes are a true summer delight. No relation to the gnarly Jerusalem artichoke, they are in fact a member of the thistle family and it is the flower head that we eat before it blooms. The layers of spiky leaves hide a heart of meaty tenderness that is delicious in stews or pasta dishes but really shines in light summer salads where its earthy nuttiness balances with sweet young vegetables

beautifully. The leaves are not to be forgotten though; for a simple starter that’s perfect for alfresco sharing, boil the globes in lemony water until the leaves come away easily. Serve them whole and encourage guests pull away their own leaves and dip them in a creamy hollandaise or grassy oil before gently teasing away the flesh from the bottom of the leaf with their teeth.

Pied Bleu, Fresh

Girolles, Fresh

Trompette de la Mort, Fresh

Pied de Mouton, Fresh

Yellow Legged Chanterelles,

Shiitake Mushrooms, 1kg

Grey Oyster Mushrooms, 2kg

Golden Enoki, Fresh, 400g

King Oyster Mushrooms, Fresh,

Enoki Mushrooms, Fresh, 300g

Portobello Mushrooms, 1.5kg

Mousseron Mushrooms, Fresh

Wild Morels, Fresh

Porcini Mushrooms, Fresh Porcini