The weather has started to change and with the first few days of sun, a literal and metaphorical cloud seems to have lifted. Blossom is in the air and on the pavements, and the heavily pruned trees are beginning to show their first green shoots. The daffodils on my balcony are still delightfully and cheerily in bloom, too.
I thought it was time to tackle the kitchen garden on my balcony, as it had started to look a little tatty, the daffs were almost out and I wanted to get some seeds in. I’m trying peppers again this year and popped some peas in – quite possibly my favourite vegetable. I’ve also taken ownership of some strawberry plant cutting thanks to my brother and brother-in-law. I’ve not grown them before, but I think they could do well on the little shelves on the balcony.
One thing that a little bit of sun has done wonders for: my herbs. The garden mint, thyme and sage have sprung to life and are taking over the pots, but also providing a lovely fragrance every time I open the back door.
I love being able to pop outside to get fresh herbs, and while I can’t grow much on the balcony due to its size, the bits and pieces I can just go and pluck to add to my dishes fills me with joy. The same is true if I’m out and about and spot a bit of wild garlic, which grows pretty prolifically at this time of year. A more subtle taste than bulb garlic, it is gorgeous whizzed up in a fresh pesto or a salsa verde.
I hope that by next month, I’ll have started to see the shoots coming through the soil, but for now, I’ll make the most of my sage, thyme and mint. Is that roast lamb I can smell…?
The Recipe
Sausage, sage and Welsh cider casserole
While I’m grateful for the sun coming out, it’s still a touch chilly, which means warming one-pots are still a regular occurrence in my kitchen. This is so easy to prepare and yet so satisfying with a beautifully sweet-savoury flavour. I love this is mashed potatoes but you could have it with some seasonal greens or just a great bit of crusty bread. If you don’t have fresh sage, then you could use a teaspoon of dried.
Ingredients (serves 2-4 with mash)
8 sausages
5-6 banana shallots, peeled and chopped in half lengthways
1 large carrot, roughly chopped
1 fat clove garlic, grated or finely chopped
1tbsp plain flour
Sea salt flakes (I use Halen Môn)
300ml Welsh apple cider
200ml chicken stock
15-20 sage leaves, roughly torn
1tsp wholegrain mustard
Method
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4/350°F/180°C.
In an ovenproof dish (I use a cast iron casserole but you could use a big frying pan and then transfer to an oven dish), gently fry the sausages in a little oil until browned all over. Remove from the pot and set to one side.
Add the shallots, carrot and garlic to the pan and gently soften for 10 minutes or so. Season with salt and sprinkle over the flour and stir.
Slowly add the cider and stock and bring to the boil. Then turn down to a simmer before adding the sage leaves and mustard.
Return the sausages to the pot, cover with a lid or a bit of foil and pop in the oven.
Cook in the oven for 40 minutes. Serve with buttery mashed potato or Welsh onion cake, and a good sprinkling of white pepper.
If you try the recipe out, don’t forget to tag any photos with #mywelshkitchen.
The Playlist
To me, cooking and music go hand in hand, whether that’s singing at the top of your voice using a wooden spoon as a microphone while waiting for pasta to boil, or dancing around with the oven gloves on as the oven timer counts down. Here are this week’s ideas for your Welsh Kitchen playlist.
This week we’re listening to Dame Shirley Bassey’s recent performance at the Bafta ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall. Her voice still astounds me, and I hope my lungs are that good at 85 years old. Secondly, we’ve got Tammy Jones from Bangor, who won the talent show Opportunity Knocks for six consecutive weeks in 1975, and went on to have top-ten singles.
Diamonds Are Forever by Dame Shirley Bassey
Let Me Try Again by Tammy Jones
The Pantry
Good food is nothing without good ingredients and thankfully there are plenty of fantastic Welsh products on the market. Here is where you’ll find recommendations to stock up your cupboard, fridge or fruit bowl, or a really great place for food.
Still Wild Dry Vermouth
At a recent Taste of Wales event, I was lucky enough to meet James Harrison-Allen, who founded and runs the Still Wild distillery in Pembrokeshire. James has always been interested in foraging and using what he’s found in drinks. This led him to setting up Still Wild, which produces vermouth and gin flavoured with natural botanicals you’ll find around Pembrokeshire. I’m a big vermouth fan and use if a lot when I’m cooking instead of white wine. The dry vermouth from Still Wild is beautiful with delicate herbaceous notes, wild thyme, coastal herbs and a touch of seaweed.