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Monday, December 4, 2017

Spring harvest

November, the last of spring and the garden is soft and lush, ablaze with colour and movement. Like the northern hemisphere we are about to go into our time of extreme weather and have mini harvest time for the soft vegetables and flowers that are at their best. Red cabbage has been made into a brilliant red kimchi, the lemons have been juiced, pickled, preserved and made into Lemon Power and gremolata for the freezer. The deep red petals of the 'Mr Lincoln' rose are large, dark and fragrant, not yet beetle prey they are being dried to make Turkish delight for after a short stint being admired in a vase. Calendulas are being deheaded daily, the best season in years. Don't be squeamish about picking them, you will get so many more in return and you can just pick half each day.I will have an abundance for oil extractions and tincture and enough to sprinkle on salads and add dried later to rice before cooking.

It is also the best time to harvest my favourite old fashioned mint before it flowers. Diamond-backed moths and rust are making their way up the stems and making a mess of it. Cut now, the damaged leaves stripped, the bunches are hung indoors in the shade. Rub the leaves through a wire sieve when dry. Do not leave dried herbs hanging too long, they get cobwebby and dusty, especially in summer. I think dried mint works better than fresh in spanakopita, palak paneer and mint sauce and I always have some in the cupboard.

A friend called to ask about elder flowers and came an harvested a basketful for Elder Fizz for Christmas. Inspired, I began a batch too. The grandchildren love this very grown up drink and non drinkers enjoy its champagne like bubbles. There is still plenty of time if you would like to try. Two weeks is the minimum fermentation. Best tip....don't decide to do it the day after recycling has gone unless you have a great stash of wine or beer bottles. I have been promised I can bin dive at a friend's accommodation cottage for my next batch!

Elder Fizz

This is a tried and true recipe at our house, usually made in time for Christmas ‘champagne’ for the non drinkers and children. The flowers contain natural yeast that assists the fermentation.

Will fill 10 wine bottles.

9 litres water
700g white sugar
1 lemon, juice and rind
30ml cider vinegar
12 elderflower heads

In a large saucepan, bring the water to the boil.
Stir in sugar until it is dissolved and remove from the heat.
Gently shake the flowers to remove dust and insects and remove as much green stalk as you can.
When the water has cooled to room temperature, add the flowers, cider vinegar and lemon juice and rind.
Cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place for 24 hours.
Filter through muslin or a clean tea towel and bottle in clean screw top bottles.

Let sit for two weeks to mature and serve chilled.

Thursday, November 23, 2017

Minty and fruity - drying soft herbs and natural pink fizz

Warm weather is on its way again and there is a rush on to harvest all the soft herbs before they bolt and flower and send all their energy into seed production. While the weather is still cool and dry, the essential oil content is at its highest level and your herbs will be pungent and potent harvested now. Always pick after the dew has dried and before the full heat of the day.

The mint I picked, bunched and hung two weeks ago is ready to strip before it collects dust and cobwebs and loses a lot of its colour. The leaves are hard and brittle and should crumble easily. Gently pull the leaves from the stems. Store whole leaves in an airtight jar and store in a dark place. Use for teas and
tinctures. To process for cooking, rub gently through a metal sieve, discarding the hard stems and veins. Chuck out all the old herbs in your pantry as you process the new crop. The sticks make fragrant twigs for the fire or can be chopped up and added to the compost bin. This process will work for oregano, marjoram, yarrow, lemon verbena and sage but not for fleshier herbs like basil and plantain..

I got creative with the two batches of elder fizz now bottled and waiting for labels. A lovely pink version was a great success after I added 4 rosehip and hibiscus flowers tea bags to the hot syrup. A nice natural red fizzy drink for all the grandies. Now for the labels!

Baked Olives

Pickled Red Cabbage

2kg red cabbage (prize winner if possible!)
3 Tbsp salt
2 litres spiced vinegar, purchased or homemade.

Shred cabbage finely, layer one third cabbage in a ceramic bowl, sprinkle over one third salt and repeat twice.
Put a layer of plastic wrap over the cabbage and then a small plate.
On top of the plate put a heavy weight. A pot of water or a couple of bricks on top of a round chopping board work well.
Leave overnight and in the morning drain liquid and rinse well.
Put in steriised jars and cover with spiced vinegar.
Leave one week before eating with cold meats or cheese or as a side dish with bangers and mash.

One of my all time favourites - perfect for a quick meal on a cold day.

Chickpea and Chorizo Soup

1 onion diced
1 red chilli seeded and chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
420gm can of tomatoes, chopped
1 can water
2 tsp All Purpose Seasoning (see Seasonings)
1 chorizo sausage, cubed
1 can chickpeas, drained
150gm cabbage, sliced finely
Grated parmesan

1. Sauté chilli and onion in oil for 2 minutes, stirring.
2. Add tomatoes then water, sausage and seasoning powder and bring to the boil.
3. Add chick peas and cabbage and cook until cabbage is wilted.
4. Serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
TIP
Use other beans if chick peas are not available, use two cans for a main meal dish. Broccoli, cauliflower or spinach can substitute for cabbage. This soup improves with age, I like it better reheated.

Lemon Mushroom Pasta

Serves 4.
Dressing
½ tsp chilli powder
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cm piece ginger, peeled and grated
¼ cup white wine vinegar
¼ tsp salt
⅓ cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp dark sesame oil
3 Tbsp olive oil

Pasta
400g dried linguine cooked according to the package instructions
300g fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp butter
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 block tempeh, cut in 2cm squares (optional)
1 Tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 Tbsp spring onions, finely chopped
¼ Lebanese cucumber, sliced
1 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

1. Make the dressing by combining all ingredients, except for the sesame oil and olive oil in a food processor or hand blender. Run the blender for a few seconds, until all ingredients are combined. With the machine running, drizzle in the oils.
2. Heat a frying pan over high heat. Add the butter and oil and when the butter starts bubbling, add the mushrooms. Sauté on high for 3 minutes. Remove from pan.
3. Add more oil if needed and sauté the tempeh until brown.
4. In a large bowl, toss the cooked linguine with all the other ingredients and some of the dressing (to taste.)

Tempeh Pate

2 cloves garlic
1 onion
1 Tbsp butter
300g tempeh
2 eggs
3 Tbsp brandy or ¼ cup port
2 tsp mushroom soy
2 tsp vegemite or promite ½ tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp allspice
2 tsp chilli sauce
¼ tsp pepper
1 Tbsp sesame seeds

1.Saute chopped onion and garlic in butter until soft.
2. Place in food processor with all other ingredients except sesame seeds and process until smooth.
3. Pour into a small, well greased casserole dish. The pate needs to be at least 2 cm deep.
4. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and cover tightly with foil.
5. Bake at 180˚C for about 50 minutes until set. Remove foil and cook a further 5 minutes or until the top has browned slightly.