I seem to have excelled at photographing small amounts of things this week. A bunch a mint for the Lemon & Mint Cordial, a handful of thyme for some stock, a lone Cape Gooseberry that the potato beetles missed and my first basil harvest of the season – lovely in a tomato salad.
I haven’t only harvested things in handfuls – I did harvest a cabbage which we have been eating in salads ever since.
Some garlic was pulled and hung up to dry but some other heads were eaten – the most noteworthy dish we ate this evening – chorizo & potato with lots of fried garlic ( I’ve just been back to the pan and eaten any garlic bits I missed earlier- just delicious).
And what sort of chard grower would I be if i let a week go by without harvesting some: this week I made chard and ricotta gnocchi, I served it as a side with salmon and thinly sliced it and added it to soup. I only photographed it twice though.
I find that as it gets closer and closer to summer I am eating more and more salad and that means more and more lettuce:
(Note to the eagle eyed: – yes that is paint on the table, yes I should have paid closer attention to what Mr 2 was doing – he was also painting his tongue – and yes I should have cleaned it up before it dried…..oh well we live and learn…)
And finally what salad would be complete without a few spring onions chopped through it.
For other harvests from around the globe venture into the world of Daphne’s Dandelions.
That all looks so perfect Liz! I’m sitting here feeling sorry for myself because everything is looking dire. I’ve even failed to get decent lettuce happening – I must be better organised!
Does basil always take so long to get going in Summer? I don’t remember it seeming so hard last year, but I’ve planted bucketloads of the stuff and it’s either being decimated by the slugs or baked to death by the scorching heat before it’s properly established.
My basil has been quite temperamental this year too – I’ve had a couple of plants die for no reason and some have been eaten but there are a couple that look great – they are in a bit of shade so perhaps that helps (although basil normally likes full sun. I sowed some more seed last week – my third lot this year and I’m fairly sure I only sowed once last year so perhaps its some sort of weather thing – I’m wondering if they haven’t like the humidity as it had been unusually humid (or so I’ve thought).
Do you braise red cabbage too – It’s a vegetable I love and it freezes really well.
I tend to use it in salads mostly – what do you braise it with?
It’s strange as until this week I’d never eaten red cabbage raw! I have a recipe for braised red cabbage on my website here
We cook a whole red cabbage like this which we then portion up and freeze.
Yum – that looks great – I make a very similar dish with beetroot – I will give it a go this evening with our roast chicken.
I do a beetroot version too!
I reckon that a small quantity of something nice – and when you need it – is much better than a glut of something ordinary. Having fresh herbs available all the time is a major boon for any keen cook.
True enough – and I love having the herbs – if only my parsley hadn’t gone to seed (and the dill hadn’t died) I would have pretty much every herb I use regularly available at the moment.
It’s so nice to see your garden going into the summer season!
I am really enjoying it at the moment – its nice to be able to see all the summer veg forming.
Oh to be enjoying new growth in the garden! We are still heading into the darkest days of winter and the garden is going more and more dormant. It will be a good three months yet before things start turning around and greening up here. Luckily, I can check in here and get a nice dose of fresh produce – nicely displayed on a color splashed table (I think the art work is attractive!). 😀
Ah yes – he’s clearly a child prodigy – the artfully splashed yellow against the strip of white…..your winters do sound intense – I hope they are enjoyable even if nothing much happens garden wise.
Nice harvest. I am like kitsap nice to be able to come here and dream of what we will have in another 7 months for me. Love red cabbage but being just me to eat it I don’t grow it.
I grow red cabbage as much for the decorative aspects in the garden as the vegetable itself – if the truth be known the rest of the family would pretty much leave it alone if given a choice – but I don’t give them one so all is good! he he he
The part I love about being a home grower is the ability to pick at will, and forage from your own garden. Though related, it’s a different rhythm than being a farmer. We still have salad but not the tender things you’re enjoying there!
Absolutely, I like the wandering and picking here and there and eating as I go – its a lovely thing.
A great harvest week for you; that cabbage is beautiful! Paint: if it’s acrylic try soaking it with rubbing alcohol, that should loosen it up.
Thanks Mary, I’ll give it a go.
Looks like a yummy harvest! I’ve never seen a gooseberry, what do they taste like? Your cabbage and lettuce look very tasty too. The thought of fresh fried garlic is making me hungry. However, I just planted garlic a month ago, so I’ve got awhile to wait!
These are Cape Gooseberries – also known as Physallis amongst other things – they are different from a ‘normal’ gooseberry. They are tart, acidic and a little sweet – I really enjoy them, they are often dipped in a bit of toffee to give them some more sweetness.
Wow you have endless things to harvest from your garden. Many varieties as well each week. I transplanted some red cabbage seedlings this week. But I am not sure how it will far with our scorching summer.
I’ve never had enough space to grow cabbage in summer – I hope they go well for you – I think they are often grown in summer so hopefully they will do OK
Nice harvest, seeing you gooseberry reminds me I still have a box to deal with, hopefully the husks protect them from dehydration.
They are pretty indestructable in my experience (having said that the potato beetles had a good go at destroying mine).
Your little bits are much larger than my little bits! Congrats!
Ah yes but had the mice not nibbled yours then it may have been the other way round.