Top 5: Things to plant in Autumn

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Liz

The title of this post should probably read – Things to plant in Melbourne in Autumn, as all are well suited to a Melbourne winter.   Having said that though, all these crops are frost tolerant and will grow in a broad range of climates provided they get a bit of cold, but not too too much.  There are other crops I wouldn’t be without in winter; chard, parsley, beetroot, celery and mint spring immediately to mind but all these I planted long ago – during either Spring or Summer.  The ones in this list are those that I wait until Autumn to plant, partially because I’m waiting for space but mostly because between now and June is the best time to be planting them.

1. Garlic – This is my absolute must plant crop.  In Australia buying garlic often means buying a heavily sprayed, relatively flavourless product, laden with food miles.  Most of our imported garlic comes from China but at some times of the year it travels even further – from Mexico or Spain.  As a result I try and grow as much of my own garlic as possible.  Aside from flavour and environmental reasons the other big big advantage of growing your own garlic is that you can harvest a portion of it green.   Green garlic is one of the big delights for the home gardener.  Garden To Wok has some lovely green garlic in her Harvest post this week, equally you’ll find an enjoyable spring dish of broad beans with green garlic under the broad beans tag on this blog.

     

I planted my garlic last weekend, I planted on a 15cm grid and sowed just over 100 cloves of both hard and soft necked varieties.  Very excited to see how they all do.

2. Broad Beans – Broad (or Fava) Beans are one of those crops beloved of the kitchen gardener.  They are good for the soil – they fix nitrogen (although I suspect they would fix a lot more of it if I dug them before they used most of it up by producing flowers and seed pods).  They also produce delicious beans, which are hard to find if you don’t grow your own.  A truly seasonal food you can really only get fresh broad beans for a short time each year.  During this time I do sometimes become heartily sick of them but by the next year I will be longing to eat them once again.  I sow my broad beans direct in May (when I usually have a bit of space in my beds) which means they crop in late Spring.  If you sow at the start of Autumn they should crop much earlier in Spring.

    

3. Broccoli – So much has been written about the health benefits of broccoli that I wont bother rehashing it here.  Suffice to say broccoli is good for you, tastes great, and it is also a great kitchen garden plant.  I grow a lot of brassicas in winter: cauliflower, cabbages, mustard, radishes, romanesco and so on, but it is broccoli that I chose to feature here.  This is largely because as a kitchen garden plant it is more convenient than the things like cauliflower, romanesco and cabbages which only crop once.  Broccoli keeps on giving side shoots for weeks/months after you have harvested the main head.  A hugely desirable quality in a garden where space is at a premium.  Although you can theoretically grow broccoli all year round in Melbourne (I do find it bolts way too quickly in hot weather though) I find that by planting it out as seedlings in Autumn (it is a bit late to be sowing seed at this point) you tend to avoid the most annoying broccoli pests becoming too much of an issue.  Cabbage White Butterflies tend to be less active at this time of the year, and to my mind more importantly, the flower heads are less likely to become infested with aphids if you are harvesting in winter.

   

4. Peas – I didn’t grow any peas last year, a tragic tale of procrastination and then crop decimation at the hands of slugs and snails.  This meant that the supports that were to hold up peas ended up supporting an early planted tomato instead.  As a result I have no pea photos.  What I did learn from this experience though is that I really missed having fresh peas growing in the garden.  Whether you grow normal peas, sugar snap, or snow peas Autumn is the time to plant.  I planted some Greenfest peas today in fact, using some wrought iron fencing I got from a friend as supports.  I hope they do well.  At least this year I’ve sown them early enough that if I have any problems I still have time to sow again.

5. Onions/Shallots – I have grouped these together – naughty aren’t I?   Last year I grew onions for the first time, and despite my frustrations with how damn long they take I was really really surprised how nice the home grown ones tasted.  Now I don’t have nearly enough room to plant onions for storage but growing a few lovely red ones for using in salads I think is really worthwhile.  I loved both the flavour and fresh texture of the ones I grew last year (variety: Red Shine) – really nice.  Shallots too are great to grow.  It is fascinating to watch them divide and divide and divide.  The ones I planted out last year produced about 30 bulbs each which is a great return on the relatively small amount of space they take up.  Between now and July is probably the best time to plant onions and shallots in Melbourne.  I have yet to sow either – a project for the next few weeks.  I plan to sow onion seed direct when space becomes available but the shallots I will start in pots and then position in any gaps that open up in the beds.

 

If you are looking for another Top 5 take the time to wander over to The New Good Life to see what she has come up with this week.

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Monday Harvest – April 9th 2012

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Liz

About 2 years ago I planted a lemon tree amongst the Australian natives in the front garden.  Since then I have been diligently taking off all the fruit to let the tree concentrate on growing.  All the fruit except one that is:

I have to admit it’s harvest was slightly accidental – I was gently admiring it when it came off in my hand.  I haven’t used it yet – I’m trying to think of an appropriate dish to use it in.

Another of my new harvest items was also harvested accidentally – I was moving a few pots around and in the process of shifting the horseradish I realised it had colonised part of my path.  These roots had come out of the pot and were growing down the path – presumably looking for a point to access my beds.  I’m glad it didn’t make it – I think I’ll make a sauce for some beetroot with this.

I made Chicken Savoyarde this week and the recipe called for leeks, lots of tarragon, carrots, and celery.  The beans I served with it and the chillies and cucumber I picked because they were ready.  Incidentally the carrots are from a colour mix packet of seeds – I have to say I just can’t get excited about coloured carrots (other than orange that is) I do think the orange varieties tend to have the best flavour.

Otherwise this weeks harvests have been more of the same.  Chillies (of course), a few tomatoes, eggplant and celery – the two later ingredients went into the caponata I wrote about last week.

The figs are nearing the end but I harvested about 10 this week – this particular lot came in with the washing.

We went to the Royal Melbourne Show last September and while there Miss 5 dug some potatoes from one of the exhibits and as a reward she was given some to take home.  These are the first ones I bandicooted from the resulting plants.  I’m not sure how many more I’ll find when I dig them up properly but I’m pleased that they are producing at all as I planted them quite late, they don’t get much sun at all and they have been swamped by sweet potato vine, so all in all something of a result!

It wouldn’t be the same without harvesting some Rainbow Chard each week – this week I made chard and ricotta gnocchi which was a great success – Mr 2 was especially keen.

And finally a passionfruit which not only concludes this post but is probably also the last that my old vine will produce.  However all is not lost as in the sort of beautiful symmetry that nature sometimes provides, my new vine flowered for the first time this week.  I hope its ready to be as productive as the last one – it has a lot to live up to.

For other harvests from around the globe the place to be is Daphne’s.  Head on over now.

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March 2012 – The Wrap Up

Posted on April 6, 2012 by Liz

March often sees the end of the summer crops for me, and while this was true of cucumbers and to a lesser extent tomatoes, the eggplants are still going strong whilst some of my capsicums are barely getting started.  I think I’ll try a different variety next year as these have just been too slow.

Whilst some plants have had their day others are growing well – there are parts of the garden which currently look particularly lush.  Anywhere near the sweet potatoes – the picture on the left below shows a very healthy lemongrass plant about to be swamped by rampant sweet potato vine.  The turmeric, ginger and mint are all still looking happy, I will definitely wait until the plants die back before harvesting any turmeric or ginger rhizomes – my feeling is that they are putting on most of their underground growth at the moment.  The picture on the right is one of 3 newly acquired blueberries – after L & Mark both suggested they were great plant pots I felt I needed to get some as I love the fruit.

     

Whilst some things are still going strong there are others which are about to finish.  The figs are almost gone, the tarragon will soon die back and go dormant for the winter, the passionfruit have finished and the Thai Basil is starting to flower in earnest.

     

I was pretty busy in the garden in March.  I replanted a shady side bed with some Vietnamese Mint, Mint, and Lemon Balm that had previously lived in pots.  I am hoping their invasive natures will ensure they well and truly take over that area.

Otherwise it was harvests, harvests and more harvests, usually they included chillies:

     

But my plant of the month would have to have been the rainbow chard, which looked happy, healthy and provided us with leaves whenever we needed them.

I am feeling quite pleased with myself because as well as all the bounty I’ve had from the garden there is still more to come.  From left – Potatoes sprouting in pots, Tuscan Kale ready for harvest, Spring Onions gradually developing, Raddichio getting slowly bigger.

        

And most exciting of all – tamarillos ripening:

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Nigella vs Jamie – The Battle of the Caponata’s

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Liz

Ever since I posted my Eggplant – A Mini Glut post, and Robin reminded me of its existence, I’ve become mildly obsessed with caponata.  A useful obsession given I have quite a lot of eggplant in the garden at the moment.  Up until a couple of weeks ago I hadn’t cooked caponata in ages and as a result decided it might be useful to have a look at a few recipes.  A quick search on Eat Your Books revealed that I am the proud owner of at least 7 caponata recipes, one of which is in Jamies’ Italy book and another is in Nigella’s book – Forever Summer.  Thus the Nigella vs Jamie battle was conceived.  Well the title is how I envisioned this post to be – an ever so fascinating comparison of Nigella Lawson & Jamie Olivers caponata recipes.  The reality is a little different.  I cooked Jamies’ recipe last week, but then when I came to cook Nigella’s I read the words: “this is Anna del Conte’s version from her revised and expanded Gastronomy of Italy…”.  So really this is Jamie vs Anna but as its in Nigella’s book I still think its OK to attribute it to her as well.  In retrospect I should/could have cooked Stephanie Alexander and Nigel Slater versions of the dish which might have been more appropriate as both are kitchen garden exponents but I didn’t so we are left with Nigella and Jamie.

Before I discuss their dishes I should point out that I am slightly predisposed to having Jamie Oliver win any battle with Nigella.  This is partially because although both can be extremely irritating, I find Jamie slightly less so.  But mainly this is because I have never cooked a dish I really really liked from one of Nigella’s books and I’ve cooked plenty from Jamies.

Nigel Slater describes caponata as a rich sweet-sour stew and that is how I’ve remembered it tasting on the previous occasions I’ve eaten it.  I also remembered it having sultanas in it but neither Jamie or Nigella’s recipes contained any.  Aside from the lack of sultanas Jamie and Nigella’s look quite different.  Jamie’s has garlic, Nigella’s doesn’t.  Nigella’s has lots of celery, Jamie’s doesn’t – this is at odds with every other caponata recipe I’ve seen before and since, they all include celery.  Jamie’s has lots of parsley and oregano, Nigella’s does include any herbs.  Finally Nigella’s includes chocolate and sugar whilst Jamie’s doesn’t include any sweeteners.

I made Jamie’s recipe first.  I really enjoyed it – a lovely combination of eggplant, tomato, parsley, capers (although I would use less next time) and olives.  Delicious but lacking the sweet-sour quality I was looking for.  I would definitely make his dish again but I’m not sure I would call it caponata if I did – but perhaps I’m being too picky.

I made Nigella’s dish today.  Whilst I tried to follow the recipe to the letter a couple of problems meant that I wasn’t able to follow it completely.  First one of the eggplants I picked had grubs in it, meaning I had to reduce the eggplant quantity significantly.  I only realised this after I’d made the tomato sauce so it was rather more tomatoey than she intended.  I also reduced the amount of capers, her recipe called for 4 tablespoons which I thought was pretty excessive.  I like capers but 4 tablespoons is a lot and they aren’t that cheap so I ended up using about half the suggested quantity.  Finally the only dark chocolate I had had almonds in it but given almonds appear in some caponata recipes I didn’t think that would be too big an issue.

I enjoyed Nigella’s dish, it was rich (perhaps slightly too rich if anything) and sweet-sour.  The eggplant was delicious.  I wasn’t that keen on the celery though.  The recipe suggested that the celery be cut to the same size as the eggplant which meant there were quite large chunks in the dish.  If I was to make it again I would include the celery but cut it finely and use it to flavour the sauce rather than as one of the vegetables in the dish.  Caponata does tend to improve overnight so I’m quite looking forward to the leftovers tomorrow.

All in all, and loathe as I am to say it, as a battle for the best caponata recipe Nigella won the day.  Which is not to say I enjoyed her dish more just that it was more like Caponata as I am familiar with it.  I don’t think either is the perfect caponata recipe.  Perhaps Stephanie or Nigel can claim that honour.  Not sure if I need to find out though – I’ll probably just make my own version now.  I’ll include lots of: eggplant fried until its golden, tomatoes, onions, garlic, finely chopped celery, capers, olives, a grating or two of chocolate, white wine vinegar, a touch of sugar and topped with loads of parsley.  Maybe I’ll put some sultanas and capsicum in too.  The kids, at least, with eat the sultanas, that and the olives – oh well more eggplant for me.

To see what is coming out of other kitchens this week head over to the Gardener of Eden’s place.

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Top 5 things to make Pickles and Chutney’s from

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Liz

Chutney’s, Relishes, Pickles and Sauces are what todays post is all about.  But what is the difference between them?  The answer, as with many of these things, depends on who you ask?  For once Wikipedia is not much help.  They seem to suggest that pickles and chutney’s are both relishes which seems fine until you realise they also consider jam a relish – and perhaps it is, but in my book only when its a jam made from a traditionally savoury ingredient – onions, tomatoes etc.  They seem to use the word relish interchangeably with preserve which isn’t really how I’d define it.

Cookery the Australian Way has a chapter devoted to pickles, relishes, chutneys and sauces.  They advise that, given their strong flavours they be “introduced  gradually into the diets of small children and omitted from the diets of invalids.”  My book is quite dated and I find these little pieces of advice endlessly entertaining.  Anyway they suggest that pickles are generally uncooked fruits or vegetables preserved in vinegar and then flavoured with salt and spices or alternatively sugar and spices.  They helpfully distinguish between sweet and sour pickles.  Things get more interesting when we get to relishes – they suggest that relishes are distinguished from chutneys by being thickened with flour and cooked for a significantly shorter time.  Now the shorter time bit makes sense (I think the vegetables are usually cut a lot finer when making relish), but the flour? – not really sure.  Sauces they suggest are cooked until the vegetables are soft and then strained.  Interesting information but again I’m not sure that is how I’d distinguish them, thinner yes but strained hmmm, I don’t always….  No matter how you distinguish them though chutneys, pickles and sauces are all great ways to preserve vegetables.  All that remains is to tell you which vegetables I think (and fruits) are the best ones to be preserving in this manner.

 1. Tomatoes – I wonder what proportion of the worlds population has never tasted tomato sauce…certainly there would be very few people in the Western world who haven’t.  Love it or hate it, it is the king of sauces and no post about savoury preserves would be complete without mentioning it.  I sometimes think that you could just as easily call tomato sauce a chutney but I suspect this is because my mums sauce tastes a lot like tomato chutney, and thus that’s how I think sauce should taste – Sweet, spicy and tomatoey.

2. Cucumbers – A lot of cuisines pickle cucumbers: from America to South East Asia, to Korea via Eastern Europe there are a lot of people in this world adding vinegar to cucumbers.  My personal favourite are bread and butter cucumbers but I’m also partial to the South East Asian dipping sauces that mix vinegar, chilli, sugar and cucumbers with fish sauce.

3. Beetroot – I have to admit to being something of a devotee of pickled beetroot.  I even like the tinned stuff.  I also enjoy beetroot made into a sweet chutney or relish.  Its earthy flavour seems to lend itself to being soaked in vinegar, spices and sugar.

4. Eggplant- When I think about eggplant pickles I am thinking about the hot spicy ones made in India.  They’ve got the vinegar and sugar like the rest of the pickles mentioned here but with the addition of large quantities of spices, sugar and chilli they hot, spicy and very moreish.

5. Onions – I changed my mind a number of times about what to put in this slot, but my partners love of pickled onions won the day.  Now I have to admit that they are not really my favourite pickle but my mother-in-laws pickled onions are one of my partner’s favourite things to eat.  Personally I prefer onion jam which you could really call a chutney and thus onions earn their place from my palates perspective too.  Is there a nicer breakfast than sausage or bacon on a sour dough roll with onion jam, cooked tomatoes and a bit of avocado on the side?  Yum.  Even  a vego version with meat free sausages can be pretty darn good.  I draw the line a fake bacon though – yuk!

So what have I missed?  Actually I can think of a fair few things but I would love to know what you think make the best savoury preserves.

For anyone interested in childrens books The New Good Life’s Top 5 this week is on that very topic.  Pop over and have a look at what she’s come up with.

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