Freshbox Diary #1

Here, Kim Seagram, from Launceston's Stillwater River Cafe, generously shares her refreshing skills with a Hilbarn Freshbox.

"I was so excited to receive the box on Monday, couldn't wait to get in the kitchen!

Monday: Slow braised osso bucco with your leek, carrots, onion, garlic, lemon and from my pantry/garden some tinned tomatoes, celery, continental parsley, thyme, white wine and of course vealer/beef shin in slices. Served on lovely creamy mashed potatoes from the box too.

Tuesday: Stir fry with leek, garlic, carrots, baby bok choy, broccoli, fresh coriander, and from our pantry; chicken, chilli, ketjap manis (Indonesian ketchup), noodles.

Thursday: Having just returned from Hobart yesterday and a big day of Zone Marketing and presentations I picked up a pumpkin and ricotta cannelloni from Pasta Merchant on Charles St and made a warm salad of beet-greens wilted with garlic and, from the pantry, pine nuts (toasted) and sultanas with a splash of an aged balsamic to accompany the pasta. Also cooked the beets up to have them handy in the fridge to throw a yummy salad of beetroot, Persian fetta and rocket dressed with Tamar Valley Olive Oil, Tassie tarragon vinegar from Hill Farm, Hill Farm dijon mustared, salt/pepper.

Finally. on the weekend, with time to cook.......

Saturday: I cut up most of the silverbeet and sauteed it with the remains of one of the leeks and garlic with nutmeg from the pantry and a generous handful of mint and continental parsley. While the spinach was cooling I mixed eggs, Persian fetta, and ricotta together to toss through the spinach and with filo from the freezer made Spanikopita. We were over at a farming friend's place for dinner near Cressy that night and had a lovely butterflied leg of lamb with the Spanikopita and a green salad with her roasted beetroot from the garden. I will serve the rest on its own with greek salad (minus the fetta) one night this week and if any leftover from there it will end up in Harrison's lunch box.

Sunday: Made hearty minestrone soup using the leek, onion, garlic, carrots and silverbeet from the box. From my pantry: barlotti beans, handful of penne pasta, few grains of barley and a large tin of chopped tomatoes. From my fridge: celery, green beans, zucchini and pesto from last summer (frozen and cut off in chunks when needed), all simmered long and slow and pulled together with grated parmesan on top and fresh homemade wholemeal buns from the oven for dinner. As I was cooking this off I also used up some of the last of my quinces and poached them in a light syrup (long and slow as well) until deep red. Served for pud with a generous dollop of King Island yoghurt....yum!"
Thanks Kim!

What do you do with your hilbarn freshbox? Email hilbarn@bigpond.com, leave a comment here, or at hilbarn on Twitter

Winter Box

Some of this week's Winter Solstice fresh local produce includes organic garlic, broccoli, Russet Burbank potatoes, carrots, Packham pears, Royal Gala apples, silver beet, coriander, bok choy, leeks, beetroot and onions. Photographed in a sunlit trug made out of recycled fence palings by the Ross Men's Shed, designed by the Ross Nursery.

Great grapes

Our love of fresh local Tassie produce is shared in a feature on Jansz Tasmania's winemaker Natalie Fryar in this month's issue of Australian Country Style magazine (written by Hil). 

Australian Country Style

Fresh Produce To Your Door

Hilbarn Fresh Produce currently delivers Freshboxes to central Pick Up Points in Launceston and George Town. If you're concerned about swine flu, or someone you know is in home isolation, we can also deliver a Freshbox of seasonal local produce to your door. Don't hesitate contacting Hilbarn Fresh Produce by sending an email to hilbarn@bigpond.com. Please note that delivery charges may vary depending on your location.