Riverford Farm Cook Book: Tales from the Fields, Recipes from the Kitchen. Jane Baxter

the Field Kitchen and takes a lot of stick for being the token veggie on the staff. We suggest serving it with some lovely pork sausages.

       Serves 4

      500g potatoes (any type), peeled and thinly sliced

      2 onions, thinly sliced

      350g apples (eating and cooking apples both work well), peeled, cored and thinly sliced

      150g strong Cheddar cheese, grated

      2 teaspoons sugar

      200ml vegetable stock

      1 teaspoon tomato purée

      ¹/₂ teaspoon Marmite

      sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

      Layer the potatoes, onions, apples and cheese in a greased ovenproof dish, seasoning as you go and lightly sprinkling each layer of apples with sugar. Finish with a layer of cheese. Heat the stock to boiling point and stir in the tomato purée and Marmite. Pour the stock over the layered potatoes and apples and cook in an oven preheated to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 for about 1 hour, until the potatoes are tender.

       Apple, Orange and Dried Apricot Crumble

      This little twist on a classic crumble makes a welcome change. Apple and banana also works well.

       Serves 6–8

      8 dessert apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1cm dice

      1 orange, peeled and divided into segments (or diced)

      juice and grated zest of 1 orange

      100g dried apricots, roughly chopped

      60g dates, roughly chopped

      60g light soft brown sugar

       For the crumble topping:

      175g plain flour

      125g butter

      100g caster sugar

      60g rolled oats

      To make the topping, put the flour and butter in a food processor and whiz until the mixture has a fine consistency. Remove and place in a bowl. Add the sugar and oats and rub together with your fingertips so the mixture is slightly lumpy and not dry.

      Mix the apples and orange with all the remaining ingredients and place in an ovenproof dish. Top with the crumble mixture and then bake in an oven preheated to 150°C/Gas Mark 2 for 45 minutes, until the fruit is tender and the topping golden brown.

       Caramel Apple Pavlova with Pomona

      This was devised when the soft fruit had finished and we were all feeling a little finished too, but it ticks all the boxes – especially if the caramel apples are still warm when they mix with the cream on the pavlova. If they are too hot, the pavlova will be a mess – but delicious! Peaches and nectarines can be used in the same way.

       Serves 10

      6 apples (any type will do)

      200g caster sugar

      1 tablespoon water

      50g butter

      2 tablespoons Somerset Pomona (or Calvados)

      225ml double cream

       For the meringue:

      4 egg whites

      250g caster sugar

      3 drops of vanilla extract

      1 teaspoon wine vinegar

      1 teaspoon cornflour

      First make the meringue. Whisk the egg whites until just stiff, then gradually add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, whisking after each addition until stiff peaks are formed. Fold in the rest of the ingredients.

      Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Shape the meringue into a large circle on the parchment, about 25cm in diameter. Place in an oven preheated to 120°C/Gas Mark 1/4 and leave for 1¹/₂ hours, until the meringue is firm to the touch. Turn the oven off and leave the meringue in it for 30 minutes, then remove from the oven and cool completely.

      For the topping, peel and core the apples and cut each one into segments about 1cm thick. Heat a large, heavy-based frying pan, add the sugar and water and leave over a high heat, without stirring, until the sugar turns to a golden brown caramel (tilt the pan occasionally so it colours evenly). At this point, turn the heat down and stir in the butter. Add the apples and mix well. Turn up the heat and pour in the Pomona. Stir until the caramel and Pomona are blended (the caramel may form lumps but these will dissolve back into the sauce). Cook for 5 minutes or until the apples are tender, then add a tablespoon of the cream and blend well. Allow to cool a little.

      Lightly whip the remaining cream and spread on top of the meringue. Top with the warm caramelised apples and their juices.

      Easy ideas for apples

      ♦ Core and halve some apples, sprinkle with a little sugar, then place in a baking dish and roast until tender. Serve as an accompaniment to roast pork.

      ♦ To make a curried apple soup, sauté 1 chopped onion in butter, then add ¹/₂ teaspoon each of turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander and mustard powder, plus a pinch each of cinnamon and cayenne pepper. Add 3 tart apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped, cover with chicken stock and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the apples are soft. Blend to a purée and season well, adding the juice of ¹/₂ lemon.

      ♦ For stuffed apples, soak 4 tablespoons of raisins in 4 tablespoons of warm port, then mix with 4 tablespoons of chopped walnuts, 4 tablespoons of light brown sugar and a teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Core 4–6 large apples. Fill the cavities with the mixture, then place the apples in a baking dish containing a splash of water. Sprinkle with lemon juice and bake at 180°C/Gas Mark 4 for 40 minutes.

      See also:

       Celeriac and Apple Mash

       Asian Coleslaw with Peanuts and Chilli

       Braised Red Cabbage

       Waldorf Salad

       Warm Runner Bean Salad with Fennel, Apple and Walnut Dressing

       Kohlrabi, Apple and Walnut Salad

       An ode to dirt

      When I was at college, the soil scientists tended to be wildly eccentric recluses who worked from labs in the cellar, occasionally emerging, bemused and mole-like, to gather samples and bemoan the world’s pitiful ignorance and lack of interest in their subject. The problem with soil is that, to the casual observer, it is an inert, uninteresting inconvenience that sticks to your shoes