Blackberries, Courgette Flowers, Cooked Crabs & Lamb Burgers

Hello, Farm Direct goes pretty this week with produce that is just as much about aesthetics as it as about flavour. And with the sun set to shine this weekend it's set to be a summery feast for the eyes and mouth. Rita's courgettes have started to flower (see more below) and we have plump blackberries from Tiptree. As well as courgette flowers, Rita has been picking beautiful Cornflowers for us and we have them in purple now. From Perry Court we have rather unique and beautiful mixed flower salad bags. They are a mix of mustard, rocket & radish flowers that will add the 'wow' factor to any salad. They've also been out picking Wild Bathua - considered a pesky weed by some farmers, it's good to see more unusual plants being made use of. It's very popular in Indian cooking and for good reason (see below). Martin's organic new potatoes are now big enough for harvesting, completing our tater triumvirate: Jersey Royals, Roy's and Organic. We have re-introduced our fruit & veg boxes now that the summer fruit is in full swing. Remember all our boxes offer a 10% saving compared to buying the items individually. A quick note on our bunched carrots. We have heard that they go soft quite quickly and whilst they still taste great it can make peeling them a bit difficult. We have spoken to Matthew, our grower, and he will be removing the leaves from the bunches to prevent them sucking the moisture out. We're confident this will make a big difference but will be monitoring the situation closely.

Courgette Flowers x 4 Wild Bathua Tiptree Blackberries Mixed Flower Salad Organic New Potatoes Fruit & Veg Boxes Whole Steamed Crab Loaf of the Week Sausage of the Week Pasta of the Week Sussex Lamb Burgers Chicken & Mushroom Sausages 9 Bars Natural Goat Milk Yoghurt Organic Natural Sheep Milk Yoghurt Fairtrade Cane Sugar Engevita Flakes Mixed Pepper Quiche Pork & Caramalised Onion Pie

Dylan has started steaming whole crabs for us. They represent excellent value at just £4.90, look fantastic, and will easily feed two. You'll definitely be the talk of the picnic if you turn up with one of these. The eating is good fun too! Just make sure you bring a nutcracker or hammer to get into them. A far as summer salads go, my favourite has to be a tricolore. All you need is basil, tomatoes & mozzarella and a drizzle of good quality olive oil. I love the simplicity that lets the ingredients speak for themselves. This week our English Mozzarella is great value at only £2.49 and our beefsteak tomatoes are the perfect sweet and juicy partner. Andy has made Lamb Burgers for us this week. Another addition to our lovely barbecue range. Finally, we have two interesting new products from Woodlands Diary in Dorset. Natural Goat Milk and Organic Sheep Milk Yoghurts. Let us know what you think! All the best, Sam and the Farm Direct team. Start Your Weekly Shop Now >

FARM DIRECT NEWS...

Lamb Breast: An unsung cut that deserves some attentionWe think it's time we showed this cut some love. It's fantastic value and extremely tasty (I'll admit to being a lamb breast newbie myself but can now vouch for this having had it for dinner last night). It's basically the lamb equivalent of pork belly - full of flavour with plenty of fat to crisp up in the oven, and wonderfully tender meat. It requires long, slow braising, roasting or stewing to tenderise. Don't put off by the fat. Just trim as much or little off as you like and much of it renders out during cooking. We have it boned-and-rolled and on-the-bone. Boned and rolled cuts are perfect for stuffing - I would recommend salsa verde for this. For a boned cut try following my method - simple but very effective.

Wild Bathua: For authentic Indian cooking Bathua is well loved in Indian cooking but virtually unknown in Britain. Also known as Fat Hen, Lamb's-quarters and Pigweed, or Chenopodium album, if you want to show off your Latin. It's high in vitamin A, B - vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, potassium, iron and fiber. For authentic Indian cooking it can be mixed with chicken and meat to make a saag dish, with new potatoes it makes a lovely vegetable dish or with yogurt you can make a delicious raita. Check out our recipe for Bathua Parathas - they are a great accompaniment to a curry and quick and easy to make.

Courgette Flowers: A delicate summer treat Something you never see in the supermarket - Courgette Flowers are a treat usually reserved for the budding gardener. Their leaves are delicate, sweet, with that slight earthiness of courgette. They can be stuffed, fried or even added to salads and soups. Traditionally, they are stuffed with ricotta and herbs, before being covered in tempura batter and deep fried Our flowers are hand picked for us by Rita at Wild Fields, and we are even making an extra trip to ensure they are as fresh as possible. When you receive them put them in you fridge in a sealed bag to make sure they don't wilt and use the same day.