organic vegetable gardening courses, growing tips and homegrown recipes.
Root vegetables are transformed by roasting (50 minutes at 180 degrees C) in a slosh of olive oil and with a sprinkle of salt. They are delicious, versatile and attractive. This was our Saturday night combo - beetroot, turnip, carrots, potatoes (strictly a tuber, not a root), garlic and corn. All fresh from the garden. I could have substituted … [Read more...]
It's a busy time of year picking beans, cucumbers and zucchinis. The trick is to pick them before they get too big - that's why I like yellow zucchinis as they're much easier to spot. These recipes will help out on the zucchini front. Zucchini fritters can be lunch-box fillers, pass-arounds or barbecue fare. Zucchini and corn self-crusting … [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...]
Tarte tatin is usually a sweet, upside-down tart filled with caramelised apples. This version uses roasted vegetables in a balsamic vinegar syrup. It makes a delicious lunch, served with a green salad. You may find some vegetables stick to the dish when you turn out the tart, but you can lift them off and arrange them back where they belong. You … [Read more...]
It's convenient but expensive to buy dips from the supermarket. If you've got a well stocked pantry you can whizz up a dip for a few unexpected guests that tastes better than the boughten equivalent. You'll also get to choose exactly what goes into it and if you're trying to get your kids to eat more vegetables, this is a painless way to get them … [Read more...]
Mini pumpkins are ready to eat now and make a marvellous receptacle for all types of stuffing. If you fill them with grated gruyere cheese and some crushed garlic you end up with individual cheesy pumpkin soups in their own bowl. I used the kernels from half a cob of corn, about 50g of grated cheddar cheese and a dollop of homemade pesto to fill … [Read more...]
These make a great finger food and are easier to handle than a big version. You could serve a few with some salad for lunch. I used silverbeet, cheese and chorizo in this incarnation, but you could use any greens or zucchini and omit the meat for a vegetarian version. If you use metal muffin tins you'll need to grease them well. I used silicon … [Read more...]
If you've got a rather large beetroot this is a fine way to use it up, provided it's not woody and hasn't gone to seed. I think you can taste the beetroot if you know it's there but it gives the brownie a moist texture (that brownie should have) and a good rich, chocolate colour. Makes 25 squares. 500g beetroot, peeled and chopped into … [Read more...]
Too many zucchinis? Put one in a cake. If the zucchini is small it works better, as it will be less watery. Unfortunately this is not usually the stage they're at when you've got too many of them. This cake used only one zucchini weighing 180g before I took off its top and tail. The cake turned out moist and crumbly with a delicious meringue-like … [Read more...]
I made this dip to have for lunch with some carrot and apple slices. Tess enjoyed the apple core and ends of the carrot so it was a lunch we could share. It's surprisingly sweet and goes rather well with raw vegetables. I didn't add any salt as it seemed seasoned enough from the salt in the cheese. If you don't like broad beans you may still like … [Read more...]
