Did you know there are over nine varieties of potato grown in the UK? They all have different tastes and textures and blossom when used for various purposes. Small salad and new potatoes don’t need peeling. Skins from potatoes fresh out of the ground often just come off easily when rubbed under water.
Here are some of the main ones and what they are good for:
- Charlotte –boiling, roasting and for salads
- Desiree – potato wedges, jacket potatoes, chips, boiling, mashing, roasting
- King Edward – potato dauphinoise, chips, roasting, mashing
The green pods, beans inside and also the roots are all edible and are eaten in various cultures around the world. Because runner beans contain traces of toxic Lectin, they must always be cooked before they are consumed. Season: Summer/Autumn Nutritional benefits: Runner Beans are a good source of vitamin C and fiber.
Forget the school dinner horrors of pickled beetroot in sharp vinegar - this beautiful, colourful vegetable is far tastier the natural way and it has far better uses, as you will see from our suggested recipes!
Beetroot is a nutritious root vegetable which is favoured as a colourful salad ingredient, as well as providing rich earthy tones to soups and stews.
Season: July-January (although some claim to grow it all the year round...)
Description: Broccoli is commonly found all year round as it is so widely used, and so imported, but it is good to eat it in season. Tightly packed green florets form the heads of broccoli; other varieties grown in smaller sections, such as purple sprouting broccoli.
Season: June-November
Nutritional benefits: Broccoli is an excellent source of folate and vitamin C. It is also packed with vitamin K.
Leeks are related to garlic and onions but have a much subtler, sweeter and more sophisticated flavour, often used to enrich soups or stews Season: November-April Nutritional benefits: Leeks are an excellent source of vitamin C as well as iron and fibre. Quick cook's tip: Slice leeks thinly and steam them until soft and serve with vegan marg, salt and pepper. Cooking Leeks
Inspired by British Leeks
