Farm Notes 10th December

Hi everyone,

With Christmas just around the corner and everyone racing through shopping, decorating and general mayhem, we know how easy it is to fall back on takeaways and highly processed food. But with winter showing its teeth and flu season in full swing, it’s more important than ever to look after yourself and eat well.

With that in mind, we’ve aimed this week’s veg boxes at quick one-pot and batch-cook meals — casseroles, stews and simple dishes that keep you warm and well without hours in the kitchen.

FULL BOX

Carrots

Onions

Rooster Potatoes

Parsnips

Leeks

Cauliflower

Mushrooms

Swede

Punnet of mandarins (Spanish)


HALF BOX

Carrots

Onions

Potatoes

Leeks

Parsnips

Punnet of mandarins (Spanish)

Yes — the mandarins are imported 🤷🏻‍♂️ but this is the time of year when something sweet, bright and naturally high in vitamin C is badly needed. They come from a Spanish farm we’ve bought from before and are grown chemical-free, so we’re happy enough to bend our rules for them 🤫

Everything else is Irish-grown, with much of it coming directly from our own fields here at Bare Acre.
We’ll also pop a few easy batch-cook recipes on Facebook from our wonderful cook Jesse — perfect for throwing something comforting together without fuss.

We have posted 2 of Jesse’s fabulous recipes on our facebook page that will inspire you 😊😊

A quick reminder

Next week (19th/20th December) is our last scheduled delivery and collection before Christmas.
If you want to order an extra box, you can do so through your Ooooby account.

The farm will close for two weeks over Christmas.
If you have a weekly or fortnightly subscription, you don’t need to do anything — your deliveries will pause automatically and resume on or after January 8th.

Thanks as always for supporting local.
Stay warm, stay well, and good luck with the Christmas prep! 🎄✨

Dave & Ber

Bare Acre Farm 🌱

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Two Recipes From Jesse

This week’s brief was simple. Two recipes that could be batch cooked and that would provide hearty meals during what will be a busy week for many as they prepare their homes for Christmas.

In both of these recipes, I have used Shin Beef which is inexpensive but when cooked slowly is full of flavour. You can add red wine to both recipes, both can do without it, but it does add a depth of flavour, and finally, I have used shop bought tomato soup in place of stock on both recipes also. My own family prefer it as do I.

Jesse.

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1. Winter Beef & Root Vegetable Stew

(Slow cooker or one-pot on the hob) Rich, warming, and perfect for lunches all week.

Ingredients

600–800g stewing beef

3 carrots, chopped

2 parsnips, chopped

2 large potatoes, diced

1 onion, diced

1 leek, sliced

1 small swede, diced

Handful mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic (optional)

1 pack tomato soup in 750mls water

150ml red wine

Your choice of Herbs

Method

-Brown the beef in a little oil

-Add onions and leek and allow to brown

-Add the wine and allow to simmer

-Stir in flour and tomato purée.

-Add all the chopped veg and enough of the tomato soup to cover.

-Simmer gently for 1.5–2 hours, or slow cook on Low 6–8 hours.

-Season well.

Keeps 3–4 days in the fridge. Freezes perfectly.

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2. Beef, Mushroom & Red Wine Casserole with Root Veg Mash

Deep flavour, minimal effort, and the mash uses your box veg.

Ingredients.

For the casserole:

700g shin beef

1 onion, diced

1 leek, sliced

200g mushrooms, sliced

2 carrots, chopped

1 parsnip, chopped

1 tbsp flour

150–200ml red wine (optional)

500–600ml Tomato Soup

Thyme, bay leaf, pepper

For the mash:

3 potatoes

1 large parsnip

Small wedge of swede

Butter, milk, salt

Method

Brown the beef lightly. Add onions, leek, carrots, parsnip.

Add mushrooms and cook 3 mins.

Stir in flour, then pour in the wine and let it simmer.

Add your premade tomato soup, herbs, pepper.

Cook gently for 2 hours until tender.

Mash:

Boil potatoes, parsnip and swede together. Mash with butter, salt.

Serve the rich beef casserole spooned over the mash.