Our Produce
Below is a (by no means exhaustive) list of our produce and potential availability throughout the year. For more information, contact us.
Ashitaba
Eat raw or cooked. Stems can be lightly boiled and used like asparagus; leaves can be lightly boiled and eaten in place of spinach, or chopped and added to soups and stir-fries.
Edamame
The advantage of eating the immature, green soybeans instead of the ripened, dried seeds is the better taste, crunchy texture, and appealing green appearance. They taste good cold or hot, and the attractive bright green color enhances the appearance of many dishes. Additionally, the young, green soybeans are more easily digested since the complex carbohydrates (oligosaccharides) of the mature seeds are not yet formed. Available Aug-Oct subject to yield.
Gobo
Gobo root can only be eaten raw when very young, otherwise it should be cooked by boiling for 2 minutes or sliced and stir-fried. The strong large leaves make an excellent organic cooking foil for meat. Available Oct-Mar subject to yield.
Karashina
The leaves are smooth-textured and watery, having a strong mustard flavour which is milder in the young leaves. Eat raw in salad or use to wrap cooked sausages and other meats, or to wrap balls of rice. Good in stir-fries. Available Apr-Jun, Aug-Feb subject to yield.
Komatsuna
Young leaves are good in salad. Larger leaves are good for stir-fry or can be briefly boiled like Pak Choi. Available Apr-Dec subject to yield.
Mitsuba
Best appreciated raw in salads and as a garnish for soups, added to rice, fish or with scrambled eggs. Mitsuba turns bitter when cooked for more than a couple of minutes so should only be added at or just before serving. In Japan mitsuba is often added to a steamed egg custard called 'chawan mushi'. Available Nov-May subject to yield.
Myoga
Negi
Raw in salads or use in cooking as an alternative to the English leek (flavour is not the same). Available all year round, subject to yield.
Nigauri
Known as 'Goya' in Okinawa, the fruits are eaten when young, since they become bitter as they mature. Leaves can also be eaten and are richly fragrant. Available Jul-Nov subject to yield.
Shishitou
This is a small (6 to 8cm long weighing 7 to 10 grams) wrinkled green pepper that is usually sweet, but often has a hot kick - especially later in the season. Delicous raw, roasted or stir-fried. Available Aug-Oct subject to yield.
Shungiku
In mixed salads raw, boiled like spinach (cook quickly) or stir-fried. Delicous with bacon or garlic. Delicious in miso soup. Delicious with scrambled eggs. Add to 'chawan mushi' - a steamed savory egg custard. Both stalks and leaves are used. The flowers are edible and make an attractive garnish. Available Jan-Jun, Aug-Dec, subject to yield.
Daikon
Raw and grated it's strong sharp flavour is a good accompaniment for oily fish such as sardines and herring. Slice the raw root and add to salad, or cook in soups and stews. The leaves and small white flowers can be eaten raw or cooked and the leaves can be boiled or steamed briefly before chopping up to serve as a dark green side vegetable just like spinach. Available May-Feb subject to yield
Horensou
Hourensou can be eaten raw in salads, or cooked by steaming or boiling briefly for 2 to 3 minutes. Alternatively braise it and serve topped with sesame dressing. Water left from cooking will contain iron and other water-soluble nutrients, so do not throw it away! Available Feb-Apr, Nov-Dec, subject to yield.
Kabocha
Kabocha is much denser and sweeter than other pumpkins, the closest alternative being Butternut Squash. A very sharp knife is required to cut through the hard skin and the flesh will be revealed as vivid orange in colour. For simplicity, bake in the oven. The skin is edible and should not be removed - just cut the kabocha into segments and remove the core of seeds before placing on a tray in an oven for 20 to 30 minutes at 180 degrees celsius. Available Sep-Dec subject to yield.
Kabu
Slice the raw root and mix in a salad, cook in a stew or cut into bite-sized pieces and roast in the oven for 15 minutes. Leaves taste good in soup, can be cooked in boiling water for 1 minute and eaten like spinach, or the young leaves can be eaten raw in a salad. The red kabu - both root and stems - keeps their beautiful colour even after cooking. Available May-Dec and through winter intermittently, subject to yield.
Kyuuri
Eat raw or cooked. For pickling, roll in salt, put into a container and press with a weight overnight. Available Jul-Sep subject to yield.
Mizuna
Raw in salads or cooked as greens. Available Mar-Dec subject to yield.
Nasu
Use for stir-fries (it goes very well with root ginger and soy sauce), tempura (deep fry with thin batter), oven dishes such as musaka, or pickle in salt. Available Jul-Oct subject to yield.
Nira
Raw (Delicious in salads) or cooked but the flavour is destroyed by lengthy cooking. Flowers too can be eaten raw or cooked and make an attractive and delicious sald garnish. The flavour is a cross between garlic and chives. Available May-Oct subject to yield.
Sansho
The leaves are eaten raw and make an attractive garnish for fish, tofu or red meat. They can also be added to soups or used in salads. Sansho is traditionally used on glazed grilled eels - 'Unagi no Kabayaki' - and the bruised leaves are amongst the most powerfully aromatic of all leaves. Seeds are used as a spice or ground into a pepper substitute. Available Apr-Jul subject to yield.
Shiso
Best appreciated raw in salads and sandwiches, it's flavour and fragrance go well with egg, fish and meat. Wrap around rice balls, cheese or salmon. Chop and mix with ginger root in stir-fries or sprinkle over a hot steak. Great for sauces. Available Jun-Oct subject to yield.
Yomogi
Young leaves and seedlings are used in salads and soups. After boiling for one minute they are pounded into glutinous rice dumplings (mochi) to which they add colour, aroma and flavour. Leaves can also be added to bread - add a handful of chopped leaves to 300g of flour and mix in with the dough. Larger yomogi leaves are good for tempura. Available Apr-Aug subject to yield.