Category: Events

Here is a lovely recipe for Easter, or any weekend come to that:

 Serves 6

500g. dried white beans (I used cannellini from Handley Organics)
4 onions, about 750g. quartered
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
1 shoulder or leg of lamb (about 2kgs. in weight)
1 tbsp. oil
250mls. white wine
3 large sprigs of rosemary
salt
3 tbsps. chopped parsley

Soak the beans overnight in a bowl of cold water.

They need to be pre-cooked, so put them in a large saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 20 minutes.  Drain and reserve the water.

Heat the oven to gas mark 3/ 170C.  Either finely chop the onions, garlic and carrot or blitz them in a food processor.  Sear the lamb in a roasting pan, until it takes on some colour and then remove.  Add the onion mush to the tin, and fry gently for 5 minutes.  Add the beans, stirring them in well and then pour in the wine and 1 litre of the reserved bean liquid.  Tuck the rosemary sprigs in and then place the lamb back on top of the beans.  Season with plenty of salt and bring to the boil.  When it starts to bubble, cover the tin with foil, baggily but with sealed edges and place in the oven for 4 hours or turn down the oven to gas mark 1 / 140C after 3 hours and leave for up to 8 hours.  It will be fine to eat after 3.

Remove the tin from the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes, then remove the foil and transfer the lamb to a board.  Stir the beans and taste for  seasoning, then spoon into a large dish and carve the lamb into shreds and chunks and arrange on top.  sprinkle a little more salt over, scatter over the parsley and let people dig in.

Note

There are so many beans in this that I do not think it needs any other vegetable,  Though Nigella, whose recipe it is, suggests a plain tomato salad to be served afterwards with a little Dijon mustard dressing.  Evidently she loves mustard with lamb!

I think some crusty bread might be nice myself.  Maybe even a green vegetable such as cabbage to go alongside.

I am cooking this myself on Easter Sunday. 

Happy Easter

We have some sad news and an opportunity for you to recognise a local food hero.

Ledbury Celebration

Our now traditional annual food festival in Ledbury on the last day of the Ledbury Poetry Festival in early July has become an extremely popular event featuring the very best of local food alongside fabulous live poetry and music, and a taste of heritage.

We were unable to run the Celebration last year due to the Covid emergency, and after looking at all the options we regret that we are again not able to run the event this year. 

There are still too many risks and uncertainties for a small group like the Ledbury Food Group to take on running such an event, which depends for its atmosphere and success on the free and safe circulation of its many visitors and producers.

Please continue to support our local food and drink producers and retailers – we will continue to gather information on what you can buy or order and from whom on our Local Food Information page.   Look out for our updates as and when restrictions are eased.

 

Hereford Times Food and Farming Awards 2021

Do you have a Local Food Hero?

Perhaps a local food supplier who has helped you through the past year? 

Perhaps a local food retailer whose produce and service is consistently special?

Or do you have a favourite local café or restaurant? Perhaps one who has gone the extra mile?

You can now nominate your favourite Food Retailer, Farm Shop, Restaurant Café or Tea Room or Producer for recognition in this year’s Hereford Times Food and Farming Awards.

To find out how to nominate your favourite visit: www.herefordtimes.com/awards/foodandfarming

Full details of how to enter are there and are also available in the Hereford Times newspaper with an entry form for posting.

Nominations close at midday on Thursday 8^th April.

It’s now time to start planning for your special Big Breakfast at Home for Big Breakfast weekend – Friday to Sunday 29^th to 31^st January. 

To help you we’ve collected a range of breakfast recipes including one from Chris at the Scrumpy House Restaurant – click here to view.

Whether you are treating yourself by cooking up a recipe, or assembling a breakfast e.g. your own Ledbury Big English Breakfast, we have local shops selling locally produced food to “build” your breakfast at home including:

• Our local butchers – Gurneys (The Homend), Waller’s (The Homend) and LDA Meats for bacon, sausages, eggs, black pudding and ham, much locally produced.
• Handley Organics (High Street) for large range of cereals and nuts to make porridge or a “Ledbury” muesli, local jams, bread flours, organic dairy products, fruit and vegetables.
• Ceci Paolo (High Street) with Herefordshire yogurt, local cheese, locally smoked fish, bread flours and lots of other breakfast options.
• The Nest (Hereford Road) with its huge range of local produce to choose from plus its special Homemade Scotch Eggs. Check the Nest on Facebook for any special offers.
• Our two greengrocers Jenkins (The Homend) and The Fruit and Veg Shop (Bye Street) may still have local apples and pears as well as the normal range of fruit and vegetables.
• The Ledbury Country Market – on Friday 29^th January 10am to 12noon – featuring its normal range plus charcuterie and dim sum.

And if you don’t want to cook you can order a takeaway (call and collect) from the Scrumpy House Restaurant at Westons, Much Marcle (Phone 01531 660626).

Details of shops that can provide deliveries or call and collect can be found on our Local Food Information page.  Please order in good time to avoid disappointment.

Please observe Government regulations when shopping and in the home.

Share your breakfast with others by social media or Zoom – not in person!

Send us pictures of your special meal to bb@ledburyfoodgroup.org – we will put the best on our website.

 

Enjoy your breakfast!

This May holiday weekend should have been the Big Apple’s thirtieth year of running Blossomtime in Putley, but sadly it won’t be happening this year.  This annual opportunity to enjoy the orchards full of apple blossom and to taste many different local ciders, perries and apple juices has become an established part of the calendar in this corner of Herefordshire. 

The new product from last year’s harvest is becoming ready to drink – and there’s no stopping it!  Many craft makers depend on local events and tourism and hospitality businesses to sell their cider, perry and apple juice – and so they are taking a big hit from lockdown. 

This year’s blossom is the start of next year’s cider – but first there is a need to sell last year’s stock.  Normally, Putley Parish Hall would have been heaving with visitors buying cider, perry and apple juice.  The nine producers who had arranged to be there have been working hard to find extra ways to make their drinks available within the licensing laws – whether that is through online orders, local deliveries, click and collect, farm shops and village stores.  

So the Big Apple is supporting them through a special information area on their website at https://www.bigapple.org.uk/blossomtime-2020/.  Many regular Big Apple venues are to be found there including Once Upon a Tree, Gregg’s Pit, Woodredding Farm, Pope’s Perry, Yew Tree Farm and Jus Apple Juice.  And two special guests who each won awards at last year’s Big Apple Cider and Perry Trials: Bartestree Cider, last year’s Champion Perrymaker, and Halfpenny Green Cider, winner of the bottle fermented/conditioned cider.  So please support our local makers.  Take a look to find out how you can get hold of your favourite tipple – or try something new – or better still, try several! 

This piece has been provided by the Big Apple Association