Hello and welcome to April in my kitchen
The magic of springtime never ceases to evoke a wonderful appreciation for mother nature, the earth wakes up after the sleep of winter hibernation, we wake up to morning air filled with birdsong and the evenings are finally lingering a little longer.
In the culinary calendar, April is one of the most fruitful for foraging and an opportunity to gather inspiration from the spectacular Yorkshire countryside. While hawthorn and blackthorn trees burst into delightful pockets of white and pink blossom, in the county’s ancient woodlands you will find carpets of wild garlic – first noticeable by its unmistakable garlicky scent.
Wild garlic starts to appear in Yorkshire’s forests this time if the year and is a plentiful ingredient to forage Usually found growing in damp, shaded areas, wild garlic is a prized ingredient in the kitchen with its vibrant green leaves and delicate white flowers, revealing delicious seed pods after the first rainfall washes them away. Make sure to harvest wild garlic using a foraging knife or scissors to avoid removing the plant from the root and try to collect wild garlic from different areas to avoid over-foraging.
If you’re planning on cooking with wild garlic this month, my risotto of broad beans, Parmesan and wild garlic is the perfect, hassle-free way to give it a go, which is ideal after a foraging trip!
Enjoy as a leisurely lunch or with a glass of your favourite wine in the evening.
Risotto of Broad Beans, Parmesan & Wild Garlic
Serves 2
Ingredients:
• 750ml (1 ¼ pints) vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled and diced
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 350g (12oz) risotto rice
• 100ml (3 ½ fl oz) white wine
• 75g (2 ½ oz) unsalted butter
• 150g (5 ½ oz) broad beans, cooked
• 4 wild garlic leaves, chopped
• 60g (2oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
• Sea salt and cracked black pepper
Method:
1. Heat the vegetable stock and keep warm at the side of the stove until needed.
2. In a heavy saucepan, add the olive oil and then the onion, thyme, garlic, and bay leaf. Cook until the onion is translucent but not coloured.
3. Add the rice and, using a wooden spoon, mix the rice into the onions. You should start to hear the rice crack. Once this happens, add the white wine followed by a ladleful of stock and begin to stir. The secret to a good risotto is lots of steam and lots of stirring. Make sure the rice has fully absorbed the stock before you add another ladle of stock. Continue adding stock until the rice is tender and cooked through.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and start to beat the butter into the rice. Add the broad beans and wild garlic leaves.
5. To serve, divide the risotto between two plates. Sprinkle over the grated Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper.
A foodie find
Whilst planning a recent trip to Whitby, I came across Baytown Coffee Roasters – a family run company located at the heart of this beautiful seaside town. You’ll often find their coffee served on the North Yorkshire coast’s plethora of coffee shops and you can shop their coffee online if you want to bring a taste of Baytown home. For coffee connoisseurs, you can even make the most of their coffee subscription service too.
baytowncoffeecompany.com
Time off in Yorkshire
If the April Showers don’t make an appearance, this month I’m looking forward to retiring the wellington boots and dusting off my walking boots for plenty of hikes through the Yorkshire Dales, with the villages of Grassington and Malham on my list to explore in between. The Easter holidays mean that my sons, Harry and Ethan will be able to join me on our adventures too – I can’t wait for quality family time together.
