Velwell Orchard

As of Wednesday, 5th of September we will be running our volunteer days on a Wednesday instead of the usual Thursday… Volunteers are welcome anytime from sunrise until 4pm. Over the next few weeks we will have the apple press up and running so please bring any windfalls you can find and some bottles to take the juice away in.

As usual, we have loads of courgettes, so Anne has kindly put together a few recipes. See below:

Creamy courgette soufflé

By Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Preparation time: less than 30 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins to 1 hour
Serves 5-6
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1lb 2oz small courgettes, finely sliced
55g/2oz butter
55g/2oz plain flour
250ml/8fl oz milk heated
4 eggs separated into 3 yolks and 4 whites
55g/2oz cheddar or gruyère, grated
black pepper
butter, to grease
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and grease 6 ramekins.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the garlic and courgettes.
Cook the courgettes gently, on a slow sizzle so they soften without browning. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until they are completely soft and almost all their water has evaporated (this may take 20 minutes or more). Then bash to a pulpy consistency with a wooden spoon or potato masher and set aside.
In a small pan, melt the butter and add the flour. Mix together, cook for 1 minute, then stir in the hot milk to make a thick béchamel, stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
Allow to bubble for just 1 minute (this ensures the flour is cooked through) then remove from the heat.
Add the bechamel to the courgette, along with the egg yolks, cheese, and a few twists of black pepper, and beat well to get a nice sticky mixture.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold carefully into the mixture.
Divide between five to six ramekins or pile into one large soufflé dish.
Bake in a preheated oven for 12-15 minutes for ramekins, up to 35 minutes for large one. Serve straight from the oven, without delay.

Courgette and Lemon Salad

Courgettes are tasty eaten raw, fresh and simple. This salad looks lovely with different coloured courgettes, golden-yellow and deep and pale-green. It is good just as it is, or with a handful of toasted pine nuts or quartered almonds scattered over the top. It’s ideal with a rich creamy pasta sauce or risotto.
Serves 6-8
3-4 courgettes
Grated zest of 1 lemon and juice of 1/2 lemon
Grated zest of 1 lime and juice of 1/2 lime
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped summer savory or tarragon
1 teaspoon runny honey
Salt and black pepper
Cut the courgettes very thinly lengthways with a potato peeler and put the slices in a shallow dish. Grate over the zest of the lemon and lime.
Make a dressing with the olive oil, lime and lemon juice, together with the herbs, honey and salt and pepper.
Pour the dressing over the courgettes and toss gently.

Courgette sauce for pasta

For 4 people

Cook 1 kg courgettes with 3 tbsp. olive oil and 3 crushed cloves garlic. Heat oil in large pan add garlic, courgettes and little salt. Cook courgettes gently, slow sizzle, soften without browning, continue cooking, stirring frequently until soft, and water evaporates. Stir in 2 tbsp. cream,, 50g Parmesan. Bubble just for 1 min, so cream is incorporated and reduced little. Cook chosen pasta, until al dente. Drain pasta toss with sauce serve.

This Pasta dish is also good with just raw grated courgettes any width and added to chosen pasta with added pesto and extra olive oil. Parmesan can be added.

This Bank Holiday Monday 27th we’ll be having our final cob party of the season! It will run from 2pm until 6pm and there’ll be loads of fruit and veg to take home too. This year has so far been the best growing year ever at Velwell Orchard and we have so much produce! The cobbing will be followed by a barbeque at 6pm. Tim will get the fire going with his bow drill which is well worth seeing. Please bring your wellies and something for the barbeque.

As of Thursday 30th of August we’ll begin apple pressing. I know it’s early but the apples are ready. So please bring any apples along that you’d like pressed and as many bottles as you can find.

Over the last couple of weeks, with the aid of Tim’s boundless energy and a great cob party we have made awesome progress with the cobbing. There is still a massive amount to do however so I thought I’d post some dates on here where you are all welcome to come and lend a pair of welly-clad legs.

July: Friday 20th, Wednesday 25th, Friday 27th, Monday 30th, Tuesday 31st.

August: Wednesday 1st, Friday 3rd, and finally another cob party on Saturday 4th of August.

All these dates are weather permitting and the times are from 6am until 12:30pm. Breakfast is at 7:30am. See photo! Please let me know if you’re coming.