Dear Customer,

It's been an exciting week here in Richmond with all the torrential rain. Our river Swale, normally soporific at this time of year was living up to its reputation as the fastest river in the country. People gathered as masses of debris including whole trees came hurtling down the river and over the waterfall. There was great disappointment when the river didn't burst its' banks. It's very satisfying to see nature dictating terms sometimes. I know organic farmers will say that is always the case.

In the bags this week are marrows from Mike Ward in Kent and pak choi from Pam Bowers in Lincolnshire, both a bit peculiar, so I'm devoting the rest of this space to some recipe ideas.

Pak choi, or bok choi, is a type of loose-leafed cabbage. It has been cultivated for thousands of years in China and more recently here. It has thick, succulent white stalks with a crunchy texture and a mild tangy taste. The leaves are soft and peppery. To use, discard a slice from the base and separate the stalks, cutting the leafy part off. Rinse, shake dry and drain well. Diagonally cut the stems into ½" pieces and do the same with the leaves, keeping them separated. If using both the stems and the leaves in the same recipe, the stems should be cooked first just for a few minutes to retain the crunchy texture. Add the leaves at the very end of cooking just to wilt and tenderize.

Pak choi is excellent in stir-fries and is also wonderful when sautéed, blanched, boiled, steamed or baked. It is delicious used raw in salads or added to soups. Add a little sesame oil, lemon, butter, rice wine vinegar or soy sauce to any preparation for added flavour.

Savoury Marrow Rings

1 medium marrow
25g walnuts
75g grated cheese
pinch nutmeg
3 tbsp bread crumbs
1 tbsp milk
2 hard boiled eggs
salt & pepper

Peel the marrow, cut into rings about 1.5" thick and remove the seeds. Arrange in a greased ovenproof dish. Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk for a few minutes. Add this to the chopped boiled egg, chopped nuts and most of the cheese. Mix together and fill the rings. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese, a touch of nutmeg and season. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes at 190C. ( 375F, gas 5 ).

Best Regards,

Isobel Davies