Colcannon with a Wild Garlic Butter

by Nessa Robins

In the past, potatoes were always an integral part of dinners in Ireland, and by the mid-18th century colcannon emerged as a staple meal. They mixed potatoes with garden greens, such as kale or cabbage, with the intention to produce a meal hearty enough to keep a working man full for the rest of the day. Colcannon is still a well-loved dish in Ireland, though it is now normally served as a side. 

I’m using Irish-grown potatoes and cabbage from my vegetable box in this recipe, and I’m topping the colcannon with a wild garlic butter, but finely chopped scallions can be used in the wild garlic’s place. As wild garlic is only available for a few weeks each year, I normally make a batch of this butter and store it in the freezer to enjoy over the coming months. It pairs perfectly with the creamy mashed potato but works equally well with roasted vegetables.

With a host of wholesome, nutritious ingredients, this colcannon has the makings of the most delicious Irish dish to enjoy this St. Patrick’s Day.

Enjoy!

Nessa x

Colcannon with a Wild Garlic Butter

Ingredients

  • 1kg potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 250g sweetheart cabbage, finely sliced
  • 100ml milk
  • 50g butter
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the butter

  • 100g butter, softened
  • 20g wild garlic leaves
  • ½ tsp sea salt

Method

Stir though the steamed cabbage and divide between 4 plates, making a well in the centre of each mound of colcannon. Add a slice of the wild garlic/scallion butter to the well and serve. Enjoy!

Place the peeled and diced potatoes into a metal steamer, with simmering water beneath, and simmer for 20-30 minutes until cooked through. 

While the potatoes are cooking, steam the cabbage for about five minutes until a little tender. 

To make the wild garlic butter, wash and fully dry the wild garlic leaves – a salad spinner is best for this. Then, finely chop the wild garlic. Add to a bowl with the softened butter and sea salt. Combine well using a wooden spoon. Transfer the butter to a square of greaseproof paper, before wrapping tightly and popping in the fridge until needed. 

When the potatoes and cabbage are ready, add the milk and butter to a large saucepan with a little salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Place over a medium heat and once it begins to simmer, turn off the heat below and add the potatoes. 

Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until smooth and creamy. 

Loaded Open Sandwich

by Nessa Robins

There are certain sandwich fillers which have the ability to elevate and even transform an ordinary sandwich into something spectacular. Red onions are one of my favourite vegetables to pickle as they’re so versatile. They work well in a sandwich (plain, toasted, or open), on burgers, in salads, or as a chilli topping. They become a little sweeter the longer they sit, so it’s best to prepare them a couple of days before you plan on using them, and they keep well in the fridge for up to two weeks. Once all the onion slices are gone, the liquid can be re-used for another few red onions. Likewise, hummus makes for a great addition to any sandwich or wrap. I’ve used a gorgeous za’atar in this recipe which adds deep woody and floral flavours to the hummus. To assemble the sandwich, I’m frying off some Irish chestnut mushrooms in a mild-flavoured marinade, but you could replace these with roasted vegetables, strips of pan-fried courgettes, or summer salads, once they’re back in-season. 

Enjoy!

Nessa x

Loaded Open Sandwich

Pickled onions

Hummus

Mushrooms

  • 200g mushrooms, sliced
  • 1tbsp soy sauce
  • 1tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1tsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • Salt & black pepper

To assemble

Method

Prepare the pickled onions by adding the vinegar, sugar, salt, and bay leaf, if using, to a small saucepan. Place over a medium heat. Bring to the boil and simmer for two minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Add the onion slices to a sieve and holding over the sink or a large bowl, pour over some recently boiled hot water. Place the onion slices in a large, sterilised jar and pour over the hot liquid. Seal and once cooled, refrigerate for up to two weeks.

For the hummus, add the ingredients to a food processor and blitz until smooth. Transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

For the mushrooms, add the soy sauce, balsamic, olive oil, garlic and a little salt and pepper into a bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the sliced mushrooms and stir to combine with the sauce. Either use straightaway or cover and refrigerate for using later in the day. To cook the mushrooms, add a little olive oil to a hot pan, add the mushrooms and cook over a high heat, stirring well, for about 5 minutes. 

When ready to enjoy the sandwich, brush a little olive oil on each side of the slice of bread and cook for a minute or so on each side on a hot griddle pan. 

To assemble, add a layer of hummus to the griddled bread, top with the mushrooms, some pickled onions, and a scattering of microgreens. Enjoy straight away!

Wholemeal Pancakes with Caramelised Banana Recipe

by Nessa Robins

Pancakes are so versatile, working equally well as a sweet or savoury treat. I’m using Irish wholemeal flour in this recipe, which is fine in texture, allowing it to combine perfectly to create light and fluffy pancakes. The extra fibre in the wholemeal is also great for our gut, while helping to keep us feeling fuller for longer. This is one of my favourite pancake toppings, and if you’re a banana fan, I know you’re going to love it too. 

Enjoy!

Nessa x

Wholemeal Pancakes with Caramelised Banana 

Ingredients

Topping

To serve

  • Good quality vanilla yogurt
  • Caramel sauce, maple syrup or honey

Method

Add the flour to a large bowl. Sieve in the baking powder and whisk gently to combine.

Add the egg to the bowl and combine with the flour before gradually adding the milk, whisking well in between each addition.

Place a pan over a medium heat. Add a little oil and once hot add a ladle to the pan, once bubbling, flip and cook on the other side. Repeat with the remaining batter. This quantity should make about 8 small pancakes. 

To caramelise the banana, add the butter to a pan, once foaming, add the banana slices and fry on each side for about a minute, until golden. Drizzle over the honey. Allow to sizzle for a few seconds before taking from the heat.

To serve, top the pancakes with the caramelised banana, add a good dollop of yogurt and a drizzle of caramel sauce, maple, or honey. Enjoy straightaway!

1 of 60 growers

by Kenneth Keavey

As organic vegetable growers we are lucky in some respects, after 19 years we are still growing. So many stop or have no choice but to get out of the industry. I was advised once that you can’t make any money from growing vegetables commercially, and it is certainly challenging and has been more so over the last ten years than ever before.

But this seems wrong to me. We never started for the money, nut any business needs to be profitable to survive, to reinvest in the business in the people in the land and more Over the last number of years, we find ourselves subsidising our farm from our business. We are lucky we sell directly to you our customers that allows us some reprieve and a bit of flexibility. Something you would never get with supermarkets.

But there may be change afoot. And two amazing things struck me this week.

1. Finally, I think, supermarkets are starting to realise at least in a small way that they need growers. You would have thought that this realisation would not be a new Eureka moment! When was it ever otherwise? Where do you think the food will comes from when/if we all stop growing? After 3 decades of playing one grower against another and effectively dismantling any resilience in the vegetable growing sector in Ireland, the penny is starting to drop that the situation is perilous.

But all of the talk in the world is pointless without supporting the talk with clear action and fair prices. Farmers don’t want to have to rely on grant aid to survive, who wants that? Imagine a food system where farmers don’t have to rely on grant aid, where fresh food is celebrated for the amazing nutrition it supplies, and as a fulcrum for protecting and enhancing biodiversity. Isn’t that the way it should be? What could be more important that having a vibrant resilient food system? Or to put it another way, what happens when our food system collapses, and we have empty supermarket shelves? What then?

Cheap imports that are becoming less cheap and scarcer, are reliant on a labour system that is not transparent and is less than fair. Exploitation of vulnerable workers is rife and underpins much of the cheap produce on supermarket shelves. That and a reliance on pesticide applications which damage our health and biodiversity.

2. The other amazing thing that is happening is young people are really fired up about growing food and in particular growing vegetables sustainably. These are the next generation of growers who want to protect biodiversity and stop using chemicals and grow food locally. Isn’t that amazing and wonderful and don’t people who want to do this deserve to get paid fairly for their efforts? They only can if the price of food increase.Just recently we have had several applications for the amazing OGI internship on our farm we hope to decide on a candidate next week.

So maybe there is a chance to reverse erosion of our vegetable growing industry and the fact that there are only 60 commercial vegetable growers left in the country, and we are one of them.

All of this has left me feeling hopeful for this season ahead, more than I have been in a while. So now we need to get muck on our boots and get on with the growing season and that we will do with your support, as always, thank you.

Kenneth

 Storm Éowyn, fallen trees and plastic bags

by Kenneth Keavey

Storm Éowyn brought many things to our shores. One of those things it brought into our fields was plastic. One plastic bag caught my attention as I was gathering some out of our fields the other day. It was an empty bag of feed for cattle and sheep.

This bag listed its ingredients, the majority of which were genetically modified.

So here were some things I learned.

Fact No 1. This feed contained amongst other things, Maize and soya, both of which came from genetically modified crops.

Fact No 2. These crops have been genetically modified so that they can withstand the increased application of glyphosate.

Fact No 3. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in the branded Roundup weedkiller.

Fact No 4. This chemical has been labelled as a potential carcinogen by the WHO (World Health Organisation).

Fact no 5. This feed will have been grown in countries outside of the EU, mainly in the US and Brazil, where the application of Roundup is not controlled as well as it is in the EU. The MRL (maximum residue limit for glyphosate in the US is 5mg/kg for corn and for soya it is a whopping 20mg/kg.)

Fact no 6. Although cows, sheep and lambs in Ireland are fed mainly a grass diet, there is an increasing reliance on imported feed such as this to feed animals especially during winter.)

So, the key take away here is lots of roundup is sprayed on these genetically modified crops and the process of desiccation (using roundup prior to harvest meaning loads of the chemical gets sprayed on the crop just before harvest, this is banned in the EU although there are loopholes) is still a thing outside of the EU. These crops are primarily used for animal feed which makes its way around the world and right here to our shores in Ireland

Fact No 7. In Brazil, massive swaths of the Amazon rain forest are and have been cleared to plant these crops to feed animals mainly in the US and in Brazil.

It is poignant that the increasing ferocity of these powerful storms that we now must be ready for (that caused such chaos and damage here on our shores only two weeks ago), are in part created by the agricultural system we rely on. This very system is destroying the ecology which is essential to maintain biodiversity that we need to produce healthy food and clean air.

I cannot understand ever, how we can observe nature and at times be in awe of the beauty and the bounty that it provides and yet by our choices and systems destroy this very system we need to survive. (the stories hidden in our food by our modern retail/agricultural system facilitate this)

But we have power to make choices that will have an immediate positive impact on our planet and on our health. Maybe, we can be more aware of what we eat, we can eat organic where we can and if possible, reduce our consumption so much conventional meat and dairy.

We have been at this for 19 years now and our message has never changed, “our food choices matter, and they can help make our world a better place” and although it is hard I think in these recent times it is more important now than ever before.

We will with your support, fight on, thanks for being with us on this journey.

Kenneth

3-Ingredient Chocolate Mousse

by Nessa Robins

Chickpea water, which is known as aquafaba, has many culinary uses. For a liquid we would normally discard, it’s amazing just how many ways we can turn it into something delicious. From marshmallows to mayonnaise, it can be used to replace eggs and egg whites in a wide range of recipes. Two tablespoons of aquafaba are equivalent to one egg white. It whips beautifully lending itself to be a wonderful replacement for egg whites in a meringue recipe or in a mousse, such as the recipe I’m sharing today. 

It’s important to bear in mind, aquafaba will take longer to whip than eggs, so you will need to whisk the liquid for approximately ten minutes to get the desired consistency needed for the mousse. As the sweetness of the dessert is mostly dependent on the chocolate used, it is best to choose a good quality dark chocolate, with a cocoa content which isn’t too high, so around 55-60%. For a plant based version, ensure the chocolate is dairy-free. This delicious 3-ingredient chocolate mousse would make for the perfect treat to enjoy with a loved one, family or friends this Valentine’s.

Enjoy,

Nessa x

3-Ingredient Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients

  • 200g good-quality dark chocolate (about 55-60%) 
  • 125ml aquafaba
  • 2tbsp maple syrup

To serve

  • 1 square chocolate
  • Raspberries

Method

To serve, grate over some chocolate and top with a few raspberries. Any leftovers can be covered and kept in the fridge for up to three days. Enjoy!

Break the chocolate into pieces and place in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, without allowing the bowl to touch the water. Once it starts to melt, stir it well and remove from the heat to cool completely before using.

Add the aquafaba to a dry mixing bowl and mix at a high speed for 10 minutes, or until the mixture has thicken and forms stiff peaks. 

Slowly add the cooled melted chocolate, but do not beat the mixture.

Once combined, add the maple syrup and using a spatula fold it through the mixture.

Transfer the mixture between 4 small ramekins or teacups. Place in the fridge for a couple of hours to set.

1 teaspoon is enough to …

by Kenneth Keavey

One teaspoon of this pesticide is enough to kill 1 billion bees. The chemical in question is thiamethoxam a member of a class of pesticides called neonicotinoids.

Back in 2018 the EU banned the use of neonicotinoids for control of pests such as aphids in crops. This family of pesticides had conclusively been shown to contribute to colony collapse disorder in Bees. With Bee populations and insect populations in free fall around the world this was a positive and bold step against the large multinational producers of these toxic chemicals.

However, these pesticides are still prevalent in nature, right here in Ireland, our soils are till contaminated with residues of this class of pesticide even though some fields were never sprayed with this chemical and considering its overall ban in 2018 this seems remarkable, researchers from Dublin city University discovered.

Having said all that the key point here is that back in 2013 you had the giant manufacturers blatantly claiming that the pesticides were safe for bees, and blaming other factors for bee population decline. Farmers, scientists and these companies were all foretelling the end of agriculture crop devastation if these chemicals were banned.

A very similar argument used today when it comes to Glyphosate interestingly. Roll on over 10 years, and with the ban we still have food, we still have crops, and it seems that the removal of these chemicals has not caused the devastation the propaganda from the multinational pesticide manufacturers would have had us all believe.

Here is the funny thing though, but it isn’t actually funny at all, the manufacture of these chemicals still progresses right here in Europe and these chemicals in dizzying amounts are exported to countries where there are no such bans. For instance:

Unearthed and Public Eye found that Syngenta notified exports of more than 10,400 tonnes of thiamethoxam-based insecticides from the EU in 2021, to 61 different countries.

Of the 10,400 tonnes more than half of that weight came from a single planned export to Brazil of 5.9 million litres of the company’s blockbuster pesticide Engeo Pleno S – enough to spray the entire surface area of New Zealand.

In the UK which in its wisdom decided to depart the EU in 2021 has been granting emergency use of this class of pesticide right up until last year on sugar beet of all crops. Thankfully it looks like the light has finally been seen and a Pesticide emergency authorisation has been denied for 2025 to protect bees.

So, it seems we can make the changes necessary to protect biodiversity when we band together and fight. There will always be a fight it seems to do the right thing, but sometimes just sometimes good prevails and the right thing is done.

We certainly will never stop fighting and never stop sourcing and producing food in the right way as we have been doing for nearly 20 years.

And As always without your support this would not be possible so thank you.

Kenneth

Crispy Garlic Hasselback Potatoes

by Nessa Robins

Potatoes are a rich source of vitamins, minerals and fibre, and are such a versatile vegetable to have to hand. They can be prepared and served in many different ways, and making a hasselback version is one of my favourite ways to enjoy them. Par-steaming the prepared potatoes is an important step of the process as it aids a more even cooking of the potatoes. The recipe below makes for the most delicious hassleback potatoes, as the inside of the potato remains fluffy while the outside becomes perfectly crisp.

Enjoy!

Nessa x

  • Ingredients
  • 3 large potatoes
  • 3tsp olive oil
  • Sea salt
  • 50g butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • To serve
  • Chunk of Parmesan cheese
  • 2 scallions, finely chopped

Method

1. Prepare the potatoes by placing each one between two chopsticks or butter knives and carefully cut slices at intervals of 5mm, but don’t completely cut through the potato.
2. Par-steam the potatoes for 20 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 220°C/ fan 200°C /gas mark 7.
4. Remove the potatoes from the steamer and add to a parchment paper-lined baking tray. Drizzle each potato with a teaspoon of olive oil – taking care to separate each slice and evenly distribute the oil. Sprinkle over a little sea salt and place in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
5. In the meantime, make the garlic butter by melting the butter in a small saucepan. Take from the heat and stir through the garlic. Leave to one side.
6. Take the potatoes from the oven and drizzle over the garlic butter – again taking care to distribute the butter between the potato slices. Return to the oven for another 20 minutes, only to take from the oven a couple of times to baste the potatoes with the butter as it melts back into the tray.
7. Once the potatoes are fully cooked through, take from the oven, grate over the Parmesan, add a sprinkling of chopped scallion and serve straight away.

Chocolate Orange Energy Balls 

by Nessa Robins

Oranges are currently in season, making it a particularly good time to add them to your Green Earth Organics box. They are especially rich in vitamin C, which support our immune system, aids in the adsorption of iron and helps to find inflammation in the body. They are also a great source of fibre and folate. 

The zest of an orange holds incredible flavour and makes a great addition to sweet treats. Our oranges are organic and unwaxed, making the zest especially beneficial for using in recipes, but still give the oranges a wash before zesting. Orange zest can be placed in a freezer proof container and popped in the freezer for up to three months, so the next time you’re treating yourself to an orange, remove the zest first before peeling.

These chocolate orange energy balls make for a delicious, sweet treat to enjoy anytime of the day. They are packed with wholesome ingredients. If you prefer you can omit the chocolate topping, they will still be full of flavour. 

Enjoy!

Nessa x

Chocolate Orange Energy Balls 

Ingredients

Makes 24

Topping

  • 100g chocolate, of choice, melted
  • Zest ½ orange

Method

Leave to set and store in the fridge until ready to serve. They will keep well in the fridge in a sealed container for at least 5 days.

Add the oats and almonds to a high-powered blender and blitz until fine.

Add the dates, milk, peanut butter, cacao, and orange zest. Blitz for about 30 seconds, until fully combined.

Taking a little scoop of the dough, roll into a ball and place on a greaseproof paper-lined tray. Repeat with the remaining mixture, making about 24 balls. 

Drizzle over the melted chocolate. Top with some orange zest.                            

Winter Vegetable Soup

by Nessa Robins

A bowlful of soup can be somewhat restorative at this of year, especially when it includes wholesome organically grown Irish vegetables. If you happen to have some fresh vegetables remaining from your Christmas Vegetable Box, a soup is a wonderful way to quickly transform them into a meal. If you are hosting a New Year’s party, this soup would go a long way served hot in little shot glasses, topped with a tiny drizzle of cream and a couple of thyme leaves. It’s equally delicious served in a big bowl alongside a toastie, or if you’re planning a New Year’s hike, it can be added to a warmed flask as a deliciously warming treat to tuck into when hunger strikes. Whatever way you choose to serve it, I hope you enjoy it.

Nessa x

Winter Vegetable Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 50g butter, dairy or plant-based
  • 250g mushrooms, sliced 
  • 2 leeks, washed and sliced
  • 1 small potato, peeled and diced
  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 stick of celery, sliced 
  • Few sprigs of thyme, leaves only
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 750ml hot vegetable stock
  • 50ml cream, dairy or plant-based 
  • Method
  1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a low heat. When it begins to foam add the mushrooms, leek, potato, onion, and celery, stir to combine with the butter.
  2. Place a butter wrapper or a piece of greaseproof paper over the vegetables, to help them sweat. Cover with the lid of the saucepan. Sweat over a low heat for about 10 minutes, making sure the vegetables don’t stick to the bottom of the saucepan.
  3. When the vegetables are soft but not coloured, and the thyme, season with a little salt and a few grinds of pepper and add the stock. Continue to cook for another 15 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
  4. Using a hand blender or a food processor purée the soup until it is smooth. Taste and season, if necessary. Pour in the cream and stir well to combine.
  5. Pour the soup into serving bowls and garnish with a few thyme leaves and a little drizzle of cream or add to a warmed flask to enjoy while out for a walk later in the day.