vegetable gardening courses and workshops, edible gardening tips and seasonal recipes for home-grown produce..
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...]
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...]
Salad leaves can be colourful, spiky or bitter. Their taste, texture, shape, size and appearance are all important. There's much more to salad than lettuce and the best way to experience them all is to grow your own. Combined with some herbs and a great dressing you'd have the basis of a delicious lunch. Here's a selection of leaves you could grow … [Read more...]
Winter is the time for a different kind of salad. There’s still lettuce and rocket from the tunnel house but a crunchier combination comes from cabbage, carrot, spring onion and fresh herbs topped with cashews and strips of beef. I used meat left over from a slow-cooked beef shin. Processing robust raw ingredients, such as carrots and cabbage, … [Read more...]
Having grown your own beautiful salad, picked it fresh from the garden and washed it thoroughly* it seems rude to go out and buy someone's inferior salad, often stale, flacid, badly dressed or just downright nasty. I've tried all sorts of containers to take my salad with me but often forget the fork. It's always better to dress a salad just prior … [Read more...]
A simple, hearty and delicious vegan salad that can be served warm or cold. 500g kumara peeled, diced and lightly steamed until still firm. Even better roasted if you have time. 200g cooked chickpeas - I cook a large batch in the slow cooker and freeze what I don't need or you can used canned Five dried figs, finely chopped Six pieces … [Read more...]
Beetroots are easy to grow. You can sow seeds now and they'll continue to grow slowly through the winter. Each 'seed' is a group of seeds stuck together in a corky-husk so they're relatively large and easy to handle. In a square 30cm x 30cm, you can sow sixteen 'seeds' (4 x 4). Watch out for slugs and snails. You'll need to pinch off the weaker … [Read more...]
If you've made salsa verde and have a few anchovies left in the tin, you can enjoy an interpretation of 'salad nicoise' using baby salad leaves, sliced tomatoes, hard boiled free-range egg (eight minutes only please), a few olives and some french dressing (olive oil, lemon juice and dijon mustard). Or a dollop of home made mayonnaise. You could … [Read more...]
Coleslaw is often thought of as a winter stand-by when summer salad is in short supply, but it's also a perfect complement to barbecued meat or to accompany a hot chicken at a picnic. You can prepare the ingredients and dressing ahead of time but dress the salad no more than half an hour before you're ready to eat. Mind you, I have been known to … [Read more...]
Ideas for potatoes fresh from the garden Boil in salted water, flavoured with a sprig of mint for about 10 minutes until you insert the point of a sharp knife easily. Drain and serve warm with a knob of butter and finely chopped fresh chives p> or finish off with a sizzle on the barbecue plate. or cool and mix with equal quantities of … [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.
