Funny how life changes as you get older! I grew up in a working class household where weekends were devoted to mum cooking and dad tending to his allotment, they were different times, leisure activities were no where near as sedentary as they are today.
We children would be involved, whether helping mum in the kitchen or, as I did on many a Saturday, helping dad at the allotment. The allotment made me think about food, about how it grew, when it was in season, we anticipated the first crop of rhubarb, mum would stew it and make crumbles, pies and jam. Runner beans and new potatoes doused in butter, carrots and beetroots which mum would roast in olive oil, (which she used to buy in boots the chemist.) The allotment was back breaking work but my father was relaxed and at one with mother nature and those times are cherished memories for me.
As a young adult I lost all interest in allotments, gardening and cooking, fortunately old habits die hard and when my son Bert was born I wanted him to appreciate nature, after all the best luxuries in life are experience and knowledge. I crowded the small balcony of our flat in London with grow bags and pots and grew herbs and tomatoes which Bert would water. My parents also devoted a plot in their garden to Bert where he grew wild strawberries, blackberries and legumes, with a bit of help from grandad!
When I was growing up my family watched a programme called ''The good life' this followed couple Tom and Barbara who chose to escape modern commercial life by adopting a sustainable, simple, self-sufficient lifestyle. By stark contrast their neighbours were wealthy social climbers who inspite of all the trappings weren't happy. Without question viewers aspired to be Tom and Barbara as opposed to their snobby, materialistic neighbours, however, as a nation we have become entrenched in materialism, and social climbing. Across England gardens have been given over to monstrous trampolines, I quess it's easier to throw the kids on the trampoline than to spend time with them planting and nurturing a garden!
As I said in my previous post, I'm trying out Jamie Oliver recipes from his save with Jamie cookbook. Fortunately there is a whole chapter dedicated to veg recipes and this next recipe went down very well with my family!
BBQ beans and smashed sweet potatoes
Recipe
Serves 6
2 onions, peeled and sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 chilli, sliced (optional)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 x 700ml jar of passata
Olive oil
1 teaspoon of each: paprika, cumin and dried chilli flakes
6 sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean
2 x 400g tins of mixed beans, (alternatively you could use 1 tin of mixed beans and 1 of baked beans or butter beans, I used 1 tin of chilli kidney beans and 1 of mixed beans)
100ml BBQ sauce
In a large pan heat a glug of olive oil, add onions, garlic, chilli, carrots, paprika, cumin and chilli flakes
Cook for 20 minutes, or until softened, stirring regularly
In a preheated oven, 180c/gas 4, place sweet potatoes on a baking tray and cook for 1 hour
When onions and carrots are soft stir in passata, add a splash of water to the empty jar, swirl it around and pour into pan
Add beans and BBQ sauce, stir well, drizzle with olive oil and simmer gently for 30 minutes, adding water to loosen if needed
Remove potatoes from oven, allow to cool slightly then peel skin away
Roughly chop potatoes and add to pan
Serve in warm bowls, you could add dollops of natural yoghurt or grated cheese or you could tear up some stale bread, lightly toss in oil and bake in the oven with the potatoes until they are crispy croutons to scatter on top
Yet another very nutritious, economical meal!
'A garden to walk in and immensity to dream in-what more could he ask?
A few flowers at his feet and above him the stars.'
-Victor Hugo
Love Donna xxxxxxx
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