When fruit and vegetables go to waste purely because they are not a perfect size or shape it is such an incredible waste. A company in Eynsham thinks so too and have been working hard to create great-tasting products that make use of imperfect and surplus fruit and veg.
The Wonky Food Company is the brainchild of a team of enthusiastic farmers and foodies, all sharing the ethos that all fruit and vegetables should have equal rights. By collaborating with local farmers, suppliers, and retailers to collect their imperfect and surplus produce, the Wonky Food Company has created some fabulous tasting relishes which can be added to a favourite recipe to really bring it alive.
The story of how the business came about goes back to 1997 when John was travelling around New Zealand. To earn extra cash for Christmas, he got a job working at a fruit farm and one of his tasks was to pick off misshapen kiwi fruit and throw it on the ground to rot. He thought this was an awful waste and the memory stayed with him. Two decades later, whilst in Spain with his sister Ashley, the siblings decided it was time to put their business ideas into practice and create the Wonky Fruit Company.
When they returned to Oxfordshire, as luck would have it their neighbour Laura was happy to get involved too as she loved cooking. The process of creating product and recipe ideas began, and so did how they could turn it all into a viable business proposition. Changing their name to the Wonky Food Company, the trio have developed a range of products using ugly onions to leftover limes, packing as much imperfect and surplus fruit and vegetables into their products as possible no matter what size, shape, or colour the produce may be, it is usually bursting with flavour. By 2018, they had created a range of tasty relishes, all designed to be used as everyday ingredients.
“Forty percent of all the fruit and veg we grow in the UK never even makes it to the shop shelf,” explains Ashley. “Sometimes that is because they are the ‘wrong’ shape or size for supermarkets; sometimes it is due to weather damage or surplus crops, but the majority of produce is still edible.”
Working closely with a network of farming partners, the team are also developing a number of other product ranges, responding to the food that is commonly wasted.
The current range of relishes include Sweet Tomato which has a touch of heat in it, making it ideal to liven up a pasta dish, add to noodles, or stir fries. By adding a little white wine, you can make a quick dipping sauce or use as a marinade. If you like even more chilli, then opt for the Fiery Tomato Relish which uses Scotch Bonnet chilli!
The Zesty Lime Relish has heat and spice, perfect with cheese and crackers or as an accompaniment to curry or a marinade if you want a splash of heat.
Their Tangy Onion Relish has many uses, not only on sandwiches but also added to soup, stews, gravy, and savoury tarts.
The relishes are currently available online at wonkyfoodco.com and also from Ocado. A number of food stores in Oxfordshire including Millets Farm Shop, Yarnton Home and Garden and selected Co-ops stock the products. They are vegan, gluten-free and made from 100% natural ingredients.
We thought it would be good to wet your taste buds with one of the Wonky Food Company’s recipes:
Onion Relish and Brie Tart, perfectly served with a garden salad and new potatoes.
Serves 8
Equipment: 9-inch loose-bottomed tart tin
Ingredients:
Pastry:
- 250g plain flour
- 125g cold butter cut into small cubes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 egg yolk
- Cold water to mix
Filling:
- 300ml double cream
- 2 medium eggs
- 200g Brie
- 4tbls Wonky Tangy Onion Relish
- Salt and pepper
Method:
- Mix dry sieved ingredients together in a bowl, and add the cold butter cubes.
- Rub together until you achieve a breadcrumb consistency.
- Add the egg yolk and bring together with a fork, adding a splash of cold water if necessary to bring the dough together.
- Wrap dough in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least two hours.
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Roll dough out to 3mm thickness and line tart tin. Cover with baking parchment paper and weigh down with baking beans.
- Blind bake in the oven for ten minutes before removing parchment and beans and bake for a further five minutes.
- Remove the pastry from the oven and spread the base with the Tangy Onion Relish before arranging the slices of brie on top.
- Whisk together the cream and eggs with salt and pepper and pour over the cheese and relish mix.
- Return to the oven and bake for a further 30 minutes or until the filling is slightly browned but maintaining a wobble.
To find out more and buy your relish please visit wonkyfoodco.com
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