Whilst very few of you are likely to be reading our blog on this delightful Christmas morn we thought we’d send you our well wishes in the hope you will receive them in ether anyway.

Whether you spend your day cosy on the couch watching old black and white films or surrounded by masses of rowdy relatives may your Christmas be filled with bountiful festive cheer, lovely organic treats (edible and otherwise) and an abundance of warmth… warm toes, warm puddin’, warm hearts!

As as a special Christmas treat the So Organic Sale starts early - visit our main page for savings of up to 50%!

MERRY CHRISTMAS from all the team at So Organic xox

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The picture on the left are the pies I made for the unveiling of the Live advent window at our SoOrganic Greenwich store.

This recipe (courtesy of Delia with a few mini changes) makes 36 mini mince pies.

Ingredients

1¼ lb (560 g) organic mincemeat
12 oz (350 g) organic plain flour
3 oz (75 g) lard (I used Trex vegetable fat)
3 oz (75 g) organic butter
pinch of salt

For the top:
a little milk
icing sugar

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 400°F (200°C). Make up the pastry by sifting the flour and salt into a mixing bowl and rubbing the fats into it until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Then add just enough cold water to mix to a dough that leaves the bowl clean. Leave the pastry to rest in a polythene bag in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes, then roll half of it out as thinly as possible and cut it into two dozen 3 inch (7.5 cm) rounds, gathering up the scraps and re-rolling. Then do the same with the other half of the pastry, this time using the 2½ inch (6 cm) cutter.

Now grease mini patty tins lightly and line them with the larger rounds. Fill these with mincemeat to the level of the edges of the pastry. Dampen the edges of the smaller rounds of pastry with water and press them lightly into position to form lids, sealing the edges. Brush each one with milk and make three snips in the tops with a pair of scissors. Bake near the top of the oven for 25-30 minutes until light golden brown. Cool on a wire tray and sprinkle with icing sugar. When cool, store in an airtight container.

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This recipe was given to me by my good friend Martina, one of the best home cooks I know!

Ingredients:

• 15 Open mushrooms about 7.5-10cm (3-4 in) across
• 4  tbsp  olive oil
• 1  small onion
• 1  clove garlic, finely chopped
• 100g / (3 ½ oz) fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
• 50g / (2oz) walnut pieces
• 3 tbsp  chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tbsp  snipped fresh chives
• finely grated rind of ½ lemon
• 125g / (4oz) stilton, crumbled
• salt and black pepper
• 50g / (2oz) Parmesan, freshly grated
• 7.5 cm piece cucumber, finely diced
• 100ml / (4 fl oz) crème fraiche

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F Gas Mark 5. Remove the mushroom stems and finely chop together with 3 of the mushroom caps.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a frying pan, then add the onion, garlic and chopped mushrooms and cook for 5-6 minutes, until soft. Transfer to a bowl, then stir in the breadcrumbs, walnuts, 1 ½ tablespoons each of the parsley and chives, the lemon rind and Stilton. Season well.
3. Place the 12 whole mushroom caps in a large ovenproof dish or roasting tin and divide the stuffing between them. Scatter with Parmesan, drizzle with the remaining oil. Bake for 30-35 minutes, basting once, until the mushrooms are tender and the tops have browned.
4. Stir the remaining herbs and the cucumber into the crème fraiche and serve with the stuffed mushrooms.

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The recipe came from the November 2006 issue of BBC Olive magazine.

Ingredients:

• 3-3.5kg Boned and rolled pork shoulder - skin deeply scored
• Olive Oil
• 300ml Dry Cider
• 4 Cooking Apples - peeled, cored and cut into chunks
• 3 tbsp Golden Caster Sugar
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• ½ tsp crushed dried chilli
• Nutmeg
• Crusty rolls or baguettes - to serve
• Wild Rocket - to serve

 Spice Paste:

• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tsp crushed dried chilli
• 3tsp sea salt
• 4 garlic cloves  - crushed
• 1 lemon - zested and juiced

What to do:

1. Heat the oven to 230 c / fan 210 c / Gas 8.
   1. To make the spice paste, lightly crush the fennel seeds, coriander seeds and peppercorns with a pestle and mortar
   2. Add the chilli, salt, garlic, and lemon zest and mix to a paste
   3. Using your fingers push the mixture into the slits in the pork skin
   4. Put the pork, skin side up, on a rack in a roasting tin and drizzle with a little olive oil
   5. Roast for 20-25 minutes until the skin starts to crisp
2. Turn the oven down to 150 c / fan 130c / gas 2.
   1. Turn the pork over, pour over the lemon juice and cook for 1 hour
   2. Pour 150ml cider into the roasting tin and cook for a further hour
3. To make the relish,
   1. Put the apples in a pan with the sugar, remaining cider, cinnamon stick, chilli and a good grating of nutmeg.
   2. Cover and cook over a low heat until reduced to a thick pulp.
   3. Add more sugar if needed
4. Remove the pork from the oven
   1. Tip the pan juices into a saucepan.
   2. Turn the oven up to 220 c / fan 200 c / gas 7
   3. Cook the pork for a further 25-30 minutes until the skin has turned golden and very crisp.
   4. Rest for 10-15 minutes.
5. Spoon off the fat from the pan juices and warm over a gentle heat. Thinly slice the pork and serve in rolls or baguettes with a drizzle of warm pan juices, a handful of rocket and a good spoonful of apple relish
6. And don’t forget the crackling!

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I love making jams and chutneys because it puts my jar collection to good use. I am a compulsive collector washing out all shapes and sizes of jar and saving them for future use. I can’t bear to throw them away, but sometimes it gets a bit ridiculous when you can’t actually close the cupboard door and I have to give in and put some in the recycling bin. Happily making jams and chutneys means some of my many jars eventually do get reused!

Ingredients - organic and local where possible which is not too difficult with this ingredients list although you might struggle to find organic root ginger and organic chillies:

• 1.8kg (4lb) Green Tomatoes
• 675g (1½ lb) Onions
• 450g (1lb) Cooking Apples
• 450g (1lb) Soft Brown Sugar
• 600ml (1 pint) White Vinegar
• 225g (8oz) Sultanas (or other dried fruit, you could use a mixture of what’s to hand such as apricots, dates and raisins too)
• 25g (1oz) Root Ginger
• 8 Red Chillies
• 2 tsp Salt

 What to do:

1. Prepare your jars by washing and rinsing them thoroughly. Allow them to drain but don’t dry them and then stand them in a baking tin. Put them into the oven on a very low heat 70 to 100°c which will dry them out and sterilise them. I put the lids in the tray too, but it depends which ones you’re using if they have any plastic on them, leave them out of the oven!
2. Wash the tomatoes and chop them, not too small, you probably want a medium sized tomato to make about 8 pieces.
3. Peel and chop the onion and apples to about the same size.
4. Put the tomatoes, onions, apple and ½ the vinegar into a big heavy bottomed saucepan, bring to the boil and then turn down to a simmer and cook until tender. Probably about 20-30 minutes. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon.
5. Peel the ginger and cut into a few large pieces, split the chillies lengthways and place inside a muslin bag. If you don’t have one you can always use a square of muslin and tie it all into a bundle but make sure the chilli and ginger don’t escape into the mixture, they’ll make the chutney to hot if you do.
6. Add the sultanas or other dried fruit.
7. Continue to cook gently until the mixture starts to thicken stirring every now and then. This might take up to an hour
8. Add the sugar, the rest of the vinegar and the salt. Stir until completely dissolved.
9. Continue to simmer until the mixture becomes thick pressing the muslin bag occasionally with the spoon.
10. The mixture is ready when it is thick enough that when you draw a line through it with the spoon it stays for a while.
11. Remove the bag
12. Fill your warm jars with the chutney. Do this carefully it can be messy if you miss and will burn you. I have a jam funnel for filling jars which makes things much easier, they are not expensive so if you intend to make jams and chutneys more than once it’s worth getting one.
13. Leave the jars to cool before applying labels, they won’t stick otherwise
14. Leave for 4-6 weeks before eating to allow the flavour to mature, but this will keep for many months (I have some that I kept for a couple of years and it was lovely when I opened it)
15. Remember to write the date you made it and the date from which it can be eaten on the label. You will forget otherwise.

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Organic flowers, especially locally grown ones, are better for the environment as they use fewer insecticides and pesticides (better for the soil) plus travel fewer miles (less carbon emissions in the atmosphere).

Many florists and supermarkets buy their flowers from overseas. Poor trade standards mean that in places like Columbia, women are paid very little to cut and package flowers that have been dowsed in chemicals to help them grow quicker and last longer. Organically grown flower companies have tighter restrictions on their suppliers and are more involved with regulatory bodies like the Soil Association.

The Organic Flower Company aims to source as many flowers as possible from within the UK. They encourage local flower farmers by supporting them in conversion to organic status.

Eco Bouquet is another British flower company committed to socially and environmentally responsible farming. They use organic or in transition to being organic suppliers, have a no air miles policy and a total ban on toxic pesticides. They’re also carbon neutral.

If you’ve never smelled a freshly picked organic flower you’re missing out. The scent of a Lily can last for weeks in your home - especially if you keep refreshing the water and nipping the end of the stems with a pair of scissors every couple of days.

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Vegetables to eat now include field mushrooms, the big flat ones which the supermarkets call portabello. I remember picking these in the fields as a child but I don’t think I’ll find any in my London garden, despite its rapid decline into wilderness this summer, so will have to look for those at the farmers market or local greengrocer. My favourite way to use these is in my friend Martina’s recipe for stuffed mushrooms which are lovely for lunch with salad or as a substantial starter.

Seasonal fruit and vegetables include: Bramley apples, pears, damsons, figs, walnuts, the first sprouts and broccoli, squash, turnips. You should still be able to find some cobnuts too but it is approaching the end of their season. 

Wild mushrooms are everywhere at the moment and you can use them to make so many gorgeous dishes, that are really quick to prepare such as mushrooms in garlic, white wine and cream sauce, celeriac, onions are at their best now.

Seasonal meat and fish include pheasant and mussels.

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The worst ingredients that pose threats to your internal health are triethanolamine, propylene glycol, benzyl alcohol and parabens. These have been linked to neurotoxicity, cancer, organ and reproductive toxicity, amongst other things.

Natural and organic mascara’s contain natural oils and waxes to give volume and softness. They are as effective as traditional mascaras without exposing all those nasty toxic chemicals to your body via the thin, sensitive lining of skin at the tip of your eyelids.

Our top recommendation is Lavera’s mascara. It creates long silky lashes without clumping.

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This recipe comes from the Delia Bible, the Complete Illustrated Cookery Course by Delia Smith. Yes she can be a bit annoying and sometimes her portion sizes are a bit mean, but I love Delia anyway. Her recipes always work!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb (450g) Ripe Blackberries
• 6 fl oz (175ml) Water
• 1 lb (450g) Granulated Sugar
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• A large nylon sieve and a piece of chemists gauze about 14 inches (35cm) square.

What to do:

• Wash the blackberries and place in a thick based saucepan with the water.
• Then stew them very gently with a lid on for about 20-25 minutes.
• Now and then give them a good mash to reduce them to a pulp and squeeze as much juice out of them as possible.
• After that add the sugar and lemon juice to the pan and allow the sugar to dissolve completely with the heat still low.
• There must not be any whole granules of sugar left. This takes about 10-15 minutes.
• Now turn the heat right up and boil fairly rapidly for 8 minutes, stirring now and then to prevent sticking.
• Meanwhile, warm a large bowl and a 1lb (450g) jam jar* in the oven and get them nice and hot.
  And then place the sieve, lined with the gauze over the bowl and pour the blackberry mixture into the lined sieve.*
• Then, using a wooden spoon, get all the liquid through as quickly as possible, squeezing the remaining pulp as much as you can - but do be quick as the jelly sets if you take too long.
• Now pour the jelly into the warmed jar, cover with a waxed disc*, cool and tie down.
  If it begins to set before you’ve had a chance to pour it into the jar, just reheat it gently.

*Note:

• I actually used 2 smaller jars when I made this.
• Also my sieve was stainless steel not nylon and when I tried to use the gauze I couldn’t get the mixture through it so end up just pushing the mixture through the sieve minus the gauze. It worked fine so I won’t bother with the gauze at all next time.
• Preserve recipes always recommend the use of waxed discs but I always just use the jar’s original lid. If you’ve washed it thoroughly and then the put it to dry out in the oven with the jar it seems to be fine. I’ve never had a problem with my jam or chutney going mouldy… and I’ve kept some for a very long time!

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Damsons and other English plums are in season this month too. I feel very nostalgic abut damsons, since my family has a couple of trees that have been supplying us with them every year since my Dad was young! If you don’t have them in your garden, try your local farmer’s market or occasionally very good local green grocers stock them, but you’re not likely to find them in a supermarket.

There’s a really easy recipe for Damson Cobbler in this month’s Olive magazine which I’m looking forward to trying but they’re great in crumble or Jam too. If you’ve no time just gently stew them with some sugar and them bag and freeze for ready made pie or crumble filling all winter. I even made damson gin one year when I wanted to make sloe gin and couldn’t find any sloes!

Parsley and Tomatoes are plentiful now and other vegetables include beetroot and garlic, as well as horseradish which I’ve only ever seen at the farmers’ market.

Other fruit in season just now include English apples, pears, figs, raspberries and the first damsons

Seasonal meat and fish are Duck, Grouse, Pigeon, Venison, Brown Trout and Red Mullet,

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