Hoxton Fruit and Veg Review

Hoxton Fruit and Veg is my local greengrocers and where I buy most of my fresh produce during the week. Many of the restaurants in the local area use the shop and as a result, the choice of products is great. The herb section is wonderful, with huge bunches of coriander and parsley for around 50p - a welcome change from the few miserly sprigs that supermarkets charge a premium for.

There are also great bulk bargains to be had, my personal favourite being a 5kg sack of onions for under £1.50 which lasts me around a month. The fact you can also pick up 10 apples or oranges for £1 is a great incentive to make the most out of your juicer. 

They also stock every pulse and grain you could ever need as well as a wide variety of dried herbs and spices. They have also recently added barrels of fresh olives to the shop, as well as a selection of dried fruits. The Turkish bread is particularly good and a steal at 50p for a huge loaf. When I want to create the Mangal experience at home it’s my must have! 

Seasonal produce is readily available here and it is often the first place to cater certain things. It was the only place I could source damsons at the beginning of autumn. Although they were ruinously expensive (around £4 more per kilo than Chapel Market at Angel) it enabled me to get my Damson Gin in production in time for Christmas. 

In the summer the shop front is packed full of gorgeous watermelons the size of boulders. It is depressing when these start to dwindle, marking the end of summer, but one is consoled by the delivery of pumpkins which arrives soon after. 

Some of the fruit on sale is so exotic that I had never heard of them before, let alone seen them available to buy. Fortunately they supply little fact sheets telling of the country of origin and how to prepare and eat them. Thanks to this I’ve discovered tamarillos, rambutan and the joys of fresh turmeric. If you’re looking to pimp up your fruit bowl this is definitely the place to do it. 

Behind the till there is every colour imaginable of ‘Just For Men’ hair dye - I have yet to witness anyone actually buy it but if you’re into that sort of thing, you’ll be spoilt for choice. 

My one gripe is the potatoes. I find them quite pricey, especially when they never seem to be at their best. As I can get them cheaper and better elsewhere I tend to avoid them unless I have a potato shortage (being Irish this happens more than it should). Hoxton Fruit and Veg is such a treasure trove of a shop that I forgive them for this and will continue being a happy shopper there for as long as I’m resident in Hoxton. 

I received no payment for this review. Hoxton Fruit and Veg DID supply me with endless cardboard boxes for house moving in the summer, but this does not count as bribery. Thought I’d put that out there. 

5:2- Fast Day Recipes: Ratatouille

After a winter of excess, it's time to ignore the premature arrival of Creme eggs on the shop shelves and get back to healthy eating. I'm restarting the 5:2 diet which is effective and doable in the long term, but can make things a bit frustrating when you don't know how you're going to be satisfied on a seemingly paltry 500 calories a day (or 600 if you're a man).

I personally prefer to distract myself during the day with fruit teas and black coffee and then "splurge" in the evening with as hearty a meal I can prepare given the circumstances.

Tonight I'm making some ratatouille which includes courgette amongst other things. Due to the high water content of courgettes, they are very low in calories but are filling at the same time. The same goes for aubergines which will also be added to my dish. 

To be super precise, I'm going to weigh the veg after I've chopped it and removed the stalks etc. The calorie counter I'm using is MyNetDiary - a really handy tool to keep track of what you're eating. This recipe is enough for two people or two portions. Either half the quantities used or freeze the leftovers for your next fast day.

Ingredients 

300g courgettes (or 2 small) halved lengthways and chopped. 54 calories

300g aubergine (or 1 large) halved lengthways and chopped. 72 calories 

90g red pepper (or 1 medium) sliced.  28 calories 

80g shallots (or 2 large) sliced. 58 calories 

400g chopped tomatoes. 82 calories 

10g garlic (or 1 clove) crushed. 16 calories

Salt and pepper, to taste

Total: 310 calories 

Per serving: 155 calories 

As I'm having this for my main meal, I'm going to add around 200g of boiled potatoes which brings the calorie total up to 300 calories, however, it would make a substantial lunch on its own, leaving plenty of leeway for other snacks or meals.

Method

To keep this meal as light as possible, I'm opting to dry fry the vegetables instead of using oil. Start off by placing the onions and garlic into a frying pan and cook very slowly over a low heat until the onions start to soften.

Add the rest of the vegetables to the pan and fry for a further 10 minutes, making sure to stir occasionally so they don't stick.

Pour in the chopped tomatoes and mix through the vegetables. If necessary, add some water to loosen.

Allow to simmer on a low heat for around 15 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.  

Bulgogi Beef Bibambap

Bibambap is officially my new favourite meal. It's a popular Korean dish and basically translates to "mixed vegetables with rice and meat". It's packed full of goodness and is tasty too. Be careful though- it's addictive!

Ingredients (Serves 2, generously)

2 medium carrots, julienned 

1 red onion, sliced thinly 

150g mushrooms, sliced

1 large courgette, julienned

200g beansprouts 

200g short grain rice (I used arborio rice! which worked well)

2 large eggs

300g beef sirloin, sliced as thinly as possible

100ml bulgogi marinade 

Sesame oil, to fry

Salt and Pepper

For the sauce

4 tbsp gochulang (a Korean chilli paste, available at Oriental supermarkets)

2 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp vinegar (I used cider vinegar, but any one will do)

1 tbsp sesame seeds

p.s, if you have difficulty finding the gochulang, just buy a hot chilli sauce and use this instead of making your own. I did this the first time and it still tasted great.

Method

1. Marinade your beef for as long as you possibly can. Place it in a bowl with the bulgogi marinade and massage it in with your hands until it is evenly coated. Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for at least 30 mins.

2.Preheat the oven to 160 degrees and have two large serving bowls nearby. Heat a few tablespoons of the sesame oil in a frying pan and start cooking your vegetables separately. They should only take a few minutes each. After cooking each batch of vegetables, divide them up between the two bowls and place in the oven to keep warm whilst you cook the others.

3. Cook your rice by placing it in saucepan and adding 700ml of water. When the water has evaporated take the pan off the heat and place a lid on it, leaving it for at least 15 minutes to make sure the rice is nice and fluffy.

4. Make the sauce by combining all the ingredients in a bowl. Keep it at room temperature.

5. Add more sesame oil to your pan and fry the beef. It should be rare and tender so should only take a few minutes. Take the bowls out of the oven, and add the rice and the beef.

6. Fry the eggs until soft- try not to let the yolks harden too much. Season with salt and pepper if you wish. Place the eggs in the bowl.

When eating, mix the Bibambap thoroughly with a spoon, enabling the egg to coat the rest of the ingredients. Add the sauce generously and enjoy.