Wonky and Ugly Vegetables

Wow - I was so excited when watching Jamie & Jimmys Friday night feast to see that Asda have agreed to sell "wonky" or "ugly" vegetables in 128 of their stores.  These are vegetables which are simply an odd shape or maybe an unusual size. As a grower of lots of vegetables that are not perfectly shaped I know that just because the veg doesn't look great or is "ugly" it still tastes great.  It really annoys me that so much food is wasted because it doesn't look quite right. Hopefully now other supermarkets will catch on and the public will support farmers by buying the vegetable boxes. I always try to buy fruit and vegetables which are British grown and in season, they taste so much better in season and are usually cheaper.  So please go and buy your wonky or ugly vegetable box.  In honour of our lovely wonky and ugly vegetables  I thought I would give you some ideas for using the veg in some different ways.

Vegetable crisps: a great alternative to the shop bought packets of crisps which are stuffed full of preservatives, & artificial flavours.
Simply peel the veg - this works well with potato, sweet potato, carrot, parsnip or beetroot or mix them all together!
Once peeled thinly slice the veg (a veg peeler or cheese slicer is ideal for this)
Heat in a saucepan or frying pan some olive oil about 1.5 inches deep.
Ensure the oil is really hot and add some of the sliced veg.  Do not over fill the pan - it is better to fry a few bits at a time this way they cook better and will not get stuck together. They will only take a couple of minutes, once crispy remove from pan and place on kitchen paper to drain.
Season with salt and pepper.
Delicious tasty snack!

Thinly slice the veg

fry

Vegetable Crisps!

Soup & stock:  any vegetables can be turned into soup or stock especially if they are getting a bit old and droopy! Keep watching my recipe page for new ideas and recipes.

Vegetable dips - ideal for beetroot, butternut squash, carrot or broccoli.  I would suggest you do not mix these vegetables but make a separate dip with each vegetable type.

Roast the vegetables until soft. I add a splash of balsamic vinegar as well for extra flavour. For broccoli you may prefer to boil or steam.
Once cooked place in a food blender with 1-2 cloves of garlic and 1 teaspoon of cumin powder (this is for 2-3 beetroot).  For some extra "heat" add half a fresh chilli.
The amount of garlic, cumin & chilli can be adjusted to suit your taste - this is a guide only.
Blend until fairly smooth - you want to avoid chunks of garlic or chilli in your dip!
Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to loosen the mixture.
Add a couple of squeezes of lemon or lime juice.
Add a couple of drops of worcestershire sauce.
Blend again until it is all combined.

This is great served with fresh bread, toasted pitta bread or breadsticks.

Any of these dips can be frozen for use another day.

I hope this has given you some inspiration!