Here is what Sourced Locally Fortnight had to offer!
Sourced Locally Fortnight is back! Over the next two weeks, from 30th May until 12th June, we’ll be working hard to show you just how important local products really are.
10 reasons to keep it local
1. Full of flavour
All of products are grown or made right here in Essex, Norfolk or Suffolk, using local ingredients where possible.
2. Lots of choice
We stock more than 3,500 products from over 100 producers – from jams and breads to sausages, strawberries and asparagus.
3. Fresh
We work hard to make sure products are delivered to stores as quickly and efficiently as possible.
CO OP SOURCED LOCALLY STAMP ILL8 D44. Boost your local economy
We’ve ploughed more than £45million back into the local economy.
5. Fairly traded
We’re proud to pay our producers a fair price and importantly, we pay them on time!
6. Fewer food miles
Many of our products travel fewer than 30 miles to store.
7. More local jobs
We;ve helped to protect and create over 400 jobs.
8. Convenient and easy
We stock local produce in every one of our food stores and we’re open till late 7 days a week.
9. Checked for quality
We check and accredit each one of our producers so it’s not just local, it’s the best it can be.
10. Know where your food comes from
Buying locally helps you reconnect with your local farmers and producers.
Co-op Locally Sourced
Heres a recipe with some delicious local ingredients from your Local East Of England Co-op
Potato gnocchi with wild garlic * and blue cheese sauce
* when in season, substitute with chives
I wilt and freeze my wild garlic when I collect it, I also have lots growing in my garden.
I am using Fairfields potatoes and delicious Binham Blue cheese.
Serves 4
800g Large floury potatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grated nutmeg to taste
85g/3oz plain flour
1 egg, beaten
A few leaves of chopped wild garlic
For the sauce
25g plain flour
25g butter
290mls milk
85g blue cheese of your choice
30g grated fresh parmesan cheese
Few leaves of wild garlic or chopped chives
1, Bake the potatoes until tender Oven or microwave and cool a little. Halve and scoop out the flesh. You should have about 600g of potato. Transfer to a bowl and use a potato masher or ricer to mash until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
2, Add the egg and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Add half the flour and parmesan and stir until combined. Add the remaining flour, chopped wild garlic and seasoning. Mix until well combined and a firm dough forms. (If dough is too soft, add more flour.) Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Roll 1 portion into a 2cm-diameter log about 30cm long. Use a lightly floured knife to cut into 2cm pieces. Repeat with remaining dough portions.
3, Lightly flour your hands and roll each piece of dough into a ball. Use your thumb to roll each ball over a floured fork. Place on tray.
4, Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil over medium heat. Add one-quarter of gnocchi (drop onto base of pan in a single layer, but don’t overcrowd as they can stick together) and cook for 3 minutes or until they rise to the surface. Use a slotted spoon to drain and transfer to a bowl. Cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat, in 3 more batches, with the remaining gnocchi.
For the blue cheese sauce
To make the blue cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 1 minute or until mixture bubbles and begins to come away from the side of pan. Remove from heat.
Gradually pour in half the milk, whisking constantly with a balloon whisk until mixture is smooth. Gradually add the remaining milk, whisking until smooth and combined.
Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to boil, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until sauce thickens and coats back of the spoon. Remove from heat. Add the crumbled or chopped blue cheese, parmesan and wild garlic leaves or chives. Let the sauce down with more milk so it is like thin cream. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Serve the gnocchi with the sauce, and more wilted wild garlic.
