vegetable gardening courses and workshops, edible gardening tips and seasonal recipes for home-grown produce..
Soup is a wonderful meal in winter. This chowder is a satisfying vegetable soup with a little fish for flavour. It uses up a mixture of vegetables in a tasty and appealing way. You could substitute red lentils for the fish for a vegetarian version or use a little smoked bacon if you don't like fish. Substitute cream for some of the milk and serve … [Read more...]
My recipe for corn fritters is heavier than most on eggs and corn because that's what I have and that's the way I like'em. A mere variation on zucchini fritters and beetroot fritters. For lunch with a salad, to accompany pre-dinner drinks or barbecue fare, they're adaptable and appealing. Better made fresh, but you can chill them and reheat them in … [Read more...]
Watermelons are plentiful at the moment and the cucumbers keep on coming so I made this variation of a cucumber salad this evening to accompany some fish. If you want a more sophisticated version, peel the cucumber and use a melon baller to get spheres of both cucumber and melon flesh. For weekday suppers this version is fancy enough. I didn't feel … [Read more...]
My parsnips didn't germinate first time so by the time I had resown them it was March and they've taken this long to grow. They've yet to go to seed so I'm making the most of them as I need the space they're in for some squash. I served this puree warm as part of a quartet of dips, The four made a stunning visual contrast with creamy parsnip puree, … [Read more...]
A thin slice of malt loaf spread with butter makes an excellent coming home treat. It's sweet, moist and malty and I expect will improve with keeping. I froze one loaf for another day. Malt extract comes as a syrup in New Zealand under the 'Maltexo' brand which you'll find in the nutritional section of the supermarket. Makes two 700g … [Read more...]
A rare flavour to find in boughten ice cream, I thought I'd have a try at making my own liquorice ice cream as I've had the pleasure of borrowing an ice cream maker recently. It was decadent and delicious. With only three ingredients it's pretty simple too and a very strong liquorice flavour. I suspect it would be quite acceptable without the … [Read more...]
Tinned pink salmon is an old fashioned sort of ingredient but I think it's perfect for fish cakes. These were a little soft in texture but crunchy on the outside. The trick is to make them quite small so that they're easy to turn in the pan. I've all but run out of potatoes so bought some golden kumara to make these and the sweetness is a nice … [Read more...]
Beetroot relish is earthy and sweet. This one has an optional chilli to add some kick. I liked the contrast of fennel seeds with the beetroot but leave them out if you can't stand the liquorice taste. Two tablespoons olive oil One medium onion, peeled and finely chopped One medium beetroot, peeled and coarsely grated One red chilli, deseeded … [Read more...]
A tart is more appealing than a quiche somehow. A shallow format means that it doesn't get soggy. You can use pretty much any mixture of vegetables, particularly if you have some leftovers. Leeks, carrots, pumpkin, silverbeet, cauliflower, brocolli, kale and mushrooms would all be delicious in winter. Perfect for lunch with some salad. I enjoy a … [Read more...]
There's a good reason that certain salad combinations have become classics - Nicoise, Ceasar or Waldorf. They have a satisfying contrast between sweet and salty tastes, crisp and soft textures. I like my salads to include some greens, fruit, a root and a nut, seed or sprout plus a source of protein. Fat from avocado or a dressing made from olive, … [Read more...]
Get your winter fix of Kitchen Garden workshops at HANDMADE 2013
Plan your summer edible garden
Totally Totes
Spring workshops will start in October 2013 and will all be held at The Kitchen Garden in Ohariu Valley Wellington from 6-7.30pm. $29 per person. Get a group of six together and I'll tailor a workshop on a date and topic to suit you.
Planning your summer edible garden develop a plan to make the most of your garden time, space and energy.
Herbalicious growing and enjoying edible herbs for flavour and freshness from your garden to your plate.
Sow your winter edible garden to get your edible garden seeds sown for winter.
Composting for beginners
or for you if your composting isn't working well.
Soil Magic learn techniques to improve your soil and make your gardening easier - mulching, green manure, compost, aeration, double digging, soil testing and much, much more.
