About Us

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Mellis, Suffolk, United Kingdom
Three years ago Titus and Jasmin Rowlandson relocated from Peckham London to a beautiful creaking Elizabethan farmhouse in the tangled wilds of Suffolk. The house belonged to a friend of theirs who was particularly interested in nature, conservation and the environment and subsequently left the house and surrounding land to run wild hosting a myriad of life. The house is built mainly of wood. Ivy, rose and Jasmin clamber up the outer walls and in places tendrils creep through nooks and crannies right into the house. The house sits in twelve acres of rich meadow land, a mile of thick hedgerow and a variety of trees, Willow, Ash, Oak, Mulberry, Quince, Apple and Walnut. Jasmin Rowlandson is a sculptural ceramist who loves to cook. Titus Rowlandson restores classic Italian cars and loves to eat. With Jasmin's love of cooking and Titus's love of eating her cooking, along with the idyllic setting, it seemed only natural to begin The Walnut Tree Farm Lunch Club. Once a month Titus and Jasmin will be hosting a four course lunch at the farm. Wherever possible Jasmin will be cooking with home grown and local seasonal produce.

Recipes


Roasted Pumpkin & Lentil Soup With Ginger, Coriander & Chilli pumpkin seeds.


Ingredients
1 x 4kg/8lb 13oz pumpkin
85g/3oz split red lentils, rinsed
125g/4oz butter
Splash of olive oil
3cloves of garlic finely chopped
2 medium onions, peeled, finely chopped
1 and a half  tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1.7 litres/3 pints chicken stock (vegetarians may substitute vegetable stock


Preparation method

 1.Cut up the pumpkin, remove the skin.  Separate the seeds from the fibres. Throw away the fibres and the skin.

2. Put the pumpkin flesh in a roasting tin with a good splash of olive oil and roast in the oven until tender. Approximately cook for thirty-five minutes at 170C/335F/Gas 3

3. Melt the butter and a splash of olive oil in a large pan with a lid over a low heat and add the onions. Cook the onions gently for 10 minutes or until they are softened and golden-brown.

4. Add the garlic and ginger and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

5. Add the lentils and stir through the mixture until coated.

6. Add your stock.  Increase the heat to medium and cover with the lid. Cook for 40minutes or until lentils are cooked.

7. Add your roasted pumpkin and blend with a hand mixer or a food processor until smooth.

 8.Return the soup to the pan and bring to a low simmer and cook for a further 15 minutes.

9. Whilst the soup is cooking, heat up a pan with a dash of vegetable oil and add your pumpkin seeds. They will brown quickly. Remove from heat and add some sea salt pepper and chili powder to your taste. Put to one side.


    To serve. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with a generous amount of fresh coriander, and pumpkin seeds. I also like to crumble a bit of goat’s cheese on top.


 Quince chutney.

    2 tbsp olive oil
    60g/2oz butter
    2 onions finely chopped
    Thumb-size piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
    2 star anise
    5 juniper berries
    200g caster sugar
    10 tbsp cider vinegar
    6 quinces peeled, cored and chopped

1.Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the shallots, ginger and a good pinch of sea salt, then fry for 3 mins.  Add the star anise and juniper, sprinkle in the sugar and carry on cooking for few mins until the sugar melts and starts to caramelise, stirring all the time.

2.Tip in the vinegar and quince, and then cook for 10 mins until the quinces are soft and coated in a syrupy sauce. Spoon into a sterilized airtight jar. Will keep for up to three weeks in the fridge.
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