Darts Farm

Topsham, Devon
EX3 0QH
Tel: 01392 878 200
Email: [email protected]

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October on The Farm

October on The Farm

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In October Darts Farm goes utterly Pumpkin mad. It’s become our most crazy time of year, with people descending on the farm in their thousands to get their annual pumpkin fix. The build up hasn’t been plain sailing, with the driest summer in memory making the growing season incredibly challenging. The result is smaller pumpkins, but still plenty of them. Despite little pumpkins, this year's festival is set to be our biggest & best yet; toasting marshmallows over fire pits, live music, magic shows and stilt walkers weaving through the crowds.

Down in the vineyard, our Pebblebed Community Harvest has crept earlier than ever before. The same heat that shrank our pumpkins sent sugar levels soaring in the grapes, so we've been out among the vines weeks ahead of schedule, crates filling fast in the September sun. It's a strange thing, watching one crop struggle while another thrives just a field away, a reminder that farming rarely deals a straight hand.

In The Farm Table, the kitchen has properly turned the corner into autumn. Out go the salads & glut of summer veg, in come the brassicas, the roasts & the slow-cooked, richer plates that make you want to linger at the table a little longer & perhaps order another bottle. Pumpkin mania continues with dishes like crisp pumpkin fritti and pumpkin & chocolate tart. It's a season for heartier appetites, and we're here for it.

October recipe; Warm Parsnip, Pear and Beenleigh Blue Cheese Salad

Difficulty:
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 2
Warm Parsnip, Pear and Beenleigh Blue Cheese Salad Image 1
Warm Parsnip, Pear and Beenleigh Blue Cheese Salad Image 2

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Ingredients

  • 2-4 Darts parsnips depending on size
  • 1 pear
  • 1 bunch of kale
  • Rapeseed oil to cook with
  • 1x banana shallot
  • 20g of sugar
  • Bay leaf
  • Salt, Cornish sea salt flakes
  • Pepper, fresh ground black
  • Dried rosemary powder
  • 120g Beenleigh Blue cheese
  • 150ml of red wine vinegar

Method

Wash and cut the pear in to large slices or wedges removing the core. Wash the kale and pull the leaves away from the stem and tear them up.

Peel the banana shallot and slice into thin rings. In a bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, and bay leaf, and stir. Add the sliced shallots and let them pickle for at least 20 minutes, ideally a few hours.

Peel the parsnips and trim off the tops and bottoms. Cut them into wedges, then use a knife at an angle to remove the tough core from each wedge. Place the parsnips in a saucepan with cold salted water and bring to a simmer for 5–8 minutes or until the outside starts to soften.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan). In an ovenproof frying pan or roasting tray, add a thin layer of oil and place in the oven to heat up. Drain the parsnips, sprinkle with flaked sea salt, and gently shake them in the pan to rough up the edges. Transfer to the hot tray - the oil should sizzle - toss to coat, and roast for 10–15 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.

Once the parsnips are roasted, strain off any excess oil. Add the kale and pear to the tray and return to the oven at a lower temperature for a few minutes, just to warm through.

In a large bowl or serving platter, layer the roasted parsnips with the warm kale and pear. Crumble over generous chunks of Beenleigh Blue cheese, and garnish with the pickled shallots.

Recipe Tom Chivers, The Farm Table Head Chef.

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