HERBIEHERBIE

Herbie, was set up by MERCi to provide affordable, fresh fruit and vegetables to residents living in areas of East Manchester with poor access to fresh foods.

Herbie is a mobile greengrocer and customers can walk on board and choose from a good range of affordable fresh produce. We also supply boxes of fruit to schools and projects, and work closely with sheltered housing, churches, health clinics and resident groups to ensure that we reach as many people in our local community as possible. We can also deliver beautiful gift baskets of fruit - a healthy alternative to chocolates!

As with all of MERCi's projects, it is envisaged that Herbie will act as an inspirational model for other communities, in similar areas, with the same challenges.

HERBIE TIMETABLEHERBIE TIMETABLE

TUESDAYTUESDAY

09:30 – 10:10 Joseph Dean Court, Whitehill Drive, Newton Heath
10:20 – 10:45 The Sterling Centre, Scotland Hall Road, Newton Heath
11:00 – 11:30 Clifford Lamb Court, Hillingdon Drive, Blackley
12:00 – 12:30 Hudson Court, Sherwell Road, Higher Blackley
12:35 – 12:45 Sandyhill Road, Higher Blackley
13:30 – 14:30 Whitebeck Court, Moorway Drive, Blackley
15:00 – 15:35 St Anne's School, Carruthers Street
16:00 – 16:30 St Lukes's Church Project, Devonshire Street, Brunswick

WEDNESDAYWEDNESDAY

09:00 – 09:30 The Lalley Welcome Centre, Eggington Street, Collyhurst
10:10 – 10:30 Charlestown Court, Charlesworth Street, Beswick
10:45 – 11:30 Victoria Square, Bengal Street, Ancoats
11:45 – 12:15 Clement Court, Toxteth Street, Openshaw
14:00 – 14:45 Butler Court, Gunson Street, Miles Platting
15:00 – 15:45 Park View, Holland Street, Miles Platting

RECIPE OF THE WEEKRECIPE OF THE WEEK

recipe
Eack week we will give you a recipe that uses some of the seasonal fruit and veg that we stock on Herbie. This weeks recipe is:

STUFFED BUTTERNUT SQUASHSTUFFED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Serves 4
1 large butternut squash (about 1.5kg) or 2 small ones (about 750g each)
c 50g butter
1 medium garlic clove, finely chopped
a little olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
200g blue cheese such as Dorset Blue Vinney or stilton, crumbled into small lumps
2 tsp chopped thyme leaves
75g walnut halves, lightly toasted and very coarsely chopped
1 scant tbsp runny honey

Preheat the oven to 190C/gas 5. Make sure the outside of the squash is scrubbed clean. Cut the squash in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds and soft fibres. Put in an ovenproof dish, put a little chopped garlic and a small nut of butter in each cavity, brush with olive oil, season well, and bake for about an hour, until the flesh feels very tender when pierced with the tip of a knife.

Carefully scoop out the soft flesh, and the buttery, garlicky juices, into a bowl, leaving a 1cm-thick layer of flesh still attached to the skin, so the squash holds its shape. Roughly mash the flesh. Keep back a few bits of walnut and a few cubes of cheese, then fold the remaining walnuts and cheese into the soft squash, along with the thyme and some more salt and pepper. Spoon the filling back into the two empty squash halves and scatter on the reserved cheese and walnuts. Trickle over the merest lick of honey, then return the squashes to the oven and bake for a further 15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling.