It’s about that time for this month’s seasonal food blogging challenge, “In The Bag”.
The premise is simple; create a dish (or two) from the seasonal food ingredients selected by us and email the link to scott [at] realepicurean [dot] com over before the 29th of March.
This month is a bit of a free for all - so long as you use purple sprouting broccoli we don’t care what else goes in!
For those that don’t know, “In The Bag” is a seasonal food blogging event ran by myself and Julia from “A Slice of Cherry Pie“. Julia has been far more active than me with it lately and I thank her for her great work!
Oh - and don’t forget that we’re still running a competition with Hotel Chocolat to win some free chocolate easter eggs!
Rules
Here are the loose rules - but ultimately remember the objective is to have fun whilst highlighting seasonal food:
1. Participants should attempt to use all the ingredients ‘in the bag’ for that particular month, but may leave one out if they prefer. The dish should be based around the seasonal ingredient, with it acting as a central ingredient.
2. Participants can include any “extra” ingredients that they see fit.
3. Entries should include a link back to the host for that month, and the post should be tagged “In the Bag”.
4. Entries can be written any time during the month, as long as the URL is emailed to that month’s host before the closing date.
5. Participants from outside of the UK are most welcome to join in and substitute an item from their own local seasonal produce if necessary.
March 15th, 2008 at 9:42 am
I need to find out where to get some purple sprouting broccoli. I have seen purple cauliflower , but not the purple broccoli!
March 17th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Cheers Scott. You know I enjoy doing In the Bag
March 18th, 2008 at 7:45 am
Hi Scott,
First time visitor here, looking forward to this month’s challenge have an idea of what to make and will pick some sprouting broccoli up today!~
pix
March 18th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
Deborah Dowd: I’m lucky enough to be able to pick it up in local farm shops - even a couple of supermarkets. You could always take the normal stuff and pretend but it wont be the same
Julia: I do indeed - and I can see why! Let’s just hope I can live up to the legacy you’ve built :p
Pixie: Welcome to Real Epicurean - and I’m looking forward to seeing what you can come up with, too!
March 20th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
looks like I’e found a home away fro home. My 2nd love is cooking New Orleans/ Creole Haut Cusine. Having been raised and spent my 30 married years in New Orleans, I developed a love of real food prepared in the French Mediteranian fashion. i like the foods that you featured when i first visited espeially the Rabbit Stew. in New Orleans we call it “Ragout de Lapin avec la zizanie.” Look it up sometimes on the Food Network TV recipes. I imagine one by Emerill LaGasse should be more than satisfactory.
Thanks for a nice tour, like Mc Arthur, I shall return.
March 23rd, 2008 at 2:47 am
Al Nores: I love rabbit stew but don’t think I’ve ever blogged about it! Hmmn…
March 23rd, 2008 at 2:09 pm
I don’t think I’ve managed to participate in any In The Bag events thus far. Might be because our seasons are different. Still, if I can find any purple sprouting broccoli.. you’ll be the first to know
March 23rd, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Y: You haven’t participated? Oh dear! If you can’t get hold of any PSB this time around then we’ll just have to see what next month brings!
March 28th, 2008 at 3:33 am
Soooooo… I’m going to be that annoying kid in the class that tries to get the teacher to change the rules.
So ONLY purple sprouting broccoli, right? Not broccollini/broccoli di rape?
Just thought I’d give it a shot by asking!!
Nice blog, btw!
Amy @ http://www.weareneverfull.com
March 28th, 2008 at 8:39 am
We Are Never Full: Yes, I will allow you to “cheat”. It’s more important to have fun than to follow the rules, anyway…
March 28th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Ahhh! A rule-maker after my own heart!!
Thanks.
Amy
March 29th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
I hope I’m not too late. I’ve just emailed you my entry for this months In The Bag.
March 29th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Is this where we submit a recepi for March? If not sorry, but just thought this up and decided to put it out there for fun and comments. I all ways had trouble getting the kids (years ago) to eat vegetables so came up with “My Mardi Gras Recepi” (because of the colors not the season)
Using any good quality Pork sausage (or Turkey for the skinnies) Slice a pound of sausage into 1/4 ” slices and steam in a large skillet with a cover. (no salt required). after the sausage has swollen and is cooked , lay 2 whole chopped onions across the top of the sausage , Add 2 crowns of large chopped purple brocalli, 6 yellow squash sliced and unskinned, 6 green zucinni sliced and unskinned. Steam with sausage for 7 to 10 minutes, quickly check for firmness (don’t let the veggies get soggy). Sprinkle with whatever seasonings you prefer, i.e. garlick powder, italian seasoning, cajun seasoning, or Mexican spices and salt. Remove from heat and uncover to release steam and excess water. Enjoy over wild or pecan rice or whatever is your favorite rice. This is a quick healthy, fun meal with no locked in amounts or seasonings. Use what ’s available and make as much as you need . The above should feed four adults generously.
March 29th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
We Are Never Full: You’re quite welcome
Jules: You’re not too late. Got it!
Al Nores: Thanks! It sounds interesting and I’ll have to check it out!
March 30th, 2008 at 12:54 am
[...] Purple sprouting broccoli is one of those vegetables that has such a short season it just cries out to be eaten as much as possible while you still can (hence our forthcoming “In The Bag” foodblogging event). [...]
March 30th, 2008 at 4:16 am
If purple brocoli isn’t available in some areas, it soon will be. It’s a spring harvest in the south since it is planted in the still cooler winter season and handles the cold well. i’ve seen it in most Whole Food Stores but not in the large discount food stores that handle questionable foreign produce. Remember plants absorb the fertilizers and nutrients that they are grown with. You can’t tell from the outside whats inside. So buy from American growers where there are some controls on the products. The foreign growers have none. They have been know to use human waste for fertalizer in some asian countries. This little piece of info was not to discust anyone but to create awareness of what’s in the foods we buy.
March 30th, 2008 at 4:16 am
If purple brocoli isn’t available in some areas, it soon will be. It’s a spring harvest in the south since it is planted in the still cooler winter season and handles the cold well. i’ve seen it in most Whole Food Stores but not in the large discount food stores that handle questionable foreign produce. Remember plants absorb the fertilizers and nutrients that they are grown with. You can’t tell from the outside whats inside. So buy from American growers where there are some controls on the products. The foreign growers have none. They have been know to use human waste for fertalizer in some asian countries. This little piece of info was not to discust anyone but to create awareness of what’s in the foods we buy.
March 31st, 2008 at 2:35 am
[...] have also submitted this to Real Epicurean’s March “In The Bag” challenge. He was kind enough to let me slide by not using the purple-sprouting broccoli the contest calls [...]
April 8th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Oh I’m late. I was just waiting to pick the nettles….
http://www.thecotswoldfoodyear.com/2008/04/sauteed-purple-sprouting-broccoli-and.html
April 8th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Al Nores: Thanks for that - always great to hear more about food from around the world; positive or negative.
James: I’m on to the nettles too - perhaps nettle soup this weekend!