Farmer, chef and TV presenter Julius Roberts shares farm-to-fork recipes that are grounded in the rhythms of nature
After a few years on my Suffolk smallholding, Imoved to a wild and dilapidated little farm in the west of England.
I brought with me three beehives, 12 chickens, 20 goats and 30 sheep, a few animal shelters, a tractor and two chicken coops.
Here, we (my brother Joss is my right-hand man) have seeded three fields with diverse wildflower mixes in ameadow restoration project and will plant more trees in a bid to create woodland pasture. My flock are all rare primitive breeds – we keep them in small numbers, rotated carefully around the fields so the wild flowers can bloom for as long as possible and set their seeds. I would love to have pigs again, and I often dream of planting a little patch of wheat, just to see what it really means to grow, mill, bake and eat a loaf of bread. Nothing is certain in life, but the one thing Iknow is that I love being rooted to the seasons and feeling connected to nature.
All this farming is, of course, underpinned by a great love of food. Throughout my journey, cooking has been at the core of it all: it is my way of sharing and giving. Eating seasonally means you are eating produce at its prime when it is bursting with flavour. This is simple home cooking, made from a place of love, not only for the people eating it but for the land it came from.
Here is a selection of my favourite recipes – some for hastily throwing together after a busy day on the farm, but also food made on slower days after long walks, when I relish the grounding act of cooking, enjoying the methodical process and the joyful dance of ingredients into the pan.
PASTA DIAVOLA WITH BURRATA & BASIL
For me, this pasta fits a perfect scenario. It’s a romantic evening and you’re looking to please someone special – what do you cook? You need something simple and surprising that isn’t going to have the kitchen in chaos as they arrive – no smoke, no mess, no hassle. Something impressive that you can whip up with casual flair while talking over wine and music. This is that dish: a spicy, ultra-simple tomato pasta, singing with basil and garlic, hot enough that you can feel a proper tingle. The burrata sits on top, oozing into the pasta below and providing a perfect foil to the heat. It’s elegant and spicy, all important things for a night such as this.
Serves 2 (but can be doubled)
3 CLOVES OF GARLIC, SMASHED AND PEELED
3 TBSP OLIVE OIL
1 SMALL BROWN ONION, VERY FINELY CHOPPED
A PINCH OR TWO OF CHILLI
FLAKES (YOU WANT THE DISH SPICY BUT DON’T OVERDO IT)
1 TBSP TOMATO PURÉE
1 X 400G TIN OF PLUM
TOMATOES (SAN MARZANO ARE GREAT)
A FEW SPRIGS OF FRESH BASIL
20G BUTTER
1½ TSP CASTER SUG
