Gardening Archives - Page 2 of 2 - All That I'm Eating

Purple French Beans with Steak

August 24, 2011 By All That I'm Eating 10 Comments

I planted eighteen broad bean seeds under their little cloches back in March and I had eighteen successful broad bean plants come up giving me lovely green pods all of July and early August. I planted eighteen French purple bean seeds under their little cloches and I had two plants come up. I’m not sure it was my year for these little chaps.

Fortunately the two little plants that managed to battle the elements (and the neighbours heavy pawed cat) were rather heavily laden and so I had enough to make a meal. They are such a dark colour and look so lovely in the garden it was a shame to pick them. The plant is also a fantastic purpley green.

I topped and tailed the beans and steamed them gently. I was hoping this would retain some of their purple colour but, unfortunately, they went entirely green! I find that beans are extremely happy with a little lemon juice. I melted a little butter and fried some chopped shallot then squeezed in a little lemon juice to sharpen it up. read more

My Vegetable Patch

July 5, 2011 By All That I'm Eating 17 Comments

Growing your own has become rather fashionable of recent years. It is now so easy to find interesting varieties, help and advice from all sorts of places. If you’ve considered growing your own but haven’t tried it yet I warn you now, it’s addictive. There’s not a market stand I can go by without having a nose around and come back with something new to try and grow. This post doesn’t have much to say, the pictures speak for themselves.

Courgettes. I’m growing a yellow crookneck variety, an orange patty pan variety and a baby blue round variety.

Beetroot. I cheated and bought plug plants as I was too late to grow from seed.

Carrots. This is the first year I’ve grown carrots and parsnips. I’ve got all sorts of colours of carrot to come up, hopefully anyway.

Apples. The tree has been in the garden for years but this is the first year we’ve had proper fruit.

Tomatoes. I’ve got 7 different varieties this year; yellow, red, plum and beef. I always buy the plants when they’re young as I’ve not had much success growing from seed. Nothing like a fresh tomato. read more

My Farmers’ Market

September 24, 2010 By All That I'm Eating 14 Comments

Vegetables. There comes a point in everyone’s life where their view on vegetables changes forever. One day one gazes reproachfully at a Jerusalem artichoke, the next, it is seen as an adventure, a culinary experiment. It goes from a, “No way” to a, “Yes” all of a sudden. It creeps up on you and before you know it the vegetables are the star of the meal. The meats and potatoes are a garnish compared to the mighty, majestic broccoli dish that has been lovingly, carefully created.

For some this new discovery takes on a whole other part of their lives. Growing your own. For me, it has been probably the best thing I have taken up. For those who want to have a conversation with me when I’m not covered in soil and have insects frolicking about in my hair it may not be, to them at least, the best thing I’ve ever taken up. It is an obsession. I can’t urge you enough to give it a try – you’ll be surprised at the success (if you choose cleverly). I got a little overexcited this year and was so enamoured with my courgettes and tomatoes I wanted to let them have all the space and nutrients. This meant I planted nothing else and they are still going strong. Looking at my little beauties my eyes glaze over. When I take them into the kitchen I puff out my chest with pride. However, because of my idiocy I now have a gaping hole in my life that cannot be filled until next year. Fortunately I have a fabulous farmers’ market very near that is indispensible for my vegetable ventures. These pictures I hope can capture the beauty, fragility and unctuousness of the vegetables I am fortunate enough to have access to. The marrow I admit does not come across as fragile but when you break its hard, crisp skin it becomes obvious that the seeds and wispy flesh are delicate and need care. Where else but a farmers’ market can you get such a striking purple cauliflower? Think how long it would take to make a man made cauliflower as intricate and uniform as a Romanesco cauliflower. Things that someone has taken the care to grow like this need to be sent off to our digestive tracts with dignity and poise. It is not just the food that is way above even the best supermarket standards, it is the people. They are the reason I go. Imagine asking someone in a supermarket the best way to cook the marrow you have just proudly chosen. Chances are a blank face will be the most helpful response. At the market you can barely stop them talking about their vegetables. They are so proud. And rightly so. The meat, the fish, the bread, the cheeses, the cakes, the plants, the fruit, the beers and wines and the pastries, what a selection and what a great atmosphere. For the quality and service that you receive I think it’s fantastic value for money. And so to try and express my gratitude for the businesses that loyally turn up every other Sunday to sell us their wares, I am creating meals using as many ingredients as possible from the market. I listened to the advice given by the experts and made the most of my veggies. Furthermore I have found that carrying a marrow around with you will deter even the keenest of pick pocketers. Excellent farmer armour.

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Broad Bean Hummus and Courgette Surprise

August 10, 2010 By All That I'm Eating 5 Comments

So as I am inundated with thousands upon thousands of broad beans and courgettes, instead of becoming the next Alan Sugar and make millions selling my prides and joys, I decided I shall eat them myself and share them around. I say thousands but I mean more than I hoped for.

One of the meals we had entailed both broad beans and courgettes. I wish my tomatoes were ready but they are stubbornly green. As per usual with these lovely beans they needed to be extracted, boiled and popped out.

After this inevitable ritual common sense prevails on the hummus making front. I put my little gems in my mini blitzer, a good squidge of lemon juice, some fresh mint and some seasoning. Blitz. Then, drizzled smidgen by smidgen, some tasty extra virgin olive oil until the texture is what you see fit as appropriate. Blitzing away all the while. Noisy yes. Worth it? Absolutely. read more

My Garden

June 10, 2010 By All That I'm Eating 4 Comments

Is it just me who has become strangely attached to the veggies I have grown? Do those who garden also refer to their produce as their prides and joy?

Maybe it is because this is the first time I have done it and so far all is going swimmingly. It turns out growing my own is my guilty pleasure. Currently, I am growing; (from left to right) courgettes, broad beans and spinach. Elsewhere I have tomato (three kinds), sage, pepper- and spear- mint and parsley.

So far I have only been able to eat the herbs and spinach. The beans are so close to ready and I have just been lacking an occasion to show off my sage. I have found so many recipes for broad beans and we all enjoyed eating the top shoots of the plant in a salad last week.
I have discovered that growing your own exposes you to so many recipes that are just not possible with the vegetables supplied in a supermarket. I’ve never seen yummy little broad beans no bigger than the size of your little finger available. I can’t wait to whack mine into a stir fry and eat the whole little popping green lovlies.
As I learn how to treat and respect what I am growing, the produce becomes even more important. I am excited to start to cook with all sorts of bits of my new venture.

Little note…I seem to have stumbled across an interesting gardening fact. As I am growing organic, I refuse to eat things that would be absorbed into my vegetables if I wouldn’t eat them in their raw state. If you won’t sprinkle slug pellets over your roast, why sprinkle them over your cabbages?

Anyway, it seems coffee grounds have an ability to scare most little devils away from my veggies. Perhaps this is a known fact? If you’ve not tried it, give them a go! They smell nice, they are free from some coffee shops and are full of goodness to help your soil as well as your pocket.

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Nigel Slater – Tender Volume 1

March 7, 2010 By All That I'm Eating 1 Comment

I bought Tender volume 1 a few weeks ago thinking it looks like a nice big fat book full of interesting recipes. I was so wrong, it is so much more than that. It’s one of the best cookery books I own.

If there is a vegetable he has not included in some form or other, I can’t spot it. I have always thought I don’t like certain vegetables, I was so wrong about this too. I now have a new love affair with vegetables and there isn’t a single one I would overlook. Everything is made to seem so easy – it turns out it is. read more