Cardoon & Squash ‘Hungry Gap’ Spring Wraps

Fresh Cardoons from Riverford

Spring Wraps

It is indeed Riverford on the menu again…as ever! Well You just can’t beat perfection and they’ve got exactly what I need. Nowhere else can bring it quite like these guys. Every ingredient bar the salt comes from them on a normal week and I always try to keep it this way. It is just the healthiest way I know. Organic rocks.

If you haven’t heard of them yet, check them out >>Riverford Organic Farms<< Their food is so fresh, so organic and is absolutely bursting with natural flavours! Never did I think I could enjoy vegetables as much as I do now, being an organic vegan. Buying from Riverford has changed my life and I can really feel the difference in my diet and overall well-being. It’s great!

Recently I discovered Cardoons, one of Guy’s projects. Car-what? Yes I know, quite a bizarre name they have isn’t it?! I had never heard of them either, until this year and oh how fabulous they are.

They look like a Grandpa version of celery but definitely do not taste like it, more like artichoke! As described to me, they are indeed very bitter, they must be good for us then, right?

Accompanied by butternut squash they sure sweetened up a treat and they helped make a very impulsive decision turn into a quick and delicious meal. Inspired by this Rutabaga Wrap recipe, this is the cardoon re-vamp.

Make my Squash & Cardoon Spring Wraps:

Main Ingredients:

4″ medium Butternut Squash
3 stems Cardoons
1 Spring Onion
3 large Pointed Cabbage Leaves
5 small Beetroot Green Leaves

Dressing:

4 tsp Olive Oil
1 small clove raw Garlic
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
Pinch of Pepper
Pinch of Salt

Method:

Wash all the vegetables and leaves
Chop away the fluffy leaves and peel away the fibrous ribs using a knife or peeler (this mainly applies to the very outer stems, I felt the inside ones were fine unpeeled)
Chop the cardoons and spring onion
Thinly slice the squash
Crush the garlic (do not cook)
Lightly steam all the veg for 5 minutes
Lay out the cabbage leaves and place the squash onto them, share out the cardoons and spring onions equally, sprinkling on top.
Add the beetroot leaves for a vibrant touch and for extra goodness

Mix all the dressing ingredients together and slowly drizzle over the inside of the wraps
Fold over the leaves
Maybe drizzle a little more dressing over, whatever works for you.

Take a deep breath.

Enjoy!

I cooked a bunch of cardoons, with this recipe and I had a few chopped pieces on the side of the plate as well as in the wraps. A few were left over so I kept them in the remains of the dressing and popped them in the fridge overnight. Upon returning to the situation I was amazed at the way they had soaked up the flavour…yum. Goodness me – awesome veggies! They seriously owned that sauce!