Local food

Local food

‘Uglies’ – The Jerusalem Artichoke

Posted on March 30, 2012 by leroy watson

Sweet Uglies (after a hair cut)

I know Celeriac is sometimes called the ugly one, but surely the Jerusalem Artichoke takes this title. All those knobbles, lumps and hairy bits! We affectionately call them ‘Uglies’.

These ‘chokes’ are delicious though and have been a staple in the B.H.K. all winter, with Hootons Homegrown offering a cheap and constant supply. Although they grow in abundance in the U.K., they are a rarely used veg. I have been eating them with glee, without really knowing much about them. Were they from Jerusalem?

The Jerusalem Artichoke is regarded as one of the finest tubers, faintly mushroomy in flavour, sweet and nutty. When roasted they caramelise and when boiled make a great mash, treat them like a potato, with the exception that they are amazing raw. Grated or chopped on salads they can add great crunch and go best with something salty.

The name is completely misleading, the Jerusalem Artichoke is not from Jerusalem or an artichoke! They actually hail from North America where they were cultivated by Native Americans and are sometimes called a ‘sunchoke’ or ‘earth apple’ which are far cooler names. They are the root of a plant belonging to the same family as the sunflower, the ‘Jerusalem’ maybe comes from the Italian word for sunflower ‘girasole’.

A word of warning. These tubers store the carbohydrate inulin, which is a good source of fructose. However, the inulin cannot be broken down by the body causing flatulence and potential discomfort. This explains alot! In the 17th century, a disgruntled English gardener was quoted as saying:

“which way soever they be dressed and eaten, they stir and cause a filthy loathsome stinking wind within the body, thereby causing the belly to be pained and tormented, and are a meat more fit for swine than men.”

They are sometimes used as cattle feed. In Germany they make a liquor from the root called ‘Topi’.

The ‘uglies’ should maybe called the ‘windies’, either way, they are coming to the end of their season in Britain and are well worth the risk of a little after dinner wind!

Categories: Local food, Welsh produce | Tags: B.H.K Favourite, earth apple, flatulence, hootons homegrown farm shop, jerusalem artichoke, organic fruit and vegetables, ugly, ugly things, ugly vegetable, vegetables | Leave a comment

Amazing Salts! Halen Mon Sea Salt, Anglesey

Posted on March 27, 2012 by leroy watson

http://www.halenmon.com/

I am still relatively new to the north Wales area and am just getting to know a few like-minded people and producers. I have recently met a few ‘foodies’ up in these hills and they all rave about the local produce, normally mentioning Halen Mon Salt from the Isle of Anglesey. I have rarely seen people so passionate about their seasonings! Heston Blumethal and Barak Obama are converts. I felt compelled to know more.

Halen Mon is definitely our kind of supplier, the business started with a pan of sea water being heated on the Wilson family stove. Now, a few years later, they are suppling top restaurants and chefs around the world.

Having gone off salt for a while, figuring that the food we eat contains enough of it, Halen Mon Salt has made me realise that a pinch of good seasoning can make all the difference. Like anything, quality matters.

Their salt is made with charcoal filtered seawater that has passed through a mussel bed and a sandbank! Sea salt is simply made by heating the water and drying until crystals form. They are then washed in brine to make them shine.

Halen Mon have a fine selection of salts made by a lovely bunch of people. We have been using a selection of them in our cooking. The celery salt adds a distinct flavour to light salad dressings and the Tahitian vanilla salt compliments dark chocolate perfectly (see our ‘Bitter Chocolate Ricotta’ recipe). I have used their ‘Welsh Oak’ smoked salt on roasted vegetables and haloumi and the flavour is delicious.

Our favourite salt recipe at the moment is spiced nuts, using their ‘Sea Salt with Organic Spices’. Mix a few pinches of the salt with hot oil in a frying pan, pour in a selection of your favourite nuts and bake in a medium over until well roasted (15 minutes or so). This salt can also be used to liven up the humble roast potato. Having a range of salt like this in your larder increases your creativity as a cook.

The Halen Mon site has some informative, unbiased info on the pros and cons of salt in your diet (http://www.halenmon.com/faq.aspx). Basically cut out the processed food made in factories and cook your own, with a sprinkle of Halen Mon to bring out the flavour.

Quality sea salt is pure and contains non of the anti-caking agents and other dodgy additives found in normal table salt.

Halen Mon is the finest salt I have tasted. I love using it in dishes with a subtle flavour. Salt is something that we normally just throw into food, every time I use Halen Mon, it reminds me of the importance of each ingredient in a dish.

The Beach House overlooks the Irish sea, which is blue today under bright sunshine, we are very lucky to be using such brilliant produce made from that very water. Without producers like Halen Mon, cooking would be so much duller and our food certainly less tasty.