Beach recipes

For the past few years I have been lucky to join up with Hathats Coffee at their Reculver Country park venue, and most school holiday you can find me running a series of cooking workshops on the beach. Here is a selection of healthy beach recipes that I have used in these sessions, inspired by the seaside setting and the people that attend.

Ingredients (serves 10)

2 tbs oil (rapeseed or olive)

1 celeriac (chopped)

1 large onion

2 leeks

400g potatoes

2 medium parsnips

1 carrot

water​

A bouquet garni of hardy herbs

1 Bay leaf, a good sprig of sage, a few sprigs of rosemary​

A pinch of sea salt

A dash of freshly ground pepper

1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional)

Method

1. Preheat  the oil in a Dutch oven or large stock pot over a medium heat.

2. Start by peeling and cutting the root veg into small 1-2cm chunks and put them aside into a large bowl

3. Afterwards peel and roughly chop the onions and leeks.

4 Sweat the onions and leeks in the pan stirring occasionally until softened and turning translucent.

5. Afterwards add the root veg, salt and pepper stirring for several minutes​

6.  Carefully pour enough water to cover the vegetables and add the bouquet garni to the pot, cover and bring to a boil.

7. Let the soup simmer for about 30 minutes before blending and adding the paprika to serve.

Ingredients

2 onions finely chopped
3 garlic cloves crushed
1 inch piece of ginger grated
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 stem of lemongrass
400g butternut squash
3 large carrots
3 large parsnips
4 tablespoons of mild curry paste
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
200ml of water
250ml of coconut milk
2 handfuls of chopped kale or purple sprouting broccoli
flatbreads to serve
Yoghurt, to serve
Mango chutney, to serve
Chopped coriander, to serve

Method

1. Start by sweating the onions for about 8 minutes on a low heat until they turn translucent.
2. Then add the crushed garlic and and grated ginger, stir and cook for another two minutes before adding the chopped lemongrass
3. Meanwhile ensure the root vegetables are chopped into bite size pieces, before adding to the onions.
4. Turn the heat up a little and stir the vegetables thoroughly and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
5. Next stir in the curry paste (madras or korma work well) and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
6. Pour in the tin of tomatoes and add about 300ml of cold water to the empty tin, shake and then add making sure that none of the tomatoes are wasted. 
7. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or so with the lid on until the vegetables soften.
8. In conclusion add the kale or broccoli and coconut milk and cook for a further 5 minutes.
9. Serve with a garnish of coriander, mango chutney, yoghurt  and flatbreads.

Ingredients

Serves 4

1 Pack of dried noodles

For the sauce

Runny honey

Tomato ketchup

A dash of Henderson’s Relish (or Worcester sauce)

Soy sauce

Juice of 1 lemon

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Oil

250g spring greens/Swiss chard

5-6 spring onions

4 carrots

2 garlic cloves

150g Asparagus

150g Purple Sprouting Broccoli

150g mushrooms (oyster or shiitake work well)

1 packet of beansprouts

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Method

1.First boil some water to re-hydrate the noodles, tend to do this over the fire as it heats up the dutch oven, otherwise a kettle will do! Place the noodles in a suitable bowl or pan then pour the  boiling  water over so it just covers them. Leave.​

2. Now make the sauce.

In small bowl or jug, squirt/ squeeze an equal amount of honey and ketchup, followed by a couple of generous splashes of Soy Sauce and relish, finally adding the lemon juice before whisking this all together to make your stir-fry sauce!​

3.Grate the carrots, tear the greens, crush the garlic, slice the mushrooms (if large), break up the asparagus and PSB before cutting the onions into 1 cm long pieces (scissors work really well for little hands doing this!

4. Check on the noodles, they should now be fully re-hydrated and taken up a lot of the water.

Drain and put to one side.

5. Heat the oil in the Dutch oven if outside, otherwise a deep frying pan or wok will do.

6. Once the oil is hot, fry the  chopped vegetables and bean shoots, stirring for no more than 2-3 minutes.

7. Add the sauce and stir for another minute covering the veg.

8. Finally add the noodles into the pan again stirring to soak up the sauce and flavour.

Pour straight into bowls and enjoy!

(Chopsticks optional!)

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