Your green promises:

Re-use plastic bags when shopping, Oliver Marcus, London >> Stop wasting resources, Ness Backs, New York >> Consume more plant-based foods, Chana Tzi, L.A., Ca., USA >> Start growing my own herbs and vegetables, Holly Weisfeld, Herts >> Cycle one a day if not more, Jamie Cooper, Harts >> Visit a lot of eco-sites, Maria Kamutzki, Berlin >> I won't litter, Joel Austin, Pinner >> Be more eco friendly, Connor Buchalter, Hatch End >> Re-use water bottles so less waste, David, Middx >> I won't waste water anymore, Ben Green, Hach End >> Help my dad recycle everyday, Phoebe Decker, Northwood >> Turn electrical things off when I have finished using them, Talia Austin, Pinner >> Not to waste food, Joshua Roson, Rickmansworth >> Eat fairtrade chocolate, Josie Sacks, Pinner >> Bike/walk to places not to far away, Zoe Buchalter, Hatch End >> Recycle plastic bags when I go shopping, Sophie Scholl, Moor Park >> Take and re-use our own plastic bags when we go shopping, Cass Family, Harrow >> Not waste paper, Jed Gaffin, Northwood >> Walk to school more, Lea Abrahams, Pinner >> To be more careful with water, Max Abrahams, Pinner >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Ellie Roston, Rickmansworth >> Try and ride my bike as much as I can, Zack Bluestone, Stanmore >> Walk to from school everyday, Meiron Avidan, Stanmore >> Use tap water instead of bottled, Rianna Roston, Earth >> Turn everything off, not leave it on standby, Lewis Decker, Northwood >> Put my rubbish in the bin, Aron Bhalla, Harrow >> I will put my rubbish in the bin, Seth Bhalla, Harrow >> I will not watch the same thing as my brother on a different TV, Ilana Braham, Northwood >> Our family will walk to places if it is less than 2miles, the Garland family, Pinner >> Don't use sandwich bags for packed lunch, David Braham, Northwood >> Switch off lights when I am not using them, Matthew Rodin, London >> To walk and get the train more, Steph Leigh, Watford >> Not to litter and put rubbish in the bin, Jacob Lauder, Harrow >> Help put out the recycling more, Rachel Bard, Hertfordshire >> To put my cans in a recycle bin, Hannah Hyman, Borehamwood, Herts >> Walk to the bus stop, Matti Brooks, Borehamwood >> Re-use plastic bags when shopping, Gemma Black 5B, Hertfordshire >> I pledge to water my plants with a watering can and not waste water, Gemma Black 5B, Hertfordshire >> Make more things e.g sculptures instead of just putting them in the bin, Minnie Diamond, Bushey >> I shall turn off lights and T.V. when not needed on, Harrry Rubin, Hertfordshire >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Harry Rubin 5 Beech, Herts, London >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Katie Moss, Radlett >> Only flush the chain when I need to, Hannah Hyman, Borehamwood, Herts >> Cycle one a day if not more, Jamie Cooper, Harts >> Ride on my bike at least once a day, Sophie Pollock, Borehamwood, Herts >> Grow my own fruit and vegetables in the garden, Isabelle Copeland, Bushey >> Don't leave lights on, Rebecca A, Herts >> Use energy efficent light bulbs!, Dov Colman, Borhamwood >> Not use the car for short journeys, Josh Zucker, Hertfordshire >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Jake Murray, Borehamwood >> To not leave the shower running!, Lauren Seres, Herts >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Tyler Freedman, Bushey >> Do more recycling and help my mum sort out the waste, Maddie Freedman, Bushey >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Joseph White, Radlett, Herts >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Zoe Klein, Hertfordshire >> turn off the plugs in my bedroom, Oliver Rothstein, Adlenham, herts >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Nina Freedman, Borehamwood >> Take showers instead of baths, Harry Singler, Bushey >> Recycle my household waste, Harry Black, Bushey >> Recycle my household waste, Mrs Myers, Borehamwood >> Re-use plastic bags when shopping, Daniel Simmons, Radlett >> Not to turn lights on if it is not neeeded, Etienne Dean, Borehamwood >> Not use the car for short journeys, Leah Gorb, Bushey >> Use bits of junk around the house to make something & to not throw it in the bin, Sophie Pollock >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Natalie Maurer, Hertfordshire >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Rebecca Selt, Radlett >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Avital Cohen, Borehamwood >> Recycle my household waste, Max Bean, Bushey >> Start growing my own herbs and vegetable, Talia N, Hertfordshire >> Recycle my household waste, Leanne Rosner, Radlett >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Leanne Rosner, Radlett >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Kezia Blakeley, Hertfordshire >> Don't buy herbs if you can grow them, Emily Sterman, Hertfordshire >> Re-use plastic bags when shopping, Joshua Silver, Radlett >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Ella Kosmin, St Albans >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Ella Green, Borehamwood >> Replace two light bulbs in my house with energy efficient light bulbs, Jacqueline Sefton, Bushey >> Take showers instead of baths, Sophie Hyman, Borehamwood, Herts >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Joshua, Herts >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Benjamin Isaac, Herts >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Abby Rosen, Elstree >> Replace two light bulbs in my house with energy efficient light bulbs, Amanda Finestone, Borehamwood >> Try to have a shower instead of a bath and will not sing in the shower for too long, Sadie, Hertfordshire >> Cycle at least once a day, Jamie Cooper, Borehamwood >> Re-use plastic bags when shopping, holly, herts >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Michelle Hertz, Stanmore >> Start growing my own herbs and vegetable, nicola weisfeld, hertfordshire >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Jack Glazer, Bushey >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Jack Glazer, Bushey >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Holly Weisfeld, Hertfortshire >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Joshua Collins, Hertfordshire >> Eat less meat, Stephen Scott, London >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Hannah, London >> Continue to educate myself and others in ways of taking care of our earth, Raven Moon, Connecticut >> Try to live on less and take pleasure in the effort, Erich Connell, Greenville, NC >> I will be a vegertarian on a weekly basis, Lee-Ann, Tauyuan, Taiwan >> I promise to make sure all recyclable items go in the recycling and not in the bin, Lara Gordon, London >> I will try to keep recycling my clothes and not buy too many new ones, L.Bratter, North London >> I promise to recycle by altering my clothes, Anita Lancet, London >>

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Rachel Davies

A bit about me - as this is a food blog, I should say that until about 2 years ago I was the kind of cook who burnt Super Noodles, and could just about manage 3 minute filled egg pasta with pesto from a jar as a ‘good’ meal.

Then a year volunteering with VSO in Zambia changed all that. I was alone in a village in Southern Africa where the market sold dried fish, tomatoes and sweet potato leaves, and egg noodles were a 3 hour drive away. Something had to change, and that something was my ability to cook. So using whatever ingredients I could find, I started baking my own bread, and attempting all the dishes possible with the limited fresh ingredients. And I loved it!

Please sign up to this blog where I’ll share recipes and tips, and will have a look at what fruit and vegetables are in season and what great dishes you can make with them.

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Food Blog

Rachel Davies is a Jewish chef from North West London who has been writing her food blog for Big Green Jewish since March 2010. Rachel trained at Le Cordon Bleu and runs Rachel's Kitchen, offering catering for dinner parties and events, and teaching cookery in your home or in her kitchen. For more information please contact her at info@rachels-kitchen.com or the Rachel's Kitchen website, www.rachels-kitchen.com. Click here to subscribe to Rachel's blog.

Rosh Hashanah 2011

One day, when I have my own garden, I’m going to plant a quince tree. Every year at around this time, I hunt Whole quinces around for quinces, but they’re difficult to find as they’re not commercially grown. What you need is a tree. Or a friend with a tree.

And this year I got lucky! Thanks to the wonderful Berelowitz family, I’m rolling in them (as are they)! Quinces have a delicate, perfumed flavour, and are somewhere between a pear and an apple, but much more interesting, and not to be eaten raw! As they fall off the tree just in time for Rosh Hashanah, they make a lovely treat, and along with the apple and honey, will no doubt guarantee a very sweet year ahead.

Zea Membrillo quince paste Berelowitz gave me some of her gorgeous quince paste, or membrillo, which is a Spanish delicacy. The Spanish usually served membrillo with Manchego, a sheep’s milk cheese, and it’s a stunning pairing with other cheeses such as blue cheese, or alone on a cracker. The recipe for membrillo can be found here.

I’m working my way through the pot Zea made, and am loving every mouthful. If you’ve got quinces, then you probably have lots of them, and this is a lovely way to use them. Cooking quinces

For my Rosh Hashanah recipe, I’ve adapted Nigella Lawson’s recipe in her delectable book Feast, where, topped with pomegranate seeds, roasted and caramelised, quince halves are showcased for Rosh Hashanah. You will need to be in and around the kitchen for a good few hours for this dish, but it involves very little work other than being there, so it’s not too much like hard work.

Quince recipes all warn about how hard cutting through the fruit can be. I sharpened my knife, and it sliced through the quinces with ease, but whether that was due to my knife, the quinces or my superior strength, I’m not sure. Although in all honesty, it probably wasn’t down to my strength.

Quinces, halved Quinces in pieces
I think this quince dish makes the most wonderful Rosh Hashanah dessert, with sweet, seasonal quinces and ruby pomegranate seeds, traditionally eaten at this time of year.

For last year's honey cake recipe (which Helen at Big Green Jewish can personally vouch for), see here.

Enjoy and wishing you and your families a Shana Tova U’Metuka.

Caramelised Roast Quinces with Pomegranate

Serves 10

Ingredients

6 quinces, washed

1kg sugar

1 litre water

2 pomegranates

Method

Cut up one quince into rough chunks, and put in a large, wide saucepan with the sugar and water. Give it a stir, and bring to the boil. Leave to boil for about half an hour, or until thick and viscous.

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Line a large baking tray with baking paper to make cleaning easier.

Then cut the remaining quinces in half lengthways, and place, cut side down, into the baking tray.

Pour the syrup and cut quinces into the baking tray, and bake in the oven for about an hour. Check on it regularly, and if the mixture bubbles up, open the oven door and turn the temperature down a little.

Then turn the oven down to 170°C and roast the quinces for a further half an hour, turning and basting regularly.

Put the warm quince halves onto a platter.

Then cut open one of the pomegranates, and hit each pomegranate half over a bowl with a wooden spoon to release the seeds. Sprinkle the seeds over the quinces.

This will keep for a few days. Before serving, add the rest of the pomegranate and enjoy!

Click on link below to view previous months

To read Rachel's earlier blogs, click here.

Take a look at Rachel's recipe for Earl Grey Infused Chocolate Petit Pots with Orange Crème, as featured in the Jewish Chronicle.

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