Using your allotment crops to make healthy meals – Burpee Europe
More and more of us are eating home-grown foods, and this Carrot, Chickpea and Kale Moroccan-Style Stew uses them to their best advantage.
Growing your own has the benefits of exposing our palates to a healthier diet and giving children the chance to taste vegetables in their natural state, rather than frozen. Transport is one of the biggest factors in the carbon footprint of shop-bought plant-based foods, so buying locally sourced vegetables and fruit is a good start in helping to limit your impact on the environment.
However, filling your plate with homegrown produce is at the top of the rung on the low-carbon footprint ladder. Here’s a recipe devised for Burpee Europe by chef Valerie Hamelin. It’s made using Carrot Short N Sweet, which is easy to grow and full of vitamins. The sweet-flavoured carrot has 10cm roots bred for heavy or poor soil and can also be grown in large containers. How to grow carrots.
Ingredients for Moroccan-Style Stew
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, diced
- 6 Short N Sweet carrots, peeled and cut into 2cm half-moons
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 2 tsp harissa paste
- 1 tsp each of fennel seeds, cumin, coriander and smoked paprika
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 medium tomatoes, or 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 500ml vegetable stock
- 2 tins chickpeas, drained
- 1 handful curly kale or spinach
- 1 tbsp low-fat crème fraîche (optional)
- Sprig of coriander
- Salt and pepper
Moroccan-Style Stew method
In a large pan, place the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions, carrots and garlic, stir well and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the fennel seeds, harissa paste, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and tomato paste to the pan and stir well. It will form a thick paste.
Then add the tomatoes to the pan and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes, until reduced.
Add the vegetable stock and the chickpeas to the pan and season with the salt and pepper, cook for 15 minutes until the stew looks a good consistency and is glossy.
Finally, add a handful of kale a couple of minutes before finishing cooking, so the kale doesn’t discolour. Taste and adjust with more harissa if necessary.
To serve
Place the stew in a large bowl and garnish with a blob of crème fraiche and chopped fresh coriander. You can add a piece of grilled marinated salmon and place it on top of the stew. This dish can be made vegan without the crème fraîche.
Seeds of carrot Short N Sweet are available from Mr Fothergill’s and Plants of Distinction.
