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Leek and Potato Stew

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with cavolo nero, beans and bacon 

A simple, flavour-packed stew utilising spring veg and pantry staples – serves four.
Recipe and photos by Tess Lenart 

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This dish is equally delicious vegetarian, so feel free to omit the bacon and go for vegetable instead of chicken stock if you prefer. I find homemade stock has the best flavour, however shop-bought will work well also. 

I like to serve this stew for lunch with freshly baked bread or toast with lots of butter, or as an easy weeknight dinner. It freezes well and makes a great gift for anyone that could do with a warm hug in a bowl.  

The extra virgin olive oil drizzle and sprinkling of parmesan takes the dish to a whole new level so try to include these steps if you can!  

Ingredients 

  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus extra to drizzle 
  • 1 leek, quartered and thinly sliced 
  • 2 large cavolo nero leaves – stalks removed and chopped 
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves chopped 
  • 2 large potatoes 
  • 3 rashers of bacon (optional) 
  • 400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 
  • 1 pinch chilli flakes (optional) 
  • 750ml chicken (or vegetable) stock 
  • Parmesan cheese for serving (optional) 
  • 1 Tbsp chopped parsley for serving (optional) 
  • Salt and pepper 

Method

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. 
  2. Add the bacon (optional) and fry for 2 minutes. 
  3. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt and gently stir until the leeks soften and start to turn translucent.  
  4. Add the garlic, cavolo nero stalks, chilli flakes, thyme and a good grind of pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes.  
  5. Add the potatoes and gently coat them with the aromats. 
  6. Pour in the stock and simmer for 30 minutes. 
  7. Season to taste, add the cannellini beans and simmer gently for 10 minutes. 
  8. Chop and add the remaining cavolo nero leaves and cook for a couple of minutes then take the saucepan off the heat. 
  9. Ladle the stew into bowls, drizzle with olive oil and top with chopped parsley and grated parmesan. 

Tess Lenart is the founder and chief chutney-maker at Rootstock Foods and The Rootstock Larder roadside stall in Algies Bay.  

Follow @rootstockjournal on Instagram for more delicious, homestyle recipes and kitchen garden inspiration.  

Kūmara and white bean soup

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This seasonal soup serves 6, is quick and easy to make, and very nourishing fare on a cold winter’s day. All the ingredients are easily sourced from an organic shop near you. Words and picture by Christine Dann.

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Ingredients

  • 1 onion, finely sliced
  • 1–2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • small piece fresh ginger, very finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp oil
  • 4–5 medium sized kumara, peeled and cut into small cubes
  • 1 tsp mild curry powder
  • 1 tsp powdered vegetable stock, dissolved in 1 litre hot water
  • 1 400 g can white beans, drained (cannellini or butter beans)
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • to garnish – plain yoghurt or coconut cream, paprika, fresh coriander or parsley

Method

  1. Sauté the onion, garlic and ginger gently in the oil, until the onion is soft but not coloured.
  2. Add the curry powder and cook gently, stirring, for one minute.
  3. Roll the cubed kūmara in the onion mix. Add the stock, and season to taste.
  4. Simmer until the kūmara is soft – around 15 minutes. Add the beans, and heat gently.
  5. Mash the soup with a potato masher to crush the kūmara and beans (or purée with a stick blender); thin with water if necessary; adjust the seasonings to taste.
  6. Garnish the bowls of soup with a swirl of yoghurt or coconut cream, a sprinkle of paprika, and/or chopped coriander or parsley leaves.

Christine Dann has been gardening organically for 50+ years, and is the author of four books on gardening and/or food, and numerous articles on aspects of gardening. 

Honey Turmeric Carrots with TranzAlpine Honey

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Sweet, garlicky and buttery, with a hint of spicy turmeric, these roasted carrots with turmeric honey fusion make a quick and delicious side dish.

Try the recipe on us with a jar of TranzAlpine Honey’s Organic Honey & Turmeric, free with every new magazine print subscription. Special offer details below!

Ingredients
Serves 2

1 tablespoon TranzAlpine Organic Honey & Turmeric
1 garlic clove, grated
1 tablespoon butter, melted
¼ teaspoon salt
Black pepper
250 g baby carrots cut lengthwise
Toasted sesame seeds to serve

Method
  1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
  2. In a small bowl, mix turmeric honey fusion, grated
    garlic and melted butter using a small whisk.
    Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Toss carrots with the aromatic butter. Arrange on
    an oven tray in a single layer. Roast for about 30
    minutes, turning every 10 minutes until tender.
  4. Transfer to a platter, drizzle with remaining
    aromatic butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Plant-based recipes with a side of Bloody Mary

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Matt Ramsay shares some fresh and delicious recipes with Organic NZ readers.

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Lemon poppyseed pancakes

1 T organic chia seeds 
3 T  water 
1 tsp + ¼ cup lemon juice, divided 
1½ cups  soy milk 
2 cups  stoneground flour 
¼ cup  coconut sugar 
4 tsp  baking powder (aluminium free) 
¼ tsp  baking soda (aluminium free) 
½ tsp  Himalayan salt 
¼ cup  melted vegan butter (plus more to grease the pan) 
1 tsp  vanilla extract 
zest of 2 lemons, divided 
1 T  poppy seeds 

1. In a small bowl, combine the chia seeds and water. Set aside. This is your egg replacer.  

2. In another bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and the milk. Set aside. The acidity curdles the milk slightly to form vegan ‘buttermilk’. Reserve the rest of the lemon juice for the pancakes. 

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the centre and add the buttermilk, chia egg replacer, melted butter, remaining ¼ cup of lemon juice and vanilla. Whisk together the wet ingredients within the well before gently folding in the dry ingredients. Mix until mostly smooth. Some lumps are okay. Reserve ½ teaspoon lemon zest for garnish, and stir the rest into the batter along with the poppy seeds. 

4. Preheat pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Grease the pan with vegan butter. 

5. Scoop ¼ cup of batter into the pan. When bottoms are golden brown and there are several air bubbles in the pancakes, flip them over. Cook for 2–3 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crisp. 

6. Serve with pomegranates, banana, agave or whipped coconut cream, raspberries, reserved lemon zest. 

Massaged kale chopped salad

400 g tin chick peas (drained and rinsed), or 1½ cups cooked chick peas 
5  large kale leaves  
2–3  stalks celery 
3  large tomatoes 
1  red onion 
1  red bell pepper 
1  avocado 
handful of olives 
½ tsp  salt 
Optional: large handful flaked or slivered almonds, toasted 

1. Tear kale leaves into smaller pieces, sprinkle with half a teaspoon fine sea salt and massage until limp.  
2. Finely chop the vegetables and olives, and mix all together with the kale and chick peas. 
3. Optional: Dress with lime or lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil and scatter with slivered almonds. 

Vamped-up Bloody Mary

Beetroot juice is one of the richest dietary sources of nitrates, which help improve blood flow and heart health. The addition of cayenne pepper in this heart-healthy, alcohol-free take on a Bloody Mary gives a further boost as cayenne is great for circulation. The garlic, lemon and parsley added to the mix are anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial. 

4 beetroot
1 celery stalk
2 springs parsley
½ lemon, skin and flesh
1 cm slice horseradish
1 small garlic clove, peeled
pinch cayenne pepper
1 tsp coconut aminos

Feed all the ingredients through a juicer – you can add the coconut aminos through the juicer or just swirl into the juice afterwards.