Recipes

Smoked Haddock, Salmon and Pea Shoot Fish Cake

The combination of the smoked haddock, salmon and pea shoots works deliciously well for these fish cakes, you can serve with a wine sauce drizzled over the top or tartar sauce or just on their own garnished with fresh pea shoots to grace the dish to perfection.

Preparation time 30 minutes plus 45 minutes chilling
Cooking time 15 - 20 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients 280g peeled weight of floury potatoes, 200g undyed smoked haddock, 250g skinned salmon fillets, Cracked black pepper, Zest and juice of half a lemon, 30g pea shoots roughly chopped plus 15g for garnish, 10ml (2tsp) tartar sauce, 1 egg beaten, 85g white breadcrumbs preferably a day or two old, 60ml (4tbsp) vegetable or sunflower oil for frying

Method 1. Place potatoes in a pan and cover with boiling water, add a pinch of salt and return to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes or until tender but not breaking. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, place the haddock and salmon in a large microwaveable dish squeeze over the lemon juice and add a couple of twists of cracked black pepper, cover the dish. Cook on medium power for approximately 4 - 5 minutes, allow to stand for 5 minutes after cooking. Lift fish out of dish onto a plate to cool slightly.
3. Mash the potatoes; add the lemon zest, chopped pea shoots and tartar sauce.
4. Flake the fish into large chunks and mix together with the potato mixture, don't break up the fish too much. Put aside to cool.
5. Place the beaten egg in a shallow bowl and place breadcrumbs on a plate. Divide the fish mixture into 4 and shape into cakes. Coat each cake with egg and then toss in the breadcrumbs so it is lightly coated, cover and chill for 45 minutes.
6. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, fry fish cakes over a medium heat for approximately 15 minutes, turning after every 3 - 4 minutes until each side is golden and heated through. Serve garnished with pea shoots and desired sauce.

Chicken, Sun Blush Tomato and Pea Shoot Pasta Salad

This is such an easy quick salad to prepare and looks so colourful and delicious will be suitable for a summer supper dish or lunch to make your work friends envious.

Preparation time15 minutes
Cooking time9 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients 350g Penne Pasta, 1 tbsp oil from sun blush or sundried tomatoes, 100g sun blush tomatoes in oil or sundried tomatoes which have been thickly sliced, 100g green pesto sauce, 225g cooked chicken breasts, torn into slithers, 45g pea shoots, Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method 1. Cook the penne in plenty of boiling, lightly salted water with a dash of olive oil according to manufacturers instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
2. Put the cooled pasta into a bowl and add tomato oil, sun blush tomatoes, pesto sauce and torn chicken. If ready to serve add pea shoots or chill until serving and stir in the pea shoots just before serving along with some seasoning.
3. Serve and enjoy

Salami and Camembert Seeded Bap

To make this is a really fantastic bap, ensure the baps are fresh and are topped with seeds: sesame, pumpkin, sunflower etc, these will add the extra flavour which will enhance the simple filling.

Serves 2

Ingredients: 2 brown seeded baps cut in half and buttered on the cut side, ½ Bag 50g (2oz) Alfalfa or alfalfa-leek, 6 - 8 slices of Peppered Salami, 6 - 8 thin slices of Camembert cheese

Method: Place the baps butter side up on a board, divide ¾ of the Alfalfa between the two bap bases, place on a Camembert slice followed by a folded Salami slice, alternate around the bap until all are used, top with a sprinkle of the remaining Alfalfa and place on the bap lid - enjoy!

Instead of buttering the bread why not try spreading with chutney: caramelised onion, mango or sweet pepper.

(Recipe Gillian Marczak)

Ham and Avocado Open Sandwich

To make sure this is a really fantastic sandwich, use fresh bread that has been topped with seeds: poppy, sesame, pumpkin etc, these will add the extra flavour which will enhance the simple filling.

Serves 2

Ingredients: 4 slices of crusty bread from a medium bloomer style loaf, buttered on one side, ½ Bag 50g (2oz) Alfalfa or alfalfa-leek, 4 slices of Peppered or Bavarian Ham, 1 Avocado peeled and stone removed, each half cut into 4 slices, 10ml (1 dessertspoon) lemon juice or salad dressing

Method: Coat the avocado slices in the lemon juice or dressing. Place the 4 slices of crusty bread butter side up on a board, divide ¾ of the Alfalfa between the bread slices, fold each ham slice and place on top of the Alfalfa along with the avocado, top each slice of ham with a sprinkle of the remaining Alfalfa. Place two open sandwiches per plate and enjoy!

Instead of buttering the bread why not try spreading with chutney: caramelised onion, tomato or sweet pepper. The salad dressing could also be drizzled over the avocado when placed on the sandwich.

(Recipe Gillian Marczak)

Cheese Sandwich with a difference!

To make sure this is a really fantastic sandwich, use fresh bread that has been topped with seeds: poppy, sesame, pumpkin etc, these will add the extra flavour which will enhance the simple filling. You will also gain extra flavour from the cheese if it is at room temperature rather than straight from the fridge.

Serves 2

Ingredients: 4 slices of crusty bread from a large bloomer style loaf buttered on one side, 25 - 35g (1- 1 ½ oz) sprouting alfalfa-leek , 4 slices of Leerdammer Original, Jarlsburg or Swiss Emmental

Method: Place 2 slices of the crusty bread butter side up on a board, top with a generous portion of sprouting alfalfa-leek, slightly fold two slices of cheese for each bread slice and top with the remaining bread, this time butter side down - enjoy!

Instead of buttering the bread why not try spreading with sweet chutney: mango, apple, greengage or beetroot.

(Recipe Gillian Marczak)

Sun Blush Tomato and Cream Cheese Jacket

This is the ultimate in ease for a really delicious topped jacket potato for a snack or main meal.

Serves 2

Assembling time: 5 minutes, Cooking time: 90 minutes (approximately)

Ingredients: ½ bag 40g (2 ½ oz) Sprouting Leeks or alfalfa-leek, 2 large potatoes weighing 250 - 300g (9 - 11ozs), washed, 100g (3 ½ oz) soft cream cheese, Seasoning, 25 - 35g (1 - 1½ oz) Sunblush or Sunkissed tomatoes

Method: Slit each potato along the top and place in a preheated oven 180°C/Fan 160-170°C/ Gas Mark 4, and cook for approximately 1 ½ hrs until potato is soft. Cut the potato again along the top to form a cross and carefully fold back the sections. Remove half of the flesh from each potato and place in a medium bowl. Add half the cream cheese and some seasoning to the potato flesh and combine together. Divide the mixture in two and place back in the potato jacket. Top with the remaining cream cheese and place on the sunblush tomatoes. Top with a generous portion of the sprouting leeks.

(Recipe Gillian Marczak)

Hearty tuna and mixed bean salad

Ingredients 1 bag of sprouting beans, ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil, 1 bag of spinach, 1 red onion, 1 tin of tuna, 1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, 1 lemon, salt and pepper

Method Take spinach leaves and roll. Using a sharp knife slice thinly and place in a large salad bowl. Peel red onion and slice into rings. Add to bowl. Add sprouting beans and flake in tuna. Mix juice of lemon into olive oil with chopped flat leaf parsley. Season to taste. Pour the dressing over ingredients in salad bowl and toss all ingredients together. Serve

Mixed bean sprout stir fry

Ingredients 1 packet of sprouted beans, 3 tbs soya sauce, thumbsized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped into matchsticks 1 tbs of honey, 1 small red chilli, finely sliced and seeds discarded, 1 courgette, ribboned using potato peeler, ½ butternut squash, finely sliced, 1 red pepper, cut in thin strips, ¼ savoy cabbage, shredded, 10 oyster mushrooms, 150g prawns (optional), 3 tbs sesame oil

Method Add oil to the wok and infuse with ginger and chilli for 1 min. Add honey, soya sauce, butternut squash, peppers, mushrooms and prawns. Stir fry for 4-5 min. Now add courgette ribbons, savoy cabbage with mixed beans. Continue frying for another 4-5 min. Serve.

Roasted Sweet Potato and butternut squash with spinach salad and Alfalfa Sprouts

Ingredients 2 large sweet potatoes, 1 large butternut squash, 1 bag baby spinach, 1 medium sized red onion, sliced thinly + slices cut in half, 1tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1tsp lime juice, zest of 1 lemon, 2tbs light olove oil, 2 garlic cloves crushed, 1 pack of alfalfa sprouts

Method Peel potatoes and butternut squash. Cut squash in half lengthways. Remove seeds and cut into 25mm cubes. Same for potatoes. Place the vegs in a roasting tin and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in a pre-heated oven for 25-30 min.

When cold mix with the baby spinach and red onion. Mix the olive oil with the garlic, lemon and lime juice and pour dressing over the salad. Sprinkle with alfalfa sprouts

Alfalfa, roasted pepper and humos pitta pockets

Ingredients 1 packet of alfalfa sprouts, 1 tub of humos, 1 red and 1 yellow pepper, toasted sesame seeds, 1 baby gem lettuce, shredded, 1 pack of wholemeal pitta pockets 1 tbs olive oil, salt and pepper

Method Slice peppers and toss in olive oil. Season and roast in the oven on a moderate heat for 15-20 mins or until slightly browned. Toast pitta pockets. Cut in 2 and spoon in humos. Stuff with alfalfa sprouts and roasted peppers. Finish by sprinkling with toasted sesame seeds.

Potato and green bean salad with garlic shoots

Ingredients 750g new potatoes, cut in half, 1 pack of fine green beans, 1 pack of flat leaf parsley, 75g cooked butter beans, 15g butter, 1 small red onion finely chopped 1 tsp chopped mint, 1.5 tbs light olive oil, 2tsp vinegar, 25g capers chopped, 1 pack of garlic shoots

Method Boil new potatoes for 20 mins insalted water. Trim the green beans, cut in half and cook for 4 mins in boiling water. Drain both vegs, add butter, red onion and beans. Allow to cool. Mix parsley leaves into the salad. Mix olive oil, vinegar, capers and mint, drizzle over the salad. Sprinkle with garlic shoots.

Pea shoot soup with a drizzle of radish sprout pesto

Ingredients 1 onion, Chicken stock, 2 packets of pea shoots, 2 egg yolks, 4 table spoons of double cream,Salt Pepper and grated nutmeg

Pesto 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon white wine, Vinegar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, pinch of castor sugar, 4 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, pepper, radish sprouts

Method Sweat off onions in a little butter. Add pea shoots and sweat further. Add chicken stock and bring to the boil. Take a little of heated stock and add egg yolks whisking continuously. Add yolks to the pan (do not boil as this will make yolks curdle). Take pan of the heat to cool a little. Blend until a smooth liquid. Strain.

Roast Duck Stir Fry

Ingredients 2 duck breasts, 4 tbs soy sauce, 1 tbs sesame oil 1 bunch spring onions cut at an angle, 1 pack fine green beans, trimmed and cut in half, 1 pack of radish shoots

Method Cut the duck fillets into 8mm strips. Marinade in soy souce for 1 hr Pre-heat oil in wok, add duck and fry for 3 mins. Drain off residual fat, add spring onions and green beans + remaining marinade. Cook for a further 2-3 mins. Stir in the radish sprouts. Serve immediately with rice or noodles.